The Old Country Newsletter – Mpox, Covert Operations & Country Music

My personal favorite book series of all time is The Emigrants, by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. Through the four books in the series, we get to follow the triumphs and tribulations of early Swedish immigrants in America. In the first book, "The Emigrants," we meet Karl Oskar, Kristina Nilsson, their three children, and eleven others who set out from Småland in 1850, seeking a better life away from poverty, religious persecution, and social injustice.

By clicking here, you can learn more about the books and order a copy for yourself. Beyond getting your hands on an incredible book, it is also a great way to show support for this newsletter, as a few cents of each sale will help support our work.

Sweden Confirms First Case of New, More Contagious Mpox Strain

Sweden has recorded its first confirmed case of the more contagious variant of the mpox virus, marking the first known instance outside Africa.

A patient in the Stockholm area was diagnosed with the highly transmissible clade 1 strain of mpox after seeking medical care. According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden, this is the first case of this variant being detected outside the African continent. The patient reportedly contracted the virus while traveling in a region in Africa experiencing a significant outbreak of clade 1, said acting director Olivia Wigzell.

Although clade 1 is believed to be both more contagious and deadlier than the clade 2 variant that surged globally in 2022, experts are cautiously optimistic. World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the ongoing mpox outbreaks as a global emergency. Sweden's state epidemiologist, Magnus Gisslén, emphasized the seriousness of the infection but noted that its spread on the African continent poses the highest risk. He also reassured that, while concerning, the case in Sweden wasn’t entirely unexpected given the ongoing monitoring of the epidemic.

In response to the evolving situation, Sweden's Minister of Social Affairs, Jakob Forssmed (pictured), assured the public that Sweden is well-prepared, with national vaccine stockpiles and access to antiviral treatments ready if needed.

Would you like to feel closer to Sweden? A perfect way to do that would be to have a look at Swedish broadcasts, either current or past. SVT Play is an online streaming service provided by Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish national public television broadcaster.

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On Tuesday, Swedish authorities secured the arrest of Jonas Falk, a notorious figure with a complex past, following a covert operation that spanned from Sweden to Spain. Falk, who has been under the radar since his 2013 acquittal in one of Sweden’s largest drug trafficking cases, now faces serious charges of attempted extortion and arson tied to a high-profile business dispute.

In an unusually secretive hearing held early Tuesday morning, Swedish prosecutors sought the detention of an unnamed individual at Södertörn District Court. The identity of the suspect—52-year-old Jonas Falk—was revealed only at the last moment, sending shockwaves through the courtroom. Shortly after the court ordered his detention in absentia, Spanish police apprehended Falk near his home outside Barcelona, acting swiftly to prevent his escape.

Prosecutors allege that Falk, working with accomplices, attempted to extort 100 million SEK (approximately $9.5 million) from Joachim Kuylenstierna, a former CEO of a publicly traded company. The extortion scheme reportedly included threats to harm Kuylenstierna, his colleagues, and their families, along with a shocking attempt to set fire to a business associate’s home last November. Falk is suspected of orchestrating these threats and facilitating the execution of the arson attack, which narrowly avoided a tragedy when residents managed to extinguish the fire.

Falk’s arrest is the latest development in a saga that has captivated Swedish media, particularly given his history with Swedish law enforcement. Once accused of being the mastermind behind "Operation Playa," a massive narcotics operation, Falk has maintained a low profile since his acquittal—until now. His connection to Kuylenstierna reportedly stems from a murky financial relationship involving a substantial investment, which some speculate was part of a money laundering scheme. Both parties have denied these claims.

As the legal proceedings continue, the public will be watching closely to see how this high-profile case unfolds and whether it will further complicate Sweden’s efforts to combat crime in an increasingly globalized world.