Author: News Desk

And she’s friends with Maya Jama!

Australia to introduce national ban on Nazi symbols in effort to crack down on far-right groups Australia has announced it will implement a nationwide ban on Nazi symbols in an effort to crack down on far-right organisations. Anyone found to be engaging in public displays of the swastika or SS symbols could face a year in prison. The laws will not include the Nazi salute, which will be up to state authorities to police. Most Nazis symbols are already banned in many Australian states. The move comes amid a rise in far-right activities in Australia. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, while…

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Mike Pence tears into Donald Trump at 2024 campaign launch Former US vice-president Mike Pence, once the closest man to Donald Trump, delivered his strongest criticism of the former president to date.  During the launch of his 2024 campaign, Pence accused Trump of betraying the principles of the US Constitution and abandoning conservative values.  Pence officially kicked off his White House campaign on Wednesday, placing himself in opposition to his former running mate, who he served as VP in the White House from 2017 to 2021.  Speaking in Ankeny, Iowa, Pence said Trump had played a role in inciting the…

The biggest Midsummer Weekend event in London takes place in Kensington this month (Picture: Claudio Saroldi/LondonSwedes)

Make like the Swedes and celebrate the longest day of the year with flowers in your hair and an all-day party.

In Sweden, Midsummer – or Midsommar – is a summer solstice holiday riotously celebrated across the country, and the Swedish expat community is bringing the festivities to London. 

The ancient celebration of the longest day of the year is one of the most awaited days of the Nordic calendar. It’s all about the magic of summer, with the flower crowns just one vibrant reminder that the best months of the year have just begun.

As with all the world’s best celebrations, a typical Swedish Midsummer festival revolves around food and drink, with pickled herring, Aquavit (schnapps) and strawberries taking centre stage.

Hosted by community group LondonSwedes and Nordic Spirit, the brunch, dinner and after party event is not one to miss (Picture: Claudio Saroldi/LondonSwedes)

While it falls on 23rd June this year, the festivities will take place throughout the whole Midsummer weekend to mark the summer solstice. Unmissable moments come with the Aquavit toasts, a Scandinavian tradition where each schnapps toast comes with merry drinking songs. 

On Saturday, 24th June, a Midsummer party will be held at Kensington’s Restaurant Ours, featuring fabulous food, live music and traditional Swedish activities.

The annual event is hosted by Swedish community group LondonSwedes in partnership with Nordic Spirit, a leading nicotine pouch brand that is tobacco-free, smoke-free and vapour-free*.  No strangers to Swedish celebrations, the pouches launched in the UK on the National Day of Sweden back in 2019.

Immerse yourself in Nordic heritage with delicious food, old pagan rituals and immersive performances (Picture: Claudio Saroldi/LondonSwedes)

Celebrating all things Swedish, you’ll be greeted with welcome drinks at the start of the festivities, before the first three-course brunch or dinner banquet at 12:30pm and 6:30pm respectively, featuring traditional Swedish delicacies.

Expect strawberries by the pound, smoked fish and pickled vegetables, all to a serenade of live music.

Have you ever sung a schnapps song or made a traditional Midsummer flower crown? Now’s your chance, with crown workshops, shows, pagan rituals and everyone invited.

Throughout the day, drinks will flow as attendees explore a range of typical Swedish Midsummer activities. If you’re one for the bubbles, a Bottomless Bubbles package brings you unlimited bubbly for 90 minutes, available for an added £20.

Craft flower crowns and singing songs while drinking and eating the traditional Midsummer foods, schnapps and bubbles (Picture: Claudio Saroldi/LondonSwedes)

Those wanting to keep the party going, or to join in after their own celebrations, the official After Party will keep things going into the early hours.

Part of the package for dinner guests and just £20 for everyone else, the late-night event is the perfect way to join the pagan celebration of fertility and light defeating darkness.

So, if you’re looking for something different to do to celebrate the summer solstice, grab your flower crown and join London’s Swedish community for a Midsummer cultural immersion.

It’s the perfect way to welcome the summer season in London.

Midsommar Weekend is on Saturday, 24th June at Restaurant Ours, SW3 2AS. Tickets available from £49 – CLICK HERE for yours.

*For more information on Nordic Spirit, visit NordicSpirit.co.uk or claim your free sample here. Over 18s only. Nordic Spirit contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance. 

Pretty unsanitary – but it could be worth a lot of money.

A man armed with a knife stabbed six people, including four preschool children, by a lake in the French Alps on Thursday in an attack that sent shock waves through the country. The suspect, who was arrested, did not have a terrorist motive, according to the local prosecutor.