45 killed in armed attacks on streets of Sweden this year

STOCKHOLM 

Contrary to its reputation as being one of the most peaceful countries in the world, Sweden saw over 250 armed attacks this year, resulting in the killing of at least 45 people, police data shows.

A total of 251 armed attacks were carried out in the first eight months of 2022, in which at least 45 people were killed and 67 injured.

Organized crime has risen in the Scandinavian country over the last few years.

According to the record, in 2019 a total of 360 shootings took place, in which 45 people were killed and 126 others wounded. This figure increased to 379 – 47 people lost lives and 126 wounded – in 2020.

Sweden faced the same problem in 2021 and crime syndicates carried out 344 armed attacks, killing 45 and wounding 115 others.

On June 2, right-wing parties in the Swedish parliament – Riksdag – tabled a no-confidence motion against Justice and Interior Minister Morgan Johansson due to the "inability to prevent the increasing armed conflicts of crime syndicates and gangs in recent years."

In response, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said she would step down if the minister was ousted.

The opposition parties, however, failed to gather majority backing for the motion against Johansson.

Last June, Gothenburg police's Ulf Bostrom sounded the alarm that the problem is gigantic, and that even the police were unable to protect the victims.

As parties in Sweden prepare for the upcoming elections scheduled for next month, the fight against criminal gangs has topped the agenda.

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Qatar sends 1,300 buses onto streets in World Cup transport test

More than a million fans are expected to visit the Gulf nation, where organisers hold a trial of what is being touted as "the most complex transport operations ever mounted for a major sporting event."

Oganisers mimicked the schedule for the busiest days of the tournament when about 300,000 fans could be in Doha at the same time. (AFP)

World Cup organisers have sent 1,300 buses onto the streets of Qatar's capital Doha in a test of what they have called one of the most elaborate transport operations ever mounted for an international event.

"This is the most complex transport operations ever mounted for a major sporting event," said Ahmad al Obaidly, chief operating officer of Mowasalat, on Thursday. 

Mowasalat operates Qatar's bus and taxi services.

In the first scrutiny of their years of preparations, organisers mimmicked the schedule for the busiest days of the tournament when about 300,000 fans could be in Doha at the same time.

Amid sweltering summer heat, hundreds of air-conditioned but mainly empty buses went out to stadiums, metro stations and pickup points.

At the Al Wakra metro station in the Doha suburbs, more than 1,000 Mowasalat drivers pretended to be fans to be ferried to the Al Janoub stadium five kilometres away.

The Al Bayt stadium, where the opening game will be held on November 20, does not have its own metro station.

With more than one million people expected to descend on the tiny Gulf state for the tournament, the government is taking no chances with their multi-billion dollar preparations.

And getting the football hordes around the city and between the eight stadiums promises to be one of the biggest challenges.

READ MORE: FIFA increases squad limit to 26 players for 2022 Qatar World Cup

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ZqjcIDAeA[/embed]

'No fan will be left behind'

Hundreds of buses without passengers plied the 25 kilometres to the nearest station in the new city of Lusail, as they will when they take England and US fans to their match.

The buses even made the return journey after midnight to copy conditions for the Group B late night game.

"We want to make sure our plans are going in the right direction," said Thani Al Zarraa, mobility operations director for the Qatar organisers.

Obaidly said 3,000 buses had been purchased and there would be more than 4,000 on the streets for the World Cup.

The company has also doubled its number of drivers to 14,000 for the event. Most have been brought in from South Asia and Africa.

They have been trained in "defensive driving" to avoid on-the-road hazards and there are "contingency plans" for troublesome spectators, the executive said.

Each bus also has five CCTV cameras monitored at a central command centre for troublemakers.

After the tournament, Qatar's older buses will be given away and as part of its World Cup legacy, it will be "one of the first countries in the world to have a pure electric public transportation service," said Obaidly.

Al Zarraa advised visiting fans to plan their trips in advance and "be patient". But the bus company chief promised: "No fan will be left behind."

READ MORE: Ticket sales for Qatar World Cup launched at reduced prices

Source: AFP

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Cleaning the streets from drug addicts and neglecting urban drug addicts

In an interview with IRNA reporter, Farhad Aqtar added: Addicts in Balashahr areas have not been treated and the family has not noticed their addiction. Some of these addicts use drugs for beauty.

He added: We are only thinking about Article 16 centers for drug addicts, but if we miss the opportunity to pay attention to drug addicts in the upper part of the city, it is dangerous.. Unfortunately, we did not think about the treatment of addicts who did not reach the destruction stage. They still have families and are not strangers.

We are all busy cleaning the streets, and it may take a few years for the addicts living in the upper city to get rid of them, so voluntary and preventive treatment should be facilitated for the young generation living in these areas. The Deputy Director of Addiction Prevention and Treatment of Prevention Development Center of Iran's Welfare Organization said: "We are all busy cleaning the streets and it may take a few years for addicts living in the upper city to get rid of them, so voluntary and preventive treatment should be facilitated for the young generation living in these areas."

Providing the most appropriate treatment counseling through the national addiction counseling line

The Deputy Director of Addiction Prevention and Treatment of Prevention Development Center of Iran's Welfare Organization announced the provision of the most suitable treatment counseling through the National Addiction Counseling Line with the number 09628 and said: This line is the only specialized line for prevention and treatment of addiction in the country, and its application will be launched soon. .

Aqtar added: Currently, communication with the number 09628 is only possible through phone calls, and experts provide advice in the fields of prevention and treatment from eight in the morning to eight in the evening and introduce the nearest treatment center and prevention program to the person.

He continued: Consultations vary based on gender, type of drug, age and place of residence. Sometimes the addict cannot come to the camp because of his job Therefore, the expert of the National Addiction Line will provide him with the closest center and the most appropriate treatment.

The head of the Deputy of Addiction Prevention and Treatment of Prevention Development Center of the Welfare Organization of the country said: Most of the callers to the national addiction hotline are women, so that 74% of the callers are women.

Aqtar noted: 40% of the callers are addicts themselves who have questions about treatment for themselves and their families, of which 3% are women addicts.

Regional changes led addiction to industrialization

The head of the Deputy of Addiction Prevention and Treatment of Prevention Development Center of the Welfare Organization of the country said: Due to the fact that people are familiar with the national addiction counseling line with the number 09628, we are witnessing an increase in calls to this line.

Aktar reminded: Last year Regional changes in Afghanistan have led to the industrialization of substances from opium and substances such as amphetamine and glass It is not possible to make an estimate about this year, but it is likely that the addiction is towards industrialization this year as well.

According to IRNA, the Welfare Organization and the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters have launched the National Addiction Hotline with the number 09628 since 2008. The purpose of establishing this line is to prevent, treat and reduce social harm caused by addiction.

Also, Article 16 centers are mandatory addiction treatment centers to maintain and provide services to homeless drug addicts who use drugs openly on the streets.

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