Swedish Warships Idled By Budget Cut

Swedish warships are to spend most of the rest of the year moored in port because of an overtime ban on the country's defense forces, Reuters reported. "For the rest of this year Sweden will have a navy only in daytime," a local paper said. Marine officers will work office hours only from Wednesday meaning naval ships cannot go out on overnight operations. The move is part of a program to cut spending on troops by some 700 million crowns ($68 million), which will be ploughed into new defense equipment, research and development. Other measures in the cost-saving plan, due for publication on Wednesday, include sending conscripts home two months early and canceling nearly all large-scale training exercises. - (Reuters)