söndag 31 augusti 2025

ฮุนเซนไม่พอใจทักษิณด้วยเรื่องอะไร?

บทความ Asia Sentinel โดย John Berthelsen เรื่อง "Thaksin Shinawatra’s Mystery Fixer Man South African’s links to both Thaksin and Cambodia’s Hun Sen" (ผู้จัดการลึกลับของทักษิณ ชิณวัตร: ชาวอัฟริกาใต้ผู้มีสัมพันธ์กับทั้งทักษิณกับฮุนเซนแห่งกัมพูชา)

บทความน่าสนใจมากๆ เปิดเผยเบื้องหลังของนาย John Berthelsen ซึ่งเป็นชาวอัฟริกาใต้ผู้ทำตัวลึกลับ แต่มีสายสัมพันธ์กับทั้งฮุนเซนและทักษิณ และพวกใต้ดินผิดกฎหมายทั้งหลาย


Somsak Jeamteerasakul 
15 hours ago
·
ฮุนเซนไม่พอใจทักษิณด้วยเรื่องอะไร?
บทความ Asia Sentinel โดย John Berthelsen เรื่อง "Thaksin Shinawatra’s Mystery Fixer Man South African’s links to both Thaksin and Cambodia’s Hun Sen" (ผู้จัดการลึกลับของทักษิณ ชิณวัตร: ชาวอัฟริกาใต้ผู้มีสัมพันธ์กับทั้งทักษิณกับฮุนเซนแห่งกัมพูชา)
บทความน่าสนใจมากๆ เปิดเผยเบื้องหลังของนาย John Berthelsen ซึ่งเป็นชาวอัฟริกาใต้ผู้ทำตัวลึกลับ แต่มีสายสัมพันธ์กับทั้งฮุนเซนและทักษิณ และพวกใต้ดินผิดกฎหมายทั้งหลาย
จุดที่น่าสนใจคือ บทความคาดการณ์สาเหตุที่ฮุนเซนไม่พอใจทักษิณจนทะเลาะกัน คือการพยายามของฮุนเซนในการซื้อหุ้นบางจาก (ซึ่งทักษิณถืออย่างลับๆ แต่ทักษิณไม่ยอม)
"รายงานของ Asia Sentinel พบว่า “ชาวแอฟริกาใต้” ผู้หนึ่งซึ่งหน้าที่เป็นนอมินี ได้ใช้ Chartered Group ซื้อหุ้นจำนวน 31.35 ล้านหุ้น คิดเป็น 24.96% ของหุ้นทั้งหมดของ Bangchak Corporation ในเดือนกันยายน 2567 เขาเป็นผู้ถือหุ้นรายใหญ่ที่สุดรายเดียว มีรายงานว่าหุ้นดังกล่าวถือครองโดย “นักการเมืองผู้ทรงอิทธิพล” – ว่ากันว่าคือทักษิณ – ในการซื้อหุ้นที่ถูกยกเลิก ซึ่งแหล่งข่าวระบุว่าจะถูกโอนไปยังฮุน เซน ผู้นำกัมพูชาที่ “เกษียณอายุ”
Bangchak Corporation หรือเดิมชื่อ Bangchak Petroleum เป็นบริษัทพลังงานรายใหญ่ของไทยในอุตสาหกรรมการกลั่นน้ำมัน ค้าปลีก และพลังงานทดแทน ผ่านบริษัทลูกหลายแห่ง “ชาวแอฟริกาใต้” เชื่อว่าคือ Mauerberger อย่างไรก็ตาม การทำธุรกรรมหุ้นดังกล่าวต้องถูกยกเลิก ตามรายงานของสำนักข่าวไทยอิศราเมื่อเดือนกุมภาพันธ์ เนื่องจากกองทุนประกันสังคม ซึ่งถือหุ้นบางจากอยู่ 14% ปฏิเสธที่จะขายหุ้น แม้จะถูกกดดันจากรัฐบาลเพื่อไทย ซึ่งทักษิณควบคุมอยู่เบื้องหลัง เรื่องนี้ทำให้ฮุนเซนไม่พอใจ
มีรายงานว่าบางจากมีความน่าสนใจเพราะบริหารจัดการอย่างอิสระและมีศักยภาพที่จะเติบโตอย่างมาก นอกจากนี้ ด้วยงบประมาณการลงทุนประมาณ 1 แสนล้านบาท (3.09 พันล้านดอลลาร์สหรัฐ) ในอีกสี่ถึงห้าปีข้างหน้า คาดว่าบางจากจะกลายเป็นฐานการลงทุนเพิ่มเติมในพื้นที่ทับซ้อนทางทะเลไทย-กัมพูชา ซึ่งเป็นพื้นที่พิพาทระหว่างไทยและกัมพูชาที่อุดมสมบูรณ์ไปด้วยก๊าซธรรมชาติและน้ำมันสำรอง"

https://www.facebook.com/somsakjeam/posts/24246091261684158
https://www.asiasentinel.com/p/thaksin-shinawatra-mystery-fixer-man-benjamin-mauerberger

ตาสว่างกว่า กับศิโรตม์

 

 

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Geopolitical Economy Report

Economy

NATO's future
The CV 90 combat vehicle is a success: "A success story"

The Swedish defense company BAE Systems Hägglund's order book has swelled to 80 billion, CEO Tommy Gustafsson-Rask confirms to DI.

It currently has 600 orders for CV 90 combat vehicles, which account for more than two-thirds of the order book. Hägglund's will also deliver over 600 tracked vehicles.

At the beginning of the summer, the company announced that six NATO countries, including Sweden, will buy the CV90.

- The CV 90 is one of the really big success stories in Europe, says Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) to the newspaper.

European security policy
Poland the biggest winner in the EU's new defense plan

Poland will be the biggest winner when the EU launches its new defense plan of 150 billion euros to strengthen the Union's military preparedness. This is stated by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, according to Bloomberg.

The program, called Security Action for Europe (SAFE), aims to jointly procure drones, cyber defense and a European air defense system, among other things.

Poland is already the EU's largest defense spending country in relation to GDP, with almost 5 percent of the economy allocated to the military.

Tariff crisis  Trump's tariff policy
US continues to work on tariffs despite the setback in the court

The US continues to work on trade agreements with its partners despite the appeals court invalidating most of Trump's tariffs, says Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to Fox News.

- People continue to work on tariffs regardless of what interim decisions this court has made, he tells the channel.

Greer adds that the ruling threatens the entire economic system around tariffs that Donald Trump has built.

Experts believe that the Trump administration is working in other ways to get its tariffs through if the Supreme Court were to go the same way, writes Reuters.

Fed vs Inflation
Analysis: The stock market crash is deceiving – the Fed's independence is in danger

We may be close to a point where the market has had enough of Donald Trump's efforts to control the Federal Reserve. This is what the Financial Times' Katie Martin writes after the president's attempt to oust Fed Governor Lisa Cook.

She explains that the markets have not retreated by the fact that the US has the world's largest reserve currency: "No other country can get away with this in the same way". One scenario is that bond buyers wait for the US to sell long-term government bonds in September. If anywhere, the rebellion will begin among the bond guardians, writes Katie Martin.

The Wall Street Journal's Greg Ip warns investors not to be fooled by the market's calm. Regardless of whether Trump succeeds in firing Cook or not, the week will go down in history as "one of the most decisive for financial markets in decades", he writes.

According to Ip, the incident could mark the end of the Fed's independence from the White House. The markets are not pricing it in, but rather taking it for granted that the Fed will remain independent. "Investors are wise to assume that the Fed will start setting interest rates in accordance with Trump's wishes within the next nine months."

"In ten years, Norway will have a bigger problem with crime than Sweden"

The oil that made Norway rich is about to become a curse, says Norwegian economist and author Martin Bech Holte to DI.

- In ten years, Norway will have a bigger problem with crime than Sweden, he tells the newspaper.

The abundance has caused politicians to invest hundreds of billions in things that are not needed, while at the same time making the inhabitants passive and creating a youth without faith in the future. In Sweden, the economist constantly sees "new, exciting companies" while Norway has hardly any.

In addition, 55 percent of the wealthiest people have left the country, says Martin Bech Holte to DI. 

Politiska läget i Indonesien

Finansministerns bostad plundrad av demonstranter

I Indonesien fortsätter de våldsamma protesterna med oförminskad styrka, rapporterar AFP. Under natten plundrades finansminister Sri Mulyanis hem. Grannen Damianus Rudolf berättar att hundratals plundrare var inne i huset i två omgångar.

– De tog en tv, en musikanläggning, prydnader från vardagsrummet, kläder, tallrikar, skålar, berättar han.

Ministern var själv inte hemma vid tillfället.

Även flera andra politiker har fått sina hem plundrade under de våldsamma protesterna som bottnar i missnöje med politikernas löner och ekonomiska orättvisor. De tog fart ordentligt när bilder på hur ett matbud kördes ihjäl av kravallpolis fick spridning. 

Regeringen viker ner sig – sänker politikerlöner

Efter veckans våldsamma protester i Indonesien har regeringen gått med på att sänka politikers löner och dra in vissa av deras privilegier, meddelar president Prabowo Subianto enligt Reuters.

I måndags inleddes demonstrationer mot höga löner och bostadsbidrag till politiker, och dagen efter växte de till våldsamma upplopp efter att en taxichaufför körts ihjäl av kravallpolis.

Förutom lönesänkningen blir det inte längre några betalda arbetsresor utomlands för parlamentsledamöterna, meddelar presidenten. 

Political situation in Guyana

The highway could be a “game changer” for Guyana

“The trail”, a red dirt road that stretches through Guyana’s interior, is the country’s artery. Now the government wants to invest in rebuilding the 500-kilometer-long road, which connects the capital Georgetown with the border with Brazil, into a real highway. This is reported by AFP.

But the project is optimistic. It would cost a billion dollars to build the highway’s four sections and 50 bridges, which could not be completed until 2030 at the earliest. In addition, the country goes to elections tomorrow, which could potentially put a damper on things.

Guyana, which has the world’s largest oil reserves per capita, hopes that the highway will turn the country’s economy around.

– The completed highway will be a game changer for where Guyana is headed, the country’s Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, told AFP.

Ramdial, 27, drives the route every day: “Very tough”

At the moment it is just gravel. But Guyana hopes to transform the important road, “The Trail”, into a real highway. It would not only be crucial for the country’s economy, but also for people like Ramdial Metleash, 27, who drives a truck on the route, reports AFP.

He has been doing this since he was 15 years old. He earns around $290 per trip, which takes 15 hours. Enough to be able to take care of his sister and nephew.

– It is a very tough job, Metleash tells AFP.

Trump's USA

The future of the USA
Republicans hesitant about banning mail-in voting

Donald Trump's crusade against mail-in voting has been going on for years, and since he was re-elected, he has opened up about banning the "corrupt" voting method altogether. Many in his party don't think it's a good idea, writes NBC News.

- I think it should be allowed. But in its current form, it poses the greatest risk of fraud in Michigan, says Republican Bryan Posthumus, majority leader in the Michigan House of Representatives.

About a dozen other Republican politicians NBC spoke to express the same opinion - there are problems with mail-in voting, but it shouldn't be banned completely.

The objections to a ban include that it would create problems for military personnel and other Americans voting from abroad and hurt Republican candidates in states where mail-in voting is popular.

Crime Policy
US Secretary: Can Take Over Police Work in More Cities

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is open to federal authorities taking over police work in more cities with high crime rates, according to Axios.

- I urge all major cities - San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, any - to call us if they want to become safer and increase prosperity, she says on the CBS program "Face the Nation".

The host points out that there are also many crime-ridden cities in states controlled by Republicans, such as Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Dallas, and Jackson, and asks if the minister is willing to send federal agents there as well.

- Absolutely, Noem replies.

The Trump administration has taken over police work in Washington DC - despite the statistics contradicting a crime wave - and has threatened to do the same in Chicago. The mayor of Chicago has ordered the police to refuse to cooperate with federal forces and agents if this happens.

Protest flag sells out in DC after Trump's intervention

Since Donald Trump decided to take federal control of the police in Washington DC, the so-called DC flag has become an increasingly common sight in the city, writes the Washington Post.

The flag, with three stars over two red lines, has become a symbol of resistance to Trump's intervention and in recent weeks the flags have become so sought after that stores are starting to run out of them.

Jennifer, a Washington resident for ten years, is one of those who bought a flag. She dislikes the fact that the situation in the city is painted as chaotic.

- We are a city, we have crime, no one denies it. But it is not hell, she says.

At the same time, the city's mayor Muriel Bowser said earlier this week that crime has decreased after the federal intervention, reports CNN. She pointed out, among other things, car thefts, gun violence and murders as areas where the number of crimes has decreased. 

Russian invasion

Negotiations
von der Leyen: Europe has a clear troop plan

Europe has a “fairly precise” plan for troops in Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tells the Financial Times.

Together with the White House, a clear path forward has been outlined, and work is going “very well,” she adds.

The plan concerns a force of potentially tens of thousands of soldiers from several European countries. The United States will contribute with coordination, intelligence and surveillance.

“President Trump assured us that there will be an American presence to support us. That was clearly and repeatedly emphasized,” says von der Leyen. 

Fighting
Germany’s Merz: The war in Ukraine is likely to last a long time

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is not optimistic about the chances of peace in Ukraine, Reuters reports.

– I am preparing myself inwardly for this war to continue for a long time, he tells the German public service channel ZDF.

Wars usually end with military defeats or the depletion of war funds – neither of these scenarios seems likely for either Ukraine or Russia, says Merz.

Regardless of how the war ends, it must not be by Ukraine surrendering, because then Russia will just attack another country next, he adds.

Zelenskyj: Planning attacks deep inside Russia

Ukraine is planning new attacks deep inside Russian territory, writes President Zelenskyj on X.

“We will continue our active operations in exactly the way required for Ukraine’s defense. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep attacks have also been planned.”

According to Zelensky, 290,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or seriously injured on the front this year, most of them in Donetsk.

European security policy

Giant deal complete – Norway buys British frigates

The Norwegian Defence Force is buying frigates from the UK for 125 billion Norwegian kroner as part of its military buildup, Norwegian media reports. At a press conference, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre calls the deal the largest defence purchase in modern times.

– We live in troubled times, the world is more dangerous, there is war in Europe, says Støre.

The deal involves five or six copies of the Type 26 frigate, which is manufactured by BAE Systems and is already in use by the UK, Australia and Canada, reports NRK. The frigate is specially developed for anti-submarine warfare.

The ships could begin to be delivered in 2030.
Norwegian left criticizes choice – linked to Israel

Immediately after the announcement that Norway would choose British BAE Systems as the supplier of the navy's new frigates, criticism came from the left-wing party Rødt, reports NRK. This is because BAE Systems uses subcontractors that also have connections to the Israeli military.

Rødt's member of parliament Bjørnar Moxnes says that the party supports Norway buying frigates to ensure security.

- But it is out of the question for Rødt to support this choice, unless the government requires that the British frigates stay far away from Israeli component suppliers, he says.

Norway chose between the British T26 frigates or buying from the US, Germany or France. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre explained that the choice fell on the British ships by saying that Britain is Norway's most important strategic partner.

Rødt is one of Støre's intended support parties in the event of an election victory in a week.

Expert doubtful: "French and German alternatives better"

Naval captain Tor Ivar Strømmen questions Norway's decision to invest in the British BAE Systems frigate Type 26. He tells NRK that the German or French options that were also on the table would have been significantly better choices in terms of performance.

He is particularly critical of the fact that the British frigate is very specialized in one task, namely submarine hunting.

- It has, quite simply, an old-fashioned and rather limited air defense, says Strømmen.

- We have not chosen a frigate based on which one gives us the best ability to solve the variety of tasks our frigates will solve, he continues.

SCO meeting in China

Putin and Xi meet – have talked about US talks

On Sunday, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met during the welcoming ceremony at the summit in Tianjin.

The two leaders discussed, among other things, recent contacts between Russia and the United States, according to Putin's advisor to state media, who describes the president's visit to China as "unprecedentedly long". He will stay for a total of four days.

The summit will formally begin on Monday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also participate. Putin will then continue to Beijing for an official state visit, where he will participate in the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II together with, among others, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.

 Analysis: Trump may have arranged a new bromance

For Chinese President Xi Jinping, the summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin and India's Narendra Modi is about something as ambitious as pushing forward a new world order. Ole Kristian Strøm writes for the Norwegian VG.

“He wants to show that Trump’s attempts to fend off China, India and Russia have not succeeded.”

For the sanctions-ridden Putin, it will be a chance for some big-time political stardom. Modi is likely to swallow his pride and patch up relations with China after Trump’s attempt to dictate India’s trade – we could see a new bromance between Xi and Modi, writes Strøm.

Neville Lazarus on Sky News is on the same track – Trump’s treatment of Modi has driven him into the arms of Xi and Putin, he writes.

Modi has carefully cultivated his image as a global power player, so when the White House called India “a washing machine for the Kremlin’s oil” and raised tariffs to 50 percent, the opposition was not slow to rub salt in the wounds, Lazarus continues.

“The unpredictability, punishment and humiliation from the Trump administration have made New Delhi change course. Ahead of the summit in China, a flurry of meetings between the foreign ministers of China, India and Russia have been held.” 

 

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Expert: "Meetings in China determine Ukraine's future"

Published 20.25
Putin och Xi Jinping poserar tillsammans med andra ledare vid SCO-toppmötet i Kina. 
Putin and Xi Jinping pose with other leaders at the SCO summit in China. Photo: Alexander Kazakov/AP
The war in Ukraine is one of the most important issues during the SCO meeting currently underway in China.

This is what Russia expert Malcolm Dixelius thinks:

- Russia cannot afford to continue fighting. Putin and Xi Jinping will discuss how Russia can end the war so that it appears that the country has won.
 
Quick versionToday, Sunday, and tomorrow, Monday, a meeting is taking place in Tianjin, China, between about 20 countries - the most important are  China, Indiia and Russia - within the framework of the SCO, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

On Wednesday, a major military parade will be held in Beijing in front of, among others, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is only present in Tianjin, but it is still the first time since 2018 that he has visited China. The countries' relationship has been frozen after their soldiers were involved in deadly clashes on the Himalayan border in 2020.
Indiens premiärminister Narendra Modi tillsammans med Kinas president Xi Jinping på SCO-mötet. 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO meeting. Photo: AP
Donald Trump's actions have now pushed Modi into Xi's arms. In June, Trump claimed in a phone call with Modi that he had brokered peace between India and Pakistan. Modi angrily replied that the ceasefire was not due to Trump's involvement at all, according to The New York Times. A few weeks later, Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on India, as punishment for the country buying Russian oil.

Now India is seeking contact with China for economic reasons, according to Malcolm Dixelius:

- Modi and Xi are united in their distrust of Trump, he says.

Dixelius believes that the countries present are in China to discuss how they can break the power of the United States and create a new “multipolar world”. Another important issue is the Ukraine war, which Russia and China will discuss.

– This is another one of the meetings that will determine the future of Ukraine, says Malcolm Dixelius and continues:

– The Chinese have a lot of leverage over Russia, which gives them strong influence over how the war will end.
Malcolm Dixelius. 
Malcolm Dixelius. Photo: Magnus Wennman

China warns Putin

He believes that Russia is facing a banking crisis in 2026, after Putin forced the Russian banking system to provide soft credits to the state for rearmament. Therefore, Russian and Chinese experts have been negotiating for some time about how the war will end and what peace conditions China requires in order to continue supporting Russia economically. Dixelius is convinced of this:

– China’s message to Russia is: “No concessions to the USA”. Trump wants to achieve economic cooperation with Russia in the energy sector. But I think the Chinese are warning Putin not to go too far there.

Dixelius notes that the relationship is not equal:

– Russia is one tenth of China, both in population and economy. It's like nothing. Russia is on the way to becoming one

to China.
Rysslands president Vladimir Putin och Kinas president Xi Jinping skakar hand vid SCO-toppmötet i Kina. 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at the SCO summit in China. Photo: Alexander Kazakov/AP
Has the relationship between Xi and Putin not changed after Trump welcomed Putin as a world leader in Alaska? 

– For the Chinese, I don't think it's a big deal. The Chinese have a very long-term view of things. They're really tough on Trump because they know he's not "forever." They think that “we are patient with him, if he means three more difficult years for us, we will take it”, says Dixelius.

In the same way, they are long-term in their relationship with Russia. And it is China that is holding the baton, says Dixelius.

Putin has long tried to get the Chinese to buy a new gas pipeline, Power of Siberia 2, but they are not interested in that. Then it is much more important to come to an agreement with the Russians so that China gets help from Russian icebreakers through the Northeast Passage, when the climate gets warmer:

– It is economically much more important than we realize. It takes 14 days faster to transport a container from China to Europe via the northern route, states Malcolm Dixelius.
 
FACTS

Countries present at the SCO meeting in Tianjin 31 August-1 September

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Vladimir Putin i Alaska med Donald Trump. 
Vladimir Putin in Alaska with Donald Trump. Photo: Sergei Bobylev/AP

Middle East crisis

Middle East crisis  Gaza war
Israeli division – big names want to stop the invasion

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathers his security cabinet today, he is expected to face resistance over his view of the war in Gaza. TT writes, citing Israeli media.

According to the Keshet 12 television channel, among others, Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir and Mossad chief David Barnea are expected to appeal to stop the ground invasion of Gaza City and instead accept the current ceasefire proposal.

They believe that the offensive is a danger to the lives of the remaining hostages and that there is no guarantee that an offensive against Gaza City will cause Hamas to surrender. 

Hamas confirms that its military chief has been killed

Hamas confirms that the organization's military chief Mohammed Sinwar is dead, reports Reuters. The terror-labelled group does not provide information about how the death occurred, but has published pictures of him in which he is called a martyr.

Israel stated in May that Mohammed Sinwar had been killed in an attack on the city of Khan Younis, writes TT.

Middle East crisis  Israel-Hezbollah

Violent Israeli attacks on Lebanon

The Israeli army has carried out attacks on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, AFP reports with reference to the IDF. The attacks were directed at the Nabatieh area.

The IDF states that the aim of the attack was to knock out underground military infrastructure linked to Hezbollah.

Lebanon's state television channel, NNA, reports that it was an extensive rocket attack and that fires have reportedly broken out in a forest area.

The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel - this has happened

2024, August: Hezbollah fires over 320 projectiles at Israel after its leader Fuad Shukr is killed in an Israeli attack. Israel responds with thousands of airstrikes on targets in Lebanon.

2024, September: Israel attacks Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah responds with at least 150 rockets into northern Israel. Israel kills several Hezbollah commanders in Beirut, at least 31 people die.

2024, October: Israeli forces enter southern Lebanon for the first time since 2006. Intense fighting and airstrikes on Beirut, killing several Hezbollah leaders.

2024, November: Israel and Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire. Both sides withdraw from southern Lebanon. The ceasefire takes effect on November 27, but allegations of violations of the agreement follow.

2024, December: Hezbollah shells Israeli positions at Mount Dov. Israel responds with airstrikes into Lebanon. Human Rights Watch reports that Israel has used white phosphorus in at least 17 municipalities.

2025, January: Israel fires on Lebanese trying to return to villages in southern Lebanon, 15 dead. Israel does not withdraw forces as per the ceasefire, fighting continues.

2025, February: Israel attacks Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, violating ceasefire. Israel remains in five locations in southern Lebanon despite withdrawal deadline.

2025, March: Israel has attacked targets in southern Beirut after rocket fire. UN peacekeeping forces warn of an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

2025, June: Israel attacks Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut and Naqoura. Lebanon condemns the attacks as a violation of the ceasefire. Israel warns of full-scale war against Hezbollah 

SCO meeting in China

Analysis: Xi smiles inwardly as Modi and Putin arrive

Both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending the major Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security meeting in China on Sunday. This will make Chinese President Xi Jinping smile big inside, writes Philip Alan Lote in an analysis in NRK.

For China, the meeting will be a taste of what a world without the US in the leadership role would look like. For Putin, the meeting is a diplomatic success. Yet it is India's presence that is most striking, he believes.

Instead of being a counterweight to China, India can now, together with China, present an alternative to a world led by the US at the SCO, according to Lote.

Soutik Biswas on the BBC is on the same track. India has previously had one foot in the US, one in Russia and a watchful eye on China. Trump's criticism and tariffs against India have changed things. Modi's planned meeting with Xi looks like an attempt to resume relations between the countries, he says.

At the same time, he emphasizes, with the help of several other analysts, that India seems to want to continue its strategic balancing act.

"India values ​​strategic independence and believes that contacts with different power blocs give the country influence," the text says.

Vladimir Putin arrives in China - to meet Xi and Modi

Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in Tianjin in northern China, ahead of the meeting within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), AFP reports, citing Russian and Chinese media.

The meeting is hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders from around 20 countries are participating. Among others, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in attendance, as are leaders from, for example, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Belarus.

NATO member Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also participating in the meeting, which runs until Monday.

Expert on the meeting in China: Mutual suspicion

China and Russia both have an interest in cutting off the transatlantic link and weakening the EU and the US. This is what intelligence expert Johan Wiktorin tells TV4 Nyheterna, on the occasion of the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping these days.

But even though, not least, the economic ties between the countries have grown stronger, they are not obvious allies, he points out.

– There is mutual suspicion. In some Russian circles, there is a concern about not becoming too dependent on China, says Wiktorin.

The meeting is taking place within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a kind of counterweight to the West and NATO. In addition to China and Russia, a total of about 20 other countries are participating, some of which are observers.

Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, tells Dagbladet that he does not expect any concrete results from the summit.

“The point of this organization is not to develop concrete policies, but to signal unity on common issues,” he says.

lördag 30 augusti 2025

White House chatter: Europe is destroying peace talks in Ukraine

Published 2025-08-30 17.01

Enligt Axios källor blir Trump allt mer frustrerad. 
According to Axios sources, Trump is becoming increasingly frustrated. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein / AP

In the corridors of the White House, there is grumbling about Europe.

Sources tell Axios.

Several people in Trump's inner circle believe that European leaders are sabotaging attempts to reach a peace agreement in Ukraine.

It has been two weeks since the summit in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and peace in i Ukraine does not seem to be anywhere near in time.

Something that Trump's close associates are now blaming Europe for.

Senior officials in the White House are starting to get tired of European leaders, Axios writes. It is believed that Europe is outwardly supporting Trump, while pressuring Ukraine to stick to what they say are unreasonable expectations for a peace agreement, where Russia will give up occupied territory.

– The Europeans must not prolong the war and try to sneak in unrealistic expectations, while expecting the United States to bear the cost, a top White House official tells Axios.

– If the Europeans want to escalate the war, that is up to them, he continues.

Flera av Europas ledare var på plats i Vita huset när Zelenskyj träffade Trump tidigare i augusti. 
Several of Europe's leaders were present at the White House when Zelensky met Trump earlier in August. Photo: Alex Brandon / AP

“Europeans are living in a fairy tale”

The strategy of pressuring Zelensky to wait for a “better deal” will only worsen the war, the sources say.

– But some of the Europeans continue to live in a fairy tale and ignore that it takes two to tango, says the senior official.

On the European side, however, they believe that there is no foul play at all going on behind Trump's back. This is what a senior European source, who is involved in the talks with the US on the Ukraine war, tells Axios.

Strategin att pressa Zelenskyj att vänta på en ”bättre deal” kommer bara förvärra kriget, menar Axios källor. 
The strategy of pressuring Zelensky to wait for a "better deal" will only worsen the war, Axios sources say. Photo: The Russian Defense Ministry/AP

Trump: It's all bullshit

After the summit with Putin, Trump has repeated that the next step must be a meeting where both Putin and Zelensky participate. But Russia refuses. At the same time, Ukraine does not want to discuss any concessions unless Russia comes to the negotiating table.

The situation seems to be making Trump increasingly frustrated.

– Everyone is posing. It’s all bullshit, he said during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

It could even go so far as to have Trump withdraw from his diplomatic role, until Ukraine or Russia, or both, change their minds.

“Let them fight it out for a while, and see what happens,” said the anonymous official. 

 

 

 

 

SCO Summit China 2025: World Leaders Arrive for Historic Gathering

Times Now World 

 

 

Russia’s Shocking Move to Collapse It All | Scott Ritter

Dialogue Works

 

Latest news

Greenland's future
"Trump's man in Greenland" drives the president's agenda

On the surface, Donald Trump has been keeping his claims to Greenland low-key lately, but several figures with connections to the president are driving his agenda on the island, the Financial Times reports.

One of them is influencer Thomas Dans, investor and Arctic Commissioner during Trump's first term.

Dans runs the organization American Daybreak, which claims to work for "a new American dawn in Greenland, the Arctic and Eurasia". They do this, among other things, by informing about US activities in Greenland during World War II.

- Americans and Greenlanders share a magnificent and courageous past, and I am sure that we will share a fantastic future, says Dans.

He emphasizes that he has no official mission, but has come to be called "Trump's man in Greenland" in the Greenlandic media.

Russian invasion The fighting
Russia's defense chief: No end to the war

Russia has no plans whatsoever to stop the war in Ukraine, the country's defense chief Valery Gerasimov announced, according to the Moscow Times.

- The special military operation will continue with offensive operations. Today we will clarify the autumn's mission, he said in a new video address from the Defense Ministry.

Gerasimov claims that Russia has a complete strategic advantage in the war, and that it now controls 99.7 percent of Luhansk, 79 percent of Donetsk, 74 percent of Zaporizhia and 76 percent of Kherson.

During his negotiations with Russia, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Putin wants peace and is willing to make a deal.

Politician murder in Ukraine
Shooter still on the run: “Carefully planned”

Police still have many question marks to clear up after top Ukrainian politician Andriy Parubiy was shot dead in Lviv. The suspected shooter is still at large, police chief Oleksandr Shlyakhovskyy said at a press conference.

Police are investigating several leads, including whether Russia could be behind it, reports Ukrainian Pravda.

“The crime was very carefully planned and the perpetrator had prepared very well,” says the police chief.

Investigators are also looking at a surveillance video that has been circulated online and on social media, writes Kyiv Independent. The video reportedly shows the shooter waiting for Parubiy by a car before approaching the politician from behind.

Political situation in Indonesia
TikTok shuts down its live function in Indonesia

TikTok is shutting down its live broadcast function in Indonesia in the coming days, reports Reuters.

“In light of the increasing violence during the protests in Indonesia, we are taking new security measures to ensure that TikTok remains a safe and civil place,” the Chinese-owned social media giant wrote in a statement.

TikTok, which has 100 million users in Indonesia, also announced that any content that violates its guidelines will be removed.

Several people have died in the violent protests, which are rooted in contempt for politicians and whose spark was a clip of a taxi driver being run over and killed by riot police on their way to intervene against protesters. 

Tariff crisis

US-India relations
Modi's refusal: Didn't want to give Trump the peace prize

A botched phone call between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June is said to have played a crucial role in the deteriorating relationship between the leaders. The New York Times writes in a report based on information from about a dozen sources in Washington and New Delhi.

According to the information, Modi lost patience with Trump, who during the call insisted that he had "resolved" the military conflict between India and Pakistan - something he had already claimed publicly several times.

Trump mentioned that Pakistan would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize and the underlying message, according to the sources, was not to be missed: Modi should do it too. But he didn't. Instead, he is said to have said that Trump had nothing to do with the ceasefire.

Trump is said to have shrugged off the comments, but the call is said to have become a trigger for a deepening rift between the two leaders. Just weeks after the conversation, which took place on June 17, Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on India. This week he added another 25 percentage points to the tariffs, in response to India buying Russian oil.

Trump's tariff policy
Tariff ruling sets the stage for uncertainty: "Trump is prepared to go far"

A new period of uncertainty awaits after a court in Washington rejected most of Trump's global tariffs, warns DNB Carnegie's global strategist Henrik von Sydow.

However, the tariffs will remain in effect until October 14, pending the Supreme Court's decision to take up the case. However, it is unlikely that they will be completely abolished, since they are a central part of Trump's policy, von Sydow tells Dagens Industri:

- Donald Trump is prepared to go far to strengthen the tariff wall around the USA.

The announcement risks prolonging trade negotiations with both the EU and China and weakening trust in US institutions.

Experts: Trump finds a new way - nothing to celebrate

The market shrugged its shoulders in after-hours trading last night after the appeals court invalidated most of Trump's tariffs.

- The last thing the market or US companies need is more uncertainty about trade, B Riley's chief strategist Art Hogan told Reuters.

Atlantic Council's Josh Lipsky says the ruling puts Trump's entire economic agenda on a potential collision course with the Supreme Court. He adds that we have "never seen anything like this before".

Trade expert William Reinsch believes that the White House had expected setbacks and has a plan B to save the tariffs.

SEB's US expert Elisabet Kopelman also believes that Trump will find another solution.

– There is no reason for anyone to celebrate this, she tells DN. 

Trump's USA

The future of the USA
The US Department of Defense will become the Department of War

The Trump administration plans to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, as it was called before 1947, a White House official told the Wall Street Journal.

Changing the name requires congressional approval, but the White House is exploring ways to get around it, according to the source. Trump has repeatedly talked about changing back to the old name, which he thinks "sounds stronger".

- With the Department of War, we won everything. I think we have to go back to that, he said on Monday.

The future of the Democrats
Report: California police take over protection for Harris

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) in California will take over the bodyguard protection of former US Vice President Kamala Harris, sources told the Los Angeles Times. The news comes after Donald Trump withdrew Harris's Secret Service protection effective Monday.

The decision, however, needs to be approved by Governor Gavin Newsom, who has not yet commented. According to sources, however, the decision was made after a conversation between Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Kamala Harris lives in West Los Angeles. 

American aid
Crisis for Nigeria's mothers after US aid cut

The odds are against Nigerian women like never before, reports AP. In 2023, the country had the world's highest infant mortality rate – 75,000, according to the WHO. That's equivalent to every fourth case globally, and one in 100 women giving birth in the country.

Now the US aid is gone, while the jihadist group Boko Haram is on the rise. They have burned hospitals and fighting is blocking roads, making it even more difficult for pregnant women to get care.

Recruiting health workers in the war-torn countryside is very difficult.

- We've tried advertising, but no one wants to, says Fanya Fwachabe, head of sexual and reproductive health at the International Rescue Committee.

Nigeria has pumped $200 million into the health system as an emergency measure after the aid freeze, but it is not enough – in 2025 the budget for family planning was forced to be cut by 97 percent.

School for young victims of Boko Haram forced to close

The US aid freeze has forced the Future Prowess Islamic Foundation School, a non-profit school in the Nigerian state of Borno, to close. This is reported by the AP.

The school has helped 3,000 children in the state, which has been the epicenter of the ravages of the jihadist sect Boko Haram for the past 16 years.

– Now my future is not going to be good, says twelve-year-old Israel Peter, who was six years old when Boko Haram attacked his village and forced his family to flee. 

Russian invasion Negotiations

Trump: There may not be a Putin-Zelensky meeting

Trump is not sure that there will be a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, but he insists that there will be one between all three leaders. He said this in an interview with the right-wing website Daily Caller.

– A trilateral one will happen. A bilateral one, I don’t know. But you know, sometimes people are not ready for that.

Once again, the president likens Russia and Ukraine to two fighting schoolchildren, as he has done several times during the negotiations.

– You have a child, and there is another child on the playground, and they hate each other, and they start fighting, fighting, fighting, and you want them to stop, and they keep going. After a while, they happily stop.

Poland rules out sending troops to Ukraine

Poland rules out deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees. This is reported by Kyiv Post.

The reason is that the soldiers are needed at home, says Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski.

– The threat on the border with Russia and Belarus is so great that Poland's role is to safeguard Europe's security in the area. Therefore, we cannot weaken our forces by sending them to Ukraine.

Poland's contribution to security guarantees is logistics and infrastructure, he adds.

Sources: White House believes Europe is sabotaging peace talks

Many in Trump's inner circle believe that European leaders outwardly support Trump's attempts to reach a peace agreement in Ukraine, while undermining them behind the scenes. Sources tell Axios.

The White House is talking about the Europeans going behind Trump’s back and pressuring Zelensky to wait for a “better deal” with greater concessions from Russia.

“The Europeans must not prolong the war and try to sneak in unrealistic expectations through the back door, while expecting the US to pay the price,” says a senior White House source, adding:

“If the Europeans want to escalate the war, that’s up to them.”

According to the sources, the British and French are being more constructive, while other European countries want to pass the cost of the war on to the US and not contribute themselves.