Latest news

Russian invasion  Sanctions
Merz to allay Belgian concerns about the EU's Ukraine proposal

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to Brussels on Friday to try to allay concerns expressed by Belgium about the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

He will have dinner with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, among others.

- I don't want to persuade him, but to convince him, says Merz.

Large parts of the Russian assets in Europe are located in Belgium. The country's Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said on Thursday evening that Belgium is being "pushed into a corner" by the EU.

The political situation in Israel
More than one in four Israelis want to leave the country: "No good future"

More than a quarter of Israelis are considering leaving the country. This is according to an opinion poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, reports Haaretz. The most common reason given among both Arab and Jewish Israelis is the lack of a good future for their children.

In second place among the reasons are the high cost of living and the war. 48 percent of Jewish Israelis state "alienation to Israeli culture" as a contributing reason for wanting to leave. Among Arab Israelis, the figure is lower, 39 percent. Despite this, more Arab than Israeli citizens want to leave: 30 and 26 percent respectively, according to the Jerusalem Post.

The opinion poll was conducted in April with a representative sample of 907 adult Israelis.

Tensions in the Caribbean
Admiral: There was no order to “kill them all”

Admiral Frank Bradley, who ordered the attack on an alleged drug boat on September 2, says there was never an order from above to “kill them all,” reports the AP. Several media outlets have reported that Pete Hegseth gave the order, but both the Defense Secretary and the White House have denied the report.

“He was very clear that he never received such an order,” says Republican Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, after Bradley was questioned in Congress.

Democrats have reacted strongly after the hearing.

“I am deeply hurt,” says Democrat Jack Reed.

Trump's USA The War on the Media
NYT sues Pentagon in protest of new press policy

The New York Times is suing the Pentagon over the Defense Headquarters' new rules for journalists, the newspaper reports.

According to the lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington on Thursday, the new guidelines violate journalists' constitutional rights.

The newspaper wants the court to issue an order stopping the Pentagon from applying the press policy.

The new rules mean that journalists must sign a 21-page document that limits their working methods, such as their contacts with sources. According to the Pentagon, this is about preventing leaks that harm national security.

 

The climate threat Global challenges

Agreement reached on EU rules on deforestation

EU countries have agreed on new rules against deforestation, reports TT. Companies will be forced to account for their supply chains to show that they do not contribute to deforestation. Those who do not comply with the rules can be fined.

The EU's so-called deforestation regulation is due to enter into force on December 30 next year. It has already been postponed twice.

"An agreement in record time!" writes EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall (M) on X.

The US and other countries have pushed to stop the regulation, which aims to reduce the 10 percent of global deforestation caused by consumption within the EU. 

......................................................... 

EU agrees on rules for rainforest deforestation

TT

Updated 22.01 | Published 21.55

 

The rules that are to stop imports of products produced on land where rainforest has been recently logged have been postponed in several rounds. Archive image. Photo: Jorge Saenz/AP/TT

EU legislators have reached a temporary agreement on rules against rainforest deforestation.

“The aim is to simplify the implementation of the existing rules and postpone their introduction to give actors, traders and authorities the opportunity to prepare adequately,” the Council of Ministers wrote in a press release.

The so-called Deforestation Regulation, EUDR, aims, among other things, to stop imports of products produced on land where rainforest has been recently logged. However, there has been sharp criticism from several countries outside Europe as well as companies and forestry companies in Europe, who are concerned about excessive administration and bureaucracy.

The regulation is not expected to enter into force until December 30, 2026, after the EU Parliament decided to postpone it in November this year.

Economy

Fed vs. inflation
Four out of five economists believe that the interest rate in the US will be cut

The US central bank Federal Reserve will cut its key interest rate by 25 basis points next week, a clear majority of economists in a Reuters poll estimated. Over 80 percent of more than 100 respondents said that the Fed will cut interest rates on December 10.

The Fed is expected to cut interest rates to a range of 3.50-3.75 percent to strengthen the slowing labor market, the news agency writes.

The market currently expects a cut to 89 percent, according to CME's Fedwatch tool.

The tariff crisis The chip fight
Senators want to stop exports of Nvidia's AI chip to China

The Senate wants to stop Nvidia from selling its most advanced chips to China according to a bipartisan proposal that was presented on Thursday evening, the Financial Times writes.

The law would force the Commerce Secretary to deny export licenses for advanced chips to China for 30 months. It would prevent Nvidia from selling the H200 and Blackwell to China.

The announcement comes at the same time as the Trump administration is reportedly considering allowing Nvidia to sell the H200 chip to China.

Democrat Chris Coons says that “the rest of the 21st century will be determined by who wins the AI ​​race” and warns of what will happen if the technology is based on China’s values.

US-China relations
Sources: US pauses sanctions against China’s spying activities

The US is pausing its plans to sanction China’s state intelligence and security service MSS, despite it carrying out cyberattacks on US telecom networks and tech companies. The FT reports, citing sources.

The Americans are taking a step back until their dependence on China for rare earth metals has decreased, according to the sources. Donald Trump's backtracking is causing frustration among American China hawks in the administration who believe Trump is sacrificing national security for a trade deal.

- It seems like the administration is giving in to buy time to reduce dependence on critical metals from China, said Zach Cooper, Asia expert at the think tank American Enterprise.

The metals have been a hot issue in the trade conflict between the superpowers.

Tesla's future
Tesla climbs in Consumer

Tesla takes a leap on the list of reliable cars in the industry magazine Consumer Reports' annual ranking. The electric car giant advances to 10th place from 18th place last year on the list of 30 different car brands.

- They definitely have their challenges, but by continuing to improve without making too many changes, they can produce more reliable cars, Jake Fisher at Consumer Reports tells CNBC.

The ranking is based partly on Consumer Reports' own tests, and partly on consumer reports on reliability, safety and customer satisfaction.

Subaru tops the list, followed by BMW and Porsche. Volvo moves up one place to 21st in this year's ranking. 

Political situation in Tunisia

Opposition leader arrested in Tunisia – sentenced to 12 years

Tunisian politician Ahmed Nejib Chebbi has been arrested at his home, his daughter and lawyer told AFP. The leader of the country's largest opposition coalition, the NSF, was sentenced on Friday to 12 years in prison for conspiracy against the state and membership in a terrorist group. According to human rights organizations, the trial against him and 39 others was politically motivated. Some of them have been sentenced to up to 45 years in prison, according to the Middle East Monitor.

Civil society has sharply criticized the increasingly restricted rights since President Kais Saied took power in 2021. The NSF opposition movement was formed after he dissolved parliament the same year.

The European Parliament last week urged Tunisia to release "all those imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression".

“I will make my cell the base of my resistance”

After 40 opposition Tunisians were imprisoned to serve long sentences, a pre-recorded video has been posted on the Facebook page of human rights lawyer Ayachi Hammami. In the video, he calls the judges political decisions on the orders of President Kais Saied.

“I will make the cell in which Kais Saied imprisons me the base of my resistance,” he says in the video according to the New York Times, and announces a hunger strike.

Civil society is sharply criticizing the increasingly restricted rights and persecution of opposition figures since President Kais Saied took power in 2021.

Last week, the European Parliament urged Tunisia to release “all those imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression.”
 

European security policy

Norway and Britain in new historic defense pact

Norway and Britain have agreed on the most comprehensive defense agreement between the countries in modern times, writes NRK. The agreement means that the countries' defenses will be integrated even more into each other.

According to Ekot, the countries will, among other things, establish a joint fleet to hunt Russian submarines and protect underwater infrastructure. British Royal Marines will also be present in Norway to a greater extent.

The countries will also look at the possibilities of pre-storing British equipment and ammunition on Norwegian soil and establishing facilities to receive British forces on Norwegian soil.

Mysterious drones in the air during Zelenskyj's visit to Ireland

The Irish Navy raised the alarm about several mysterious drones near the route that Ukrainian President Zelenskyj took when he flew to Ireland, Irish media reports. The incident occurred on Monday and there were concerns that the drones were there to disrupt the trip, writes the Irish Times.

It is unclear where the drones came from or who was flying them, but RTE reports that the warship that raised the alarm saw that they were not ordinary drones.

Investigators believe the drones were intended to disrupt travel and were not intended to attack the plane, sources told the Irish Times. The plane was never in danger, according to the information. 

 

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Tensions in the Caribbean

Trump opens to release video from boat attack

US President Donald Trump says he is open to releasing video footage from the second attack on a boat allegedly smuggling drugs in the Caribbean in September, CNN reports.

Two people are believed to have survived the first attack, but were killed in the second.

– I don't know what footage we have, but whatever we have, we can release it, no problem, Trump says.

The White House has come under heavy criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, for its deadly attacks in the Caribbean. Critics say they may violate both domestic and international law.

Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the attacks again, claiming that the boat attacks have the support of the American people.

– And very soon we will start doing it on land as well.

Republicans satisfied with admiral's response to the attack – Democrats critical

Frank Bradley's account of the attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean on September 2 has landed differently with Democrats and Republicans after today's hearing in Congress, reports CNN.

Bradley was the one who ordered a second attack on the boat after the people on board survived the first attack, something that has been heavily criticized by several voices in both parties.

Legal experts believe that the attack may constitute a crime. The Washington Post has previously reported that Bradley carried out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's order to "kill them all."

Republican Rick Crawford, chairman of the intelligence committee, says he has confidence in Hegseth after listening to Bradley's account. The top Democrat on the committee, Jim Himes, however, says he is deeply concerned about what he heard during the hearing.

Sources: Survivors were on their way back – then the military struck again

Two people who survived a US attack on a boat that had been alleged to be smuggling drugs to the US in September tried to climb back aboard the boat when it was attacked a second time. This is what sources told CBS News.

Deliberately targeting the wounded or civilians constitutes a war crime under international law. The Trump administration has claimed that it is at war with drug cartels, and that the attacks are therefore legitimate.

The US has carried out more than 20 attacks against what it claims are "narco-terrorists" in the process of smuggling drugs to the US.

US attacks in the Caribbean – US attacks in the Caribbean – that's the point

• The US has carried out 22 deadly attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since September. In total, more than 70 people have been killed.
• The US government has justified the attacks by saying they are targeting drug smugglers, but has not provided any evidence that the boats were carrying drugs.
• The legality of the attacks has been questioned by the UN, international law experts and several governments. The UK and Colombia have suspended intelligence cooperation with the US as a result of the attacks. 

Ministers' war chat

Hegseth's war chat is considered to have posed a risk to soldiers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth exposed American military personnel to risks when he wrote in a chat on the Signal app about US plans to attack targets in Yemen. This is the conclusion of a secret internal review by the Pentagon, according to AP and CNN sources.

The report also states that Hegseth has the authority to declassify some classified documents. According to the AP, it is not stated whether Hegseth acted right or wrong in that particular point when sharing the information with other parts of the Trump administration.

Parts of the report are to be published on Thursday, but Congress has already been given a look at it, writes CNN.

The chat became known because The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly invited by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz.

The Trump Administration’s War Chat — It’s About the Matter

• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top Trump administration officials discussed detailed plans for attacks on the Houthis in Yemen in a group chat on Signal, where The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added.
• The Atlantic published excerpts from the chat that showed sensitive and detailed military information was shared, which several in the administration initially denied but was later confirmed by published chat logs.
• The incident led to internal criticism and demands for accountability within the Trump administration, with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz taking responsibility for inviting Goldberg and later having to resign.
• The Pentagon launched an investigation into Defense Secretary Hegseth’s use of Signal to discuss military operations, and a lawsuit was filed by American Oversight against several top officials for violating federal laws.
• Sources told the Washington Post and CNN that the information shared in the chat came from classified documents, which was contradicted by official statements from the Trump administration and the Pentagon.

Political situation in India

India leases nuclear-powered submarine from Russia

India will lease a nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia for around two billion dollars, equivalent to 19 billion kronor. Bloomberg reports, citing sources.

The agreement is being concluded after nearly ten years of discussions in connection with President Vladimir Putin's visit to India this week.

According to the agreement, the submarine may not be used in warfare, but rather for training, thus giving the country the opportunity to design its submarine strategy while building its own submarines.

Analysis: Putin and Modi do not meet to hug - but to talk money

Narendra Modi will have to keep his mouth shut when Russian President Vladimir Putin visits New Delhi today, writes Rhea Mogul in an analysis for CNN.

At the same time, India wants to reach a trade agreement with the United States and buy weapons and oil from Russia. Modi believes he needs the weapons to defend himself against China – and the US’s close ally Pakistan.

“This underlines the complicated neighbourhood India has to navigate: Russia is also a close partner to China, while Beijing is a major arms supplier to Pakistan,” writes Rhea Mogul.

The Guardian’s Hannah Ellis-Peterson points out that for Putin, too, the meeting is more about continuing the exports that are crucial for him to be able to continue his war in Ukraine.

The relationship between Russia and India has been strong since Indian independence. Ellis-Peterson refers to Aparna Pande, head of the Hudson Institute’s India and South Asia department, who points out that today’s meeting is primarily about realpolitik despite all the “bear hugs and golf cart rides” that the two have shared.

Russian invasion

The world's response
NATO's ÖB: We want to be more proactive towards Russia

NATO is considering adopting a more proactive stance towards Russia in response to hybrid threats from the East, says the alliance's Supreme Allied Commander for European Forces Alexus Grynkewich.

- If Russia is trying to create dilemmas for us, perhaps there are ways for us to create dilemmas for them, he says according to international news agencies without going into details.

He emphasizes that there is nothing offensive in the new strategy and that NATO is a defense alliance.

Sanctions
US allows Lukoil gas stations in the country despite sanctions

The US Treasury Department gives the green light for Russian Lukoil gas stations to continue their operations in the country, international news agencies report. This means that parts of the sanctions against the Russian energy giant are now suspended.

In October, President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on both Lukoil and Rosneft due to Russia's war in Ukraine. Although the gas stations are now allowed to continue, the US is still stopping the money from reaching Russia.

According to Reuters, today's decision is valid until the end of April 2026.

Pilots: Armed guards in Russian uniforms on many ships in the Baltic Sea

Oil tankers from the Russian shadow fleet travel every day from the Gulf of Finland to Denmark via the Baltic Sea – with armed guards in Russian military uniforms on board. This is stated by pilot Bjarne Cæsar Skinnerup, whose task is to help them navigate through the narrow Danish straits, for the investigative news site Danwatch and Finnish Yle.

– I don't know what the Danish intelligence service is doing about it, but the politicians have done nothing at all. They look the other way, Bjarne Cæsar Skinnerup tells Yle.

He has raised the alarm to the authorities, but has not received a response. Danwatch has also been referred around when they tried to clarify what is happening with the pilots' observations, but has not even managed to confirm whether the Danish defense is aware of the military-clad people on the ships.

- The threshold for intervening is quite high. But if there is a threat, Denmark even has an obligation to act, says professor of maritime law Henrik Ringbom to Yle.

Around 30 sanctioned Russian ships move in the Gulf of Finland every week, according to a previous review by Yle.
 

Russian invasion Negotiations

Witkoff meets Ukraine again – after five hours with Putin

US envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Ukraine's national security adviser Rustem Umerov again in Miami today, Thursday, the White House confirms. This follows Witkoff's five-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump describes the talks in Moscow as "pretty good" and that the impression the US delegation got was that Putin wants a peace agreement. But he also tells reporters in the Oval Office that it is unclear what happens now because "it takes two to dance".

According to the Kremlin, some parts of the proposal that is now available are unacceptable. Exactly what was discussed in Moscow has not been disclosed, but a key issue is, according to The Guardian, what should happen to the four Ukrainian regions that Russia currently partially occupies.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha calls on Russia to "stop the bloodbath that it has started".

– Russia must stop wasting the world's time, he says according to The Independent.

Macron's warning in leaked call: Risk of US betraying Ukraine

Mistrust of the US is high among European leaders when it comes to the Ukraine war, writes German Der Spiegel. The newspaper has obtained a transcript of a telephone conversation between, among others, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj.

According to the leaked notes from the crisis call, Macron warned that "there is a risk that the US will betray Ukraine on territorial issues without clear security guarantees". He is also said to have described the situation in the negotiations as "a great danger" for Zelenskyj. However, the Élysée Palace disputes the quotes attributed to Macron.

Merz is said to have said that the Ukrainian president needs to be "very careful".

- They are playing with both you and us, Merz said according to the document about the US's talks with Moscow.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also expressed their concerns during the conversation and are said to have expressed a need to “protect Zelensky”.

Putin: I believe Trump wants peace but he also has his own agenda

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that US President Donald Trump has taken on a “complex” and “challenging” mission in trying to achieve peace in Ukraine.

– I am absolutely convinced that he really wants peace in Ukraine and to save lives, but economic and political interests are also at stake, he tells India Today.

Putin emphasizes that Trump “has his own agenda and his own goals” in trying to broker peace.

The president also claims that Russia supports Trump’s peace negotiations. At the same time, he says that the Ukrainian region of Donbas will become Russian.

In the interview, he also repeats false claims that the West and Ukraine started the war.
 

 

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Newspaper sues Pentagon over new press rules

TT

Published 11.55

 

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth earlier this week. Now The New York Times is suing the Pentagon over its new press rules. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/TT

The New York Times is suing the Pentagon.

The newspaper claims that the Defense Department is violating journalists' fundamental rights with new restrictions on reporting on the military.

The Defense Department's new media policy violates the First Amendment to the US Constitution, the newspaper writes.

According to the new rules that went into effect in October, reporters must sign a 21-page form with rules for journalistic activities.

According to the lawsuit, the Pentagon’s new rules “close the Pentagon’s doors—the areas historically open to the press—to news organizations, like the plaintiffs, that investigate and report without fear or favoritism on the actions of the department and its leadership.”

The newspaper wants the court to order the Pentagon to stop enforcing its new rules.

The New York Times stämmer försvarshögkvarteret Pentagon.

Over 1,500 dead after torrential rains – hundreds missing

TT

Published 14.16

 

Survivors receive emergency aid in Aceh province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Thursday. Photo: Reza Saifullah/AP/TT

The death toll rises to over 1,500 people after last week's catastrophic floods in several countries in Asia.

In Indonesia, over 800 have been confirmed dead by the authorities, in Sri Lanka well over 450 and in Thailand 185.

Several villages in both Sri Lanka and Indonesia are buried under mud and rubble. At the same time, over 860 people are still missing in the countries.

In Indonesia, demands are increasing for the government to act, after warnings from activist groups that decades of unregulated deforestation may have worsened the devastation.

“We don't want this costly disaster to happen again,” says Rangga Adiputra, whose home on the island of Sumatra has been washed away. 

Former EU foreign policy chief resigns after allegations

TT

Published 15.03

 

Federica Mogherini. Archive photo. Photo: Francisco Seco/AP/TT

The EU's former foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, accused of corruption, is leaving her post as head of a nursery for elite diplomats.

"In line with the diligence and impartiality with which I have always carried out my duties, I have chosen to resign," she said in a statement.

The Italian Mogherini is accused of having abused her position and rigged procurements to benefit the school, the prestigious diplomatic university College of Europe. The school is funded by the EU and many students go on to work in the EU foreign service.

Between 2014 and 2019, Mogherini was the EU's foreign policy chief and one of the Union's highest-ranking politicians. The following year, she got a job as head of the school.

Mogherini was arrested on Tuesday, along with two others, in connection with dawn raids on the school's campus in Bruges and the EU External Action Service premises in Brussels. 

Leak: European leaders warn of American betrayal

TT

Published 15.23

 

French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday. Photo: Christophe Ena/AP/TT

European leaders express distrust of the US's willingness to broker an end to the Ukraine war, according to notes obtained by Der Spiegel.

In a conference call on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, among others, French President Emmanuel Macron is said to have said that "there is a risk that the US will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clear security guarantees".

According to Der Spiegel, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged Zelensky to be "very careful in the coming days".

Finnish President Alexander Stubb reportedly said that “Ukraine and Volodymyr cannot be left alone” with US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

NATO chief Mark Rutte reportedly agreed that “we must protect Volodymyr.”

No one has yet commented on the reports. 

 

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Russian invasion

Negotiations
Trump: Their impression was that Putin wants peace

Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine. That was Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner's impression of the Russian president when they met with him in the Kremlin on Tuesday, Donald Trump said on Wednesday evening. The president says he spoke with envoy Witkoff and son-in-law Kushner after the five-hour meeting in Moscow.

- It was a very good meeting. We'll see what happens, Trump said according to Reuters.

The Russian delegation was quick to say that the United States and Russia had not agreed on any compromises. Putin's adviser Yuri Ushakov says the countries are no closer to a solution in Ukraine.

Fighting
NATO countries on the Black Sea are considering measures after Ukrainian attacks

NATO countries Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria are considering measures to strengthen security in the Black Sea after recent attacks on Russian-linked ships, Reuters reports.

Last week, Ukraine claimed responsibility for an attack on two tankers heading to a Russian port. On Tuesday, a Russian ship off the coast of Turkey was attacked by drones, but Ukraine has denied involvement in that incident.

Turkey has condemned the attacks, with its Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan calling them “very frightening.” NATO countries are said to have discussed the issue with the alliance’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte.

Formal protest against the US – Colombian man killed

TT

Published 17.14

 

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/TT

Relatives of a Colombian man who was killed in one of the US attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea have filed a formal protest against the US.

The protest comes at a time when criticism of Washington for the many attacks at sea has escalated.

The document has been submitted to the human rights body (IACHR), which is part of the Pan-American Cooperation Organization OAS. In the complaint, the man's relatives dismiss claims that there were drugs in the boat's cargo. In fact, it was a fishing boat, with 42-year-old professional fisherman Alejandro Carranza Medina on board, it is written.

The attack took place on September 15 and was part of the US's ongoing operation against so-called "drug boats" in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, where at least 22 ships have been attacked, resulting in the deaths of more than 80 people.

The procedure has been met with sharp criticism from lawyers and former military personnel, who believe that the attacks constitute a violation of international law and possibly even war crimes.

"We know that Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of War, was responsible for ordering the bombing of boats like the one belonging to Alejandro Carranza Medina and the killing of all those aboard these boats," the protest states.

In recent days, Hegseth has come under fire after reports of an ordered so-called double attack, where the US military carried out a second shelling of a boat after it was determined that two people had survived the first attack.

Houthi movement: Crew released

TT

Published 17.37

 

Supporters of the Houthi movement in connection with a demonstration in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Archive photo. Photo: Osamah Abdulrahman/AP/TT

The Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen has released the crew of a ship that was subjected to a deadly attack this summer, the movement said on Wednesday via its al-Masirah television channel.

According to the Houthi movement, the crew was flown to Oman. At least four people were killed in the attack on the Eternity C ship, which took place in July. Eleven people are missing.

The Philippines said on Tuesday that it expects nine Filipino sailors who have been held captive since the attack to be released. Some details about the citizenship of those released have not yet been made public.

The Houthi movement carried out a large number of attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, in what it said was support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October, the movement has paused its attacks. 

Russian invasion

Negotiations
Analysis: No signs of the “Putinmobile” slowing down

Putin does not want a peace agreement, but the fact that the United States is begging and asking the country to engage in negotiations is appreciated in the Kremlin. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh writes in an analysis. Although it is slow and costs the Russian military dearly, Putin's soldiers are advancing in Ukraine.

On a larger scale, the war is increasingly starting to resemble one of the president's geopolitical dreams.

"Putin is winning militarily [...] and sees a Ukraine that is weakened by a lack of both soldiers and funding," he writes.

Steve Rosenberg on the BBC is also convinced that Putin is not ready to sign any peace agreement. The president seems convinced that he is winning the war and that it is not time to stop fighting. Rosenberg compares Putin to a car without brakes and a steering wheel.

“Nearly four years after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there is still no sign that the Putinmobile is slowing down, turning around or stopping,” he says.

Sky News correspondent Deborah Haynes is on the ground in Ukraine, where few are surprised that yesterday’s meeting between Putin and the US delegation was not a success.

– Let’s be honest. Ukraine was not there so it was not on the cards that the meeting would end with any kind of decisive agreement, she says. 

The world’s response
Norway promises to buy weapons for Ukraine for $500 million

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has promised to buy weapons for Ukraine for $500 million, Reuters reports.

Norway will buy the weapons, which are going to Kyiv, from the US.

The arms deal is part of a NATO program called PURL, Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List. According to Politico, 11 of the 32 NATO member states have sent five arms packages to Ukraine under the program.

Sanctions
Sources: Belgium furious at EU Ukraine plan

Belgium is disappointed by the proposal to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine presented by the European Commission. The country, which holds large parts of Russia's European assets, has previously been skeptical about using the money.

Now a senior Belgian source tells Reuters that the European Commission has not taken the country's concerns seriously enough.

- Belgium cannot accept being forced to shoulder the risks of such an operation alone, the source says.

According to Ursula von der Leyen, almost 1000 billion kronor will be used to support Ukraine. 

EU wants to send Russian money to Ukraine: “The only language Russia understands”

As expected, the EU will move forward with plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, writes The Guardian.

– Since it is the only language the Kremlin understands, we can turn up the pressure, says Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a press conference.

The proposal has not been uncontroversial. Belgium, which controls large parts of Russian assets in Europe, has been the most vocal skeptic. At present, however, it seems that the proposal can be voted through despite the criticism.

The EU's plan is to use 90 billion euros, equivalent to almost 1,000 billion Swedish kronor, to cover two-thirds of the support it estimates Ukraine needs over the next two years. According to Ursula von der Leyen, the money will primarily go to purchasing weapons for Ukraine from European producers.

The proposal will be discussed at the summit in Brussels on December 18, writes SvD.

Foreign Minister supports proposal: “Most fair”

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) supports the EU Commission’s proposal to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

– Sweden’s line has been and continues to be that the most fair and reasonable thing is to take the frozen Russian assets, she tells TV4 Nyheterna.

The EU wants almost 1,000 billion kronor to be used to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s needs in 2026 and 2027. The proposal will be discussed at the summit in Brussels on December 18. Belgium has so far been skeptical because large parts of Russia’s European assets are in the country.

– It is clear that Belgium must feel secure in a solution, the Foreign Minister tells SvD. 

  

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World Affairs In Context

Economy

Trump's tariff policy
Trump promises no or "much lower" taxes

Donald Trump's "tariff dividends" to the people will begin next year and according to the president, it is just the beginning. Over the next two to four years, dividends will increase and the national debt will decrease due to the thousands of billions of dollars in tariffs, Trump says during a cabinet meeting.

- And in the not too distant future, I think you won't even have to pay income tax, the president says according to Real Clear Politics.

And if the tax is not abolished completely, it will be "much lower than it is now," Trump adds.

Sanctions
EU agrees: Will phase out Russian gas by 2027

The European Council has reached an agreement with the European Parliament to phase out Russian gas imports by 2027. This is stated in a press release.

- A historic day for our union. We are turning a page and doing it for good. This is the beginning of Europe's full independence from Russian energy, says EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference in Brussels.

The agreement involves gradual restrictions on both liquid and pipeline gas from Russia, with a complete ban in the fall of 2027.

In October, Russia accounted for 12 percent of the EU's gas imports.

Volvo Cars' future
Volvo sales fell: "Highlighting the challenges"

Volvo Cars' global car sales fell by 10 percent in November, the company wrote in a press release.

- November's sales figures highlight the ongoing structural and transformative challenges that affect both Volvo Cars and the industry at large, says Erik Severinson, the company's commercial director.

New obesity drugs
Novo applies for state support after WHO's statement

Novo Nordisk has applied for subsidies from the Danish state twice and been rejected. But after the World Health Organization (WHO) made a statement on Monday, Novo Nordisk is now preparing a third application, Børsen reports.

On Monday, the WHO recommended for the first time that severely obese people worldwide should be treated with medication and that states should ensure “equal access” to “adequate treatment.”

This would be a win for Novo, which has already applied for general funding for Wegovy in Denmark, but has been rejected twice by the Danish Medicines Agency. 

Trump's USA

The War on the Media
Established Media Denied Access to the Pentagon

Several major American media houses, including the Washington Post, AP, CNN and Reuters, have been denied access to this week's rare press briefings at the Pentagon. Instead, the meetings are being held for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's hand-picked, newly accredited press corps – mainly conservative media outlets that have approved his new regulations, reports the AP.

Most established newsrooms left the Pentagon last fall after refusing to sign regulations that they believe risk restricting independent reporting.

The exclusion comes at a time when Congress is reviewing US military strikes against suspected drug traffickers. The decision raises questions about how much public transparency remains when the Pentagon now only holds press briefings on occasional occasions, the news agency writes.

Border issue
Somalia keeps quiet after Trump's harsh criticism

Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has chosen not to comment on Donald Trump's statement that "the country stinks" and that the US does not want Somalis in its country, reports The Guardian.

- There are things that should not be commented on. We will leave them there and move on. It is better to ignore than to make a problem of his words, he says according to the newspaper.

AFP has spoken to Somalis in the capital Mogadishu who comment on the statement with irritation and resignation.

- It is high time that the Somali government breaks the silence and tells Trump to stop insulting us, says trader Daud. 

Political situation in South Korea

South Korea holds “dark tour” one year after martial law

The South Korean parliament has held a “dark tour” one year after former President Yoon Suk-Yeol imposed martial law in the country, writes Reuters.

The incident shook the country and thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate. Today, more than 200 people gathered for the so-called “dark tour” to remember the 16-hour military emergency.

The tour is led by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, one of the politicians who jumped a fence to enter the heavily guarded parliament building in Yeouido.

The former president was impeached this spring. 

South Korean prosecutors seek 15-year prison sentence for ex-president's wife

Prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee, who is facing charges including bribery. Reuters reports.

Kim, wife of Yook Suk-Yeol, who was impeached this spring, is accused of receiving expensive designer handbags in exchange for giving the Unification Church religious movement business benefits - something she has denied.

Earlier in November, however, she admitted to having received two Chanel handbags from a leader in the movement. The bags are estimated to be worth 53,000 and 79,000 kronor, respectively.

The verdict is expected on January 26 next year.
 

TOP NEWS

Suspicions against former EU top official
Former EU foreign policy chief suspected of corruption

Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has been charged with corruption, AFP reports. Two other people are also suspected in the case, one of whom is top Italian diplomat Stefano Sannini.

Mogherini is the rector of the EU university College of Europe in Bruges and the suspicions are that procurement for educational programs for young people was rigged in the school's favor, according to the newspaper Le Soir.

"The charges relate to procurement fraud and corruption, conflict of interest and breach of confidentiality," the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) wrote in a press release.

Mogherini was arrested on Tuesday by Belgian police, but all three suspects have now been released because they are not considered to pose a flight risk.

Corruption charges against Netanyahu
Sources: Netanyahu has asked Trump for more support

In a phone call on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed for continued support from US President Donald Trump regarding the legal process he is facing at home, according to Axios's government sources.

Trump is said to have said that he believes the prime minister will be pardoned, but made no promises of further action.

- Netanyahu wants Trump to do more, but the president has done everything he can, a source told the news site.

Trump has repeatedly intervened to stop the legal processes, most recently in November he urged President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu. In a letter to the president, he claimed that the legal system is being used as a political weapon against Netanyahu.

Bulgarian president demands government resignation

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is demanding the country's government resign after this week's widespread protests, Reuters reports.

- New elections are the only way forward.

The protesters have criticized, among other things, the government's budget, which would entail increased taxes. The budget was withdrawn on Tuesday, but government representatives say there are no plans to resign.

Political situation in Pakistan
Sister: Imran Khan is being subjected to psychological torture

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan is being subjected to psychological torture in prison. This is stated by his sister Uzma Khan after a visit, writes The Independent.

She says, among other things, that Imran Khan is being held in solitary confinement and is not allowed to see his wife.

- When I met him, he was very angry.

Imran Khan was arrested in 2023 and has been sentenced to many years in prison for corruption, among other things. His supporters claim that the charges are politically motivated.

 

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