fredag 26 juni 2026

Climate Threat Global Challenges

Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia Running Out of Water

Crumbling infrastructure and unpredictable rainfall have led to the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia running out of water – despite millions of dollars in investment. This is reported by The Guardian.

Saint Lucia has so far received a total of around SEK 780 million in international aid in three different projects to tackle the water crisis, but according to experts, the initiatives do not go far enough.

One of the problems is that the island's pipes are old and leaky, another is that the tourist season coincides with the island's dry season, which puts heavy pressure on the infrastructure. Climate change has also led to more extreme droughts and rainfall on the island.

"People should not expect tap water every day"

Saint Lucia's rainy season starts in May. It was a relief for 55-year-old Madeleine Solomon, who is feeling the effects of the island's water shortage.

“I thank God every day, because our situation was really bad,” she told The Guardian.

According to Saint Lucia’s former energy minister James Fletcher, the island’s water needs can be met by rainwater, but then everyone living on the island would have to make sure to collect and store rainwater.

“People shouldn’t expect to have water in their taps every day of the year,” he says.

Middle East Crisis

Israel-Hezbollah
Hezbollah Leader: Israel Must Leave Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem calls on Israel to leave Lebanon “unconditionally” in a televised speech. Al Jazeera reports.

He also rejects Israel’s line that their presence in Lebanon is necessary to defend themselves against Hezbollah’s rocket attacks.

– Israel is not in Lebanon because of the rockets, they are here to try to occupy and swallow the entire country.

Israel and Hezbollah have been in conflict for decades. The fighting flared up again earlier this year when the organization, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the US, fired on Israel in response to attacks on Iran.

Strait of Hormuz
Sources: Attack drones used in attack in Hormuz

An attack drone is said to have been used in the attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reports. According to American sources in several media outlets, Iran is behind the attack. Iran has neither confirmed nor denied that this is the case.

The Singapore-flagged ship Ever Lovely is said to have suffered material damage but remained seaworthy after being hit by the drone. The crew is said to be unharmed.

The International Maritime Organization, IMO, has temporarily paused the evacuation of ships that have been stuck near the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war due to the shelling.

New prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia

Published 15.34

Ukrainas presidentkansli publicerade en bild på de ukrainska krigsfångar som släppts ur rysk fångenskap. — The Ukrainian presidential office published a picture of the Ukrainian prisoners of war who have been released from Russian captivity. Photo: AP/TT

Moscow and Kiev have exchanged 160 prisoners of war each, according to Russian and Ukrainian authorities.

Russia and Ukraine have once again exchanged prisoners of war, totaling 320 prisoners, reports AFP.

"We continue to bring Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 soldiers were released," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media.

The prisoner exchange agreement was brokered by the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Defense Ministry said on social media.

"160 Russian soldiers have returned" and are "currently in Belarus," the ministry further writes.

Ukrainian officer under investigation after soldier deaths

Published 2026-06-25 23.23

En ukrainsk soldat patrullerar i en by i östra Ukraina. Arkivbild. — A Ukrainian soldier patrols a village in eastern Ukraine. Archive photo. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka / AP /TT

A Ukrainian officer is being investigated by authorities after several deaths among soldiers who were undergoing training. This is revealed by the Ukrainian news site Babel.

According to Babel's investigation, 26 people have died at the regiment's training facilities in the past six months.

The man, who has been suspended, is also being investigated for abuse and torture of conscripts. The accusations are supported by testimonies from relatives of the soldiers.

Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation.

The regiment called Babel's actions "serious" in a statement, but also said that 18 of the deaths occurred en route to or in hospital due to "illness or poor health."

After four years of war, the need for soldiers is great in Ukraine, but mobilization is increasingly difficult. Fewer people are volunteering and conscription tends to be more harsh.