måndag 19 oktober 2026
Latest news
Russian Invasion • International Response
Pope Negotiates with Putin and Zelenskyy on Evacuation of City
Pope Leo XIV has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cooperate with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to evacuate the city of Oleshky. This request was made during a phone call on Monday, the Vatican stated, according to the AP. The Pope spoke with Putin on Friday, while he was hospitalized following surgery for lung cancer.
The Pope is calling for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow food and medicine to reach the Russian-occupied city. Civilians who wish to leave should also be assisted in evacuating, reports Bloomberg.
According to Reuters, the city—which has been isolated by Russia for months and under occupation since 2022—has experienced periodic bouts of starvation.
Brazil’s Presidential Election
Court Gives Meta 24 Hours to Prove Fair Treatment of Candidates
Brazil’s electoral court has given the American tech company Meta 24 hours to prove that the campaigns of both presidential candidates are being treated equally across the company’s social media platforms, reports G1 Globo.
According to several media outlets, Meta is accused of favoring right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, who is challenging the incumbent leftist president, Lula da Silva, ahead of Sunday’s decisive round of voting.
In a statement, the electoral court noted that the company’s refusal to comply with previous directives indicated that the existing daily fine—equivalent to one million Swedish kronor—was too low. The fine has now been increased to the equivalent of two million kronor, according to Al Jazeera.
Meta denies taking a political stance, stating that some of Lula da Silva’s advertisements were temporarily removed due to technical errors.
Houthi Rebels
At least 50 dead in Houthi attack on military base in Yemen
At least 53 people have been killed after the Iranian-backed Houthi militia attacked a military base in southern Yemen, local authorities stated, according to the AP.
Another 200 people are reported to be injured.
A spokesperson for the Yemeni military confirmed that the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles at a training center for police and security forces.
Fire at military base
Grass fire caused incident at military base in Alberta
A grass fire was the cause of the fatal incident at a military base in Alberta, Canada, according to Major General Wade Rutland, as reported by The Washington Post.
Rutland stated that the grass fire was spread by "unusually strong winds." He added that the incident remains under investigation, but that the Canadian military does not suspect the fire was caused by oil or gas infrastructure or external actors.
In addition to the four people who died in the fire, 39 others were injured, at least 19 of whom sustained life-threatening injuries.
The cult in Kenya
Cult leader guilty of 191 murders: "A lesson"
Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie, who urged his followers to starve themselves to death, has been found guilty of the murders of 190 children and one adult by a court in Mombasa, according to several news agencies.
The crimes were reportedly committed over the course of several years, and 429 bodies have been discovered buried near the cult's base. According to the investigation, Mackenzie urged his followers to die in order to meet Jesus—adding that children and young people should die first.
In addition to Mackenzie, 28 other members have been convicted of murder.
Francis Wanje, who lost eight family members, attended the proceedings in person.
"We expect this verdict to serve as a lesson to the public, so that this can never happen again," he said, according to AFP.
Australian politician struck by vehicle in "attack" – man arrested
Australian politician Helen Haines has been struck by a driver outside her office in southeastern Australia, according to multiple media reports. Police state that her condition is "critical."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the incident as an attack and confirmed that a suspect has been arrested.
The motive remains unclear, but according to Albanese, authorities have activated their joint counter-terrorism task force following the incident.
Police state that there is no danger to the public.
160 Northern Irish schools receive hoax bomb threats
On Monday, 160 schools in Northern Ireland were targeted by hoax bomb threats, according to several media outlets.
"At this stage, our advice to schools is that we do not consider these to be credible threats, but they have clearly caused significant concern," says Education Minister Paul Givan.
According to the minister, the threats contained Islamist-related elements and claims that explosive devices had been planted. Although the threats are not considered to pose an actual danger, several schools have closed.
The Political Situation in France
French Market Interest Rates Rise Following Weekend Protests
The protests in France, which have spiraled out of control, have led to a rise in the yields on the country’s government bonds this Monday. The nation’s economy is already on shaky ground, following more than 50 years of budget deficits and amid uncertainty regarding whether the next government will be able to tighten fiscal policy.
The yield on the ten-year government bond rose by 7 basis points on Monday to 4.86 percent. Meanwhile, the yield on the German equivalent fell by 1 basis point, widening the spread between the two to 1.43 percentage points, reports DI.
This spread reflects concerns regarding the French economy. As yields rise, the cost for France to borrow money increases further.
Experts: Low Risk of a New Eurozone Crisis – In the Short Term
The risk of a new eurozone crisis remains limited in the short term, even though the protests in France are fueling anxiety in the financial markets. This is the assessment provided by observers to The Wall Street Journal and DI.
Most eurozone nations are in better shape and less reliant on foreign financing than they were during the debt crisis 15 years ago. Furthermore, the European Central Bank (ECB) now possesses new tools to prevent such unrest from spreading.
However, Cedric Gemehl, a Europe economist at Gavekal, warns of longer-term risks.
"If France continues to run a deficit of 5–6 percent over the coming years, it will significantly increase the risk of a eurozone crisis," he told DI.
Mike Bell of RBC BlueBay is more pessimistic. “There is a very real risk of a French sovereign debt crisis,” he tells CNBC.
Economy
EU-China Relations
Volvo Cars criticizes Franco-German agreement on climate standards
Volvo Cars has leveled sharp criticism at an agreement between Germany and France to lower climate standards—a move intended to bolster the EU's automotive industry, reports *SvD*.
The agreement would allow the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered cars beyond 2035, effectively abandoning the goal of a climate-neutral automotive sector by that year. The proposal still requires approval from the EU.
Volvo Cars, which is investing heavily in electric vehicles, warns that these concessions could harm Europe's competitiveness.
"Slowing down or weakening long-term commitments for the sake of short-term gains risks undermining Europe's competitiveness," the company stated to the newspaper.
Europe's automotive industry is facing intense pressure from Chinese competitors. The agreement also includes provisions to ensure that public subsidies and procurement processes favor vehicles manufactured in Europe.
China's Growth
China's growth exceeds expectations – exports reach record levels
China's economy grew by 4.5 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. This growth rate was faster than anticipated—and aligns with the country's official target of 4.5–5 percent.
Meanwhile, the country's trade surplus is expanding and appears set to surpass last year's record—a trend that is creating friction with the EU, reports the *Financial Times*.
"The key takeaway for the macroeconomy is that China's economy remains driven by supply and production," says Yuhan Zhang, an economist at The Conference Board's China Center.
The Oil Market
Natural gas prices at their highest levels in four years
European natural gas prices have risen 11 percent in one month, reaching 89 euros per megawatt-hour, reports the WSJ. These are the highest levels seen since 2022.
Gas storage levels in Europe are at 74 percent—lower than is typical for this time of year—and have yet to reach the 80 percent target set for November 1.
The situation in Germany is somewhat worse, with storage levels at 61 percent—with only two weeks remaining to meet the 80 percent target.
Ericsson's Iraq Scandal
Ericsson's IS-related scandal grows—US also investigating Syria
The US Department of Justice's investigation into the Ericsson scandal—involving suspected bribes to the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq—now also encompasses Syria, reports DI.
In its interim report released Thursday, the telecom giant updated its wording regarding the ongoing investigation, which now covers "related matters concerning historical conduct in various jurisdictions, including Iraq and Syria."
In a comment to DI, Ericsson reiterated that the full scope of the investigation remains uncertain.
In 2023, Ericsson was required to pay 2.2 billion kronor to US authorities after withholding information regarding the Iraq scandal, thereby violating a previous settlement. Analysts at Handelsbanken have previously warned that an expanded investigation could lead to higher fines.
Elon Musk's Wealth
Musk: I will give a SpaceX share to every child in the US
"Next year, I will give a SpaceX share to every child in the US," writes tech billionaire and entrepreneur Elon Musk on his own platform, X.
It is unclear how such a transfer would be executed, Bloomberg notes.
If he were to do so, it would mean giving away approximately 72 million shares—worth about $10.5 billion at current valuations—according to Business Insider.
Musk is the world's richest man, and his stake in SpaceX is estimated to be worth just over $700 billion—equivalent to 7 trillion Swedish kronor—a figure that exceeds Sweden's entire GDP for 2025.
The Crisis in the Real Estate Sector
Batljan: Real estate collapse nearly worse than the crisis of the 1990s
The Swedish real estate sector has endured difficult years, particularly on the stock market. Ilija Batljan, founder and major shareholder of Samhällsbyggnadsbolaget (SBB), believes the sector has been—and remains—in the midst of a crisis.
"And it continues to undergo a major real estate crisis—one that has been ongoing since 2023 and is on par with, or perhaps even tougher than, the crisis of the 1990s," he tells EFN.
In his view, the key difference is that in the 1990s, it was primarily the banking sector that was hit hard, which made that crisis a systemic threat.
This time, it is the equity and bondholders who have "paid an extremely high price" for this grueling ordeal—a period of hardship that, according to Batljan, is not yet over. In SBB's case, the stock has plummeted from SEK 67 at its peak in 2021 to just over SEK 2 today.
Russian Invasion
Negotiations
Report: Putin wants to discuss Ukraine with Trump and Xi
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a meeting in November with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss peace in Ukraine, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly not on the guest list, the newspaper writes.
Putin allegedly proposed such a meeting during a phone call with Trump on October 9. The leaders could potentially meet on the sidelines of an economic forum in China on November 18–19, according to the reports.
Trump hits back: “He doesn’t want to end the war”
Donald Trump’s approach to Russia is centered on avoiding any actions that might cause the country to “walk away from the negotiating table.” The former president stated this in a post on Truth Social, in which he launched an attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump writes that Ukraine is attacking Russian refineries—even though this impacts the diesel market—and claims, without providing evidence, that Zelenskyy “doesn’t want to end” Russia’s war of invasion.
“He could have made a better deal two years ago than he could today,” Trump writes.
Earlier on Sunday evening, Zelenskyy stated that Trump is attempting to pressure Ukraine into capitulation. This remark is not specifically addressed in Trump’s post.
The Fighting
Alarm from the front: US withholding weapons and restricting Starlink
Ukraine has raised the alarm that the Starlink satellite network remains restricted for the country’s military. Meanwhile, Ukrainian military personnel have expressed concerns that the US is deliberately delaying weapons shipments to the country, reports The Kyiv Independent. “Hegseth has the contracts on his desk but isn’t signing them,” an anonymous government official tells the newspaper.
In a post on X, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy further states that Ukraine is struggling to defend itself along the front line—not least because they have discovered that they can no longer connect to Starlink when using weaponry that travels at speeds of 130–160 kilometers per hour. This connectivity is essential for tasks such as shooting down Russian “Shahed” drones.
“This issue must be raised again with our allies at every level today. Speed is crucial for saving lives,” writes Zelenskyy.
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