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NATO's future
NATO turns 75: "Is more significant than ever"

When the NATO countries gather next week for a summit in Washington, it will be the first time that Sweden is included as a full member, writes TT. The alliance, which turns 75 this year, faces several challenges, including what happens if Donald Trump becomes president of the United States again.

However, Lisbeth Aggestam, associate professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg, considers it too unlikely that Trump will actually take the US out of NATO, as has been feared.

- It's something he can't just decide himself, but it has to go through Congress. What is a possibility is that he would like to lower the US NATO funding, she says.

She also points out that several NATO countries are now investing heavily in defence.

- From that perspective, you can say that NATO is more important than ever.

According to AFP, three quarters of the countries now reach the goal of investing at least two percent of GDP on defense. In 2014, only three countries were at that level.

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The election in the United States|The debate about Biden's age
The Democrat believes in Harris: "Can win big against Trump"

Democrat Adam Schiff, a member of the House of Representatives, is convinced that US Vice President Kamala Harris can win big against Donald Trump if she were to take over as a candidate in the presidential election. He says so in an interview with NBC News.

At the same time, he emphasizes that it is up to President Joe Biden whether he will hand over the baton or not.

- Either he has to win big, or he has to pass the torch to someone else who can do it, says Schiff.

Several Democratic members have called on the president to step aside.

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Political situation in Japan
Koike wins governor election in Tokyo - gets to stay

Yuriko Koike wins the gubernatorial election in Tokyo and gets to remain in office for a third term, writes the Japanese Asahi. Conservative Koike, who became the city's first female governor in 2016, was supported by the country's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

- With the strong support of the people of Tokyo, I have been given the task of leading this fantastic city, she says after the opinion polls became official.

71-year-old Koike has promised, among other things, more support to deal with the falling birth rates and investments in childcare.

Voters in the city had 56 candidates to choose from. Renho Saito, who was supported by the major opposition party, and Shinji Ishimaru were the main contenders.
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The shift of power in the Tory Party
Braverman sees the party: "We deserved the loss"

Britain's former Home Secretary Suella Braverman directs harsh criticism at her own Tory Party after the massive election loss. In an opinion piece in The Telegraph, she writes that the party failed during its time in power and deserved the election result.

She also writes that the party's election campaign under Rishi Sunak's leadership was "idiotic".

“People didn't vote for Labour, they voted us out. That is the grim truth," writes Braverman, who has been singled out by many as the leading candidate to take over as party leader.

She writes that the party must now restore the trust of the voters by getting better at listening to the grassroots and really showing how to be able to implement the policy they say they want to pursue.

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Blair: New government must control immigration

British former Labor leader and Prime Minister Tony Blair is calling on the new Labor leadership to come up with a plan to control immigration. In a debate article in the Sunday Times, he warns that populist Reform UK could otherwise grow even stronger.

"If we don't have rules, we get prejudice," writes Blair.

He believes that Britain should develop a system of digital IDs to check who has the right to be in the country. If this does not happen, "very effective border controls" are required instead, according to Blair.

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The Israel-Hamas warThe demonstrations
Protesters demand new elections ten months into the war

In Israel, people demonstrated during the day demanding that the government do more to free the hostages that Hamas is holding in Gaza, reports AFP. To draw attention to the fact that today exactly ten months have passed since the terrorist attack by Hamas, which was the start of the war, a nationwide day of protest has been announced.

In Tel Aviv, protesters have blocked streets during the day and demanded new elections. Already yesterday, anti-government protesters clashed with the police.

As a result of the protests, security around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence has been strengthened.

In recent days, there have been reports that an agreement between Israel and Hamas is closer than at any time during the war. It has given hope to the hostages' relatives.

- This is an opportunity that must not be lost, says Sachar Mor, a relative of one of the hostages.