Abelardo de la Espriella on election day. Photo: Rodrigo Abd/AP/TT
US President Donald Trump congratulates Abelardo de la Espriella, who by all accounts won the presidential election in Colombia.
"It was a great pleasure for me to endorse him and I look forward to working together to build a strong relationship between Colombia and the United States," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Colombia's National Electoral Council has not yet formally declared a winner after last night's election, but right-wing candidate de la Espriella has declared himself the winner after receiving 49.7 percent of the vote compared to leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda's 48.7 with 99.9 percent of the votes counted.
Cepeda has said that he recognizes the preliminary vote count but wants to await a review of the election results.
Donald Trump. The picture was taken on June 19. Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP/TT
A federal judge has decided to block a database with information on millions of Americans that was to be used in elections.
The decision is a significant setback for President Donald Trump.
The database will contain information such as the equivalent of social security numbers, citizenship status and other sensitive information, reports The Hill.
The Trump administration's plan is for this database to be used as a tool to identify and compile lists of people who are deemed eligible to vote.
But according to Judge Sparkle L Sooknanan, the initiative, which was issued by presidential order earlier this year, violates several laws and also risks leading to people being wrongfully deprived of their right to vote.
Trump has previously described his attempt at new laws as so important that it “overshadows everything else.”
Power Shift in Hungary Hungarian President Rejects Magyar's Resignation Demands
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has made his opinion clear about incumbent President Tamás Sulyok: he wants to remove him.
But Sulyok, who was appointed by Viktor Orbán, has now announced that he intends to fight to keep his post and resist the new government's attempts to remove him, reports Politico.
- No parliamentary majority can give a mandate to disregard the principles of the rule of law and European values, Sulyok tells Politico.
At the same time, he accuses Magyar's party Tisza of wanting to concentrate power faster than Orbán's party Fidesz did during its 16 years in power.
- Tisza wants to achieve a greater concentration of power in 16 weeks than Fidesz did in 16 years, because the party effectively wants to replace all public officials elected by the previous parliament, Sulyok says.
Political situation in Myanmar UN: 702 civilians killed in six months in Myanmar
From the time the Myanmar military announced elections in August 2025 until polling stations opened at the end of December of the same year, 702 civilians in the country were killed by the military. This is according to a new UN report.
Of these, 476 people were killed in airstrikes.
According to the report, reduced international support has contributed to civilians becoming more vulnerable to violence and abuse.
– As if the people of Myanmar have not already suffered enough under military rule, they now seem to have been forgotten by the outside world, says UN human rights chief Volker Türk.
In October, 23 people, including four children, were killed in a single airstrike near a school in Chaung-U in the Sagaing region, writes the BBC.
Artemis missions Laser on the moon's south pole to keep track of the clock
Scientists want to place a laser in the craters on the moon's south pole to ensure that the clock runs correctly on the moon, reports SVT Nyheter.
There is a lot that will have to work once NASA's base on the moon's south pole is in place. To coordinate all activities, the moon needs its own global navigation system, for example, but for that to work, the satellites must also have an exact common time. It is not entirely easy, since time on the moon moves faster than on Earth. If the time is slightly off, it can be enough for the navigation system to give results that are several kilometers off, and therefore a very precise timekeeper is required. The whole thing is to be solved with an "optical atomic clock" where an ultra-stable laser keeps track of the ticking. The plan is to place the laser in a place where it can work undisturbed, says physicist Jun Ye, who was involved in developing the atomic clock.
“In the permanently shadowed craters at the moon's south pole, sunlight has not reached for billions of years,” he says.
Trump favorite declares victory: “We are beginning a new era!”
Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella looks set to win the Colombian presidential election by a narrow margin, according to international media.
– We are beginning a new era! For those who have spread violence, terror, drug trafficking and corruption for all these years, time is up, he said in a speech to supporters in the city of Barranquilla during the night.
According to still preliminary figures, with just over 99 percent of the votes counted, Abelardo de la Espriella has 49.7 percent of the support against left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda’s 48.7 percent.
The two candidates are far apart. De la Espriella, who until recently was a criminal lawyer, has no previous political experience and has been supported by US President Donald Trump. Among other things, he has run for office on a new line towards the armed groups in the country with an eye towards full-scale military confrontation.
Analysis: “El Tigre” Consolidates Latin America’s Rightward Shift
Abelardo
de la Espriella, also known as “El Tigre,” emerged victorious in
preliminary vote counts in Colombia’s presidential election. If the
result holds up in the final count, it would further solidify the
political rightward shift that South America has taken in recent years,
writes Reuters’ Alexander Villegas in an analysis.
In that case,
Colombia would join Peru, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Panama,
all of which have moved away from leftist rule in recent years.
“Across the region, including Colombia, weak economies and rising crime have reshaped voters’ priorities,” writes Villegas.
de
la Espriella stole the spotlight from leftist candidate Iván Cepeda by
promising quick solutions to several of the country’s biggest problems,
including the long-running conflict with armed groups, writes CNN’s
Stefano Pozzebon.
“With the support of Donald Trump, he took
advantage of the wave that brought several right-wing populist leaders
to power in Latin America, where a hard line against crime has been a
recurring theme.”
The number of confirmed infections in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo-Kinshasa has passed 1,000, several news agencies report, citing local authorities. At least 254 people have died and 100 have recovered since the outbreak began in May.
Infection tracing remains difficult and authorities have not yet managed to locate "patient zero", writes AP. In addition, there may be many previously unknown cases, over 35,000 people who have been in contact with infected individuals remain to be traced.
The Ebola outbreak — it's relevantsaken
The Ebola outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa has led to over 1,000 infections and at least 250 deaths since mid-May 2026.
The Bundibugyo variant, which lacks a vaccine and treatment, has spread
rapidly to neighboring countries such as Uganda, causing concerns about
further spread.
Armed conflicts, distrust of authorities and attacks on health workers have complicated efforts to stop the infection.
The World Health Organization WHO has classified the Ebola outbreak in
Congo-Kinshasa and Uganda as a global public health emergency and warned
that the hidden toll is large.
Lack of resources, laboratory materials and funding has delayed testing
and limited the possibilities to combat the epidemic effectively.
Iran: Agreement Completed to Release Twelve Billion
One of Iran's chief negotiators says that an agreement to release twelve billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets has been finalized during talks in Switzerland, Reuters reports.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the United States is working with Qatar to develop a mechanism that will enable the release of frozen Iranian assets in the country.
According to the information, the money will only be used for humanitarian purposes, with Iran's central bank ordering food, medicine and other goods via Qatar.
It is unclear whether this is the mechanism that the United States and Iran are now said to have agreed on. It is also not clear from which country the frozen assets will be released.
Iran denies progress in nuclear talks: No agreement
Iran denies that it agreed on or even discussed its nuclear energy program during Sunday's talks with the United States in Switzerland, Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, told Reuters.
US Vice President JD Vance said earlier on Monday that progress had been made on Iran's nuclear energy program and that the country had agreed to readmit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.
- Iran's cooperation with the IAEA will continue according to current procedures, provided that it is approved by the Iranian parliament and in accordance with the decision of the Supreme National Security Council, Esmaeil Baghaei said.
Trump: War Goals Trump Global Depression
Preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons is worth the risk of a global economic depression, says Donald Trump according to CNN.
Asked if he is willing to risk triggering a depression by attacking Iran again, he replies:
– Not in the way I do it. It will not cause a depression. But if they do not live up to – yes, nuclear weapons trump depression.
An Iran with nuclear weapons could cause a depression faster than the current situation, the president continues, and once again threatens Iran with new military attacks.
On Monday, there were once again conflicting reports about the peace talks. US Vice President JD Vance claims that Iran has agreed to let in IAEA inspectors, while Iran denies that the nuclear energy program has even been discussed.
US to Pause Sanctions on Iranian Oil Until August 21, AFP Reports.
The pause is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the US and Iran.
Gas Prices Rise After Qatar Accident
Gas prices are rising after this morning's reports of an accident at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Ras Laffan, Qatar, on Sunday.
The spot price of LNG is up about 3.5 percent at 1 p.m., while oil prices are down nearly 1.5 percent in the wake of the weekend's progress in talks between the US and Iran.
At least 54 are reported to have been injured and 18 are missing after a "technical incident," the government said, according to Al Jazeera.
Energy attacks At least 54 injured after “technical incident” in Qatar
At least 54 people were injured and 18 are missing after an explosion in the Ras Laffan industrial zone in Qatar on Sunday, according to international media. The cause is said to be a “technical incident” that is said to have occurred in connection with personnel trying to restart operations at one of the area’s gas facilities.
In March, Iran targeted the gas facility outside Doha with missile attacks, causing damage that is estimated to take several years to repair.
Qatar: 13 dead after industrial explosion
Qatar’s energy minister says 13 people have died after Sunday’s explosion at a natural gas facility in Ras Laffan, Reuters reports. A further 66 people were injured.
The explosion is said to have been caused by a “technical incident”.
Iranians Reconsider View of the West: “Cannot Save Us”
The Iranian regime has survived the war, but now faces another challenge: its relationship with its own population. Many Iranians are marked by both the war and the widespread protests earlier this year, when thousands of people were killed.
The attacks on Iran have stirred nationalist sentiment and created an unusual common ground in an otherwise deeply divided country, writes The Guardian. According to observers, the dominant image is that Iran managed to stand up to its opponents in the war, even though the country’s deep domestic problems remain.
The left-leaning Iranian artist Elham says that many have been forced to reconsider their views of the West and the protests.
“There is now an understanding that the US will not save us,” she tells the newspaper.
Pentagon: We used Grok AI to attack 2,000 targets in 96 hours
The US Department of Defense Pentagon has turned to Elon Musk's chatbot Grok to fire thousands of missiles at Iran, according to a senior defense official. The Independent reports.
The information comes in connection with a lawsuit against Musk. In a statement made under oath, Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon's director of digital and artificial intelligence, writes that the chatbot's continued operation is "a matter of the highest national security" for the United States. He further writes that the chatbot was used to attack "2,000 different targets within 96 hours" and that it is one of three products that are "equipped to support mission-critical operations" in top-secret environments.
The statement appears to be the first admission by a government official that the US is using Musk's AI to bomb Iran, according to The Independent. Several AI services have come under scrutiny after US-led strikes killed hundreds of civilians in Iran.
Data Shows: Iranian Oil Flows Out of Hormuz Again
Iran has ramped up oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to the highest level since the outbreak of war following progress in talks with the US, Bloomberg reports.
Shipping data shows that three supertankers blacklisted by the US with a total of around six million barrels of Iranian crude on board entered the strait on Monday. They are all said to be heading to Singapore, a common hub for onward transport to China.
At the same time, the price of Iranian oil for delivery in July is falling as traders and middlemen offer discounts of up to $5 per barrel, sources told the news agency.
The leaders of Europe's largest military powers will meet in Berlin on Wednesday afternoon for talks on the war in Ukraine and the upcoming NATO summit, AFP reports.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting the meeting with the leaders of France, Britain, Italy and Poland. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is participating via video link.
The group, called E5, was formed in 2024 to strengthen Europe's military coordination against Russia's invasion.
Honduras buys drones from Ukraine - to fight gangs
Kyiv has come to be called the drone capital of the world in recent years. The expertise that Ukraine has built up in the field has been sought after. After the outbreak of the war between Israel and Iran, several arms deals were concluded with countries in the Persian Gulf, and now the deals extend across the Atlantic.
Honduran President Nasry Asfura announces after a visit to Kyiv that the country is purchasing Ukrainian drones for border surveillance and to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, AFP reports.
“We are talking about drones to protect our borders, monitor them more effectively and fight organized crime with high-tech equipment,” says Asfura.
President Donald Trump's relationship with leading Senate Republicans is becoming increasingly strained, The Hill reports. After several conflicts over how to handle various issues, the White House and Senate Republicans have begun to pull in different directions, while the party struggles to maintain its majority in the midterm elections.
Several Republican senators say their trust in Trump has decreased after the president has repeatedly ignored the views of Thunes and other party leaders.
The latest example came when Trump ordered his choice for director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, to not participate in a Senate hearing. The decision went against the strategy that Republican senators had laid out and left them puzzled.
"We can't surprise the president and he can't surprise us. Every time that happens between now and November, our chances of retaining the majority decrease," says Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
Democrats attract more voters ahead of the midterm elections
More American voters have voted in the Democratic primary elections ahead of the midterm elections than in the Republican primary elections, according to an analysis by the Washington Post.
A total of 12.6 million people have voted in the Democratic primary elections, while 8.6 million have participated in the Republican primary elections.
The number of Democratic voters has also increased in traditionally Republican electoral districts, including Georgia's 10th congressional district.
There is concern among Republicans that the party could lose its majority in Congress this fall. Donald Trump has urged Republican-controlled states to redraw electoral districts to benefit the party during the year.
One of the most notable redistrictings has taken place in Texas, but according to an analysis by the Washington Post, it is unclear whether the strategy has had the desired effect. Democrats have received more votes in most of the state's primaries, while the number of Republican votes has only increased in two districts.
Data: States could lose millions in funding if they refuse election changes
The
Trump administration is threatening to freeze tens of millions of
dollars in federal funding to states if they do not implement a series
of changes ahead of the midterm elections. This is reported by several
sources to CNN.
The measure is said to be part of Donald Trump's attempt to counteract what he describes as election fraud.
Among
the requirements for gaining full access to funds from the Department
of Homeland Security is to phase out electronic voting machines and
return to paper ballots. The states must also conduct voter audits
through a controversial program that the department has developed.
-
All recipients of federal funds should expect accountability for how
taxpayer money is used, says a spokesperson for the department, who does
not want to comment on the data in more detail.
In total, the
department is distributing about one billion dollars, equivalent to
approximately 9.6 billion kronor, through various programs during the
current fiscal year.
Vance's New Book Is Interpreted as a Disguised Presidential Campaign
In a new book, US Vice President JD Vance writes about how he found his Catholic faith, American media reports. But several observers rather see the book as an attempt to position himself as the next Republican presidential candidate.
In the New York Times podcast “The Opinions,” journalist EJ Dionne says that the book tries to be several things at the same time and that it is obvious that the first draft was scrapped after he took office in the White House. In addition to the journey of faith and a milder family portrayal than in his acclaimed debut “Hillbilly Elegy,” the book wants to explain how he should be understood politically, according to Dionne.
WSJ reviewer Barton Swaim makes a similar reading, writing that many readers will assume that Vance has his sights set on 2028.
Controversial Guru May Have Influenced Gabbard's Policies
Former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who recently left her post as US Director of National Intelligence, received political advice for many years through a network connected to her spiritual guru. The Washington Post reports this after reviewing hundreds of internal messages and documents.
According to the newspaper, the messages were conveyed by controversial religious leader Chris Butler, founder of the Science of Identity Foundation (SIF) movement. The former Hawaii congressman grew up in the movement, which practices a form of Hinduism focused on meditation, yoga and special dietary rules. Former followers describe the movement as cult-like, something that current representatives reject.
Butler rarely appears in public but is considered by many followers to be a spiritual authority with great influence. According to the review, people close to Gabbard forwarded his instructions, including on legislative proposals and before major interviews - despite both Gabbard and Butler previously claiming that he had not influenced her political career.
Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing populist party Reform UK, is calling for a new election after Keir Starmer's resignation.
On social media, Farage accuses Labour of failing voters and says the party should not be allowed to appoint a new prime minister without first holding an election.
He also believes that a possible new Labour leader, who is the favourite to be Andy Burnham, would mean a continuation of Starmer's policies.
"I've had enough of waiting. Britain needs change - real change, not another defunct politician being pushed into office by the political establishment."
Burnham opens up to succeed Starmer
Andy Burnham is opening up to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader, he writes on X.
He writes that Starmer's resignation marks the beginning of a transition process, and it is important that it is carried out in an orderly and responsible manner.
"I will make myself available as part of that process."
Burnham was previously Health Secretary and until recently Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he was nicknamed "the King in the North" during the pandemic. He has long been seen as a possible challenger to the post of Prime Minister from Labour's left wing.
Streeting supports Burnham - will not run
Former UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting is backing Andy Burnham as the new Prime Minister, British media report. He has previously hinted that he may challenge Burnham for the post.
“We can spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him deliver the change our party and our country need,” he writes on X.
Therefore, Burnham is likely to take over from Keir Starmer in a so-called coronation, that is, without a rival candidate.
Keir Starmer resigns as British Prime Minister: "I have heard the party's response"
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns as Labour leader and prime minister. In front of the assembled press corps at Downing Street, he also announces that he will remain in office until a new leader is in place before parliament opens in September.
According to Starmer, his party has questioned whether he is the best suited to lead the party in the next general election. "I have heard the response," he says, adding that he "accepts it with humility."
- Walking up Downing Street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life, says Starmer.
Starmer goes on to explain what he and the party have accomplished during his time in power. With tears in his eyes, he finally thanks his wife and children and says that he will now spend more time with them.
Starmer has long been pressured by weak opinion polls. The situation has been brought to a head by the fact that challenger Andy Burnham is taking his seat in the House of Commons today. Sitting in parliament is a requirement to become Labour's party leader and prime minister.
The next prime minister will be the seventh in a decade
The fact that Keir Starmer is stepping down as Britain's prime minister means that the country will have its seventh person in office within the same decade, writes TT. Since David Cameron resigned in mid-July 2016, Britain has had Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and most recently Keir Starmer as prime minister.
Starmer has struggled with poor opinion polls and several ministers have called for his resignation. The hope is that his successor will stabilize Labour's numbers in the public opinion. At the moment, there is much evidence that it will be challenger Andy Burnham who moves into Downing Street. In that case, he needs time to build up a staff before taking office.
– Andy has no team ready to move into Downing Street, he needs time to prepare, a minister tells The Guardian anonymously.
Analysis: All the choices of power paralyzed Starmer
No British prime minister has looked so suited to the job on paper and then proven to be so fundamentally wrong in practice as Keir Starmer, writes The Guardian's Peter Walker. He has interviewed historian Anthony Seldon – who has written biographies of every prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak – who states that Starmer had no idea what he was doing.
Firstly, he never managed to figure out what the job of prime minister was, Seldon believes. Secondly, he did not know what policies he wanted to pursue. Thirdly, he did not know who would make it happen. It may sound harsh, writes Walker, but Starmer was paralyzed by "the endless choices of power."
Space X makes deal with AI company – worth 60 billion
Space company Space X has signed an agreement with AI company Reflection worth the equivalent of around 60 billion kronor. This is reported by several media outlets.
The deal gives Reflection access to Nvidia's GB300 chip in Space X's data center Colossus. Reflection will pay $150 million per month from July 1 through 2029.
Reflection develops AI models with open source code. The company was valued at $25 billion in its latest capital round, writes CNBC.
Space X's work for sustainability gets a rock-bottom rating
Elon Musk's space company SpaceX receives the lowest possible sustainability rating from index provider MSCI, writes the Financial Times.
The company receives a CCC rating for its work according to the so-called ESG criteria for environment, social responsibility and corporate governance. That’s the same rating the Russian state received after its invasion of Ukraine.
According to the index provider, SpaceX is lagging behind in sustainability efforts due to high exposure to ESG risks and poor management of them.
In MSCI’s sustainability incidents category, SpaceX is given a score of one out of ten and an orange flag. This rating is given to companies that are deemed to be directly or indirectly involved in one or more serious controversies.
The British pound fell to a year's low ahead of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's expected resignation before the currency recovered, Bloomberg reports.
After Labour politician Andy Burnham opened to take over, government bond yields fell while the London Stock Exchange traded up to plus. The trend was strengthened after former health minister Wes Streeting, who had also been a strong challenger to Starmer, openly gave Burnham his support.
The development is a sign that the most important thing for investors is to "avoid more uncertainty," writes Bloomberg's markets editor Sam Unsted.
The small reactions before Starmer's expected resignation were interpreted by Bloomberg economists as investors seeing a change of party leader "as political noise rather than a genuine threat to Britain's fiscal credibility."
Market: Streeting favourite for chancellor
Speculation about who could become the next British chancellor is already rife among fixed income traders after Keir Starmer announced his resignation, Bloomberg reports.
Former health minister Wes Streeting is considered the most market-friendly option, analysts say. Energy minister Ed Miliband, foreign minister Yvette Cooper and former defence minister John Healey are also mentioned.
Although British government bonds and the pound barely reacted to Starmer's resignation, both strengthened slightly after Streeting endorsed Andy Burnham's candidacy for party leadership.
- I'm more worried about the choice of chancellor than Burnham, says Mizuho strategist Jordan Rochester, adding:
US-China Relations China imposes export controls on ten US companies
China has imposed export controls on ten US companies – two of them producers of rare earth metals, reports Bloomberg.
MP Materials and USA Rare Earth, which have now been added to China's export control list, are part of the US's effort to build alternative supply chains for key minerals for the defense industry, for example.
Eight companies in the drone, robotics and aerospace industries have also been added to the list, the news agency writes.
ECB vs inflation Lagarde: No need for stronger ECB measures
There is currently no need for tighter monetary policy in the wake of the effects of the Iran war. ECB President Christine Lagarde tells Bloomberg.
She believes that inflation expectations are “well anchored” and that there are no signals of so-called second-hand effects that could justify tightening policy.
– By taking decisions meeting by meeting ... we can adapt our response as developments change, she says.
Earlier in June, the ECB raised the deposit rate for the first time in three years.
Security in Europe Defense giant against the stock exchange after German-French agreement
The tank manufacturer KNDS is moving closer to a stock exchange listing after Germany and France agreed that the states will each own half of the company, several media outlets report.
Germany agreed this weekend with the owner family to take a stake in the company and stated on Monday that it wants 40 percent of the shares, writes Bloomberg. France, which currently owns 50 percent of the shares, wants to trim its holding to 40 percent at the same time.
The deal is expected to value KNDS at between 15 and 18 billion euros, equivalent to 165-198 billion kronor, a source told the news agency.
The stock exchange listing could be announced on Tuesday and is expected to be one of the largest in Europe in recent years.
Energy crisis in Europe Energy summit: The war could pave the way for increased electrification
The Iran war and the subsequent energy crisis could accelerate electrification globally. This is according to the head of the International Energy Agency, IEA, Fatih Birol, according to Reuters.
The head of the agency believes that the energy crisis has contributed to countries now trying to strengthen domestic energy supplies and protect themselves against price increases.
– My assessment is that this crisis will give electrification another boost, says Birol.
Swedish business Bioarctic signs billion-dollar deal with American giant
The Swedish research company Bioarctic has entered into an agreement on a collaboration with the American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, according to a press release.
One of Lilly's drug candidates will be given to patients via the Swedish company's so-called brain transporter technology. Bioarctic is said to receive an initial payment of $30 million, equivalent to 288 million kronor. After that, the company can receive additional milestone payments of up to $770 million, just under 7.4 billion kronor.
Bioarctic will also be entitled to royalties on global sales if the product reaches the market.
Bioarctic is known for having developed Leqembi, a groundbreaking inhibitory drug for Alzheimer's disease.
SAS's future Strike threat against SAS in Norway – 468 cabin crew members may be called out
468 cabin crew members at SAS in Norway may be called out on strike, reports E24.
On Monday and Tuesday, SAS and the unions Fellesforbundet and Parat will meet at the Ombudsman's Office. If mediation fails, the strike could break out as early as Wednesday.
– None of us want to ruin anyone's vacation, SAS employee Jaroslaw Kania tells the site.
Higher wages and better working conditions are some of the demands from cabin crew in this year's collective bargaining.
Increased emissions could hit Sweden's economy. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT / TT News Agency
The country could be hit hard economically if Sweden does not meet the EU's climate commitments by 2030. This is stated by the World Wildlife Fund WWF in a press release. The analysis was produced by IVL Swedish Environmental Institute on behalf of WWF. The fine could be up to 110 million SEK, plus 1.4 million SEK for each day that the targets are not met.
The EU Commission is based on the principle that it should be more expensive not to comply with legislation than to take measures to achieve it.
- The climate crisis is not only a disaster for nature, but also a ticking bomb in economic terms. It could lead to billions in costs and sanctions. Sweden can lead the way, but it requires political will and clear decisions. The next government must address this quickly, urges Gustaf Lind, Secretary General of the World Wildlife Fund WWF.
If Sweden does not meet the targets, the country risks:
Sanction fees of SEK 30–112 million in one-off amounts.
SEK 1.4 million per day in penalties until the targets are met.
An interest-on-interest effect that will make the emissions gap even larger in the coming years.
The fines can be significantly more expensive.If Sweden does not comply with legislation, a fine could end up in the tens of billions.
The fines could be significantly more expensive. If Sweden does not
comply with legislation, a fine could end up in the tens of billions.
Member of the European Parliament, Heléne Fritzon, is concerned about the consequences if the climate targets are missed:
– The government's lack of climate policy means that we now risk multi-million-euro fines from the EU Commission. Yet the Minister for Climate continues to be absolutely silent about new measures. The risks are not only about climate policy, but also about the Swedish economy. If the government fails, the bill could end up with taxpayers, with consequences for public finances and the state budget for a long time. This is therefore as much a question of economic responsibility as it is of climate policy, she says. Aftonbladet is looking for Sweden's Minister for Climate and Environment is Romina Pourmokhtari (L).
Former Spanish Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos. Archive Photo: Virginia Mayo/AP/TT
The Prime Minister's former right-hand man is sentenced to 24 years in prison for corruption.
Spain's Supreme Court on Monday sentenced former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and his former advisor Koldo Garcia to prison. They were sentenced to 24 and 19 years in prison respectively. Both are accused of corruption.
José Luis Ábalos is sentenced to additional charges of bribery, organized crime, and embezzlement.
The trial is one of several corruption cases involving people in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's circle. Sánchez himself is not a suspect in any of the cases and believes they are part of a campaign to oust him, AFP reports.
The heat wave in Europe is spreading. Over the weekend, France issued red warnings in large parts of the country, and the number of warning areas has since been expanded to 54 regions. Now the UK has also issued red warnings for extreme heat in six regions, reports Sky News.
The warnings are unusual, writes the TV channel. During the week, Britain could also break its heat record for June, which was set in 1976.
Several schools in the country have also announced that students will be allowed to go home earlier, while some schools have relaxed their rules regarding school uniforms.
French heat wave closes schools: “It will get worse”
There is an “exceptional heat wave” in France, several media outlets report. In almost half of the country's departments, red warnings are in effect and it is expected to get even hotter.
845 schools are closed due to the extreme heat. Another 1,800 schools have had to adjust their schedules.
– In the classroom it was 32 degrees for the children last week. It will soon get worse, a primary school teacher in the Arcachon Bay told the television channel BFMTV.
The nights are almost unbearable, writes BFMTV, noting that the night before Monday was the warmest in the country in seven years. The average temperature in the country was 21.4 degrees. The next two nights are expected to be even warmer.
President
Donald Trump's relationship with leading Senate Republicans is becoming
increasingly strained, The Hill reports. After several conflicts over
how to handle various issues, the White House and Senate Republicans
have begun to pull in different directions, while the party struggles to
maintain its majority in the midterm elections.
Several
Republican senators say their trust in Trump has decreased after the
president has repeatedly ignored the views of Thunes and other party
leaders.
The latest example came when Trump ordered his choice
for director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, to not participate
in a Senate hearing. The decision went against the strategy that
Republican senators had laid out and left them puzzled.
"We can't
surprise the president and he can't surprise us. Every time that
happens between now and November, our chances of retaining the majority
decrease," says Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
Democrats attract more voters ahead of the midterm elections
More
American voters have voted in the Democratic primary elections ahead of
the midterm elections than in the Republican primary elections,
according to an analysis by the Washington Post.
A total of 12.6
million people have voted in the Democratic primary elections, while 8.6
million have participated in the Republican primary elections.
The
number of Democratic voters has also increased in traditionally
Republican electoral districts, including Georgia's 10th congressional
district.
There is concern among Republicans that the party could
lose its majority in Congress this fall. Donald Trump has urged
Republican-controlled states to redraw electoral districts to benefit
the party during the year.
One of the most notable redistrictings
has taken place in Texas, but according to an analysis by the
Washington Post, it is unclear whether the strategy has had the desired
effect. Democrats have received more votes in most of the state's
primaries, while the number of Republican votes has only increased in
two districts.
Iran denies progress in nuclear talks: No agreement
Iran denies that it agreed on or even discussed its nuclear energy program during Sunday's talks with the United States in Switzerland. This was stated by Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, according to Reuters.
US Vice President JD Vance said earlier on Monday that progress had been made on the issue of Iran's nuclear energy program and that the country had agreed to re-allow the International Atomic Energy Agency's IAEA inspectors.
- Iran's cooperation with the IAEA will continue according to current procedures, provided that it is approved by the Iranian parliament and in accordance with a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, Esmaeil Baghaei said.
Trump's three obstacles on the way: Israel, Iran and Maga
The peace talks between the United States and Iran are entering a new phase, but several things could still put a damper on the White House, writes the Washington Post.
According to the agreement, the US, Iran and their allies are to immediately cease attacks on all fronts, including in Lebanon. But there is a risk that this part of the agreement will be quickly undermined, given that the attacks between Israel and Hezbollah appear to continue, the newspaper writes.
Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz is Trump's second obstacle. Since the war broke out, it has become obvious that Iran can stop traffic in the strait, with a global energy crisis as a result. Threats of new attacks are also unlikely to bite in the same way as before the war, according to Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller.
- We have greatly undermined our own deterrence against Iran.
The third obstacle is dissatisfaction at home, both with the Iran war and with the peace agreement. Criticism has come from both influential Maga profiles and leading Republican politicians who believe that Trump has made too many concessions in the agreement with Iran.
Vance: The Foundation for a Final Agreement Has Been Laid
The peace talks with Iran have laid “a good foundation for a successful final agreement” that will put an end to the war. This is what US Vice President JD Vance said after Sunday's talks in Switzerland, several news agencies report.
– The final agreement is the house. We have laid the foundation, says Vance.
He says that Tehran has agreed to let in inspectors from the UN nuclear agency IAEA, possibly as soon as this week. He also opens up the possibility that the US could consider releasing frozen Iranian assets to enable the purchase of American agricultural products such as soy, corn and wheat.
söndag 21 juni 2026
We have the worst situation for democracy since the 1930s
Aftonbladet's editorial page is independent social democratic.
Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT
One of the decisive battles for Swedish democracy took place just over 90 years ago within what is today the Moderates. In 1934, the right-wing leader Arvid Lindman broke with his own youth movement, the Swedish National Youth Union (SNU).
The young right had developed in an anti-democraticand Nazi direction.
That Arvid Lindman would break with the emerging fascism was not obvious. Universal suffrage had only existed for a little over a decade. Within the nobility, the royal family and the officer corps there were still strong anti-democratic forces.
The Moderates had been formed in 1904 with the aim of preventing the breakthrough of democracy and the rise of the labor movement.
Yet Arvid Lindman stood there and put hit foot down.
Today's right wing is no Arvid Lindman. Ulf Kristersson's most important promise in this autumn's election is that the Sweden Democrats will get half of the ministerial posts if he wins. The development is part of a much broader trend.
Democracy in the world is in – diplomatic terms – a mess. I meetJag Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary General of International IDEA. It is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, whose missionvars since 1995 has been to promote democracy in the world. In addition to Sweden, 33
states from all continents are members.
I meet Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary General of International IDEA. It is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, whose mission since 1995 has been to promote democracy in the world. In addition to Sweden, 33 states from all continents are members.
– It is the most challenging situation for democracy, I would say, since the 1930s. We have not seen such strong headwinds since then. I mean in our lifetime. So it is a very serious concern. And it is a global concern, he says.
You can listen to the entire conversation on Aftonbladet's website or where podcasts are available.
- I think it's about a convergence of very, very complex factors that together create a kind of perfect storm - a development that we are now witnessing all over the world, says Kevin Casas-Zamora.
There are many driving forces behind this "perfect storm" such as polarization, increased inequality and disinformation. According to International IDEA's annual democracy report, a majority of the world's countries are now going in the wrong direction.
The development is also noticeable in Sweden.
– I would say that the polarization in the Swedish social debate is very high and also increasing. And it is something that is happening in many places around the world. But if I'm being completely honest with you, I wouldn't have expected to see it the way I have seen it in Sweden. It has actually surprised me, says Kevin Casas-Zamora.
He describes Swedish debate with the English word "tribal", as tribal conflicts.
If I were to personally add one factor to the analysis, it is that the bourgeois parties seem to have completely stopped keeping a clean right. In this autumn's elections, for example, the Christian Democrats are fielding a number of abortion opponents. They speak of the right to abortion as a "culture of death".
Is anyone in the bourgeoisie reacting? No, silence reigns.
In the last election, the SD fielded a couple of hundred candidates with connections to Nazism and motorcycle gangs. As a thank you, the party is now being invited into the government. And the SD is constantly defended tooth and nail by right-wing opinion leaders despite an entire term of office filled with racist scandals.
We see a similar development in the US, where the Republicans have aligned themselves behind Donald Trump in the same way that the right here is aligning itself behind Jimmie Åkesson. And Trump's regime has become a kind of model country for right-wing populists everywhere.
– I would say that the state of democracy in the US is undoubtedly one of the most worrying factors for the situation of democracy globally, says Kevin
Casas-Zamora.
Those who try to downplay developments in Sweden and defend the SD, such as the editorial page of Expressen, have a rather heavy burden of proof. They themselves are driving the polarization and division of Swedes into “us and them”.
The liberal think tank Timbro and the SD-affiliated Oikos have presented a plan in the report “Tidö 2.0 – New Start for Sweden” that combines economic neoliberalism with conservative nationalism. As the next step.
It is a purely authoritarian policy for culture, public service, migration and crime. They are attacking the unions' ability to represent their members and want to try to force the unions to elect Sweden Democrats to leading positions. They want to scrap support for public education, introduce market rents, fight the Tenants' Association, lower a lot of taxes, sell off a lot of state-owned companies, introduce fees for higher education, scrap gender research, sell wine at ICA, conduct a "review" of the crime of incitement against an ethnic group, deport a lot of people for various reasons and investigate limitations in democracy such as removing foreigners' right to vote in local elections and reducing the independence of the authorities.
Among many other things. None of this strengthens democracy.
Tidö 2.0 – New Start for Sweden is a Swedish version of Donald Trumps Project 2025, which has become the engine of his second term as president. Anyone who want to know how things are going can benefit from following American domestic politics ahead of the mid- term elections this autumn.
The bourgeoisie that 90 years ago put its foot down against a similar development in Sweden no longer exists. It has been replaced by the image of Simona Mohamsson hugging Jimmie Åkesson.
The voters do not seem overly pleased. This week the Liberals only got one percent in the DN/Ipsos June poll.
So perhaps the bourgeoisie still has something to learn from the right-wingers of the 1930s. Thanks to Arvid Lindman, fascism did not get a real parliamentary platform and power in Sweden.
After the election, perhaps the Moderates, the Christian and Liberals will sit down and think about whether it was not a pretty good strategy.
