tisdag 22 september 2026

Sri Lanka convicts 14 men over Easter massacre

 
Sri Lankan Catholic nuns holding portraits of the victims of the 2019 Easter attacks. Image from the 2025 anniversary. Photo: Eranga Jayawardena/AP/TT

Around 270 people were killed in the worst terrorist attack to strike Sri Lanka. Now, 14 men have been convicted of involvement in the so-called Easter attacks of 2019.

Fourteen of the 24 men on trial were convicted by Sri Lanka's High Court on Tuesday.

They were convicted—despite pleading not guilty—of charges including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, and weapons offenses. Sentencing will take place at a later date.

The 2019 Easter bombings killed 279 people (including the perpetrators) and injured another 500 in attacks targeting locations such as luxury hotels and churches. The coordinated suicide attacks were the deadliest to hit Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war in 2009.

Among the men now convicted are relatives and associates of the nine suicide bombers. A domestic Islamist extremist group has been identified as ultimately responsible.

Water Shortage and State of Emergency in Moldova

 
The Dniester River—pictured here near the city of Soroca on the border with Ukraine—is at a low water level. File photo. Photo: Aurel Obreja/AP/TT

Moldova has declared a 60-day state of emergency following an unusually severe drought.

The state of emergency applies to the energy and water sectors and was approved by parliament to enable authorities to more easily implement measures to cope with water shortages and soaring energy costs.

The country's Ministry of the Environment describes the situation as a "serious hydrological deficit," noting that water levels in the Prut and Dniester rivers—vital to the country—have dropped so low that Moldova's water supply is threatened. The ministry has already warned of impending water restrictions.

In addition, the prices of natural gas and electricity—commodities Moldova largely imports—have risen sharply.

"It is not as if we will run out of gas, diesel, electricity, or water tomorrow. The problem is that we are entering the cold season with several overlapping risk factors," says Prime Minister Vasile Tofan.

Trump after meeting Burnham: Good relationship

 
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham during the meeting with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Photo: Toby Melville/AP/TT

US relations with the UK are better under the new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. That is what Donald Trump said following the two leaders' meeting at the UN General Assembly.

"They [relations] are more positive now than they were with your previous prime minister [Keir Starmer], let's put it that way," Trump replied to questions from reporters.

"Right now, based on my relationship with your Prime Minister Andy, I think things are going really well."

Starmer stepped down in July, handing over to fellow Labour Party member Andy Burnham.

However, Trump criticized a plan to transfer the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean—which host a joint British-US military base—to Mauritius.

"It's terrible," Trump said.

The agreement with Mauritius was put on hold in April. But since Burnham took office, the possibility of the plan being revived has opened up.

Zelenskyy after meeting Trump: Asked for Patriot systems

 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with US President Donald Trump ahead of their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/TT

Air defense and halting energy-related attacks were among the topics discussed when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Donald Trump on Tuesday.

At a press conference following the meeting, Zelenskyy said he had asked Trump for support—specifically US Patriot missiles—to bolster Ukraine's air defenses ahead of the winter.

He also expressed hope that the US could succeed in bringing Russia to the negotiating table. Prior to the meeting, Trump stated that he believed a ceasefire agreement could be reached.

He also described Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries as "a major blow to the Russians."

"It is also a major blow to the price of diesel," Trump claimed.

After the meeting, Zelenskyy reiterated his willingness to halt attacks on energy infrastructure if Russia ceases its own strikes of this kind.
 

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Latest news

The political situation in Germany
Kremlin flirts with AfD following election gains

Russia welcomes a future dialogue with the German far-right party AfD. This was stated by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, according to Reuters.

The party's growing popularity and friendly stance toward Russia appeal to the Kremlin, Peskov admits. This contrasts with the more "confrontational approach" of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, he says.

According to reports received by Reuters, a meeting is being prepared for next year between Vladimir Putin’s economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev and AfD party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. The aim is reportedly to discuss the possibility of resuming Russian gas supplies to Germany.

The AfD has previously questioned both the halted gas supplies and the sanctions imposed on Russia.
 

Tariff crisis  Trump’s tariff policy
Trump backs down on fertilizer deal with Belarus

Donald Trump is backing away from his statement that he is working on a major purchase of potash fertilizer from Belarus. Reuters reports the news.

"We are continuing with Canada, but Belarus wants to sell it at a much lower price," Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

On Monday, Trump wrote on social media that he was considering switching his potash supplier from Canada—against which he is waging a trade war—to Belarus. The statement drew criticism from figures including Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who said that US money spent on the fertilizer would end up fueling the Russian war machine. 

The problems of mass tourism
Venice aims to deter tourists with higher fees

Venice plans to raise the daily entry fee for tourists to 30 euros (approximately 340 kronor), Reuters reports.

"Almost anyone can afford the current fee of five to ten euros. The risk is that it no longer has the intended deterrent effect," local politician Michele Zuin told *Il Gazzettino*.

The city's entry fee was introduced in 2024—a world first. It applies only during peak season, and those who book well in advance pay a slightly lower price.

Trump’s USA

Trump’s business dealings
Experts: Trump charging a million for early access to his decisions is illegal

US President Donald Trump often releases major decisions first on his social media platform, Truth Social. For some time now, Wall Street investors have been able to purchase early access to these posts from the company Trump Media for $100,000—nearly one million kronor—per month.

This practice is likely illegal, according to a filing submitted by several former federal prosecutors to the New York court where two civil society organizations sued Trump Media in August, CBS reports.

"The arrangement violates the strong anti-corruption interests enshrined in the Constitution, ethical codes, and federal law," they write in the filing. According to them, both government officials and those paying for the service could face prosecution.

Neither the White House nor the Department of Justice has commented.

The President’s team
Top Republican calls for investigation into the Trump family

A Republican senator is calling for an investigation into the wedding celebration of the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., after it emerged that a Russian oligarch paid for parts of the event. AFP reports the story.

Utah Senator John Curtis has asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to determine whether members of the president’s family have used political connections for private gain.

"A toaster is a wedding gift. A party on a private island paid for by an oligarch with ties to Putin is something else entirely," Curtis writes on X. 

The war on the media
Analysis: Has the most TV-obsessed president in history been "cancelled"? By Peter Johansson

Donald Trump reportedly decided to bar CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House after his aide Natalie Harp showed him clips—aired on one of the channels—in which he was criticized. "That’s when his frustration reached a fever pitch," the Wall Street Journal writes in an analysis.

Trump has long felt that far too few of his supporters get a chance to speak in the media. The president’s approval ratings are falling, and opinion polls suggest the Republicans could face a series of setbacks in the midterm elections.

The fact that several TV channels have chosen to suspend their White House coverage in solidarity creates new problems.

If the most TV-obsessed president in history finds that all the cameras are missing—is he really still president? wonders Peter Baker of the New York Times in a somewhat philosophical musing. Ramin Setoodeh, author of a book about Trump’s time in reality TV, assesses that this attention is crucial to the president’s self-image.

"For him, this is tantamount to being 'cancelled.' [...] It is a genuine crisis for him."
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Severed cable disrupts air traffic in the US

 
Thousands are affected by the delays, including at LaGuardia Airport in New York. File photo. Photo: Yuki Iwamura/AP/TT

A severed cable in New Jersey has caused major disruptions to air traffic in the northeastern United States.

There are significant delays at the New York area's three major airports—JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark—as well as at airports in Philadelphia and Boston; the issue is expected to persist for several hours.

The problems are most severe for Philadelphia and Newark, and aircraft bound for those locations are being diverted to airports capable of accommodating them, NBC News reports.

The delays are also causing knock-on effects for other parts of the US air traffic network.

A cable accidentally damaged during construction work has knocked out parts of the air traffic control system, halting some air traffic.

"It is very extensive," says Bryan Bedford, an official at the US aviation authority (FAA), regarding the work to repair the cable.


 

Frederiksen: A good agreement regarding Greenland

 
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is in New York, where she is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday. File photo. Photo: Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix/TT

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is pleased with the agreement that Denmark and Greenland have reached with the USA.

"It is a good agreement from a Greenlandic perspective, an American perspective, and a Danish one," she tells DR.

She does not wish to reveal the exact details until everything is signed and finalized, but she tells the media outlet that the agreement is also beneficial for NATO and Europe.

Donald Trump has stated that the agreement gives the USA "permanent control over security" on the island, but Frederiksen emphasizes that the matter concerns defense and security policy, and that Greenland is not relinquishing its sovereignty.

On Tuesday, she and Greenland’s Head of Government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, are set to meet Trump to sign the agreement. She expresses confidence that it will come to fruition.

"Yes, I believe there will be three signatures on the document tomorrow."

 

Glenn Diesen


 

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom

 

AMB. Chas Freeman : US Gulf Alliances Collapse 

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Russian invasion

Negotiations
Zelenskyy: US and Ukraine want to see the war end before winter

Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are working on a "solution" to end Russia's war in Ukraine, Trump says, according to Reuters.

Zelenskyy and Trump are holding a bilateral meeting in conjunction with the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York.

After the meeting, Zelenskyy says that Trump did not ask him to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy has also requested a winter aid package that includes Patriot missiles.

Zelenskyy reiterates his willingness to meet Vladimir Putin for a trilateral meeting with Trump, adding that he hopes the US will find a way to bring Moscow to the negotiating table.

"Both the US and Ukraine want to see an end to this senseless Russian war before winter," he writes on X following the meeting.

Security in the Baltic region
Stubb urges calm: Russia wins when we overreact

Amid a flurry of warnings regarding Russian escalation, Finnish President Alexander Stubb is urging calm. Europe must prepare for Russian hybrid and sabotage attacks but must not "overreact," he tells Politico.

"We have to understand that Russia is trying to destabilize and intimidate Europe. Every time we overreact to a hybrid attack, they have effectively won that battle."

Recent warnings have come from European heads of government and intelligence agencies. Among others, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Russia could target NATO countries supporting Ukraine with drone attacks in the coming months. "Our intelligence services see activity, but there is no imminent military threat right now," says Stubb.

 

UN General Assembly

Analyses: Trump tries to make voters forget Iran – and Iran forget the election

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Trump is postponing his "very important decision"—whether to strike a deal with Iran or "destroy" it. By stating that an agreement will likely be finalized after the midterm elections, Trump is attempting to buy time with both voters and Iran, according to analyses by CNN, Sky News, and DN.

Sky News correspondent Mark Stone points out that there is a simple explanation for why Trump wants everyone to believe a deal will be reached the day after the election.

"Well, they aren't actually striking a deal right now. So he has to reframe the whole thing a bit, doesn't he?"

DN’s Ingmar Nevéus writes that Trump is delivering a sort of defense speech for his own voters, attempting to remove the prospect of war as a campaign issue at home.

"Boasting and deadly threats voiced alongside invitations to strike advantageous deals. And there is little indication that this tactic works simply because it is repeated on the UN stage," he writes.

Writing for CNN, Stephen Collinson notes that it is not just about the voters; Trump also wants to demonstrate to Iran that he is immune to pressure because he is not on the ballot himself and will therefore remain in office after the election, regardless of the outcome. 

Cuban delegation walks out – Trump called the country a "failed state"

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump addresses the topic of Cuba. He calls the island nation a "failed state."

"The Cuban regime has never been under this much pressure," he says.

The Cuban delegation expresses its displeasure by standing up and walking out in the middle of the speech. For several months, the US has maintained an oil blockade against Cuba, exacerbating the island's energy crisis.

Friendly meeting between rivals: "Excellent"

With over 130 world leaders present in New York, it was nonetheless leftist politician and mayor Zohran Mamdani who secured the first opportunity to meet US President Donald Trump. The meeting covered issues such as migration, policing, and the potential for building new affordable housing in Queens.

Although Trump and Mamdani hold vastly different views on most issues, they conducted themselves respectfully and amicably toward one another when meeting the press after the meeting, reports the *New York Times*.

Trump reiterated a previous statement that Mamdani would make an "excellent mayor," while Mamdani said he was ready to work with anyone—including Trump—to improve life for New Yorkers. 

The Greenland Crisis Greenland vs. USA

After the dispute – agreement on Greenland signed

The security agreement between the USA, Denmark, and Greenland is being signed in New York. The agreement grants the USA "permanent control over security and other matters in the area," says US President Donald Trump.

"We will immediately begin work on establishing a comprehensive military presence at the relevant locations. We are going to build two very large military bases," says Trump.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says the agreement is good for the USA, Greenland, Denmark, NATO, and Europe.

"An agreement that can last forever," says Mette Frederiksen.

"This agreement can put an end to all doubts—today and in the future—regarding where Greenland’s loyalty lies," says Greenland’s Head of Government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. 

Sources: USA to open two new military bases in Greenland

The USA is planning two new military bases in Greenland, three sources tell Reuters. According to the sources, the plans are part of the agreement on security on the island that is to be signed by the USA, Denmark, and Greenland on Tuesday.

One of the sites is reportedly the current military outpost of Mestersvig on the east coast, used by Danish dog-handler patrols. The second involves reopening the closed base Bluie West One near Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, which was shut down in the 1950s.

None of the countries have officially commented on the reports.

Middle East Crisis Peace Talks

Trump: US and Iran held three-hour meeting

US and Iranian representatives held a three-hour meeting earlier on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump told reporters this following his speech at the UN General Assembly, Bloomberg reports.

Trump describes the meeting as "very productive" and says a new meeting is planned for the "very near future."

This unusual direct meeting between the parties could pave the way for new talks on ending the war—which has been going on for nearly seven months—the news agency writes.

Oil prices fluctuated sharply during the day but turned downward again following Trump’s statement.

Trump in UN speech: Should I destroy Iran?

US President Donald Trump is addressing the UN General Assembly in New York.

He is speaking, among other things, about the war with Iran and reiterating the demand that Iran never acquire nuclear weapons.

Trump also dismisses reports that US military supplies are running low. He says he has "a big decision to make"—regarding whether or not to strike a deal with Iran.

"Or should I destroy Iran, and do it quickly?"

At the same time, he reiterates his belief that an agreement will be ready after the US midterm elections.

When addressing the situation in Venezuela, Trump threatens to use US "unparalleled military power" to secure national interests in Latin America "if it becomes necessary." "Our actions in Venezuela show that the US will no longer allow threats against the US to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere," says Trump.

Sources: Iran could open the strait within seven days if the US backs down

Iran is open to reopening the vital shipping lane at the Strait of Hormuz if the US reduces military pressure on the country, high-ranking Iranian sources tell Kyodo and Reuters.

Iran demands that the US officially announce its desire for a diplomatic solution to the conflict and agree with Tehran on a timeline for achieving it. The Iranian delegation at the UN General Assembly in New York reportedly has the mandate to resume negotiations.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells NBC News that he is open to meetings with Iran during the UN summit.

 

 

 

The Duran

Danny Haiphong

 

Finland to release Swedes suspected of espionage

 
The European Arctic Summit was held in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland, in mid-September. It is unclear whether there is any connection to the Swedes suspected of the crime. Photo: Jouni Porsanger/AP/TT

The two Swedish men held in custody in Finland on suspicion of espionage are to be released, reports P4 Västernorrland. However, the suspicions against them remain.

The two men were arrested in Finnish Lapland and remanded in custody last week. According to the police, the investigation has not yielded sufficient grounds to justify continued detention, the radio station reports.

The investigation is ongoing, and suspicions remain against the men, who are in their 40s and registered at an address in Västernorrland.

The alleged espionage offense took place around the turn of the month between August and September, police state.

The men are suspected of taking photographs in areas near facilities critical to Finland's security of supply, according to Svenska Yle.

Fears of an influx of war weapons from Ukraine

 
A Ukrainian soldier checks his weapon in a shelter near the front line in the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia. File photo from 2024. Photo: Andriy Andriyenko/AP/TT

Combatants from the war in Ukraine are arriving in the EU with weapons, according to a classified document.

EU countries report that individuals who have served at the front in the war between Ukraine and Russia are arriving with weapon parts and materiel, according to the document seen by the news site Euronews.

"Although these individuals are not necessarily linked to organized smuggling operations, these discoveries indicate a potential risk that weapon parts or other equipment from the battlefield are being transported from Ukraine into the EU," the document reportedly states.

The document serves as a basis for ongoing negotiations among EU ambassadors. Discussions are also underway regarding a broader entry ban for Russians who have participated in the war.

After media clash: White House launches Trump TV

 
US President Donald Trump in New York on Monday. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/TT

The White House is launching Trump TV, a YouTube channel that will broadcast speeches and "the best moments" featuring President Donald Trump around the clock, reports BFMTV.

"All the greatest hits, wins, and much more. Stream 24/7," the White House writes on X.

The launch follows the White House ban on three major US media outlets, a move ordered by the president last Friday.

CNN, MSNBC, and Politico were barred from the White House after the president claimed they pose "a threat to our national security and must be stopped."

The media outlets responded by filing a lawsuit against Trump, and other media organizations—including Fox News—have rallied behind the banned outlets by ceasing to cover the president via the shared press pool, effective immediately. 


Stronger supermajority for Putin’s party

 
Vladimir Putin has secured an even clearer mandate to push through his agenda following the State Duma election. Here, he is shown holding a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow last Thursday. Photo: Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik/Kremlin/pool photo via AP/TT

Vladimir Putin is set to govern with even fewer constraints, as his ruling party has been credited with an even larger supermajority in the election for Russia’s State Duma.

According to preliminary official results, United Russia received nearly 58 percent of the vote.

In reality, the party likely secured around 34 percent, according to a calculation by the independent outlet *Novaya Gazeta*. This figure aligns more closely with the few—and difficult-to-interpret—opinion polls that are conducted.

United Russia appears poised to take 355 of the State Duma’s 450 seats, largely because half of the seats are decided in single-mandate constituencies. This represents a gain of 31 seats and gives the party nearly 80 percent of the seats in the Duma—a clear supermajority.

The electoral system was designed by and for the president’s party. All genuine opposition has been eliminated through legal means or violence.