TOP NEWS

US-China Relations
Sources: US delays China tariffs

The US is expected to postpone the introduction of new tariffs on China, at least until after the presidential meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping scheduled for next week. This is reported by Bloomberg, citing sources.

The tariffs being postponed are those intended to address China's overcapacity, which would have been set at a rate of 7.5 percent. The reason for the postponement is unclear. 

Sanctions on Russia
Putin orders takeover of Nestlé assets

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered that stakes in local companies owned by the Swiss food giant Nestlé be placed under temporary state management. Several foreign media outlets are reporting this news.

A similar directive has also been issued regarding local companies owned by the French retail chain Auchan. 

Security in Europe
Analysis: Russian hostility has not yet peaked

Russia wants Europeans to feel that war is drawing closer, without actually starting a war. This is the assessment of CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh, following an incident earlier this week in which a Russian frigate fired flares at a Danish military helicopter.

According to the author, Vladimir Putin has two goals: he wants to demonstrate that support for Ukraine comes at a price, and he wants to test NATO’s Article 5.

"NATO’s major problem is that this is likely not the peak of Russia’s hostility, but merely the opening salvos," writes Paton Walsh. DN’s Karin Eriksson writes that the incident demonstrates the Baltic Sea’s great strategic importance to Moscow, given that oil shipments are central to the Russian economy.

Eriksson believes that not only Denmark—but Sweden as well—needs to take these developments very seriously.

“Hybrid warfare could come very close to home.”

Russia has previously employed similar tactics against local subsidiaries owned by companies such as Carlsberg and Danone.

Swedish security situation
Iran responds: Expels Swedish diplomat from Tehran

Iran is expelling a Swedish diplomat in response to Sweden’s announcement on Wednesday that it would expel an Iranian official. This was stated by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, according to Reuters.

In addition to the expulsion, Iran is summoning the Swedish ambassador in Tehran to register an objection to Sweden’s policies.

“Particularly the hostile rhetoric against Iran and the harboring of anti-Iranian terrorists and terrorist groups,” the statement reads.

The Swedish government announced on Wednesday that it had summoned Iran’s ambassador and that the official was being expelled in order to “protect our citizens and other Swedish interests.”