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Polaris of Enlightenment

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/freemason-becomes-swedish-state-medias-expert-on-conspiracy-theories/

Sweden

Freemason becomes Swedish state media’s expert on “conspiracy theories”

Published 25 February 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Anderas Önnerfors considers his Masonic involvement "fairly insignificant" to his professional role.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Swedish Education Radio’s new program series Who should I believe? claims to provide viewers with “insight, knowledge and tools” to “counter conspiracy theories and disinformation”.

However, one of the invited experts is himself a committed Freemason – something the taxpayer-funded media outlet fails to mention.

The program, which is also shown on Swedish state television SVT, is broadcast in six parts, with each episode focusing on a specific topic – such as “Tech Giants”, “Disinformation” or “Conspiracy Theories” – and is hosted by Kodjo Akolor.

“Using facts, research and personal encounters, host Kodjo Akolor guides us through a world of disinformation, conspiracy theories and hidden advertising messages”, according to a press release.

“Throughout the series, we meet experts and famous faces such as Emma Frans, Jenny Strömstedt, Ina Lundström, Karin Pettersson, Paulina Modlitba, Kent Werne, Abbie Richards, Andreas Önnefors, Jeanette Fors-Andrée and Amina Manzoor, who help us understand how our media habits affect our inner and outer lives – and how we can deal with it”, UR continues.

Andreas Önnerfors (whos last name was misspelled in the above quote) is a historian of ideas and learning who has devoted much of his academic life to combating and “disproving” what he considers to be “conspiracy theories”, often appearing as an expert hired by the media or authorities to give his opinion on how best to identify and counter them.

Remarkably, Önnerfors himself is a member of a shadowy power society that is the subject of various “conspiracy theories” and into which citizens and observers have no insight at all – namely the Freemasons.

“Freedom of association in Sweden”

Swedish daily newspaper Nya Dagbladet has previously highlighted Önnerfors’ membership in the Freemasons and how he was nevertheless hired by the Swedish Civil Defence Board (Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap) to produce a study on “conspiracy theories and covid-19”.

He himself has claimed that his membership of the order is “quite insignificant” because there is freedom of association in Sweden.

– Of course we have freedom of association in Sweden, and what people do in their spare time is fairly insignificant for their professional work, he told Nya Dagbladet in 2021.

– I myself think it can be difficult to know what is true and what is not. But after talking to our experts, it is easier to have a healthy skepticism about what you read. Especially what appears in the feed, says host Kodjo Akolor.

It is not clear, however, whether UR believes that people should also have a healthy skepticism and question their own productions and invited experts.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-homeowners-could-face-thousands-in-fees-for-municipal-climate-action/

Sweden

Swedish homeowners could face thousands in fees for municipal “climate action”

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published today 14:23
– By Editorial Staff
According to Romina Pourmokhtari, Minister for Climate and Environment, municipalities will not be able to charge land and property owners "any amount".
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A new report suggests that Swedish property owners may be required to finance municipalities’ “climate adaptation measures”, with costs potentially reaching tens of thousands of EUR.

The proposal, which has been submitted to Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L), gives municipalities the right to, for example, build flood defenses to protect “matters of public interest” – and then charge property owners who are considered to benefit from the measure.

The investigator Johan Hjalmarsson himself points out that the term “public interest” is deliberately broad and vaguely worded.

– It could be buildings such as municipal buildings and schools, but it doesn’t have to be. There will need to be a municipal connection, but it doesn’t have to be a municipal facility, he told state television.

However, for the fee to apply, there must be a “significant risk” of damage from a specific natural event, and this risk must be eliminated by the measure. A property owner’s total fee may not exceed 10 percent of the market value of the property.

“Cannot charge whatever fees they want”

Liberal Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari claims that the proposal is about dealing with the direct consequences of the alleged climate crisis:

– In the same way that we have great respect and a strong desire to defend property rights in Sweden, with property rights come not only freedoms but also obligations. This is an example of the real consequences of climate change. Not in the future, but today, and that must be taken into account, she asserts.

She further promises that municipalities “cannot charge whatever fees they want”.

– Whether the government will implement this or not is something we cannot say today, she continues, describing the proposals as “interesting”.

Not all coastlines can be protected

The report also proposes that the state take responsibility for protecting certain coastlines from flooding through physical barriers, and Hjalmarsson admits that this will require prioritizing and choosing what to protect and which communities to leave exposed to the elements.

– But this is not something that will change overnight; the costs can be spread out over many years.

He argues that the need is urgent and that he has “met many municipalities that see the need for a decision from the state now”.

Maximum temperatures in nursing homes

The report also highlights the need to introduce maximum temperatures in premises for particularly vulnerable groups, such as the elderly.

– Heat waves are already a major problem for the elderly in our society. So I think it’s very important that these issues are brought to light and that we discuss what we can do, says Pourmokhtari.

For municipalities, this could mean a requirement to install air conditioning in nursing homes.

– If requirements are the way forward, this is something the government will need to look at. But action will be needed, and too little is being done today, adds the minister.

The investigator’s report will now be prepared by the Government Offices and sent out for consultation in accordance with standard procedures.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/police-warn-of-growing-innocent-victims-in-swedens-gang-conflict/

Sweden

Police warn of growing innocent victims in Sweden’s gang conflict

Deteriorating safety

Published yesterday 13:32
– By Editorial Staff
In many cases, offenders are young, under the influence of drugs and do not know their victims - and there is a high risk of selecting the "wrong" target.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

It has often been claimed that the victims of criminal gang violence are almost always involved in organized crime themselves. But according to the Swedish police, that picture is now wrong.

Since the beginning of 2023 alone, at least 60 outsiders have been killed or injured in shootings and explosions linked to criminal networks

– This is an effect of the high level of conflict, which has been the case for a number of years. We believe it will continue to be high, August Knutsson, operational coordinator at the police’s national operations center, told Swedish Radio.

According to police figures, 22 outsiders have been killed and another 38 injured in gang-related attacks over the past two and a half years.

In some cases, the violence has been directed against relatives of known criminals – such as relatives or girlfriends – but there are also cases where the wrong person is killed by mistake, or someone is injured simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In 2023 in particular, the number of external victims increased sharply, and although the trend seems to have slowed down somewhat, police have already recorded at least six cases in 2025.

Young people and drug addicts

According to the police, a key explanation for the increase in the number of innocent victims is that the killings and blasts are largely carried out by very young people – often with no previous experience, and sometimes brought in from other cities.

The young perpetrators have no relationship with their victims and often act on vague instructions. In many cases, they have only seen a picture of the target or an address, which increases the risk of misidentification and attacks against the wrong people.

– This is an effect of the fact that many of the perpetrators of these crimes are not part of the conflict itself. Many are young perpetrators who take on different missions. Often under the influence of drugs, with little local knowledge and no individual knowledge, states August Knutsson.

– They’re given a task to carry out, and that results in a high risk of shooting or bombing the wrong target.

“In the past, you did not go to relatives”

One of the more high-profile cases occurred at the end of April this year, when a mother and her young daughter were seriously injured in an explosion at their home. According to prosecutor Daniel Insulander, the attack was aimed at the wrong person.

– They are innocent. In the past, you did not go after relatives or girlfriends. It was very rare that innocent people became victims of something like this.

– Storming into a place and shooting wildly, throwing explosives inside, or trying to burn down a house where innocent people are present – this has become much more common now than just five years ago, he says.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/independent-swedish-mp-launches-new-party-for-normal-people-who-value-common-sense/

Sweden

Independent Swedish MP launches new party “for normal people who value common sense”

Published yesterday 10:55
– By Editorial Staff
Elsa Widding hopes that in the future she will be able to focus more on the issues where she has the greatest expertise.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Outspoken Member of Parliament Elsa Widding has been a political independent in the Swedish Parliament since she left the Sweden Democrats in May 2023. Now she reveals that she plans to start a new party – with a launch date set for just one month from now.

– It has been a long discussion and a very long process, I can say that much. I have been open about the fact that I have been looking at various possibilities, and now I have decided to do this, she said in an interview with Swebb TV.

According to Widding, the party will be based on fifteen different areas that she describes as “very important”, but she does not want to reveal any further details about these before the launch on June 12.

– I’ve built it somewhat from the ground up, trying to find people responsible for each area who are experts. I believe this – having proper expertise – is something that has been lacking in the Riksdag.

– I’ve tried to build it almost like a small corporate group around each issue, so that there is strong competence. And of course, you can work in several such groups, but it’s about really driving these issues and being able to challenge.

“Everything is swept under the rug”

Widding believes that there is currently no real political opposition in the Riksdag. According to her, many decisions are passed without debate or opportunity for influence.

– On the big, important issues, things slip through far too easily. No one questions anything, she argues, citing the new pandemic law as an example of a lack of transparency.

– How did it come to this? We don’t get any information from the media. Everything is just swept under the rug. And new legislation keeps coming. We’re getting entangled in this, moving away from democracy and increasingly toward this globalized world order. Decisions are being made and we’re basically left behind.

– More eyes are needed on this and someone who can be active – and that’s easier if you’re more than just one person. It’s pretty tough for me, she adds.

Widding hopes that in the new party she will be able to focus more on climate and energy issues, which are her original area of expertise and what she most wants to work with.

“As down-to-earth as possible”

She emphasizes the importance of expertise, but also that politics must be grounded in reality and based on experience from the areas it affects.

– If I’m going to talk about agricultural policy, then I really want to have people who run a large farm and have lots of cows, who know what it entails. And the same goes for the economy – I also want very knowledgeable people there. But then I also try to make it as down-to-earth as possible, so that people really understand what it’s about.

The name of the party has not yet been made public. According to Widding, however, it will only run in the parliamentary election – not in municipal or regional elections – and she describes it as “a party for normal people who value common sense”.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-municipalities-demand-millions-from-garbage-queen-in-waste-dumping-scandal/

Sweden

Swedish municipalities demand millions from “garbage queen” in waste dumping scandal

Published yesterday 7:26
– By Editorial Staff
A mountain of rubbish in Botkyrka, south of Stockholm, shows the extent of the environmental scandal involving the company Think Pink.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Several Swedish municipalities are demanding over SEK 260 million (€23.5 million) from “the garbage queen” Fariba Vancor and scandal-ridden company Think Pink for illegal dumping of waste. The trial, which is also Sweden’s largest environmental crime case, concluded last week and the verdict is expected in mid-June.

Between 2015 and 2020, Think Pink dumped approximately 200,000 tons of construction and demolition waste at 21 sites in 15 municipalities, including Botkyrka, Västerås, Norrtälje, and Eskilstuna, instead of recycling it.

The municipalities have been forced to clean up and remove the waste at great expense. The affected municipalities are now demanding millions in damages, reports Dagens Industri.

Environmental crime on a record scale

Prosecutors and environmental authorities claim that Think Pink, led by Fariba Vancor and co-founder Thomas Nilsson, systematically accepted and dumped approximately 200,000–220,000 tons of construction and demolition waste on industrial sites, gravel pits, and other locations.

Botkyrka, Västerås, Eskilstuna, Flen, Gullspång, Haninge, Huddinge, Håbo, Laxå, Norberg, Norrtälje, Skövde, Strängnäs, Uppsala, and Östhammar are among the affected municipalities.

The waste has often been dumped near water protection areas, storm drains, and residential areas, causing significant environmental and health risks.

The municipalities have been forced to clean up, transport, and treat the waste at enormous cost. Botkyrka municipality alone is now demanding up to SEK 125 million (€11.5 million) in compensation.

Västerås municipality has submitted a claim for SEK 66.6 million (€60 million), and several other municipalities – including Eskilstuna, Flen, and Norrtälje – have their own claims amounting to millions. In total, the claims for damages amount to approximately SEK 260–262 million (€23.5 million).

– We have not yet made any decision on how to deal with the remaining waste, but are awaiting the outcome of the court case, says Marianne Lidman Hägnesten, director of environmental and health protection in Västerås.

Trial concluded

The trial against Fariba Vancor, Thomas Nilsson, and nine other individuals concluded on May 8 after more than 80 days of proceedings.

Prosecutors are seeking six years in prison for Vancor, Nilsson, and several other former executives, as well as financial liability for the environmental crimes. The verdict is expected to be announced on June 17, according to tax-funded SVT.

Think Pink and its parent company were declared bankrupt in 2020, and since the company has no assets, the claims for damages are now also being directed against the individuals charged, which makes the process legally complicated.

Large amounts of waste remain at several of the affected sites, posing a continuing environmental risk. Municipalities and county councils warn that chemicals and hazardous substances risk leaking into the ground and water if the clean-up is not completed.

Fariba Vancor has denied any wrongdoing in questioning and claims that she followed the law. However, the prosecution argues that the Think Pink scandal is Sweden’s largest and most extensive environmental crime case ever.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Facts: The Think Pink trial

  • Sweden's largest environmental crime investigation in 50 years revolves around the company Think Pink, led by Fariba Vancor (formerly Bella Nilsson). Eleven people are accused of environmental crimes, five of which are aggravated environmental crimes.
  • The prosecution concerns the handling of approximately 200,000 tons of construction and demolition waste that between 2015 and 2020 was dumped in at least 21 locations in central Sweden. The waste should have been recycled, but was instead piled up or buried.
  • The trial started in September 2024 and is scheduled to end on May 8. The verdict is expected in June 2025.
  • In addition to the environmental crimes, several people involved are also charged with serious financial crimes, which will be tried after the environmental case.

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Source: Public Prosecution Service

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