Friday, July 11, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Economist: Tariff turmoil temporary – Swedish economy remains resilient

Donald Trump's USA

Published 7 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Claes Hemberg does not believe that Swedes need to feel any long-term economic anxiety about the current customs chaos.
5 minute read

The announcement of Trump’s trade tariffs and the world’s response in the form of counter-tariffs have led to blood-red figures on the stock market and alarms that the world economy may be heading for a historic crash.

The fall continued on Monday, but independent economist Claes Hemberg believes that the panic is greatly exaggerated, that the crisis is temporary and that the Swedish economy as a whole is likely to do relatively well.

Hemberg compares the situation to covid and the lockdown policy five years ago and believes that we are now facing something similar where it is now tariffs instead of lockdowns that create economic uncertainty.

The economist explains that the stock market’s reaction is not due to the poor performance of individual companies, but to uncertainty about future economic developments, interest rates, household finances, international trade and politics.

– For the economy, there is probably no consequence at all, but the stock market is allowed to make a mess of things like this. It’s not strange, it happens. However, economists, politicians and business leaders must agree on how we should work going forward.

– We cannot surprise each other with different punitive tariffs or taxes, but we have to find a way to work together so that we can build relationships for the long term, because that’s how economics works. It is based on trust, not on surprises, shock therapies, false promises or false threats for that matter, he continued on state television SVT.

“A small delay”

As for the Swedish economy, Hemberg believes that the expected economic recovery is likely to be delayed due to the prevailing uncertainty, but that the effect is expected to be short-lived.

– We will probably only have a small delay. Households are waiting to start consuming, buying a new sofa or new clothes for that matter. There have been higher wages just last week, and we see that interest rates will be low going forward here.

– The tariffs are here and causing some disruption, but it’s probably a temporary issue that we’re discussing and will sort out in the near future. It shouldn’t truly affect our economy – just delay the recovery by a few weeks or maybe a month, he speculates.

“Trump is talking nonsense”

He emphasizes that the market unrest should be seen more as a reaction to the surprise element of the tariffs rather than genuine concern over the economy itself. Hemberg also believes that anyone with a 10- or 20-year investment horizon should sit tight and not panic-sell their funds or stocks, despite the steep downturn. This is because today’s developments won’t affect long-term goals.

– Sometimes there’s thunder and storms in our economy, and today is one of those days. That’s when you stay indoors, watch a movie, or maybe bake some cinnamon buns. Don’t go out now, stay home, I’d say.

Trump has also called on the US Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, something that Hemberg is very critical of.

– He’s quite consistent in claiming and pointing out things that are not a president’s business. The US has an independent central bank, just like Sweden. It’s a public authority responsible for monitoring inflation and the labor market to maintain a rate that supports society, not one influenced by White House politics

“Can’t act like this”

China has responded to Trump’s announcement by imposing its own counter-tariffs, and Hemberg believes that many are inspired by the Chinese and that the EU or Japan may make similar decisions.

– Maybe China is signaling here that they don’t support the kind of politics Trump is promoting and are responding in kind.

– That might have come as a bit of a surprise. But at some point, we also need clear signals back to the White House that you can’t act like this. If we want a society that encourages discussion, mutual trust, and the kind of global trade we so badly need, this won’t do.

“The stock market is a weather vane”

The economist believes that the stock market turmoil will continue for a couple more weeks at most and that the reason is that we simply have not been in this situation before.

– It’s not a big deal if the market jumps around a bit. It does that sometimes, and we just have to accept it. These uncertain days are often very short, intense, and uncomfortable, and they might make our stomachs churn a little.

Hemberg argues that the Swedish krona is unusually strong today and that Swedes will be able to travel more than before, that energy prices are coming down and that there are several other good economic signs.

– Just because there is a person in the White House in the United States who does not understand economics, I do not think we should be worried – even if the stock market is currently turbulent.

– Economics is something that spans over time – many generations, frankly. It’s not something we solve today or this afternoon. The stock market is just a kind of weather vane showing us where things are heading right now – and that fluctuates, and should fluctuate.

“More medicine and bandages needed”

He speculates that Trump may propose new negotiations in response to the counter-tariffs, and that there are likely to be new talks and discussions where all parties agree to back down.

– Just look at what happened five years ago when he was president. It was the same kind of tariff talk then.

– Now the tariffs are broader, tougher, and more intense, so we need more medicine, more bandages, and more talks. It’ll likely take a week or so to sort this out, but we can’t have a policy that’s so surprising or marked by such poor cooperation.

“No big surprises”

With regard to the development of inflation, Claes Hemberg believes that it simply moves in cycles and that it tends to rise at the beginning of the year, but then falls slightly in the spring.

– There are no big surprises. Energy prices are falling, gasoline prices are falling, and yes, things are looking good for our economy. The economy is hopefully gaining momentum here.

– Swedish households are quite cautious after these years of high inflation, and I understand that – that it takes time to win back their confidence again, and the Riksbank is struggling with this. That’s their main goal – to get households to come back to the shops and consume and live a normal life again, he concludes.

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US issues sanctions against UN investigator who criticized Israel

The situation in Gaza

Published yesterday 13:41
– By Editorial Staff
Francesca Albanese is the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories since 2022.
4 minute read

The Trump administration has decided to sanction Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, as part of the American campaign to silence critics of Israel’s actions in the ongoing war. This is reported by The Guardian.

In a text message to Al Jazeera, Albanese accuses the US of “mafia style intimidation techniques”.

The US State Department announced on Wednesday that the country is issuing sanctions against the independent official who is tasked with investigating human rights violations in the Palestinian territories. The decision comes after American pressure on the UN to remove Albanese from her position previously failed.

Francesca Albanese, who is a human rights lawyer, has been open with her criticism of what she describes as the “genocide” that Israel is carrying out against Palestinians in Gaza. Both Israel and the US, which provides Israel with military support, have firmly denied these allegations.

International legal scrutiny

Israel faces allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and war crimes at the International Criminal Court following the country’s devastating military assault on Gaza. Albanese’s position has also received support from leading genocide scholars and human rights organizations.

In a post on X late Wednesday evening, Albanese wrote that she stands “firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I have always done,” without directly mentioning the American sanctions. In a text message to Al Jazeera, she was quoted dismissing the US actions as “mafia style intimidation techniques“.

In recent weeks, Albanese has sent out a series of letters urging other countries to pressure Israel, including through sanctions, to end its deadly bombing of the Gaza Strip. The Italian citizen has also been a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court’s prosecution of Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for war crimes.

Harsh American criticism

Most recently, she issued a report that named several American corporations among the companies helping with what she described as Israel’s occupation and war against Gaza.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the sanctions on social media:

– Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated. We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense.

Albanese has been targeted for criticism by pro-Israeli officials and groups in the US and Middle East. Last week, the US UN mission issued a sharp statement demanding her removal for “years-long pattern of virulent antisemitism and unrelenting anti-Israel bias”.

The statement claimed that Albanese’s allegations that Israel is committing genocide or apartheid are “false and offensive”.

Part of broader campaign

The sanctions represent the culmination of an extensive campaign over nearly six months by the Trump administration to silence criticism of Israel’s handling of the deadly war in Gaza, which is approaching two years. Earlier this year, the Trump administration began arresting and deporting faculty members and students at American universities who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and other political activities.

Human rights experts have sharply criticized the US sanctions against Albanese. Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the think tank Center for International Policy, described them as “rogue state behavior”, while Amnesty International said that UN Special Rapporteurs must be supported and not sanctioned.

Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International and former UN Special Rapporteur, stated:

– Governments around the world and all actors who believe in the rule-based order and international law must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of the sanctions against Francesca Albanese and more generally to protect the work and independence of special rapporteurs.

Background to the conflict

Israel’s retaliation campaign after the events of October 7, 2023, has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up most of the dead but does not specify how many were combatants or civilians. The figure is generally considered to be a significant underestimate.

Nearly 21 months into the conflict that has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, it is almost impossible for the critically injured to receive the care they need, say doctors and aid workers.

Albanese said in a recent post on X:

We must stop this genocide, whose short-term goal is completing the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, while also profiteering from the killing machine devised to perform it.

No one is safe until everyone is safe.

Francesca Albanese is an Italian jurist and human rights expert who has served as the UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories since 2022. She has a background in international law and has worked on issues concerning human rights, humanitarian law and conflict resolution. Albanese is known for her critical reports and analyses of the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, where she highlights the consequences of the Israeli occupation for the civilian population. Her work aims to promote justice, accountability and respect for international law in the region.

Trump administration accused of covering up Epstein investigation

The Epstein case

Published 9 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
3 minute read

The Trump administration is deliberately working to cover up the investigation surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. This is the claim made by American political commentator Nick Fuentes in a statement on X.

He argues that the administration, despite previous promises of transparency, is now lying about Epstein’s death and burying the story of his alleged blackmail ring. He also points to connections between Epstein and Israeli interests.

Jewish-American financier Jeffrey Epstein, previously convicted of sex crimes, was arrested in 2019 for sex trafficking of minors. His case gained global attention due to his close ties to influential figures in politics and business. Epstein died in his cell in August 2019, officially by suicide, but the circumstances have given rise to speculation that he was murdered. The investigation has since focused on his alleged blackmail operation, where he is accused of filming powerful individuals in compromising situations. Epstein was first charged in 2005 for soliciting minors for prostitution.

Despite serious charges, Epstein received an unusually lenient sentence in 2008, which according to Fuentes was due to his connections to intelligence services.

– Former Attorney General Acosta said (this goes back to 2008), Epstein is intelligence.

Allegations of cover-up

Fuentes’ central criticism is directed at the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein investigation. He claims that the administration has not only broken promises of openness but is actively working to conceal the truth.

– This is literally the opposite of what Trump supporters voted for. It’s the opposite. This is not only not disclosure, this is a cover-up.

According to Fuentes, the Department of Justice has now stated that Epstein committed suicide, that no client list exists (with politicians and business leaders who allegedly participated in the abuse, editor’s note) and that further investigations are unnecessary. He sees this as an attempt to end the discussion.

– Now they’re lying about it and covering it up. They’re actually burying it. They’re making it less accessible than before.

Fuentes also points to evidence from Epstein’s residences, where cameras and recording equipment were found, which he says supports the theory of a blackmail ring. He questions the Department of Justice’s claims that no such operation took place.

Connections to Israel and powerful actors

Fuentes highlights Epstein’s alleged connections to Israeli intelligence services, particularly Mossad. He mentions Epstein’s financial support from Jewish billionaires in the Mega Group, an organization that according to Fuentes promotes pro-Israeli interests.

– He got his money from Les Wexner and the Bronfman family from Mega Group. They’re both Israeli operators.

Fuentes also highlights that Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is the daughter of Robert Maxwell, a British media mogul who is alleged to have been a Mossad agent.

– His girlfriend and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell was the daughter of Mossad super spy Robert Maxwell.

He argues that these connections suggest that Epstein may have operated a blackmail ring on Israel’s behalf, something he believes the Trump administration is now trying to conceal.

Timing and political motives

Fuentes notes that the Department of Justice’s statements about the Epstein case being closed coincided with a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on July 7, 2025. He sees this as suspicious and connects it to the administration’s pro-Israeli stance.

– His pro-Israel deputy FBI director, buried and covered up the story of the pro-Israel blackmail organizer Jeffrey Epstein the same day that Netanyahu visited the White House for the third time.

He points to key figures like Kash Patel, Dan Bongino and Pam Bondi, whom he describes as strongly pro-Israeli, and questions their role in burying the story.

– Why, oh why, would the super Zionists, Pam Bondi and Dan Bongino, Pam Bondi being from the state of Florida, which is run by Jews, why would they bury the story of the Israeli spy running a blackmail ring known as Jeffrey Epstein? he questions ironically in conclusion.

Trump suggests possible deportation of Elon Musk

Donald Trump's USA

Published 2 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The relationship between tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump appears to oscillate between frosty and outright hostile these days.
3 minute read

US President Donald Trump recently suggested the possibility of deporting his former ally and advisor Elon Musk, while hinting that the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) might review the government subsidies received by Musk’s companies.

The unexpected statement came during a press conference on the White House lawn, where the president was directly asked about the possibility of deporting the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.

– We’ll have to take a look, the president responded.

Musk, who was born in South Africa, has been a US citizen since 2002. Under current law, deportation would require a criminal conviction. Trump elaborated on his comment with a sarcastic attack aimed at his former friend:

– We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets lots of subsidies, he said.

Escalating conflict

The conflict between Trump and Musk has escalated in recent weeks, particularly regarding the comprehensive “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, which forms the core of Trump’s domestic policy agenda. Musk has called the bill “completely insane” and “political suicide”.

The president responded to the criticism with a post on his Truth Social platform:

“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa”, he wrote.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

The background to these statements is Musk’s repeated attacks on the bill, which he claims threatens both jobs and future technology. In a post on X on Saturday, he wrote that “The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!”

“Insane and destructive”

“Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future”, he continued.

On Monday, he intensified his rhetoric:

“Anyone who campaigned on the PROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING , but continues to vote on the BIGGEST DEBT ceiling increase in HISTORY will see their face on this poster in the primary next year”.

Musk also described the political climate in the US as “a one-party country – THE PORKY PIG PARTY!!” and called for the formation of a new political party.

Electric vehicle dispute

On Tuesday, Trump emphasized that his previous support from Musk didn’t change his stance on electric vehicle policy:

“Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate”, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one”.

Trump threatens to sic DOGE on his former ally. Photo: facsimile/Truth Social//Donald Trump

With Tuesday’s Senate approval, where the bill passed with a 51-50 vote, the conflict between Trump and Musk deepened further. Recently, Musk also expressed support for impeachment proceedings against the president, though he later retracted this and apologized.

Musk resigned from his position at DOGE on May 29, in accordance with the 130-day limit for special government employees.

Kennedy halts US support for global vaccine alliance

The criticized covid vaccinations

Published 28 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
According to Kennedy, Gavi has exhausted the public’s – and the US government’s – trust.
2 minute read

US Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced during a meeting in Brussels this week that the country is withdrawing its financial support for the global vaccine alliance Gavi.

The announcement comes as Gavi has launched a new funding round with the goal of raising at least $9 billion for the next five years.

Kennedy, who has long been highly skeptical of large-scale mass vaccination programs and experimental vaccines, sharply criticized Gavi and its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) during the coronavirus crisis in a brief video address. He accused the alliance of systematically silencing “dissenting views” and ignoring health risks and safety issues related to the vaccines.

“In its zeal to promote universal vaccination, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has neglected the key issue of vaccine safety”, Kennedy later wrote in a post on X, and continued:

“When vaccine safety issues have come before GAVI, it has treated them not as a patient health problem, but as a public relations problem”.

Kennedy also questioned the safety of the combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, claiming that research shows girls who received the vaccine are at higher risk of dying from other causes than unvaccinated children. He also expressed skepticism about WHO’s and Gavi’s recommendation to vaccinate pregnant women against COVID-19 – a recommendation he called “questionable”.

“I call on GAVI to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion dollars that America has provided in funding since 2001. Until that happens the United States won’t contribute more to GAVI. Business as usual is over”, he declared.

US promised one billion

According to Kennedy, Gavi must start “consider the best science available, even when that science contradicts established paradigms”.

In a statement on Thursday, Gavi claimed that the organization’s highest priority is children’s health and safety. They also stated that all decisions about which vaccines to procure are made according to recommendations from WHO’s expert group on vaccines.

Gavi is a global partnership between WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and several governments, working to promote affordable mass vaccination programs in poor countries. The United States has long been one of the organization’s largest donors – and had, before Donald Trump’s re-election, promised support of $1 billion through 2030.

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