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Saturday, August 23, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/world/swiss-journalist-eu-representatives-fed-up-with-toxic-von-der-leyen/

World

Swiss journalist: EU representatives fed up with “toxic” von der Leyen

Published 29 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Ursula von Der Leyen has long been a highly criticized figure.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Several high-ranking EU representatives have grown tired of Ursula von der Leyen’s substandard leadership and now want to remove the President of the European Commission.

This is according to Swiss media, which argues that a change in leadership could steer Europe in a much more positive direction again.

Journalist Philipp Gut argues in Die Weltwoche that EU policy is in an “obvious crisis” – with the trade war with the US in the West and the war in Ukraine in the East – while at the same time there is “a protracted and, for Europe, unflattering power struggle with China”.

“Internally, there is disagreement, division and constant harassment of member states such as Hungary, which assert their sovereignty and democratic rights. Giorgia Meloni is breaking away from the anti-Trump camp and moving closer to the US president. Relations with rebellious Switzerland are also strained”, he notes, continuing:

“As is sometimes brutally expressed: the fish rots from the head down. In this case, the head of the EU is personified by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen”.

Failed in most respects

He points out that von der Leyen has on several occasions opposed the US, not least with regard to the peace process in Ukraine. She has also taken a clear stand against Donald Trump and his opponents in several respects.

“All this has a background that hardly speaks for von der Leyen’s diplomatic skills or statesmanship. She interfered in the US presidential election and took a resolute stand for Biden – a diplomatic faux pas with repercussions”, Gut continues.

Philipp Gut believes that von der Leyen has failed time and time again. Photo: Private/FB

He also points out that the economic outlook is bleak and that the EU’s stance toward the US hardly strengthens the Union’s position on trade issues.

“Added to this are tendencies toward a surveillance society and continuing problems with respect for democracy. EU diplomats are openly threatening to strip Hungary of its voting rights. Her handling of the coronavirus pandemic has also left deep scars: secret messages and a refusal to provide transparency on agreements concluded behind closed doors have not been forgotten”, he argues.

“A departure could unlock a lot”

According to the journalist, the EU is currently in a “deplorable state” and, if it were a normal state, people would be asking whether it was time to replace its leadership.

“But the EU is not a state – let alone a normal one. Nevertheless, there are now voices in diplomatic circles who believe that Ursula von der Leyen has become an increasingly toxic figure. A departure could unlock a lot”, he assesses, concluding:

“A change of leadership would at least give European politics the chance to become more diverse and open again – both towards the West and the East. An idea worth reflecting on”.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/world/swedish-pensions-finance-israeli-white-phosphorus-manufacturer/

World

Swedish pensions finance Israeli white phosphorus manufacturer

The situation in Gaza

Published yesterday 11:54
– By Editorial Staff
An Israeli M109 Doher fires a shell. The self-propelled artillery system is one of several that can fire ammunition containing white phosphorus.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Sjunde AP-fonden (Seventh AP Fund) owns shares worth €9 million in Israeli ICL Group, which manufactures white phosphorus. Human rights organizations have long warned about the company’s links to war crimes against civilians – and now the fund’s officials claim they will review the investment.

Swedish public radio Sveriges Radio Ekot reveals that Swedish pension funds are invested in the Israeli company ICL Group, a manufacturer of white phosphorus that has previously received harsh criticism from several human rights organizations.

The investigation shows that the Seventh AP Fund (one of Sweden’s national pension funds) owns shares worth €9 million in the company. During 2025, the pension fund’s holdings have also increased from 1.2 million to 1.6 million shares.

White phosphorus may be used in conflict zones under international law to illuminate targets or create smoke screens. However, the substance is prohibited for use in ammunition near civilians as it causes severe burns.

Israel has been accused by several human rights organizations of using white phosphorus in densely populated areas during attacks in Gaza. According to the radio station, it is not established whether phosphorus from ICL Group specifically was used in these attacks, but the company has previously listed the U.S. Army – which has close cooperation with Israel – as a customer.

“Difficult to verify”

Mikael Lindh Hök, communications director at the Seventh AP Fund, says that they do not plan to immediately sell the holdings, but that the investment will be reviewed.

— If it’s true and you can actually verify that their product, in this case white phosphorus, is used by the Israeli military in the conflicts, then that is grounds for blacklisting, as it constitutes a violation of human rights, he says.

Lindh Hök simultaneously points to the difficulties in obtaining evidence.

— But there we have the problem that it has been very difficult to verify this, as there are contradictory reports. No one has admitted, so to speak, that they have used it. But if we manage to get it verified, then that is grounds for exclusion.

Amnesty: Suspicions are enough

He emphasizes that the fund manages money for six million Swedes and therefore requires clear evidence before acting.

— Then we want to get it verified so that it doesn’t become arbitrary. Sometimes it can be a rumor that a company has violated something, and then it later emerges that it hasn’t violated an international convention. And since we are the default option for six million Swedes, we have set the threshold at: what international conventions has Sweden signed? he explains further.

Astri Sjoner, political advisor at Norwegian Amnesty, believes that the suspicions alone should be enough to act.

— Now several parties have pointed out that they suspect it is this company’s white phosphorus that has been used in Israel’s warfare in Gaza. When there is this type of suspicion, it is important that those who invest in it take on extra responsibility to assess the risk of human rights violations.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/analyst-israel-preparing-new-war-against-iran/

World

Analyst: Israel preparing new war against Iran

The escalation in the Middle East

Published 21 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The question is whether Donald Trump will keep the United States out of a new Israeli war against Iran.
4 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Swedish-Iranian Middle East expert Trita Parsi assesses that Israel will likely initiate a new war against Iran before December – perhaps as early as the end of August. The next conflict will likely be significantly bloodier than the previous one, he warns.

Israel is determined not to give Iran time to rebuild its military capacity after the June war, according to Trita Parsi, well-known Iran expert and author. In a new analysis, he warns that an attack could come within the next few months.

“Israel is likely to launch another war with Iran before December – perhaps even as early as late August”, writes Parsi.

Iran is already preparing for the attack. According to the analyst, the country played a long-term game during the first war and measured its missile attacks while waiting for a prolonged conflict. Next time, Iran is expected to strike hard from the beginning.

Large-scale war

Parsi assesses that the coming conflict will be significantly more devastating than the June war. If US President Donald Trump again gives in to Israeli pressure and joins the fight, the US could face an extensive war with Iran.

“United States could face a full-blown war with Iran that will make Iraq look easy by comparison”, warns the Iran expert.

According to his analysis, Israel’s June war was never solely about Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The goal was rather to shift the balance of power in the Middle East, where Iranian nuclear capabilities were indeed an important but not decisive factor.

Failed with main objectives

Israel had three main objectives with its attacks in June, according to Parsi: to draw the US into direct military conflict with Iran, to overthrow the Iranian regime, and to transform the country into the next Syria or Lebanon – countries that Israel can bomb without American support.

He notes that only one of these objectives was achieved. Despite early intelligence successes – such as killing 30 high commanders and 19 nuclear scientists – Israel only managed to temporarily disrupt Iran’s command structure.

“Within 18 hours, Iran had replaced most if not all of these commanders and launched a heavy missile barrage, demonstrating its ability to absorb significant losses and still mount a fierce counterattack”, writes Parsi.

Threatened to kill generals’ families

According to the Washington Post, Mossad agents, speaking fluent Persian, called high Iranian officials on their mobile phones and threatened to kill them and their families if they did not record videos condemning the regime and defecting publicly. More than 20 such calls were made during the war’s first hours.

“Yet there’s no evidence a single Iranian general capitulated to the threats, and the regime’s cohesion remained intact”, notes the Iran expert.

Contrary to Israel’s expectations, the attacks did not lead to mass protests or uprisings against the Islamic Republic. Instead, Iranians of all political colors rallied behind the flag, though not necessarily behind the regime itself.

Parsi quotes an artist in Tehran, Iran who told researcher Narges Bajoghli at Johns Hopkins University:

“I used to be one of those who would chant during protests to not send Iranian money to Lebanon or Palestine. But now I understand that the bombs we all face are one and if we don’t have strong defenses across the region, the war comes to us”.

Israel signals new offensive

Both Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir have signaled that a new offensive is likely. The June war was just the first phase, according to Zamir, who added that Israel is now “entering a new chapter” of the conflict.

The Middle East analyst explains that Israel is determined not to give Iran time to replenish its missile arsenal, restore air defenses, or install improved systems. This is central to Israel’s “mowing the grass” strategy: to strike preemptively and repeatedly to prevent opponents from developing capabilities that could challenge Israeli military dominance.

To deter further attacks, Iran is expected to strike hard and fast from the beginning of the next war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned on X:

“If aggression is repeated, we will not hesitate to react in a more decisive manner and in a way that will be IMPOSSIBLE to cover up”.

The Iran expert assesses that the cost for Israel must become overwhelming, otherwise the country will gradually erode Iran’s missile capacity and leave the country defenseless.

Trump’s role becomes decisive

Trump’s response to a second Israeli war with Iran could be decisive, according to Parsi. The president seems unwilling to engage in a prolonged conflict – the 12-day war exposed critical shortages in US missile stockpiles.

“By green-lighting the opening salvo, Trump has walked into Israel’s trap – and it’s unclear whether he can find a way out”.

Limited involvement is probably no longer an option. Trump will either need to go all in on the war or stay out completely. And staying out requires more than a one-time refusal – it requires sustained resistance to Israeli pressure, something he has so far not shown either the will or strength to manage, concludes Trita Parsi in his analysis.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Trita Parsi is an Iranian-Swedish author and one of the most prominent experts on Iran and Middle Eastern politics. He is executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington-based think tank that advocates for diplomatic solutions and generally opposes military interventions. He previously founded the National Iranian American Council (NIAC).

Parsi holds a doctorate in international relations and has written several acclaimed books about the relationship between the US, Israel and Iran. His analyses are regularly published in leading newspapers such as the New York Times and Foreign Affairs, and he is frequently consulted as an expert by international media outlets including CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera.

Parsi's focus on dialogue and diplomacy has also led to harsh criticism from pro-Israeli groups and parts of the shah-friendly Iranian opposition, who believe that Parsi is too soft on Tehran and have accused him of being a regime-friendly lobbyist.

https://nordictimes.com/world/british-sergeant-warns-police-force-is-on-the-brink-of-collapse/

World

British sergeant warns police force is on the brink of collapse

The collapsing Western bloc

Published 20 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The British police have long been criticized for being heavily politicized.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A video featuring Police Sergeant Kelly Palmer from Lincolnshire Police has gained widespread circulation and sparked debate in the United Kingdom.

In the clip, she directs sharp criticism at how policing has changed and describes a system where police, according to her, no longer work primarily for the public but are instead characterized by internal cover-ups, bureaucracy and self-protection.

In the video, Kelly Palmer emphasizes that the system is broken, that officers are silenced, children are left unprotected and corruption is excused. Palmer argues that the conditions that once made policing attractive no longer exist.

– There is no real policing anymore. Only cover-ups, box-ticking, and protecting institutions instead of people, she says in the clip.

She warns that police officers today fear for their own lives and that it’s no longer about law and order – but about damage control where everything from local councils to courts and police chiefs prioritize protecting themselves.

At the same time, she describes a socially and economically vulnerable situation: – There’s absolutely no way I would join the force now on £27,000 and do what we’re doing.

Mental health issues and resignations

Palmer emphasizes that police officers in practice have to function as social workers, counselors and emergency services, while risking being subjected to violence on duty: — I’m not going to live on the breadline, get seven bells kicked out of me and get no support, she adds.

Statistics presented in connection with the video point to a 21 percent real income loss since 2010, that one-third of police officers struggle to afford food, rent or heating, and that 32 officers are subjected to violent attacks every day.

Mental health problems are said to be increasing rapidly, and resignations from the profession are reportedly higher than ever before.

The video has gained extensive circulation on social media and has been highlighted by several commentators as an example of an increasingly pressured police force. Neither Lincolnshire Police nor other British authorities have so far commented on the claims.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Fact box: British police vulnerability

  • Violence: Over 37,800 physical attacks against police officers in 2023/24 – more than 100 per day.
  • Mental health: Approximately 774,000 working days lost due to mental health issues in 2022 – an increase of 55% since 2019.
  • Salaries: Police salaries have decreased by approximately 20–22% in real terms since 2010.
  • Economy: One-third of police officers report difficulties covering basic costs such as food, rent and heating.


Sources: BBC, The Times, Police Federation, Police Care UK

https://nordictimes.com/world/secret-propaganda-unit-justifies-israels-journalist-killings/

World

Secret propaganda unit justifies Israel’s journalist killings

The genocide in Gaza

Published 20 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Between 186 and 270 journalists are reported to have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 - more than in any other war.
4 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Israel operates a secret military unit whose task is to find or create connections between journalists and Hamas to legitimize deadly attacks.

Intelligence sources tell the Israeli publications +972 Magazine and Local Call how the unit manipulates and distorts intelligence material as international criticism of journalist killings increases.

The so-called “legitimization unit” was established after Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023. According to three intelligence sources who confirmed the unit’s existence, its main task is not security but pure PR – to try by all means to justify Israel’s warfare in Gaza as international criticism grows.

The unit works systematically to find or create narratives that can defend Israeli military operations and bombings: evidence of Hamas’ use of civilian buildings, documentation of failed Palestinian rocket launches that killed their own civilians, and above all – attempts to smear journalists reporting from Gaza by linking them to Hamas.

An intelligence source reveals the unit’s cynical method: When international criticism against Israel increases, the unit is ordered to produce intelligence material that can be used to silence the criticism.

— If the global media is talking about Israel killing innocent journalists, then immediately there’s a push to find one journalist who might not be so innocent – as if that somehow makes killing the other 20 acceptable, says the source.

Fabricated accusations

It is Israel’s political leadership that directs the unit’s priorities, and the information is used strategically to secure continued American support. Intelligence officers have been explicitly told that their work is crucial for being able to prolong the war.

— The team regularly collected intelligence that could be used for hasbara – say, a stockpile of  weapons in a school — anything that could bolster Israel’s international legitimacy to keep fighting. The idea was to allow the military to operate without pressure, so countries like America wouldn’t stop supplying weapons, explains a source.

The unit has repeatedly manipulated or fabricated intelligence to portray journalists as legitimate military targets. In at least one documented case, they tried to falsely present a journalist as a Hamas operative.

— They were eager to label him as a target, as a terrorist – to say it’s okay to attack him. They said: during the day he’s a journalist, at night he’s a platoon commander, reports a source.

The journalist is said to have been saved only because the manipulation was discovered before any attack could be carried out.

Systematic manipulation

The manipulation continued with Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who was killed in August after a coordinated smear campaign. The “evidence” the army presented showed activity that had ceased in 2017 – long before the current war. Despite this, the documents were used to justify his execution.

The same applies to the case of journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in July 2024 along with his cameraman in Gaza City.

A month later, the army claimed he was an “military wing operative and Nukhba terrorist”, referring to a document from 2021 allegedly retrieved from a “Hamas computer.” But that document stated he received his military rank in 2007 – when he was only 10 years old, and seven years before he was allegedly recruited to Hamas.

Deadliest war for journalists

The unit’s work also became evident after the controversial explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in October 2023. To deflect blame from Israel, the army released what they claimed was an intercepted conversation between Hamas members.

A Palestinian human rights activist was shocked when he recognized his own voice – from a completely harmless conversation with a friend. He had never been a Hamas member, but his voice was used to manipulate world opinion.

— It’s very much not in Unit 8200’s DNA to expose our capabilities for something as vague as public opinion, admits a source about the desperate and internally criticized publication.

The result of this systematic disinformation campaign is devastating for reporters on the ground: So far, at least 186 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 according to the Committee to Protect Journalists – the deadliest period for journalists anywhere in modern history.

Other organizations have made higher estimates and claim that nearly 300 journalists have been killed during the Israeli invasion – journalists who were often singled out as militants or terrorists, but where concrete evidence for this has rarely been presented.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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