⢠The Trump administration announced plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 US troops from Germany over the next 6-12 months.
⢠The troop withdrawal fulfills an earlier Trump threat and reflects tensions over Germany's stance on the Iran conflict.
⢠The move signals a broader shift in US military posture in Europe and could weaken NATO presence in a key strategic location.
German government calls redeployment of 5,000 troops âanticipatedâ and reminder of Europeâs need to invest in its own defenceâWe love our Americansâ: the German town rocked by Trumpâs plan to withdraw US troopsNato is seeking to âunderstand the detailsâ of a US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, a redeployment ordered by Donald Trump amid a feud with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz.The German government sought to play down the severity of Trumpâs move, describing it as âanticipatedâ, and a reminder of Europeâs need to invest in its own defence. The US withdrawal, which the Pentagon said would take place over the next six to 12 months, comes after criticism from Merz over Trumpâs war with Iran and his handling of subsequent talks with Tehran. Continue reading...
German defence minister responds to US presidentâs announcement that 5,000 US troops will leave bases in GermanyHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.The German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, said that it was âforeseeableâ that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, after the Pentagon announced it would pull thousands of American soldiers from Germany.Trump said he is ânot satisfiedâ with a new proposal from Iran on ending the war, as peace talks remain stalled despite a weeks-long ceasefire. Iran delivered the proposal text to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, Iranian state news agency Irna reported, without detailing its contents.The US state department said it was approving military sales totalling more than $8.6bn to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. It came as Washington warned European allies including the UK, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia to expect long delivery delays for US weapons as it scrambles to replenish stockpiles depleted by the Iran war, according to a report in the Fianancial Times citing multiple sources.In Lebanon, 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the south, Lebanonâs health ministry said, including in the town of Habboush, where the Israeli army had issued an evacuation order despite the continuing ceasefire. Israeli warplanes âlaunched a series of heavy strikes ⌠less than an hour afterâ the warning, the state-run National News Agency said.The US Treasury Office warned that any shipping companies that paid tolls to Iran for passage through the strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organisations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, would risk punitive sanctions. Tehran has proposed charging fees on vessels passing through the strait, as part of a deal to end the war.Trump wrote to US lawmakers on Friday declaring hostilities with Iran âterminatedâ, despite no change in the US military posture, as he faces continuing pressure at home to seek congressional authorisation for the war.The state departmentâs announcement on Friday included approving military sales to Qatar of Patriot air and missile defence replenishment services costing $4.01bn and of advanced precision kill weapon systems (APKWS) costing $992.4m. They also included approval of the sale to Kuwait of an integrated battle command system costing $2.5bn and to Israel of APKWS costing $992.4m.Iranâs supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei urged his people to wage economic battle and âdisappointâ its enemies, as the war and years of sanctions take a toll. In a written statement he also said âthe owners of damaged businesses should avoid, as much as possible, layoffs and separation of their workforceâ. Continue reading...
⢠A POLITICO investigation reveals a wellâconnected pharmaceutical company and conservative commentator Laura Loomer have sought to undermine Dr. Vinay Prasad, an ally of Senator Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over his criticism of certain drugâpricing and regulatory practices.
⢠The report alleges coordinated socialâmedia campaigns and behindâtheâscenes lobbying efforts meant to discredit Prasadâs research and publicâhealth commentary.
⢠Pharmaceutical trade groups and some patient advocates have pushed back, saying that Big Pharma naturally tries to defend its business model, but critics warn of growing corporateâbacked attempts to silence dissenting medical voices.
The US president has criticised Germanyâs chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and raised the prospect of pulling US troops from Italy and Spain. Plus, 10 big lessons on ending the fossil fuel eraGood morning.Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain a day after he saying was looking at curtailing the number deployed in Germany.What has Congress been saying about the war? A senior Democrat in the Senate grilled the US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday, accusing him of failing to give Trump an accurate picture of the war on Iran while resorting to âdangerously exaggeratedâ statements to create an inaccurate picture of a US military triumph.Whatâs the latest on the suspect? The man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump agreed on Thursday to remain in custody while his federal criminal case moves forward. Continue reading...
Exclusive: women âmassively underrepresentedâ in next weekâs local and devolved elections, campaigners say Women will be massively underrepresented on ballot papers across the UK next week, campaigners say, with research revealing that almost twice as many men as women are standing as candidates across the local, mayoral and devolved elections.Democracy campaigners say men of all political stripes are likely to dominate local government, with womenâs views on issues from social care to bin collections sidelined by the huge gap between the numbers of male and female candidates. Continue reading...
UK was close behind, exporting 675,000 tonnes, with much of the waste sent to Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia Germany was the worldâs largest exporter of plastic waste in 2025 and sent more than 810,000 tonnes abroad, according to analysis of trade data carried out for the Guardian.The UK followed close behind, according to the analysis by Watershed Investigations and the Basel Action Network. It exported more 675,000 tonnes, its highest level in eight years and enough to fill about 127,000 shipping containers. Continue reading...
Media tycoon honoured in absentia as critics decry his 20-year sentence under national security lawThe jailed media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai has been awarded Deutsche Welleâs freedom of speech award for his contribution to Hong Kongâs pro-democracy movement.The German public broadcaster said on Thursday that Lai would be presented in absentia with the 12th iteration of the award on 23 June at the DW Global Media Forum in Bonn. Continue reading...
US presidentâs statement follows comments by German chancellor that the US was being âhumiliatedâ in conflictUS president Donald Trump threatened to reduce the number of troops deployed in Germany last night, after chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week that the US was being âhumilitatedâ by Iran.Trump said the US was âstudying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time.ââThe Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks itâs OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesnât know what heâs talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I am doing something with Iran, right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago. No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise! President DONALD J. TRUMPâ Continue reading...
US presidentâs threat comes after Germanyâs Friedrich Merz suggests Trump team is being outplayed in its negotiations with IranThe US may reduce its number of troops deployed in Germany, Donald Trump has announced, days after the countryâs chancellor said America was being âhumiliatedâ by Iran.In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president said his administration was âstudying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of timeâ. Continue reading...
The ongoing U.S. travel boycott is showing no signs of letting up. March marked the 14th consecutive month of steep declines, with Canadian return trips to the U.S. plummeting 32 per cent compared to pre-boycott March 2024. Canadians are still travelling, but more are opting for domestic and overseas trips.
Exclusive: State government commits to strengthening laws as Higgins labels Albanese governmentâs response to womenâs safety issues âdishearteningâGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Victorian government will strengthen laws regarding the use of victim-survivorsâ confidential communications after a push by advocates including Brittany Higgins, who described her experience of having counselling records subpoenaed as a âviolationâ.In an interview with Guardian Australia, Higgins was also critical of the federal governmentâs lack of action following a sweeping review into the justice systemâs responses to sexual violence, saying it had âcompletely fallen off the agendaâ.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...
High fuel prices and passenger delays caused by EUâs EES entry-exit system causing problems, says trade bodyBusiness live â latest updatesEuropeâs smaller airports may not survive if jet fuel shortages triggered by the Middle East crisis lead to widespread route cancellations, the industryâs trade body has warned.Although airlines insist that there are currently no supply issues within the normal four- to six-week horizon, the US-Israel war on Iran and the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz have doubled the price of jet fuel, prompting some carriers to cancel flights. Continue reading...
Vets say whale stranded for a month near LĂźbeck is fit to be transported in rescue effort funded by two entrepreneursGerman officials have given the green light for a fresh attempt to rescue a humpback whale that has been stranded off the countryâs Baltic Sea coast for more than a month.The 13-metre (40ft) whaleâs struggle for survival has gripped Germany since the creature beached on a sandbank near the city of LĂźbeck, far from its natural habitat. Continue reading...
Rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid announce new party before Knesset vote expected later this yearTwo of Benjamin Netanyahuâs most formidable political rivals say they are joining forces in an attempt to oust the Israeli prime ministerâs coalition government in the election expected later this year.The former prime ministers â rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid â issued statements announcing the merger of their parties, Bennett 2026 and Yesh Atid (There is a Future). Continue reading...
Families say âUlm 5â have been detained under extreme prison conditions since arrest last SeptemberFive pro-Palestinian activists are due to appear in court over an attack on an Israeli arms company in Germany, in proceedings their families say could become a âshow trialâ.The Berlin-based activists, who are British, Irish, German and Spanish citizens, have been held in pre-trial detention in separate prisons since 8 September. They are alleged to have broken into Elbit Systems, in the city of Ulm in Baden-WĂźrttemberg, in the early hours of 8 September, causing hundreds of thousands of euros of damage before calling the police to arrest them. Continue reading...
Millionaire funded operation called âpure animal crueltyâ after environment minister sent threats on social mediaFinal preparations are reportedly under way for a millionaire fundedplan to tow a sickly humpback whale into the North Sea.The 12-tonne whale, nicknamed Timmy, has been stranded on the Baltic Sea coastline for almost a month. A barge resembling a giant steel aquarium will attempt to transport Timmy 400km (248 miles) towards the North Sea, and then hopefully back to the Atlantic Ocean from where it is believed to have arrived. Continue reading...
Shooting reveals how political violence has become feature of American life on a night dedicated to press freedomAhead of this yearâs White House correspondentsâ dinner, conversations centered on the role of the media and freedom of the press as journalists prepared to dine with the president.Instead of a speech stacked with heated barbs against the media, the event ended like many in the US do: with gun violence. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Report shows cost of first appointment rose $20 in one year, with steeper rises in Western Australia, South Australia and TasmaniaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPatients are increasingly going without medically necessary dermatological care, the head of the Consumers Health Forum said, as new report reveals the rising cost of the specialty in Australia.Dermatology is expensive and getting pricier, with an average first visit now costing an adult patient without concessions $230 out-of-pocket, while follow-up appointments cost almost $190, the report from health directory Cleanbill found. Continue reading...
Israeli prime minister says early-stage malignant tumour was discovered during a routine check-upMiddle East crisis â live updatesBenjamin Netanyahu has revealed that he received successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, without specifying when the treatment took place.In a statement on social media, as his annual medical report was released, the Israeli prime minister said an early-stage malignant tumour had been discovered during a routine checkup. The 76-year-old said targeted treatment had removed âthe problemâ and left no trace of it. Continue reading...
Rosemarie Milsom, who formed and runs Newcastle writers festival, will take over from Louise Adler after the literary festival imploded over invitation to Randa Abdel-FattahIn January, as the implosion of Adelaide writersâ week made headlines around Australia and the world, Rosemarie Milsom was watching closely.The Adelaide festival board, which oversees AWW, had overridden the literary festivalâs director, Louise Adler, and disinvited the Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah over past comments sheâd made about Israel and Zionism. This decision resulted not in a quieter, less-controversial festival as the board members may have hoped, but a boycott by 200-odd writers, the resignation of Adler â followed by the whole board â a potential defamation lawsuit against the South Australian premier and the collapse of AWW. Continue reading...
⢠Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs sustained a concussion on a hard fall during the second quarter of Game 2 playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, played only 12 minutes before exiting.
⢠Spurs lost 106-103, evening the first-round series at 1-1; coach Mitch Johnson confirmed Wembanyama is in protocol and out for the game, emphasizing proper steps will be taken.
⢠The incident occurred with 8:57 left in the second quarter while driving to the basket defended by Jrue Holiday, landing chin-first and briefly appearing knocked out.
FC Basel and Polish stadium stop US rapperâs upcoming shows, after similar cancellations in France and UK over antisemitic commentsKanye Westâs upcoming concerts in Poland and Switzerland have been cancelled, as a growing number of European countries have stopped or postponed the US rapperâs performances amid a furore over his past antisemitic comments.Swiss football club FC Basel, which is responsible for concerts and events that take place at its St Jakob-Park ground, told Reuters on Saturday that after reviewing a request for West to perform there in June, it decided against it. Continue reading...
⢠Portland Trail Blazers open NBA playoffs against San Antonio Spurs and rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama on April 19, 2026.
⢠Wembanyama's defensive prowess and scoring threat challenge Blazers' playoff aspirations after strong regular season finish.
⢠Matchup highlights young talent clash, with implications for first-round seeding.
Social media corporation terminated Sama contract after allegations its staff viewed private scenes filmed by Metaâs smartglassesMore than 1,000 low-paid workers in Kenya have been abruptly sacked by an outsourcing company for the US social media corporation Meta, in what activists said was a âshockingâ move exposing the precariousness of global south tech workers.Sama, a company based in Nairobi to which Meta outsourced content moderation and AI training work, announced on Thursday that the workers were being laid off after Meta terminated a contract. That came in the after reports some of the Kenyan workers involved in data annotation were asked to view content filmed by the companyâs AI smart glasses showing wearers using the toilet or having sex. Continue reading...
Boy, 16, among those charged in connection with attempted firebombing at Volant Media offices in WembleyThree people, including a 16-year-old boy, have appeared in court charged in connection with the attempted firebombing of a Persian media company in north-west London.Oisin McGuinness, 21, Nathan Dunn, 19, and a 16-year-old boy appeared together in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Friday charged with arson with intent to endanger life. Continue reading...
Critics say efforts to rescue the animal, nicknamed Tommy, unlikely to succeed and could lead to further harmA last-ditch effort to rescue a wayward whale that has transfixed Germans for weeks has begun in the Baltic Sea despite criticism it has little chance of success and could further harm the 12-tonne creature.The male humpback whale was first spotted last month near Timmendorfer Strand on the northern coast of Germany, giving rise to its nickname Timmy. It has repeatedly become stranded and then freed itself after human assistance but it is now stranded again, with rescuers saying it is fighting a losing battle for its life. Continue reading...
Resignation announced of Jai Patel, whose liquidated crypto firm was relaunched as Stack BTC this yearThe chief executive of a bitcoin company promoted by Nigel Farage has left his role as the venture attempts to convince investors that it is going to deliver âlong-term valueâ for shareholders.Stack BTC was launched to much fanfare in March this year, with Farage and former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng becoming some of its first shareholders. The company says its founder is Paul Withers, a friend of the Reform UK leader who owns a gold bullion company that Farage has also promoted, Direct Bullion. Continue reading...
Justin Sun said World Liberty Financial built a âbackdoor blacklisting functionâ that froze his account. âWe have the truth. See you in court,â the company respondedSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe largest investor in Donald Trumpâs crypto venture has claimed that the firm âsecretlyâ implemented a tool to unilaterally freeze his holdings of its cryptocurrency. He claimed the company could do the same to any other user.In posts on social media platform X on Sunday, crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun said, without offering evidence, that World Liberty Financial had embedded what he described as a âbackdoor blacklisting functionâ in the blockchain-based contracts used for the WLFI tokens. Continue reading...