Nato

美國總統發出這項威脅，是在 Germany 的 Friedrich Merz 暗示 Trump 團隊在與 Iran 的談判中落於下風後。Donald Trump 宣布，美國可能會減少部署在 Germany 的駐軍人數，就在幾天前，該國總理才表示美國正受到 Iran 「羞辱」。在一篇 Truth Social 平台的貼文中，美國總統表示，他的政府正在「研究和審查可能減少在 Germany 駐軍的情況，並將在不久後做出決定」。繼續閱讀...

• 參議員 Ron Johnson 與 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 將聯邦政府對 COVID 來源及疫苗死亡事件的處理定調為一場「重大醜聞」，並指稱其中存在掩蓋行為。 • 他們引用了指向實驗室外洩以及未報告的不良反應之新證據。 • 隨著大眾對衛生機構的信任度下降，這些指控進一步推動了要求進行調查的呼聲。

• 英國皇家海軍首領表示，統一的海軍部隊將威懾來自北方「開放海域邊境」的未來俄羅斯威脅。 • 皇家海軍首領 Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins 宣布，英國已同意與九個歐洲國家建立一支統一的海軍部隊，以威懾來自北方「開放海域邊境」的未來俄羅斯威脅。 • Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins 強調，儘管中東地區目前仍處於危機之中（在美國與以色列與伊朗的戰爭後，霍爾木茲海峽依然封閉），但「俄羅斯仍然是對我們安全最嚴重的威脅」。

• 在紀念美國獨立 250 週年的演講中，查爾斯國王告訴美國立法者：「這個偉大國家的行動至關重要」 • 查爾斯國王在向美國國會發表的演說中，高度讚揚了英國與美國之間「特殊關係」的重要性，並明確提及 Nato、捍衛烏克蘭以及氣候危機的重要性。 • 這場演說被視為一次委婉的請求，希望 Donald Trump 回到美國傳統的歐洲同盟，並恢復其國家作為自由價值捍衛者的角色。查爾斯表示：「美國的話語具有分量和意義，自獨立以來一直如此。而這個偉大國家的行動則更為重要。」

TPOR poll of 1,018 likely voters puts Talarico ahead of John Cornyn by three percentage points and Ken Paxton by fiveUS politics live – latest updatesDemocrats’ hopes of winning control of the US Senate in November’s midterm elections have been boosted by a poll showing James Talarico, the party’s candidate in Texas, leading in a head-to-head matchup against two potential Republican opponents.The Texas public opinion research (TPOR) survey has Talarico, a Democratic state legislator, ahead of the GOP incumbent senator, John Cornyn, and his internal party challenger, Ken Paxton, in one-on-one contests. Continue reading...

Images in Helen Polley’s post included a marching band, people laying wreaths and ex-serving members giving speeches set to a track by US rapper ChingyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA federal Labor senator has deleted a social media video which mistakenly included audio of an explicit rap song over a carousel of photos of Anzac Day commemorations.Senator Helen Polley, a former shadow minister and current chair of parliament’s committee on law enforcement, posted a video compilation of images paying respect to Australia’s defence forces. Continue reading...

• NATO announced Friday the deployment of 5,000 additional personnel to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, citing concerns over Russian military buildups near the Ukraine border and increased reconnaissance flights in NATO airspace. • The alliance activated contingency protocols allowing individual member states to request reinforcements without full consensus; Poland alone will receive 2,500 troops, primarily from the United States and Germany. • Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned the deployment as "provocative" and pledged countermeasures, while NATO Secretary-General stated the move was "defensive and proportional" to regional security threats.

Overnight incident in Romania did not lead to hostilities as potential target stayed within Ukrainian airspaceTwo RAF Typhoons have been scrambled from a Romanian air base to engage Russian drones close to Nato air space although did not fire or shoot any down.British defence sources said the fighter jets did not enter Ukrainian airspace, contradicting reports that Russian drones had been shot down by the RAF there, an event which would have represented a major escalation in hostilities between the western alliance and Moscow. Continue reading...

Members will plan how to come to each other’s aid in the event of an attack as Nato faces worst crisis in its historyBrussels officials will draw up a plan on how to use the EU’s little-known mutual assistance pact in the event of a foreign attack, as Donald Trump’s criticism of Nato intensifies.EU leaders have agreed that the European Commission “will prepare a blueprint” on how the bloc will respond if the mutual assistance clause is triggered, according to Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, who is hosting the talks. Continue reading...

• Turkey and Greece opened fresh talks on maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean, with NATO officials mediating discussions aimed at resolving long-standing territorial disputes. • Both nations agreed to establish a permanent dialogue mechanism and conduct joint scientific surveys of disputed seabed areas, marking the most substantive progress in five years. • The US views the agreement as critical to regional stability, particularly given strategic concerns about Russian naval activity in the Mediterranean and the need for unified NATO positioning.

Lord Robertson says diplomatic tone from White House is at ‘historic low’ and two allies are likely to keep divergingUK politics live – latest updatesBritain’s high military dependence on the US “is no longer tenable” and the UK has to become increasingly independent of the special relationship with Washington, a former Nato chief has warned.Lord Robertson, who last week accused British leaders of a “corrosive complacency” towards defence, said on Wednesday the traditional allies were diverging over values – and that even after Donald Trump, the separation was likely to continue. Continue reading...

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump, says president’s feud with the pope is a ‘distraction’A Republican lawmaker has condemned what he refers to as Donald Trump’s “holy war” against Pope Leo XIV.Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump and the ultraconservative Maga movement, condemned the president’s attacks on the pope during a Fox News interview on Saturday. Continue reading...

• NATO's Cyber Defense Centre convened an emergency session Friday evening after Russia launched a sophisticated cyberattack targeting Poland's electrical grid and water treatment facilities, temporarily affecting 2.3 million residents. • Polish authorities attribute the attack to Russian military intelligence, claiming it used previously unknown malware variants designed to evade NATO defense systems and test alliance cyber resilience. • The incident prompted NATO to raise its cyber alert status to level 3, the highest in the alliance's history, and triggered Article 5 consultations regarding collective defense implications.

George Robertson says the UK is in peril due to military underfunding, adding that Iran war should be wake-up callThe British government has shown a “corrosive complacency towards defence” and put the UK “in peril”, according to a government adviser, in fierce criticisms of Keir Starmer’s military policy.The former Nato secretary general and author of the government’s strategic defence review, George Robertson, believes Starmer was “not willing to make the necessary investment”, the Financial Times has reported. Continue reading...

Merger will ‘prioritise the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good’, letter statesJoaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Yorgos Lanthimos and Kristen Stewart are among more than 1,000 film and TV industry professionals who have signed an open letter protesting against Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, the parent group that owns HBO, HBO Max, CNN, TBS and Food Network, as well as the Warner Bros TV and film studios.“We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritise the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good,” states the letter, which was published on Monday on BlocktheMerger.com. Continue reading...

• NATO defense ministers convened an emergency session on April 11 to address Russian military concentrations near the Polish and Baltic borders, with satellite imagery showing increased deployment of artillery and armored units. • Polish officials reported detecting over 15,000 Russian troops and 200 military vehicles positioned within 50 kilometers of the border, prompting NATO to authorize enhanced air patrols and increased troop rotations. • US Secretary of Defense characterized the Russian movement as "destabilizing" and called for European allies to increase defense spending, warning that NATO must prepare for potential regional conflict escalation.

Trump has upped the stridency and threatening nature of his complaints, but the US and Europe need each otherCollateral damage is a universally acknowledged hazard of war – more commonly known for its impact on truth and non-combatant civilians.Its consequences are much less frequently visited on military alliances. Continue reading...

PM pushes back after Trump’s threats to leave alliance and says European members must do more in light of Iran warKeir Starmer has said it is in the best interests of the US to stay in Nato and that Europe must do more to support the alliance in light of the war in Iran.The British prime minister, speaking at the end of a multi-stop trip around the Gulf to discuss the tentative ceasefire and options to fully reopen the commercially vital strait of Hormuz, pushed back against Donald Trump’s threats to leave the defence alliance. Continue reading...

• NATO members approved a €4.2 billion additional military assistance package for Ukraine on April 10, including air defense systems, ammunition, and electronic warfare equipment to counter Russian offensives. • Russian forces intensified bombardment across the Donbas region this week, launching over 850 artillery strikes daily and deploying newly mobilized forces toward Pokrovsk, a key Ukrainian logistics hub 50 kilometers from the front. • NATO Secretary-General emphasized the aid reflects alliance commitment to Ukraine's defense, with additional commitments expected at the NATO summit scheduled for June 2026 in Madrid.

• President Trump is reexamining the United States' relationship with NATO, as his irritation with American allies who refused to join the war against Iran reaches a climax. • Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on March 31 that 'after this conflict has concluded, we should reevaluate' America's role in the alliance, while NATO Ambassador Matt Whitaker said on April 1 that 'everything's on the table.' • The reconsideration reflects Trump's frustration with NATO members' reluctance to support U.S. military operations in Iran, signaling potential fundamental shifts in transatlantic security arrangements.

Secretary general says Trump ‘clearly disappointed’ with alliance as US media report White House is considering a plan to ‘punish’ some membersThe US president, Donald Trump, has once again lashed out against Nato after a tense and lengthy meeting with the alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, who admitted Trump was “clearly disappointed” with allies over their refusal to get involved in Iran.In another angry ALL CAPS post on social media overnight, Trump said:“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” Continue reading...

Mark Rutte praises ‘very frank’ talks but declines to say if president discussed potential withdrawal from allianceMark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, has said Donald Trump was “clearly disappointed” that the US’s allies had refused to join its war against Iran, following a closed-door meeting in Washington on Wednesday.Speaking to CNN after his private meeting with the US president, Rutte declined to say directly whether Trump raised his threat to withdraw from the military alliance over the Iran war, but described the exchange as a “very frank, very open” discussion between “two good friends”. Continue reading...

• Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to noncontact practice on Tuesday, signaling a faster-than-anticipated recovery from injury. • Chabot has recorded 31 points (7 goals, 24 assists) in 55 games this season while averaging 22:34 of ice time before his injury. • The early return to practice suggests the Senators could have Chabot available sooner than originally projected for the remainder of the regular season.

Use of unmanned ground vehicles has grown exponentially since 2024 turning the war into a technological contestVictor Pavlov showed off Ukraine’s newest and most versatile weapon: a battery-powered land robot.The unmanned ground vehicles come in various shapes and sizes. One runs on caterpillar tracks and resembles a roofless milk float. Another has wheels and antennas. A third carries anti-tank mines. Since spring 2024 their use has grown exponentially. Continue reading...

Democrat Tammy Duckworth writes letter to TSA calling on agency to reinstate the shoes-off airport security policyNine months after US airports allowed passengers to pass through scanners without taking off their shoes, rescinding the stringent policy after almost two decades, a top senator claimed the “reckless” move could put passengers in danger.The policy amounts to a “potentially catastrophic security deficiency”, according to Tammy Duckworth, Democrat for Illinois, and ranking member of the Senate commerce, science and transportation (CST) aviation subcommittee. Continue reading...

Richard Blumenthal says company acts like it has ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’ as records show it upping fees to cut lossesTicketmaster quietly raised other fees after US crackdown on hidden chargesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenators slammed Ticketmaster for raising ticket fees following a regulatory crackdown on hidden charges as revealed in a report by the Guardian last week.The Federal Trade Commission last May began requiring Ticketmaster to disclose concert ticket fees upfront – a practice known as all-in pricing. The company eliminated the order processing fee it charged at the the end of a transaction to comply with the rule. Continue reading...

Speaking in South Korea, the French president defended the transatlantic alliance and called for return to peaceMiddle East crisis – live updatesEmmanuel Macron has sharply criticised Donald Trump’s inconsistent and often contradictory pronouncements on the Iran war and Nato, saying if “you want to be serious” it was better not to come out with a something different every day.“There is too much talk … and it’s all over the place,” the French president said on Thursday during a state visit to South Korea. “We all need stability, calm, a return to peace – this isn’t a show!” Continue reading...