U.S. alleged night strike hits suspected drug vessel in Caribbean, killing six
The U.S. allegedly carried out its first night strike of a regional counter-drug campaign in the Caribbean, killing six suspected "narco-terrorists" o...
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has confirmed the defense spending pledge for NATO countries will increase.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has confirmed that the upcoming defense spending pledge for NATO countries will significantly exceed 2% of GDP. Rutte made the announcement ahead of an informal defense retreat in Brussels with EU leaders and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, stating that the exact figure would be decided later in 2025, based on the assessment of each member's defense capabilities.
"We are now assessing the gaps with each of the allies between where we are and where we should be," Rutte explained. "Based on that, we will decide on the new defense spending pledge. But it will be considerably higher than 2%, I can assure you."
The pledge comes as NATO seeks to address defense capabilities across its member states. The alliance has faced growing pressure, particularly from the United States, which has called on NATO's European members to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense—a target no NATO member currently meets.
In 2024, EU countries spent an average of 1.9% of their GDP on defense, totaling approximately 326 billion euros ($334.48 billion). This represented a 30% increase from the previous year, according to EU estimates.
During the retreat, Rutte also addressed concerns raised by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the "high north" region, which includes Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Canada. Trump has emphasized the strategic importance of the area, and Rutte agreed, stressing the need for NATO to take collective action.
"My stance is we have to ramp up defense spending, we have to ramp up defense production," said Rutte. "We have very good discussions with Denmark and, of course, with all the allies, and it's absolutely clear that Trump is right when it comes to the high north, that we have to do more collectively."
Rutte's comments came as the NATO summit in Brussels unfolded, overshadowed by President Trump's recent decision to impose tariffs on imports from the EU, following similar actions on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China.
As NATO continues to evaluate defense capabilities and spending commitments, Rutte’s assurances signal a determination to strengthen the alliance's collective security in the face of evolving global challenges.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, a global style icon and patron of Thai silk who helped revive the monarchy’s standing after World War II and later occasionally stepped into politics, has died aged 93, the Royal Household Bureau said on Saturday.
The U.S. allegedly carried out its first night strike of a regional counter-drug campaign in the Caribbean, killing six suspected "narco-terrorists" on a vessel linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has condemned U.S. military operations against vessels in the Caribbean, which have resulted in dozens of deaths and heightened tensions in the region.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have not ruled out the possibility of a future summit.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday (24 October) that trade talks with Washington are progressing well. She declined to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to halt negotiations with Canada over Ontario’s anti-tariff advertisement.
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