Trump blocks defence company payouts over slow production
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, crit...
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday that new plans to strengthen Europe’s defence industry and enhance military capabilities could mobilise close to €800 billion (approximately $841.4 billion).
n her remarks, von der Leyen outlined proposals designed to provide member states with increased fiscal space for defence investments. Key elements of the plan include offering €150 billion in loans to support these investments and actively seeking to attract additional private capital to bolster defence projects across the bloc.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy amid evolving global security challenges. By expanding financial support and leveraging both public and private funding, the EU intends to enable member states to modernise their military capabilities and reduce dependency on external sources for critical defence technology.
“Ensuring that our member states have the financial tools to invest in modernising their armed forces is essential for the security and stability of Europe,” von der Leyen said. The proposed measures are intended to accelerate defence projects and maintain a robust European defence industry capable of addressing emerging threats.
The proposal comes at a time when geopolitical tensions and an uncertain security landscape are prompting EU leaders to re-examine defence spending and strategic priorities. Further discussions and negotiations among member states and EU institutions will determine the specific mechanisms for mobilising the estimated €800 billion.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days — the second such incident in the city since September.
A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday, local and federal officials said, amid an expanded immigration enforcement operation ordered by President Donald Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, criticising the industry for delays and high costs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Trump’s stated goal of acquiring Greenland, despite mounting concern among European allies.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China later this month, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader since 2017.
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