United States President Donald Trump has threatened to cut ties with Spain and insists he still wants Greenland, as NATO leaders met for a summit in the Turkish capital Ankara. …
NATO, the cornerstone of Western nations’ defence, is stronger than ever. That’s according to its Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who was speaking to the BBC at the alliance’s summit in Ankara. …
US President Donald Trump has used the Nato summit in Ankara to lash out again at fellow member Spain, and revive his interest in taking over Greenland. …
… As United States President Donald Trump meets with NATO leaders in Ankara to discuss the security of the alliance, regional allies are reportedly working behind the scenes to urge both sides to exercise restraint and preserve the remnants of the June ceasefire. …
… Speaking ahead of a Nato summit in Turkey, the president said US negotiators could continue talks “if they want” but said he saw it as “a waste of time”. …
… Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed for allies to take “strong decisions” at the this week’s Nato summit to provide Kyiv with air defences. …
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he has prepared contingency plans for a US invasion, which he described as low-risk and highly improbable, citing his responsibility to consider all possibilities as the US-Canada relationship changes under the Trump presidency. Trump's global tariffs and stated desire to make Canada the 51st state prompted the war gaming, though Trump has said an invasion is "highly unlikely" and that he would rely on economic pressure instead.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he has prepared contingency plans for a US invasion, which he described as low-risk and highly improbable, citing his responsibility to consider all possibilities as the US-Canada relationship changes under the Trump presidency. Trump's global tariffs and stated desire to make Canada the 51st state prompted the war gaming, though Trump has said an invasion is "highly unlikely" and that he would rely on economic pressure instead.
Vladimir Putin said Russia will use all weapons at its disposal if Kaliningrad comes under direct attack, insisting Moscow is responding to Western statements about preparing for war in 2029 or 2030. Russia has accused NATO of preparing to blockade the Baltic exclave, warning it would use nuclear weapons if the West cut off Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia.
With pro-Putin legislators now dominant in Russia's parliament after recent elections, Putin appears prepared to continue the full-scale invasion of Ukraine despite battlefield losses and economic damage. Russian media suggests Moscow is emboldened by Ukraine's shortage of air defence missiles and expects intensified strikes this winter.
Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Russia to abandon its "dangerous path of escalation" during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday — the first such meeting since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Tensions have worsened following a disputed drone incident at a German airport last month, which Berlin blamed on Russia.
The US and Denmark have announced a deal on Greenland's security following President Trump's threats to seize the territory. Trump said the agreement grants the US "permanent control over security, and all other needs" in the semi-autonomous Danish territory, with no cost to the United States and expected to be signed next week.
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Russia's hybrid attacks against Europe and France have intensified, and said he ordered a plan to protect critical infrastructure and defence industry sites. He said France had been targeted by such attacks in recent weeks and that Russia's intent is to intimidate Europe and break support for Ukraine.
Russian drones hit a passenger bus and train in southern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing five people, Ukrainian officials said. The attack occurred near the frontline city of Nikopol, with seven additional people injured, as Moscow continues strikes on transport links and infrastructure.
Denmark accused a Russian warship of firing two emergency flares at a Danish military helicopter during a routine monitoring operation in the Baltic Sea on Monday. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the action "reckless" and designed to "intimidate and divide," while Russia said it would investigate but accused the Danish helicopter of making "dangerous manoeuvres."
The UK government is discussing joining the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank, a global investment bank led by Canada that would allow governments to borrow at lower costs for defence spending, though Treasury officials said no decision has been made yet.
Swedish voters are heading to the polls in an election that could see a far-right party enter government for the first time. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's centre-right coalition, which relies on outside support from the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, faces a narrow-lead opposition led by former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
Libyan security forces intercepted a shipment of approximately 100,000 ecstasy pills smuggled from Europe, each moulded with the face of ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi. Libya has become a major regional transit hub for synthetic drugs, with gangs exploiting the country's instability since 2011.
The Christian Apologetic Alliance has rejected calls for Christian mission schools to alter their religious identity to accommodate Muslim students, arguing that such institutions have the right to preserve their founding Christian ethos and traditions. The position responds to concerns raised by the Ghana Muslim Students Association about compulsory Christian religious activities for Muslim students and difficulties in observing Islamic practices in mission schools.
As geopolitical competition extends into oceans, naval partnerships have become essential to protecting global trade, preserving freedom of navigation, and addressing emerging maritime challenges. With over 80 per cent of global trade by volume carried by sea, combined training, coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing among allied fleets strengthen operational readiness and manage threats including piracy, illegal fishing, organised crime and maritime terrorism.
Ukraine's conflict demonstrates that military advantage now depends on quickly identifying and deploying emerging technologies—from drones to AI software—rather than numbers alone, requiring armed forces to move beyond traditional procurement cycles to field capabilities before operational needs change.
EU Commission President von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Rutte said the alliance will respond faster and better to what von der Leyen called a "new escalation on European Union soil directly attributed to Russia," after Germany blamed Russia for a failed drone attack on Leipzig airport in August. Russia has rejected the accusations.
Germany has attributed a drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany in August to Russia, citing equipment examination and intelligence findings. In response, German officials announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and termination of the Russian House contract in Berlin, along with tighter entry controls for Russian nationals.
Germany's Interior Minister said Russia was responsible for a drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany on August 4, where a drone carrying an explosive device was found near Ukrainian cargo planes. The attack followed what the minister described as Russia's "well-established pattern of hybrid operations in Europe," prompting Germany to announce the closure of Russia's consulate in Bonn and termination of the Russian House in Berlin.
Representatives of Libya's rival political parties signed an agreement at UN-led talks to hold national elections within two years, aiming to resolve disputes over electoral laws and the national elections body after a decade of conflict and a failed election scheduled for December 2021.
Icelandic voters rejected the government's proposal to restart EU membership negotiations in a referendum, with 52.8% voting no against 47.2% voting yes. Fishing industry concerns dominated debate despite international tensions cited as the reason for bringing forward the vote.
Iceland has voted against resuming membership talks with the European Union, with 52.5% rejecting the government's proposal and 47.5% supporting it as counting nears completion. The debate centred largely on fishing industry concerns, as Iceland's fish and marine industries account for almost 40% of exports and No voters feared ceding control of fishing grounds under the EU's common fisheries policy.
With one constituency's votes still to count, Iceland has voted against resuming membership talks with the EU, with 52.5% voting no against the government's proposal. The referendum was driven partly by international tensions and US President Donald Trump's threats against Greenland, though debate focused mainly on Iceland's fishing industry and concerns over ceding control of lucrative fishing grounds under the EU's common fisheries policy.
The European Union says it is evolving its relationship with Ghana from a traditional donor-development model to one based on shared interests and mutual security responsibilities. The EU argues that Ghana's democratic stability and regional peace are important to European security, particularly as instability and violent extremism spread across the Sahel.
President Trump confirmed he secretly swapped planes while leaving a NATO summit in Turkey in July after US officials detected a credible Iranian threat to fire a missile at the aircraft. Trump said he followed Secret Service and military advice to board a different military jet instead of Air Force One, which had been boarded in public view.
Donald Trump secretly swapped from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft via a catering truck as he left a NATO summit in Turkey, after US officials detected a credible Iranian threat to fire a missile at the plane, US media report. The White House has not confirmed the secret switch.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said an object that crashed into a field in eastern Poland during a large-scale Russian attack on Ukrainian cities was probably a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, creating a 10m-wide crater. Military experts concluded recovered fragments indicated it was a Russian Kh-101, with no casualties reported.
US President Donald Trump held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, described by the White House as "positive and productive." Zelensky said Trump agreed to grant Ukraine licences for domestic production of Patriot interceptor missiles, which Kyiv says are needed to defend against Russian drone and ballistic missile attacks.
Andy Burnham, the new UK prime minister, is set to announce new support to help people with the cost of living crisis as his cabinet meets for the first time. He has vowed to provide "breathing space" for households struggling with costs and pledged to set out details on Tuesday.
Andy Burnham, the new UK prime minister, is set to announce support for households struggling with the cost of living crisis on Tuesday. Burnham has appointed a cabinet including John Healey as chancellor and Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, and pledged to provide "breathing space" for people facing financial hardship.
The International Energy Agency forecasts a significant downturn in global oil demand for 2026, the first annual decline since the 2020 pandemic, citing Middle East conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as primary drivers of disrupted production and export routes.
After Wednesday's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented each NATO leader with a Gumusay .357 Magnum revolver produced by Turkish arms maker MKE in the 1990s, engraved with their names and accompanied by live ammunition, to showcase Turkey's defence industry. The gifts created logistical complications for recipients including Belgium's prime minister, who handed his to airport police for safekeeping.