Author: Daily Sabah With Reuters

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned the United States and Europe on Wednesday against any temptation to “go it alone” on security, amid increased tensions over the future of the transatlantic alliance. U.S. President Donald Trump recently cast doubt on Washington’s willingness to defend NATO allies it deemed were not paying enough for their own defence, triggering alarm among European leaders about the future of the Atlantic alliance as they face up to a more assertive Russia. Speaking at the Warsaw School of Economics, Rutte said the U.S. needed European countries to “step up” on security and that the alliance must…

Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 56 of 117 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack on Wednesday, the air force said. It said 48 drones were lost, in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them.

The European Commission said on Wednesday that Europe should enhance stockpiling of critical equipment and encourage the public to maintain sufficient supplies for at least 72 hours in case of emergencies. The Commission said in its new EU Preparedness Union Strategy that the bloc is preparing for risks such as natural disasters, cyberattacks and geopolitical crises including the possibility of armed aggression against EU countries. “Families living in flood zones should know what to do when the waters rise. Early warning systems can prevent regions hit by wildfires from losing precious time,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said…

Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 56 of 117 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack on Wednesday, the air force said. It said 48 drones were lost, in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them.

There will be no normalisation of relations with Russia even after the war in Ukraine is over, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday. “That will not happen. This will take decades, because there is a total lack of confidence. The threat is still there… even if the war comes to a conclusion, the Russian threat is still there,” Rutte told journalists in Warsaw.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed in a phone call efforts for reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, Emirati state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday, as Israel resumed its military offensive in the enclave last week. The Israeli military resumed fighting in Gaza on March 18, shattering a fragile two-month ceasefire. Since then, nearly 700 people, mostly women and children, have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials. In his phone call with Trump, the Emirati president also urged making aid available for Gaza residents as well as supporting the…

The United States has imposed sanctions on three Iranian intelligence officers for their alleged involvement in the disappearance of former FBI Special Agent Robert Levinson, the U.S. Treasury and State departments said in press releases on Tuesday. The sanctions on Reza Amiri Moghadam, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, and Taqi Daneshvar of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security are the latest linked to the disappearance of the former FBI agent, who Washington believes was abducted in Iran and died in captivity. As a result of the sanctions, any property of the men under U.S. jurisdiction must be blocked and Americans are generally barred…

The Israeli military said its forces had fired on Monday at a building belonging to the Red Cross in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah as a result of incorrect identification, after an office belonging to the aid organisation was damaged by an explosive projectile. The International Committee of the Red Cross said no one had been injured, but that the attack had had a direct impact on its ability to operate. The Israeli military said its forces had fired at the building after identifying suspects and sensing a threat. After examination, it turned out the identification was incorrect. “The structure’s…

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he will in the very near future announce tariffs on automobiles, aluminum and pharmaceuticals. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the United States would need all those products if there were problems including wars. “We’ve been ripped off by every country,” Trump said as he presided over a meeting of his Cabinet. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, speaking at the same meeting, said that on April 2, which Trump has targeted to impose a slew of tariffs, the United States will launch what he called “the external revenue service.” The U.S.…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump held a brief call on Sunday to discuss progress on a new economic deal between the two countries, the prime minister’s spokesperson said. Britain is hoping to negotiate a deal with the U.S. to avoid a broader round of reciprocal tariffs that Trump says he will announce next week. “The prime minister and president discussed progress in the talks on the ‘Economic Prosperity Deal’ between the U.S. and the UK,” the spokesperson told reporters on Monday.