Belgian security forces shot dead a would-be suicide bomber around 9 p.m. local time Tuesday in Brussels' central train station, which was evacuated following a small but fiery blast, in what is being treated as a new case of terrorism. Apart from the attacker, there were no other casualties, it was reported.
United States President Donald Trump has expressed his commitment to NATO and bilateral cooperation with Spain during a telephone call with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, a media report said on Wednesday. They also discussed the fight against the terrorist group Islamic State (IS), and Spain's role as potential bridge with Latin American countries and Europe.
In his first meeting with a foreign leader, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke of the two nations' “special relationship,” and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed, mentioning common economic interests and shared values, but pointedly saying the new president had pledged he is “100 percent” behind NATO.
Minister Theresa May spoke on Tuesday with President-elect Donald Trump about building close UK-US relationships and about the role of NATO. A Downing Street spokesperson said ”the Prime Minister called the US President-elect this afternoon as part of establishing a regular dialogue between both of them.
Russia has withdrawn a request to refuel its warships in Ceuta, after Spain became the subject of international criticism, from the NATO secretary general among others. Spain had recently signed statements accusing Russia of war crimes in Syria, where it’s believed the ships are headed.
The Czech government has no intention of holding any referendum on European Union or NATO membership, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka's office said in a statement, a week after Britain's surprise vote to leave the bloc.
NATO said on Wednesday it had agreed to non-member Israel setting up representation at its Brussels headquarters, a tentative sign of rapprochement between the Jewish state and NATO member Turkey.
By Barack Obama, President of the United States - In 1939, President Franklin D Roosevelt offered a toast to King George VI in the White House. “I am persuaded that the greatest single contribution our two countries have been enabled to make to civilisation, and to the welfare of peoples throughout the world,” he said, “is the example we have jointly set by our manner of conducting relations between our two nations.”
United Kingdom Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said that April first marks the beginning of a new financial year, but above all a remarkable turnaround: “a major milestone for Defense with our budget increasing for the first time in six years in real terms”.
Barack Obama has pressed David Cameron to maintain Britain's commitment to meeting the NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense. In talks at the G7 summit in Germany, the US President also said he was “looking forward” to Britain remaining in the European Union.