Large-scale US military exercises underway in northern Greece with NATO partners
One of the largest U.S.-led military exercises in Europe this year—Immediate Response 25—showed off its skills during a demonstration in northern Greece on Wednesday. (AP Video by Lefteris Pitarakis)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
34 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
NATO chief says Ukraine remains vital at summit despite Zelenskyy's absence from leaders' meeting
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte insisted Monday Ukraine would remain a vital topic at an alliance summit this week despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's absence from a leaders' meeting aiming to seal an agreement to boost military spending. 'You will see important language about Ukraine, including connecting the defense spending up to 2035 to Ukraine, and the need for Ukraine to stay in the fight,' Rutte told reporters on the eve of the two-day summit. 'This is a clear commitment by allies.' But the Ukrainian leader hasn't yet publicly confirmed he'll attend a dinner laid on for leaders attending the NATO summit, where his country has had a diplomatic downgrade from previous alliance meetings, even as leaders stress that their militaries need to muscle up to counter the threat of Russia. It's a big change since the summit in Washington last year, when the military alliance's weighty communique included a vow to supply long-term security assistance to Ukraine, and a commitment to back the country 'on its irreversible path' to NATO membership. But with Zelenskyy's relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump still strained since a testy Oval Office meeting earlier this year, finding a place for the Ukrainian leader at NATO's top table has proved a bridge too far. There are other meetings scheduled for Zelenskyy at the summit, but the doors remain shut to the leaders' working meeting Wednesday, even as Rutte acknowledged how heavily the war weighs on the leaders. 'Of course, the most significant and direct threat facing this alliance remains the Russian Federation," he said. "Moscow continues to wage war against Ukraine with the support of North Korea, Iran and China, as well as Belarus.' European allies and Canada, 'will provide over €35 billion of additional security assistance to Ukraine for the year ahead,' he said. 'So in a couple of months, we went from €20 billion to €35 billion. And I think that is great news.' Meanwhile, Moscow bombarded Ukraine with 352 drones and decoys, as well as 11 ballistic missiles and five cruise missiles overnight Monday, Ukraine's air force said, killing at least 14 people and injuring several dozen others.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump wants oil producers to pump more crude amid jitters that Iran may close critical shipping lane
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday called for the U.S. and other oil-producing economies to pump more oil as crude prices remain volatile following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump urged stepped-up production as the White House sharpened its warnings to Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas shipping lane, in retaliation for the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program. 'To the Department of Energy: DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!' Trump posted on social media. He added, 'EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I'M WATCHING! YOU'RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON'T DO IT!' The push by Trump comes at an uncertain moment as U.S. embassies and military installations in the Middle East are on high alert for potential retaliation. Global markets are trying to ascertain what lays ahead after the U.S. struck key Iranian nuclear facilities with a barrage of 30,000-pound bunker busting bombs and Tomahawk missiles. Iran's parliament has approved cutting off the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane in the Persian Gulf that about 20% of global oil and gas passes through. It's now up to Iran's national security council to decide whether to move forward with the idea, which could lead to a spike in the cost of goods and services worldwide. The price of oil jumped 4% shortly after trading began on Sunday night, but it quickly pared back as the focus shifted from what the U.S. military did to how Iran would react. Oil futures were flip-flopping in Monday morning trading between gains and losses. They still remain higher than they were before the fighting began a little more than a week ago. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Tehran anew against closing the strait, saying, 'the Iranian regime would be foolish to make that decision.' The State Department has doubled the number of emergency evacuation flights it is providing for American citizens wishing to leave Israel, ordered the departure of nonessential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon. It also is stepping up travel warnings around the Middle East because of concerns Iran will retaliate against U.S. interests in the region. In an alert sent to all Americans worldwide and posted to its website on Sunday, the State Department warned all U.S. citizens abroad to exercise caution. The U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued an alert on its website Monday urging American citizens in the energy-rich nation to 'shelter in place until further notice,' although Qatar later said the situation was 'stable.' The embassy did not elaborate and did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press. Many energy industry analysts are skeptical that Iran would go forward with a full closure of the strait, something that it has threatened to do in the past. Iran would face the possibility of retaliation against its own shipments and the possibility that the move would upset China, the biggest purchaser of Iranian crude. The U.S. and allies pressed Russia in the leadup to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine with threats to its oil industry, and then followed through as many Western oil companies pulled out of the country and the U.S. and Europe imposed sanctions on Russian industry. But Iran is far less integrated into the global economy than Russia, which was reliant on European markets for its oil and gas exports and still went forward with the invasion despite U.S. warnings. 'There's been a lot of suggestion as well that this isn't something that is incredibly likely, and that's generally attributed to economic interdependence, which I don't want to suggest doesn't matter. It absolutely does,' said Colby Connelly, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Connelly added, "if the 2020s have taught us anything so far, it's that economic ties don't always prevent conflict." In another development Monday, Leavitt appeared to play down Trump calling into question the future of Iran's ruling theocracy, seemingly contradicting his administration's earlier calls on Tehran to resume negotiations and avoid an escalation in fighting. 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' Trump posted on social media. 'MIGA!!!' Leavitt said Trump's 'posture and our military posture has not changed.' 'The president was just simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking,' Leavitt said.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Suicide Bombing at Orthodox Church Kills 25—What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A suicide bomber has killed at least 25 people and injured 63 of the 350 congregants after opening fire and then self-detonating at a Greek Orthodox church in Syria on Sunday. A service was taking place at the church, located in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus, when a man believed to be connected to the Islamic State militant group (IS) entered with a weapon. The bombing destroyed the entrance to the church, killing and injuring people both inside and in the church's vicinity. Footage of the aftermath shows broken pews and blood strewn across the church's walls. A Civil Defense worker inspects the damage inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweila on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on June 22, 2025. A Civil Defense worker inspects the damage inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweila on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on June 22, 2025. SANA via AP Why It Matters Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa is a former member of Al-Qaeda but has pledged to unite Syria as a pluralistic society. Attacks such as these lead to questions over whether he is serious about expelling radical Islamist groups from the country. Aid cuts by the Trump administration have compromised efforts within Syria to repatriate IS members living in prison camps across the country, and have led to major security lapses including smuggling of people out of camps holding IS members and their families. Such lapses have created concerns around IS terrorism in the country. Civilian casualties receive treatment at Al-Mujtahid Hospital in Damascus, Syria, after being injured in the explosion at St. Elias Church on 22 June, 2025. Civilian casualties receive treatment at Al-Mujtahid Hospital in Damascus, Syria, after being injured in the explosion at St. Elias Church on 22 June, 2025. Moawia Atrash/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images What To Know This is the first suicide bombing to occur in Syria since its new regime took power. The attack came after months of low-level IS activity and propaganda, per the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper. IS has long targeted Christians and other minority religious groups in the region. And although it was technically militarily defeated in 2019, IS cells have remained active across the country and continue to pose security concerns. A United Nations report from February 2025, states that IS will likely take advantage of security vacuums left by the sudden ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. According to Syrian officials, IS militants were able to seize abandoned weapons left in Assad's wake. The new Syrian government, which is made up of members of another Islamist rebel group, has been actively fighting IS cells across the country, as they see it as a source of instability, especially as the government does not currently have control over the entire country. Syrian Interior minister Anas Khattab spoke out against the bombing, telling the press that this is a "reprehensible crime." UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen has also condemned the attack, calling on Syrians "to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and the targeting of any community." Syrian Christians hold a protest in front of the Umm al-Zannar Church in Homs Governorate, central Syria, on June 22, 2025. Syrian Christians hold a protest in front of the Umm al-Zannar Church in Homs Governorate, central Syria, on June 22, 2025. Moawia Atrash/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images What People Are Saying Syrian Interior minister Anas Khattab told the press: "These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace." A statement on behalf of UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen said: "[Pedersen] expresses his outrage at this heinous crime. He takes note that the Syrian interim authorities have attributed this attack to [IS] and calls for a full investigation and action by the authorities. Mr. Pedersen calls on all to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement, and the targeting of any community in Syria. He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and his hope for the recovery of those injured." Issam Nasr, a church worshipper, told The Guardian: "We have never held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried were our prayers." What Happens Next The Syrian government has said it aims to achieve peace across the country. Whether this attack unleashes a new era of instability remains to be seen.
