NATO Country Issues Nuclear War Warning
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Germany marked the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings with a stark warning that nuclear war "cannot be won and must never be fought," as Foreign Minister Wadephul condemned growing threats to the global nuclear order.
In a statement released Wednesday, Johann Wadephul criticized Russia for engaging in "nuclear blackmail," warning it undermines decades of arms control efforts and poses a threat to global security.
He reaffirmed Germany's commitment—alongside France and the U.K.—to strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The remarks reflect mounting concern within NATO that global nuclear stability is eroding amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Mary Peltola's Chances of Defeating Dan Sullivan in Alaska Senate Race—Poll
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 new poll of Alaska's 2026 Senate race showed Democratic former Representative Mary Peltola only one point behind incumbent GOP Senator Dan Sullivan. Newsweek reached out to Sullivan's campaign and the Alaska Democratic Party for comment via email. Why It Matters Alaska is among the states Democrats are hoping to make competitive in next year's Senate races, though it backed President Donald Trump by double-digits in the 2024 presidential race. Democrats must win at least two Senate races in double-digit Trump states to win back control of the Senate. Maine—which backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by seven points—and North Carolina—which voted for Trump by only three points—are viewed as Democrats' top targets. However, no other Harris or single-digit Trump states are up for grabs, so they are looking at races in states like Alaska, Iowa, Ohio and Texas as potential opportunities. What to Know A new Data for Progress poll released on Friday suggested Alaska could be competitive if Peltola jumps into the race. Peltola represented Alaska's at-large Congressional seat from 2022 to 2025 and narrowly lost to GOP Representative Nick Begich III in November. She has not made her plans clear for 2026 but has been floated as a potential candidate in either the Senate or gubernatorial race. The polling memo wrote that Peltola is "uniquely popular," being viewed positively by 52 percent of Alaskans despite the state's conservative bent. If she were to challenge Sullivan in the Senate race, the incumbent would hold only a one-point lead at this point in time, the poll found. Forty-six percent of respondents said they would vote for him, while 45 percent said they would cast their ballots for Peltola. An additional 5 percent said they would not rank either candidate, while 4 percent were still unsure. The survey was taken July 21 to 27 and polled 678 likely voters in Alaska using SMS and web panel respondents. The poll's margin of error associated with the sample size is ±4 percentage points. Notably, Alaska uses a ranked choice voting system. In the primary, the four candidates who receive the most support advance to the general election, regardless of their party. In the general, voters rank their candidates based on preference. Candidates are eliminated one-by-one until one reaches 50 percent support. Peltola, meanwhile, held a lead over Republican candidates in a hypothetical poll of the governor race. On the first round of ranked choice, 54 percent of respondents said they would vote for her. Trump carried Alaska by about 13 percentage points last November. Then-Representative Mary Peltola, an Alaska Democrat, speaks to reporters in Anchorage, Alaska, on November 8, 2022. Then-Representative Mary Peltola, an Alaska Democrat, speaks to reporters in Anchorage, Alaska, on November 8, People Are Saying Elisa Rios, a former campaign manager for Peltola, told The Alaska Beacon in July: "It's really just where she can make the greatest impact for Alaskans. She is going to make that decision on her own time." Jason Katz-Brown, of Data for Progress, told The 19th News on Friday: "The policies that she spent her whole last two years running on, especially on fisheries policy, are really, really popular things in Alaska, and the policies of the Republican governor are extremely unpopular. All that's combined, I think, really backs up the people in the state who really want to see a Peltola governorship." What Happens Next? The Cook Political Report classifies the Alaska Senate and gubernatorial race as being "Solid Republican." Sabato's Crystal Ball lists the Senate race as Solid Republican, but the gubernatorial race as Likely Republican.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Russian and Chinese Naval Fleet Sails Near US Ally
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. Russian and Chinese naval vessels were tracked sailing near Japan—a key United States ally—while conducting a joint patrol in the region after the conclusion of a bilateral drill. Separately on Friday, China said its military ties with Russia were not aimed at "any third party" and urged "relevant parties" to view the cooperation objectively and rationally. Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries for comment via email. Why It Matters Russia and China—both major rivals of the United States—have formed a quasi-alliance, describing their ties as an "unlimited partnership." Moscow and Beijing have gradually expanded their military cooperation, having organized 113 joint war games since 2003. Under the U.S. containment strategy in the western Pacific, Japan forms part of an island chain—alongside Taiwan and the Philippines—intended to keep the U.S.'s adversaries at bay. Tokyo frequently reports movements of Russian and Chinese forces near its territory. What To Know Japan's Defense Ministry said two Chinese vessels and a Russian warship transited the Soya Strait—also known as La Pérouse Strait—on an eastbound voyage, heading into the Sea of Okhotsk from the Sea of Japan (referred to as the East Sea in South Korea) on Friday. The waterway lies between the Russian island of Sakhalin to the north and the Japanese island of Hokkaido to the south. A map provided by the Japanese military shows the flotilla transited beyond Japan's territorial waters, which extend up to 13.8 miles from the coastline. The Chinese ships were identified by their hull numbers as the destroyer CNS Shaoxing and the supply ship CNS Qiandaohu, while the Russian ship was the destroyer Admiral Tributs. The Russian Pacific Fleet also confirmed that the ships took part in a "coordinated patrol." The patrol followed the conclusion of the Russia-China Joint Sea 2025 war game, held near Vladivostok in Russia's Far East from August 1 to 5. The drill included joint air defense, counter-sea, and anti-submarine operations, the Chinese Defense Ministry said. The primary objectives of the patrol include "maintaining peace and stability" in the Asia-Pacific region, conducting maritime surveillance, and protecting the "economic assets" of both countries in the region, the Russian Pacific Fleet said in a statement on Thursday. From top, the Chinese destroyer CNS Shaoxing and the supply ship CNS Qiandaohu transits the Soya Strait with the Russian destroyer Admiral Tributs on August 8. From top, the Chinese destroyer CNS Shaoxing and the supply ship CNS Qiandaohu transits the Soya Strait with the Russian destroyer Admiral Tributs on August 8. Japan's Defense Ministry During a news briefing on Friday, Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, urged "relevant parties"—which were not identified—to stop spreading what he described as "groundless speculation and smears" about defense cooperation between China and Russia. The spokesperson also reiterated that Beijing and Moscow adhere to the principles of "non-alliance and non-confrontation," while jointly safeguarding the world's peace and stability. What People Are Saying Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, said at a news briefing on Friday: "Exercise Joint Sea is an institutionalized cooperation program between the Chinese and Russian navies. Since its inception in 2012, the exercise has been held 10 times and has become a key platform for China-Russia military cooperation." A 2025 Japanese defense white paper said: "China has been swiftly increasing its national defense expenditures, thereby extensively and rapidly enhancing its military capability in a qualitative and quantitative manner and intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, including around the Senkaku Islands, and the Pacific." It added: "Russia has also been observed engaging in joint activities with China involving aircraft and vessels." What Happens Next It remains to be seen how far the Russian and Chinese naval vessels will operate during their joint patrol. Japan is expected to report further movements of the flotilla in the coming days.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Trump Issues Warning To Courts Who Attempt To Block Tariffs Policy
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. President Donald Trump issued a warning to courts that might stand in the ways of his tariffs policy. Trump said Friday that it would be "impossible to ever recover, or pay back" the "money and honor" brought in by tariffs, if a "Radical Left Court ruled against us at this late date." "It would be 1929 all over again, a GREAT DEPRESSION!" he said in a Truth Social post on Friday. Trump used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs without seeking congressional approval or conducting investigations first. The law gives presidents broad power to impose economic sanctions during national emergencies, but Trump is the first president to use it to impose tariffs. His use of the act is currently under review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which heard oral arguments at the end of July. This is a breaking news story, updates to follow.
