NATO allies agree to raise defence spending, as sought by Trump

SBS Australia

a day ago

The Iranian parliament has promised Iran's nuclear program will proceed at a faster pace following US strikes, despite President Donald Trump claiming their nuclear capacity has been obliterated. It comes as a leaked report from the US Defence Intelligence Agency assessed the strikes had set back Iran's nuclear program by just a few months, contradicting administration officials. President Trump initially waved these reports away at the NATO summit, claiming Iran's nuclear program had been set back decades, before conceding US intelligence is "very inconclusive" at this stage. In response to the strikes, Iran's parliament has approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, after the UN agency failed to condemn the US strikes. "Despite the recent attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, the International Atomic Energy Agency has not condemned them - not even superficially. It has undermined its international credibility, and for this reason, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran is suspending its cooperation with the agency until the security of its nuclear facilities is guaranteed, and Iran's peaceful nuclear program will proceed at a faster pace." The bill requires approval by Iran's unelected Guardian Council to become law. NATO leaders have backed a significant increase in defence spending and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit tailor-made for United States President Donald Trump. In a short statement, NATO endorsed raising their defence spending goal from two per cent of GDP to five per cent by 2035 – a response to years of President Trump complaining other countries weren't paying their fair share.
The decision has also been influenced by Europe's fears that Russia could pose a growing threat to their security following the invasion of Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has celebrated the decision. "We stand together, united in NATO, the most powerful defensive alliance in world history. President Trump, dear Donald, you made this change possible. Your leadership on this has already produced one trillion dollars in extra spending from European allies since 2016. And the decisions today will produce trillions more for our common defence to make us stronger and fairer by equalizing spending between America and America's allies." All members of the military alliance backed the statement, although Spain declared it does not need to meet the goal and can meet its commitments by spending much less. The Albanese Government has announced a deepening of Australia's ties to the NATO military alliance by applying fresh sanctions on Russia and promising to send an aircraft to Europe to support Ukraine. As the NATO Leaders summit takes place in the Netherlands, Defence Minister Richard Marles says Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft at the request of NATO and Poland to help protect a gateway for humanitarian and military aid to enter Ukraine. Up to 100 Australian Defence Force personnel will also deploy to Europe with the aircraft, in an operation set to continue until November. The government has also imposed another wave of sanctions designed to further weaken Russia's war economy amid its invasion of Ukraine. These include travel bans and new targeted financial sanctions on 37 individuals. Amnesty Kenya says 16 people have died in anti-government protests, with most killed by police.
Rights groups say another 400 were injured as protesters held running battles with police, who flooded Nairobi's streets with tear gas, and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire.
The marches were held on the anniversary of massive protests last year against tax rises, which killed at least 60 people.
In the US, outsider candidate Zohran Mamdani has moved one step closer to becoming Mayor of New York City. He defeated the more experienced but scandal-scarred former mayor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary. The 33-year-old state legislator and democratic socialist Mr Mamdani was largely unknown just one year ago – and, if elected would become New York's first Muslim Mayor. New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro hopes to begin his tenure with a bang as the squad takes on Slovenia tonight at Perth's HBF Park. The teams will lock horns again at the same venue on Sunday, before the Matildas face Panama on July 5 in Bunbury and July 8 back at HBF Park in Perth. The four matches mark an important step for Montemurro as he formulates a new game plan ahead of next year's Asian Cup in Australia, which begins on March 1. "It's a good benchmark, it's a good gauge for us. It is the official start of our build-up for the Asian Cup so yes I'm looking at a lot of players, yes I'm trying to instill some language, yes I am trying to instill some new ideas." The 55-year-old will be without a host of his best players with Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler and Tameka Yallop all out injured and Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Cortnee Vine and Clare Wheeler all on personal leave.