NATO boosts defense spending in move hailed by Trump as ‘monumental win'
In this episode of W News Extra, presented by Leigh-Ann Gerrans, we cover NATO's pledge to significantly increase defense spending – meeting US President Donald Trump's demands. He called it a 'monumental win' for America and reaffirmed the US commitment to defending its European allies.
Guests:
Wissam Keyrouz – Editor at Al Arabiya
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Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Justice Department Closes Investigation Into Muslim-Centered Community Near Dallas
The US Department of Justice has closed a federal civil rights investigation into a Muslim-centered planned community around one of the state's largest mosques near Dallas without filing any charges or lawsuits. The Justice Department had opened the investigation after US Sen. John Cornyn called for it, arguing that the development could discriminate against Christians and Jews. The developers of the proposed EPIC City community tied to the East Plano Islamic Center have complained they are being bullied by multiple federal and state investigations because they are Muslim. A June 13 Justice Department letter to Community Capital Partners, the group developing the project, noted the department is closing the investigation. 'CCP has affirmed that all will be welcome in any future development,' the letter said. The group wrote that they plan to revise and develop marketing materials to reinforce that message. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment further. The letter was first reported Wednesday by the Dallas Morning News. Community Capital Partners had said the development would adhere to the Fair Housing Act and any other state and federal guidelines and that the community would be open to members of all religions. The federal investigation had escalated pressure on the proposed EPIC City, which has faced steady criticism and multiple investigations. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and other GOP state officials have claimed the group is trying to create a community that excludes non-Muslims and would impose Islamic law on residents. The developers have said they are not seeking to impose religion on anyone and that the community would follow state and federal law. Among its chief critics has been the state's hard-right Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn for his Senate seat in 2026. Dan Cogdell, an attorney for EPIC City who defended Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial when he was acquitted by the state Senate, noted how quickly federal officials had wrapped up their probe. 'None of the investigations would be happening if the community was planned around a Christian church or Jewish temple,' Cogdell said. 'The false accusations that have been swirling around the development were based solely on misinformation, lies, and false rumors,' Cogdell said. 'Frankly, the politicians that have repeated them without ever bothering to look at any fact should be embarrassed.' The state investigations include whether the development is violating financial and fair housing laws and whether funeral practices at the mosque were done legally. The status of those investigations remained unclear Wednesday. Cogdell said the developers will cooperate with anyone who asks. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has criticized the federal and state probes as bullying the Muslim community and a violation of constitutionally protected religious expression. 'We welcome the dropping of this investigation and hope the DOJ's actions send a clear message to the governor and other officials in Texas that they should similarly drop their Islamophobic witch hunt targeting Muslims in that state,' said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. Plans for the mixed-use development include more than 1,000 homes and apartments, a faith-based school for kindergarten through 12th grade, a community college, assisted living for older residents, and athletics fields. The project may take years to finish. The developers have said they will not even start the initial permitting process for several more months. EPIC City would be near the community of Josephine, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Dallas.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Ukraine, European rights body sign accord for tribunal on Russian aggression
Ukraine and the Council of Europe human rights body signed an agreement on Wednesday forming the basis for a special tribunal intended to bring to justice senior Russian officials for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset signed the accord in the French city of Strasbourg at the Council's headquarters. 'This is truly a very important step. Every war criminal must know there will be justice and that includes Russia. We are now boosting the legal work in a serious way,' Zelensky told the ceremony. 'There is still a long road ahead. Today's agreement is just the beginning. We must take real steps to make it work. It will take strong political and legal cooperation to make sure every Russian war criminal faces justice, including (President Vladimir) Putin.' Ukraine has demanded the creation of such a body since Russia's February 2022 invasion, accusing Russian troops of committing thousands of war crimes. It is also intent on prosecuting Russians for orchestrating the invasion. The 46-member Council of Europe, set up after World War Two to uphold human rights and the rule of law, approved the tribunal in May, saying it was intended to be complementary to the International Criminal Court and fill legal gaps in prosecutions. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant against Putin, accusing him of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
UK Living Standards Set to Stagnate for Rest of 2020s, Think Tank Says
Living standards in Britain look set to barely grow over the rest of the decade and poorer households are likely to suffer a drop, in part due to a welfare squeeze, according to a report published by a think tank on Thursday. Median household incomes after taxes, benefits including pensions and housing costs are on course to rise by a total of just 1% more than inflation by the 2029/30 fiscal year, the Resolution Foundation said. Lower-income families are expected to see a 1% fall. Typical households paying mortgages will see incomes fall by 1% as the impact of higher interest rates feeds through to more borrowers. By contrast, people who own their homes outright are set to see their incomes grow by 3%, the foundation said. The biggest winners are likely to be pensioners with their incomes forecast to rise by 5%. Families with children are set to have no income growth. Adam Corlett, principal economist at the think tank, said the forecasts could prove to be too gloomy if the economy grows more quickly than expected. Low-income households would benefit if the government scraps a two-child limit on some family benefits, he said. The limit was introduced by the previous Conservative government. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering ditching it. However, he has said he will not reverse plans to make it harder for people to claim long-term sickness and disability benefits which have run into opposition within his Labor Party.
