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US judge extends block on Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponisation’ fund

US judge extends block on Trump’s .8bn ‘anti-weaponisation’ fund

Justice Department had walked back controversial plan after meeting backlash from lawmakers and lawsuits. Published On 12 Jun 202612 Jun 2026 A federal judge in the United States has indefinitely blocked the Trump administration from moving forward with plans for a $1.8bn “anti-weaponisation” fund, meant to offer payments to those who experienced alleged “lawfare” and “weaponisation” of the government. The ruling on Friday represents another setback for the scheme, which has faced heavy resistance from lawmakers and has been walked back by the Department of Justice previously. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Judge Leonie Brinkema of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia had issued a temporary halt to the fund last week and issued a preliminary injunction as it was set to expire on Friday. The fund was the product of a settlement between Trump and the Justice Department of a $10bn lawsuit the president had brought against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The Justice Department set up a $1.776bn fund that would have been helmed by a five-member commission to distribute funds to those they deemed victims of “weaponisation”, a term that Trump has used to describe investigations and criminal cases into himself and his allies. Attorney General Todd Blanche walked back the plans earlier this month amid growing criticism, and government attorneys have argued that lawsuits challenging the scheme are now irrelevant. Even before the administration announced it was dropping the fund, the Justice Department did not form the five-member commission to decide on payout criteria, so no money was paid out or claims accepted. Many of the Republican president’s allies are opposed to compensating rioters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. In May, however, Blanche would not rule out the possibility that Capitol rioters who engaged in violence could be eligible to apply for payments from the fund. Advertisement Trump issued mass pardons to Capitol rioters on his first day back in the White House last year. More than 1,500 people were charged in the January 6 attack before Trump erased every case with his sweeping act of clemency. Plaintiffs who sued to block the plan argued that the scheme diverted taxpayer funds into what was essentially a slush fund and have expressed doubt about Blanche’s assurances that the fund will not move forward. While the administration has moved away from the scheme, Trump himself has not endorsed its cancellation and has continued to discuss it positively in comments to the press. Adblock test (Why?)

US to cut air and naval assets deployed for NATO operations in Europe

US to cut air and naval assets deployed for NATO operations in Europe

Plans include cutting 50 fighter jets, while restationing aircraft carrier, bomber task force group, reports NY Times. By AFP, Anadolu, Reuters and The Associated Press Published On 12 Jun 202612 Jun 2026 The United States plans to cut air and naval assets designated to NATO operations in Europe, in another hit to confidence concerning Washington’s commitment to the military alliance. European officials on Friday backed up a report in The New York Times that the administration of President Donald Trump is set to sharply reduce the deployment of NATO-assigned fighter jets and maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and relocate a submarine, aircraft carrier and several warships. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The plan comes as part of a broader US strategy to draw down its military presence in Europe as it focuses resources on the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. Major movements of troops along NATO’s eastern flank have been announced, introducing instability to cross-Atlantic security at time when Europe is increasingly focused on potential Russian military threats. NATO officials said on Friday that the alliance is aware of some planned US reductions and sought to frame them positively, insisting the pullback will be good for long-term sustainability. “This change strengthens NATO’s defence plans by reducing over-dependence on one ally and is a reflection of a broader shift happening within the alliance,” NATO spokesperson Allison Hart told the Anadolu news agency. “This is about putting NATO on a more sustainable footing for the decades to come,” Hart added. Alternative defence plans According to the NYT, the US intends to decrease the number of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets allocated to NATO from about 150 to 100, while dropping maritime surveillance aircraft from 26 to 15. Eight aerial refuelling aircraft are also expected to be withdrawn completely. Advertisement The report said one of two bomber task force groups previously assigned to European defence would be redeployed to another region, while a missile-capable submarine and an aircraft carrier would also be stationed elsewhere. The expected cuts – which would affect NATO’s reconnaissance and long-range strike capacity – and further US disengagement have forced NATO to weigh alternative plans for Europe’s defence in the event of a Russian attack. However, Washington’s erratic plans are making it more complicated for the alliance’s European member states to identify priorities. “We need to focus on things that we can acquire quickly, that we can field quickly, and that we can scale rapidly and sustain over time, and that goes for long-range fires” as well as drones, said NATO’s supreme allied commander, US General Alex Grynkewich, at an airshow in Berlin on Thursday. “Those sorts of things can help us mitigate the near-term risk should we find ourselves needing to deter and defend,” he said. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at NATO, including for what he deems insufficient support for the US-Israeli war on Iran, and described the alliance as a “paper tiger”. The US president has also accused European governments of underinvesting in their militaries and relying too heavily on US protection, while urging both Europe and ‌Asian ‌allies to boost defence spending to 3.5 percent of GDP. Trump is expected to attend a NATO summit in Turkiye on July 7-8. His secretary of state, Marco Rubio, described the summit as “probably the most important meeting in NATO’s history, because there’s some things that need to be cleared up and fixed.” Adblock test (Why?)

Fire rips through the world’s biggest refugee camp in Bangladesh

Fire rips through the world’s biggest refugee camp in Bangladesh

NewsFeed A large fire broke out in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh, the world’s biggest displacement centre. The site is home to more than a million Rohingyas, who face persecution in neighbouring Myanmar. Published On 12 Jun 202612 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

PM Modi to attend G7 Summit: How India-France ties matter amid hostilities in Strait of Hormuz

PM Modi to attend G7 Summit: How India-France ties matter amid hostilities in Strait of Hormuz

At a crucial juncture, wherein global insecurities have arisen many areas and maritime being one of them, India is strongly looking to strengthen its security system, particularly, underwater combat capability. To move forward in this direction, India and France are set to deepen overall defence ties during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the European country beginning Saturday.