Explosive sexual assault allegation rocks Platner campaign ahead of key deadline in crucial Senate race
Democratic Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing calls from top Democrats in his home state and in Washington to immediately end his campaign, in the wake of an explosive report on Monday afternoon that contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner, a populist Democrat long backed by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November’s midterm elections. But hours after a report from Politico on the latest allegations went viral, longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer called them “incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable.” In a statement with Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Schumer emphasized, “Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins. The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.” Speculation was swirling on social media hours earlier about Platner’s future after several of his events were canceled over the weekend. ‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Platner denied in the story. Additionally, the report says that a man Raciot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told the outlet about the incident, which allegedly took place while Platner was “almost blackout drunk.” “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” Racicot alleges that Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her telling him to stop multiple times. Racicot said in the report that “one of the reasons” she didn’t come forward until now was the “huge moral conflict” she had between her support of Platner’s politics and not supporting him “as a person.” “I just want the truth out there,” Racicot said. “I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person.” In a statement to Politico, Platner said, “These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.” The Platner campaign posted a video on X shortly after the Politico story published where Platner again called the allegations “false” and that he was going to “reflect” on the best path forward. “So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins,” Platner says in the video. “Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today.” Over the last few days, multiple Platner events over the 4th of July holiday weekend and Monday were canceled without an official explanation or comment from the campaign, Bangor Daily News reported on Monday, other than one event organizer saying that an event in Gorman was canceled due to Platner “not feeling well.” The news of the canceled events led conservative outlets and pundits to speculate throughout the day on Monday, before the Politico report was published, about whether there was an underlying reason for the cancellations. “Graham Platner cancels MULTIPLE scheduled town hall events as progressive allies tease another scandal is about to hit his campaign,” the Maine Wire news outlet posted on X. “Augusta town hall for last night – CANCELED Gorham town hall tonight – CANCELED Sanford town hall tonight – CANCELED. There are no other upcoming events listed on his FB page, or on Mobilize.” “Graham Platner no-showed Fourth of July celebrations across Maine,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee posted on X in response to the Maine Wire post. “Now, he’s canceling everything else. We wouldn’t want to be seen in public either… “ “A well-placed source told us that Graham Platner is dropping out of the Maine Senate race this week,” the Washington Reporter posted on X. “Note that Platner has yet to release his Q2 fundraising totals, a sign he may have underperformed expectations. “ In addition to the online rumors circulating on Monday, bets on the online prediction market Polymarket surged over the weekend, with users betting that Platner would drop out before the midterms. FORMER PRIMARY RIVAL RESURFACES TO CHALLENGE SCANDAL-PLAGUED GRAHAM PLATNER IN MAINE SENATE RACE Collins, who is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate, said in a statement, “These allegations are appalling. Nevertheless, it is not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate.” Meanwhile, the leadership of the Maine Democratic Party, in a statement, said it “is calling Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.” One of Platner’s top supporters in Congress, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, rescinded his endorsement. “I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement,” Khanna wrote in a social media post. Khanna, a top progressive leader in the House, told Fox News Digital as he campaigned with Platner in Maine days ahead of the primary that he was “concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that.” “I talked to Graham, and he says he was at a very dark period.
Pence commends Trump for winning freedom of Beijing’s Zion Church pastor Ezra Jin from Chinese detention
Former Vice President Mike Pence publicly praised President Donald Trump on Monday for successfully securing the release of pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, a prominent underground Christian leader detained by Chinese authorities. In a post on X, Pence said Trump “should be commended” for raising the case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing, adding it was “Truly Treasure in Heaven to see this godly man of faith set free.” Pence also called on Beijing to release jailed Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai, adding, “#FreeJimmyLai.” PRESIDENT TRUMP REVEALS XI JINPING’S RESPONSE TO POSSIBLY RELEASING IMPRISONED CHINESE CRITIC JIMMY LAI Jin, the leader of Beijing’s unregistered Zion Church, was detained in October along with 17 other church leaders. He safely arrived in Los Angeles to reunite with his family, less than two months after Trump pressed Xi on his detention, according to Frances Hui of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. PRESIDENT TRUMP MUST PUT AMERICAN HOSTAGES FIRST IN HIGH-STAKES BEIJING SUMMIT In a statement to the Associated Press, Jin’s family thanked Trump and acknowledged the swift release would not have been possible without Xi’s intervention. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., took to X to thank Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, echoing Pence’s call for Lai’s release. “Great news! Thank you @POTUS and @SecRubio for your leadership in securing Pastor Ezra Jin’s freedom,” Scott wrote in the post. “Still, we cannot stop fighting to hold COMMUNIST CHINA accountable for ALL of their crimes.” “My friend Jimmy Lai remains unjustly imprisoned simply because he stood up for freedom,” Scott continued. “Jimmy Lai is 78 with diabetes and has been in solitary confinement for YEARS. I will never stop fighting for Jimmy Lai and I won’t give up until Jimmy is out of prison.”
Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson silent amid protests over ‘human dumping ground’ ahead of US World Cup match
Seattle socialist mayor Katie Wilson is facing protests ahead of today’s U.S. World Cup match in her city as members of the local Chinese and Vietnamese communities are accusing her of abandoning their neighborhoods to crime and open air drug dealing. One organizer went so far as to accuse progressive Wilson of treating Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID) as a “human dumping ground” for homeless and drug addicts. While Seattle has hosted some of the World Cup’s biggest matches, including today’s U.S. versus Belgium match, residents and business owners in the CID and “Little Saigon” say their neighborhoods are missing out on the economic benefits due to safety concerns leading people to avoid the area, according to local outlet KIRO 7. Business owners are reporting a significant decline in foot traffic and business despite being less than a mile from Lumen Field. As frustrations mount, many are blaming Wilson’s leadership and taking to the streets to protest against her in front of World Cup crowds. SPENCER PRATT LIGHTS SOCIAL MEDIA ON FIRE WITH VIRAL TAKEDOWN OF ‘VILE, COMMIE MAYOR’ MAMDANI At one rally, Gary Lee, a CID advocate, said into a microphone, “Wilson claims to be an advocate for marginalized communities of color, but all she did was turn the CID into a human dumping ground and we’ve had enough,” KIRO 7 reported. In an interview with the outlet, Lee said, “When I look at the TV, I see that the waterfront is jampacked, Pioneer Square is jampacked. When I go over to Chinatown, it’s just like dead.” “I hate to say it, but it feels like a ghost town,” he said of the CID. Fox News Digital reached out to Wilson for comment, however the mayor did not respond by the time of publication. SEATTLE’S SOCIALIST MAYOR KATIE WILSON SLAMMED FOR CUTTING SHORT INTERVIEW OVER BASIC PUBLIC SAFETY QUESTION When CID residents started venting their frustrations, Wilson responded, “We’ve definitely seen, like, a lot of energy was put into trying to make sure that as visitors are coming, they are, you know, venturing out of that downtown corridor.” In a statement sent to KIRO 7, Wilson’s office said that “crime and disorder issues in the CID have gone unaddressed for far too long. We continue to work with the CID community to address their concerns and ensure it is a safe, active, and vibrant neighborhood.” Meanwhile, Fox 13 Seattle reported that community activist and former city council member Tanya Woo said many businesses in the district are seeing a 10-20% decline in sales. Woo called on community members to join her in walking to the stadium area on Monday to “personally invite fans to eat, shop, and experience the Chinatown-International District.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Many businesses in the Chinatown-International District are reporting sales declines compared to this time last year. Although thousands of FIFA fans are coming to Seattle, our neighborhood has largely become a rideshare pickup and drop-off zone,” she wrote. In another post, Woo wrote, “Seattle’s Chinatown International District should be benefiting from the FIFA World Cup, not being left behind.”
ICE renews hunt for El Chapo’s last two fugitive sons with massive reward
“Two down and two to go” blared the new wanted poster targeting the two remaining fugitive sons of infamous Mexican cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman-Loera, who is serving life-plus-30-years in Colorado’s federal supermax prison. On Monday, ICE posted a new wanted poster for two members of “Los Chapitos” — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, two of El Chapo’s sons with his first wife, Alejandrina Maria Salazar-Hernandez. After El Chapo’s final capture in 2016, control of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel shifted to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Following Zambada’s arrest during the Biden administration, leadership passed to Guzman’s four sons. MEXICAN SENATOR ACCUSES SHEINBAUM OF SHIELDING ‘NARCO-POLITICIANS’ AFTER US CARTEL INDICTMENT Both the Trump administration in the U.S. and the Sheinbaum administration in Mexico have said they are focused on cracking down on cartel’s new leadership. “Two down and two to go with $10 million reward,” the wanted poster read, with Xs over the faces of the already captured Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ovidio Guzman Lopez. The two captured Chapitos are reportedly cooperating with authorities and have not yet been sentenced, but Ivan and Jesus remain “armed and dangerous,” according to ICE. ICE NABS ACCUSED MS-13 KILLER HIDING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA SUBURB The two fugitives are charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and operating a continuing criminal enterprise. Two of Guzman’s four sons have already been captured through Operation Take Back America, an initiative seeking the “total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations” in order to protect U.S. communities from violent crime. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros said in a recent statement that efforts to capture El Chapo’s sons are the latest steps “in our efforts to bring to justice drug lords and other dangerous criminals who poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and who otherwise engage in violence and corruption to carry out their and their enterprises’ wide-reaching criminal activities.” US MILITARY KILLS TWO ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC STRIKE ON DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER In his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates committed violence against law enforcement officials, rival drug traffickers and members of their own organization to protect the Sinaloa Cartel’s trafficking operations. Fox News Digital reached out to ICE and DHS for additional comment and information on the mission to capture the two at-large Chapitos.
FLASHBACK: As America turns 250, here’s how the nation celebrated its biggest birthdays
America’s milestone anniversaries have given generations of Americans an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history, values and progress. From the Centennial in 1876 to the Bicentennial in 1976, celebrations have had parades, fireworks, historical reenactments, speeches and other patriotic traditions honoring the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s founding in 1776. As Americans celebrated the country’s 250th anniversary on July 4, those traditions carried into the semiquincentennial with the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, President Donald Trump’s address marking the occasion, military flyovers, performances by the U.S. Army Band and a Guinness World Record-breaking fireworks display with more than 850,000 fireworks. Fox News Digital looks back at the nation’s biggest birthday celebrations. TRUMP SET TO DELIVER ‘HISTORIC’ SPEECH CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY The nation’s first major milestone came in 1826, marking 50 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Communities across the country organized celebrations and leaders in Washington, D.C., invited former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of the last surviving signers of the Declaration of Independence, to attend, but both declined due to poor health, according to the National Archives Foundation. However, history took an extraordinary turn when Jefferson and Adams both died on July 4, just hours apart. Many Americans saw Jefferson and Adams’ deaths as a remarkable coincidence that added to the symbolism of Independence Day. A memorial service honoring Jefferson and Adams was held in Washington, D.C., while dinners, patriotic events and other commemorations helped establish the tradition of celebrating America’s birthday. The nation celebrated its 100th anniversary in Philadelphia with the 1876 Centennial Exposition, the nation’s first official World’s Fair, which highlighted America’s post-Civil War industrial growth and introduced millions of visitors to groundbreaking new technologies. The six-month exposition attracted nearly 10 million visitors from around the world to see international arts, cultures and technologies on display, according to the National Archives. The exposition featured Machinery Hall, where visitors saw new inventions, including Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone and Thomas Alva Edison’s automatic telegraph. The fair also had a Women’s Pavilion that highlighted the scientific and artistic achievements of women during the suffrage movement. THE REVOLUTIONARY LANDMARKS WHERE WASHINGTON, ADAMS AND JEFFERSON CHANGED AMERICA President Ulysses S. Grant approved sending the original Declaration of Independence to Philadelphia for display at the Centennial Exposition, according to the National Archives. Concerns over the document’s deteriorating condition later prompted efforts to preserve the nation’s founding document. Fifty years later, Philadelphia again hosted a World’s Fair to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The 1926 Sesquicentennial International Exposition featured historical recreations and patriotic attractions celebrating the nation’s founding. Organizers built an 80-foot replica of the Liberty Bell illuminated by 26,000 light bulbs that became one of the exposition’s signature attractions, according to The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM BICENTENNIAL HISTORY IS TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 1976 Although organizers projected 30 million visitors, fewer than 5 million paid admissions were recorded, and the exposition closed with enormous debts, according to Smithsonian magazine and The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. America’s 200th birthday arrived during a period of recovery following the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. Philadelphia’s bid to host a Bicentennial World’s Fair was canceled in 1972, leaving the city’s Bicentennial commemoration to move forward as national organizers encouraged celebrations across the country, according to the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. About 66,000 recognized events were held across the country, according to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. Signature celebrations included Operation Sail, which brought more than 200 tall ships to New York Harbor, and the American Freedom Train, which traveled more than 25,000 miles across the country carrying historic artifacts, documents and works of art.
Democrats’ civil war heads to Michigan where progressives face biggest test yet in high-stakes Senate showdown
The high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party is moving to a much larger stage. After victories by far-left and socialist candidates in dark blue congressional districts in New York City and Colorado the past two weeks drew national attention, the spotlight now shifts to battleground Michigan. That’s where moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., who is backed by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the establishment; and former Wayne County Health Department Director Abdul El-Sayed, a left-wing candidate endorsed by progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are colliding in a crucial Senate showdown. The winner of the Aug. 4, 2026, Democratic primary will face-off in the midterm elections in November against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is on a glide path to the GOP nomination. The winner will succeed retiring Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat. CRUCIAL SENATE BATTLE ROCKED AFTER MAJOR PLAYER DROPS OUT OF RACE The seat is a top Republican target and is a must-hold for the Democrats as they aim to win back the Senate majority from the GOP, which currently controls the chamber with a slim, but manageable, 53-47 margin. The leading nonpartisan political handicappers at Cook Political Reporter rate the Senate race in Michigan as a toss-up. Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, told Fox News the primary in Michigan “is much more significant” than the intra-party ballot box showdowns the past two weeks in “very, very blue districts” in New York City and Denver. The showdown in Michigan became a two-way race on Sunday, after progressive state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, once the third major Democrat in the primary, suspended her campaign. “I may be suspending this campaign, but I am not leaving the fight,” McMorrow pledged in a statement Sunday as she ended her Senate bid. McMorrow, who has seen her national profile expand in recent years and was running as a progressive in an ideological space between El-Sayed and Stevens, suspended her campaign amid faltering poll numbers and fundraising that weren’t keeping pace with her two main rivals. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB McMorrow pledged to fully support whichever Democrat wins the primary and will ultimately face-off with Rogers, who is running for the Senate for a second straight cycle after losing in 2024 to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin by a razor-thin margin. Following McMorrow’s announcement, Stevens praised her fellow Democrat by calling her an “important voice” for policies that benefit Michigan families. Stevens then argued that she is the strongest Democratic candidate to win the primary and defeat Rogers in November. “As we enter the final month of the primary election, I’m excited to continue to make my case to Michiganders why I’m the strongest Democrat to defeat Mike Rogers this November, lower costs, protect manufacturing jobs, and stand up to Trump’s abuses of power,” she added. As she runs for the nomination, Stevens has been backed by millions in super PAC spending, including big bucks from Israel-aligned groups. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALISTS LOOK TO TAKE NEW YORK PLAYBOOK NATIONWIDE AFTER PRIMARY VICTORIES In his statement, El-Sayed praised McMorrow for having the “courage” to challenge what he described as a rigged political system, accusing Democratic Party insiders of spending millions to influence the primary. While he did not name specific groups, the remarks appeared to reference corporate PACs and establishment party leaders such as Schumer. He then invited McMorrow’s supporters to join his progressive movement to combat big money in politics and defeat the political establishment. “Throughout this campaign, Senator McMorrow showed what it looks like to fight back against politics that rigs the system against too many of us. While we have policy disagreements, I never questioned whether Senator McMorrow would fight for a better America for my daughters and hers,” he said. “The same party insiders she had the courage to challenge have been bullying anyone who opposes their chosen candidate. After spending $30 million to drown Senator McMorrow and me out, they’re now spending even more to attack me. It’s everything we are standing up against.” “I welcome her supporters to our movement to stand up against money in politics, to put money back in pockets, and pass Medicare for All. We cannot allow the establishment to decide our nominee for us.” THESE MIDTERM RACES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER REPUBLICANS HOLD THEIR SENATE MAJORITY El-Sayed, who, if elected, would make history as the nation’s first Muslim senator, is an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018. He has made support for “Medicare-for-all” a major component of his campaign. The far-left candidate has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and is a vocal critic of Israel amid its war with Hamas — even characterizing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” against Palestinians. And El-Sayed, who served as a top surrogate on Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, has vowed not to accept PAC donations. Schumer and the party establishment view Stevens as more electable than El-Sayed, who has sparked controversy with his past comments. They worry that El-Sayed as the party’s nominee would jeopardize the Democrat-controlled Senate seat by pushing the party too far to the left in a state that President Donald Trump carried two years ago by just over one percentage point. A victory by El-Sayed over Stevens in next month’s primary would give the far left a major win on a statewide stage, and further boost their momentum in the battle for the Democratic Party’s future. But Bennet warned against placing too much emphasis on the results in Michigan, as he pointed to other factors in the race. “I don’t think that even if El-Sayed wins, that means the national party is moving dramatically to the left, as the left will insist if that happens,” he told Fox News Digital. “Some of this is idiosyncratic. There’s a huge Arab American population
Is NATO at breaking point as it meets in Turkiye?
NATO leaders gather in Ankara to tackle US-Europe tensions, defence gaps and support for Ukraine’s military resilience. The war in Ukraine and the fall out from the Iran conflict are high on the NATO summit’s agenda this week. But well before Secretary General Mark Rutte takes to the stage on Tuesday, NATO’s most powerful individual had already set the tone. “Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal,” US President Donald Trump wrote late last week. “They were not there for us!!!” Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list As 32 leaders of the transatlantic body gather in Ankara for their two-day summit starting on Tuesday, the frosty relationship between the military alliance’s members and the United States has emerged as the single biggest challenge overshadowing its future. NATO says the summit will focus on three priorities: increasing defence investment, expanding Europe’s defence industrial base and ensuring long-term military support for Ukraine. The meeting comes after allies pledged last year to spend the equivalent of five percent of GDP on defence, with European allies and Canada increasing defence investment by $139bn in nominal terms in 2025 alone. But talks will be overshadowed by Trump’s threats to pull the US out of NATO and his plan to move troops and weapons out of Europe. On May 1 , the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany, following a “thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe”. “I don’t think the alliance is at a breaking point,” said Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “But it is entering a period of profound adjustment.” Advertisement Trump’s scepticism towards NATO is not new, but the recent conflict with Iran has deepened tensions within the alliance. He has repeatedly criticised European allies for refusing to back Washington militarily, particularly by declining to participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Another major source of friction is military spending. On Thursday, Trump again criticised the defence alliance saying it was “ridiculous” that Washington spends more money on NATO than any other country to protect them “without getting any benefit from doing so”. Experts say that while the US has changed its posture towards NATO, a US pullout from it is unlikely considering the legal and political challenges in doing so, especially as the country is preparing for key midterm elections which will determine who retains control of Congress. To formally withdraw, Trump would need a two-thirds majority in the US Senate or an act of Congress – scenarios that are unlikely to come to pass any time soon, with NATO still enjoying broad support among many legislators in both major parties in Washington. “It’s in the US interest to stay engaged in Europe’s security and maintain a key role in NATO – and this is a view shared on both aisles in Washington,” said Lesser. Europeans have given up on restoring the alliance-based trust of decades past, but hope this summit will be an occasion for some planning, said Sophia Besch, a senior fellow in the Europe Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “The one thing they still dare hope for is greater predictability. They have accepted that the American commitment to Europe is changing; what they want is a more orderly version of the transition,” said Besch. “The fear behind this is well-founded: A botched handover from a US-led to a Europe-led NATO opens up a deterrence and defence gap.” Despite concerns over the potential reduction in US support, European allies would not be left defenceless. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exposed both the fragility of Europe’s defence industrial base and the extent to which many NATO members depend on Washington for critical military capabilities. At the same time, repeated strains in transatlantic relations – from disputes within NATO to Trump’s threats to seize Greenland – have reinforced the push for greater European strategic autonomy. As a result, defence spending among European allies rose by 62 percent between 2020 and 2025. Yet major capability gaps remain. According to the International Institute for Security Studies (IISS), European countries continue to rely heavily on the US for long-range strike capabilities, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, satellite-based assets, logistics and integrated air and missile defence. Advertisement Closing those gaps will be a long-term challenge. The IISS estimates that replacing the most critical US conventional military capabilities would require roughly $1 trillion and could take a decade or more. Europe’s defence industry also faces difficulties expanding production fast enough, while many armed forces continue to struggle with recruitment and retention. Adblock test (Why?)
UN discusses prevention of genocide: Six times it failed to do just that
The United Nations General Assembly is holding a plenary session on Monday to discuss nations’ responsibility to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. But the meeting on Monday at UN headquarters in New York comes amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the Rapid Support Forces’ and allied militias’ ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, and other humanitarian crises around the world, which many critics say the international community has done very little to address. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list While the UN meeting may result in protocols that countries need to follow to prevent future genocides, observers are sceptical that these will make much difference to victims on the ground. What is the UN’s definition of genocide, and which are some of the genocides the UN has ultimately failed to act on? Here, Al Jazeera takes a look. How does the UN define genocide? In 1944, Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin used the term “genocide” for the first time in his book Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. The prefix of the word is “genos” and means “race” or “tribe” in Ancient Greek. The suffix “cide” is Latin and means “killing”. In 1946, the UN General Assembly recognised genocide as a crime for the first time. According to the world body, the term genocide was then “codified” as an independent crime in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, or the Genocide Convention, which came into effect in 1951 and has been ratified by 196 countries. The UN’s Geneva Conventions define genocide as any act committed “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. Advertisement This includes “killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group, [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group”. Which are some of the genocides the world has failed to act on? Genocide in Rwanda In 1994, members of the majority Hutu ethnic group in Rwanda massacred an estimated 800,000 minority Tutsis, moderate Hutus and members of a third ethnic group, the Twa, in one of the darkest episodes in world history. A combination of colonial-era favouritism towards the Tutsis, which had angered other groups, a media landscape that was ripe for spreading hate, and the slowness of the international community to respond to the crisis all combined to fuel the genocide, which began in April 1994 and continued for 100 days. Before the genocide, the 1991 census counted the Tutsi population at 657,000, or 8.4 percent of the overall population, although some have alleged without proof that Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana’s government undercounted Tutsis to limit their access to education and other opportunities. Human Rights Watch estimated at least 500,000 Tutsis – 77 percent of their 1991 population – were killed. Global leaders were aware of the genocide, but did not intervene. For a long time, the UN actually avoided using the word “genocide” under pressure from the United States, which had been reluctant to send troops to Rwanda. Former UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on the 20th anniversary of the killings that the organisation was still “ashamed” of its failure to prevent the genocide. The UN did, however, establish the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in November 1994 in Arusha, Tanzania. The court has since tried several high-profile leaders of the massacres, including caretaker Prime Minister Jean Kambanda, who was handed a life sentence for inciting, aiding, abetting and failing to prevent genocide. He was also sentenced on two counts of crimes against humanity. The tribunal has convicted 61 people so far. A bouquet of flowers tied with a ribbon showing the message ‘Genocide Never Again’ is pictured in the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds in Kigali, Rwanda [File:Noor Khamis/Reuters] Israel’s genocide in Gaza It has been more than 1,000 days since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, killing at least 73,066 Palestinian people in the enclave following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel in which more than 1,100 people were killed. Since then, more than 90 percent of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed, with infrastructure and healthcare facilities almost completely obliterated, and Israeli forces remain in control of 80 percent of the besieged territory, authorities in the enclave have said. Advertisement The genocide began in response to attacks on southern Israel by fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and other Palestinian groups, during which 1,139 people died and about 240 were taken into Gaza as captives. While a ceasefire came into effect in October 2025, Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the enclave have continued. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israeli army violations of the ceasefire have killed over 1,000 people and wounded over 3,000 others since the truce took effect. Under the ceasefire deal, the parties were also expected to move to a second phase after Hamas released the remaining captives covered by the first-stage deal in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. That phase was meant to include disarmament by Hamas and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. However, negotiations remain stalled. As during the war itself, world leaders have done little to prevent Israel from continuing its attacks in Gaza. Furthermore, each time the UN Security Council has held a vote to enable a ceasefire in Gaza, the US has vetoed and blocked all ceasefire resolutions. In March 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said there were clear indications that Israel was violating three of the five conditions listed under the UN Genocide Convention. She said she had found “reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of … acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza has been met”. “The overwhelming nature
US president Trump defends FIFA’s Balogun red card reversal
NewsFeed US President Donald Trump defended FIFA’s decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension, saying the striker’s dismissal was unfair and describing the referee as ‘suspect.’ FIFA suspended the one-match ban after a call from Trump, allowing the striker to face Belgium in the World Cup last 16. Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Mumbai Rains: WFH advisory issued for private offices, govt offices to work half day
The Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Monday advised private offices in Mumbai to allow employees to work from home wherever possible, while non-essential government offices will function for a half-day, in view of the prevailing weather situation.