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Judge demands Trump administration comply with asylum order

A federal judge chastised the Trump administration for ignoring a ruling last week ordering it to immediately resume processing of immigration applications paused in the wake of a deadly shooting of National Guard officers. U.S. District Judge John McConnell last week found the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was unlawfully pausing immigration processing for nationals from a…

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Judge demands Trump administration comply with asylum order

A federal judge chastised the Trump administration for ignoring a ruling last week ordering it to immediately resume processing of immigration applications paused in the wake of a deadly shooting of National Guard officers. U.S. District Judge John McConnell last week found the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was unlawfully pausing immigration processing for nationals from a…

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The Flaming Strait of Hormuz: A Ceasefire No One Signed

The fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, based on mutual control of the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with relentless economic and political pressure, is creating a protracted war of nerves. This scenario threatens to further destabilize the region, with no clear winner in sight. The Red Line and the Horizon of Expectations in the […]
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Starmer in 'seismic' crisis, UK defense chief quits before high-stakes Trump NATO summit

U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey resigned Thursday after clashing with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government over military spending, dealing the British leader a setback weeks before a critical NATO summit to include President Donald Trump.

Healey's departure stemmed from a dispute over the delayed Defense Investment Plan (DIP) — the government's long-promised roadmap for military investment and readiness — and as NATO allies face renewed pressure from Trump to boost defense spending.

"John Healey’s resignation is a seismic moment for the government and the Ministry of Defense," Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Senior Associate Fellow Ed Arnold told Fox News Digital.

"For the government, it creates a sequence of political headaches in terms of a replacement, and trying to get the Defense Investment Plan published."

BRITISH PM KEIR STARMER MOVES UK MILITARY INTO 'WAR-FIGHTING READINESS'

Healey had been in intense, late-stage negotiations with Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves over the scale and timelines of the DIP.

Starmer reportedly refused to set out a timeline to reach 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense by 2035 — a promise he made to Trump at last year's NATO summit — and would not commit to a firm date for reaching 3%.

Instead, Starmer offered Healey a deal to spend 2.68% of GDP on defense by 2030, up only marginally from 2.6% next year, Reuters reported.

"You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country," Healey wrote to Starmer in his resignation letter, warning that the financial constraints would "make the country less safe," the outlet reported.

NATO CHIEF URGES MEMBERS TO 'TURBOCHARGE' DEFENSE PRODUCTION AS HE PAINTS PICTURE OF A WORLD BOUND FOR WAR

"If the delay to the Defense Investment Plan was already undermining the government’s credibility on defense, John Healey’s resignation has blown a hole in its side," professor Kevin Rowlands of the RUSI defense and security think tank told Fox News Digital.

"The immediate consequence is not just political embarrassment for No. 10, but a significant loss of planning certainty at a time when the British Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defense, and industry really need clarity on what will be funded, and when," he added.

The political fallout is expected to reverberate across the Atlantic, where Washington has increased pressure on European allies to fulfill their defense obligations. Trump has frequently criticized NATO alliance members as "free riders."

On June 3, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the upcoming Ankara summit would be the "most important meeting" in NATO’s history because there are some things "that need to be cleared up and fixed."

He added, "The United States is still in the NATO alliance, and we'll be there."

TRUMP EFFECT FORCES GERMANY TO REPRIORITIZE DEFENSE AS NATION PLAYS CATCH-UP IN MILITARY SPENDING

However, U.S. officials have made it clear that patience is wearing thin.

"Ahead of next month’s NATO summit, POTUS has been clear: Allies must fulfill their commitment to spending 5% of GDP on defense," U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker posted on X this week.

Furthermore, a U.S. official noted that a U.K. funding package far lower than 18 billion pounds ($23 billion) would send a highly "negative" signal to Trump ahead of the Ankara meeting, according to The Times.

Starmer has pledged to lift spending to 3% in the next Parliament but Healey’s exit has exposed that the current strategy leaves the U.K. lagging behind key allies. By comparison, Germany plans to spend 3.7% of its GDP on defense by 2030.

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"Healey knows the threats we face, he knows the capabilities and shortfalls the armed forces have, and if he believes that the financial settlement is not enough to keep the country safe — to the extent that he cannot honorably stay in post — then we are in trouble," Rowlands added.

"While the impact will mainly be felt on Whitehall, the international implications are severe with a NATO summit just three weeks away," Arnold noted.

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Senate Democrats block short-term extensions of FISA 702 spy powers

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked the GOP’s attempt to pass a short-term extension of the nation’s spy powers by unanimous consent. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) asked the chamber for unanimous consent to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until July 2, but Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) objected. Wyden also objected to…

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Senate Democrats block short-term extensions of FISA 702 spy powers

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked the GOP’s attempt to pass a short-term extension of the nation’s spy powers by unanimous consent. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) asked the chamber for unanimous consent to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until July 2, but Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) objected. Wyden also objected to…

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Government scrambles to approve PSU – Single Social Benefit

Portugal’s ‘minister of the presidency’, António Leitão Amaro has acknowledged today that the government “may need to make concessions” to right-wing CHEGA in order to secure approval for legislation creating

The post Government scrambles to approve PSU – Single Social Benefit appeared first on Portugal Resident.

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Algarve police recover three stolen vehicles and arrest eight in theft crackdown

Eight people have been arrested in the Algarve in connection with theft offences, while police recovered three stolen vehicles and seized more than 1,000 litres of fuel during operations in

The post Algarve police recover three stolen vehicles and arrest eight in theft crackdown appeared first on Portugal Resident.

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Patel: World Cup security ‘probably the biggest lift in FBI history’ 

FBI Director Kash Patel says his agency is making terrorist attack prevention its top job during the FIFA World Cup games, which kick off Thursday afternoon.  “Extremists have used major global sporting events in the past to do harm and spread their twisted ideologies,” Patel wrote in a Wednesday social media post. “We are totally…

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Patel: World Cup security ‘probably the biggest lift in FBI history’ 

FBI Director Kash Patel says his agency is making terrorist attack prevention its top job during the FIFA World Cup games, which kick off Thursday afternoon.  “Extremists have used major global sporting events in the past to do harm and spread their twisted ideologies,” Patel wrote in a Wednesday social media post. “We are totally…

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FISA 702 spy powers set to expire after House vote fails over Pulte backlash

House Republicans on Thursday failed to get enough votes from Democrats to secure a short-term extension of the nation’s warrantless spy powers, with the lower chamber leaving for a scheduled recess the day before they are set to expire. The bill would have extended Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) through July…

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