Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Monday that the "clock starts ticking" on a Russian attack on its members as soon as a ceasefire is declared in Ukraine.
With advanced Russian missiles putting Western nations within minutes of launch, he added that the entire alliance was "all the eastern front now". The Nato chief called for a “400 per cent increase” in air and missile-defence capacity is needed to counter the threat from Russia.
“The new generation of Russian missiles travel at many times the speed of sound," he said. "The distance between European capitals is only a matter of minutes. There is no longer east or west. There is just Nato.”
The Nato chief met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London amid calls by US President Donald Trump for members of the transatlantic alliance to increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The current target is 2 per cent.
Mr Rutte believes a “quantum leap” in collective defence is needed. He is expected to warn that “wishful thinking will not keep us safe” and say that Nato must become a “stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance” to protect itself. “We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,” Mr Rutte said in a speech to the Chatham House think tank in London.
His comments come ahead of a Nato summit in the Netherlands this month and amid mounting pressure by Mr Trump on Nato members to increase defence spending. The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week in Brussels that the allies were close to agreeing the 5 per cent target, which could be formalised at the summit in The Hague.
Nato members have been scrambling to bolster their defence capabilities since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends,” Mr Rutte said. “We need a quantum leap in our collective defence … we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full. Our militaries also need thousands more armoured vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells.”
The UK’s Strategic Defence Review, which was published last week, recommended sweeping changes, including a greater focus on new technology, including drones and artificial intelligence based on rising budgets. It included plans to build up to 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines and six munitions factories to rearm the country in response to the threat from Russia.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
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15 years, 235 days old
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15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
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