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- Macron to Propose EU Nuclear Deterrent Expansion in Speech on Monday
- Husband denies driving wife to suicide, claims she fabricated abuse for attention
- Man Utd ‘reach agreement’ over first deal of summer transfer window
- Trump’s Poll Ratings Have Dropped: Here’s What Happened | US News
- Ksenia Sobchak calls for end to Putin’s war in Ukraine amid rising death toll
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Macron to Propose EU Nuclear Deterrent Expansion in Speech on Monday
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Get you up to speed: Macron to Propose EU Nuclear Deterrent Expansion in Speech on Monday
EUROPEAN NUCLEAR STRATEGY
Emmanuel Macron will outline France’s nuclear deterrent proposal for Europe, seeking to complement, not compete with, the US nuclear umbrella during his upcoming speech.
EU NUCLEAR POLICY
Commission spokesperson emphasised that France’s nuclear expansion is not aimed at competing with NATO’s US umbrella, amid heightened European security concerns.
CURRENT STATUS
Emmanuel Macron is set to deliver a significant speech on France’s nuclear deterrent on Monday, marking his first address since 2020.
What we know so far
Published on
France’s offer to expand its nuclear deterrent to the rest of Europe would in no way compete with the umbrella provided by the United States, Emmanuel Macron is expected to say on Monday during a speech on the topic.
The French President’s speech will be the first on the country’s nuclear deterrent since a 2020 address in which he said he was ready to “involve” European countries that wish to do so in exercises. It will be delivered from the Île Longue peninsula in north-western France, where the country’s four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are stationed.
“This will be an important moment in his term of office. There will undoubtedly be some significant shifts and developments,” a source close to the president said.
Macron’s 2020 offer was widely ignored, but the French president confirmed earlier this month at the Munich Security Conference that he had engaged in “strategic dialogue” with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other unnamed EU leaders on “how we can articulate our national doctrine” on nuclear deterrence.
‘Growing interest among partners’
This newfound nuclear interest in EU capitals stems from a dramatic shift in the global geopolitical landscape operated since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Donald Trump returned to power in the US.
The former event forced Europeans to reckon with the vulnerabilities and dependencies when it comes to their own defence, while the latter prompted many across the continent to doubt Washington’s commitment to Europe’s security.
The latest episode, which saw Trump threaten military force against fellow NATO ally Denmark to seize Greenland, only compounded those worries although European leaders and ministers have publicly stressed they remain convinced about Washington’s long-term commitment to its NATO allies.
The US has also made clear it wishes to partially withdraw some of its troops and equipment out of Europe as it seeks to pivot towards the Indo-Pacific. It is unclear still what this partial withdrawal will involve and how it would unfold.
But sources close to the president also underlined their belief that “we are living in a period that is fundamentally conducive to nuclear proliferation” with Russia developing new hypersonic missiles, China quickly expanding its own arsenal and the question of Iran’s future hanging heavy over the Middle-East.
“All of this is generating growing interest among partners,” one source added, stressing nonetheless that “this is in no way in competition with NATO.”
How an alternative can be articulated, though, remains unclear.
‘We are not engaged in an arms race’
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the EU’s Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius have both also said it would be too costly and time-consuming for European allies to seek to replace the US nuclear umbrella.
France’s nuclear policy is one of so-called “strict sufficiency,” meaning that it limits the number of warheads it has to the number it considers necessary to inflict unacceptable damage on any opponent.
As such, it counts roughly 300 nuclear warheads in its arsenal – a number well below the more than 3,500 the US and Russia are each estimated to have.
“One element of our nuclear doctrine that is worth reiterating is our rejection of nuclear war. So we are not engaged in an arms race, so to speak, with the major arsenals. What is important is that our arsenal ensures our ability to inflict unacceptable damage,” a French source said.
France and the UK have already stepped up their own nuclear cooperation and coordination through the Northwood Declaration signed last summer. They now have a Nuclear Steering Group to provide political direction for this work and participate in each other’s nuclear exercises.
Husband denies driving wife to suicide, claims she fabricated abuse for attention
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Get you up to speed: Husband denies driving wife to suicide, claims she fabricated abuse for attention
WINCHESTER COURT TRIAL
Christopher Trybus is on trial at Winchester Crown Court, charged with the manslaughter of his wife Tarryn Baird, who died by suicide in November 2017.
COURT UPDATE
Tom Little KC, prosecuting at Winchester Crown Court, stated that Tarryn Baird felt ‘constricted’ by Christopher Trybus’s control, ultimately leading to her tragic decision to end her life.
TRIAL STATUS
Christopher Trybus, 43, is currently on trial at Winchester Crown Court, charged with the manslaughter of his wife, Tarryn Baird, who died in November 2017.
What we know so far
A man accused of driving his wife to suicide through a ‘tsunami’ of abuse says she had mental health problems and was ‘addicted’ to the attention she got from making false allegations, a court has heard.
Christopher Trybus, 43, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court charged with manslaughter over the death of Tarryn Baird, who was just 34 when she was found dead at the family home in Swindon in November 2017.
He is said to have subjected her to ‘extensive and escalating controlling, coercive and manipulative behaviour including sexual violence’ throughout their marriage.
Jurors heard there was a ‘tsunami’ of abuse allegations – including being punched, choked during sex, strangled with rope and being hit with a metal pole – as well as a ‘clear history of rape’.
They are chronicled in reams of GP records, photos she took of herself and even a phone recording of one alleged sex attack which was later discovered on the handset by her mum, the court was told.
Tarryn left a note before ending her life, saying: ‘I just couldn’t take it anymore.’
Katy Thorne KC, defending Trybus, told jurors today that it is ‘without question a tragic case’ but said ‘nothing you decide in this courtroom can alter the grief and loss of those who loved her’.
She added: ‘The defence position in this case is actually a straightforward one – Christopher Trybus was never abusive to his wife, he didn’t beat her, he didn’t rape her, he didn’t coercively control her and he didn’t cause her death.
‘On the contrary, he loved her and cherished her deeply and his case is that without anyone’s knowledge, Tarryn Baird was making demonstrably false allegations to health professionals.
‘There are injuries, but the defence case is that on a number of occasions Tarryn Baird made allegations of violence which were demonstrably false, for example, by reporting injuries to health professionals when Christopher Trybus was not even in the country.
‘The defence case is that one obvious example of that on November 16, he says that he was out of the country, having left on November 8 and not returned until November 23.
‘And yet during that period, Tarryn Baird made more than one set of allegations of domestic violence and took photographs of injuries, each of which she said was caused by him.’
Yesterday, jurors were taken through dozens of incidents in which Tarryn went to her GP with various injuries.
They heard she initially put them down to innocuous things like falling over or bumping into something, before later confiding that she was regularly being abused by her husband.
But whenever it looked as though the police would become involved, Tarryn withdrew the claims and reverted to blaming herself, the court was told.
Tom Little KC, prosecuting, said Tarryn was ‘constricted by [Trybus’s] control’ and too terrified of ever leaving him in case he found her.
He told the jury: ‘Instead, she eventually stopped his control over her in the only way she felt she could – by taking her own life.’
Ms Thorne said they should question the ‘reliability’ of Tarryn’s claims.
‘You will hear that Tarryn Baird had mental health problems which were longstanding and the defence case is that she was desperately seeking help and feeling she wasn’t receiving it and she may have become addicted to the attention that her allegations brought,’ she said.
‘The defence case is that the reason why she never made the allegations to the police or went to a refuge was because the allegations weren’t true and she didn’t want that fact to be exposed.’
Ms Thorne said Trybus denied sexually assaulting his wife, adding: ‘Theirs was a healthy, consensual marital sex life enjoyed by both of them.
‘It included some practices which may not be familiar or comfortable to everyone, including bondage and rough sex.
‘What goes on in other people’s bedrooms can be surprising, the defence case is that it was consensual.’
She said an injury to Tarryn’s neck was caused by a ‘collar’ worn during sex and the audio recording of the alleged sexual assault was in fact ‘the two of them engaged in that kinky bondage-type sex’, adding: ‘But it was entirely consensual.’
Ms Thorne continued: ‘The allegations of Terryn Baird being trapped and controlled, the defence says are untrue and the defence will suggest that they will turn out to be just false.
‘You will need to consider her claims that she was being financially controlled or kept away from family and friends bears scrutiny, his case is the absolute opposite is true.’
She added: ‘Health professionals were being told a false story and her boredom and troubled mind was leading her to make allegations to seek care and attention.’
Ms Thorne said that the jury would need to consider if Tarryn’s death was a ‘cry for help that went tragically wrong’.
She added: ‘The defence case is that even if you find there was domestic abuse – which is denied – you cannot be sure that it caused her to take her own life.
‘The defence case is that there are other matters such as her mental health difficulties and withdrawal of services from her which led her to take her own life.’
Trybus, who is a software consultant and developer, denies the charges and the trial continues.
Man Utd ‘reach agreement’ over first deal of summer transfer window
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Man Utd ‘reach agreement’ over first deal of summer transfer window | Football
TL;DR – Two-minute read
Manchester United confirmed the sale of goalkeeper Altay Bayindir to Besiktas, having reportedly agreed on a £4.3 million fee. Bayindir, who joined the club from Fenerbahce in 2023, played as a backup before losing his starting position to new signing Senne Lammens by the end of September. The transfer was completed during the winter transfer window.
Manchester United have reached an agreement to sell goalkeeper Altay Bayindir to Besiktas during the summer transfer window, according to reports in Turkey. This development comes as Bayindir’s role diminished at the club following the arrival of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.
Bayindir joined Manchester United from Fenerbahce in 2023, initially serving as a backup to Andre Onana. However, he started the first six Premier League matches of the season but was benched once Lammens took over the starting role at the end of September. Despite a promising beginning, Bayindir has not featured in any league or cup matches since, leading to speculation about his future at the club.
Reports suggest that Besiktas has reignited their interest, with Turkish media indicating that both clubs have agreed on a €5 million (£4.3 million) fee for Bayindir. The 27-year-old is also reportedly willing to take a pay cut to facilitate his return to Turkey.
His departure would leave a gap in Manchester United’s squad. Onana, who has been on loan at Trabzonspor, is eager to reclaim his position, although Lammens has made a strong impression since becoming first-choice. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has praised Lammens, stating, “He looks like he’s got the temperament and he’s got the technical quality… This kid, he’s come in and I really have been impressed with him.”
Manchester United’s decision regarding Bayindir marks a significant step in refining their squad ahead of the upcoming fixtures. Further developments concerning the goalkeeper’s transfer are expected in the coming days.
Trump’s Poll Ratings Have Dropped: Here’s What Happened | US News
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Get you up to speed: Trump‘s Poll Ratings Have Dropped: Here’s What Happened | US News
POLITICAL EVENT ANALYSIS
Donald Trump delivered a lengthy state of the union address that reiterated familiar themes while facing declining popularity amid the mid-term election cycle.
RESPONSE
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s address did not provide any new policies to address the pressing issues faced by American families during this mid-term election year.
CURRENT STATUS
Donald Trump delivered a state of the union address, receiving both applause and criticism, as he aims to regain support ahead of the mid-term elections.
What we know so far
He took a long time to say a little.
Donald Trump was on his feet for 1 hour and 48 minutes but, ultimately, this state of the union address was a news event lacking a news line.
We heard a lot of what we’d heard before.
He spoke of a golden age, America first, “drill baby drill” and success on border immigration.
It was vintage Trump, the vintage that performed so effectively on the campaign trail, 2024.
He needs it to be.
Trump’s popularity has plummeted in the polls and he has to shore up Republican deserters, this in a mid-term election year.
It would explain the back-to-basics stage routine on Capitol Hill.
The difference is that he’s now judged on his record, not his promises, and for all he touts a “roaring economy”, Americans aren’t feeling it in the numbers he needs.
He is a president seemingly on the brink of bombing Iran and everyone in the chamber would have been listening for clues on what comes next.
In the event, he offered a holding position that didn’t advance his public position, although he still beats the drums of war.
Iran, he revealed, is working on missiles that could reach the United States.
We saw the showbiz president, comfortable in his own skin and on stage.
At times, the event resembled a TV game show, peppered with tributes and awards to deserving attendees, complete with a reunion between Venezuelan politician Enrique Marquez and his niece.
There was a tribute to the late Charlie Kirk and the president condemned political violence.
Then there was the introduction of the US men’s ice hockey team, Trump’s invitees who were universally acclaimed.
It was the populism with the politics and there was plenty of both.
There’s less certainty around progress for a party looking to its president to put wind in its sails ahead of this year’s mid-terms.
Ksenia Sobchak calls for end to Putin’s war in Ukraine amid rising death toll
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Get you up to speed: Ksenia Sobchak calls for end to Putin’s war in Ukraine amid rising death toll
Ksenia Sobchak, a television presenter and media owner, called for an end to the war in Ukraine in a recent post. She highlighted the ongoing suffering in her country, stating, “For four years, my country has been living in war.” Sobchak, who is known as Vladimir Putin’s goddaughter, has been critical of the conflict despite her usual loyalty to him.
Ksenia Sobchak has called for an end to the war in Ukraine, expressing concern for the “countless thousands” affected by the conflict in a recent social media post. She stated, “For four years, my country has been living in war,” highlighting the pain felt by families of casualties. Reports indicate that 200,000 Russians have died in the war, with some sources estimating the total death toll may be as high as 320,000.
Ksenia Sobchak has publicly demanded an end to the war in Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing human cost and pain experienced across Russia and Ukraine. She warned that both nations will face long-term consequences from the conflict, which has resulted in significant casualties, with Russian media reporting approximately 200,000 confirmed deaths. Sobchak, who previously ran as a ‘liberal’ candidate against Vladimir Putin in the 2018 presidential election, remains a critic of the Kremlin despite her historically close ties to him.
What we know so far
Putin’s goddaughter risks his wrath after pleading to end the war | News World
Knesia Sobchak was once dubbed the ‘Paris Hilton’ of Russia (Picture: Getty)
Vladimir Putin’s ‘goddaughter’ has issued a demand for an end to his horrific war in Ukraine.
TV presenter, media owner, influencer and socialite Ksenia Sobchak, 44, pleaded for an end to the bloodshed in a post this week.
Her late father, former St Petersburg mayor Anatoly Sobchak, was Putin’s political mentor, and the dictator attended her Orthodox Church baptism.
In a post marking the fourth anniversary of the war, the former Playboy model lambasted the war started by Putin and said it ‘must end’.
‘For four years, my country has been living in war,’ she said, adding that the worst of the horrors were hidden from wealthier people living in Moscow, St Petersburg and other major cities.
‘This is not visible in the capitals. It is not visible in the cities. But it’s already woven into countless thousands, and thousands, and thousands of human destinies – and if we mark on a map every mother who lost a son or daughter, every wife who lost a husband, every family that lost a person killed at the front – the whole country will be burning with red dots of grief and pain.’
In 2018, she challenged Putin by running as a more ‘liberal ‘candidate (Picture: AP)
She warned: ‘Russians are dying, Ukrainians are dying—sometimes quickly, sometimes in pain and agonisingly slowly.
‘Cities on both sides are freezing without heat and light. All of this must end. Both countries will be dealing with the consequences for a very long time, many, many years.
‘Today, I wish us all that this day will come sooner.’
Sobchak stood as a ‘liberal’ rival to Putin in the 2018 presidential election, but she is usually loyal to her godfather.
It comes as Russian media confirmed the names of 200,000 Russians who died in the war.
Other sources indicate the full death toll to be around 320,000.
The popular television host spoke out on the anniversary of the war (Picture: AP)
Shortly after the war broke out in 2022, Knesia used her Israeli passport to enter Lithuania from Belarus.
It is believed she was running away from persecution as Moscow state investigators looked into whether she said the invasion into Ukraine was ‘funded from abroad’.
Many suspect Putin actually allowed Knesia to leave – rather than see the woman dubbed his ‘goddaughter’ held in detention like his other political foes.
But the socialite-turned-politician, who was once called the ‘Paris Hilton of Moscow’, grew up to become a critic of the Kremlin.
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Irish MEP Advocates Pausing EU-US Trade Deal Amid Tariff Uncertainty
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Get you up to speed: Irish MEP Advocates Pausing EU-US Trade Deal Amid Tariff Uncertainty
TRANSATLANTIC TRADE FRICTION
Irish MEP urged a pause on the EU–US trade deal amid uncertainty over the legality of Washington’s new tariffs.
EU RESPONSE
The Irish MEP stated to EU News that a pause on the EU–US trade deal is advisable given uncertainties surrounding the legality of Washington’s new tariffs.
TRADE DEAL STATUS
The Irish MEP suggests pausing the EU–US trade deal due to uncertainty over the legality of Washington’s new tariffs.
What we know so far
The Irish MEP told EU News’ flagship morning show Europe Today that in the current circumstances, where nobody is sure whether Washington’s new tariffs are fully compliant with the law, it would be more prudent to pause the EU–US trade deal.
