Ukraine Claims First-Ever Underwater Drone Strike on Russian Missile Submarine 
U.S. Suspends UK Technology Deal Amid Trade Disputes Under Trump Administration 
Taiwan Political Standoff Deepens as President Lai Urges Parliament to Withdraw Disputed Laws 
Judge Orders Return of Seized Evidence in Comey-Related Case, DOJ May Seek New Warrant 
Supporters Gather Ahead of Verdict in Jimmy Lai’s Landmark Hong Kong National Security Trial 
Sydney Bondi Beach Terror Attack Kills 16, Sparks Gun Law and Security Debate 
European Leaders Tie Ukraine Territorial Decisions to Strong Security Guarantees 
International Outcry Grows Over Re-Arrest of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi in Iran 
Hong Kong Democratic Party Disbands After Member Vote Amid Security Crackdown 
Zelenskiy Signals Willingness to Drop NATO Bid as Ukraine, U.S. Hold Crucial Peace Talks in Berlin 
Global Leaders Condemn Deadly Antisemitic Shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah 
Special Prosecutor Alleges Yoon Suk Yeol Sought North Korea Provocation to Justify Martial Law 
Thailand Vows Continued Military Action Amid Cambodia Border Clash Despite Trump Ceasefire Claim 
U.S. Offers NATO-Style Security Guarantees to Ukraine as Peace Talks Show Progress 
Trump Weighs Reclassifying Marijuana as Schedule III, Potentially Transforming U.S. Cannabis Industry 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Syria Arrests Five Suspects After Deadly Attack on U.S. and Syrian Troops in Palmyra 
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is urging European allies and Canada to significantly accelerate their defense spending in 2025, calling for a "quantum leap" in contributions to the alliance. In an annual report released Thursday, Rutte acknowledged a 19.4% real-term increase in defense investments by European NATO members and Canada in 2024 but emphasized that greater efforts are still needed.
Currently visiting Washington for high-level meetings, Rutte's appeal comes amid renewed debate over fair burden-sharing within NATO. U.S. President Donald Trump recently pushed for allies to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to defense—a figure that not even the U.S. meets at present.
"European Allies and Canada must make a quantum leap when it comes to the contributions and capabilities they bring to bear," Rutte wrote in the report. "To do so, it will be essential to invest substantially more."
The report highlights the persistent imbalance in NATO defense spending, with the United States contributing an estimated 64% of total alliance expenditures in 2024. In contrast, European NATO members and Canada accounted for just 36%. Despite progress, only 22 of NATO’s 32 member states met the alliance's current target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense.
Rutte’s remarks underscore growing pressure on European capitals to close the defense gap as geopolitical tensions rise, particularly in the wake of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and shifting U.S. foreign policy dynamics.
