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According to insiders, the US intends to reduce the number of forces available to NATO in times of crisis.
The Trump administration plans to notify NATO members this week that it would cut the military capabilities the U.S. would have to help the alliance’s European nations in a severe crisis, three sources familiar with the situation said.
Alliance members define a pool of forces that can be activated in case of a conflict or any other significant crisis, such as a military attack on a NATO member, under a scheme called the NATO Force Model.
The makeup of the wartime forces is a highly held secret, but the Pentagon has opted to dramatically slash its commitment, the individuals said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the preparations honestly.
US President Donald Trump has indicated he wants European nations to take the lead in ensuring the continent’s security from the US. The message to allies this week is a clear example of policy being put into action.
Details were murky, including how soon the Pentagon wants to turn over crisis-mode tasks to European partners. But the sources said the Pentagon plans to disclose its desire to scale back its pledge during a meeting Friday in Brussels of defense policy chiefs.
Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s policy head, has declared publicly that the U.S. will keep its nuclear umbrella for NATO members as European allies take the lead on conventional troops.
Sources say the US will likely be represented by Alex Velez-Green, a top adviser to Colby. “Adjusting the NATO Force Model is a top priority for Colby’s team as they prepare for the next NATO leaders’ summit, to be held in Turkey in July, one of the sources said.
A NATO official referred requests for comment to the United States. The Pentagon did not immediately answer when asked for its response.
Red Alliance
For the first time ever, the NATO alliance is under extraordinary pressure, with some European nations fearing Washington could walk away entirely. One big change to the forces the US will have available in time of war will only compound such fears.
In recent weeks the Trump administration has announced intentions to withdraw around 5,000 U.S. soldiers from Europe, including a decision to cancel the deployment of an Army brigade to Poland — a surprise move that has been condemned by U.S. politicians.
Aides on Capitol Hill knew of and worried about Pentagon intentions to scale back its commitments under the NATO Force Model, one of the sources and another person familiar with the topic said.
But a senior NATO diplomat said they still believed there is an understanding that the United States would come to Europe’s help if it was in crisis.
Trump and many of his associates have criticized European partners for not spending enough on their militaries, and relying on the US for traditional defense. They note out the US still has tens of thousands of troops in Europe.
The president’s wish to seize control of Greenland, a Danish foreign region, has further added to the tensions between the US and Europe, as has a long-running disagreement between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has attacked Trump’s war with Iran.
European partners generally say they are quickly beefing up their military capabilities, but this cannot be done overnight.
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Pakistan begins issuing e-passports at diplomatic missions worldwide
Director General Immigration and Passports said that Pakistan has started issuing electronic passports (e-passports) at Pakistani diplomatic missions across the world, a major milestone achieved under the vision of the prime minister and orders of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
This launch was accomplished due to the ongoing effort of the team of Directorate General of Immigration and Passports.
The e-passport is equipped with state-of-the-art security measures and constructed according to international standards and is a step forward in modernising the passport services in Pakistan.
The director general said machine-readable passports currently issued would stay valid until their expiry dates, and e-passports would be issued to anyone applying for new passports.
The effort has been termed as a key step in modernising Pakistan’s passport services in line with the vision of “One Nation, One Passport, One Identity”.
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Interior Minister Naqvi warns against online fraud, cybercrime and blackmail
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned the residents about the increasing hazards of online fraud, cybercrime and blackmail and advised them not to post personal images and videos with unconnected persons.
New types of online fraud were coming to light, including situations where women and girls were coaxed into revealing their images and videos and later blackmailed, Naqvi said during a press briefing on cyber crime in the province capital.
He warned people, especially women, to be very careful about sharing personal images, as some people use pictures and films to blackmail. He made a special appeal to moms and sisters to keep their private images private.
The interior ministry also warned individuals not to transfer money online without verification, even if someone claimed to be sick and asked for financial help online, to avoid falling victim to online financial scam. He called on people to check the names of those who asked for money and to beware of bogus accounts.
Fraudsters impersonated residents on social media with bogus identities, Naqvi added. He said the cyber police are being mobilised to check cybercrime and measures are being taken to provide assistance to the victims in time.
He said he will start a public awareness campaign to educate individuals about online fraud, phoney identities and extortion. He also committed his complete support to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The interior minister stated the NCCIA was getting the largest number of instances of harassment of girls. He said he encountered three girls who tried to commit suicide.
“It is important to prevent online harassment and blackmail, protect victims and provide timely assistance,” Naqvi said when talking about the occurrences.
He appealed to residents to be careful when using the internet and social media and to avoid unnecessarily sharing personal information and images and to report the proper authorities if they came across any suspicious online behaviour.
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German defence ministry accords guard of honour to President Zardari
A magnificent celebration was hosted in honour of President Asif Ali Zardari at the Ministry of Defence in Germany. Additionally, a guard of honour was presented to him at this event.
Upon President Zardari’s arrival at the German Ministry of Defence, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier extended a warm welcome to him. The ceremony included the playing of the national anthems of both countries, as well as the presentation of a guard of honour to the president of Pakistan.
In response to President Steinmeier’s invitation, President Zardari is currently taking a trip to Germany. Due to the fact that this is the first time in almost 23 years that a Pakistani head of state has travelled to Germany, the visit is of great significance.
During this year, Pakistan and Germany are also commemorating the 75th anniversary of the foundation of their diplomatic relations with one another.
During the course of his tour, President Zardari will meet with his German counterpart as well as senior officials from the German government. He will also be accompanied by a high-level team.
The topics that will be discussed include bilateral ties, events in the area and the world as a whole, and strategies to improve economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
Pakistan and Germany are expected to deepen their collaboration in a variety of fields as a result of President Zardari’s visit, which is likely to add new momentum to the bilateral relations between the two countries.
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