British PM Starmer unveils defence spending plans for 'warfighting readiness'
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CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Trump moves nuclear submarines after statements by former Russian president
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday (Aug 1) he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be repositioned to the "appropriate regions" in response to recent threats from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. 'I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,' Trump posted on social media. He described Medvedev's recent remarks as 'highly provocative' and warned that 'words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.' The move marks the latest escalation in rhetoric between the two leaders, who have traded barbs over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. On Tuesday, Trump gave Moscow a 10-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face new US tariffs on Russian oil and on countries that purchase it. Russia has not signaled any willingness to meet Trump's conditions and continues to advance its own demands for peace. Medvedev, currently deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, responded by accusing Trump of playing a 'game of ultimatums' and reminded the US leader of Russia's legacy nuclear strike capabilities inherited from the Soviet Union. The Kremlin has not directly commented on Trump's latest move, but Medvedev's remarks were widely covered in Russian state media. Once seen as a more moderate figure, Medvedev has in recent years become one of Moscow's most vocal anti-Western hardliners, often issuing hawkish statements that Kremlin critics describe as reckless. However, some Western diplomats view Medvedev's rhetoric as a window into broader thinking within the Kremlin's senior policy circles.
CNA
6 hours ago
- CNA
Trump Orders Nuclear Submarines Moved Near Russia Amid Rising Tensions
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday (Aug 1) he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be repositioned near Russian waters in response to recent threats from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. 'I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,' Trump posted on social media. He described Medvedev's recent remarks as 'highly provocative' and warned that 'words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.' The move marks the latest escalation in rhetoric between the two leaders, who have traded barbs over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. On Tuesday, Trump gave Moscow a 10-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face new US tariffs on Russian oil and on countries that purchase it. Russia has not signaled any willingness to meet Trump's conditions and continues to advance its own demands for peace. Medvedev, currently deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, responded by accusing Trump of playing a 'game of ultimatums' and reminded the US leader of Russia's legacy nuclear strike capabilities inherited from the Soviet Union. The Kremlin has not directly commented on Trump's latest move, but Medvedev's remarks were widely covered in Russian state media. Once seen as a more moderate figure, Medvedev has in recent years become one of Moscow's most vocal anti-Western hardliners, often issuing hawkish statements that Kremlin critics describe as reckless. However, some Western diplomats view Medvedev's rhetoric as a window into broader thinking within the Kremlin's senior policy circles.
CNA
7 hours ago
- CNA
Musk's X Accuses Britain of Online Safety 'Overreach'
PARIS: Elon Musk's social media platform X on Friday (Aug 1) accused Britain of regulatory 'overreach' following the implementation of the country's Online Safety Act, a law designed to protect children from harmful content such as pornography. 'The Online Safety Act's laudable intentions are at risk of being overshadowed by the breadth of its regulatory reach,' X said on its Global Government Affairs account. 'A plan ostensibly intended to keep children safe is at risk of seriously infringing on the public's right to free expression.' CONCERNS OVER FREE SPEECH, DUPLICATION X also criticised a new police unit set up to monitor social media and a recently introduced code of conduct for online platforms, calling the measures 'parallel and duplicative.' The company suggested these initiatives could further erode free speech. Despite its criticism, X said it has begun complying with the law by rolling out age-verification systems in Britain, Ireland and the wider European Union. These include estimating a user's age based on account details, using AI to assess selfies, or requiring the upload of official ID documents. FINES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE Under the Online Safety Act, which came into force on Jul 25, UK media regulator Ofcom requires such age checks to be 'technically accurate, robust, reliable and fair.' Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to £18 million (US$24 million) or 10 per cent of global revenue, whichever is higher. Repeat offenders risk being blocked in the UK. WIDER DEBATE OVER PRIVACY The UK's move follows similar efforts in France and several US states, where governments have pushed for stricter age verification for pornography sites. Supporters say the rules are necessary to protect minors, but critics warn that such policies could undermine user privacy and heighten the risk of identity theft if sensitive data were compromised. As users seek workarounds, demand for virtual private networks (VPNs) has surged. According to British media, VPN app Proton reported an 1,800 per cent rise in downloads since last week, with multiple VPN apps topping Apple's UK app store.
