Merkel: Europe cannot rely on U.S. anymore
BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel, widely seen as Europe’s most influential leader, has apparently concluded that the United States is not the reliable partner her country and continent have depended on in the past.
Clearly disappointed with European leaders’ inability to persuade President Donald Trump to publicly endorse NATO’s doctrine of collective defense — or to agree to common positions on Russia, climate change or global trade — Ms. Merkel said Sunday that traditional alliances were no longer as reliable as they once were, and that Europe should pay more attention to its own interests “and really take our fate into our own hands.”
Her comments were a further indication that Mr. Trump’s trip did not go down well with European leaders and that it seems, at least from the continent’s perspective, to have increased trans- Atlanticstrains.
Ms. Merkel did not mention Mr. Trump by name, and she also spoke of Britain’s decision to quit the European Union, a move seen as weakening trans-Atlantic ties and leaving the continent more exposed.
Tactical shift against IS
The fight against the Islamic State group has shifted to stopping potential terrorists from returning to their home countries to wreak havoc, Defense Secretary James Mattis said Sunday.
“We have already shifted from attrition tactics where we shove them from one position to another in Iraq and Syria,” Mr. Mattis said on CBS’s “Face the Nation. “Our intention is that the foreign fighters do not survive the fight to return home to North Africa, to Europe, to America, to Asia, to Africa.”
The comments followed a week in which IS claimed responsibility for the May 22 suicide bombing in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people. IS also said it was behind an attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt, in which29 people were killed.
Laptop ban on global flights
Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Sunday he’s considering banning laptops from the passenger cabins of all international flights to and from the United States.
That would dramatically expand a ban announced in March that affects about 50 flights per day from 10 cities, mostly in the Middle East. The current ban was put in place because of concerns about terrorist attacks. The ban prevents travelers from bringing laptops, tablets and certain other devices in carry-on-bags.