International

NATO begins unprecedented air drill in ‘show of strength’

Published

3 years ago

June 12, 2023

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NATO will begin the largest air force deployment exercise in Europe in the alliance’s history on Monday in a display of unity toward partners and potential threats such as Russia.

The German-led “Air Defender 23” will run until June 23 and include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance.

Up to 10,000 people will participate in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack on cities, airports or sea ports within NATO territory.

Presenting the plans last week, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz of the German Luftwaffe said “Air Defender” was conceived in 2018 in part as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine four years before, though he said it was “not targeted at anyone”.

He said that while NATO would defend “every centimetre” of its territory, the exercise would not “send any flights, for example, in the direction of Kaliningrad,” the Russian enclave bordering alliance member states Poland and Lithuania.

“We are a defensive alliance and that is how this exercise is planned,” he said.

US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann said the drill would show “beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force” and was intended to send a message to countries including Russia.

“I would be pretty surprised if any world leader was not taking note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance, which means the strength of this alliance, and that includes Mr Putin,” she told reporters, referring to the Russian president.

“By synchronising together, we multiply our force.”

Russia’s war on Ukraine has galvanised the Western military alliance set up almost 75 years ago to face off against the Soviet Union.

Finland and Sweden, which long kept an official veneer of neutrality to avoid conflict with Moscow, both sought membership in NATO after Russia’s February 2022 invasion.

Under NATO’s Article Five, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

– ‘Great power competition’ –

The exercise will include operational and tactical-level training, primarily in Germany, but also in the Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit pilots based at the Schleswig-Jagel airfield in northern Germany on Friday.

General Michael Loh, director of the US Air National Guard, said NATO’s duties were at an “inflection point”.

“A great deal has changed on the strategic landscape throughout the world, especially here in Europe,” he said.

The exercise will focus on “supplementing the permanent United States presence in Europe” as well as providing training “on a larger scale than what was usually accomplished on the continent”, Loh added.

He said many of the alliance pilots would be working together for the first time.

“It’s about fostering the old relationships that we have but also building new ones with this younger generation of airmen,” he said.

“And so this is about now establishing what it means to go against a great power in a great power competition.”

Gutmann said that while there were no plans to make “Air Defender” a recurring exercise, she added: “We have no desire for this to be the last.”

Asked about potential disruption to civilian air transport during the exercise, Gerhartz said the planners would do “everything in our power” to limit flight delays or cancellations.

German authorities had warned that flight schedules could be impacted by the drills.

International

Russia moves to block WhatsApp in messaging app crackdown

Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor said earlier this week it was further curbing access to messaging app Telegram as well, citing a lack of security.

Published

1 day ago

February 12, 2026

OCHEFA

29 Views

Russia / Getty image

Russia has “attempted to fully block” WhatsApp in the country, the company said, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on messaging apps while the the regulator is pushing for a state-developed app as an alternative to WhatsApp.

BBC reports that Meta-owned WhatsApp said the move aimed to push more than 100 million of its app users in Russia to a “state-owned surveillance app”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Meta could resume operations if it “complies with [the law] and enters into dialogue”, but stood “no chance” if it refused.

Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor said earlier this week it was further curbing access to messaging app Telegram as well, citing a lack of security.

Telegram is highly popular in Russia and widely used by its forces in Ukraine.

Pro-war bloggers have complained that the move was hampering communications on the ground.Russia has argued that both WhatsApp and Telegram have refused to store Russian users’ data in the country as required by law.

WhatsApp said it was doing everything it could to keep people connected.

“Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia,” it said in a statement.

International

Bangladesh votes in first election since Gen Z protests ousted former PM Sheikh Hasina

People are voting for a new government and also taking part in a referendum to change the constitution.

Published

1 day ago

February 12, 2026

OCHEFA

31 Views

Bangladesh is holding its first election since student-led protests in 2024 ended the 15-year rule of its increasingly autocratic leader, Sheikh Hasina.

BBC reports that as many as 1,400 protesters were killed during the uprising – with Hasina accused of having directly ordered the crackdown, an allegation she denies.

Her party, the Awami League, has been banned from contesting this election

The vote now pits the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) against the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, which has joined forces with a party born out of the student uprising.

People are voting for a new government and also taking part in a referendum to change the constitution.

An interim government, led by Nobel Peace Price laureate Muhammad Yunus, has led Bangladesh since Hasina fledIn November, a court in Bangladesh sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity over her crackdown

International

Renowned Gospel Singer and Worship Leader Ron Kenoly Dies at 81

Published

1 week ago

February 3, 2026

Charles Flames

75 Views

Dr. Ron Kenoly, the celebrated American gospel singer, worship leader, and songwriter whose powerful anthems have inspired millions worldwide, has passed away at the age of 81.

Kenoly, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of contemporary praise and worship music, was best known for timeless classics such as “Ancient of Days,” “Lift Him Up,” “Sing Out,” “As for Me and My House,” “I Will Come and Bow Down,” and “Jesus Is Alive.” His music, characterized by joyful, exuberant praise and a deep focus on God’s manifest presence, became staples in churches, conferences, and worship gatherings across denominations and continents.

Born on December 6, 1944, in Coffeyville, Kansas, Kenoly served in the United States Air Force before transitioning into full-time ministry. He served as a music pastor and later earned a Doctorate in Ministry of Sacred Music in 1996. His breakthrough came through recordings with Integrity Music in the 1990s, which propelled his ministry to global prominence.

Over the course of his career, Kenoly toured extensively, ministering in more than 120 nations and recording numerous live worship albums that captured the energy and spiritual intensity of his live sessions. His work influenced generations of worship leaders, choirs, and congregations, helping shape modern gospel and praise music.

No official cause of death has been released at this time. Further details and statements are expected from his family or representatives in the coming days.

Ron Kenoly’s legacy endures through his enduring catalog of songs that continue to uplift and draw believers into worship around the world.