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European security policy
Expert: Europe should acquire more combat-ready soldiers

Europe should increase its conventional military capacity, according to security expert Stephen Brooks. On the one hand, it would have a deterrent effect on Russia and on the other hand, it would go down well with US President Donald Trump, he says in an interview with TT.

– If Russia attacks again, the US wants to avoid sending hundreds of thousands of ground troops.

The number of combat-ready soldiers in Europe is too few, Brooks believes. He would also like to see NATO soldiers train with the same weapons and combat vehicles, regardless of which member state they are in.

Political situation in Colombia
Sources: The instigator has now been arrested in Colombia

Police in Colombia have arrested a wanted man suspected of persuading a 15-year-old boy to shoot senator and likely presidential candidate Miguel Uribe in the capital Bogotá a month ago. Reuters reports, citing sources with insight.

The man, known as “El Costeño”, has a long criminal record and was arrested the day after Interpol joined the case. National Police Chief Carlos Fernando Triana has stated that the man is suspected of several crimes, including weapons offenses.

Uribe, who was shot in the head and leg, is still in critical condition and is receiving treatment in hospital. 

Political situation in Turkey
Three Turkish opposition mayors arrested

A further three mayors representing the opposition CHP party in Turkey have been arrested, AFP reports, citing Turkish media. According to the report, the arrests are part of an investigation into organized crime.

The party immediately came out with sharp criticism.

"We will not bow to injustice, lawlessness or political operations," writes the mayor of the capital Ankara, Mansur Yavas, on X.

Recently, more than 150 people were arrested, including several CHP politicians, in the city of Izmir, which is considered one of the strongest strongholds of the opposition, writes DW. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has also been detained for several months. He is also the CHP's presidential candidate.

China-Tibet relations
Dalai Lama: Dreams of living 130 years

The Dalai Lama, who turns 90 this weekend, dreams of living another 30 to 40 years. He said this while praying with thousands of other Buddhists on his birthday, AFP reports.

As the spiritual leader grows older, the question of how his successor will be chosen has gained renewed relevance.

According to Buddhist tradition, the Dalai Lama is reborn after death, the current one is the fourteenth in line.

China views the Dalai Lama as a Tibetan separatist and has claimed the right to identify the next incarnation, Reuters reports. However, the Dalai Lama himself recently said he intends to be reborn “in the free world” and that only his own organization has the right to identify the fifteenth incarnation.