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EU's Von der Leyen: Europe Must be Responsible for its Own Security

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the preparation of a European Council meeting, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the preparation of a European Council meeting, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP)
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EU's Von der Leyen: Europe Must be Responsible for its Own Security

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the preparation of a European Council meeting, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the preparation of a European Council meeting, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP)

Europe must be responsible for its own security, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

"This is no longer an option. It is a must," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She added that Europe "cannot afford to let others define its worldview," adding that while the US national security strategy is right to say that Europe's share of global GDP is declining, the United States is on "the same path."

The European Council meets on December 18 and 19 to discuss in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU's strategic autonomy.

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Sweden Jails Syrian Man for Life over 2012-2013 War Crimes

Police patrol at the scene of a shooting at an office of Israeli military technology firm Elbit Systems in Gothenburg on October 10, 2024. Photo by Adam Ihse/TT / various sources / AFP) / Sweden OUT
Police patrol at the scene of a shooting at an office of Israeli military technology firm Elbit Systems in Gothenburg on October 10, 2024. Photo by Adam Ihse/TT / various sources / AFP) / Sweden OUT
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Sweden Jails Syrian Man for Life over 2012-2013 War Crimes

Police patrol at the scene of a shooting at an office of Israeli military technology firm Elbit Systems in Gothenburg on October 10, 2024. Photo by Adam Ihse/TT / various sources / AFP) / Sweden OUT
Police patrol at the scene of a shooting at an office of Israeli military technology firm Elbit Systems in Gothenburg on October 10, 2024. Photo by Adam Ihse/TT / various sources / AFP) / Sweden OUT

A Swedish court on Monday sentenced a 55-year-old man to life in jail for his role in war crimes during the Syrian civil war in 2012 and 2013.

The court found that the man was guilty of participating in a shooting against a peaceful protest in July 2012 in the Damascus suburb of Yarmouk, where several demonstrators were killed, it said in a statement.

It also found that he had served at a roadblock set up by the Syrian government in the same area from December 2012 to July 2013, where "a very large number of civilians" had been arrested and taken away to be tortured and in some cases killed.

According to the court, both offences happened as part of the Syrian civil war, triggered by popular discontent with the rule of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad.

"The district court has found the offences to be aggravated because they were directed at a large number of civilians and several people have died and been injured," judge Hampus Lilja said, explaining this had warranted the life sentence.

The man, who denied the charges, was born in Yarmouk, left Syria in 2013 and was granted asylum in Sweden, according to court documents viewed by AFP. He then gained Swedish citizenship in 2017.

The court noted that the trial had taken 54 days and that a large number of people had been called as both plaintiffs and witnesses.

Sweden has adopted a principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows it to try cases of serious crimes against international law regardless of where the offences took place.

World

Rights Group Says Gaza Flotilla Activists Facing Abuse in Israel Jail

Brazilian activist Thiago Avila gestures upon his arrival at a court in Ashkelon on May 3, 2026.(Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila gestures upon his arrival at a court in Ashkelon on May 3, 2026.(Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
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Rights Group Says Gaza Flotilla Activists Facing Abuse in Israel Jail

Brazilian activist Thiago Avila gestures upon his arrival at a court in Ashkelon on May 3, 2026.(Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila gestures upon his arrival at a court in Ashkelon on May 3, 2026.(Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)

Two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla who have been detained in Israeli prison are facing psychological abuse, death threats and poor detention conditions, a rights group representing them said Monday.

"Thiago Avila (one of the activists) reported being subjected to repeated interrogations lasting up to eight hours. Interrogators have explicitly threatened him, stating he would either be 'killed' or 'spend 100 years in jail'," rights group Adalah, whose attorneys visited both activists in their detention Monday, said in statement.

Adalah added that a court would decide Tuesday whether to further extend Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Avila's detention.

World

US Denies Iran Struck a Military Vessel during New Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
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US Denies Iran Struck a Military Vessel during New Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

The US military on Monday denied claims that Iran struck a Navy vessel as US forces now offer to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds have been stuck since the Iran war began. Tehran over the past two months has attacked some vessels and blocked others that don’t receive its authorization.

The US military’s Central Command also said two American-flagged merchant ships have “successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz" and that that Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Arabian Gulf are helping to restore commercial shipping traffic.

The statement on X said the destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz “in support of Project Freedom” and that the merchant ships are "safely headed on their journey." It did not say when the Navy ships arrived or when the merchant vessels departed.

Meanwhile, Iranian news agencies had earlier claimed that Iran struck a US vessel near an Iranian port southeast of the strait, accusing it of “violating maritime security and navigation norms.” The reports said the vessel was forced to turn back.

Also, Iran's state television reported that the Iranian navy fired cruise missiles, rockets and combat drones near US destroyers crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Monday,

It said the navy had identified US destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz and fired multiple warning shots, adding, "following the Zionist American destroyers' disregard for the initial warning, the Navy issued a warning shot by firing cruise missiles, rockets, and combat drones around the aggressor enemy vessels".