World
What are NATO’s national caveats and why do they hinder fast response?
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A growing number of NATO allies are calling for harmonising national caveats that hinder the alliance’s ability to respond quickly to threats such as airspace violations — but the task is likely to be arduous.
As defence ministers from the 32 member states gathered in Brussels for a meeting on Wednesday, most allies called for a reduction in the use of national caveats in northern or eastern Europe, where an increasing number of airspace violations has been recorded in recent weeks.
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said “there’s room for improvement within the alliance” and that his country’s model should “inspire others”.
“It’s the mandate of the pilot, or commander of the surface vessels to make the call and that’s good,” he added.
His Dutch counterpart similarly lamented that different regulations among allies “make(s) it complicated when things get tough.”
“When the F35s are up in the air, you need to make sure that for everyone it’s very clear what the regulations are, the rules of engagement, and how then to also get to an agreement with the authorities,” Ruben Brekelmans said.
“We support the efforts by SACEUR by making sure that those regulations are harmonised and that we have one set of rules for this,” he added.
The two ministers echoed the US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, who told journalists earlier this week that “it’s no secret that the more ‘national caveats’ there are on — especially our fighter jet assets — the harder it is for SACEUR to respond immediately.”
“Those are conversations that we’re going to continue to have within the alliance and to make sure that … where they can be reduced, they can be reduced,” he said.
‘Holding us back’
In effect, these caveats are limitations each nation places on the use of its forces during NATO missions.
In Afghanistan, for instance, some allies placed restrictions on where their forces could be deployed, what kind of weapons they were allowed to use and under what circumstances they could use them.
Another recurrent caveat is the requirement that the top national officer deployed to the NATO mission must first secure authorisation from their home country before taking part in any new operation.
When it comes to rules of engagement for airspace violations, one nation may allow an object to be shot down based on radar readings, whereas another may require visual confirmation first. They may also have different rules on what weapons their fighter jets can be equipped with.
This makes it very difficult for the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR), NATO’s top military authority, to act quickly in times of crisis.
NATO officials are nonetheless saying that national caveats were not a problem last month when nearly 20 drones violated Poland’s airspace, prompting NATO to deploy multiple fighter jets to neutralise some of them.
Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary general, told reporters on Wednesday that allies responded “as we should have”. But he conceded earlier this week in Slovenia that national caveats “are holding us back” and “making us less effective”.
‘A greater appetite’ to resolve the issue
Complaints about how national caveats are hindering the alliance’s effectiveness are not new. NATO leaders already discussed reducing their use at a summit in Riga in 2006, in the context of operations in Afghanistan. These talks didn’t yield much.
In part, that’s because caveats are first and foremost political decisions, Rafael Loss, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told Euronews.
“Ultimately, it’s about citizens of those countries either dying or killing in the name of NATO and so that is the highest sort of sovereign decision that governments hold on to,” Loss said.
What they show, he added, is that “NATO in the end still consists of 32 different countries.”
But the global geopolitical landscape has vastly changed since the early 2000s, and the sense of urgency in Europe is much more acute due to Russia’s belligerence.
Airspace violations, some of them blamed on Russia, were also observed in Estonia, Romania and Denmark in rapid succession last month.
“I think given that the current security environment is much more immediately threatening and requires an urgent response, there is a greater chance that this time around, relating to air defence on the eastern flank, NATO has some greater appetite to really work through this difficult issue,” Loss said.
However, he added, the idea that national caveats could soon become a thing of the past is “far-fetched”.
‘Shoot them down’
Some leaders, like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have said the issue is simple.
“If you have drones which do not belong to your state, shoot them down,” he said earlier this month from Copenhagen where EU leaders discussed the possibility of erecting a so-called drone wall.
But while, in theory, countries may have the right to down drones or fighter jets that violate their airspace, in practice it’s not as clear-cut, especially for NATO allies.
Some countries, including those on the eastern flank, may just not have the capabilities to do so and therefore rely on NATO missions for air policing. And then there is the political element.
“Even if you’re capable of unilaterally shooting down a potential threat, you still have to wrestle with the fact that if this is not a somewhat coordinated response, you face the risk of other NATO allies not agreeing with your course of action and thereby your actions fracturing alliance cohesion,” Loss said.
Rutte on Wednesday said he disagreed with calls for Russian planes to be systematically downed if they enter NATO airspace.
“I think you have to make sure that you are absolutely convinced whether yes or no it is posing a threat. If it is posing a threat, we can do everything needed to make sure the threat will not materialise,” he said.
But if it is not posing a threat, he continued, allies should ensure the plane “will gently be guided outside of our airspace.”
World
The deadly car explosion in New Delhi is being investigated under an anti-terrorism law
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian police were investigating the deadly car explosion in New Delhi under an anti-terrorism law, officials said Tuesday, as forensic experts worked to determine the cause of the blast.
The explosion occurred near the historic Red Fort late Monday, killing at least eight people and injuring several others.
Senior police officials told The Associated Press that a case was registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, India’s main anti-terrorism law, which allows broader powers to investigating agencies to detain suspects. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a scheduled visit to Bhutan on Tuesday, said investigators would “get to the bottom of this conspiracy.
“The conspirators won’t be spared and all those responsible will be brought to justice,” Modi said.
Police said the explosion was believed to have originated from a Hyundai i20 car that had stopped at a traffic signal. Nearby vehicles were badly damaged, and photos showed shattered windows, twisted metal and flames engulfing several cars.
Police were trying to trace the car’s owner. There was no immediate information about the occupants, who were believed to have been killed.
Home Minister Amit Shah said Monday that “all angles” were being investigated and that security agencies would reach a conclusion soon. He said footage from cameras in the area would play a key role in the investigation.
Major train stations, including in Mumbai and in Uttar Pradesh state, which borders New Delhi, were put on security alert. The security force responsible for guarding key installations in the capital, including New Delhi’s international airport, metro system and major government buildings, said its personnel had also been placed on security alert.
A former imperial palace, the Red Fort is a sprawling Mughal-era complex and a major tourist attraction in the Old Delhi section of the city. Located about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from Parliament, the 17th-century monument is a symbolic location where Indian prime ministers deliver their Independence Day speeches on Aug. 15 each year.
The area around Red Fort is typically crowded, serving as a main route to the bustling bazaars of the old city.
World
Government shutdown reaches overseas bases as many feel the strain
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Thousands of miles from the stalemate in Washington D.C., the effects of the government shutdown are being felt around the world. While President Donald Trump found a way to temporarily pay U.S. troops — others on base aren’t so lucky, including teachers and support staff.
Donna Irwin, a substitute teacher at a naval base in Italy, says the impact is deeply felt. “It has been absolutely terrible to watch and the morale at the school, I mean it’s low,” Irwin said.
LAWMAKER WARNS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS POTENTIALLY LEADING TO BIG WASTE IN THE MILITARY, IMPACTING READINESS
Some American educators abroad are not allowed to take second jobs while the government shutdown leaves military school staff unpaid overseas.
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates 161 schools in 11 countries, seven states and two territories across 10 time zones. Nearly 900,000 military-connected children live worldwide, 67,000 of whom are enrolled in DoDEA schools and served by more than 14,000 employees.
In a statement, DoDEA’s communications operations chief Jessica Tackaberry told Fox News that they remain “committed to providing a world-class education” and that they “understand the difficulties this situation may create for our dedicated educators and staff who are working without pay. DoDEA is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide guidance and support to employees as needed.”
Athletics and co-curricular activities are also considered excepted activities at this time.
The Department of Defense Education Activity acknowledges the challenges faced by educators and staff working without pay during the government shutdown.
Irwin considers herself lucky that her husband is still getting a paycheck as a sailor, but with half their income on hold, they’re cutting back. She says that even when the government reopens, repayment can still take a while.
HOUSE CONSERVATIVE LEADER GIVES BLESSING TO SENATE SHUTDOWN DEAL, WITH ‘ONE CAVEAT’
“Especially out here, you feel forgotten because we are here to support that mission — as DoD contractors, as spouses and family members of the service members,. You know, these bases, these installations — they really don’t function without us, without our vital jobs and our support,” she said.
It’s a unique situation for Americans living abroad. For many, taking a second job off base isn’t allowed under their contract agreements. Living an ocean away from family who could help adds to the stress. Some are simply trying to explain to European landlords that their employer isn’t sending a paycheck, and they can’t afford rent or utility bills.
Some teachers at military bases abroad pay out of pocket for snacks and school supplies for their students as they work without compensation during the government shutdown. (John Moore/Getty Images)
“We oftentimes forget about all those little auto-pay things we have — everything from streaming services to healthcare needs — and they’re having to do these deep dives into their bank accounts and cancel all of these, you know, car insurance, your vehicle,” Irwin said.
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Despite the shutdown, educators say their students still come first and that the mission continues — even if it means footing the bill themselves for snacks and school supplies. Irwin works in a special education classroom, teaching essential life skills such as cooking and cleaning.
“I have no budget for any of that in my current classroom, so I’ve been having to go to the commissary myself and make do, trying to buy things that I can’t afford right now for these students who desperately need those life skills,” Irwin said. “I think the saddest thing for me is watching my students come in, and they don’t fully understand everything that’s happening with the government and with politics and to see them worried, to see them worry about, ‘Am I going to have a meal tomorrow, am I going to have a meal today?’”
World
US Senate passes bill to end longest ever government shutdown
The measure still needs to be approved by the House and signed by US President Donald Trump.
Published On 11 Nov 2025
The United States is moving closer to ending its record-breaking government shutdown after the Senate took a critical step forward to end its five-week impasse.
The Senate on Monday night approved a spending package by a vote of 60 to 40 to fund the US government through January 30, and reinstate pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
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The spending bill next moves to the House of Representatives for approval and then on to President Donald Trump for a sign-off before the shutdown can finally end.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would like to pass it as soon as Wednesday and send it on to Trump to sign into law.
The vote in the Senate follows negotiations this weekend that saw seven Democrats and one Independent agree to vote in favour of the updated spending package to end the shutdown, which enters its 42nd day on Tuesday.
Also included in the deal are three-year funding appropriations for the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, veterans affairs and congressional operations.
The bill does not, however, resolve one of the most central issues in the shutdown – extending healthcare subsidies. Senate Republicans have agreed to vote on the issue as a separate measure in December.
US legislators have been under growing pressure to end the government shutdown, which enters its forty-second day on Tuesday, as their constituents feel the impact of funding lapses for programmes like food stamps.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or required to work without pay since the shutdown began on October 1, while Trump has separately threatened to use the shutdown as a pretext to slash the federal workforce.
Voters have also felt the impact of the shutdown at airports across the US after the Federal Aviation Administration last week announced a 10 percent cut in air traffic due to absences from air traffic controllers.
The cuts have created chaos for US air travel just as the country is heading into its busiest travel season of the year.
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