Foreign Titbits: Nato summit: Leaders to focus on Afghanistan conflict

Nato leaders plan to turn their attentions to the conflict in Afghanistan, on the second day of a summit so far dominated by demands from President Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump on Wednesday urged Nato allies to commit 4% of their annual output (GDP) to military spending.

He also singled out Germany for criticism over its defence spending.

Nato leaders are hoping for a more conciliatory tone on Thursday before Mr. Trump leaves for the UK.

But in a late-night tweet from Brussels, the US president reiterated his criticism.

“Billions of additional dollars are being spent by NATO countries since my visit last year, at my request, but it isn’t nearly enough,” he declared

He earlier accused Germany of being held prisoner to imported Russian energy, claiming it is “totally controlled” by Moscow.

EU figures suggest Russia is responsible for between 50% and 75% of Germany’s gas imports, but gas makes up less than 20% of Germany’s energy mix for power production.

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani will be present for the second day of talks, and Nato’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hopes the bloc will agree to fund Afghan security forces until 2024.

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May has already confirmed that the UK will send 440 more troops to serve in non-combat roles in Afghanistan.

The US also committed an extra 3,000 troops to support Afghan forces in September 2017 – bringing its total to 15,000.

US officials have said Washington is planning a strategic review, a year after Mr. Trump agreed to remain involved in the 17-year conflict.

Nato leaders will discuss the alliance’s ties with Georgia and Ukraine.

Both countries want to join Nato, but their bids are not expected to make progress.

That is because Russia has engaged in territorial incursions into both states, and Nato rules prevent countries with a land conflict from joining.

By contrast, a ceremony will be held for Macedonia after it was invited to begin accession talks on Wednesday.

Pics Source: KFGO.com

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Theresa May hopes Donald Trump visit will boost US-UK links

US President Donald Trump’s visit to the UK will be an opportunity to boost trade links and strengthen cooperation on security, Theresa May has said.

The PM also warned Mr. Trump not to ignore the “malign behaviour” of Russia when he meets Vladimir Putin on Monday.

Mr. Trump, who arrives this afternoon for a two-day working visit, will spend time with the Queen and Mrs. May.

Thousands of people are expected to protest against the president’s visit across the UK.

His arrival comes just days after he said the UK was in “turmoil” and “it is up to the people” whether Mrs. May stays as prime minister.

He also said he had “always liked” Boris Johnson, who quit as foreign secretary on Monday, while he joked that his meeting with Russian leader Mr. Putin in Helsinki next week “may be the easiest” part of his European trip.

Along with trade and security links, Downing Street said key areas to be discussed between the two leaders included Russia, Brexit and the Middle East.

Ahead of Mr. Trump’s visit, Mrs. May said: “As two nations – we are safer, more prosperous and more creative when we work together and I am looking forward to this week’s important discussions.”

She said that when the UK leaves the European Union “there will be no alliance more important in the years ahead.”

Downing Street insisted Mrs. May welcomed Mr. Trump’s decision to “engage” with the Russian leader in the Finnish capital on Monday.

However No 10 also made clear that she expected him to raise issues like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.

Mrs. May said: “Our long term objective remains a constructive relationship with Moscow. If we are to be successful in this we must keep engaging individually and as an alliance.

“That is why I welcome President Trump’s forthcoming meeting with President Putin – open channels of communication between the US and Russia are key to managing the risks of confrontation.”

Mr. Trump will arrive in the UK with his wife Melania on Thursday afternoon, following the Nato summit.

The couple will attend a dinner, hosted by Mrs. May, at Blenheim Palace – the ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill – on Thursday evening.

Cabinet members, including Chancellor Philip Hammond and the new foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, as well as business leaders, will be among the guests.

On Friday, Mrs. May and Mr. Trump will go to watch a joint counter-terrorism exercise by British and US special forces at a military base.

The pair will then travel to Chequers – the PM’s country residence in Buckinghamshire – for talks with the foreign secretary.

The president and first lady will travel to Windsor on Friday afternoon to meet the Queen, before flying to Scotland to spend the weekend at Mr. Trump’s Turnberry golf resort.

This part of the visit is being considered private.

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Papa John’s founder resigns as chairman over N-word controversy

Papa John’s founder, John Schnatter, has stepped down as chairman of the company’s board after apologising for using the N-word in a conference call.

The pizza chain founder used the racial slur in a media training session in May, according to media reports.

Mr. Schnatter resigned as the company’s CEO last year after criticising the NFL over players’ national anthem protests.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said it condemned “racism and any insensitive language.”

It later said it had accepted Mr. Schnatter’s resignation and that a new board chairman would be appointed in the coming weeks.

Trump donor, Mr Schnatter, stepped down as chief executive of the company in 2017 after he criticised the National Football League (NFL) for not containing national anthem protests at American football games, which he said were hurting his firm’s sales.

Players had been protesting against the treatment of black people in the US by kneeling during the national anthem.

President Donald Trump had also criticised the players for the protests and pressed the NFL to ban them.

The latest announcement follows resignations in other big companies due to racial bias in recent months.

A senior executive at the ride-hailing firm Uber resigned this week following an investigation into how she handle allegations of racial discrimination at the firm.

Last month, Netflix fired its head of communications over his use of the N-word.