NATO’s top military commander addressed Russia at a Warsaw security conference

◆1 source

NATO’s top military commander, Alexus Grynkewich, gave a speech on Russia at a security conference in Warsaw. He sought to reassure NATO citizens amid hybrid attacks and issued a strong warning to Russia.

Defense expert Michelle Haas said the speech left questions about NATO’s credibility because it did not address the rapprochement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, including a reported deal involving the purchase of large quantities of Russian diesel. Russia expert Helga Salemon said Russian television and other media had treated Grynkewich’s speech as a boost for Putin as well.

More on this story

War & Conflicts

NATO commander presents deterrence strategy in Warsaw

13 sources

NATO’s top military commander in Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich, presented the alliance’s “Theory of Victory” at a security conference in Warsaw. He said NATO would stop an attack, weaken it if it continued and ultimately disable the attacker’s operational combat system, with the aim of making any attack on an ally pointless. He did not name Russia in the speech, although the strategy was presented as a deterrent to a possible Russian attack on NATO’s eastern flank.

Education

French student protests grow during national day of action

1 source

A national day of action in France drew at least tens of thousands of people, with the union saying the turnout may have reached hundreds of thousands. The protesters expressed solidarity with school students as demonstrations that began at the start of the school year continued to grow and become more violent and political, according to the account. The protests concern teacher shortages, inadequate timetables and a lack of materials. Inequality is also a concern, with schools in the banlieues reportedly affected more severely than others. Dutch students studying in France described what they were seeing around them and what fellow students were doing.

Crime

Arrest of Pepijn van der S. over suspected ShinyHunters leadership

1 source

Pepijn van der S., from the Netherlands, was arrested on suspicion of being a leader of the hacker group ShinyHunters. He had previously been an ethical hacker and helped others remain on the legal path. His arrest prompted discussion in the hacker community about how tempting criminal activity can be for ethical hackers. Ethical hacker Koen Candlesticks said that after breaking into NOS systems earlier in the year and publishing information about it online, he received several questionable proposals in his direct messages. Barry van Kampen of the ethical hacker collective DIVD, who had got to know Van der S., called for more attention to the issue in education.

Politics

Delay to proposed Dutch surrogacy law

1 source

A proposed Dutch law on surrogacy continued to be delayed, while the country had no legal framework specifically regulating the practice. About 30 to 50 families reportedly had a child with the help of a surrogate each year, and that number was increasing, creating difficult situations for intended parents and surrogate mothers. The discussion included the experience of Annemiek van Tilborgh, who had twice acted as a surrogate for a close friend and later regretted how quickly she had relinquished legal parenthood. The dilemmas surrounding the postponed legislation were discussed with surrogates, intended parents and child judges.