Starmer sends UK strike group to Arctic, cites rising Russia threat as Trump pushes Greenland deal

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the United Kingdom will deploy its aircraft carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North later this year, marking a show of force as security tensions escalate across Europe.

Speaking on Saturday at the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany, Starmer said the mission would be led by HMS Prince of Wales and carried out alongside the U.S., Canada and other NATO allies.

"I can announce today that the U.K. will deploy our carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North this year, led by HMS Prince of Wales, operating alongside the U.S., Canada and other NATO allies, in a powerful show of our commitment to Euro-atlantic security," Starmer told the high-profile forum aimed at strengthening European defense and diplomatic ties.

NATO LAUNCHES ARCTIC SECURITY PUSH AS TRUMP EYES GREENLAND TAKEOVER

The High North — a term referring to the Arctic and surrounding regions — has become increasingly strategic amid growing Russian military activity. 

The deployment is intended to bolster security against potential Russian threats, according to BBC News.

The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly reiterated interest in the U.S. acquiring Greenland, citing national security concerns in the Arctic regarding Russia and China.

Starmer warned that Moscow’s military buildup could intensify even if a peace agreement is reached in Ukraine, arguing that Russian rearmament would "only accelerate." 

UK PRIME MINISTER OUTRAGED AFTER MANCHESTER UNITED CO-OWNER WARNS COUNTRY IS BEING 'COLONIZED' BY MIGRANTS

Europe, he said, must be prepared to "deter aggression" and, if necessary, be ready to fight.

"We must build our hard power, because that is the currency of the age," he said.

The carrier strike group is an international naval task force led by the Royal Navy. It consists of one aircraft carrier, about 40 aircraft, a frigate, a destroyer, a submarine and a supply ship, according to BBC News.

HMS Prince of Wales, a roughly $3.5 billion aircraft carrier, serves as the Royal Navy’s flagship, BBC News reported.

TROOPS FROM EUROPE DEPLOY TO GREENLAND IN RAPID 2-DAY MISSION AS TRUMP EYES US TAKEOVER

Trump has previously threatened tariffs on Britain and other European countries unless an agreement is reached allowing the U.S. to take control of the Danish territory. 

After meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in late January, Trump announced that he would not impose tariffs that were set to take effect Feb. 1 given they formed the "framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region."

Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday that the administration is "negotiating right now for Greenland," adding that, "We get along very well with Europe." 

The president was also asked about the Munich Security Conference.

"If it wasn't for me, they'd be paying 2% and not paying," Trump said of NATO allies. "They're paying 5% and they're paying. We have a very good relationship with NATO."

The three-day Munich conference brings together world leaders, defense chiefs and security officials.

Starmer did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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AOC accuses Israel of genocide in Germany where Holocaust was launched, sparking outrage

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., alleged at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that U.S. aid to the Jewish state enabled a genocide by Israel. AOC’s attack on the Jewish state in Munich unfolded in the birthplace of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi movement that carried out the worst genocide in human history.

AOC’s assault on Israel’s war campaign to defeat the U.S. and EU-designated terrorist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip sparked outrage and intense criticism from academic military and Middle East experts.

During the town hall event in Munich, the Squad member said, "To me, this isn't just about a presidential election. Personally, I think that the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly the Leahy laws. And I think that personally, that the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense. I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza. And I think that we have thousands of women and children dead that don't, that was completely avoidable."

'DOUBLING DOWN ON STUPID': NEWSOM, AOC, TRASH TRUMP AT EUROPEAN SUMMIT AS THEY RAISE 2028 PROFILES

She continued, "And, so I believe that enforcement of our own laws through the Leahy laws, which requires conditioning aid in any circumstance, when you see gross human rights violations, is appropriate."

The Leahy Laws prohibit the Department of Defense and the State Department from funding "foreign security force units when there is credible information that the unit has committed a ‘gross violation of human rights." Former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT., introduced the bill in 1997.

Tom Gross, an expert on international affairs, told Fox News digital that "AOC has flown all the way to Munich — infamous as the city in which Hitler staged his Nazi Beer Hall Putsch that marked the beginning of the road to the Holocaust — in order to smear the Jewish people further with a phony genocide allegation."

Gross added, "Such preposterous allegations of ‘genocide’ form the bedrock of modern antisemitic incitement against Jews in the U.S. and globally. This shocking ignorance and insensitivity by Ocasio-Cortez should rule her out of any potential presidential bid or other high office."

RASHIDA TLAIB HIT WITH HOUSE CENSURE THREAT, ACCUSED OF 'CELEBRATING TERRORISM' IN PRO-PALESTINIAN SPEECH

Military experts and genocide researchers have debunked the allegation that Israel carried out a genocide against Palestinians during its self-defense war against the Hamas terrorist organization that started after Hamas terrorists attacked communities in parts of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that saw over 1200 Israeli and foreign nationals killed and 251 brutally kidnapped and taken into Gaza by Hamas and other terrorists.

Danny Orbach, a military historian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and co-author of "Debunking the Genocide Allegations: A Reexamination of the Israel-Hamas War from October 7 2023, to June 1, 2025," told Fox News Digital that Ocasio-Cortez accusation that Israel committed genocide is an "accusation that is incorrect both factually and legally. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide requires proof of a special intent to destroy a protected group, in whole or in part, and as a baseline condition, an active effort to maximize civilian destruction.

"The evidence shows the opposite: as demonstrated in our multi-author study Debunking the Genocide Allegations, Israel undertook unprecedented measures to mitigate civilian harm, including establishing humanitarian safe zones that independently verified data show were approximately six times safer than other areas of Gaza."

Orbach added, "Israel also issued detailed advance warnings before strikes and facilitated the entry of over two million tons of humanitarian aid, often at significant cost to its own military advantage, including the loss of surprise and the sustainment of an enemy during wartime."

He concluded, "These measures were taken despite Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, its systematic use of human shields and hospitals for military purposes, and a tunnel network exceeding 1,000 kilometers — an operational challenge without historical precedent. Finally, no credible evidence demonstrates the kind of unambiguous, exclusive genocidal intent toward Palestinians that international law requires and that cannot be reasonably interpreted otherwise."

The conservative commentator Derek Hunter posted on X. "Imagine going to Germany to complain about a fake genocide by Jews...in Munich, of all places. @AOC is about as smart as clogged toilet."

In Dec. 2024, Germany joined the U.S. in rejecting the allegations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.

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Chaotic video shows passengers trading midair blows; plane forced to divert: reports

Chaotic video shows the moment a midair brawl erupted between passengers on a Jet2 flight bound for the United Kingdom on Thursday, reportedly forcing the plane to make a diversion.

Flight LS896, traveling from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, England, was diverted to Belgium after what the airline described as the "appalling behavior" of two "disruptive" passengers onboard, representatives told the New York Post.

"They were both offloaded by police in Brussels and the flight continued to Manchester," the representatives said.

Video circulating online appears to show passengers exchanging punches in the aisle as other travelers scream.

PASSENGER’S WI-FI NAME TRIGGERS BOMB SCARE, FORCES TURKISH AIRLINES EMERGENCY LANDING

It was not immediately clear what prompted the brawl. However, an eyewitness alleged that a male passenger made "racist" remarks earlier in the flight, the Sun reported.

"From early on in the flight, a passenger seated behind us began making racist remarks, quiet enough that others couldn’t clearly hear, but loud enough for us to," the traveler alleged.

According to the eyewitness, tensions escalated after the man — who had allegedly been drinking — was unable to purchase cigarettes onboard and became aggressive.

BIBLICAL STUDIES STUDENT ILLEGALLY IN U.S. ALLEGEDLY STABS TWO TEENS WITH METAL FORK, SLAPS WOMAN ON FLIGHT

Cabin crew members attempted to defuse the situation, but the dispute ultimately turned physical.

After diverting to Brussels, authorities removed the two passengers from the aircraft. The flight then resumed its journey and landed in Manchester at around 10 p.m., the Post reported.

Jet2 confirmed both individuals have been placed on the airline’s no-fly list.

"We can confirm that the two disruptive passengers will be banned from flying with us for life," Jet2 told the Post. "We will also vigorously pursue them to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this diversion."

'SECURITY-RELATED SITUATION' GROUNDS FLIGHT TO VACATION HOT SPOT, PASSENGERS CONFINED FOR HOURS

The airline added, "As a family-friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behavior, and we are very sorry that other customers and our colleagues onboard had to experience this too."

Jet2 did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Kelly McGreal contributed to this report.

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Terror convict, recently released, shot dead by Paris police after alleged knife attack near Arc de Triomphe

A man who had recently been released from prison on a terrorism charge was shot and killed by a police officer after he allegedly tried to attack another officer with a knife and scissors near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris Friday.

The incident happened near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the ceremony for relighting the eternal flame, which is carried out nightly.

The unidentified man, who is a French national born in 1978, allegedly tried to attack an officer guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and was shot by another officer.

He died of his wounds at a hospital, the French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said.

GENEOLOGY COMPANY EXEC SLAMS PIMA SHERIFF'S ‘DEVASTATING’ MOVE TO SHIP NANCY GUTHRIE EVIDENCE TO FLORIDA LAB

He was sentenced to 17 years in prison in Brussels in 2013 on a terrorist-related offense of attempted murder of three police officers in Belgium and had just been released in December.

The man served 12 years in prison and was placed under police supervision with routine checks, the French prosecution office said.

VIDEO SHOWS THE ‘HEIST OF THE CENTURY’ AT THE LOUVRE

The French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said it had opened an investigation into the man related to his ties to a "terrorist enterprise" before his death.

The man was held in a Belgian prison until 2015, when he was transferred to France and released on Christmas Eve.

The Arc de Triomphe was closed to guests after the incident, which had no other reported injuries.

The Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-Élysées, is one of Paris and Europe’s most popular sights, and millions of tourists visit the monument in the heart of the French capital each year.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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European capital rocked by violent protests as government corruption probe fuels unrest

Thousands of anti-government protesters violently faced off against riot police outside government buildings in Albania’s capital, Tirana, earlier this week, as people called for the resignation of the government following a massive corruption scandal.

The main Albanian opposition party called for people to take to the streets and demand the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku after she was indicted by a special prosecutor who alleged she had been improperly influenced in her decision to favor one company in a tender for the construction of a 3.7-mile tunnel in southern Albania.

Albania’s Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime suspended Balluku from the government in November, but Prime Minister Edi Rama took the issue to the country’s Constitutional Court, which reinstated Balluku in December.

STATE DEPARTMENT STAYS QUIET AS ALBANIA REINSTATES DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION

Balluku denied the allegations, calling the accusations against her amounted to "mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies." Rama has refused to dismiss her.

The corruption allegations touched off widespread outrage, sparking protests in recent months. 

"The wave of popular protests in Albania reflects a growing societal backlash against what critics describe as the increasingly autocratic rule of Prime Minister Edi Rama," Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital.

"Over more than a decade in power, Rama is accused of centralizing authority and personalizing state institutions, while his government has faced persistent allegations of cooperation with organized crime and the misuse of public funds and public assets for the benefit of politically connected clients," Nesho claimed.

The shady circumstances surrounding Rama’s most important ally and the lack of accountability reinforces the sentiment that is pervasive in Albanian society that their government is rife with corruption. With both the incumbent government and opposition figures accused of corruption, public confidence in institutions and the justice system has steadily been eroded.

ITALY ROCKED BY ANARCHIST-LED RIOTS AS OVER 100 POLICE INJURED, MELONI CONDEMNS VIOLENCE

Albania has a long legacy of government corruption and ranks 91st out of 182 countries in Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.

The protests on Tuesday turned violent when supporters of Berisha’s opposition Democratic Party threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at government offices in Tirana. Security forces responded with water cannons and tear gas.

Berisha claims the protests have been peaceful, and people are only voicing their opposition to Rama’s increasing autocratic rule and his attacks of the justice system.

At least 16 protesters were treated for injuries and 13 protesters were arrested, according to The Associated Press. 

Observers of the region believe Berisha, who was prime minister from 2005 to 2013 and faced his own corruption charges, is angling to topple the socialist prime minister and main political rival, Rama, and return to power.

The turmoil in Albania comes as the country has long sought European Union membership, which began in 2014 when it became an official candidate for accession. While the 2025 annual European Commission report stated that Albania made significant strides in judicial reforms and combating organized crime, the latest allegations against Rami’s government will complicate its path to EU membership.

The United States helped implement Albania’s judicial reform process, including the creation of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK). The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) invested millions to foster democratic progress in Albania and assisted in combating Albania’s struggles with corruption and strengthening its weak institutions.

Nesho warned the U.S. and European Union need to get serious with policy in the Western Balkans and help move Albania closer to European integration.

"If Washington and Brussels continue to look the other way — failing to enforce the rule of law, restore real checks and balances, and cut the regime’s ties to organized crime and drug trafficking — Albania risks drifting into the orbit of Eastern-style autocracy," Nesho said.

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Netanyahu urges court to revoke Palestinians' Israeli citizenship after convictions for violent crimes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday asked a court to revoke the Israeli citizenship of two Palestinian men convicted of terrorism offenses.

The effort appears to be the first use of a law enacted three years ago allowing the revocation of citizenship and subsequent deportation of Palestinian citizens who were convicted of certain violent crimes such as terrorism and received financial support from the Palestinian Authority as a reward.

Netanyahu filed court documents arguing that the severity of the crimes, along with payments the men reportedly received from a Palestinian Authority fund, justify pulling their citizenship and expelling them from the Jewish State.

The prime minister has long claimed the fund rewards violence, including attacks on civilians.

TRUMP SAYS HE WOULD ‘ABSOLUTELY’ REVOKE CITIZENSHIP FROM NATURALIZED CRIMINALS — IF HE HAS THE AUTHORITY

But Palestinian officials have contended that it is a safety net for the broad cross‑section of society with family members in Israeli detention. They also accused Netanyahu of focusing on the relatively small number of beneficiaries who carried out the attacks.

When the law passed, critics argued that it allowed Israel's legal system to treat Jewish and Palestinian people differently. Civil rights groups said that basing a deportation law on Palestinian Authority payments effectively excluded Jewish Israelis, including settlers convicted of attacks against Palestinians, from the threat of losing their citizenship, as the statute targeted people of a certain race.

Netanyahu said this week that the government launched proceedings against the two men and that similar cases would be brought in the future.

TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF 'MIDNIGHT HAMMER' OPERATION

Israeli officials said Mohamad Ahmad, a citizen from Jerusalem, was convicted of "offenses that constitute an act of terrorism and receiving funds in connection with terrorism." He allegedly received payment after he was sentenced in 2002 for a shooting attack and served 23 years before his release in 2024.

Mohammed Ahmad Hussein al-Halsi was sentenced in 2016 to 18 years behind bars for stabbing elderly women. He also allegedly received payments while in prison.

Ahmad would be deported immediately, while al-Halsi would be removed upon his release, as individuals are subject to removal to Gaza once their sentences are complete under the 2023 law, which applies to citizens or permanent residents convicted of "committing an act that constitutes a breach of loyalty to the State of Israel," including terrorism.

The general director of Israel's Adalah legal center, Hassan Jabareen, called the move to use the law "a cynical propaganda move" by Netanyahu. He said stripping citizenship violated the most basic principles of the rule of law, including by acting against people who have completed prison sentences.

"The Israeli government is attempting to strip individuals of the very foundation through which all rights are protected, their nationality," he said on Thursday, according to The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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USS Ford ordered to the Middle East, the second aircraft carrier being sent to the region

The USS Gerald R. Ford has been ordered to move from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East, as President Donald Trump weighs whether to take military action against Iran amid tensions in the region, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.

This will put two aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East more than two weeks ago.

The USS Ford, which set out on deployment in June 2025, was sent from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean last fall as the administration established a significant military presence ahead of the operation to strike Venezuela and capture its president, Nicolás Maduro.

SCOTT BESSENT SAYS IRAN UNDERSTANDS 'BRUTE FORCE' AS TRUMP WEIGHS OPTIONS AMID NUCLEAR STANDOFF

On Thursday, Trump warned Iran that failure to reach a deal with the U.S. regarding its nuclear program would be "very traumatic" after the two countries held indirect talks in Oman last week.

"It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly," he told reporters.

Trump held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he insisted to the Israeli leader that negotiations with Iran must continue.

TRUMP SAYS IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER KHAMENEI SHOULD BE 'VERY WORRIED' AMID TENSIONS

Netanyahu is calling on the Trump administration to push Tehran to scale back its ballistic missile program and end its support for terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as part of any deal.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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