A launch of the Arctic Sentry mission could come as early as this week, when the alliance’s defence ministers meet in Brussels

International News via Reuters:

NATO is expected to launch a mission in the coming days that could boost its surveillance and military assets in the Arctic, five sources told Reuters, following tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and European allies over Greenland.

A launch of the Arctic Sentry mission could come as early as this week, when the alliance’s defence ministers meet in Brussels, according to three European diplomats, a military official and a person familiar with the matter.

Arctic Sentry could involve military exercises, increased surveillance, additional vessels and air assets in the region, including drones, the diplomats said.

However, officials said the mission would likely focus on using NATO resources in the region more effectively rather than adding large amounts of new forces.

The mission was “part of the Alliance’s efforts to further enhance our deterrence and defence in the region, particularly in light of Russia’s military activity and China’s growing interest in the High North,” a NATO official told Reuters in an email.

The mission was expected to be operational soon, the official said.

NATO said last week it had begun planning for the mission, following talks in Davos between Trump and NATO boss Mark Rutte that eased severe strains over Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

Officials said no final decision had been taken and military planners were still working on options. 

But NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, said on Monday planning was in the “final stages”. 

Speaking on a visit to Luxembourg, Grynkewich said he would receive a briefing on planning for the mission from NATO’s Joint Force Command in Norfolk, Virginia on Tuesday. 

“If the brief goes well … we might have something that we can announce later this week on how we’re moving forward on that,” he told reporters.

Reporting by Lili Bayer, Sabine Siebold and John Irish; Writing by Andrew Gray; Editing by

The European Chips Act, unveiled in 2022, aims to double the EU’s share of global semiconductor production to 20% by 2030

International News via Reuters:

Europe took a step to strengthen its hand in the global chip race on Monday as Belgian research firm imec opened “NanoIC”, a 2.5 billion euros ($2.95 billion) pilot line aimed at developing ultra-advanced semiconductors under the EU’s Chips Act.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Europe is home to major chipmaking equipment champions – including Dutch lithography leader ASML – but produces and designs only a small slice of the most advanced chips, leaving it largely on the sidelines of the AI-driven boom that has lifted U.S. and Asian players.

NanoIC is designed to close part of that gap. Rather than building a full commercial factory, Europe is betting on a shared research model that lets firms and labs prototype beyond-2nm process steps and integration before committing billions to volume manufacturing.

CONTEXT

The European Chips Act, unveiled in 2022, aims to double the EU’s share of global semiconductor production to 20% by 2030. NanoIC will host ASML’s most advanced tool, the High NA EUV machine, alongside its full suite of accompanying tools.

BY THE NUMBERS

2.5 billion euros: The total investment for the NanoIC pilot line, comprising of 1.4 billion in public funding from the EU’s Chips Joint Undertaking and the Flemish government and 1.1 billion in private contributions from industry leaders, with ASML representing the largest share.

KEY QUOTES

“We are all very proud and thankful that this is happening at the heart of Europe and will allow Europe to play an even more critical role in the global semiconductor ecosystem” said ASML chief executive Christophe Fouquet in a statement.

“The NanoIC pilot line will play a crucial role in strengthening Europe’s industrial fabric in the AI era”, imec CEO Luc Van den hove said.

WHAT’S NEXT

imec expects the delivery of ASML’s High NA EUV tool in March.

($1 = 0.8483 euros)

Reporting by Nathan Vifflin in Gdansk; Editing by Matt Scuffham

Successive governments have tightened immigration policies since 2015, when around 160,000 asylum seekers sought refuge in Sweden

International News via Reuters:

Sweden will tighten citizenship rules with applicants facing a longer, eight-year wait before they can apply, a minimum wage threshold and a test of their understanding of Swedish society, the centre-right government said on Monday.

Successive governments have tightened immigration policies since 2015, when around 160,000 asylum seekers sought refuge in Sweden. But the minority coalition government is betting that an even more restrictive line on immigration will prove popular with voters in September’s parliamentary election.

“These requirements are much tougher than the situation as it is today because currently there are basically no requirements (to become a citizen),” Migration Minister Johan Forssell told reporters.

The government said applicants for Swedish citizenship would have to live in the country for eight years, up from five, have a monthly income of more than 20,000 Swedish crowns ($2,225), and be able to pass a language and culture test.

“It seems reasonable that you should know whether Sweden is a monarchy or a republic, if you want to be a citizen,” Forssell said.

Anyone with a criminal record, either in Sweden or abroad, will have to wait longer before they can apply. Someone who had served a four-year prison sentence, for example, would have to wait 15 years before being able to apply for citizenship.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who back the minority coalition government, have blamed decades of what they say are failed immigration policies for a wave of gangland crime that has swept the country.

The new rules are expected to come into force on June 6.

Last week the government said it would tighten rules for asylum seekers.

($1 = 8.9936 Swedish crowns)

Reporting by Simon Johnson