Darren Connor, 55, was one of two men arrested at the Mosque on Upper Park Road at Victoria Park, Manchester on Tuesday February 24 during evening prayers.

The second man has since been released, while Connor has been remanded into custody ahead of an expected appearance at the magistrates court.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Darren Connor, a white British man of Gorton Road, Stockport has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon and possession of class B drugs.

Connor is expected to appear before Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court (Image: Anthony Moss)

“He has been remanded in custody ahead of a scheduled appearance at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court this morning, Friday 27 February 2026.

“The second man arrested will face no further action in relation to the incident at Manchester Central Mosque.

“This charge comes after two men were arrested following an incident at Manchester Central Mosque on Tuesday February 24 2026.”

A large police presence was called to deal with the incident at the Mosque on Tuesday.

Members of the public can call police on 101 or 999 in the event of an emergency.

Alternatively, witnesses can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The highly-rated Bryant Console Table has been reduced from £129 to £64

Dunelm customers are making the most of a massive clearance sale which has seen reductions of more than 50%. Amongst the deals is a highly-rated console table, now half price, which reportedly looks especially great in hallways.

Branded as “classy” and “elegant”, the Bryant Console Table has been reduced from its initial £129 down to £64.50. Sporting a mango wood effect finish, the table includes an open shelf on one side and a drawer on the other, complete with black metal legs and handles.

The item measures: H 80cm x W 110cm x D 29.5cm and requires full assembly, though customers have generally agreed in reviews that it’s “easy to out together”.

Jacky remarked: “I love this in my hall it looks amazing. Easy to assemble. Just perfect.”

Another purchaser noted: “Beautiful. Very elegant piece of furniture, adds richness to my entry hall”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Mich commented: “Best console ever! We love it. Fits perfectly in the hallway. Glad on our choice of colour as it compliments the flooring.”

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A fourth customer shared: “So good I bought it twice! Having bought the Bryant Console Table previously for my hallway, I already knew the quality was excellent and so when I was looking for a second console table for a different room in the house, the Bryant was my go to choice.

“It’s very well made for a flat pack, was easily put together with no problems whatsoever, it’s sturdy and looks far more expensive for its very reasonable price. I ordered online for home delivery and it was with me by the fourth day of ordering. I can totally recommend this console table, so much so, I ordered another item from the collection.”

However, one customer expressed disappointment with the actual colour, stating: “Unfortunately will be returning this for a refund. The table itself is nice but the walnut is really very very dark and is not as it looks on the pictures. I feel this is because they are taken with sunlight streaming onto the table which is very misleading.”

Also in Dunelm’s clearance sale, the Fulton Small Sideboard in Black Oak is reduced to £99.50 from £199 and the Scallop Wide Sideboard is slashed to £174.50 from £349.

Elsewhere at Wayfair, Blue Elephant’s Brown Console Table is currently marked down from £139.99 to £123.99. It’s crafted from engineered wood featuring a rustic grain finish.

Over at Debenhams, the H&O Direct Rustic Wood Console Table has been reduced from £204.22 to £89.91 and is marked as ‘selling fast’.

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The SNP proposed a “much fairer” five per cent council tax rise, with the increase eventually passed at seven per cent.

The North Lanarkshire SNP group have accused the Labour-run council of implementing an “unnecessarily high council tax rise” and “making cuts to vital areas” with the budget that was set by the local authority yesterday.

The SNP proposed a “much fairer” five per cent council tax rise, with the increase eventually passed at seven per cent.

In a statement on the group’s Facebook page, the SNP also highlighted how they had “proposed several measures which reflected what the public had asked of them, including funding for the condition of schools, community and leisure facilities, additional funding for road safety and maintenance, money towards CCTV and lighting in parks, and £1.2 million for a three year trial of lockable mobile phone pouches for schools”.

It went on to claim: “Yet despite there being a fully costed and competent budget that put the people of North Lanarkshire first, Labour, along with other councillors, except for two, chose to either vote for Labour’s budget or abstain.”

The local authorty’s 2026-2027 budget also sees residents set to benefit from a £10 million boost for community, culture and leisure facilities.

And the council agreed an additional £32 million in capital funding for its record five-year capital investment programme, which will be brought forward to consider schools, roads and community facilities.

READ MORE: Live stand-up comedy show The Therapy Room returning to Airdrie Town Hall

Commenting on the budget set, the SNP Group’s finance spokesperson, Councillor Denis Johnston, said: “What we found today from the Labour group was constant deflection, strawman arguments and intentional misinterpretation.

“The group clearly hoped they could distract the public from the fact that they are making cuts again to vital areas, such as education and community learning and development.

“It’s disappointing but not surprising that yet again they have proposed a budget that costs the tax payer more, and delivers less overall in comparison to our budgets which have set a lower council tax increase, whilst providing positive and much asked for measures that improve our local communities.”

Council leader Jim Logue said: “”While we are forced to increasing council tax, North Lanarkshire will continue to remain one of the lowest in Scotland.

READ MORE: North Lanarkshire Council continuing electrical safety testing in homes

“We are already creating conditions to improve the lives of our residents, with record levels of business investment, creating jobs and training opportunities, real economic growth, quality housing, digital and transport networks and enhanced greenspaces.

“North Lanarkshire truly is becoming a place where people want to live, work, and invest—and we’re determined to keep that momentum going.”

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.

A mum couldn’t stop laughing when her identical twin daughters came home from their first day at nursery

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A mother was in stitches after seeing her twin daughters following their first day at nursery.

Entrusting your children to childcare or leaving them in someone else’s care for the day represents a significant milestone for any parent.

Having spent months bonding with your baby, the separation can prove jarring and feel distinctly unnatural.

Both mums and dads, along with the child, must adjust to unfamiliar routines and faces, which can require considerable time.

However, one parent found herself crying with laughter following her twin daughters’ maiden nursery experience.

Natalya, aged 29 and mother to four girls all under four years old, revealed what she discovered when her identical twins returned home from nursery.

When they arrived back, the girls, Thea and Faye, were lying on their stomachs playing when Natalya noticed something attached to the back of their T-shirts.

It seemed the nursery staff had employed parcel tape to label each child, enabling them to distinguish between the pair.

Natalya posted the footage on her TikTok account, @withnatalya_, captioning it ‘how my identical twins were sent home from their first day’.

The clip left parents in hysterics as they remembered comparable experiences with their own twins. Nursery workers and childcare professionals also contributed their accounts of managing twins.

One commenter wrote: “We did this at the beginning of the year and few months in we knew who was who – but dad had to ask the girls every pick up ‘which one are you?’” Another person shared: “I have identical twin toddler girls in my class, I’ve been able to identify their different personality traits.”

They explained: “One is more of my Velcro baby than the other, but mom got their ears pierced as infants so one wears pink earrings and one wears purple.”

Adding further: “She also often dresses them in their respective assigned colour and their water bottles they bring from home are also are pink and purple.”

A third commenter revealed: “The daycare our twins go to, is owned by identical twins. So they are SPOILED there. They had to go to a new class for one day and this is how they came home, I giggled.”

A silver Audi vehicle was reported to be in the area at the time

An investigation is ongoing following a report of an altercation involving a number of men in Belfast.

The incident is reported to have taken place at around 5.15pm on Wednesday, February 25, at the junction of Westland Road and Cavehill Road, in the north of the city.

A silver Audi vehicle was reported to be in the area at the time. There have been no reports of any injuries at this time.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Enquiries are ongoing, and anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anything, is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 1151 of 25/2/26.“You can also submit a report online via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

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State Pension recipients can switch from four-weekly to weekly payments by contacting the DWP if their pension is paid into a bank account

The State Pension is worth up to £230.25 per week during the current financial year and is typically paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) every four weeks. However, whilst most pensioners are content to receive a regular income of up to £921 every payment period, many may be unaware they can alter the frequency of these payments to fortnightly or even weekly.

A former DWP employee with 42 years’ experience in handling State Pensions and benefits has revealed the straightforward way every pensioner, already claiming their State Pension or due to retire this year, can modify how often they are paid.

The key thing to note is the frequency can only be altered if the payments have already been arranged to be made into a bank account, reports the Daily Record.

People already on the New or Basic State Pension

Ex-DWP employee Sandra Wrench told the Daily Record: “If you have already made a claim for State Pension and are in receipt of four-weekly payments, and you want weekly payments, then phone the DWP change of circumstances (Pension Service) telephone number on 0800 731 0469, and request weekly payments.

“Alternatively write to The Pension Service, Post Handling Site A, Wolverhampton WV98 1AF, with your name address and National Insurance number and ask to be changed to weekly payment for your State Pension.”

People about to claim the New State Pension

Mrs Wrench advised: “If you are yet to claim your State Pension, put in the information box on the State Pension claim form ‘Please pay my pension weekly’.”

The DWP insider also highlighted that the four-weekly pay frequency may make it challenging to budget for household bills as it’s not paid monthly, particularly if someone has been accustomed to receiving their salary at the end of each month.

She stated: “From your ‘budget point of view’ it may be easier to be paid weekly then you know exactly how much State Pension has been paid into your account each month.

“For some members of the public who are used to being paid their wages weekly, claiming a State Pension which is paid every four weeks, can cause financial difficulties and make it hard for them to budget.”

The former DWP employee isn’t alone in raising awareness about the payment options. In 2021, BBC Radio 4 Money Box presenter and financial journalist Paul Lewis, spotlighted the weekly payment option in the Radio Times.

He clarified: “Three quarters of all pensioners are paid four weeks in arrears, but a State Pension can also be paid weekly.

“The Government hides this option when people apply, as the application form simply says ‘State Pension is usually paid every four weeks’.”

State Pension annual uprating

Millions of older individuals are set for a significant State Pension increase from April.

The New and Basic State Pension will rise by 4.8 per cent whilst additional State Pension elements and deferred State Pensions will increase by 3.8 per cent.

This adjustment will result in those on the full New State Pension receiving £241.30 per week, whilst those on the maximum Basic State Pension would receive £184.90 per week.

It’s crucial to bear in mind that the amount of State Pension someone receives is dependent on their National Insurance contributions. To receive the full New State Pension you need approximately 35 years’ worth, but this may vary if you were ‘contracted out’.

Full New State Pension rates 2026/27

• Weekly: £241.30 (from £230.25)
• Four-weekly pay period: £965.20
• Annual amount: £12,547

Full Basic State Pension

• Weekly: £184.90 (from £176.45)
• Four-weekly pay period: £739.60
• Annual amount: £9,614

Other State Pension rates

• Category B (lower) Basic State Pension – spouse or civil Partner’s insurance: £110.75 (from £105.70)
• Category C or D – non-contributory: £110.75 (from £105.70)

New Pension Credit rates

Standard minimum guarantee

• Single: £238.00 (from £227.10)
• Couple: £363.25 (from £346.60)

Additional amount for severe disability

• Single: £86.05 (from £82.90)
• Couple (one qualifies): £86.05 (from £82.90)
• Couple (both qualify): £172.10 (from £165.75)
• Additional amount for carers: £48.15 (from £46.40)

Comprehensive details on Additional State Pension, Widows Pension, increments and Invalidity Allowance can be found on GOV.UK.

State Pension and tax

Guidance on GOV.UK states: “You pay tax if your total annual income adds up to more than your Personal Allowance. Find out about your Personal Allowance and Income Tax rates.

Your total income could include:

• The State Pension you get – Basic or New State Pension
• Additional State Pension
• A private pension (workplace or personal) – you can take some of this tax-free
• Rarnings from employment or self-employment
• Any taxable benefits you get
• Any other income, such as money from investments, property or savings

Check if you have to pay tax on your pension

Before you can check, you will need to know:

• If you have a State Pension or a private pension
• How much State Pension and private pension income you will get this tax year (April 6 to April 5)
• The amount of any other taxable income you’ll get this tax year (for example, from employment or state benefits)

You cannot use this tool if you get:

• Any foreign income
• Marriage Allowance
• Blind Person’s Allowance

Use this online tool at GOV.UK to check if you have to pay tax on your pension. The full guide to tax when you get a pension can be found on GOV.UK here.

Cormac Sale, now also 22, had been driving a Skoda Fabia from Horwich towards Bolton along Chorley Old Road on a wet and dark night on December 14, 2024.

More than a year on, Bolton Crown Court heard how Sale had alarmed a series of witnesses with his dangerous driving before causing the tragic crash that killed Spencer Rothwell-Poole.

Jonathan Savage, prosecuting, said: “At the time the weather was poor and the road was wet.”

Sale, who wore a shirt and tie in the dock, listened on as Mr Savage told a packed court room full of Spencer’s loved ones how Sale had been seen by five different witnesses.

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss)

He said a woman driving past Sale had feared he was going to hit her, while a passing van driver managed to see the defendant through the window.

Mr Savage said: “He was able to see the driver and he described the defendant’s face as expressionless.”

Other witnesses saw Sale driving the Skoda at between 60-75mph, well over the speed limit on that part of Chorley Old Road and weaving over to the wrong side of the road.

Tragedy struck when Sale crashed into Spencer, who had been riding his motorbike at the correct speed and in a proper manner.

Spencer Rothwell-Poole was a well-loved son and brother (Image: Public)

Sale appeared to keep his eyes on the ground as the court was played footage showing the horrific head on crash he had caused after crossing over to the wrong side of the carriageway.

Witnesses rushed to help and Sale appeared to be incoherent, asking “has there been a car crash?”

Spencer was tragically declared dead at the scene.

Interviewed by police, Sale admitted in a prepared statement that he had taken an “unspecified amount of Ketamine” and that he had been treated for addiction.

But a blood sample showed that he had nearly ten times the legal limit in his system at the time, while his car insurance appeared to have lapsed not long before.

Spencer was renowned for his love of motorcycles (Image: Public)

Videos found on Sale’s mobile phone showed a long pattern of dangerous driving in the six months leading up to December.

One such video appeared to show him inhaling from a balloon while behind the wheel.

 Another showed a woman inhaling nitrous oxide and appearing to drive the car with her foot while Sale sat in the driver’s seat.

Another photograph appeared to show Sale driving with one hand while there were also several messages about the acquisition and use of Ketamine.

Fellow motorcyclists paid tribute at Spencer’s funeral procession (Image: Public)

Sale, of Ina Avenue, Bolton, ultimately pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier court hearing.

He denied causing death by driving while uninsured, which was not pursued by the prosecution.

A moving statement from Spencer’s father Derek Poole spoke of how his son had been a “little miracle” who had overcome being born with a “hole in his heart” and “infection after infection”.

Spencer had pulled through to spend happy years at nursery and primary school, growing up with his brother Josh.

Having been diagnosed with Autism, Spencer “came on leaps and bounds” after attending a special school.

Mr Poole said: “He was very kind and thoughtful, even though he was very shy Spencer was always there with a smile on his face.”

He added: “He loved motorbikes, sometimes more than anything else, that was his chance to get away.”

Spencer’s love and knowledge of motorbikes stayed with him for the rest of his life and he would often work with his brother Josh on them.

Mr Poole said: “Everybody knew Spencer as GG as he was a big unit over six foot odd and he was a gentle giant who loved everybody and everybody loved him.”

Turning to the devastating crash, he added: “Cormac Sale didn’t just kill my son. He killed the family.”

Mr Savage added a further statement from Spencer’s brother Josh who spoke about how in his short life Spencer had been his “best friend”.

He said: “If I have children, he would have been an amazing uncle, he would have been the joker of the family.”

He added: “He was an amazing, safe, careful motorbike rider who did everything by the book.

“I miss him every day.”

David James, defending, said Sale, who has no previous convictions, had earned credit for his eventual guilty plea.

He said he had shown real remorse since then and that he had been working to address what had made him offend in the way he had since then.

Mr James said that Spencer would “be on his shoulders” for the rest of his life and that Sale wished to offer a “public apology” through him to the family.

But Judge Jon Close said Sale’s lack of previous convictions were “purely fortunate” given the record of criminal driving the court had heard about.

He said that five other drivers had expressed concerns about Sale’s behaviour that night.

In Spencer’s case, he said there was “no suggestion that he was doing anything other than driving appropriately and properly down that road”.

Judge Close noted that in the months leading up to the fatal crash, Sale had shown evidence he had been driving in a “reprehensible manner”.

Turning to Spencer’s family, Judge Close said Sale had left “ruin in your wake.”

Judge Close said: “You have taken from them more than you could ever hope to realise.”

He added: “Your selfish actions took the life of a good man who, as you have heard, was well loved.”

Judge Close jailed Sale for ten years and eight months, ruling that he will have to serve two thirds of his time in prison before being eligible for parole.

He banned him from driving for five years with a seven year and one month extension to take account of his time in prison.

Before going down to the cells Sale appeared to say: “I’m sorry, I really am sorry.”

Judge Close concluded by thanking members of Spencer’s family for their “quiet dignity.”

Coronation Street fans are wondering if a love triangle storyline is about to begin – and it could be terribly awkward if so.

Recently, it became apparent that Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) had a bit of a crush on Ollie Driscoll (Raphael Akuwudike).

They went on a date in the Bistro, which was some welcomed happiness for Lauren after a traumatic few years involving Joel Deering (Calum Lill).

This week though, another character started taking a shine to Ollie, and it was Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney).

Things between Ollie and Lauren were put on hold as a result of Maggie Driscoll (Pauline McLynn) interfering. With Ollie believing Lauren had stood him up, he attempted to talk to her about it in yesterday’s episode, but Lauren didn’t really want to.

Lauren grew suspicious when Amy wandered in and it became increasingly clear that Ollie might like her. Annoyed and somewhat jealous, Lauren told Amy that she looks particularly cosy with Ollie, and that she should go for it if interested.

The scenes between Ollie and Amy were brief yesterday, but fans of the ITV soap are now beginning to wonder they’re going to start seeing each other.

Ange wrote on X: ‘I smell a Lauren/Ollie/Amy love triangle starting to form #Corrie’.

Sarah added: ‘Ollie seems a nice bloke. They just need to get him away from his granny. Think I’d rather he get with Lauren, but if they want to pair him with Amy I wouldn’t be against it’.

Ryan wondered: ‘Could they put Amy & Ollie together? #Corrie’

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If it does happen, it’ll cause drama for two reasons.

If Lauren knows she still has feelings for Ollie and wants to fight for him, he’s going to find himself torn between her and Amy. A classic soap love triangle story if you will.

The second reason is far more problematic though, as Ollie and Amy are actually cousins!

It turns out that Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson) – who is set to be killed off in upcoming scenes – is none other than Ben Driscoll’s (Aaron McCusker) dad.

As first revealed by Radio Times, Maggie had an affair with Jim four decades ago and it will come to light that the patriarch, who is dad to Street legend Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), is also Ben’s father.

With Amy and Ollie being Steve and Ben’s children, starting a romance is a big no no!

If Maggie discovers Ollie and Amy are dating, what will she do to stop it?

MORE: Killer Maggie’s new target confirmed in Coronation Street as she takes spiteful action

MORE: Coronation Street’s Cait Fitton shares emotional tribute after death of beloved family member

PARIS (AP) — They lurk in the oceans, a last resort to pulverize attackers with nuclear fire should France’s commander in chief ever make that terrible call.

French President Emmanuel Macron, the person with the power to unleash France’s nuclear arsenal, will on Monday update French thinking on the potential use of warheads carried on submarines and planes, if it ever came to that. This in the context of concerns in Europe that Russian war-making could spread beyond Ukraine, and uncertainty about U.S. President Donald Trump ’s steadfastness as an ally.

For decades, Europe has lived under a protective umbrella of U.S. nuclear weapons, stationed on the continent since the mid-1950s to deter the former Soviet Union and now Russia. Lately, however, some European politicians and defense analysts are questioning whether Washington can still be relied upon to use such force if needed.

As the only nuclear-armed member of the 27-nation European Union, the questions are particularly pertinent for France.

Possible revisions to France’s nuclear deterrence policy, sure to be carefully calibrated and scrutinized by allies and potential enemies alike, could be among the most consequential decisions that Macron makes in his remaining 14 months as president, before elections to choose his successor in 2027.

That Macron feels a need to bare France’s nuclear teeth, in what will be the commander in chief’s second keynote speech laying out the country’s deterrence posture since his election in 2017, speaks to his concerns, voiced multiple times, about geopolitical and defense-technology shifts that threaten the security of France and its allies.

Those voicing doubts about Washington’s reliability include Rasmus Jarlov, chair of the Danish parliament’s Defense Committee.

“If things got really serious, I very much doubt that Trump would risk American cities to protect European cities,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We don’t know but it seems very risky to rely on the American protection.”

He and others are turning to France for reassurance. In the longer term, Jarlov argues that other European nations also need to arm themselves with nuclear weapons — an almost unfathomable prospect when U.S. protection seemed absolute in European minds.

“The Nordic countries have the capacity. We have uranium, we have nuclear scientists. We can develop nuclear weapons,” he said. “Realistically, it will take a lot of time. So in the short term, we are looking to France.”

Adjusting to geopolitical risks

The world has changed dramatically since Macron’s first policy-making nuclear speech in 2020, with new uncertainties shoving old certainties aside.

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fifth year, brought war to the EU’s door and repeated threats of possible nuclear use from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

China is expanding its nuclear arsenal. So, too, is North Korea’s nuclear-armed military. In October, Trump spoke about U.S. intentions to resume nuclear tests for the first time since 1992, although U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright later said that such tests would not include nuclear explosions.

Russia revised its deterrence policy in 2024, lowering its bar for possible retaliation with nuclear weapons. The United Kingdom has announced plans to buy nuclear-capable U.S.-made F-35A fighter jets, restoring a capacity to deliver nuclear airstrikes that it phased out in the 1990s, leaving it with just submarine-based nuclear missiles.

The chosen site for Macron’s speech on Monday — the Île Longue base for France’s four nuclear-armed submarines — will drive home that French presidents also have nuclear muscle at their disposal in an increasingly unstable world. They each can carry 16 M51 intercontinental ballistic missiles armed with multiple warheads.

“There are high expectations from the allies and partners, and maybe also the adversaries, about how the French nuclear doctrine could evolve,” said Héloïse Fayet, a nuclear deterrence specialist at the French Institute of International Relations, a Paris think tank.

Speaking in an AP interview, Fayet said she’s hoping for “real changes.”

“Maybe something about a greater and a clearer French commitment to the protection of allies, thanks to the French nuclear weapons,” she said.

France’s nuclear force

Macron said in 2020 that France has fewer than 300 warheads — a number that has remained stable since former President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a modest reduction to that level in 2008.

Macron said the force is sufficient to inflict “absolutely unacceptable damage” on the “political, economic, military nerve centers” of any country that threatens the “vital interests” of France, “whatever they may be.”

Nuclear specialists will be watching for any hint from Macron that he no longer considers the French stockpile to be sufficient and that it might need to grow.

The language of deterrence is generally shrouded by deliberate ambiguity, to keep potential enemies guessing about the red lines that could trigger a nuclear response. Officials from Macron’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the nuclear policy changes that Macron might make, were extremely guarded in their wording, not least because deterrence is a strictly presidential prerogative.

“There will no doubt be some shifts, fairly substantial developments,” one of the officials said.

Protecting Europe

Again with careful wording, Macron in 2020 said the “vital interests” that France could defend with nuclear force don’t end at its borders but also have “a European dimension.”

Some European nations have taken up an offer Macron made then to discuss France’s nuclear deterrence and even associate European partners in French nuclear exercises.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he’s had “initial talks” with Macron about nuclear deterrence and has publicly theorized about German Air Force planes possibly being used to carry French nuclear bombs.

European nations engaging with France are seeking “a second life insurance” against any possibility of U.S. nuclear protection being withdrawn, says Etienne Marcuz, a French nuclear defense specialist at the Paris-based Foundation for Strategic Research think tank.

“The United States are unpredictable — have become unpredictable — because of the Trump 2 administration,” he said. “That has legitimately raised the question of whether the United States would truly be prepared to protect Europe, and above all, whether they would be willing to deploy their nuclear forces in defense of Europe.”

___

Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed.