Russia will be a major threat to NATO after Ukraine war, Finland’s Defense Minister says

Hakkanen, speaking before a meeting of NATO defense ministers, also said Russia is consuming military resources at a rapid pace. (FILE/AFP)
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Updated 23 October 2025
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Russia will be a major threat to NATO after Ukraine war, Finland’s Defense Minister says

BRUSSELS: Russia will continue to be a major threat to NATO after the war in Ukraine ends, Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told reporters on Wednesday, adding that they had seen a new build-up of Russian forces.
Hakkanen, speaking before a meeting of NATO defense ministers, also said Russia is consuming military resources at a rapid pace and is becoming increasingly reliant on China.


Hot winds fan dozens of bushfires across eastern Australia

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Hot winds fan dozens of bushfires across eastern Australia

SYDNEY: Dozens of bushfires burned along Australia’s eastern seaboard on Saturday, destroying several houses as a blistering heatwave set in.
More than 50 bushfires were burning in New South Wales on Saturday afternoon, the state’s Rural Fire Service said, although the vast majority were considered “under control.”
A blaze north of Sydney had destroyed six houses, national broadcaster ABC said, while a small number of homes were lost in a bushfire on the state’s mid-north coast.
One bushfire had burned through more than 9,000 hectares (20,000 acres) in the Goulburn River National Park.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said hot and dry winds were fanning temperatures across the state nearing 40C.
“This is a dangerous few hours,” he said.
“Unfortunately this heat has been associated with hot and gusty winds as well, and that’s what really driving these dangerous and extreme fire dangers.”
Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia’s summer months, and it is not unheard for dozens of blazes to burn through sparsely populated areas on hot and windy days.