Finland joins NATO
Finnish and Nato flags flutter at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry in Helsinki, Finland, April 4, 2023. Finland is poised to join NATO in a historic realignment brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But the head of the military alliance said it would not send more troops to the Nordic country unless it asked for help.
In a quick ceremony in Brussels, Finland was officially accepted into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as its 31st member. The Kremlin aired its grievances against the alliance, claiming that troops would be deployed to the area along Russia’s border with Finland. And, starting this month, the Japanese government is offering a new incentive to get families in densely populated Tokyo to move out to less populated areas: 1 million yen — about $7,600 — per child. Also, the US military is facing a recruitment crisis. The Army missed its target by 25% during the past fiscal year. Other branches of the military are also seeing a drop in recruiting. Plus, a call for bell ringers for Britain’s coronation.