Russia launches 805 drones into Ukraine in largest air attack since invasion
Russia has launched up to 805 drones and 13 missiles into Ukraine overnight in what is being called the 'largest air attack' against Ukraine since the...
As European NATO countries rush to strengthen their armed forces, large pension bills threaten to divert funds from urgently needed military hardware.
European NATO members are racing to boost defence capabilities amid growing security concerns over Russia and doubts about long-term U.S. support. But generous military pensions are quietly eating into defence budgets, complicating efforts to strengthen firepower.
Reuters analysis of budget data from 13 NATO members shows that pensions consume an average of 12% of defence spending - reaching nearly 20% in Belgium, Bulgaria and Italy, and 16% in France. These costs, while included in NATO’s spending figures, do not translate into new equipment or operational strength.
Germany, with a lower pension share at 11.5%, appears better positioned to expand its military capabilities, while countries like France and Italy risk falling short of NATO targets if pension costs are excluded.
Although 23 of NATO’s 32 members claim to meet the alliance's 2% of GDP spending goal, that number drops significantly when pension spending is excluded. For instance, France barely meets the threshold, and Italy has reclassified pensions to meet NATO expectations.
Some countries, such as Belgium, are considering reforms like raising the military retirement age from 56 to 67. However, adjusting pension systems is politically sensitive and may affect recruitment and morale.
"If you don’t invest in the people behind the weapons, you’ll end up with empty tanks and no one to drive them,” warned Emmanuel Jacob, head of European soldiers’ rights group Euromil.
As NATO eyes even higher spending benchmarks - up to 5% of GDP, as demanded by U.S. President Trump - Europe faces a hard choice: fund more missiles and drones, or continue supporting costly military pensions that deliver no combat edge.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Russian energy giant Gazprom has signed agreements with Kazakhstan and Mongolia to boost gas cooperation, including increased deliveries to Kazakhstan in 2025–2026 and a study on gasification in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar.
A recent Federal Reserve Bank of New York (New York Fed) study reveals that while the use of artificial intelligence (AI) among businesses has grown significantly over the past year, very few companies have carried out AI-related layoffs.
Rising concerns over the U.S. economy and ongoing tariff disputes have put global government bonds under selling pressure, experts say. Donald Trump’s push for interest-rate cuts, combined with a major spending bill, has shaken investor confidence, sending bond prices down while yields rise.
Access to Google services was restored Thursday after a region-wide outage cut off millions of users across dozens of countries, with disruptions reported in platforms including YouTube, Gmail and Maps.
The pound and the yen came under strain on Wednesday, weighed down by renewed investor concerns over global fiscal health and political uncertainty in Japan.
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