Europe leads global defence spending rise, awakening to security deficit

According to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Europe led the charge in global defense spending last year.

The real increase in European costs, which surpassed the highest level of defense spending since communism’s end, was 17 percent to $ 693 million, accelerating a 9.4 percent increase to $ 2.7 trillion.

The new trend was primarily driven by Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, according to SIPRI’s report on Monday.

According to Jade Guiberteau Ricard, a researcher with SIPRI, “the rapid spending increases among European NATO members were primarily driven by the ongoing Russian threat and concerns about possible US disengagement within the alliance.”

The cost of that war remained high for the protagonists.

Russia experienced devastating material losses during its conflict with Ukraine, which contributed to its 38 percent annual increase. More than 7% of its economic output was spent on the $149 billion project.

Ukraine, which contributes 34 percent of its economy to the military, spent its total tax income of $64.7 billion on its defense.

However, Europe may bear more of the burden as a result of the apparent US reluctance to continue funding Ukraine’s defense.

That might not seem as burdensome as it sounds. According to the think tank Bruegel, the EU’s economy needed only to spend 0.12% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to replace US military support for Ukraine, according to an estimate made in February.

“We will see further increases,” the statement read.

According to experts, the majority of Europe’s defense spending increase is due to the need to rebuild once-defunct European militaries.

Retired US colonel Seth Krummrich said, “The increase was expected, though it was still somewhat shocking to watch it unfold.” It represented the end of US supremacy on a global scale.

This was the beginning of a new trend, according to Krummrich, who is currently Global Guardian’s vice president.

“I do think there will be even more growth in the years to come. He said that Europe recognizes the necessity to stand on its own and not rely solely on the United States. That doesn’t mean that the US won’t support Europe, but it is no longer felt by Americans as a “garanteed certainty.”

Last month, the EU relaxed deficit regulations, allowing national budgets to allocate an additional 650 billion euros ($740 billion) to defense.

Greece made its first announcement under the new regulations on April 3 that a multiyear rearmament would be implemented.

Germany rose the most over the entire continent (by 28%) as a remarkable 100-billion-euro ($113.5bn) fund announced in 2022 finally took off. However, every EU member state raised its defense budget, a trend that is becoming more and more prevalent in the country as a result of the perception of a Russian threat.

Rearm Europe, a 150 billion euro ($170 billion) fund to boost EU defense products, and a German parliament’s decision to allocate up to 1 trillion euros ($1.14 trillion) to infrastructure and defense all supported what Krummrich predicted.

Militaries can’t survive on their own money.

Experts urged caution because it would take a while for expenditure to become force projection.

According to Lukas Milevski, a lecturer in international studies at Leiden University, “major military capability takes years to develop.” He told Al Jazeera, “It takes time to train people, to buy the stuff, to build the stuff, to deliver the stuff.”

For instance, Germany promised a brigade to Lithuania in 2022. Although it’s constructed in southwest Lithuania, the brigade is not anticipated to be manned, trained, equipped, or operational until 2027.

Milevski also reaffirmed the need to sustain the funds for a long period of time. All the exemptions that came with Rearm Europe have expired, and the year-by-year continuation doesn’t provide the stability that defense policy requires, he said.

What the money is spent on is another issue. For instance, the $997bn US defense budget, which is frequently characterized as being bloated with pork-barrel purchases, is not what a modern military requires.

With various states competing to have their tanks or rocket launch systems adopted as the EU standard and funded to the highest levels, Europe also has a similar problem of redundancy.

Krummrich claimed that the EU now has a “significant opportunity” to “leap forward technologically through military innovation and investment” rather than arguing over which older systems to keep in place. He claimed it was sufficient to observe how “the dirt laboratory of Ukraine has revealed a new evolution in warfare, particularly with regard to drones and unmanned vehicles.”

Others expressed concern for Europe’s “go-it-alone” strategy.

The Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University, Hugo Bromley, an economist and geopolitical expert, said, “It’s the capabilities that matter, and how those capabilities are built and controlled.”

According to Bromley, the US and Europe should not be separating, but rather cooperatively serving specific needs in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific.

The very high-end [air] lift and missiles are the scarce assets America needs, especially in an Indo-Pacific focus, he said, because these are the things that nation states want most to keep to themselves.

“So we need to have a sincere discussion about which nations are willing to work together on these issues, and East Asia, Germany, to a lesser extent, France, and Britain, as well as what I consider to be the Commonwealth, such as Australia, Canada,”

This internationalist perspective is currently unpopular on the continent, where renewed European defense resolve is fueled by the idea of strategic autonomy.

Finally, there is concern that the Ukrainian theater, which has a large military presence, will suffer from tragedy if money is not properly spent over enough time to deliver force.

According to Krummrich, “the operational map is still largely unchanging.”

The highly-trained soldiers and ambitious campaign plans are gone. He called it a “meat grinder” and claimed that this is now a conscript war with little front-line movement.

Arteta Faces Champions League Showdown With Mentor Luis Enrique

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will have to beat one of the most influential figures in his football life when the Gunners face Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals.

Arteta’s side host PSG in the first leg on Tuesday as the Spaniard aims to lead Arsenal to only the second Champions League final appearance in their history.

Standing in his way is a close friend who, along with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, played a major role in his compatriot’s impressive transition from the pitch to the dug-out.

Luis Enrique was a senior star at Barcelona when Arteta started his playing career at the Camp Nou, a period that had a major impact on his managerial philosophy with Arsenal.

“He was extremely supportive with the young players, he was one of the main characters by far. I have really good memories of him,” Arteta said.

“What I love about him is wherever he’s been, as a player or a manager, his fingerprints are all over the place.

“You can sense it’s his team with the way his players behave, the way they want to attack and dominate games.”

The pupil has already got the better of his mentor once this season, when Arsenal eased to a 2-0 win over PSG in the league phase at the Emirates in October.

But PSG have improved dramatically since then, in large part because Luis Enrique’s decision to drop Ousmane Dembele against Arsenal for disciplinary reasons has inspired the France forward’s superb run of form.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Spanish head coach Luis Enrique celebrates after winning the match and the French championship title following the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and SCO Angers at The Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on April 5, 2025. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

It was the kind of ruthless gamble that Arteta is willing to take himself.

“I admire his honesty. He will look in your eyes and tell you what he thinks. In the end, players appreciate that,” Arteta said.

“An unbelievable personality, huge character, huge energy. I learnt a lot of things from him.

“For me he’s one of the best coaches in the world and someone who helped me a huge amount. I have the utmost respect both for how he is as a person and his way of working.”

The feeling is mutual, with Luis Enrique saying: “He is one of the best coaches at the moment.

“He changed Arsenal’s fortunes from a somewhat winless streak to one of the best teams in the world that is competing for titles.”

READ ALSO: Bayern Forced To Watch On As Home Final Dream Is ‘Shattered’

‘Electric Atmosphere’

Arsenal’s players celebrate victory at the end of the UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and Arsenal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on April 16, 2025. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

While Arteta and Luis Enrique are sure to share a private moment together after the tie, they will put their friendship on hold to focus on finally delivering Champions League glory to their clubs.

Arsenal have never won the tournament, losing to Barcelona in the 2006 final, while PSG have a tortured recent history, beaten by Bayern Munich in their only final in 2020.

Securing the European holy grail would make Arteta immortal in north London and banish any questions about his ability to win major trophies.

The Gunners have gone five years without silverware since Arteta won the only prize of his reign in the FA Cup.

Arsenal head into the PSG tie emboldened by their swaggering 5-1 aggregate dismissal of holders Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

However, they have spluttered in the Premier League, effectively surrendering the title to Liverpool after a series of lacklustre draws.

In Arteta’s defence, Arsenal have been hampered by injuries for much of the season, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus still sidelined.

PSG have already knocked out Liverpool and Aston Villa, setting them up for a hat-trick of English scalps if they get past Arsenal.

In their first Champions League semi-final since losing to Manchester United in 2009, the key for Arsenal could lie in their ability to recreate the fevered atmosphere that swept away Madrid in the last eight.

“With the home crowd behind us, there needs to be an electric atmosphere, and they will push us forward,” Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard said.

Trossard could lead the attack against PSG, with makeshift forward Mikel Merino expected to revert to midfield in the absence of the suspended Thomas Partey.

“We want the same as last time. The fans were incredible in the home game against Madrid. If we can do that again it would be amazing,” Trossard said.

Billy Ray Cyrus feels ‘he’s got Liz Hurley for keeps’ with clumsy-looking message

A body language expert described their most recent photo with Liz Hurley as “uncomfortable,” citing Billy Ray Cyrus as having a “gotcha” moment.

Billy Ray Cyrus and Liz Hurley hugging(Image: elizabethhurley1/Instagram)

Not many people would have had Liz Hurley dating Billy Ray Cyrus on their 2025 bingo card. However, the couple have continued to showcase their budding romance on social media following their Easter reveal.

The actress, 59, has once again taken to Instagram to show off her newfound admiration for the Achy Breaky Heart singer, 63. However, while is beaming in the snaps, a body language expert firmly believes it’s the singer that is sharing more of his feelings.

Speaking to Mirror, Judi James unpicked their latest image. In it, Liz was enjoying a trip to Tennessee to be with her new man. Judi said: “This is such an uncomfortable-looking pose for Liz who stands wrapped into Billy’s two arms like a ‘Gotcha!’ at the end of a game of kiss-chase.

Liz Hurley enjoyed spending time with Billy Ray Cyrus in Tennessee
Liz Hurley enjoyed spending time with Billy Ray Cyrus in Tennessee(Image: elizabethhurley1/Instagram)

She appears to be trying to work the pose with her usual professional style, her jeans in the zip, and a perfect smile. However, Billy’s tentacle arms wrapping her around her above and below her breasts poses a little difficulty in this regard.

She continued, “Her eyes are hidden by shades, meaning her eye expression is hidden from view,” which is unfortunate because Billy’s eyes are actually letting the camera know how things are in this relationship.

Continue reading the article.

The body language expert explained how the Hollywood star’s “softened eye” showed off his smitten feelings for him. She continued, “The way he wraps his large, old arms around Liz’s torso suggests that he feels he has her for keeping,” she continued.

In a rather clumsy-looking message, he projectiles “She’s all mine” to the camera while holding on to one of her poses, but Liz just appears to be doing one of her poses while holding on one leg raised against the tree.

In another image, Billy Ray drove them through the greens while Liz was also seen smiling in a car. Heidi Klum was one of her famous friends who appreciated the post, while Lizzie captioned it with the emoji “Tennessee weekend.”

Billy Ray explained how they reunited and how their current bond developed while Liz remained a tight-lipped about her new romance. The pair first met while filming Christmas in Paradise in 2022.

Last year, Billy Ray’s third marriage crumbled and he explained how Liz reached out to him. Speaking about their pairing on Apple Music Country’s The Ty Bentli Show last week, he said: “I felt like, ‘Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?’

You can’t get knocked down any flatter than lying on your back when life is kicking you, he said at a certain point. And a friend reached out at this precise moment.

He acknowledged that he mistook the number and said, “So, I text back, I go, “Who is this?” And it’s similar to Elizabeth Hurley. This friend who made me laugh was the one who reached out to me in that moment that perhaps I needed most.

We just laughed, and I wasn’t laughing a lot at the time. First, how much we laughed, which was the strangest part. Second, I assumed that although we were very different, we shared a lot more in common than we were different.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.

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READ MORE: Rochelle Humes’ chic £40 linen trousers are a must-have for spring and summer

JoJo Siwa slammed by ex Kath Ebbs’ ‘livid’ best friend after brutal dumping

After their appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, Australian TV star Abbie Chatfield has revealed how painfully broken she is with her best friend JoJo Siwa following their breakup.

(Image: Instagram)

Kath Ebbs’ best friend has hit out at JoJo Siwa following their sudden split. Australian TV host Abbie Chatfield took to social media to slam JoJo, 21, following her stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house as she revealed that was ‘so shocked’ over the Dance Moms star’s actions.

Abbie took to Instagram to share her deep anger over the ordeal, admitting she had been ‘livid for weeks’ while watching JoJo’s relationship with Chris Hughes, 32, develop in front of her eyes and after watching Kath get dumped by JoJo at the show’s afterparty.

“You believe you’re shocked,” you ask? IMAGINE HOW WE FEEL!!!!”! As she revealed her heartbroken friendship to her friend, Abbie discussed the brutal dumping in a post below. As they watched JoJo’s playful interactions with housemate Chris unfold, Abbie and her friends, including Kath, were left shocked in another screenshot taken from a group video call.

Australian TV host Abbie Chatfield took to social media to slam JoJo
Australian TV host Abbie Chatfield took to social media to slam JoJo(Image: WireImage)

Their expressions reflect the situation’s development, and they clearly expressed disbelief. Fans quickly expressed their support for Kath, filling the comments section with encouraging messages, and Abbie wasn’t the only one to express her frustration. One user said, “I’ve been waiting for your opinion on this,” while another said, “We almost forgot JoJo’s not so innocent and has a history of bad behavior.”

After JoJo and Kath’s close friendship with Love Island star Chris Hughes ended during the after party of the show, JoJo and Kath broke up. Before the ITV show, JoJo and Kath, 27, had a relationship, but Kath has since revealed that they were dumped shortly after the season wraps up.

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JoJo revealed her sexuality while staying in the house. She previously stated that she was a lesbian, but she now feels differently. Kath shared a clip of them updating their followers on the situation on social media where JoJo is fully open about the split. After being “dumped at the party” by JoJo, Kath told their supporters, they felt “humiliated.”

JoJo dumped Kath after being in the Celebrity Big Brother house
JoJo dumped Kath after being in the Celebrity Big Brother house(Image: kathebbs/Instagram)

Kath, a heartbroken woman, described how, “In the last eight hours, I flew here, went to the live show, and showed up for my partner to support them in their experience, and later, I hoped to] address my feelings of hurt and work through them like in all relationships.

I was dumped at the party before I could return to the hotel with my, I suppose, now ex, they continued. I was informed that there were unsettling feelings and that they had realized I wasn’t the person they wanted to spend the foreseeable with, Kath said.

As JoJo stated in a video that she wanted to stay in the UK, it’s unclear when she will return. The actress was posed the question, “I know you just left the Big Brother house, do you want anything?” She responded, “Yes, I just want to stay in the UK.”

Kath has been left heartbroken after being dumped
Kath has been left heartbroken after being dumped(Image: kathebbs/Instagram)

Then, she was questioned, “Is that all you want?” That’s all, she confirmed. You don’t want to go home yet, JoJo was then asked. “And she responded, “No. the UK alone.

Fans were skeptical that there might be something romantic about JoJo and Chris’ relationship on Celebrity Big Brother because they got so close. Despite sharing bed cuddles and secret notes with one another, the pair denied that they were anything more than friends.

They both responded to questions about the reality of their friendship as they left the house, with both defending their bond. Chris would be JoJo’s forever friend, Jojo claimed.

Continue reading the article.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: Rochelle Humes’ chic £40 linen trousers are a must-have for spring and summer

Fitness guru Molly Smith on the massage gun that massively ‘helped recovery’ after her marathon

Molly Smith, a winner of Love Island All Stars, shared the massage gun she used to aid in her recovery from a marathon, and Amazon currently offers 21% off.

WARNING PICTURE TAKEN FROM INSTAGRAMPicture taken from the public Instagram profile of: Molly SmithMolly Smith runningInstagram/mollysmith19
Molly Smith shared one of her post-marathon essentials(Image: Molly Smith/Instagram)

Running the London Marathon for another year has runners’ minds solely on recovering from the grueling event. Fitness aficionado Molly Smith has the solution if you’re looking for a way to accelerate your recovery after a run (or even just need a way to relax after working out).

The Love Island All Stars winner was recently recognized for her love of running. She claimed that the Zerolia Deep Tissue Massage Gun was a must-have for recovery in order to assist any Instagam users who are experiencing post-run muscle pains.

Read more about the running vests worn by celebrities during the London Marathon, such as Alexandra Burke and Adele Roberts.

Kelly Brook ran the London Marathon in “running on clouds,” according to the New Balance trainers.

Sharing a snap of the massage gun on Instagram, Molly wrote: “My runners I would highly recommend one of these, it helped my recovery last time.” She also added: “Just checked and it’s currently on offer too!”

The Zerolia Deep Tissue Massage Gun is typically priced at £26.71, but it’s currently on sale for £21.06. This lowers the price to £26.71. The light massage gun is ideal for promoting blood flow, accelerating muscle recovery, and reducing muscle pain.

Molly recommended Zerolia’s massage gun for marathon recovery(Image: Molly Smith/Instagram)

It has 30 different speed settings which range from 1800 to 3600 percussions per minute, and these are easy to alter depending on which muscle you’re targeting and how sore it is. The Zerolia Massage Gun has noise reduction technology, so it’s not too intrusive to use, and gives you six hours of use on a single charge, making it ideal for taking on the go.

The Zerolia Deep Tissue Massage Gun has 10 different massage heads to fit various body types, as well as a wide range of speeds. The various shapes aid in targeting various muscles and surface areas as well as aiding in easier-to-get places and angles.

One Amazon customer praised the massage gun, saying, “I have been very impressed with the quality of this massage gun. It is very simple to use, has a wide range of attachment options, and has a long-lasting, noticeable effect on the targeted muscles after a few minutes of use. Additionally, it provides relief from pain. Add to this the extremely long battery life, and overall, it was a very worthwhile purchase.

Zerolia Deep Tissue Massage Gun
The Zerolia Deep Tissue Massage Gun comes with 10 different heads(Image: Amazon)

Another reaffirmed their love for this. after a long run, it is really helpful to the legs. has a lot of different attachments and lasts ages after charging completely. “Quality product”

One reviewer did mention that “does what it says on the tin and tbf” and that “you do get what you pay for” and that “you do get what you pay for” (you do get what you pay for, though, and the battery is too small, the quotes up to 6 hours are only on level 1) When used for 20 odd minutes, the handle becomes hot.

Continue reading the article.

The Homedics NOVO Mini Massage Gun is £59.99 and is ideal for travel because of its handy mini travel size. Additionally, you can purchase massage tools from Therabody’s collection, which range from a small hand-held device with heating and LEDs to one that offers massage to aid recovery.

Deadly US strike hits Yemeni migrant centre

According to Houthi-affiliated media reports, US military strikes in Yemen have resulted in the deaths of 68 people and the injuries of 47 others.

The latest incident in a ten-year conflict to kill African migrants from Ethiopia and other countries who cross Yemen to gain employment in neighboring Saudi Arabia is the Houthi stronghold’s Saada governorate.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Middle East, acknowledged carrying out more than 800 hits on targets in Yemen since mid-March, but declined to provide more information about the most recent strikes. According to reports, the campaign has killed more than 250 people.

What appeared to be human bodies and hurt people at the site were seen on graphic footage that was broadcast by the Houthis’ Al Masirah TV news channel. Prior to the strike, the Houthi-run Ministry of Interior reported that 115 migrants had been detained there.

The broadcaster also provided images of rescuers assisting the victims as they were discovered stuck in the rubble.

By sailing across the Red Sea to the oil-rich Gulf region each year, tens of thousands of migrants flee the Horn of Africa’s Eastern Route in search of conflict, natural disasters, and troubled economic prospects.

Although they must navigate a dangerous terrain in Yemen, many people in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations are seeking work as domestic workers.