8 d. ago Pentagon provided $2.4tn to private arms firms to ‘fund war and weapons’, report finds

Exclusive: Most of defense department’s discretionary spending from 2020 to 2024 went to military contractorsA new study of defense department spending previewed exclusively to the Guardian shows that most of the Pentagon’s discretionary spending from 2020 to 2024 has gone to outside military contractors, providing a $2.4tn boon in public funds to private firms in what was described as a “continuing and massive transfer of wealth from taxpayers to fund war and weapons manufacturing”.The report from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Costs of War project at Brown University said that the Trump administration’s new Pentagon budget will push annual US military spending past the $1tn mark. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Arsenal transfer target makes final decision on £17.3m move after rejected offer

Arsenal have seen an offer for Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera rejected but the Spain Under-21 star is keen on joining the Gunners with his deal up next year

Sport

2 w. ago What's in the latest version of Trump's big bill now before the Senate

At some 940-pages, the legislation is a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities, including new money for national defense and deportations

Politics

2 w. ago Republicans in turmoil after Senate parliamentarian rejects Medicaid cuts in Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ – live

Some Republicans call for Elizabeth MacDonough, who enforces Senate rules, to be fired after she rejects slew of major provisions Supreme court paves way for states to defund Planned ParenthoodBy taking military action, Trump “created the conditions to end the war, decimating, obliterating Iran’s nuclear capabilities”, Hegseth says, contrary to early US intelligence findings reported yesterday that suggested US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites did not destroy two of the sites and only set program back by months.Hegseth starts off by praising Trump’s “game-changing” and “historic” achievement in getting most of the Nato allies to raise the defense spending to 5%. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago The Latest: NATO leaders agree on spending hike, vow to defend each other

NATO leaders agreed on Wednesday on a massive hike in defense spending after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, and expressed their “ironclad commitment” to come to each other’s aid if attacked

Politics

3 w. ago NATO boss praises ‘Dear Donald’ for pushing alliance to boost defense spending: ‘You made this change possible’

Secretary General Mark Rutte credits Trump with pushing for ‘concrete plan’ to have member nations spend at least five percent of GDP on defense

Economics

3 w. ago Ukrainian President Zelenskyy sidelined as NATO leaders meet to agree defense spending boost

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is looking on from the sidelines as NATO leaders meet to agree a significant boost in defense spending that is spurred by Russian aggression

Politics

3 w. ago Europe’s pledge to spend more on military will hurt climate and social programmes

Nato spending plan overlooks risks to security posed by environmental breakdown and social decay, say economistsEurope risks choosing militarism over social and environmental security, economists have warned, as the head of Nato said all 32 members had agreed to increase weapons spending.Analyses drafted in anticipation of a Nato summit beginning on Tuesday warned of the opportunity cost that higher military spending would pose to the continent’s climate mitigation and social programmes, which are consistently underfunded. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Photos from The Hague as NATO leaders including Donald Trump gather for historic summit

NATO leaders are gathering in the Netherlands for the start of a historic two-day summit that could unite the 32-member security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions.

Politics

3 w. ago World leaders gather for historic NATO summit with unity on the line

World leaders are gathering in the Netherlands for the start of a historic two-day NATO summit that could unite the world’s biggest security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 allies

Politics

3 w. ago Trump’s strikes on Iran could upend delicate plans for NATO summit deal on defense spending

NATO leaders hoping summit will result in commitment to spending 5 percent of GDP on defense amid threats from Russia

Politics

3 w. ago NATO leaders are set to agree a historic defense spending pledge, but the hike won't apply to all

NATO leaders are expected to agree by Wednesday that member countries should spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense

Politics

3 w. ago The success of a key NATO summit is in doubt after Spain rejects a big hike in defense spending

The success of a key NATO summit next week is hanging in the balance

Politics

3 w. ago Norway backs Nato’s 5% defence spending target despite Spain rejecting it as ‘unreasonable’ – Europe live

PM Jonas Gahr Støre declared Norway’s support for the 5% target proposed by Nato’s secretary general Mark RutteIn Berlin, meanwhile, a German government spokesperon said that Iran will probably be a topic of discussion at next week’s Nato summit in The Hague.“We do not comment on allies’ possible attack plans,” the spokesperson said, referring to US president Donald Trump saying he would decide within two weeks whether his country would join Israeli strikes. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Spain rejects Nato plan for member states to spend 5% of GDP on defence

PM Pedro Sánchez says he wants a ‘more flexible formula’ that would make target optional or allow Madrid to opt outSpain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has rejected Nato’s proposal for member states to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP, saying the idea would “not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive”.Sánchez said that he was not seeking to complicate next week’s Nato summit in The Hague, but he wanted there to be a “more flexible formula” that would either make the target optional or allow Spain to opt out. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Spain rejects NATO’s anticipated defense spending increase as 'unreasonable'

Spain has rejected a NATO proposal to spend 5% of GDP on defense needs that’s expected to be announced next week, calling it “unreasonable.”

Events