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The Future of NATO
US NATO Plans Have Become a Goldmine for South Korea's Defense Industry

While Donald Trump talks about withdrawing military resources from NATO, South Korea is stepping in as one of the world's fastest arms exporters. This is shown by data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, writes Politico.

The country is now the second largest supplier to NATO countries, behind the United States. The four largest defense companies in the country are expected to have a turnover of $37 billion this year, which is a fourfold increase since 2021.

- Americans are no longer as reliable as they were ten years ago, says Chungmin Lee, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, to the newspaper.

The US war on Iran has also swallowed up large parts of the American defense industry's production and is making it more difficult to deliver to customers.

Brexit  The future of Britain
British voters want closer ties to the EU

The view on Brexit has soured like this ten years after the referendum that led to the divorce. This is evident from a recent opinion poll from the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations, writes The Guardian.

Among British voters, a clear majority – even among those who voted to leave – feel that Brexit has had a negative effect on several of the issues that were the focus of the debate before the vote ten years ago. These include issues such as prospects for young people, immigration and trade.

Now 75 percent of Britons say they want to forge closer ties with the EU. In the same survey, two-thirds of EU citizens in 15 countries say they would welcome Britain back into the union.

King Charles plans to reveal his tax payments

King Charles plans to become the first British monarch ever to disclose his tax payments this week, British media reports.

“Our aim is to explain all aspects of the royal finances in a way that further increases clarity and accessibility, while placing them in their historical and constitutional context,” a spokesperson for the palace said in a statement.

The royal family has voluntarily paid income tax and capital gains tax since 1993.

Global challenges
The risk of a “super-El Niño” this year is worrying: “A delicate situation”

An unusually powerful variant of the climate phenomenon El Niño may be developing in the Pacific Ocean. The probability that a “super-El Niño” will occur for the first time since 2015/2016 this winter is currently 63 percent, according to the US agency CPC's calculations. This is reported by Bloomberg.

The consequences could be multiple and, for example, be felt in the economy. One risk is that sharply increased demand for electricity and poorer harvests will cause inflation to increase globally again.

“El Niño comes at a very sensitive time. The world economy is struggling with the inflationary effects of the conflict with Iran, while global supply chains remain vulnerable after months of disruptions,” Saxo Bank strategist Ole Hansen told the news agency.

The weather phenomenon El Niño occurs when sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean remain unusually high for a long time.

Threats to biodiversity
“The caterpillar from hell” returns – could blow to Sweden

“The caterpillar from hell” is back in Denmark, and there may be reason for the people of Skåne to be concerned, writes Sydsvenskan.

Last year, Odense on the island of Funen spent 2 million to get rid of the oak processionary moth, as it is actually called, but according to TV2 Fyn, it was apparently not enough. The caterpillar has already forced a playground to close. All it takes for it to now reach Sweden is warm westerly winds.

The caterpillars of the oak processionary moth are covered with toxic hairs that can cause irritation, itching, and in the worst case, even breathing difficulties.

Sydsvenskan has previously reported that the county administrative board in Skåne does not believe it has the resources to combat the oak processionary moth if it makes it across the strait, as all the money has been spent on trying to get rid of the invasive leafworm Obama nungara.