Germany Agrees on €5 Billion in Fresh Military Aid to Ukraine
Germany agreed to provide €5 billion in fresh military aid to Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Berlin said in a statement on Wednesday.
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Yahoo
12 minutes ago
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Healey insists defence funding will rise to 3% target to meet review aims
Defence Secretary John Healey insisted he was '100% confident' that military funding would increase as promised to prepare the armed forces for the future. The Strategic Defence Review recommended sweeping changes, including a greater focus on new technology including drones and artificial intelligence based on rising budgets. The Government has committed to increase spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from April 2027 but only has an 'ambition' to reach 3% during the next parliament, which is due to end by around 2034. The authors of the review have suggested reaching that 3% target is vital to delivering their recommendations while US President Donald Trump has pushed for Nato allies to spend 5%. Mr Healey denied he was gambling on economic growth to meet his target, telling BBC Breakfast: 'I'm 100% confident that we'll hit that 3%. 'The important thing for now is what we can do, and we can do now more than we've been able to do before, because of an extra £5 billion the Chancellor has put in to the defence budget this year and the 2.5% that we will deliver three years earlier than anyone expected. 'It means that a £60 billion budget this year will rise throughout this parliament and beyond.' The Ministry of Defence announced a £5 billion investment in the 'kit of the future' following the publication of the review on Monday. The funding includes £4 billion for drones and autonomous systems, and an extra £1 billion for lasers to protect British ships and soldiers. A new era of threat requires a new era for defence. The Strategic Defence Review marks a landmark shift in our deterrence and defence ⬇️ — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) June 2, 2025 Mr Healey said the investment would provide 'the most significant advance in UK defence technology in decades' and 'ensure our armed forces have the cutting-edge capabilities they need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world'. Part of the investment will see the establishment of a new 'drone centre' to accelerate the deployment of the technology by all three branches of the armed forces. The focus on drones comes as the technology has proved increasingly lethal on the battlefield in Ukraine, where it now kills more people than traditional artillery. At a meeting of allied defence ministers in April, Mr Healey said the UK estimated drones were inflicting 70-80% of battlefield casualties, while on Sunday Ukraine launched a major attack on Russian airfields deep behind the front line using a fleet of small drones. In addition to investment in drones and AI, the Government has announced an additional £1 billion for the development of 'directed energy weapons' (DEWs) during the current parliament. This includes the DragonFire laser scheduled to be fitted to the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers from 2027, with a similar system provided for the Army by the end of the decade. DragonFire and other DEWs are intended to provide a lower-cost form of air defence against targets including drones, costing just £10 per shot compared with the thousands of pounds it costs to fire existing weapons.
Motor 1
12 minutes ago
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Mercedes Exec Admits Electric G-Class Is a 'Complete Flop': Report
Much like the four-cylinder AMG C63, Mercedes had high hopes for the electric G-Class. The company naively believed customers would seamlessly switch to the EV version, assuming the power of the Geländewagen brand would offset the downsides of electrification. However, a new report paints a grim picture of how the market has responded to the G580 with EQ Technology. According to German business newspaper Handelsblatt (subscription required) , Mercedes executives have brutally admitted that the electric G-Class is a commercial failure. One executive, who understandably wished to remain anonymous, stated: 'The car is sitting like lead at dealers; it's a complete flop.' Another manager quoted by the reputable publication said: 'It's a niche model; the sales volume is very low.' Handelsblatt examined the numbers and found that only 1,450 units had been sold by the end of April, nearly a year after the model's launch. In contrast, the regular G-Class with gasoline and diesel engines achieved about 9,700 sales, making it almost seven times more popular than its EV counterpart. Despite the disappointing figures, a Mercedes spokesperson claimed the luxury brand is 'on target with our sales figures,' but declined to provide further details. Another executive from the three-pointed star was more candid, admitting: 'People want a real G-Class – with six or eight cylinders.' Motor1 has reached out to Mercedes for comment and will update the story once we hear back. Meanwhile, why is the electric G-Class a tough sell? Several factors come to mind. First, it's substantially more expensive than the six-cylinder gas and diesel versions. The European model has a maximum payload of just 415 kilograms (915 pounds) and lacks a towbar option, making it far less practical than the ICE model. The latter has a decades-long reputation as a go-anywhere, do-anything off-roader. 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Electric Review 35 It also weighs a hefty 3,085 kilograms in Europe and nearly the same 6,746 pounds in the United States. Range is another weak point, though not unexpected, given the vehicle's substantial curb weight. The G580 with EQ Technology is rated at 473 kilometers (294 miles) on the WLTP cycle, but its EPA-certified range is significantly lower at just 239 miles (385 kilometers). Handelsblatt also reports that the low demand is forcing Mercedes to rethink its plans for the so-called 'Little G.' While the downsized version is still expected later this decade, it may not be an EV-only model as originally intended. Rumors suggest the smaller G could offer combustion engines to broaden its appeal. According to a company manager, an ICE variant is currently being 'examined,' while an engineer noted that the added R&D costs would be 'manageable.' The Little G is apparently still on track for a 2027 release as an EV, but it's increasingly likely that a gas version will follow, presumably with some form of hybridization baked in. G Minus The ICE: The Electric G-Wagon Is Comedy: Video Review The Electric G-Class Is Better Than the Gas Version Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Handelsblatt Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bill O'Reilly meets CCP leaders, calls for cooperation with China
(NewsNation) — Bill O'Reilly said Monday that the United States has no choice but to work with China to prevent global conflict, despite the country's history of breaking agreements and engaging in espionage. 'There's no other alternative,' O'Reilly said on NewsNation's 'On Balance' after returning from meetings with what he called 'the most powerful people' in China. 'We've got to try to get a deal with China.' O'Reilly said he briefed President Donald Trump for about 30 minutes following his China trip, though he declined to share specifics of that conversation. He said Chinese officials indicated that tariffs were not their primary concern, but Taiwan remains the central issue. '2049, 100 years since Mao Zedong imposed communism, they want Taiwan under the Chinese flag,' O'Reilly said. 'I told them that while President Trump is in office, it's not going to happen militarily.' Russia severely limited after attack: Ex-Ukraine ambassador O'Reilly proposed what he called a 'plan for peace and prosperity' that would position the United States and China as global 'enforcers' of peace, potentially sidelining Russia and Iran. He said Chinese officials appeared receptive to the concept. When pressed about China's surveillance state and human rights abuses, O'Reilly acknowledged the country's authoritarian nature but distinguished Chinese leadership from Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he characterized as more 'psychopathic.' 'I wouldn't use the word evil across the board,' O'Reilly said of China. 'It's a police state, a surveillance state. Nobody has any rights. They justify it by saying, look, we got a billion and a half people.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
