Latest news with #NordicCountries
India.com
18 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
If They Are Bold Enough...: Amid Peace Talks With Russia, Ukraines Zelenskyy Calls For More Support
Hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Turkey's Istanbul under the shadow of Kyiv's drone attack on Russian airbases damaging around 41 aircraft, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called upon the European allies and West to extend more support to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has shown its capability by striking deep inside Russia. Zelesnkyy speculated that Russia might plan a fresh attack against Ukraine post-Belarus meet. "Europe, together with America, has better weapons than Russia. We also have stronger tactical solutions – our operation 'Spiderweb' yesterday proved that. Russia must feel what its losses mean. That is what will push it toward diplomacy. And when Russia takes losses in this war, it's obvious to everyone that Ukraine is the one holding the line – not just for itself, but for all of Europe," said Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian President also said Kyiv needs more strength against Russia. "Ask your intelligence – what is Russia planning this summer in Belarus? If they're bold enough to prepare attacks from there, then we need more strength – together. And right now, that means strengthening Ukraine – so we can stop this war and prevent it from spreading. That's why weapons production matters. At today's summit in Vilnius with the Bucharest Nine and the Nordic Countries, I thanked our partners for their support, and we are coordinating our steps together," said Zelenskyy. As fresh peace talks get underway, Moscow's lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, has confirmed Russia received Ukraine's draft memorandum for a peace agreement. Russia, in turn, announced it would present its own draft, along with unspecificied ceasefire proposals. Leading the Ukrainian delegation is Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, whose team notably arrived wearing combat fatigues, a stark visual reminder of the ongoing conflict. The previous round of talks in Istanbul on May 16, 2025, saw the largest prisoner swap of the war, with 1,000 detainees freed by each side. However, despite this exchange, there was no progress on peace or a ceasefire, as both sides presented vastly different opening negotiation positions.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Which countries have the highest and lowest pensions in Europe?
Pensions are the main source of income for older people in Europe, according to the OECD's Pension at a Glance 2023 report. In many European countries, public transfers—such as state pensions and benefits—account for over 70% of older adults' total equivalised gross household income, exceeding 80% in some cases. So, how much do Europeans receive in old-age pensions? What is the average pension expenditure per beneficiary? And how do pension levels compare across Europe when adjusted for purchasing power? According to Eurostat, in 2022, the average pension expenditure per beneficiary for old-age pensions was €16,138 in the EU. This equals approximately €1,345 per month when divided over 12 months. It ranged from €3,611 in Bulgaria to €31,385 in Luxembourg within the EU. When EFTA and EU candidate countries are included, the range widens—from €1,648 in Albania to €35,959 in Iceland. The average old-age pension per beneficiary also exceeded €30,000 in two Nordic countries: Norway and Denmark. It was also significantly above the EU average in Sweden (€22,436) and Finland (€21,085). Besides Albania, EU candidate countries have the lowest average pensions. These include Turkey (€2,942), Bosnia and Herzegovina (€3,041), Serbia (€3,486), and Montenegro (€3,962). Montenegro ranks just above Bulgaria, but only by a small margin. These are annual figures, not monthly, demonstrating the wide gap between the lowest and highest pension levels in Europe. The EU's 'Big Four' economies ranked consecutively, all above the EU average. Italy had the highest average pension among them at €19,589, followed by France (€18,855), Spain (€18,100), and Germany (€17,926). Average pension figures show that: There's a strong East-West divide, with Western and Nordic Europe offering much higher pension benefits. The Southern European countries generally fare better than Eastern ones but still trail behind Northern Europe. The poorest performers are concentrated in the Balkans and Eastern EU, particularly among EU candidate countries. Inequalities in average pensions are significantly narrower when measured in purchasing power standards (PPS) compared to nominal terms. For example, within the EU, the ratio between the highest and lowest average pension is 8.8 in nominal terms, but it drops to 3.5 in PPS, reflecting differences in living costs. In the EU, average pension expenditure per beneficiary ranged from 5,978 PPS in Slovakia to 21,162 PPS in Austria. When non-EU countries are included, Albania had the lowest figure at 3,019 PPS. Turkey ranked significantly higher in PPS terms, with 8,128 PPS—placing it above several EU member states. All Nordic countries are above the EU average in pension spending, with some ranking among the highest in Europe. In euro terms, the average pension fell in only three countries in 2022 compared to 2021—and by less than 5%. These were Turkey, Ireland, and Greece. In Turkey, the decline was primarily due to a sharp depreciation of the national currency, which affected the euro value of pensions. In contrast, Bulgaria saw the largest increase at 33%, followed by Czechia with 16%. Pension growth also exceeded 10% in Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, and Romania. Old-age pensions are periodic payments intended to i) maintain the income of the beneficiary after retirement from paid employment at the legal or standard age or ii) support the income of elderly people. According to the 2024 Pension Adequacy Report, jointly prepared by the European Commission and the Social Protection Committee, EU countries are taking further steps to safeguard adequacy, but future adequacy remains under pressure. Pension replacement rates for a given career are projected to decline over the next four decades. The risk of poverty and social exclusion among older people has continued to rise since 2019, mainly driven by increasing relative income poverty. In 2022, more than one in five people aged 65 and over in the EU—about 18.5 million individuals—were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This number is growing due to both the rising poverty rate and the ageing population. Across much of Europe, pension income falls well below pre-retirement earnings. This gap makes it hard for many older adults to maintain their standard of living after they stop working. The report shows that older women face higher poverty risks than men in every EU country. On average, women in the EU receive 26.1% less pension income than men, and 5.3% of women receive no pension at all. These gaps are rooted in gender pay disparities, shorter or interrupted careers, and a higher incidence of part-time work among women.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
PS6 release date ‘sooner' than we thought as major game cancellation exposes ‘exact launch year' for next-gen console
SONY'S PlayStation 6 may be out sooner than we thought, a new leak suggests. The next-gen console built to replace the PS5 and PS5 Pro may be just around the corner. 4 Court documents from Microsoft, which owns Xbox, previously revealed that the tech giant was expecting a 2028 launch for next-gen consoles. That included its own top-secret Xbox successor as well as Sony 's unnamed next-gen PlayStation. TIME TO PLAY? But countering that is a new report from Insider Gaming that suggests an upcoming Blade Runner game due for 2027 has been cancelled. The report notes that the game was due to land on next-gen consoles that are yet to be released. This unannounced game was reportedly due to be called Blade Runner: Time To Leave. It was allegedly in development at Supermassive Games, with a 12-hour single-player story planned. The report notes that the game entered pre-production in September 2024 with a budget of around £33 million / $45 million. But the game has supposedly been canned by the Guildford, UK-based studio. However, it's a major hint that the PS6 might land in 2027 rather than 2028. Supermassive Games is owned by Nordisk Film, which is a Sony partner that has exclusive distribution rights to PlayStation products in Nordic countries. Get an inside look at the new PS5 30th anniversary edition Titles from the studio include Until Dawn, The Dark Pictures Anthology, The Quarry, and The Casting of Frank Stone. The Sun has asked Supermassive Games for comment and will update this story with any response. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE PS6 LAUNCH WINDOW? Sony hasn't explicitly confirmed a launch timeline for the PS6. But the company has released plenty of consoles in the past, giving us some useful info to work with. 4 Just last year, we asked AI to predict the PS6 release date, based on Sony's PlayStation release history. And it came up with Thursday, November 11, 2027 – fitting in with this latest leak. Here's a list of previous PlayStation release dates, as well as the days of the week that those consoles launched on: PlayStation – Saturday, December 3, 1994 (1st Saturday) PS One – Friday, July 7, 2000 (1st Friday) PlayStation 2 – Saturday, March 4, 2000 (1st Saturday) PS2 Slimline – Friday, October 29, 2004 (5th Friday) PlayStation 3 – Saturday, November 11, 2006 (2nd Saturday) PS3 Slim – Thursday, August 27, 2009 (4th Thursday) PS3 Super Slim – Tuesday, September 25, 2012 (4th Tuesday) PlayStation 4 – Friday, November 15, 2013 (3rd Friday) PS4 Slim – Thursday, September 15, 2016 (3rd Thursday) PS4 Pro – Thursday, November 10, 2016 (2nd Thursday) PlayStation 5 – Thursday, November 12, 2020 (2nd Thursday) PS5 Slim – Friday, November 10, 2023 (2nd Friday) PS5 Pro – Thursday, November 7, 2024 (1st Thursday) There's usually a six-to-seven-year gap between the major console releases. Just look at this list: 1994 – PlayStation 2000 – PlayStation 2 2006 – PlayStation 3 2013 – PlayStation 4 2020 – PlayStation 5 And the final two (and therefore most recent) consoles came out seven years after their predecessors. 4 That would suggest that Sony would work towards a 2027 launch. November is usually favoured by Sony for PlayStation launches, especially in recent years. That means the console is out just in time for Christmas and the Black Friday spending season. And Sony clearly tends towards Thursday and Friday launches, usually in the second or third week of the month. Sony PlayStation through the ages Here's a quick history of the main models released... Sony PlayStation: Japan – December 3, 1994 North America – September 9, 1995 Europe – September 29, 1995 Sony PlayStation 2: Japan – March 4, 2000 North America – October 26, 2000 Europe – November 24, 2000 Sony PlayStation 3: Japan – November 11, 2006 North America – November 17, 2006 Europe – March 23, 2007 Sony PlayStation 4: North America – November 15, 2013 Europe – November 29, 2013 Japan – February 22, 2014 Sony PlayStation 5: Japan – November 12, 2020 North America – November 12, 2020 Europe – November 12, 2020 "Considering the trends and patterns, Thursday, November 11, 2027 seems more likely for a few reasons," one of the latest AI models told The Sun last year. "Sony has shown a preference for Thursday releases in recent years, especially for significant product launches like the PlayStation 5. "Releasing on a Thursday allows for a full weekend of sales and media coverage, maximizing initial impact and momentum. "Thus, the most likely date for the next-generation PlayStation console release, based on observed patterns and strategic considerations, would be: Thursday, November 11, 2027." Sadly it's impossible to say exactly when the console will launch. And even if Sony already has launch plans for 2027, they could still change. In the meantime, PlayStation owners are having to pay extra for consoles after a recent PS5 price hike.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top earners in Europe: Which countries offer the highest average earnings?
Gross salaries may not be the most effective measure for comparing European countries because personal income tax and employee social security contributions vary widely. Some countries also provide more generous support to households with children. Therefore, net annual earnings provide a more useful indicator for comparison. So, which European countries offer the highest net average earnings? Where do people earn the most on average across Europe? Annual net earnings differ significantly across Europe, even when adjusted for purchasing power according to Eurostat. In 2024, annual net earnings ranged from €11,074 in Bulgaria to €50,410 in Luxembourg within the EU. The EU average was €29,573 These figures apply to a single person without children earning 100% of the average earning. Other options are discussed below. With available data for three EFTA countries and the EU candidate country Turkey, the highest figure rises to €85,631 in Switzerland, followed by €57,573 in Iceland. Norway also ranks fifth with €47,232, indicating the dominance of non-EU countries in net earnings. Other Nordic countries also perform well. Denmark (€43,913), Finland (€36,877), and Sweden (€36,147) all rank above the EU average. Western and Northern European countries lead within the EU. Following Luxembourg, the Netherlands (€47,892) and Ireland (€46,208) report the highest net earnings among EU member states. Southern European countries like Italy (€24,797), Spain (€24,571), and Greece (€18,709) fall significantly below the EU average. Eastern member states such as Romania (€12,655), Bulgaria (€11,074), and Hungary (€13,883) report the lowest net earnings in the bloc. Turkey (€11,440) stands just above Bulgaria in net earnings. Net earnings for the EU's four largest economies are as follows: Germany leads with €39,594, followed by France at €32,354. Italy (€24,797) and Spain (€24,571) fall well below the EU average. When adjusted for purchasing power standards (PPS), net annual earnings ranged from 16,784 in Slovakia to 40,948 in the Netherlands, with an EU average of 28,906. When non-EU countries are included, Switzerland leads by a significant margin with 48,331 PPS, followed by Norway with 38,712 PPS, placing it third after the Netherlands. Luxembourg (37,630 PPS) and Austria (37,359 PPS) complete the top five. The data indicates an East-West divide in purchasing power, with most Eastern, Baltic, and Balkan countries underperforming. Portugal is an outlier—geographically Western but economically grouped with Eastern countries in terms of purchasing power, with a PPS level below 20,000. In nominal terms, there is a significant disparity in net annual earnings across EU countries. The gap between the highest and lowest—Luxembourg and Bulgaria—is more than 4.5 times. However, when adjusted for purchasing power standards (PPS), this difference narrows to 2.4 times, between Slovakia and the Netherlands. Among the EU's 'Big Four' economies, Germany is the only one with a PPS level above the EU average. In general, households with children have higher net earnings than those without. For example, while a single person without children has net earnings of €29,573, a one-earner couple with two children earns €35,656. This difference stems from tax benefits and family allowances. The only exception is Turkey, where net earnings are the same for both household types. In Cyprus, Finland, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, families with children still earn more, but the difference is relatively small—less than 10%. Households with children see the greatest advantage in Slovakia, Poland, Luxembourg, and Belgium, where net earnings are over 40% higher than those of childless households. For example, in Slovakia, net earnings rise from €14,070 for a single person without children to €19,851 for a one-earner couple with two children. Two-earner couples with two children generally have higher net earnings than those without children. However, the income advantage is smaller compared to that of one-earner couples with two children. In the EU, they earn an average net income of €63,523. Average annual net earnings represent the income remaining after deducting personal income taxes and employee social security contributions from gross annual earnings, with any applicable family allowances added. These earnings can vary depending on family circumstances—such as whether a person is single or married, and how many dependent children they have.
Arab News
19-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Palestinian hospital chief calls for pressure on Israel
HELSINKI: An East Jerusalem hospital chief told AFP on Monday that Gaza was in a 'catastrophic' state after weeks of a complete blockade of humanitarian aid and called on countries to act to end the suffering of civilians. Fadi Atrash, chief executive of the Augusta Victoria-Hospital in East Jerusalem — which helps Palestinians from the occupied territories and Gaza — said he could no longer 'find the words' to describe the crisis faced by people in war-torn Gaza. 'We are facing a very, very critical and catastrophic situation,' he said, with all components of the health care system destroyed, and health care workers 'running out of energy.' Augusta Victoria, which had a hospital in Gaza that has been destroyed in Israeli bombings now provides health care in Gaza with the limited resources available, Atrash said. Atrash visited Finland — which has not recognized Palestine as a state — on Monday as part of a tour of the Nordic countries. 'My main message for the Nordic countries is to put pressure to stop the war, to stop the killing.' Humanitarian food, medical and fuel supplies have been blocked from entering Gaza for 11 weeks, and the World Health Organization has warned that two million people face starvation. Finland's President Alexander Stubb joined other European leaders on Monday to call on Israel to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Stubb also said 'forced displacement of populations is a war crime and cannot form part of any solution,' in a post on X. Israel this month approved an expanded military offensive in Gaza but has agreed to let limited aid into Gaza.
