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NATO Increases Military Budget by 12%

US soldiers, part of the NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR, guard the municipal building of the Serb-majority municipality of Leposavic, Kosovo December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj
US soldiers, part of the NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR, guard the municipal building of the Serb-majority municipality of Leposavic, Kosovo December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj
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NATO Increases Military Budget by 12%

US soldiers, part of the NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR, guard the municipal building of the Serb-majority municipality of Leposavic, Kosovo December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj
US soldiers, part of the NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR, guard the municipal building of the Serb-majority municipality of Leposavic, Kosovo December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj

NATO said on Wednesday that it was increasing its military budget for 2024 by 12% to 2.03 billion euros and its civil budget by 18.2% to 438.1 million euros.
Increasing and broadening the use of NATO common funding allows allies to more effectively address shared security challenges, NATO said in the statement announcing the increase.
NATO’s civil budget provides funds for personnel, operating costs and program expenditures of NATO's headquarters and its international staff, while the military budget covers the operating costs of NATO Command Structure headquarters, missions and operations around the world.

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Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain’s Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands

A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
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Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain’s Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands

A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)

An explosion at a chemical plant near the Spanish city of Seville sent up a huge pillar of smoke as authorities urged nearby residents to stay indoors, but no injuries were reported, emergency services said Wednesday.

Officials sent messages to around 80,000 residents recommending that they wear face masks or close their windows.

The explosion occurred midday in an industrial park in the municipality of Alcalá de Guadaíra, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Seville’s city center.

Emergency services cleared personnel from the plant site.

Authorities have not said what chemicals are at the plant or who owns it.

Recent incidents Spain's industrial, electric and transport infrastructure has faced issues recently.

Over the weekend, a fire at a chemical factory in northeastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns.

On April 28, a massive power outage hit Spain and Portugal. Authorities are still investigating but have ruled out a cyber attack or sabotage.

That was followed by major train disruption between Madrid and Seville, caused by thieves who took copper cabling from a trail line.