Lithuania is welcoming the permanent deployment of thousands of German troops as fears grow about possible Russian aggression. Germany’s 45th Armored Brigade, expected to reach 4,800 soldiers by 2027, is the first full German battle brigade permanently based abroad since World War II. For many Lithuanians, the deployment is seen as a major security guarantee. Lithuania has a small army and borders both the Russian territory of Kaliningrad and Belarus, a close Russian ally, m

Japan’s population has fallen by more than 3 million people in just five years, marking the country’s largest census decline since records began in 1920. Preliminary figures show the population dropped from 126.1 million in 2020 to 123 million in 2025, highlighting the growing impact of low birth rates and an aging society. The decline is now affecting nearly the entire country, with all but two of Japan’s 47 prefectures losing residents. Rural areas have been hit especially