Global military expenditures eclipse US$2 trillion in 2021 for first time ever

STORY BY STEPHEN J. THORNE

The fiscal ravages of the pandemic had little practical effect on worldwide military spending in 2021, as it passed US$2 trillion (C$2.5 trillion) for the first time, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported on April 25.

The list of the five biggest spenders bore no surprises: the United States led the way, followed by China, India, the United Kingdom and Russia. Together, they accounted for 62 per cent of all military spending, said the institute.

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Photo credit:Wikimedia/Royal Navy

HMCS Uganda: the ship that voted its way home

STORY BY SHARON ADAMS

The only Canadian ship to fight against the Japanese in the Second World War, HMCS Uganda also had the distinction of being the only ship to vote itself out of that war.

Uganda was one of the mightiest ships in the Canadian navy, 169 metres long, armed to the teeth with nine six-inch guns, eight four-inch guns and many smaller guns, plus torpedoes. Its crew of 907 officers and men were chosen from every province of Canada and the Dominion of Newfoundland. Captain Edmond Rollo Mainguy was in command.