World
Japanese government planning a huge spike in funding for defense due to global tensions
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Japan’s Liberal Democratic Occasion – the nation’s right-wing, long-ruling social gathering – is proposing a pointy spike in protection spending as worldwide tensions proceed to construct.
Japan has begun taking significantly requires it to boost a conventional, standing army within the face of overseas threats. At the moment, the Japanese Structure explicitly forbids the nation from wielding a army, and permits just for the garrison of a small Self-Protection Power. LDP officers have been pushing for a vote to overturn this constitutional clause for many years. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has heightened worldwide tensions, making Japan extra open to a army than ever earlier than. The brand new proposal would allot roughly 2% of the nationwide GDP to protection – a report excessive for the pacifist nation.
“With the protection spending goal of greater than 2% of GDP for NATO nations in thoughts, our nation additionally goals to appreciate that the finances meets a stage essential to basically reinforce protection capabilities in 5 years,” the proposal reads, based on the Japan Instances.
JAPAN, US HOLD NAVAL DRILLS OFF KOREAS AMID NUKE TEST WORRY
The drafted proposal would permit the federal government to disable overseas missile and command methods. Whereas removed from a remilitarization of the nation, this half-measure would higher permit the Japanese authorities to fight aggression from mainland China.
FILE: On this undated file photograph launched by the Taiwan Ministry of Protection, a Chinese language PLA J-16 fighter jet flies in an undisclosed location
(Taiwan Ministry of Protection through AP)
Worldwide consultants fear the invasion of Ukraine might encourage or spill over into Asia, the place the Chinese language Communist Occasion has well-documented objectives in thoughts for repossession of assorted neighboring international locations.
The Chinese language Communist Occasion aired a video final 12 months by which it warned Japan of a nuclear response and “full-scale conflict” if the island nation interferes in China’s dealing with of Taiwan.
“We are going to use nuclear bombs first,” the video mentioned. “We are going to use nuclear bombs constantly. We are going to do that till Japan declares unconditional give up for the second time.”
Rigidity has additionally risen within the space over North Korea’s spate of missile assessments this 12 months, together with its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch in additional than 4 years.
Some consultants say the North’s latest missile assessments have been meant to excellent its weapons know-how, enhance its leverage in future negotiations with the U.S. and safe stronger inside loyalty. They are saying North Korea might quickly conduct one other ICBM launch, a launch of a satellite-carrying rocket or a take a look at of a nuclear gadget in coming weeks.
This photograph offered by the North Korean authorities exhibits what it says a take a look at launch of a hypersonic missile on Jan. 11, 2022 in North Korea. Unbiased journalists weren’t given entry to cowl the occasion depicted on this picture distributed by the North Korean authorities. The content material of this picture is as offered and can’t be independently verified. Korean language watermark on picture as offered by supply reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central Information Company. (Korean Central Information Company/Korea Information Service through AP)
((Korean Central Information Company/Korea Information Service through AP))
Japan, a historically pacifist nation with a delicate hand in overseas affairs, has bolstered infrastructure for the reason that invasion of Ukraine and is extra defensively aware than earlier years.
U.S. and Japanese warships, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln service strike group, are conducting their joint naval train in waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula for the primary time in 5 years, in a present of their shut army alliance amid rising hypothesis of North Korea’s missile or nuclear testing later this week.
The U.S. seventh Fleet and Japan’s Maritime Self-Protection Power mentioned final week they carried out a joint naval train on the Sea of Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was the primary time the U.S. plane service held the train within the space since 2017 and is seen as an obvious try to discourage North Korea’s provocation.
Peter Aitken and The Related Press contributed to this report.
Israel and Hamas on the ‘brink’ of a truce
Israel and Hamas are close to a deal on a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages there, Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said yesterday. “It’s closer than it’s ever been before,” he said. “But right now as we sit here we await final word from Hamas on its acceptance. And until we get that word, we’ll remain on the brink.”
Negotiators said Hamas seemed ready to accept the deal, including its details about the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages and the specific movements of Israeli troops as they withdraw from positions in Gaza, a person familiar with the talks said last night.
The person said Israel was also locked in on the agreement, and that both sides seemed prepared to announce their acceptance of it in the very near future. Neither Israeli nor Hamas officials have publicly confirmed their positions. Here’s what we know about the proposal.
Gaza: An analysis in The Lancet found that Palestinian deaths from bombs and other traumatic injuries may have been undercounted by 40 percent during the first nine months of the war.
South Korea’s president was detained for questioning
Yoon Suk Yeol today became the first sitting South Korean president to be detained for questioning by criminal investigators, after striking a deal with law enforcement officials that ended a weekslong standoff. He has been accused of insurrection in connection with his short-lived declaration of martial law last month.
In a video message, Yoon said he had agreed to submit to questioning to prevent a “bloody” clash between his bodyguards and the police. But he called the investigation and the warrant to detain him illegal. Here’s what to know about South Korea’s leadership crisis.
Investigators have 48 hours to question Yoon, after which they could apply for a separate warrant to formally arrest him. Separately, the Constitutional Court is deliberating whether the National Assembly’s Dec. 14 impeachment of Yoon was legitimate and whether the president, currently suspended, should be permanently removed from office.
Republicans embraced Hegseth’s bid to lead the Pentagon
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, emerged from a tense confirmation hearing yesterday with the Republican Party’s support intact. A Senate vote on whether he should lead the Pentagon — a department with three million employees and a budget of $849 billion — could come as soon as Monday.
Over hours of questioning, Democrats quizzed Hegseth about sexual misconduct allegations — Hegseth was accused of rape in 2017 — and his drinking habits. They called him unfit to lead the Pentagon and grilled Hegseth, a former Fox News host, on his long history of disparaging comments about women in the military.
What’s next: It was unclear whether Hegseth had left the hearing with the votes he needed. If all Senate Democrats oppose him, Hegseth will have to secure the backing of at least 50 of the 53 Republicans in the chamber.
Related: A report was released yesterday that detailed the special counsel’s investigation into Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Here are four takeaways.
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The ceremony happens every 12 years and centers on a series of holy baths. But it has also become an important political event. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is a chance to promote his right-wing party.
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Suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has reportedly been arrested over insurrection charges stemming from his ill-fated martial law declaration last month.
Yoon’s detention was reported Wednesday by Yonhap, one of the country’s largest news outlets. A warrant for his arrest, initially requested after he failed to show up for questioning, has been out since Dec. 31.
Police dispatched some 3,200 officers to the president’s sprawling hillside estate in Seoul, according to Reuters, where he has spent weeks in hiding whilst surrounded by a personal security detail.
Video shows officers closing in on Yoon’s residence, according to Reuters, where hundreds of his supporters had already gathered to protest on his behalf. Earlier, they were reportedly seen pushing through a group of them.
SOUTH KOREA’S IMPEACHED PRESIDENT AVOIDS ARREST ATTEMPT AFTER HOURSLONG STANDOFF
A previous attempt to detain Yoon was called off on Jan. 3 following a six-hour standoff between military guards and the president’s security staff.
“As I have repeatedly emphasized the need for prevention of physical conflict between state agencies,” Acting President Choi Sang-mok said in a statement Wednesday. “I will sternly hold those responsible if unfortunate events occur.”
Authorities are making a second attempt to detain suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol following last month’s martial law declaration. (South Korea Presidential Office via AP, File)
Executing a warrant for Yoon’s arrest has proven difficult for investigators, as the president’s legal counsel insists it is impossible to do so under a law barring non-consensual searches of locations potentially linked to military secrets.
Yoon’s lawyers have also decried such a warrant as an illegal means of publicly humiliating him.
ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR IMPEACHED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT AS POLITICAL CRISIS DEEPENS
The arrest warrant is the first ever to be levied against a sitting South Korean president. Yoon’s warrant stems from his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 out of apparent frustration with the opposition-dominated parliament’s refusal to pass key items on his political agenda.
The move was decried within South Korea and abroad, where analysts expressed shock at the sudden and unprecedented move in what is typically one of Asia’s most stable democracies.
Police officers are seen closing in on suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in Seoul, South Korea, alongside investigators of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. (REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)
Parliament unanimously rejected Yoon’s declaration, and subsequently suspended him on Dec. 14 in a 204-85 vote that included members of his own party.
Yoon will be formally impeached should the Constitutional Court uphold the motion with a three-fourths majority.
The court’s next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Over two-thirds of large companies struggle to fill their IT roles. What are the highest-paid jobs? Which countries are most in need?
As the IT sector continues to grow, thousands of European companies are having trouble filling the many positions available.
According to 2024 Eurostat data, 57.5% of EU businesses can’t recruit all the necessary ICT specialists.
The gap between labour demand and actual employment has grown by 20% in the past ten years.
Large businesses are facing the biggest challenges.
Sixty-eight per cent of them are unable to fill all their ICT specialist positions, followed by medium (59.2%) and small-sized enterprises (53.4%).
Germany, the Czech Republic, Malta, Austria, and Luxembourg are the countries most in need of ICT specialists, with at least 65% of businesses facing shortages.
The percentages are even higher for large enterprises: 84% in Malta, 80% in Germany, 79% in the Czech Republic, 78% in Slovenia, 76% in Austria, 75% in Luxembourg, 73% in Latvia, 72% in Hungary and 71% in Croatia.
Spain, Poland, and Bulgaria have the least hiring problems, although at least 30% of companies in these countries still face ICT shortages.
What are the highest-paid IT positions?
The main difficulties in recruitment, according to Eurostat, are a lack of applications, insufficient qualifications and experience, and high salary expectations.
Salaries in the ICT sector have consistently outpaced average wages in Europe in the last decade, according to the 2024 OECD Digital Economy Outlook. In the EU, in particular, annual wages grew by 0.24% compared to 0.20% in the rest of the economy.
Recruitment specialists Robert Walters have listed the top-paid ICT jobs in countries including Germany, which seems to be struggling the most in the EU to recruit specialists.
The highest-paid role is Chief Information Technology Officer, with an annual base of €150k for employees with at least three years of experience, to €180k for those with at least eight years.
The consultancy role in the highest bracket is the SAP/ERP one, with a base of €100k. (SAP ERP is an enterprise resource planning software.)
Data engineer and data scientist positions are both in the €100-120k bracket.
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