tisdag 1 oktober 2024

TOP NEWS

Putin's Russia
Russia's defense spending is soaring to record levels

Russia plans to increase defense spending by 25 percent. Thus, they are higher than ever, reports The Guardian.

In 2025, the Russian state is estimated to spend 40 percent of its total expenditure on defense and security.

According to Elina Ribakova, an analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Russian bureaucrats believed last year that the invasion of Ukraine, dubbed the special operation in Russia, would be over soon. That is no longer the case, she tells the Financial Times.

- The gloves have been thrown down. They no longer feel the need to pretend that there will be a quick return to a normal state.
 
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Putin's Russia
39 arrested in Russian raids: "Don't be afraid, it's the FSB"

39 people have been arrested around Russia. According to the security service FBS, those arrested have supported "Ukrainian terrorists", AFP reports.

According to the newspaper Meduza, the arrested are "radicals" between the ages of 14 and 35 and they allegedly incited young people to commit violent acts against "government officials, classmates and teachers".

A video released by the FSB shows how to raid houses and arrest young people. At one point, a woman opens the door when the FSB knocks.
 
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Political situation in Japan
Abe rival Shigeru Ishiba becomes Japan's prime minister

On Tuesday, 67-year-old Shigeru Ishiba will be formally sworn in as Japan's prime minister. He is often described as the rival of the murdered Shinzo Abe within the LDP party. The election of Ishiba marks a swing in Japanese politics from the right to the moderate center, writes The Diplomat.

Although he has worked as a banker, his economic policy is unclear, says Sebastian Maslow, a political scientist at Tokyo University, to DI. The Tokyo Stock Exchange reacted strongly negatively on Monday. The reason is believed to be Ishiba's previous statements about raising taxes for companies and investors, experts told the paper.

In defense policy, however, Ishiba is considered to be much clearer, writes The Diplomat. He has served as Japan's defense minister and has a vision of NATO-like cooperation in the region.

In addition to security policy, Ishiba has a stated ambition to revive the countryside and Japan's small towns, writes Nikkei Asia.

Ishiba has also said that he will "exploit the full potential of renewable energy" and strives to reduce dependence on nuclear power, the newspaper writes.

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NATO's future
Fresh NATO chief "is not worried" about the American election

Today, Dutch Mark Rutte takes over the leadership of NATO after Jens Stoltenberg. The torch was handed over at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday morning. Rutte's message was, among other things, that NATO countries need to increase defense spending.

He also commented on the US presidential election, saying that he is not worried but will be able to cooperate with whoever wins the election.

Rutte also stated that the situation in Ukraine is still at the top of the agenda for NATO. At the same time, the defense alliance follows developments in the Middle East, even if NATO does not have its own role there.

The outgoing Stoltenberg underlined the seriousness.

- We are of course very worried. We support the efforts of NATO members working to de-escalate the situation, Stoltenberg said.

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