Briefly

SWEDEN

Govt proposes hike on military budget

The Swedish government on Thursday proposed a 40 percent increase for its military budget from 2021-25 with Defense Minister Peter Hulqvist saying the move came because the region's security policy situation "has deteriorated over time". Sweden's Social Democrat-Green Party minority government said it has the backing of the two smaller opposition groups－the Center Party and the Liberals. The defense bill included increased expenditures of $3.1 billion, or up to 40 percent compared to the previous deal. The military expenditures of Sweden, which is not a NATO member, is currently 1.1 percent of its GDP.

INDONESIA

Suga arrives on second leg of trip

Yoshihide Suga arrived on Tuesday in Indonesia on the second leg of his first overseas trip as Japanese prime minister. Suga arrived from Vietnam in the middle of a four-day visit to the two Southeast Asian nations he said was key to pursuing the "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision of economic and military cooperation. Japan also hopes to deepen and strengthen military ties with Indonesia and promote a military equipment and technology transfer agreement.

MIDDLE EAST

Lebanon, Israel begin maritime border talks

Lebanon and Israel began indirect talks on Wednesday over their disputed maritime border, with US officials mediating the talks that both sides insist are purely technical and not a sign of any normalization of ties. The United States has been mediating the issue for about a decade, but only earlier this month was a breakthrough reached on an agreement for a framework for US-mediated talks. The development came against the backdrop of Lebanon's spiraling economic crisis, the worst in its modern history.

UNITED STATES

NYPD forms Asian Hate Crime Task Force

The New York Police Department is forming an Asian Hate Crime Task Force, its first task force dedicated to investigating crimes targeting Asian races, according to an article published in The Wall Street Journal on Monday. The group consists of 25 detectives of Asian descent who speak a combined nine Asian languages. The group's task is to guide victims through the justice system, from reporting a crime all the way to prosecution, the NYPD said.

Agencies - Xinhua