New Delhi: Marking a significant milestone for its military modernisation, Japan has transformed its warship Kaga — one of the largest vessels in the Maritime Self-Defence Force — into the nation’s first full aircraft carrier since World War II.
It was first unveiled Monday to the Japanese media at the Kure naval base in Hiroshima.
Originally launched in 2015 as part of the Izumo-class helicopter carriers — the largest warships Japan has built since the end of the Second World War in 1945 — the Kaga has undergone extensive upgrades, announced in 2018, to become a fully-fledged aircraft carrier.
The Kaga has been retrofitted to deploy Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, a significant enhancement from its previous capacity of carrying eight helicopters. This upgrade bolsters Japan’s maritime and defence capabilities, particularly amid escalating regional tensions in Asia.
“One weapons system or warship will not change the entire military equation in Japan’s favour, but the advanced aircraft that it will carry will certainly give it greater capabilities,” Robert Dujarric, co-director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at the Tokyo campus of Temple University, told the South China Morning Post.
“The broader advantage it will provide is the greater ability to operate and interact with US and other forces in the region, giving Japan some of the same toys as the big boys,” Dujarric added.
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EU Parliament passes ‘historic’ reforms on migration
The European Parliament Wednesday enacted transformative reforms in its migration and asylum policies, marking a pivotal moment in the EU’s history.
After years of intense debate born out of issues arising from the influx of Syrian refugees, the new legislation aims to streamline the handling of asylum applications and enhance the return of individuals with unsuccessful claims.
In a series of 10 votes Wednesday, European lawmakers endorsed the regulations and policies that make up the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the reforms address the questions of who should take responsibility for migrants and asylum seekers when they arrive and whether other EU countries should be obliged to help.
The reforms introduce measures to expedite the processing of asylum requests and distribute the responsibility more equitably among EU nations. Notable features include cutting down response time for security and other procedures and establishing border facilities to host and screen asylum seekers.
Furthermore, it aims to develop a transnational criminal records information system for “third country” nationals at EU borders.
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to announce the “solidarity” among member nations.
“We will be able to better protect our external borders, the vulnerable & refugees, swiftly return those not eligible to stay, with mandatory solidarity between Member States,” she wrote.
Thank you for the courage to compromise.
Today’s @Europarl_EN #MigrationEU vote is a big achievement.
We will be able to better protect
our external borders, the vulnerable & refugees, swiftly return those not eligible to stay, with mandatory solidarity between Member States.
— Ylva Johansson (@YlvaJohansson) April 10, 2024
German chancellor Olaf Scholz referred to the EU’s decision as historic and a sign of solidarity among European states.
Meanwhile, the package has elicited a range of reactions, with migrant support groups, liberal factions, and human rights advocates criticising it for humanitarian reasons, while some on the far right have also voiced dissatisfaction, claiming the measures do not sufficiently curb migration.
🚨@Europarl_EN adopted the #Migration Pact.
Bad news for people seeking protection in the EU & for the EU as a community of values.
Instead of strengthening rights of those seeking protection, the focus is on deterrence & punishment, shifting responsibility to 3rd countries. pic.twitter.com/GUbh3jt8sh
— Tilly Metz MEP (@MetzTilly) April 10, 2024
Boat with 130 passengers capsizes in Mozambique
On 7 April, a tragic maritime disaster occurred off the coast of Mozambique when a makeshift ferry, heavily laden with passengers, capsized, resulting in the loss of over 90 lives, including children.
The vessel, carrying 130 individuals, was en route from the town of Lunga. Among the passengers were individuals heading to a local fair and others seeking refuge from a cholera outbreak, Jaime Neto, the secretary of state of Nampula province, told the media.
Mozambique, located in Eastern Africa, is known for its challenging transportation infrastructure, with congested waterways and underdeveloped road networks.
“The boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers,” Neto said, adding, that is why “it ended up sinking.”
While cholera is a significant problem in Mozambique, and the province of Nampula is one of the worst hotspots for the disease, Sunday’s attempt to flee was largely based on rumours and disinformation, Neto added.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — which supports the country’s Ministry of Health in providing treatment to people, reducing mortality rates, and helping to control the spread of the disease — also confirmed an absence of recent cases from the district.
Disinformation regarding cholera has been a problem in the past too, with conspiracy theories gaining traction and causing issues within the community.
In January, in the province of Cabo Delgado, the disinformation regarding cholera led to the murder of three community leaders and the destruction of property, according to a Guardian report.
Cholera remains a pressing issue across Southern Africa, exacerbated by inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities, with significant outbreaks reported in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier in the year.
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Ethiopian opposition leader killed, 13 arrested
The Ethiopian Police have arrested 13 suspects for the killing of a prominent opposition figure, Bate Urgessa, the Arab News reported.
Urgessa was a member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and a strong critic of the government. He was allegedly taken along with people who “looked like government officials” and later his body was found on the side of the road near Meki, Oromia.
Urgessa was jailed several times before and was released on bail in March after two weeks of custody for conspiring to “create chaos and unrest”. In 2021, his party, the OLF, boycotted elections.
The OLF claims that Urgessa was shot dead and his extrajudicial killing is an act of oppression, to systematically silence the Oromo people.
The Oromo constitute one-third of Ethiopia’s population but the region has seen trouble with people claiming to have been discriminated against by traditional elites.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, too, has asked for an investigation into Urgessa’s death.
Daniel Bekele, Chief Commissioner, on ‘X’, called for a “prompt, impartial & full investigation by both regional and federal authorities.
Following the killing of Batte Urgessa, who was a member of the opposition Oromo Liberation Front, @EthioHRC calls for a prompt, impartial & full investigation by both the #Oromia regional & #Ethiopia federal authorities to hold perpetrators to account. pic.twitter.com/G9WAA4Vhah
— Daniel Bekele (@DanielBekele) April 10, 2024
Track and field becomes the first sport to pay Olympic winners
Just months before the upcoming Paris Olympics, track and field has become the first sport to pay Olympic winners. World Athletics, the international governing body, has announced that athletes who win gold in the upcoming summer Olympics in Paris will be awarded a cash prize.
“Winners of all 48 track and field events will be paid US$ 50,000 as cash prize,” World Athletics said. Furthermore, cash prizes for silver and bronze medalists will be initiated at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
According to The Washington Post report, the Olympic games started as an amateur sporting competition with sports persons playing the game for the “love of sport” and not financial incentives.
For over a century, this has been a norm where there is no monetary award for winning at a sporting event. In such a scenario, each country took the onus of paying its awardees.
“The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games.” read the World Athletes press release.
It was in 2015 when the organisation promised to put all the money it received from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games back into the sport. “This is just a continuation from 2915,” said World Athletics.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)