December 4, 2024: The most important thing of the day

South Korea’s president declares martial law for a few hours

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol unexpectedly declared martial law on Wednesday night. Soldiers and special forces then cordoned off the parliament building and helicopters landed on the roof. A few hours later, Yoon withdrew his decision under massive pressure. Among other things, all 190 MPs present called on him to take this turnaround by voting. Thousands of demonstrators also protested against Yoon’s actions. The opposition accuses Yoon of violating the constitution and demands his immediate resignation. The USA, as the most important protecting power, was deeply concerned about the events. It initially remained unclear what motivated Yoon to take his radical step. However, South Korea has been preoccupied with complex political disputes for a long time.

National Council cuts foreign aid in favor of the army

The National Council has decided to cut the budget for international cooperation by 250 million francs in order to strengthen the army. The cut affects bilateral development cooperation, multilateral organizations and economic cooperation. The decision met with strong resistance from left-wing parties. They fear damage to Switzerland’s reputation and speak of sending a bad signal in international security policy.

Council of States agrees with 13th AHV pension from December 2026

The Council of States agrees with the Federal Council’s proposals Introduction of the 13th AHV pension from December 2026. With 42 votes in favor, no votes against and zero abstentions, the council followed its Social and Health Commission (SGK-S) on Wednesday. The small chamber accepted the Federal Council’s proposals to reduce the federal contribution to the AHV and to increase the VAT by 0.7 percentage points to finance the new pension. The SGK-S and now also the Council of States do not want to decide on this until next year. More information is needed for this decision. In addition, the next AHV reform must also be taken into account, which is expected by 2026 at the latest.

Buying international tickets in the SBB app is well received

The SBB app has allowed the purchase of international tickets since November. Many users have been waiting for this feature for a long time. According to practical tests, the booking process proves to be intuitive and user-friendly. However, problems arise when paying with the half-fare plus subscription, which does not work for trips abroad. There is also potential for improvement in exchange rate conversion, as SBB only makes exchange rate adjustments sporadically. The prices are therefore often higher than the current rate, which is why foreign booking sites should also be checked in order to save costs.

Fighting between rebels and the Syrian army continues

The Syrian army says it has pushed back insurgents in a counteroffensive who tried to advance into the city of Hama. The Islamist rebels, for their part, said they had captured more Syrian soldiers and Iranian-backed fighters. In recent days, opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have taken over large parts of the city of Aleppo as well as towns and villages in the south of Idlib province. The latest flare-up in the long-running civil war follows a broad offensive led by the Sunni extremist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed insurgents. The civil war has cost the lives of an estimated half a million people over the past 13 years.

Mass dismissal in Sugus houses in Zurich

In the Röntgenareal in Zurich District 5, a third of the tenants were given notice of termination. The remaining tenants are allowed to stay in the so-called Sugus houses. The inconsistent decision is due to the different approaches of the three heirs of the former owner Leopold Bachmann. While two heirs are continuing her father’s rental philosophy, the daughter is planning major renovations. The Zurich Tenants Association is examining legal steps to extend the notice period, which at four months is significantly less than the usual period of at least one year. However, the legally required minimum notice period is only three months.

What will be important tomorrow

Seco publishes unemployment figures for November

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) will publish the unemployment figures for November tomorrow, Thursday. The number of unemployed people recently increased slightly in October, but the rate remained stable at 2.5 percent.

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