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☆ OSCE Limps Through Another Year as Russia Relents on Veto
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SKOPJE (Reuters) - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should continue to function for another year as frequent holdout Russia joined others on Friday in approving Malta as OSCE chair for 2024 and extending four senior officials in their positions. The OSCE is the successor to a body set up during the Cold War for the east and west to engage with each other. In recent years, however, and especially since it invaded Ukraine, Russia has used what is effectively a veto each country has to block many key decisions, often crippling the organization. Russia spent months preventing NATO member Estonia from becoming the next OSCE chair as originally planned. While relenting on vetoes that could have brought the OSCE even closer to collapse, Russia showed no sign of warming to its critics among the OSCE's 56 other member states, particularly the United States.

Persons: Russia, Helga Schmid, Ukraine's, Sergei Lavrov, Antony Blinken, relenting, Lavrov, Blinken, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Fedja Grulovic, Felix Light, Francois Murphy Organizations: Reuters, Organization, Security, Cooperation, OSCE, NATO, Russian, Union Locations: SKOPJE, Europe, Malta, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Friday's, Macedonia, Skopje, Baltic, U.S, United States, Moscow

[1/3] Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov disembarks from a plane upon his arrival at an airport ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Skopje, North Macedonia, November 30, 2023. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters on Wednesday in Brussels where he attended a NATO meeting. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he understood unease about Lavrov attending the meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia. But he said it was a chance for Lavrov to hear broad condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine. I think that is simply wrong," said Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov disembarks, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Dimitar Kovacevski, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, Aleksandar Vasovic, Ronald Popeski, Francois Murphy, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Organisation for Security, Cooperation, Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS Acquire, Organization for Security, Baltic, OSCE, Soviet, NATO, Tass, Russian, North Macedonia's, Kremlin, AS, Ukraine, United, U.S, United Nations General Assembly, Thomson Locations: Europe, Skopje, North Macedonia, BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Estonian, Brussels, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Belarus, United States, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

☆ OSCE Meeting Causes Rift Over Whether to Share Stage With Russia's Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The United States and its allies are seeking to simultaneously keep the OSCE alive and hold Russia to account over its invasion of Ukraine. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters at a meeting with his counterparts from other NATO member states. Estonia had been due to take over the annually rotating OSCE chairmanship but Russia spent months blocking it. A last-minute deal for neutral Malta to take over the chairmanship must also be formally approved at Thursday and Friday's OSCE meeting in Skopje, hosted by the current chair North Macedonia. I think that is simply wrong," Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins told reporters at the NATO meeting.

Persons: Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Ingrid Melander, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Tsahkna, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, William Maclean Organizations: Organization, Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Central Asia, Ukrainian Foreign, AS, United, U.S, Macedonian, United Nations General Assembly, NATO Locations: Ingrid Melander BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Baltic, Ukraine, Russia, Balkans, Central, United States, Estonian, Estonia, Malta, Skopje, Macedonia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

☆ Neutral Malta to Chair OSCE After Moscow Blocks NATO Member Estonia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

OSCE countries' foreign ministers meet on Thursday and Friday in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje to discuss the chair role and renewing four senior OSCE officials in their posts at the Vienna-based organisation. Small, neutral European Union member state Malta was acceptable to all sides. The deal "brings with it the guarantee of another year of functionality and a legitimate chair," one senior Western diplomat said. Russia and staunch ally Belarus have still not backed the renewal of four senior OSCE officials in their posts, including veteran German diplomat Helga Schmid as OSCE secretary-general, diplomats said. "We do care about the top four but the chair is existential - the organization cannot operate without it," the Western diplomat said.

Persons: Francois Murphy VIENNA, Bujar Osmani, Helga Schmid, Francois Murphy, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Organization for Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Macedonian, Twitter, European, NATO, Union Locations: Europe, Malta, Russia, Estonia, Macedonian, Skopje, Vienna, United States, Canada, Central Asian, European Union, Britain, Ukraine, Belarus, Western, Moscow, Washington

☆ ECB's Holzmann tells paper he wants cut in PEPP reinvestments from March
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

European Central Bank policymaker and Governor of the Austrian National Bank Robert Holzmann addresses the media in Vienna, Austria, March 23, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA, Nov 24 (Reuters) - European Central Bank policymakers should discuss at their meeting next month whether to wind down bond reinvestments under the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme early, Austrian Governor Robert Holzmann said in remarks published on Friday. "My suggestion would be to reduce reinvestments step by step as of March," Holzmann told Austrian newspaper Die Presse. Those reinvestments are slated to run until the end of 2024 but some policymakers have made the case for starting to wind them down early. Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Austrian National Bank Robert Holzmann, Leonhard Foeger, Robert Holzmann, Holzmann, Francois Murphy, Christina Fincher Organizations: European Central Bank policymaker, Austrian National Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Central Bank, Austrian, Die Presse, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, Austrian

☆ Iran's Barring of Inspectors Is Serious Blow to IAEA's Work, Grossi Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Francois MurphyVIENNA (Reuters) - Iran's barring of some of the U.N. nuclear watchdog's most experienced and expert inspectors from the team allowed to operate there is a "very serious blow" to the agency's work, the watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday. One diplomat put the number of inspectors barred in this wave at eight, all of them French and German. That left only one enrichment expert in the team assigned to Iran, they added. They also were inspectors that were familiar with the facilities, had been there for years inspecting the facilities," the senior diplomat said, referring to the de-designated inspectors. The inspector who spotted that change, a Russian enrichment expert, was de-designated later this year, shortly before the others, numerous diplomats said.

Persons: Francois Murphy VIENNA, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, John Irish, Frances Kerry Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Diplomats Locations: Tehran, Iran, Paris

The stockpile continues to grow, the reports say, even though Iran has consistently denied wanting nuclear arms. "The political debate is really not going to be about negotiating with Iran, it's going to be about confronting Iran," he said. This week's IAEA reports showed Iran was making steady nuclear progress and indicated that Tehran continued to stonewall the agency in monitoring its work. Two diplomats said all that could be done in coming months was to support IAEA chief Rafael Grossi's efforts to strengthen oversight of Iran's nuclear programme. "It's way too early to say whether Iran will become a nuclear state or whether it will stay a threshold state like now," one diplomat said.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Biden, Trump, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Israel, Robert Einhorn, Rafael Grossi's, John Irish, Francois Murphy, Arshad Mohammed, Edmund Blair Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, REUTERS, Trump PARIS, Reuters, U.S, Hamas, Pentagon, U.S . State Department, IAEA Washington, Governors, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, stoke, WASHINGTON, VIENNA, United States, Tehran, Gaza, Iran, European, Washington, Iraq, Syria, U.S, IRAN, IAEA, stonewall, Paris

☆ ECB hawks push back on early rate cut bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"It would be unwise to start cutting interest rates too soon," Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said in a speech. Austria's Robert Holzmann was even more explicit, arguing that the second quarter was simply too soon for a rate cut. Asked if he ruled out an interest rate cut in the second quarter of next year, he said: "That would be a bit early." The ECB held rates unchanged in October, snapping a streak to ten straight rate hikes, fuelling market bets that its record-breaking tightening streak is now over and the next move is a cut. Instead of easing policy, the ECB should tighten further, Wunsch argued, by ending early its bond purchases in the 1.7 trillion euro Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme.

Persons: Joachim Nagel, Ann Saphir, Robert Holzmann, Holzmann, Pierre Wunsch, Wunsch, Nagel, Balazs Koranyi, Francois Murphy, Kirsten Donovan, Andrew Heavens Organizations: European Central Bank policymaker, Kansas City Fed, REUTERS, European Central Bank, ECB, Thomson Locations: Jackson, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, FRANKFURT, VIENNA, Belgian

☆ Iran's nuclear enrichment advances as it stonewalls UN, IAEA reports show
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seen at the organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% grew by 6.7 kg (14.8 pounds) to 128.3 kg (282.9 pounds) since the last report on Sept. 4, one of the two reports to member states seen by Reuters said. Iran has enough uranium enriched to lower levels for more bombs, but it denies seeking such weapons. Since then the IAEA has narrowed the list of sites to two but little other progress has been made. "The (IAEA) Director General (Grossi) continues to strongly condemn Iran's sudden withdrawal of the designations of several experienced Agency inspectors," it added.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Rafael Grossi, John Irish, Toby Chopra, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, REUTERS, Companies Iran, IAEA, International Atomic Energy, Reuters, Governors, Iran's, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, Iran, VIENNA, United States, Gaza, Paris

☆ Anti-Black Racism Is Rising in EU Countries, Led by Germany, Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Francois MurphyVIENNA (Reuters) - Racism towards Black people is growing in Europe, with Germany, Austria and Finland showing the highest rates of discrimination and harassment, a survey of first- and second-generation Black immigrants in 13 EU countries published on Wednesday found. In Austria and Germany the proportion was 64% - almost twice the previous level of 33% in Germany and a significant increase from the 42% recorded in Austria six years earlier. "It is shocking to see no improvement since our last survey," FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty said. The highest national rate was 54% in Germany, followed by Finland and Austria. The FRA report included a series of recommendations for EU member states such as properly enforcing anti-discrimination legislation and considering a motivation based on racial bias as an aggravating circumstance when setting penalties for crimes.

Persons: Francois Murphy VIENNA, Michael O'Flaherty, Ipsos, Francois Murphy, Aurora Ellis Organizations: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, FRA Locations: Europe, Germany, Austria, Finland, Saharan Africa, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

☆ Anti-Black racism is rising in EU countries, led by Germany, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Racism towards Black people is growing in Europe, with Germany, Austria and Finland showing the highest rates of discrimination and harassment, a survey of first- and second-generation Black immigrants in 13 EU countries published on Wednesday found. In Austria and Germany the proportion was 64% - almost twice the previous level of 33% in Germany and a significant increase from the 42% recorded in Austria six years earlier. "It is shocking to see no improvement since our last survey," FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty said. The highest national rate was 54% in Germany, followed by Finland and Austria. The FRA report included a series of recommendations for EU member states such as properly enforcing anti-discrimination legislation and considering a motivation based on racial bias as an aggravating circumstance when setting penalties for crimes.

Persons: Michael O'Flaherty, Ipsos, Francois Murphy, Aurora Ellis Organizations: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, FRA, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Europe, Germany, Austria, Finland, Saharan Africa, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

☆ Austrian ex-chancellor Kurz goes on trial for perjury
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz speaks to media as he arrives at the Austrian People's Party (OeVP) conference in Graz, Austria May 14, 2022. REUTERS/Lisa Leutner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Austria's conservative former chancellor Sebastian Kurz went on trial for perjury on Wednesday in a case separate from the corruption investigation that forced him from office but which could still influence his ruling party's electoral fate. Kurz, who denies all the allegations made against him, has quit politics yet the ruling coalition he formed with the left-wing Greens in 2020 remains in power. Kurz's People's Party (OVP) is currently neck-and-neck with the opposition Social Democrats in opinion polls, well behind the far-right Freedom Party on around 30%. As chancellor, Kurz was one of Europe's youngest leaders and a household name in German-speaking countries known for his hard line on immigration.

Persons: Sebastian Kurz, Lisa Leutner, Kurz, Kurz's, Gernot Bluemel, Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Francois Murphy, Alexandra Schwarz, Christina Fincher Organizations: Austrian, Austrian People's Party, REUTERS, Rights, Greens, Kurz's People's Party, Social, Party, OVP, Thomson Locations: Graz, Austria, Vienna

☆ 'From the River to the Sea' Prompts Vienna to Ban Pro-Palestinian Protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA (Reuters) - Vienna police on Wednesday banned a pro-Palestinian protest due to coincide with a pro-Israel event after Saturday's attack by Hamas, citing the fact the phrase "from the river to the sea" was mentioned in invitations and characterising it as a call to violence. The head of the city's police force, Gerhard Puerstl, held a news conference at short notice less than three hours before the protest was due to be held at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) on the square next to the cathedral in the centre of the city. The river is the Jordan and the sea is the Mediterranean, between which lie Israel and the Palestinian territories. The phrase is often chanted at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Austria's ruling conservatives have in recent years adopted one of the most pro-Israel stances in the European Union.

Persons: Gerhard Puerstl, Puerstl, Jordan, Chancellor Karl Nehammer's, Francois Murphy, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Vienna police, PLO, Palestine, Organisation, European Union Locations: VIENNA, Vienna, Israel, Palestine, Palestinian

Germany and Austria earlier on Monday said they were suspending bilateral development aid to Palestinians, while others such as Italy had said suspending aid was not up for discussion. It is unclear whether the suspensions in development aid will also apply to such assistance. Varhelyi said all new budget proposals for Palestinian aid were also postponed until further notice. The Israeli flag has been hoisted above the chancellor's office and the Foreign Ministry after the shock Hamas assault. Asked if Italy would follow Germany and Austria in suspending development aid, the foreign ministry spokesperson said this was not under discussion.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Oliver Varhelyi, Varhelyi, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Alexander Schallenberg, Svenja Schulze, Rishi Sunak, Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Sarah Marsh, Markus Wacket, Angela Amante, Kate Holton, Mark Heinrich, Alison Williams, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, BRUSSELS, European, United Nations, Union, EU, EU Commission, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Austrian, European Union, Foreign Ministry, Social Democrats, Greens, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Germany, Austria, Italy, BERLIN, Europe, West, Berlin, Palestinian, Berlin's, Brandenburg, United Nations, Britain, Brussels, Vienna, Rome, London

The announcement by Mikhail Ulyanov added new fuel to tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and arms control disputes between the world's largest nuclear weapons powers. Ulyanov, Moscow's envoy to the CTBTO, said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that "#Russia plans to revoke ratification (which took place in the year 2000) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty." "The aim is to be on equal footing with the #US who signed the Treaty, but didn't ratify it. While the United States signed but did not ratify the treaty, it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it has no plans to abandon. The spokesperson said Russia should reach an "equal footing" with the United States "by not wielding arms control and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric in a failing attempt to coerce other states."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Sergei Guneev, Washington, Mikhail Ulyanov, Ulyanov, Robert Floyd, Floyd, Francois Murphy, Alex Richardson, Angus MacSwan, Alexander Smith Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS, Acquire, Comprehensive, Treaty Organization, United, U.S . State Department, Party, Washington, Russian, Russian Federation, Conference, Disarmament, Thomson Locations: Sochi, Russia, Moscow, States VIENNA, WASHINGTON, United States, Ukraine, Ban, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, North Korea, India, Pakistan, Vienna, U.S

Dealing with illegal migration has been a point of contention and unity in central Europe. Illegal migration was a key issue in elections in Slovakia last weekend, and in elections in Poland later this month. Slovakia has faced a rising number of illegal migrants crossing as they head to Germany and western Europe. Slovakia said last month the number of detained illegal migrants had soared nine fold, to more than 27,000 this year. "In recent weeks, we detected and detained 551 illegal migrants at the border with Slovakia.

Persons: Radovan, Vit Rakusan, Gerhard Karner, spillover, Robert Fico, Fico, Mariusz Kaminski, Kaminski, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, Francois Murphy, Andrew Heavens, Ed Osmond, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: REUTERS, Slovakia Czech, Austrian, Justice, Poland, Thomson Locations: Czech, Slovak, Stary Hrozenkov, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, PRAGUE, WARSAW, Poland, Europe, Hungary, Vienna, East, Afghanistan, Serbia, Prague, Warsaw

☆ Austria taps Embraer's C-390 aircraft to replace retiring C-130 fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA/SAO PAULO, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Austria plans to replace its retiring C-130 Hercules fleet with Embraer's (EMBR3.SA) C-390 Millenium military transport aircraft, the country's Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner said on Wednesday. Austria is aiming to buy about four aircrafts and is negotiating with the Netherlands on a potential joint order, Tanner told a news conference. Aside from an order for 19 C-390 aircrafts from the Brazilian Air Force, Portugal has ordered five and Hungary has requested two. Analysts at JPMorgan calculated that including the prospective orders from Austria and The Netherlands, the aircraft's potential lifetime sales stand at 35 units, 28 of which are still to be delivered. Shares in Embraer rose 2.85% in early trading on the Brazilian stock exchange, outperforming the Bovespa stock index (.BVSP), which rose 0.8%.

Persons: Klaudia Tanner, Johanna Geron, Tanner, JPMorgan, Francois Murphy, Peter Frontini, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Austria's Defence, Foreign Affairs, Defence, REUTERS, Rights, SAO PAULO, country's Defence, Embraer, Brazilian Air Force, KC, JPMorgan, Sao Paulo, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Brussels, Belgium, Rights VIENNA, Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary, Czech Republic, South Korea, India, Sweden, The Netherlands, Vienna, Sao

☆ IAEA chief Grossi condemns Iran's 'unprecedented' barring of inspectors
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FILE PHOTO-U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi attends a press conference during the International Atomic Energy Agency 's (IAEA) 35-nation Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, September 11, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA, Sept 16 (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi on Saturday condemned Iran's "disproportionate and unprecedented" move to bar multiple inspectors assigned to the country, hindering its oversight of Tehran's atomic activities. "These inspectors are among the most experienced agency experts with unique knowledge in enrichment technology," the agency said. "With today's decision, Iran has effectively removed about one third of the core group of the Agency's most experienced inspectors designated for Iran." Iran defended its move and accused the United States, Britain, France and Germany of politicising the IAEA watchdog.

Persons: Rafael Grossi, Leonhard Foeger, Iran's, Grossi, Tehran's, Nasser Kanaani, Francois Murphy, Arshad Mohammed, Mike Harrison, Ros Russell Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, Governors, REUTERS, Rights, International Atomic Energy, IAEA, Foreign Ministry, Iranian Government, Agency, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, United States, Britain, France, Germany, Tehran, Iran, politicising, Iranian, Washington, Dubai

☆ Rhino crushes Salzburg zookeeper to death
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VIENNA, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A rhinoceros crushed one zookeeper to death and injured another at Salzburg's zoo on the outskirts of the Austrian city on Tuesday, zoo officials said. The incident happened during the morning rounds in which the animals are fed and treated with insect repellent, Salzburg Hellbrunn Zoo director Sabine Grebner told a news conference. "We do not know exactly how it happened," Grebner said, adding that the female zookeeper who was killed had suffered chest injuries. The injured male zookeeper was rushed to hospital but his life is not in danger. The female zookeeper, a German from the state of Bavaria, was very experienced and specialised in rhinos, while the male colleague was in charge of animal feed.

Persons: Sabine Grebner, Grebner, zookeeper, Francois Murphy, Ed Osmond Organizations: Salzburg Hellbrunn Zoo, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Austrian, Salzburg, Bavaria

☆ Austrian prosecutors drop bribery investigation into ex-finance minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Austrian anti-corruption prosecutors said on Tuesday they had dropped a bribery investigation into former conservative Finance Minister Gernot Bluemel for lack of proof. A concrete donation by the gambling company to the party could not be proven," the Central Prosecutors' Office for Economic Crimes and Corruption (WKStA) said in a statement. Kurz led his conservatives to victory in a parliamentary election following the government's collapse in 2019 but was forced to resign as chancellor in 2021 when he was placed under investigation over corruption allegations. He is also under investigation for possible perjury in testimony to a parliamentary commission. Their party remains in government and leads a coalition with the Greens formed in 2020.

Persons: Gernot Bluemel, Christian Strache, Strache, Sebastian Kurz, Bluemel, Kurz, Francois Murphy, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Finance, Party, Heinz, Central Prosecutors, Economic, Greens, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Austrian, Austria

☆ Iran expands stock of near-weapons grade uranium, IAEA reports no progress
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Iran and the IAEA announced an agreement in March on re-installing surveillance cameras introduced under a deal with major powers in 2015 but removed at Iran's behest last year. Only a fraction of the cameras and other monitoring devices the IAEA wanted to set up have been installed. Iran's production of uranium enriched to up to 60% has slowed to around 3 kg a month from about 9 kg a month previously, a senior diplomat said. "Of course, Iran claims (the slowdown in enrichment to up to 60%) as a positive, but more HEU (highly enriched uranium) is still more HEU," one Western diplomat said. CAMERAS WITHOUT FOOTAGEIran's stock of uranium enriched to 60% is now almost three times the roughly 42 kg that by the IAEA's definition is theoretically enough, if enriched further, to produce a nuclear bomb.

Persons: Rafael Grossi, State Anthony Blinken, Francois Murphy, Andrew Cawthorne, Ed Osmond, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Governors, State, Agency, Thomson Locations: Iran, VIENNA, Tehran, United States, U.S, centrifuges, Isfahan, Esfahan

☆ Austrian leader backs far-right idea of enshrining cash in constitution
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer delivers his speech during a session of the Parliament in Vienna, Austria, May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File PhotoVIENNA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Austria's conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants the right to use cash enshrined in the constitution, he told Austrian media in remarks published on Friday, an idea the far-right Freedom Party has been pushing for years. Most opinion polls show the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPO) in first place with a clear lead over the opposition Social Democrats and Nehammer's conservatives, who are in a two-party coalition with the left-wing Greens. "The issue of cash is very important to people," Nehammer told Austrian media, including news agency APA. "It is important to me that cash be written into the constitution," APA quoted him as saying.

Persons: Karl Nehammer, Leonhard Foeger, Nehammer, Magnus Brunner, Herbert Kickl, Francois Murphy, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Austrian, Party, Social Democrats, Greens, APA, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria

☆ Saudi National Bank was denied taking 40% Credit Suisse stake, Blick reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VIENNA, July 9 (Reuters) - Saudi National Bank wanted to increase its stake in Credit Suisse to around 40% from 9.88%, but was prevented from doing so by Swiss regulator FINMA, Blick newspaper reported on Sunday. FINMA must give its approval for a foreign investor to take a stake of more than 10% in a major Swiss bank. Credit Suisse declined to comment. FINMA and Saudi National Bank (1180.SE) were not immediately available for comment. The deal converted Saudi National Bank's stake in Credit Suisse into just 0.5% of UBS.

Persons: FINMA, Blick, Francois Murphy, Rachna Uppal, Alexander Smith Organizations: Saudi National Bank, Credit, UBS, Credit Suisse, Swiss, Saudi National, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Credit Suisse, Swiss, Saudi, Dubai

☆ IAEA has seen no sign of explosives at Zaporizhzhia yet, more access needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday accused each other of plotting to stage an attack on Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, where the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned of potential catastrophe from nearby military clashes. "The IAEA experts have requested additional access that is necessary to confirm the absence of mines or explosives," it added. loadingIt was not clear from the IAEA statement why the agency wanted access to those two reactor units' rooftops. The IAEA said it was aware of reports that mines and other explosives have been placed in and around the plant. "With military tension and activities increasing in the region where this major nuclear power plant is located, our experts must be able to verify the facts on the ground," the IAEA said.

Persons: Francois Murphy, Alex Richardson, Conor Humphries Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, British Ministry of Defence, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Russian, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Cocaine market is booming as meth trafficking spreads, U.N. report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, June 25 (Reuters) - Cocaine demand and supply are booming worldwide and methamphetamine trafficking is expanding beyond established markets, including in Afghanistan where the drug is now being produced, a United Nations report said on Sunday. Coca bush cultivation and total cocaine production were at record highs in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, and the global number of cocaine users, estimated at 22 million that same year, is growing steadily, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime said in its annual World Drug Report. Cocaine seizures have, however, grown faster than production, containing the total supply to some extent, the report said. The upper band of the estimated total supply was higher in the mid-2000s than now. Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Francois Murphy, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: United, Drugs, Central, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Afghanistan, United Nations, Americas, Western, Central Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, South, Eastern Europe, East, Southeast Asia, North America, West Africa

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