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The opposition has come together after this month's conviction of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party on a charge of defamation and his disqualification from parliament. Opposition politicians say Gandhi's shock disqualification, and possible jail time, is the latest evidence of the Modi government's strongarm tactics and follows investigations and legal troubles faced in recent months by other opposition parties. A day after Gandhi's conviction, 14 political parties jointly petitioned the Supreme Court, saying opposition groups were being selectively targeted by federal investigative agencies. "The Modi government's fascist steps have given a new chance for opposition parties to be united," Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, told Reuters. "Anti Modi-ism or anti BJP-ism cannot be the glue that brings together disparate opposition parties with different aspirations and ambitions and positions," said Nalin Kohli, the BJP's national spokesperson.

☆ Senegal's opposition leader handed light sentence
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsSenegal's opposition leader handed light sentencePostedSenegal's leading opposition politician and presidential aspirant Ousmane Sonko on Thursday received a two-month suspended prison sentence for libel in a case involving the tourism minister, the minister's lawyer El Hadji Diouf said. Alice Rizzo has more.

☆ Israeli turmoil alarms business leaders: There's 'fear over what happens next'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jason Gewirtz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The uncertainty in Israel's political situation extends deep into the business sector. This month, ratings service Fitch warned that the courts controversy "could weaken Israel's credit profile." Weingarten's big fear is an irreparable divide in Israel, a country where a great degree of unity was once seen as a given. Such a drop would make the prime minister push his right-wing coalition partners into a deal that's more aligned with the country's citizens at large. Women dressed as handmaidens from "The Handmaid's Tale" attend a demonstration after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the defense minister and his nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Jerusalem on March 27, 2023.

[1/4] Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis leads a cabinet meeting at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, March 28, 2023. Mitsotakis's New Democracy Party has held a comfortable lead over opposition leftist Syriza since it came to power in 2019, opinion polls show, but a Feb. 28 rail disaster which killed 57 people has stirred public anger and seen that gap narrow. The rail disaster on the Athens-Thessaloniki route, Greece's deadliest on record, sparked mass protests over the safety shortcomings of an underfunded and poorly maintained network, the legacy of a decade-long financial crisis which ended in 2018. Mitsotakis said the 'painful and traumatic' experience of the rail disaster highlighted deficiencies the state still had. "On May 21, Greek citizens will choose if the country will continue to seek winning the bet of reforms".

☆ Netanyahu suspends judicial overhaul after day of Israeli turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( James Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a meeting at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, amid demonstrations after he dismissed the defence minister as his nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Jerusalem, March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen ZvulunJERUSALEM, March 28 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused his signature plan to overhaul Israel's judiciary after a day of nationwide turmoil when workers joined a general strike against the proposal and hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets. His dismissal by Netanyahu led thousands to take to the streets and Israel's President Isaac Herzog to urge a halt. An early rally in Israel's shekel currency fizzled out after Netanyahu suspended the overhaul with its eventual fate uncertain. While opposition parties gave a cautious welcome to Netanyahu's decision to suspend the overhaul to allow time to reach an agreement, many protesters remained mistrustful.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani, who took office in October, plans to update Iraq's oil production strategies to meet local needs while complying with the OPEC+ agreement, oil ministry spokesman Asim Jihad told Reuters. It is too early for the new government to talk about any significant increases in Iraq's oil production outside the OPEC+ agreement, Jihad said. 'HARD, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE'For the oil sector, the country has repeatedly delayed a target to reach 7-8 million bpd capacity, from the current 5 million bpd. The beneficiaries were not the international oil companies, but UAE firm Crescent Petroleum and two Chinese companies. Iraq's oil minister this month revived seven investment opportunities in Iraq's refining sector.

☆ Netanyahu sacks defense minister who opposed judicial overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

JERUSALEM, March 26 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after he said the government should delay moving forward with a highly-contested plan to overhaul the country's judicial system. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to remove from his position Defense Minister Yoav Gallant," the prime minister's office said. Gallant, a lawmaker from Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, broke ranks on Saturday by publicly urging Netanyahu to suspend the legislation. He had said countrywide protests against the judicial overhaul, which have included growing numbers of military reservists, were also affecting regular forces and undermining national security. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch Editing by Steven Scheer, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ New Zealand raises concerns with China on South China Sea, Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, March 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Saturday she had expressed concerns over the South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait during talks with her Chinese counterpart at the end of a visit to Beijing. "Nanaia Mahuta expressed concerns over developments in the South China Sea and increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait," the foreign minister's statement said. New Zealand has consistently expressed concerns about the potential militarisation of the Pacific, amid China's military buildup in the South China Sea. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the option of using force to take the island under its control, and claims a large part of the South China Sea. She invited Qin to visit New Zealand, and also flagged a potential visit by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to China, perhaps this year.

☆ US, Canada plan North American chip corridor, starting with IBM expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 24 (Reuters) - The United States and Canada said on Friday they would work together to create a bilateral semiconductor manufacturing corridor, as International Business Machines (IBM.N) signaled its intent to expand in Canada. The Canadian government will spend C$250 million ($181.94 million) on its domestic semiconductor industry to boost research and development and manufacturing, the prime minister's office said in a statement. The countries did not disclose the amount of IBM's investment in Canada. IBM maintains semiconductor research and manufacturing operations in upstate New York. ($1 = 1.3741 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Canada PM Trudeau's top aide to testify in parliament on Chinese election meddling
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, March 21 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bowed to pressure from the opposition and agreed to allow his top aide to testify before a parliamentary committee probing alleged Chinese election interference, his office said on Tuesday. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has repeatedly called for Trudeau's chief of staff, Katie Telford, to speak in a parliamentary committee looking into the foreign election tampering. The government had refused until the leader of the New Democrat Party, which supports Trudeau in key parliamentary votes, on Tuesday backed the Conservative call. Demands for Telford's testimony stem from allegations in unconfirmed media reports that Trudeau's aides were made aware of specific Chinese interference attempts. In a bid to further address Chinese meddling, Trudeau last week appointed David Johnston, a former governor general, as an independent special investigator into the allegations.

☆ Iraq and Iran sign deal to tighten border security
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Ahmed Rasheed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as Iraq's National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji and Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani sign the security agreement that includes coordination in protecting the common borders between the two countries, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 19, 2023. The joint security agreement includes coordination in "protecting the common borders between the two countries and consolidating cooperation in several security fields", a statement from the Iraqi prime minister's office said. Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani signed the deal with Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, in the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, the prime minister office said. "Under the signed security deal, Iraq pledges it would not allow armed groups to use its territory in the Iraqi Kurdish region to launch any border-crossing attacks on neighbour Iran," said an Iraqi security official who attended the signing. Iran has also accused Kurdish militants of working with its arch-enemy Israel and has often voices concern over the alleged presence of the Israeli spy agency Mossad in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region.

☆ Mexico FinMin expects Pemex able to handle 2023 debt amortizations, government there if needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Noe Torres | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Petroleos Mexicanos FollowMERIDA, Mexico, March 17 (Reuters) - Mexican Finance Minister Rogelio Ramirez De La O said on Friday he expects state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos, known locally as Pemex, to be able to handle its debt amortizations in 2023, though reaffirmed that the government would be there if needed. With its financial debt totaling nearly $108 billion at the close of last year, Pemex must pay down some $8.2 billion expiring this year and another $9 billion more in 2024 in both bonds and long-term bank loans, putting it in a challenging financial position. The finance minister's latest comments came after Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in January the government would provide further support to Pemex to ensure it meets its debt repayments. The government lifeline has provided the company with some $45 billion between capital injections and tax benefits over the last four years. Reporting by Noe Torres; Editing by Anthony EspositoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Israelis launch 'Day Of Resistance' against judicial overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Pakistani police and supporters of Imran Khan fought pitched battles on Tuesday outside the former prime minister's home in the eastern city of Lahore, injuring several on both sides, ahead of his possible arrest.

☆ French minister to raise protection of minors with Pornhub's new owners
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - A French government minister will meet the new owners of the pornography website Pornhub to ensure minors are protected and that the site does not break any laws, he said on his Twitter account on Friday. Earlier this week, Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners said it had bought MindGeek, which has faced complaints over Pornhub's content. MindGeek said it would work with Ethical Capital Partners (ECP) on matters of trust and safety with regulators. "We have spoken with the partners at ECP. Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Eva Mathews; Editing by Barbara Lewis and Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ No White House visit for Israel's Netanyahu as US concern rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Simon Lewis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - Eleven weeks into his third stint as Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to be received at the White House, signaling apparent U.S. unhappiness over the policies of his right-wing government. The White House declined to confirm Netanyahu has yet to be invited. A State Department spokesperson referred Reuters to the Israeli government for information about the prime minister's travel plans. The United States has long been Israel’s main benefactor, sending more than $3 billion each year in military assistance. Baker later banned Netanyahu, at the time a deputy minister of foreign affairs, from the State Department after he criticized U.S. policy toward Israel.

The Greens in particular, but also the SPD, want to invest more in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The FDP on other hand, seeks a return to solid public finances after signing off on hundreds of billions of euros of exceptional expenditure during the pandemic and energy crisis. German coalition disputes are also spilling over into European Union policymaking, sparking irritation among partners. Proportional representation, for example, means coalition governments are the norm, which can slow down decision-making. However singling out just one minister could could result in that minister's party exiting the coalition, he said.

☆ In photos: Banksy exhibit opens in Mexico City
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

☆ A tech boss appointed by Italy's prime minister resigned after quoting a speech from fascist dictator Mussolini in an internal email
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The boss of an Italian state-owned tech firm resigned after quoting Mussolini in an internal email. Anastasio was appointed by right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in November. Anastasio, who was appointed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in November, sent an inauguration email to board members quoting Mussolini, who ruled Italy as a dictator from 1922 to 1943. In the original speech, Mussolini asserted his power over Italy as dictator and admitted to murdering his opponent Giacomo Matteotti, a politician who had criticized the government. Meloni became Italy's first female Prime Minister in October and heads the far-right Brothers of Italy party.

☆ UK will not enter a recession this year, Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt says in budget speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt that the U.K. economy would not enter a technical recession in 2023, while announcing the government's spring Budget. LONDON — British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said Wednesday that the U.K. economy would not enter a technical recession in 2023, as was previously anticipated. The updated outlook was based on new forecasts from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, Hunt said. A technical recession takes place when a country observes two consecutive quarters of contractions in its real GDP. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the U.K. economy was "proving the doubters wrong," following earlier predictions, including from the Bank of England, that the country was facing its longest-ever recession.

☆ Fires burn outside Imran Khan's home following clashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsFires burn outside Imran Khan's home following clashesPostedPakistani police and supporters of Imran Khan fought pitched battles on Tuesday outside the former prime minister's home in the eastern city of Lahore, injuring several on both sides, ahead of his possible arrest, a government spokesman and witnesses said.

☆ Israel FinMin says immediate liquidity risk averted after SVB collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, March 14 (Reuters) - Israel's Finance Ministry said on Tuesday that a panel formed to assess the fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) determined that the immediate liquidity risk has been averted. The ministry in a statement cited a decision by U.S. authorities to back accounts - even those uninsured - at the bank, which has been an important lender for Israeli technology companies. "Israel's economy is strong and relatively easy to manage in times of crisis," Smotrich said. Smotrich was in the United States for Sunday's Israel Bonds conference. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Additional reporting by Henriette Chacar; Editing by Steven Scheer and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Clashes between Pakistan police, former PM Khan's supporters injure several
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A few hundred Khan supporters gathered outside his house after a police team arrived from Islamabad to arrest him on a court order, government spokesman Amir Mir told Reuters. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers started the violence, which injured several police officials, Mir said, adding, "If Imran Khan ensures his presence in the court, it will be good, otherwise the law will take its course." "If something happens to me, or sent to jail, or they kill me, you've to prove that this nation will continue to struggle even without Imran Khan." Several of Khan's supporters were injured when the police resorted to teargas shelling, witnesses said. The workers started pelting the police with stones and bricks, and in response police directed a water cannon at them and in some cases baton charged them, he said.

MADRID/PARIS, March 13 (Reuters) - Doubts are growing over the future of Madrid's remaining orders for the Airbus (AIR.PA) A400M troop plane, European defence sources said on Monday, as corporate leaders and dignitaries marked the centenary of Spain's military planemaking activities. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Defence Minister Margarita Robles and King Felipe also attended Monday's event. Spain and Airbus are in discussions over how to soften any impact from a partial A400M order cancellation, sources said. Defence publication Janes reported last year that Airbus was waiting for Madrid to back the SIRTAP tactical drone project, co-developed by Airbus Spain and Colombia. Spain also last year ordered an extra 20 Eurofighter combat jets, a four-nation fighter programmre for which Airbus is the industrial partner in Spain and Germany.

☆ Britain to publish plan for asylum ban on Channel migrants
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Migrants leave a French maritime protection vessel, as the boat they were travelling in with 60 other migrants began to take water in the English Channel, in an attempt to reach Britain, in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, November 29, 2022. The new legislation will mean that anyone who arrives on small boats will be prevented from claiming asylum and deported to so-called safe third countries, according to government officials, who asked not to be named. The court subsequently ruled it lawful in December, but opponents are seeking to appeal that verdict. It is expected the legal battle will end up in the UK Supreme Court and may not be resolved for months. Once the small-boat crossings have ended, Britain would be prepared to create more legal routes for asylum seekers, Sunak said last year.

☆ White House says it sees no change in U.S.-China relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday brushed off bellicose rhetoric from China that the United States risked a confrontation with Beijing, saying Washington was not seeking a conflict and saw no change in U.S.-Chinese relations. John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, responded to China's foreign minister's warning to Washington to change its "distorted" attitude or risk conflict. We do not seek conflict," Kirby told reporters. Kirby said the United States respected the "one-China policy" and did not want to see a change to the status quo pertaining to Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province. Kirby also urged China not to provide military assistance to Russia in support of its war with Ukraine.

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