DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Baltic, Nordic Lawmakers Complain That US Lacks Urgency on Ukraine Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Jonathan LandayWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Nordic and Baltic lawmakers visiting Washington on Thursday expressed alarm at what they called a lack of urgency and a clear strategy by the United States to help Ukraine defeat Moscow's invasion. "Guys, wake up," Zygimantis Pavilionis, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said in comments directed at Democrats and Republicans. All but Sweden are NATO members. Delegation members said they met administration officials and lawmakers, but mainly sought to speak to Republicans resisting fresh aid. "All of our countries around this table have (given) more than 1% of GDP of military aid to Ukraine.

Persons: Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, Vladimir Putin, Pavilionis, Rihards Kols, Joe Biden, Marko Mihkelson, Kols, Jonathan Landay, Don Durfee, David Ljunggren Organizations: Nordic, Baltic, U.S, NATO, Lithuanian, Democrats, Republicans, Ukraine, Kyiv, Estonian Locations: Washington, United States, Ukraine, Moscow's, Russian, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, U.S, Latvian, Europe, The U.S, Russia, Moscow

☆ Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s NATO membership, lifting key a hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Turkish legislators on Tuesday endorsed Sweden's membership in NATO, lifting a major hurdle on the previously nonaligned country's entry into the military alliance. The legislators ratified Sweden's accession protocol by 287 votes to 55, with four abstentions. Hungary then becomes the only NATO ally not to have ratified Sweden's accession. Turkey's main opposition party also supported Sweden's membership in the alliance but a center-right party and the country's pro-Kurdish party declared they would oppose it. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration never formally tied the sale of the F-16s to Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Sweden's, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Burak Akcapar, Erdogan, Koray Aydin, Joe Biden's, John Kirby, Viktor Orbán Organizations: Swedish, NATO, Official Gazette, Ankara, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, Good Party, U.S . Congress, Administration, Turkey, National Security, Nordic Locations: Vilnius, Hungary, Turkey, Ankara, Stockholm, Kurdistan, Sweden, Turkey's, Canada, Washington, NATO, Finland, Ukraine, Budapest

☆ Turkish Parliament to Debate Sweden's NATO Bid on Tuesday -Sources
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Huseyin HayatseverANKARA (Reuters) - The Turkish parliament's general assembly is set to debate Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, three sources from parliament said. But NATO member Turkey raised objections over what it said was the two countries' protection of groups that Ankara deems terrorists. Erdogan sent Sweden's bid to parliament in October, but has also linked its ratification with U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. After talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he expected Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO membership bid "in coming weeks." The parliament's foreign affairs commission approved the bid last month in the first step of the ratification process.

Persons: Huseyin Hayatsever, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Sweden's, Hakan Fidan, Antony Blinken, Christina Fincher Organizations: Turkish, NATO, Finland's, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, European Union, White House, U.S, Congress, Erdogan's AK Party, CHP Locations: Huseyin Hayatsever ANKARA, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Ankara, Hungary, United States, Stockholm, Canada, Netherlands

Last week, the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission delayed a vote on Sweden's NATO membership bid in order to hold further talks on the subject. NATO foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on those days, Nov. 28-29, a gathering that some in the Western defence bloc had hoped would mark Sweden's accession. The Turkish Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment. Both Sweden and Finland had requested to join NATO in May last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While NATO member Hungary also has not ratified Sweden's membership, Turkey is seen as the main roadblock to Sweden's accession.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Olaf Scholz, Liesa, Finland's, Erdogan, Ezgi Erkoyun, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Turkish Foreign Ministry, Nordic, Kurdistan Workers, European Union, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Rights ANKARA, BRUSSELS, Turkey, Turkish, Brussels, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, embargoes, United States, Stockholm, Hungary

☆ Turkey Tells NATO That Sweden Won't Join by Next Week's Meeting -Sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Last week, the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission delayed a vote on Sweden's NATO membership bid in order to hold further talks on the subject. The Turkish Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment. Both Sweden and Finland had requested to join NATO in May last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. For ratification, the bill needs to be approved by the Turkish foreign affairs commission before being put to a full parliament vote, which could come days or weeks later. While NATO member Hungary also has not ratified Sweden's membership, Turkey is seen as the main roadblock to Sweden's accession.

Persons: Jonathan Spicer, Sabine Siebold, Tayyip Erdogan, Finland's, Erdogan, Ezgi Erkoyun, Leslie Adler Organizations: NATO, Turkish Foreign Ministry, Nordic, Kurdistan Workers, European Union Locations: Sabine Siebold ANKARA, BRUSSELS, Turkey, Turkish, Brussels, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, embargoes, United States, Stockholm, Hungary

Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since 2020 comes ahead of municipal elections at which he hopes to win back the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. Erdogan will also need Chancellor Olaf Scholz's blessing if he is to buy the 40 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes Turkey said on Thursday it wanted. In a sign of the visit's importance, Scholz took pains not to respond directly to Erdogan's loud condemnation of Israel's war against Hamas, in which many thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The response was decidedly mild given the fierce condemnation that far more muted criticisms of Israel typically draw in Germany, traditionally one of Israel's closest allies. Germany has expressed strong solidarity with Israel, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of the war on Gaza's civilians.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Israel's, Israel, Aydin Yasar, It's, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Trade, European Union, Eurofighter Typhoon, Airbus, Hamas, German, SWP, NATO, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Germany, Turkey, Gaza, BERLIN, Moscow, Ukraine, Berlin, Ankara, Istanbul, Israel, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, Europe

☆ Explainer: What Turkey gained in delaying Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NATO, Turkish, Swedish and Finnish flags are seen in this illustration taken May 18, 2022. Last year, Stockholm reversed a ban on exporting military equipment to Turkey, without revealing details of companies or products. WHAT HAVE OTHER NATO MEMBERS DONE? In October, Erdogan sent Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey's parliament for consideration. But it has faced objections in the U.S. Congress over Turkey's delaying NATO enlargement and its human rights record.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Gunnar Strommer, Jens Stoltenberg, Thomas Goffus, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, NATO, Stockholm, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, European Union, Canada, SWEDEN GO, U.S . Congress, Kurdish, Hamas, U.S, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Sweden, Stockholm, Helsinki, Washington, SWEDEN, FINLAND, Madrid, Finland, Kurdistan, Ankara, United States, Netherlands, Brussels, Gaza

☆ Sweden's NATO bid delayed in Turkish parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission delayed a vote on Sweden's NATO membership bid on Thursday in a further setback to the Nordic country's hopes of joining the Western alliance after 18 months of waiting. "For all of our lawmakers to approve Sweden's NATO membership, they need to be fully convinced. While there is no clear timeframe on approving the purchase request for the F-16s, Ankara has linked the issue to Sweden's bid. Some analysts say Turkey's parliament could fully ratify the bid by a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Nov. 28-29. While NATO member Hungary has also not ratified Sweden's membership, Turkey is seen as the main roadblock to Sweden's accession.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Fuat Oktay, Tayyip Erdogan's, Oktay, Erdogan, Finland's, Burak, Ali Sahin, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Christina Fincher Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Nordic, Kurdistan Workers, European Union, AK Party, White, Sweden's, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Turkish, Swedish, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, embargoes, United States, Stockholm, Canada, Netherlands, Ankara, Brussels, Gaza, Moscow, Russia, Hungary, U.S, Hungarian, Budapest

☆ Awkward Allies: Gaza Overshadows Erdogan's Germany Visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since 2020 comes ahead of municipal elections at which he hopes to win back the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. In a sign of the visit's importance, Scholz took pains not to respond directly to Erdogan's loud condemnation of Israel's war against Hamas, in which many thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The response was decidedly mild given the fierce condemnation that far more muted criticisms of Israel typically draw in Germany, traditionally one of Israel's closest allies. Germany has expressed strong solidarity with Israel, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of the war on Gaza's civilians. With some three million people with Turkish roots in Germany such encounters are always fraught, but now the risk was judged too great.

Persons: Thomas Escritt BERLIN, Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Israel's, Israel, Aydin Yasar, It's, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: European Union, Eurofighter Typhoon, Airbus, Hamas, German, SWP, NATO Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Germany, Berlin, Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey, Israel, Gaza, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, Europe

☆ Turkish parliament commission to debate Sweden NATO bid Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NATO, Turkish, Swedish and Finnish flags are seen in this illustration taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission will debate a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership on Thursday, according to the official agenda of the commission. President Tayyip Erdogan submitted the bill to parliament for ratification three weeks ago, in a move welcomed by NATO and Stockholm. The bill must be approved by parliament's foreign affairs commission before a vote by the full general assembly. NATO foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Nov. 28-29.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Jonathan Spicer Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Turkish, Stockholm, Turkey, Ankara, Sweden, Brussels, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Erdogan Says He Will Try to Facilitate Sweden's NATO Bid Ratification
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would try to facilitate the parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership as much as possible, but added that Stockhom had still not taken sufficient action on Kurdish militants. Erdogan submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification last month, a move welcomed by the alliance and Stockholm. Erdogan also said planned talks in parliament about Turkey's 2024 state budget would now take priority, suggesting that the approval of Sweden's NATO membership might not be rapid. "But we will try to facilitate the work (on ratifying Sweden's NATO bid) as much as possible. Finland's membership was sealed in April, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Stockhom, Erdogan, Haberturk, Jason Neely, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party Locations: ANKARA, Stockholm, Turkey, Kazakhstan, embargoes, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Erdogan says he will try to facilitate Sweden's NATO bid ratification
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would try to facilitate the parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership as much as possible, but added that Stockhom had still not taken sufficient action on Kurdish militants. Erdogan submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification last month, a move welcomed by the alliance and Stockholm. Erdogan also said planned talks in parliament about Turkey's 2024 state budget would now take priority, suggesting that the approval of Sweden's NATO membership might not be rapid. "But we will try to facilitate the work (on ratifying Sweden's NATO bid) as much as possible. Finland's membership was sealed in April, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Stockhom, Erdogan, Haberturk, Jason Neely, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Stockholm, Turkey, Kazakhstan, embargoes, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Turkish parliament won't speed up Sweden's NATO bid -committee chair
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President Tayyip Erdogan submitted the ratification bill for Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament last month, a move welcomed by Stockholm as it would clear the way for it to join the Western defence alliance. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said he wants a "speedy vote" by Turkey's parliament and that the process was "going well". "Sweden's NATO membership is just one of the international agreements on our agenda waiting for ratification," Oktay told a meeting of lawmakers. The Sweden NATO membership bill must be approved by the committee before a vote by the full parliament, at which point Erdogan would sign it into law. Finland's membership was sealed in April, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ataturk, Cagla, Jens Stoltenberg, Fuat Oktay, Oktay, Erdogan, Sweden's, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Sweden NATO, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, Thomson Locations: Anitkabir, Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Turkish, Stockholm, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Kurdistan

☆ Turkey's Erdogan submits Sweden's NATO bid to parliament for ratification -presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan addresses lawmakers from his ruling AK Party at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey October 11, 2023. NO ARCHIVES./File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification, the presidency said, in a move welcomed by Stockholm that clears the way for it to join the Western defence alliance. "The Protocol on Sweden's NATO Accession was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 23, 2023 and referred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey," the presidency said on social media platform X without elaborating. Finland's membership was sealed in April, in a historic expansion of the alliance, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary. Erdogan has previously linked Sweden's NATO bid to U.S. support for its request.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Sweden's, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Gumrukcu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Simon Johnson, Alex Richardson, Hugh Lawson Organizations: AK, Turkish, Presidential Press, Rights, NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Grand National Assembly of, Sweden's, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Stockholm, United States, Sweden, Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Israel aims to end its responsibility for Gaza Strip -minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant meets soldiers in a field near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel October 19, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Oct 20 (Reuters) - One Israeli objective of its military campaign in the Gaza Strip is to end Israel's responsibility over the Palestinian coastal enclave, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday. The Israeli defense minister, briefing parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the Gaza campaign that was launched after a deadly Hamas rampage on Israeli towns on Oct. 7, would have three phases. "The third phase will require the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza strip, and the establishment of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel," the minister said, according to a statement from his office. Israel has previously looked to oversee imports into Gaza to prevent military materials from reaching Hamas.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Ronen, Gallant, Ari Rabinovitch, Christina Fincher, Crispian Balmer Organizations: Israel's, REUTERS, Rights, Islamists, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Thomson Locations: Israel's, Gaza, Israel, Egypt

☆ Israel Aims to End Its Responsibility for Gaza Strip -Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - One Israeli objective of its military campaign in the Gaza Strip is to end Israel's responsibility over the Palestinian coastal enclave, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday. Gaza has no access to the outside world except through Israel, which controls 90% of its land and sea boundaries, and Egypt, which has a narrow land border to the south. The Israeli defense minister, briefing parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the Gaza campaign that was launched after a deadly Hamas rampage on Israeli towns on Oct. 7, would have three phases. "The third phase will require the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza strip, and the establishment of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel," the minister said, according to a statement from his office. Israel has previously looked to oversee imports into Gaza to prevent military materials from reaching Hamas.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Ari Rabinovitch, Christina Fincher, Crispian Balmer Organizations: Islamists, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Hamas Locations: JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, Egypt

☆ UK to declare Russia's Wagner a terrorist organisation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A flag with the logo of Wagner private mercenary group is attached to a car during an automobile rally at a patriotic festival marking Russia's National Flag Day in the Moscow region, Russia, August 23, 2023. Britain's interior minister Suella Braverman described the Wagner Group as "violent and destructive", adding it "acted as a military tool of Vladimir Putin's Russia overseas". "They are terrorists, plain and simple - and this proscription order makes that clear in UK law," she said. The Wagner mercenary group has operated in Syria, Libya and a number of countries across northern and western Africa. Lawmakers on parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in July urged more targeted sanctions on what it said were a "web of entities" beneath the Wagner Group.

Persons: Wagner, Yulia Morozova, Suella Braverman, Vladimir Putin's, David Lammy, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lavanya, Sarah Young, Peter Graff, William Schomberg Organizations: REUTERS, Wagner Group, Labour, Twitter, Britain, Prigozhin, Central African, Lawmakers, parliament's Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Russian, British, Vladimir Putin's Russia, Ukraine, East, Africa, Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan, Bengaluru, London

[1/2] British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China August 30, 2023. "We are clear-eyed about the areas where we have fundamental disagreements with China and we raise those issues when we meet," he told broadcasters. China Vice President Han Zheng told Cleverly at their meeting that he hoped the two countries could make new advances in their relations. Cleverly's visit to China comes as other countries in the West also try to improve their relations with the country. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is on a four-day visit in China but warned that U.S. companies have complained to her that China has become "uninvestible".

Persons: James, Han Zheng, Florence Lo, Wang Yi, Liz Truss, Conservative Alicia Kearns, Gina Raimondo, Han, Sarah Young, Laurie Chen, Kate Holton, Elizabeth Piper, Conor Humphries Organizations: of, People, REUTERS, Rights, Conservative Party, China, British, Conservative, . Commerce, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, London, British, CHINA, Taiwan, Taipei, West

☆ Reaction to Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in plane crash with no survivors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Yulia Morozova/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 23 (Reuters) - Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger on a private jet that crashed on Wednesday evening north of Moscow with no survivors, the Russian authorities said. The following is reaction:*U.S. President Joe Biden to reporters in Lake Tahoe:“I don't know for a fact what happened. Reports Russian Air Defence shot down the plane suggests Putin is sending a very loud message." It so happens that political opponents whom Vladimir Putin considers a threat to his power do not die naturally." In the end, if Vladimir Putin is so powerful, why didn’t he arrest Prigozhin?”Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Maxim Fomin, Vladlen Tatarsky, Yulia Morozova, Joe Biden, I'm, Putin, Mykhailo Podolyak, Vladimir, Alicia Kearns, Zbigniew Rau, Vladimir Putin, Daniel Hoffman, Prigozhin, ”, That’s, Pavel Luzin, thinktank, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, CNN, Foreign Affairs, Govt, Russian Air Defence, CIA, Center for, Thomson Locations: St Petersburg, Moscow, Russia, Lake Tahoe, Estonia, U.S

☆ All 15 Israel Supreme Court judges to hear judicial overhaul petitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, July 31 (Reuters) - Israel's Supreme Court on Monday said all 15 judges in a historic first would take part in a hearing on arguments against a law that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition passed as part of an overhaul of the judiciary. The Supreme Court agreed to discuss on Sept. 12 petitions to strike down the bill ratified last week that limits its powers to void some decisions made by government and ministers, setting the scene for a constitutional showdown. Netanyahu's coalition says the judicial changes are needed to curb what it describes as overreach by a Supreme Court that it says has become too politically interventionist. "These two elements form the basis of rule of law in Israel and of the balance between the authorities in any democracy." Israel's democratic foundations are relatively fragile and the Supreme Court is seen as crucial for protecting civil rights and the rule of law.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Henriette Chacar, Ari Rabinovitch, Barbara Lewis, Bill Berkrot, Leslie Adler Organizations: Supreme, Israeli, parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence Committee, Israel Bar Association, Thomson Locations: Israel

☆ Israel could accept U.S.-Iran nuclear 'understanding', senior lawmaker says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, June 17 (Reuters) - Israel could find acceptable an understanding between its arch-foe Iran and the United States if it includes rigorous supervision of Tehran's nuclear programme, a senior lawmaker said in comments aired on Saturday. According to Iranian and Western officials, Israel's main ally Washington is holding talks with Iran to sketch out steps that could include limiting the Iranian nuclear programme. No agreement with Iran would obligate Israel, which will do everything required to defend itself. "Our opposition to the deal - a return to the original (2015) deal - is working, I think." The U.S. government has dismissed reports it is seeking an interim deal with Tehran, which denies seeking the bomb.

Persons: Donald Trump, Yuli Edelstein, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Edelstein's, Netanyahu, Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel didn't, Hanegbi, Israel Hayom, Ron Dermer, Joe Biden's, Dan Williams, David Holmes Organizations: U.S . Congress, parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence Committee, Press ., Israel, Strategic, AJC Global, Thomson Locations: Israel, Iran, United States, Washington, Tel Aviv, U.S, Tehran

☆ South Korean leader criticises China envoy over "inappropriate" remarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, June 13 (Reuters) - South Korea's president stepped up criticism of China's ambassador on Tuesday, saying the envoy had been disrespectful in suggesting South Korea had made the wrong choice by siding with the United States against China. South Korea's foreign ministry summoned Xing on Friday to issue a protest and express "strong regret" over comments that the ministry said were "provocative" and a possible interference in internal affairs. South Korea has been a staunch U.S. ally for decades and is host to nearly some 28,000 U.S. troops but it has developed extensive economic ties with China in recent years. Its foreign ministry called in South Korea's ambassador on Saturday to express its "serious concern and dissatisfaction" over Seoul's "improper reaction" to Xing's comment. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said challenges in relations with South Korea were "not caused by China".

Persons: Xing Haiming, Xing, Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, Kim Seok, Park Jin, Xing's, Park, Hyonhee Shin, hyang Choi, Ed Davies, Robert Birsel Organizations: South, Foreign, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, United States, China, U.S, South, North Korea, Korea, South Korea's, Vienna

☆ Paraguay election result calms fear of another Taiwan ally falling (for now)
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Lucinda Elliott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ASUNCION, May 1 (Reuters) - News of Santiago Pena's election victory in Paraguay will be cheered by officials in Taiwan, which faces an uphill battle against China's economic muscle to keep its remaining 13 allies worldwide, including its last in South America. "This is a relief to Taipei," a senior European diplomat told Reuters in Asuncion asking not to be named. Taiwan's embassy in Paraguay congratulated Pena for winning the election and said it would continue to work on the two countries' "fruitful relationship". Pena's victory - and a strong performance in congressional elections by the ruling conservatives - has dampened hopes of a swift foreign policy shift, Galli said. Rubén Ramírez, a former foreign minister for Paraguay told Reuters that discussions over the Taiwan relationship must remain a priority when the new government is sworn in.

☆ Turkish parliament ratifies Finland's NATO accession as Sweden kept waiting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Turkish parliament was the last among the 30 members of the alliance to ratify Finland's membership after Hungary's legislature approved a similar bill earlier this week. Finland and Sweden asked to join NATO last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "NATO membership will strengthen Finland's security and improve stability and security in the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe," the Finnish government said in a statement following the Turkish parliament vote. Twe Turkish parliament's ratification of Finland's NATO membership is set to be approved by President Tayyip Erdogan and then published in the country's Official Gazette. When Finland's instrument of accession document reaches the U.S. State Department, the Nordic country will formally become a NATO member.

☆ Israeli government lifts ban on return to West Bank settlements
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, March 21 (Reuters) - The Israeli parliament on Tuesday paved the way for Jewish settlers' return to four settlements in the occupied West Bank by amending a 2005 law that ordered their evacuation, a move condemned by the Palestinian Authority and the European Union. The repeal of certain clauses in a previous disengagement law would allow Jewish residents to return to four West Bank settlements they were ordered to vacate in 2005 on condition of approval by the Israeli military. Since the 1967 war, Israel has established around 140 settlements on land Palestinians see as the core of a future state, where more than 500,000 settlers now live. Besides the authorized settlements, groups of settlers have built scores of outposts without government permission. "We call on Israel to revoke this law and take actions that contribute to de-escalation of an already very tense situation," an EU spokesperson said in a statement.

Search resuls for: "parliament's Foreign Affairs"

25 mentions found