DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Saudi Arabia introduces law banning sexual harassment The measure has been passed by the Cabinet and an advisory council, and will become law with a royal decree. The country is making some piecemeal reforms, including ending its notorious driving ban on women. Saudi Arabia passed a draft law Wednesday that criminalizes sexual harassment less than a month before the stridently conservative country lifts a decadesold ban against women driving. The measure, which was passed by the Shura Council, carries a maximum 5-year prison term and fine of up to 300,000 riyals ($80,000, or €70,000). "The law is aimed at combating and preventing the crime of harassment, enforcing penalty on perpetrators, protecting victims and safeguarding the individualʼs privacy, dignity and freedom ensured by the Islamic sharia law," the council said in a statement.
Syria recognizes Georgiaʼs breakaway regions in nod to Russia The Georgian government has hit back at Syria by severing diplomatic ties with the Arab republic. Syria is now one of five countries that have recognized the Moscowbacked regions. The Syrian government has recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two Georgian breakaway regions backed by Russia, as independent countries. "A deal has been reached between the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of South Ossetia to exchange recognition and set up diplomatic ties at the embassy level," said a Syrian Foreign Ministry official in comments circulated by the staterun SANA news agency on Tuesday. The move prompted the Georgian government to announce its decision to sever official ties with Syria, blaming Russia for orchestrating the diplomatic stunt.
125/2018 • 05 JUNE, 2018
Paris welcomes Merkelʼs ʼfirst answerʼ to Macronʼs EU reform plan They meet at a road-map summit near Berlin on June 19
Paris has welcomed remarks by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on EU reform – her first since President Emmanuel Macronʼs Sorbonne call for "a Europe that protects." Franceʼs presidential Elysée Palace hailed Merkelʼs remarks in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung(FAS) weekly newspaper as a move "toward the French view" on ways to strengthen the eurozone and European Union. Merkel said Europe needed "quicker economic convergence" but stopped short of Macronʼs vision of a major investment budget, saying, in euros, it should be "at the lower end of the double-digit billions" and only phased in gradually. It was, however, said Paris, the "first answer" from Merkel since last September when Macron outlined his plan to Sorbonne University students, including a tax to fund a stronger eurozone budget, and closer environmental and military measures. "This is a positive move which shows the commitment to Europe of the chancellor and her government," said the Elysée Palace. Macronʼs September vision initially drewcautionary reactions in Germanyamong parties that ended up forming Merkelʼs fourth coalition cabinet in early March and warnings from smaller European nations that
such planning required an "inclusive format." When receiving his European Charlemagne peace prize in Aachen last month, Macron had expressed impatience over delays in forming the Berlin coalition and Germanyʼs "fetish" for budget and trade surpluses. Nine months after his Sorbonne speech, Macron will meet Merkel – accompanied by their top ministers - at Meseberg palace outside Berlin onJune 19 to finalize joint policy on EU reform. European leaders will then meet at a summit on and June 28 to 29 in Brussels, just before Austria, led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurzʼs conservatives and the EUskeptic far-right Freedom Party, assumes the EUʼs six-month rotating presidency from Bulgaria in July. Crises roiling Europe included a Euroskeptic government assuming government in EU-founding member Italy, Spainʼs change of government, and rocky trans-Atlantic relations exemplified by US tariffs on steel and aluminum, and President Donald Trumpʼs exit from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, in which Germany had a major role.
Israel launches retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza after Hamas rocket attacks The fighting is the worst episode of violence since Israel and Hamas fought a brief war in 2014. The United States, European Union and United Nations have condemned the rocket and mortar attacks against Israel. Israel has launched airstrikes against targets throughout the Gaza Strip after the armed wing of the ruling group in the Palestinian territory launched dozens of rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel. The confrontation, which continued into Wednesday morning, is the worst episode of violence between Israel and Hamas since they fought a sevenweek-long war in 2014. The Israeli military said around 70 rockets and bombs had been fired into Israel by 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday (1700 GMT). One mortar shell landed near a kindergarten.
Saudi Arabia issues first driverʼs licenses to women Ahead of the lift of a decades-old ban on women driving, a group of women have received their driverʼs licenses. The ban is due to be lifted on June 24. Saudi Arabia on Monday issued driverʼs licenses to 10 women on Monday. The announcement comes three weeks before a ban on women driving is set to be lifted followingKing Salamʼs decision last year to allow women to drive . Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not allowed drive but this will change on June 24.
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