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.
126/2018 • 06 JUNE, 2018
Vladimir Putin: ʼRussia does not want to split EUʼ Putin travels to Austria in a first EU trip since his re-election
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed desire to repair ties with the European Union, insisting he does not want to divide the 28-nation bloc. In an interview that aired on the eve of his Tuesday visit to Austria, Putin denied any Russian scheme to weaken the European Union by lending support to Eurosceptic and populist movements. "On the contrary, we have to expand our cooperation with the EU," the Russian president told Austrian public broadcaster ORF. Putin said that Russia needed a strong EU because of its trade links with the bloc. "We do not pursue the objective of dividing anything or anyone in the EU," he said. "We are fare more interested in the EU being united and flourishing because the EU is our most important trade and economic partner," Putin added. The Russian president is traveling to a EU country for the first time since his re-election in March. The Austria trip is also his first to a Western European country since last July. Putin was expected to hold talks with government and business leaders in Vienna on Tuesday. The
trip marks 50 years since the two countriesʼ energy giants Gazprom and OMV signed a gas supply deal. Austria takes over the rotating EU presidency in July. Russia and the EU clash over a number of issues, including the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. The EU imposed sanctions on Moscow over its support to pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. Thepoisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughterin Britain further strained the EU-Russia ties. London blamed Moscow for targeting the duo with a nerve agent, a charge Russia denies. Unlike many other European countries, Austriaʼs right-wing government did not expel Russian diplomats following Skripalʼs poisoning. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whom Putin meets in Vienna on Tuesday, is in the favor of lifting EU sanctions against Russia if there is progress on the Ukraine dispute.
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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