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.
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Mariano Rajoy and Pedro Sanchez trade barbs in parliament Spain no-confidence vote:
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has fended off calls to resign as Spainʼs parliamentary debate heads for a no-confidence vote. The Socialist opposition hopeful Pedro Sanchez is pitching to Catalan and Basque nationalists.
Australian shoppers face Amazon restrictions US internet giant Amazon has said it will block Australian shoppers from its international websites. Itʼs a move to counter new tax laws on online purchases and "the massive administrative burden." New regulations in Australia require internet retailers like US company Amazonto collect a 10-percent goods and services tax (GST) on everything bought on overseas sitesfrom July 1. As a result, Amazon said Australian shoppers wanting to use its global platforms would instead be directed to its smaller domestic site offering much
less for sale. The company reportedly baulked at the massive administrative burden of tracking GST from all overseas transactions. The retailer said it would compensate by opening a "global store" for Australians, adding an extra 4 million items previously available only on its American website. But even with the changes, the number of products available would be a fraction of whatʼs on sale globally. The new tax rules were brought inafter years of lobbying by struggling local retailers having to apply GST to all online store sales.
German university hospital defends auto firmsʼ nitrogen dioxide test ethics No experiments on animals or humans can take place in Germany without a go from an authorized ethics committee. Dr. Thomas Kraus from Aachen University Hospital says this was the case in the most recent NO2 scandal. The European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) "did not impinge in any way on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) research it commissioned Aachen University Hospital to do," Professor Thomas Kraus from the
hospital told the German press agency DPA on Monday. The EUGT is a now defunct organization that was funded by German carmakers Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW plus partsmaker Bosch, thus raising questions of possible conflicts of interest. In 2013, 25 healthy volunteers were exposed to NO2 pollution for three hours, Kraus said. "None of them had any negative health effects," he went on, adding that the tests were meant to measure the impact of pollutants in the workplace.
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).
Paris police clear 1,700-strong Millenaire migrant camp The dawn operation was the 35th camp clearance undertaken in the French capital over the past three years. Those living at the "Millenaire" camp in the northeast the city are being moved to temporary accomodation. French security forces began the evacuation of the largest migrant camp in Paris on Wednesday morning, where up to 1,700 people, mostly from Africa, were living in makeshift conditions. Riot police arrived at dawn to oversee the removal of the migrants, who were taken by bus to temporary accommodation centers elsewhere in the Paris region.
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