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By Maria Martinez BERLIN (Reuters) -Lars Klingbeil, Germany’s next vice chancellor and finance minister, is an experienced Social Democrat lawmaker who has sat in parliament for more than 15 years, but his area of expertise has been in defence rather than finance. Now, as guardian of Germany’s public finances, Klingbeil, 47, will oversee a massive …

New German finance minister Klingbeil is champion of higher defence spending Read More »

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) – Millions of dollars in U.S. grants for Jordan’s largest water desalination project abruptly dried up when President Donald Trump announced sweeping cuts to foreign aid in January. Within two months, support was flowing again, a result of diplomacy that has arguably put the pivotal Middle Eastern state on more …

Exclusive-Jordan wins Trump aid carve-out for strategic projects and support Read More »

ZURICH (Reuters) – The Swiss government suggested holding an optional referendum on the country’s new agreement with the European Union, the cabinet said on Wednesday, making it easier to win support for the deal. Under Swiss law a popular vote on a new treaty can be held if 50,000 signatures are gathered within 100 days, …

Swiss gov’t proposes optional referendum on closer ties with European Union Read More »

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Israel cannot be forced to allow the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA to operate in Gaza, the United States said on Wednesday at a World Court hearing in The Hague. Israel last year passed a law that banned UNRWA from operating in the country, as it said the organisation had employed members …

US backs Israel’s ban on UNRWA Gaza aid operations at World Court Read More »

KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s SBU security agency was responsible for a drone strike on a defence manufacturing facility in Russia, an SBU official told Reuters on Wednesday. The official said the strike was on the Murom Instrument-Building Plant, 300 km (186 miles) east of Moscow, which according to a European Union sanctions designation produces components …

Ukraine struck Russian weapons factory, SBU security agency source says Read More »

ZURICH (Reuters) – A new Swiss law banning Hamas and related organisations will come into force on May 15, the government said on Wednesday, aiming to prevent the Palestinian militant group from using Switzerland as a safe haven by making entry bans or expulsions easier to arrange. The law, which was approved by parliament last …

Switzerland to enact Hamas ban from May 15 Read More »