USA: Sen. Schumer's Anti-Netanyahu Speech Stuns Israel

[world politics news]

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) speech calling for a new government in Israel landed like an earthquake Thursday, delivering a huge shock to the already tense U.S.-Israel relationship.

In addition to being the most senior Jewish elected official in the country, Schumer has had one of the longest and closest relationships with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of any U.S. politician.

Schumer's speech, calling for new elections in Israel, stunned officials and observers in both Washington and Jerusalem because he has been the Democratic Party's most avid supporter of Israel in decades.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Chancellor Approves Tanks For Ukraine

[world politics news]

Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed on Wednesday that Germany would be delivering an initial 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks to Ukraine and allowing partner countries to re-export their own German-made heavy battle tanks to the country.

Speaking at the start of a question-and-answer session in the German Bundestag, Scholz said, "It is right that we act closely with our international partners to support Ukraine — financially, with humanitarian aid, but also with weapons deliveries. Now we can say that, in Europe, it is us and Britain who have made the most weapons available for Ukraine. … Germany will always be at the forefront when it comes to supporting Ukraine."  

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Statue of Ukrainian Poet in Moscow Becomes Site Of Rare, Silent Anti-War Protest

[world politics news]

Since a Russian missile struck a residential building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro nine days ago, killing 46 and injuring 80 others, Muscovites have been coming to lay flowers — along with plush toys and photographs of the destroyed building — at the feet of the statue of Lesya Ukrainka (1871-1913) a Ukrainian poet and playwright who lived during the last decades of the Russian Empire.

Her poetry, which has been translated into english, is often hopeful in the midst of tragedy and darkness, perfect for ukrainians in their moment of suffering.

[FULL STORY HERE and HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRAQ: Prime Minister Defends Indefinite US Military Presence

[world politics news]

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani defended the presence of U.S. troops in his country and set no timetable for their withdrawal, signaling a less confrontational posture toward Washington early in his term than his Iran-backed political allies have taken.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Resolution Condemning Russia Fails In Parliament

[world politics news]

A resolution that would have called Russia a state sponsor of terrorism has failed in the Polish Parliament.

The vote was cancelled after an amendment submitted by the ruling party was blocked by the opposition.

During the evening discussion that preceded the vote, parliament factions and groups unanimously supported the resolution. However, debates arose after the later submission of an amendment on the death of Polish President Lech Kaczyński.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BULGARIA: Parliament Debates Aid For Ukraine

[world politics news]

Fierce debates over whether Bulgaria should send military aid to Ukraine have dominated the country’s new parliament, complicating future coalition talks.

The election winner, Boyko Borissov’s centrist GERB party, has met with President Radev in a live-streamed discussion where the two sides clashed over the topic. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Parliament Votes To Increase Defense Spending For Ukraine

[world politics news]

Two factions of the German Parliament are ready to support an increase in defense aid funding for Ukraine next year to more than 2 billion euros.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal wrote about this on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

"The German parliament is united in its support for Ukraine. Today, they held meetings with the Vice-President of the Bundestag with the Union90/Greens faction Katrin Goering-Eckardt and co-chair of the Union90/Greens party Ricarda Lang, as well as with the head of the opposition CDU, chair of the CDU/CSU faction in Bundestag Friedrich Merz," Shmyhal noted.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#TURKEY: President Wants To Extend Military Intervention In Azerbaijan

[world politics news]

 

The parliament of Turkey has received a bill to extend the mandate of the Turkish military in Azerbaijan for one year, reports Anadolu Agency.

This document, signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, states that the Turkish military continues to contribute to ensuring stability in the "de-occupied territories" of Azerbaijan—and in connection with the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELARUS: Lukashenko Considers Invasion Of Ukraine, Euro Parliament Prepares Sanctions

[world politics news]

The most recent statements by Belarus Pres. Alexander Lukashenko about the deployment of its troops to Ukraine and about "checking the combat readiness" of the Belarusian armed forces against Brussels were considered a sure sign that Minsk would launch a military offensive against Ukraine. 

Therefore, the European Parliament has called for the preparation of a new package of tough sanctions against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, which will come into effect immediately when the Belarusian authorities begin an invasion of Ukraine.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ESTONIA: Parliament Declares Russia A "Terrorist Regime"

[world politics news]

Estonian lawmakers have adopted a statement that declares Russia a “terrorist regime” and condemns its recent annexation of four Ukrainian territories.

Of the 101 MPs, 88 on Tuesday voted in favour, 10 were absent and three abstained.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SLOVAKIA: Parliament Votes To Allow Sweden, Finland Into NATO

[world politics news]

Slovakia's parliament last Tuesday ratified the entry of Finland and Sweden to NATO, becoming one of the last countries to back the military alliance's expansion. The vote Follows Portugal's Parliament voting "yes" to the two countries entering on Sept.16th.

Finland and Sweden sought to join NATO this year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

NATO's 30 members have been ratifying their entry since accession protocols were signed in July. With Slovakia's vote, only Hungary and Turkey remain to approve the expansion. Turkey's President, Recep Erdogan Renews Threat to Block the NATO Bids of both Sweden and Finland.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: Zelinsky Calls On NATO To Admit Ukraine To Alliance

[world politics news]

 Ukraine’s president says his country is submitting an “accelerated” application to join the NATO military alliance. But   ascension to NATO would require the unanimous support of the alliance’s members, including Turkey and Hungary, which have both refused military aid to the country.

"De facto, we have already become a NATO ally," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Sept. 30. "We trust each other, we help each other, and we protect each other. This is the Alliance," 

The comment by Zelenskyy came after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties to annex parts of Ukraine in defiance of international law, saying Moscow would protect the newly incorporated regions by “all available means.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Parliament Set To Debate Annexing Occupied Ukraine Regions

[world politics news]

The Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, may debate bills incorporating Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia on Sept. 29, the state-run TASS news agency said on Saturday, citing an unnamed source.

Moscow launched referendums on joining Russia in the four occupied regions of Ukraine on Friday, drawing condemnation from Kyiv and Western nations, who dismissed the votes as a sham and pledged not to recognise their results.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: Parliament Considers Income Tax Exemption For War-Damaged Property

[world politics news]

The Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) is considering a bill to exempt the calculation and payment of property tax for damaged real property, other than land. The exemption is valid for 2022 and up to three years from the date of the termination of martial law due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: EU Considers Doubling Importation of Ukrainian Electricity

[world politics news]

EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said on July 26 that the European transmission system operators will meet this week to discuss increasing the importation of electricity from Ukraine.

Simson added that this step will allow the European Union to partially compensate for the lack of gas due to the energy crisis unleashed by Russia.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: Military Signals Push Into Moldova

[world politics news]

Signaling that the war in Ukraine may spread to yet another country, the Ukrainian Army has declared in its readiness to help Moldova get rid of the 1500 Russian soldiers who illegally occupy Moldovan territory in Transnistria.

The statement was made by the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Kirill Budanov

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: Zelinsky Sacks Several Ambassadors

[world politics news]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Kyiv’s ambassador to Germany on Saturday as well as several other top foreign envoys, the presidential website said.

In a decree that gave no reason for the move, he announced the sacking of Ukraine’s ambassadors to Germany, India, Czech Republic, Norway and Hungary.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Parliament Speaker: Fire Professors Who Oppose Ukraine Invasion

[world politics news]

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said during parliamentary hearings on the development of higher education in Russia that teachers of higher education institutions who oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine should be asked to resign.

"Anyone who begins to distort and try to use the department, conducting this [anti-war] Propaganda to students, must take and go," he said.

[FULL STORY HERE] (translated from Ukrainian)

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Euro Parliament Considers Sanctions Against Georgia's Former PM

[world politics news]

The European Parliament has called on the EU to consider personal sanctions against Georgian billionaire and former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and claimed that his alleged ties to the Russian government influence his country’s cautious position on the war in Ukraine. 

On June 9, European lawmakers passed a harshly worded resolution on the worsening state of media freedom in Georgia, an increasingly sore spot in EU-Georgia relations. The document contains a call to consider sanctions against Ivanishvili for “his role in the deterioration of the political process in Georgia." He is believed to have considerable control in the country from behind the scenes.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

RUSSIA: Parliament Considers Expanding Penalties For Treason

[world politics news]

 

Russia’s criminal code could be expanded to include an article that outlaws public calls to actions aimed at undermining the country’s security. A parliament committee has recommended that MPs approve a draft law on the matter.

The draft law envisages a fine of up to 500,000 rubles (around $8,000) or a prison term of from two to four years for the violation. If those calls are coming from a group of people or include threats of violence, the penalty increases to up to seven years behind bars with a fine of up to 2.5 million rubles (around $40,000).

The proposed legislation also suggests criminalizing the participation of Russian citizens in warfare abroad that is aimed against the interests of the country. The proposed penalty here is imprisonment for up to 20 years with a fine of up to 500,000 rubles (around $8,000).

These penalties are on top of penalties passed recently that criminalizes criticism of the government's military actions in Ukraine. Thousands of protesters and a few news reporters have faced criminal penalties for speaking out against the war, which is said to be quite unpopular.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.