NATO allies agree language on Ukraine membership pathway to NATO – sources

VILNIUS (Reuters) – NATO leaders have reached agreement over how to define their future relationship with Ukraine, including its membership bid, four diplomats said on Tuesday. One of the diplomats said the final wording on the declaration regarding Ukraine’s future membership read that NATO “will be in a position to extend an invitation to join…

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Israel’s Knesset gives first nod to contested Supreme Court bill

By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel’s parliament has given initial approval to a bill that limits some Supreme Court power, part of a rebooted judicial overhaul by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that has set off a deep political crisis. The drive to change the justice system by Netanyahu’s ruling coalition of nationalist and religious parties…

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US Sen. Menendez says he is talking with Biden administration on F-16 sales to Turkey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez on Monday said there was a temporary “lull” in Turkey’s “aggression against its neighbors” and said he is in talks with the Biden administration about the hold he has on future U.S. sales of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara. Menendez, a Democrat, said in…

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World’s war on greenhouse gas emissions has a military blind spot

By Sarah McFarlane and Valerie Volcovici LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – When it comes to taking stock of global emissions, there’s an elephant in the room: the world’s armed forces. As temperatures hit new highs, scientists and environmental groups are stepping up pressure on the U.N. to force armies to disclose all their emissions and end a…

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Biden meets King Charles and PM Sunak, hails ‘rock solid’ UK ties

By Steve Holland and Gerhard Mey LONDON/WINDSOR, England (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden made a whistle-stop trip to Britain on Monday, hailing the “rock-solid” friendship with Washington’s close ally before meeting King Charles for a discussion with the monarch and finance chiefs on tackling climate change. Biden’s visit to Britain kicked off a three-nation trip…

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Erdogan links Sweden’s NATO membership to Turkey’s EU accession

By Huseyin Hayatsever and Ece Toksabay ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in an unexpected move, said on Monday the European Union should open the way for Ankara’s accession to the bloc before Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance. Turkey’s bid to join the EU has been frozen for…

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Iran accuses U.S. Navy of defending fuel smuggling in Gulf incident

DUBAI (Reuters) – An Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander accused the U.S. Navy on Monday of defending fuel smuggling in the Gulf by trying to interfere when Iran intercepted a ship last week. “On July 6th, Revolutionary Guards’ Navy personnel were inspecting a ship with the name NADA 2 that was involved in smuggling Iranian oil…

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