Europe

19 March 2024; MEMO: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, commented on Tel Aviv’s decision to prevent UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, from entering Gaza by saying, “Israel wants no witnesses, no truth-tellers.”

19 March 2024; MEMO: European Union foreign ministers yesterday agreed in principle to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers for attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and to add further sanctions on members of Hamas, Reuters reported.

BRUSSELS, March 4 (Reuters) - The European Commission will propose on Tuesday ways for the European Union to boost its arms industry so it can shift to "war economy mode" in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Thierry Breton, the European industry commissioner, will lay out proposals to encourage EU countries to buy more weapons together from European companies, and to help such firms increase production capacity, according to EU officials.

Tehran, IRNA - A panel of UN experts expressed alarm over credible evidence indicating the sexual abuse of Palestinian women and men by Zionist forces during their raids on Palestinian homes as well as at checkpoints and in detention centers.

In a statement quoted by Reuters, the UN panel said their assessment is based on information relieved from institutions, NGOs as well as direct interviews from the victims who experienced abuse during Israeli incursions or after being detained on different grounds.

29 February 2024; MEMO: The French Foreign Ministry declared on Thursday that there was no justification for Israeli soldiers who shot and killed over 100 Palestinians queuing to receive humanitarian aid in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.

03 March 2024; MEMO: Pope Francis on Sunday urged efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza, saying, “Enough, please”, Anadolu reports.

“I carry in my heart with pain the suffering the people of Palestine and Israel,” the pontiff said in his weekly Angelus message.

He called for an end to the conflict, saying the immense destruction causes pain and has terrible consequences for the small and defenseless.

03 March 2024; MEMO: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Algeria have announced further cuts in oil production cuts. All are members of the OPEC+ group of petroleum producing states.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Sunday that Russia will reduce its oil production by 471,000 barrels per day by the end of the second quarter of 2024.

26 February 2024; AA: Hungary’s parliament on Monday approved Sweden's NATO membership, essentially sealing the deal, as it was the last member of the alliance that had not yet given the green light.

The vote took place in the capital Budapest following last week’s meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson.

The vote of 188-6 was not close.

26 February 2024; AA: Thousands of Spanish farmers staged another massive protest in Madrid on Monday, this time coinciding with a key agriculture meeting in Brussels.

Government officials said at least 5,000 farmers and 100 tractors joined the march in the Spanish capital.

Unlike last week’s massive farmers’ protest in Madrid, this one was organized by the country's three main agricultural unions, which are in dialogue with the Spanish government.

26 February 2024; AA: Denmark on Monday closed its investigation into the 2022 Nord Stream blasts, saying there was a "deliberate sabotage" but no "sufficient grounds" to pursue a criminal case.

The joint investigation was conducted by Copenhagen Police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Services (PET).