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BRUSSELS (AP) — The 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals — and possible political trouble in Turkey.

The move further increases Russia’s strategic isolation in the wake of its invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February and military struggles there since.

“This is truly a historic moment for Finland, for Sweden and for NATO,” the head of the alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, said.

The 30 ambassadors and permanent representatives formally approved decisions made at a NATO summit in Madrid last week, when the leaders of member nations invited Russia’s neighbor Finland and Scandinavian partner Sweden to join the military club.

Securing parliamentary approval for the new members in Turkey, however, could still pose a problem even though Sweden, Finland and Turkey reached a memorandum of understanding at the Madrid summit.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Ankara could block the process if the two countries failed to grant Turkey’s demands for the extradition of people it views as terror suspects. The people wanted in Turkey have links to outlawed Kurdish groups or the network of an exiled cleric accused of a failed 2016 coup in Turkey.

He said Turkey’s Parliament could refuse to ratify the deal. It is a potent threat since NATO accession must be formally approved by all 30 member states, which gives each a blocking right.

Stoltenberg said he expected no change of heart. “There were security concerns that needed to be addressed. And we did what we always do at NATO. We found common ground,” he said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has given the process added urgency. It will ensconce the two nations in the Western military alliance and give NATO more clout, especially in the face of Moscow’s military threat.

“We will be even stronger and our people will be even safer as we face the biggest security crisis in decades,” Stoltenberg said.

At a news conference, the foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland were asked whether the memorandum specified people who would have to be extradited to Turkey. Both ministers said no such list was part of the agreement.

“We will honor the memorandum fully. There is, of course, no lists or anything like that in the memorandum, but what we will do is to have better cooperation when it comes to terrorists,” Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto was equally adamant.

“Everything that was agreed in Madrid is stated in the document. There are no hidden documents behind that or any agreements behind that,” Haavisto said.

Every alliance nation has different legislative challenges and procedures to deal with, and it could take several more months for the two Nordic nations to take their place as official NATO members.

Germany’s parliament is set to ratify the membership bids Friday, according to the Free Democrats, a partner party in the country’s coalition government. Other parliaments might only get to the approval process after long summer breaks.

“I look forward to a swift ratification process,” Haavisto said.

In the meantime, the protocols approved Tuesday bring both nations deeper into NATO’s fold already. As close partners, they already attended some meetings that involved issues that immediately affected them. As official invitees, they can attend all meetings of the ambassadors even if they do not yet have any voting rights.

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(Reuters) – U.S. WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner has made a direct plea to President Joe Biden to stand up for her in an emotional letter sent to the White House on Monday as she remains detained in Russia on drug charges.

Griner, who was held at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 when a search of her luggage allegedly revealed multiple cannabis oil vape cartridges, went on trial on Friday and could face up to 10 years in a Russian jail.

The case takes place against a backdrop of high tension between Moscow and Washington over the conflict in Ukraine. U.S. officials say Griner has been detained wrongfully.

“As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she wrote in a letter, excerpts of which have been shared by her representatives.

“On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran.

“It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”

Griner, who competes in the U.S. Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) but has also played regularly in Russia, was formally told at the first hearing that she was charged with intentionally importing narcotics into Russia.

The judge set the next hearing for July 7.

“I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don’t forget about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home,” Griner added.

“I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore.

“I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home.”

(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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By Budi Satriawan

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) – Concerned about how Indonesian students with hearing impairments often miss out on religious education, cleric Abdul Kahfi founded an Islamic boarding school to help them study and recite scripture from the Koran using sign language.

Opened in 2019 in the city of Yogyakarta in central Java, the Darul A’shom school now has 12 staff and teaches 115 students aged between seven and 28 years from across the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country.

Abdul hopes the school will make it easier for future generations to learn about Islam.

“Nowadays hearing-impaired adults barely know religion in depth because from school age they have never learned about it,” said the cleric, noting how interest in his school had spread quickly.

In Indonesia, the curriculum in public schools provides limited religious teaching to children with special needs, starting at the age of eight or nine rather than at kindergarten as is the case for many other students.

Only three out of 10 children with disabilities in Indonesia are able to go to school, according to a survey by the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF).

Hearing-impaired students typically take about five years to learn to recite and memorise the Koran at the school.

“Now I am able to read and memorise 30 juz (parts) of the Koran,” said Muhammad Farhad, a 10-year-old student, who said he wanted to become a cleric one day so he can pass on his knowledge to others.

Indonesia has tens of thousands of Islamic boarding schools and other religious schools that often provide the only way for children from poorer families to get an education.

(Reporting by Budi Satriawan in Yogyakarta; Editing by Ed Davies and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

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By Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Torrential rains kept battering Australia’s east coast on Tuesday, intensifying the flood crisis in Sydney as thousands more residents were ordered to leave their homes after rivers swiftly rose past danger levels.

About 50,000 residents in New South Wales, most in Sydney’s western suburbs, have been told to either evacuate or warned they might receive evacuation orders, up from Monday’s 30,000, authorities said.

“This event is far from over, please don’t be complacent,” New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet told reporters. “Wherever you are, please be careful when you’re driving on our roads. There are still substantial risks for flash flooding.”

The latest wild storm cell – which brought heavy rains with several places receiving more than Australia’s annual average rainfall in three days – is likely to ease in Sydney from Tuesday as the coastal trough moves north, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said.

But the risk of flooding could remain through the week with most river catchments already near capacity even before the latest deluge.

About 90mm (3.5 inches) of rain could fall over six hours in the state’s mid-north coast from Tuesday, reaching up to 125mm in some places, BoM said.

Winds up to 90km per hour (56 miles per hour) are also forecast in several flood-hit places, raising the risk of falling trees and power lines.

“We’re asking people across Sydney today to please stay at home unless you really need to leave the house,” state Emergency Management Minister Steph Cooke said.

The federal government late on Monday declared the floods a natural disaster, helping flood-hit residents receive emergency funding support.

Emergency crews will continue their rescue operation on Tuesday to tow a bulk carrier ship that lost power off the coast of Sydney after tow lines broke in severe weather, officials said.

Major flooding is occurring at Windsor in Sydney’s west, which is going through its third flood this year, with current water levels higher than seen in the deluge early this year, the weather bureau said.

Footage on social media showed submerged roads and bridges, while emergency crews rescued stranded people from partially submerged vehicles that became stuck in rising waters.

Nigel Myron, a Windsor resident, said he has kept an inflatable boat ready if he had to evacuate though he is looking to move back to his place once waters recede.

“At the end of the day, what can you do? It is what it is and we dust ourselves off from the ashes and rebuild after the floods have come and gone,” Myron told ABC television.

(Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by David Gregorio and Lincoln Feast.)

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said on Monday that independent investigators could not reach a definitive conclusion regarding the origin of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh after conducting detailed forensic analysis.

The U.S. Security Coordinator, by summarizing investigations by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, also concluded that gunfire from Israeli Defense Force positions was likely responsible for her death, but that it found no reason to believe that this was intentional.

(Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Monday that it was closely monitoring the situation in Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan province after deadly unrest broke out, and that issues there should be solved through “legal means” rather than rioting.

“We welcome the measures taken by the leadership of Uzbekistan and are confident that they will contribute to the complete normalisation of the situation in this part of the country,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“We are in favour of resolving any issues by legal means, and not through street riots.”

Eighteen people were killed and 243 wounded during unrest in Karakalpakstan last week over plans to curtail its autonomy, Uzbek authorities said on Monday.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

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ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The first of the more than 200 firefighters from six European countries that will help their Greek colleagues in fighting wildfires have arrived in Athens.

The 28 Romanian firefighters were welcomed Saturday by Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides and the leadership of Greece’s Fire Service.

“Romania is happy to join the pre-positioning program with a specialized firefighting force,” Romanian team leader Col. Alexandru-Adrian Csilik said. “We have a previous experience here in Greece.”

The Romanians, along with other countries, including Russia and Turkey, helped Greece fight widespread wildfires in August 2021, which broke across the country and devastated the northern part of Evia, Greece’s second-largest island, as well as the southern Peloponnese peninsula.

This year, the EU has set up a “pre-positioning pilot project” designed to lead to a permanent Europe-wide cooperation program.

“We are scaling up preparedness to #forestfire season in Europe. As of today, +200 (firefighters) from around Europe will be strategically positioned in Greece to quickly join national forces before (fires) could get out of control,” Janez Lenarcic, Stylianides’ successor as European commissioner for crisis management, tweeted Friday.

The Romanian firefighters, who brought five fire engines along, will operate in the Attica region, which includes the capital Athens, until July 31.

Those who arrived Friday will be relieved by an equal number of Romanian firefighters on July 15. Their place will be taken in August by a 25-strong French contingent.

A team of 16 Bulgarian firefighters, with four fire engines, also arrived Friday in the city of Larissa, in central Greece, and was welcomed by local authorities and Fire Service officers. The Bulgarians will stay in the area throughout July.

On July 15, 16 German firefighters will start operating in the Peloponnese; they will be replaced in early August by 14 Norwegian and 24 Finnish firefighters, who will be relieved once, in mid-August, by an equal number of their compatriots.

Wildfires are frequent in Greece, helped by the hot and dry weather and frequent high winds. Climate change also means that wildfire seasons are also getting longer.

Greek authorities say higher fuel costs have added to challenges facing the fire service, which relies heavily on water-dropping planes to battle blazes in the mountainous country.

Greece will begin using fire retardant chemicals in water drops this year and will also use starting fires tactically to fight larger blazes.

Four of the six leaders of the foreign contingents watched a live firefighting exercise west of Athens on Thursday. The leaders of the German and Norwegian teams watched the exercise online.

A study by an international consortium of research institutions shows that the expanded wildfire seasons and intensity of the fires will also negatively impact efforts to limit carbon dioxide emissions because of dwindling forests, which are normally effective carbon absorbers. The study even suggests that the intensity of wildfires could progressively exceed current firefighting capabilities.

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Lefteris Pitarakis contributed to this report.

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BANGKOK (AP) — China’s top diplomat on Saturday arrived on his first visit to Myanmar since the military seized power last year to attend a regional meeting that the government said was a recognition of its legitimacy and opponents protested as a violation of peace efforts.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will join counterparts from Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in a meeting of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group in the central city of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The grouping is a Chinese-led initiative that includes the countries of the Mekong Delta, a potential source of regional tensions due to an increasing number of hydroelectric projects that are altering the flow and raising concerns of ecological damage. China has built 10 dams along the upper stretch of the Mekong, the part it calls the Langcang.

Military government spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun told a news conference in the capital Naypyitaw on Friday that the attendance of the foreign ministers at the meeting was a recognition of Myanmar’s sovereignty and its government.

He said the ministers will sign memorandums of understanding and contracts. He did not elaborate.

It’s unclear whether Wang would meet Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government.

Myanmar’s military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021. It was quickly met by nonviolent nationwide demonstrations and triggered armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war.

According to a detailed list compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 2,053 civilians have died in the crackdown on the resistance movement.

Wang last visited Myanmar to meet with Suu Kyi just three weeks before the military ousted her.

China is Myanmar’s biggest trading partner and an old ally. Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar’s mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure and is its major arms supplier, together like Russia.

Many in Myanmar suspect China of supporting the military takeover, and Beijing has refused to condemn the army’s power grab. China says it follows a policy of non-interference in other countries’ affairs.

The foreign minister of Myanmar’s shadow government, which opposes the ruling military council, protested the Bagan meeting, saying any such efforts in partnership with Myanmar’s military violate the will of the people and undermine community building.

The statement said that holding the foreign ministers’ meeting in Myanmar is in direct opposition to a peace plan by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Myanmar, although a member of ASEAN, has done little to implement the plan and its stonewalling led fellow ASEAN members to block government leaders from attending major ASEAN meetings.

Since the military seized power, Chinese special envoy Sun Guoxiang has visited Myanmar twice, and Wang has met his Myanmar counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwin, twice in China.

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NEW DELHI (AP) — A Pulitzer Prize-winning Kashmiri photojournalist said on Saturday that she was stopped by Indian immigration authorities from flying to Paris without giving any reason.

In a tweet, Sanna Irshad Mattoo said she was scheduled to travel from New Delhi to Paris for a book launch and photography exhibition as one of 10 winners of the Serendipity Arles Grant 2020.

“Despite procuring a French visa, I was stopped at the immigration desk at Delhi airport,” she said.

She said she was not given any reason but was told by immigration officials that she would not be able to travel internationally.

There was no immediate comment by Indian authorities.

Mattoo was among the 2022 Pulitzer Prize winners in the Feature Photography category for the coverage of the COVID-19 crisis in India as part of a Reuters team.

She has been working as a freelance photojournalist since 2018 depicting life in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where insurgents have been fighting for Kashmir’s independence or its merger with neighboring Pakistan.

Journalists have long braved threats in the restive region as the government seeks to control the press more effectively to censure independent reporting. Their situation has grown worse since India revoked the region’s semi-autonomy in 2019.

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GENEVA (AP) — Lesbian and gay couples in Switzerland rejoiced as they legally tied the knot Friday when the rich Alpine nation formally joined many other western European countries in allowing same-sex marriage, with some saying better late than never.

The first same-sex marriages came about nine months after 64.1% of voters backed the “Marriage for All” law in a national referendum. It puts same-sex partners on an equal legal footing with heterosexual couples, including allowing them to adopt children together and to sponsor a spouse for citizenship.

Switzerland authorized same-sex civil partnerships in 2007.

Friends and family greeted Aline and Laure – who asked that their surnames not be published – with hugs, cheers, applause and a few joyous tears at a Geneva manor house where they exchanged vows to formalize their two-decade relationship.

“It’s great joy, a super moment to put in the history books,” said Laure, 45, a human resources executive, adding that July 1 holds special importance because its the 19th anniversary of their civil union.

“It’s normality that’s taking effect. It’s going to become commonplace, let’s say, whether its two women, two men, or heterosexual couples to marry,” Laure said.

Holding Laure’s hand, Aline said: “It’s true that Switzerland has been a little slow. It’s not a moment too soon, after all. Now’s the time.”

With a population of 8.5 million, traditionally conservative Switzerland was until Friday among a few western European nations that didn’t recognize same-sex marriages. Greece, Italy and the microstates of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino only allow male-female couples to marry.

Most countries in central and eastern Europe do not allow same-sex marriage.

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