President Putin: Russia and Ukraine are one nation; EC presidential candidate hopes Britain will not leave EU
(Baonghean.vn) - President Putin: Russia and Ukraine are the same people; Mrs. Merkel trembled violently in public again; EC President candidate hopes Britain will not leave the EU... are the world's outstanding news in the past 24 hours.
President Putin: Russia and Ukraine are one nation
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Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Photo: Bloomberg). |
President Putin believes that Russia and Ukraine are essentially the same people and that a rapprochement between the two countries is inevitable. "I believe that the Russians and Ukrainians are one. We are essentially the same people," President Putin said in an interview on July 9 with American director Oliver Stone for the upcoming documentary "Ukraine Unveiled."
The Russian leader recalled the common history and religious beliefs of the two peoples, asserting that Russians and Ukrainians have common roots and are both Orthodox. "Everyone is Orthodox and used to call themselves Russians. They don't want to be part of the Catholic world that Poland is trying to pull them into," Putin said. However, he also acknowledged that Ukrainians now have the right to preserve their national identity.
Mrs Merkel trembled violently in public again
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| German Chancellor at the welcoming ceremony for Finnish Prime Minister in Berlin on July 10. Photo:Reuters. |
German Chancellor Angela Merkel showed signs of unusual health during a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne in Berlin. In the photos posted on Twitter, the two Prime Ministers can be seen standing and listening to the speech. Suddenly, the German Chancellor trembled, but she remained motionless. The head of the Finnish government did not react to what was happening.
This is the third time in a month that Merkel has been seen shaking. In June, the German Chancellor felt unwell during a welcoming ceremony for Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Berlin. Suddenly, when the national anthem was played, Merkel began to shake, shifting her hands several times, perhaps trying to suppress the shaking.
British ambassador to the US resigns after leaked confidential memo
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| US President Donald Trump (left) and British Ambassador to the US, Mr. Kim Darroch - Photo: Sky News |
The British ambassador to Washington resigned on July 10 after days of controversy over a leaked confidential memo in which the ambassador criticized President Trump. According to Reuters, the confidential memo of the British ambassador to the US, Mr. Kim Darroch, was leaked to a British newspaper. The incident led to a series of critical counterattacks from Mr. Trump on his Twitter account. The US president "attacked" both the ambassador and Prime Minister Theresa May for supporting Mr. Kim Darroch.
After the news of Mr Darroch's resignation was announced, Prime Minister May told parliament she regretted that Mr Darroch felt the need to leave his post as UK ambassador to the US. She said officials should be allowed to give "comprehensive and candid advice".
Prolonged drought could cause severe damage to crops in North Korea
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| A farmer waters crops in May. Photo: Yonhap |
On July 10, North Korean media warned that the current severe drought could cause serious damage to the 2019 crop. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), drought and high temperatures persist in the western coastal areas and inland areas of central North Korea.
The extreme weather is affecting crops in North and South Hwanghae Province, South Pyongan Province, Nampo City and other areas. In particular, many fields in Ongjin, Kangryong and Hwangju counties, as well as 47% of the rice fields in Kumchon County, are suffering from drought. To cope with the current situation, North Korea is launching a drought prevention campaign, increasing the operation of irrigation equipment and mobilizing water transport vehicles.
EC President candidate hopes Britain does not leave EU
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| German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen speaks to the press. Photo: EP |
On July 10, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who received an almost unanimous nomination for the position of President of the European Commission (EC), expressed hope that Britain would abandon Brexit (Britain leaving the European Union - EU), and warned that Britain must take responsibility for this "painful" choice to leave the EU. According to Ms. Von der Leyen, the "divorce" agreement reached late last year between the EU and British Prime Minister Theresa May, which faced opposition from British lawmakers, was a good deal.
The EC presidential candidate’s comments suggest that the EC under her leadership will not be as willing to renegotiate as it has been in the past. She has warned the two candidates to replace Mrs May, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, that Brexit is crucial to the future relationship between the EU and the UK, with both candidates pledging to renegotiate the Brexit deal for better terms or leave the EU without a deal. However, the EU has insisted that it will not renegotiate the deal.
Russia builds the shortest highway connecting Asia and Europe
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| The Meridian Expressway is expected to have four lanes. Photo: Reuters |
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has given the green light to the construction of a new cross-country highway that is expected to be the shortest road link between Asia and Europe. RT (Russia) reported that the project is expected to cost around $9.5 billion and will be called Meridian. The Meridian Highway will stretch 2,000 km from Russia’s border with Belarus to the border with Kazakhstan.
The project’s contractor has already purchased 80% of the land required for construction. The construction will be entirely funded by investors, not by the Russian budget. With tolls on the highway, it is expected that the construction costs will be repaid in 12 years.
