Europe

UFA, June 20. /TASS/: Moscow has presented hard evidence in the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash case, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said in response to a TASS question on Thursday.

"We presented information, including technical and other data, it is hard evidence but it is not being taken into account," he noted. "We would like this evidence to be considered but they have no wish to assess it," Patrushev added.

MOSCOW, June 20. /TASS/: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has expressed dissatisfaction with the new findings of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) looking into the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, The Star wrote on Thursday.

"We are very unhappy. From the very beginning, it became a political issue on how to accuse Russia of the wrongdoing," he said, as cited by the newspaper. "Even before they examined the case, they have already claimed it [the shooting down of MH17] was done by Russia," he added.

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s governing Conservatives are set to pick two candidates who will square off to become the country’s next prime minister.

Lawmakers will vote Thursday to eliminate two contenders from a four-strong field of ex-foreign minister Boris Johnson, current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

19 June 2019; AFP: In the forest undergrowth of northern Corsica, two wildlife rangers open a cage to reveal a striped, tawny-coated animal, one of 16 felines known as "cat-foxes" in the area and thought to be a new species.

"We believe that it's a wild natural species which was known but not scientifically identified because it's an extremely inconspicuous animal with nocturnal habits," says Pierre Benedetti, chief environmental technician of the National Hunting and Wildlife Office (ONCFS).

19 June 2019; DW: German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier on Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese Market Regulation Minister Xiao Yaqing at the start of a three day visit.

"China and the European Union are partners, but also competitors," Altmaier said. "We need a level playing field, without discrimination and disadvantages."

EU member states, including Germany, are hoping to establish better trade terms as the US pursues a costly trade war with China. 

19 June 2019; DW: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday there is "strong evidence" Iran was behind the twin tanker attacks near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The United States has accused Iran of attacking the Japanese and Norwegian flagged tankers and released video and pictures purporting to show a Revolutionary Guard boat removing an unexploded limpet mine.

19 June 2019; DW: The European Union on Tuesday delayed the start of formal accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia until October.

The European Commission last month recommended that accession talks should begin with the Balkan countries after they had carried out reforms.

Geneva, Jun 19 (AFP) More than 70 million people were counted last year as displaced from their homes, a record that underestimates the real number of refugees and asylum seekers, the UN said Wednesday.

In its annual global trends report, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) described the figure of 70.8 million at the end of 2018 as "conservative", particularly because the number of people who fled Venezuela's devastating crisis is undercounted.

MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/: Over 40 forest fires are blazing on the territory of 8,800 hectares in Russia, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Wednesday.

"As of 12am on 19 June 2019, 43 forest fires are reported on the territory of over 8,811 hectares, with active firefighting efforts underway," the press service said.

The largest forest fires are reported in Kamchatka (3,400 hectares), Irkutsk, Amur and Yakutia regions.

A total of 1,300 people and 267 units of equipment are involved in extinguishing forest fires.

MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/: Teheran’s steps in relation to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear deal are of a forced and sporadic nature and can be reversed, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Tuesday.