Europe

DONETSK, July 13. /TASS/: North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol has presented a document on Pyongyang’s recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) to DPR Ambassador to Moscow Olga Makeyeva.

"North Korean Ambassador Sin Hong-chol has presented a document on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's decision to recognize the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic to DPR Ambassador Olga Makeyeva," the DPR embassy said in a statement on Telegram on Wednesday.

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Britain's House of Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle ordered two lawmakers belonging to the Scottish party Alba to leave the debating chamber just before Prime Minister's Questions for refusing to comply with his instructions.

"Neale Hanvey, I am now naming you and Kenny MacAskill to leave this chamber," Hoyle said, requesting them to be escorted out and warning that it might lead to them being suspended from the house.

PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - About 600 firefighters, supported by six water-bomber aircraft, were on Wednesday battling to bring under control two wildfires in southwestern France, which have already burnt more than 1,700 hectares and prompted the evacuation of thousands of tourists.

"Important human and material resources are being deployed to master the fires (...) local and national reinforcements are expected," said the local authority for the Gironde department, where the blazes are raging.

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Britain's government will hold a confidence vote in itself on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's political spokeswoman said on Wednesday, after blocking an effort to bring one by the opposition Labour Party after ministers objected to its wording.

Johnson has said he will step down once the governing Conservative Party chooses a new leader, but the Labour Party wanted a vote of confidence against both the government and Johnson to try to force him to leave earlier.

KYIV, July 13 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia as part of any peace deal and said no peace talks were under way between Moscow and Kyiv.

"The objective of Ukraine in this war... is to liberate our territories, restore our territorial integrity, and full sovereignty in the east and south of Ukraine," he told a briefing. "This is the end point of our negotiating position."

MOSCOW, July 13 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it hoped President Joe Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia would not be used to try to foster anti-Russian relations, just as the United States seeks to convince Riyadh to boost oil production amid soaring prices.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday that Biden will make the case for greater oil production from OPEC nations to bring down gasoline prices when he meets Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia this week. 

BRUSSELS, July 13 (Reuters) - The European Union told Hungary and Poland on Wednesday to improve judicial and media independence, as well as anti-graft safeguards, saying conditions to unlock billions in aid for the two remain unaddressed and serious concerns persist.

The assessment came in the EU executive's new rule of law report, which includes tips for democratic improvements in all of the bloc's 27 member states, from better financial disclosure by officials to digitalisation of public administration.

LONDON (AP) — Conservative Party lawmakers in Britain are casting ballots Wednesday in the first round of an election to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The internal party contest will replace the flamboyant, scandal-ridden Johnson — a figure famous in Britain and around the world — with a new and much lesser-known prime minister.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Renewed Russian artillery barrages across Ukraine killed at least five civilians and wounded another 18 in the past day, the office of Ukraine’s president reported Wednesday as Moscow attempted to expand and consolidate its gains in the country’s east.

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s economy showed unexpectedly strong growth in May, with the three major components of production— manufacturing, construction and services — all posting gains.

The Office for National Statistics said Wednesday that gross domestic product expanded 0.5% in the month, compared with economic forecasts of about 0.1%. GDP declined 0.2% in April.