Europe

MOSCOW, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- It is the Western countries themselves who caused current migrant crisis on the borders between Belarus and the European Union (EU), Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.

The Western countries fought many years in Iraq and Afghanistan, and economically, high social benefits are attracting migrants to the EU countries, Putin said in an interview with a Russian TV program.

He stressed that Russia has nothing to do with the crisis and Russian airlines did not fly the migrants there.

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Negotiators at the this year’s U.N. climate talks pored over fresh proposals Saturday for sealing a deal that could credibly be said to advance worldwide efforts to tackle global warming.

British officials chairing the talks in Glasgow, Scotland, released new draft agreements after shuttle diplomacy continued past the official Friday evening deadline. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, both indicated cautious optimism late Friday that the negotiations were moving forward.

13 Nov 2021; MEMO: A number of German MPs have rejected the UAE's candidate to head international police body INTERPOL, Arabi21 reported on Friday.

The London-based news website disclosed that the German MPs signed a petition expressing their "deep concern" regarding the nomination of the UAE's Major General Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi for the post of INTERPOL director.

13 Nov 2021; MEMO: Recent remarks by a far-right French politician on the migration crisis at the EU's borders with Belarus sparked concern across the country on Friday.

Speaking to the French BFM TV news channel on the recent events transpiring on the Belarusian-Polish border, Julien Odoul, a member of the far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen, said the main task of European authorities must be to protect Europeans.

PARIS, November 12. /TASS/: The military and political situation in Europe is deteriorating while NATO keeps beefing up its military presence near the Russian borders, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at a meeting of the Russia-France Council in the 2x2 format on Friday.

MINSK, November 12. /TASS/: Belarus has the military potential to ensure its security, with Russia’s help, if necessary, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said in a statement on Friday.

"Belarus’ Armed Forces are ready to respond toughly to any threats. The country’s challenges and threats response system makes it possible for us to ensure the country’s security, including with the help of our key strategic ally - the Russian Federation, if necessary," he said.

MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/: A Norwegian naval ship’s visit to the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen indicates a growing trend towards Norway’s latent militarization of the archipelago, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a commentary on Friday.

"We have taken note of a report the Norwegian Navy’s frigate The Thor Heyerdahl visited Spitsbergen’s port of Longyearbyen lately. The Norwegian naval ship’s visit to the archipelago was another in a series of Oslo’s steps to include this territory in the sphere of its military efforts," the commentary runs.

MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/: The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation could raise its efficiency by developing cooperation with other regional organizations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, speaking by video link at the group’s summit.

"Greater coordination with other regional forums and organizations that have similar agendas - the Eurasian Economic Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization - would help to raise the efficiency of the APEC,’’ Putin said.

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said he was cautious about rising cases of COVID in Europe, warning of gathering "storm clouds" of a new wave of coronavirus infections.

Britain has had much higher rates of COVID-19 than the rest of Western Europe since the summer when Johnson scrapped coronavirus restrictions in England.

However, rates in Britain are now coming down just as they are rising sharply in countries such as Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Parts of Eastern Europe have also seen a sharp rise in cases.

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union will intensify efforts next week to break their impasse over post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland, as Brussels cautiously welcomed a change in tone from London.

After meeting with Britain's Brexit minister David Frost in London, EU negotiator Maros Sefcovic said the two sides would now seek to make headway on key issues such as customs checks and the movement of medicines into Northern Ireland.