Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranked fourth with 1.4 million searches, reports Yonhap News Agency…reports Asian Lite News.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ranked the third most searched politician by internet users worldwide this year, data showed on Tuesday.
Online searches for Kim totalled a monthly average of 1.9 million, behind US President Joe Biden, who topped the list with 7 million searches, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson with 2 million, according to German data analytics firm Statista.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranked fourth with 1.4 million searches, reports Yonhap News Agency.
The most searched keyword related to the North Korean leader this year was “weight loss”, separate analysis by Google Trends found.
In June, the 37-year-old Kim appeared at a politburo session appearing to have lost a significant amount of weight, raising speculation about his health and sparking keen public interest.
South Korea’s state intelligence agency told lawmakers in October that Kim has lost around 20 kg from a weight of about 140 kg but appears to have no major health problem.
Discussions also took place on combating climate change, particularly on the need for implementation of climate finance commitments, the release said…reports Asian Lite News.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rome and agreed to expand the scope of the India-Germany strategic partnership to new areas, including green hydrogen.
Recalling their long standing cooperation and personal friendship, Modi complimented Chancellor Merkel for her leadership in not just Germany but also at the European and global level.
He committed to maintaining the close strategic partnership with Merkel’s successor.
“The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the close bilateral cooperation between India and Germany and pledged to deepen their trade and investment relations. They also agreed to expand the scope of the India-Germany strategic partnership to new areas, including green hydrogen,” a release from the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in New Delhi.
Modi conveyed best wishes to Merkel for the future and invited her to visit India.
Modi holds talks Indonesia President Joko Widodo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met the Indonesia President, Joko Widodo on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Rome, Italy and committed to strengthen bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.
Modi congratulated Indonesia for its G20 Presidency next year and assured President Widodo of India’s readiness to work closely with the country as part of Troika, a release from the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Both leaders held discussions on the recent course of India-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership. The two leaders appreciated each other’s steadfast support during the Covid-19 pandemic and agreed to cooperate towards post-pandemic recovery.
Glad to have met President @jokowi earlier today. Discussed existing areas of India-Indonesia cooperation and new spheres where our countries can work together for the benefit of our citizens and the entire planet. pic.twitter.com/FBCQ7IKp7P
They also emphasized the importance of Indo-Pacific cooperation, the MEA release added.
Both the leaders committed to strengthen bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, and pave way for greater people-to-people interaction.
Discussions also took place on combating climate change, particularly on the need for implementation of climate finance commitments, the release said.
Modi meets Spanish counterpart on the side lines of G20
During a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit at Rome, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez agreed to further expand bilateral cooperation in new areas like e-mobility, clean tech, advanced materials, and deep-sea exploration.
“The two leaders welcomed the growing bilateral trade and investment linkages, including the recent signing of the contract to procure 56 C295 aircrafts from Airbus Spain, 40 of which will be ‘Made in India’ in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems,” a release from the Union Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi.
The Prime Minister was in Rome for the G20 Summit that was held on Saturday and Sunday.
Modi and Sanchez agreed to further expand bilateral cooperation in new areas like e-mobility, clean tech, advanced materials and deep-sea exploration.
Productivo encuentro con el primer ministro de la India, @narendramodi, en el #G20. Coincidimos en la necesidad de reforzar las relaciones económicas y estratégicas entre nuestros países, especialmente en áreas de interés compartido como la transición ecológica y digital. pic.twitter.com/27FjeD0hK5
Modi invited Spain to invest in various sectors, including green hydrogen, infrastructure and defence manufacturing and further take advantage of India’s National Infrastructure Pipeline, Asset Monetization Plan and the Gati Shakti Plan.
“The two leaders discussed India-EU relations as well as cooperation on climate action and priorities at upcoming COP26. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific,” the release added.
Prime Minister Modi looks forward to welcoming his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez in India next year.
It will also extend help to those in Afghanistan who are at risk, including “many courageous women”, said Steinmeier, who was previously foreign minister…reports Asian Lite News.
Germany on Tuesday temporarily halted development aid for war-torn Afghanistan. The country’s development minister said work was underway to evacuate all those individuals from Afghanistan, including local development officials and NGO workers, who want to leave following the Taliban’s swift return to power.
“State cooperation on development is suspended for the time being. We are working at a pace to evacuate from Afghanistan, those local development officials and NGO workers who want to leave,” Development Minister Gerd Mueller said in an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper.
Earlier in the day, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said chaotic scenes at Kabul airport where thousands of desperate Afghans gathered to flee the country were shameful for the “political West”.
Calling the Afghanistan crisis a “human tragedy for which we share responsibility”. Steinmeier said Germany is duty-bound to “do everything it can to bring our people, and all Afghans who stood for years by their side, to safety”.
It will also extend help to those in Afghanistan who are at risk, including “many courageous women”, said Steinmeier, who was previously foreign minister.
“The failure of the years-long efforts to build a stable and viable society in Afghanistan raises fundamental questions for the past and future of our foreign policy and military engagement,” he said.
German forces were deployed for almost two decades in Afghanistan as part of the US-led NATO operation.
The 150,000 men and women sent by Germany at various points over the years made it the second biggest contributor of NATO troops there, after the United States.
Germany withdrew its last troops at the end of June following Washington’s decision to leave the country.
Taliban’s take over ‘terrible’, says Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday described the Taliban’s Afghanistan takeover as “bitter, dramatic and terrible”, a media report said.
During a televised news conference on Monday, Angela Merkel said, “This is a particularly bitter development. Bitter, dramatic and terrible…it is terrible for the millions of Afghans who have worked for the freedom of a society,” CNN reported.
“We need to make sure that the many people who have big worries and concerns have a secure stay in countries neighbouring Afghanistan. We should not repeat the mistakes of the past when we did not give enough funds to UNHCR and other aid programs, and people left Jordan and Lebanon toward Europe,” CNN quoted her as saying.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Saturday said that it’s alarmed by the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The refugee agency expressed its concerns about the impact of the conflict in Afghanistan on women and girls.
Some 80 percent of nearly a quarter of a million Afghans forced to flee since the end of May are women and children.
Nearly 4,00,000 were forced from their homes since the beginning of the year, joining 2.9 million Afghans already internally displaced across the country at the end of 2020, the UNHCR added.
The Taliban on Sunday took control of the presidential palace in Kabul soon after Asharaf Ghani fled Afghanistan.
On Monday, Biden put the blame for the current situation on the Afghan leaders, saying they gave up and fled the country so the military collapsed.
“I stand squarely behind my decision. After 20 years I have learned the hard way that there was no good time to withdraw US forces and that’s why we are still there,” he said.
“We were clear-eyed about the risk. We planned for every contingency that this did unfold more quickly than we anticipated. Afghanistan political leaders gave up and fled the country so the military collapsed,” he added.
We will have to talk with Taliban: EU foreign policy chief
The European Union (EU) foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has said there are many lessons to be learned over Afghanistan and the Taliban’s takeover, adding that the EU will have to talk with the Taliban as it has won the war.
“The Taliban have won the war, so we will have to talk with them,” Borrell said after an emergency video conference of EU foreign ministers on Tuesday afternoon, adding that this does not mean moving quickly to officially recognize the Taliban’s government, Xinhua reported.
“I just said that we have to talk with them about everything, even to try to protect women and girls. Even for that, you have to get in touch with them,” Borrell said.
“We have to get in touch with the authorities in Kabul, whatever they are,” Borrell noted, “in order to engage in a dialogue, as soon as necessary, to prevent a humanitarian and a potential migratory disaster.”
Borrell added that any cooperation by the EU with the new government of Afghanistan “will be conditioned on a peaceful and inclusive settlement and respect for the fundamental rights of all Afghans, including women, youth and persons belonging to minorities,” as well as respect for other commitments such as fighting against corruption and preventing the use of Afghan territory by terrorists.
He said the new reality in Afghanistan comes 20 years after the beginning of the military operation launched by the United States with the support of NATO in October 2001. The original military and political commitment, which is to destroy the Al-Qaeda terrorist group, shifted to the nation-building of a modern state in Afghanistan.
“The first part of the mission succeeded, and the second did not,” he said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a press conference with the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel. Picture by Andrew Parsons No 10 Downing Street
German Chancellor Angela Merkel signalled a relaxation of quarantine rules for fully-vaccinated Britons after a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, reports Asian Lite News
Angela Merkel, during her final visit to UK as German Chancellor, said that double-jabbed people should be able to travel from the UK to Germany without quarantining “in the foreseeable future”, media reported.
After her meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Merkel said her country was “continuously reviewing” its Covid travel restrictions, according to BBC report.
The two leaders have agreed on a number of steps to further enhance the bilateral relationship, including holding annual joint Cabinet meetings, reinforcing cultural links and expanding youth exchanges.
Boris Johnson walks with Angela Merkel at the Prime Ministers country residence Chequers. Picture by Andrew Parsons No 10 Downing Street
In a press conference following their talks at Chequers, the prime minister’s Buckinghamshire residence, the two leaders spoke about trade and post-Brexit relations.
Answering to a question whether Britons who have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine should expect to be able to travel to Germany, Merkel said Germany had adopted restrictions in response to the Delta variant, which she said was now spreading “very rapidly” in her country.
“But as you know we are reviewing continuously our travel restrictions and we think that in the foreseeable future those who have received double jabs will then, according to our classification – and now Britain obviously is a high incidence area – will be able to travel again without having to go into quarantine,” BBC quoted Merkel as saying.
The Queen receives Chancellor Merkel (Source twitter@RoyalFamily)
“At the beginning we didn’t have much experience with this variant but we’re dealing with it,” she added. “And that is a continuous learning process… we have to adjust time and again to the most recent developments.”
The two leaders also discussed the need for countries to take ambitious steps towards cutting carbon emissions ahead of the UK-hosted COP26 Summit and for richer countries to help developing nations boost economic growth in a clean way.
Meanwhile, Johnson reiterated the need for a permanent arrangement on the Northern Ireland Protocol that protects the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and safeguards Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.
She also virtually addressed a meeting of the UK cabinet – the first foreign leader to do so since President Clinton in 1997.
Meanwhile, Germany has lifted its Covid-19 travel warnings for high risk areas with an infection rate above 50 cases per 100,000 people.
The Federal Foreign Office confirmed on Wednesday that travel warnings for countries with a particularly high incidence rate, above 200, as well as for Covid-19 variant areas will however remain in force. Non-essential tourist travel to countries classified as risk areas is still discouraged.
Affecting more than 80 countries worldwide, the “improvement of the epidemiological situation in Germany and large parts of Europe, the advancing vaccinations and the introduction of the Digital COVID Certificate (DCC)” made the lifting possible, the Foreign Office noted.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at Cornwall for G7 Summit (Photo: twitter@G7)
On Friday, President Joe Biden met Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G7 Summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall, England, reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on July 15, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
“Chancellor Merkel’s visit will affirm the deep bilateral ties between the US and Germany,” Psaki said in a statement on Friday.
“The leaders will discuss their commitment to close cooperation on a range of common challenges, including ending the Covid-19 pandemic, addressing the threat of climate change, and promoting economic prosperity and international security based on our shared democratic values,” she added.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Eden Project during the G7 leaders Summit. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
The announcement came as Biden is on his first foreign trip as President.
On Friday, he met Merkel at the G7 Summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall, England.
The relationship between the two allies was strained under the previous Donald Trump administration over burden-sharing and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Germany and Russia.
Calling Berlin’s “delinquency” on military spending, Trump had ordered to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany.
Biden reversed the pullout decision in February.
US President Joe Biden is currently at UK for the G7 summit. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street)
Last month, the Biden administration waived sanctions against a company and its CEO behind the pipeline project, citing the importance of relations with Germany and the difficulty to stop the nearly completed pipeline.
The 1,230-km Nord Stream 2 pipeline is designed to pump natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea and deliver 55 billion cubic metres annually.
Both Germany and Russia point out that the project is purely economic, while the US calls it a geopolitical manoeuver by Russia.
