Business

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative meshes perfectly with the goals of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

Putin’s comments to a Belt and Road forum in Beijing may help alleviate concerns over potential tensions between China and Russia, given Beijing’s rapidly expanding economic footprint in Central Asia, Moscow’s traditional sphere of influence.

Putin told some three-dozen leaders attending the conference that China’s moves “fit perfectly into our plans.”

Tirupati, Apr 24 (PTI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Wednesday stressed the need to make farming a lucrative career opportunity, especially for the youth, by making agriculture economically viable and financially rewarding.

He said one of the important prerequisites to ensure a sustainable and inclusive growth in India was to shape a healthy and robust agricultural sector.

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Russia was producing 9.83 mln barrels of oil per day in March 2019 and lost 2.5% to Saudi Arabia, the state statistics service Rosstat reported on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia was producing 10.09 mln barrels of oil per day in February 2019. According to statistics, total daily production of OPEC nations was 30.55 mln barrels in February 2019, including 4.63 mln barrels per day produced in Iraq (ranked second by oil production among OPEC members).

BANGKOK, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's cabinet approved in principle on Wednesday an extended waiver of the fee for visa on arrival of foreign tourists to Thailand, according to a summary of cabinet meeting published online.

The waiver of the one-time entry fee for visa on arrival which was proposed by the Royal Thai Police, will be extended from May 1 until Oct. 31.

Such temporary waiver of the fee for visa on arrival will be extended in accordance with 2019's ministerial regulation for one-time entry of tourists from specified foreign countries.

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Residents of the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR) can apply for Russian citizenship in the Rostov Region. Their applications will be considered within three months, the Russian Interior Ministry’s website informed on Wednesday. The ministry’s press service informed TASS that there is no need to renounce the Ukrainian citizenship in order to obtain the Russian one.

VLADIVOSTOK, April 25. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about the issues that were discussed at his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Starting the expanded negotiations, the Russian state leader called the previous part a thorough one. "We just had a thorough face-to-face conversation," the Russian leader said.

MOSCOW, April 25. /TASS/. Russian state-run oil company Rosneft is interested in organizing supplies of jet fuel from the Indian oil refinery in the city of Vadinar to the airports in the country, said the head of Rosneft-Aero, Kirill Molodenkov.

Rosneft Aero is a subsidiary of Rosneft, which sells jet fuel produced at 9 Rosneft refineries.

BEIJING, April 25. /TASS/. The Chinese government welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing and his participation in the second One Belt One Road international forum, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Thursday.

"China welcomes the visit of President Vladimir Putin who will take part in the second One Belt One Road international forum. Chinese President Xi Jinping and a number of the country’s top officials will meet with the Russian leader," he said at a regular press briefing.

LONDON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- People in Scotland should be given the chance before 2021 to vote for independence from the United Kingdom, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a major speech Wednesday.

Sturgeon made the call in a speech to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood following the decision by the EU Council to extend Britain's membership of the bloc until October 31.

BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The mainland is firmly opposed to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and military contact in any form between the two sides, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference. "Our stance has been consistent and clear," he said.

In response to remarks by the American Institute in Taiwan that the mainland is exerting its influence on Taiwan elections, Ma said the mainland has repeatedly stressed that it never interferes with elections on the island.