Europe

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador on Friday over the detention of a Russian journalist in Tehran, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Moscow has close economic and political ties with Tehran, and it is unusual for the latter to target Russian citizens.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Tensions between Cyprus and Turkey over offshore drilling intensified on Friday, with Nicosia accusing Turkey of a “severe escalation” of violations of its sovereign rights.

Turkey announced on Thursday that it had sent an oil-and-gas drilling ship to waters off southern Cyprus where Greek Cypriot authorities have already awarded hydrocarbon exploration rights to Italian and French companies.

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will send a letter to the European Union asking for a Brexit delay if no divorce deal has been agreed by Oct. 19, according to government papers submitted to a Scottish court, the BBC reported.

Last month, opposition lawmakers and rebels from Johnson’s Conservative Party forced through the “Benn Act” requiring him to delay Britain’s departure from the EU if he has not agreed a withdrawal treaty in the next two weeks, to prevent what they say will be a calamitous no-deal Brexit.

4 Oct 2019; MEMO: The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the remaining signatories can still be saved after the US withdrawal but Iran must return to the full implementation of its commitments and in return be offered some goodwill instead of sanctions, the Slovak candidate to head the United Nation’s nuclear agency said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

MOSCOW, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed on Thursday common readiness to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

"The Philippines is an important partner of Russia in Asia. Bilateral cooperation is constructive and mutually beneficial," Putin said at a meeting with Duterte in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

LONDON (AP) — Well over three years after Britain announced it would split from the European Union, everything regarding Brexit is still in limbo and early hopes of an amicable split have turned into the reality of a bitter, battling divorce.

Britain is scheduled to leave on Oct. 31, but much is still uncertain, especially in Ireland.

Here are some of the unresolved questions about Brexit as Britain’s political drama heads into its possible final weeks:

IF BRITAIN WANTS TO SPLIT SO BAD WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is visiting Montenegro to show support for the NATO ally as a Ukraine-focused impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump picks up steam.

Pompeo arrived in Podgorica on Friday, a day after one of his former top aides told congressional investigators about efforts to press Ukraine’s government to open a corruption probe that could have targeted former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. Pompeo did not speak to reporters aboard his plane during the brief flight from Rome.

LONDON, Oct 4 (NNN-XINHUA) — Scotland on Thursday became the first part of Britain to make it illegal for parents to smack their children, Xinhua news agency reported.

A new law banning smacking was agreed in Edinburgh by Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).

MSPs voted 84 in favour and 29 against the Children’s Protection from Assault Bill.

The new law, which was put forward by former police officer John Finnie — a Green Party MSP, gives children the same protection from violence as adults.

PARIS, Oct 4 (NNN-XINHUA) – Four police officers were killed and five others wounded, in a knife attack at Paris police headquarters on Thursday afternoon.

The assailant, identified as an administration worker in the intelligence unit, stabbed to death four of his colleagues, inside the police prefecture after 12 noon local time, Loic Travers, local head of the Alliance police union, said.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The trade wars threatening to push the global economy into recession are entering a new phase, with the United States and European Union escalating a dispute that endangers the world’s biggest trade relationship.

After the Trump administration slapped steep tariffs on $7.5 billion in EU goods, mainly traditional produce like cheese and wine, the Europeans made clear they would retaliate in kind. Some fear the tariffs could ultimately lead to U.S. import duties on European cars, a big economic blow that Trump has been threatening to deliver for months.