Europe

MOSCOW, Aug 26 (NNN-BERNAMA-TASS) — The second round of US sanctions imposed on Russia over the so-called Skripal case is entering into force.

Experts interviewed by TASS believe that the new restrictions won’t harm Russia’s economy more than trade wars, including the one between the US and China, and oil market volatility.

The new sanctions prohibit US banks “from participating in the primary market for non-ruble denominated Russian sovereign debt and lending non-ruble denominated funds to the Russian government.”

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday after the United States and China both suggested they could ease up in a trade war that has undermined the outlook for the global economy and for crude demand.

Brent was up 33 cents, or 0.6%, at $59.67 a barrel by 0850 GMT, while U.S. oil was also up 33 cents, or 0.6%, at $54.50 a barrel.

U.S. President Trump said on Monday he believed China was seeking a trade deal after Beijing contacted U.S. officials overnight to say it wanted a return to talks.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s state weather agency said on Monday it had found the radioactive isotopes of strontium, barium and lanthanum in test samples after a mysterious accident during a test at a military site earlier this month.

The deadly accident on Aug. 8 caused a brief rise in radiation levels in the nearby city of Severodvinsk. President Vladimir Putin later said the mishap occurred during testing of what he called promising new weapons systems.

BERLIN (Reuters) - German business sentiment deteriorated more than expected in August to hit its lowest since November 2012, a survey showed on Monday, in a further sign that escalating trade disputes are pushing Europe’s largest economy toward a recession.

Germany’s export-reliant manufacturers are struggling with weaker foreign demand, tariff disputes sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policies and business uncertainty linked to Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.

BIARRITZ, France (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he wanted to see a strong Iran and was not seeking a change of leadership in Tehran, adding that the standard of living for ordinary Iranians was unacceptable.

“I’m looking at a really good Iran, really strong, we’re not looking for regime change. You’ve seen how that works over the last 20 years, that hasn’t been too good,” Trump told reporters during a summit of wealthy nation leaders.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Iran has sold the oil from a tanker released by Gibraltar after weeks in the custody of British Royal Marines and the vessel’s owner will decide on its next destination, IRIB news agency quoted an Iranian government spokesman as saying on Monday.

He did not identify the recipient of the oil. After Gibraltar freed the Adrian Darya tanker on Aug. 18, the United States said it would take every action it could to prevent it delivering oil to Syria - the original stated reason for its detention - in contravention of U.S. sanctions.

ALPBACH, Austria, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Former UN chief Ban Ki-Moon, who is co-chair of the Ban Ki-Moon Center for Global Citizens in Vienna, said Sunday that the concept of global citizenship is an important framework in times of rising populism and nationalism.

Global citizens identify themselves not only as a member of a nation, but also as a member of global community, Ban said, adding that they can act as agents of change and future leaders.

"Our aim is to build bridges rather than walls," he added.

LONDON, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday the chances of Britain reaching a Brexit deal with the European Union are improving.

He used interviews with a range of British broadcast media at the G7 summit in France to give a Brexit update as the Oct. 31 departure date gets ever closer.

In Britain politicians opposed to Britain remaining in the bloc, as well as those opposed to a no-deal departure, continued Sunday to discuss their strategies as the re-opening of Parliament on September 3 nears.

BIARRITZ, France (AP) — President Donald Trump, under pressure to scale back a U.S.-China trade war partly blamed for a global economic slowdown, said Monday that the two sides will begin serious negotiations soon.

Trump said his trade negotiators had received two “very good calls” from China. He did not say when the calls were made and he declined to say whether he is in direct contact with President Xi Jinping.

Trump said the conversations were a sign that China is serious about making a deal following the latest tit-for-tat tariffs between them.

Basel (Switzerland), Aug 25 (PTI) P V Sindhu on Sunday became the first Indian to win badminton World Championships gold by beating familiar rival Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in a lop-sided final here on Sunday

The Indian won 21-7 21-7 in the summit clash that lasted just 38 minutes

Two years after being robbed off the gold by Okuhara in an epic 110-minute final at Glasgow that went down as one of the greatest battles in badminton history, Sindhu finally exorcised the ghost of that heart-wrenching loss with a completely dominating win over the same opponent