Iran threatens British shipping in retaliation for tanker seizure
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander threatened on Friday to seize a British ship in retaliation for the capture of an Iranian supertanker by Royal Marines in Gibraltar.
Venezuela says U.S. sanctions hit debt refinancing, oil sales
Venezuela charged on Friday that U.S.-led sanctions had stopped foreign debt refinancing, blocked vital food and medicine imports, and cost billions of dollars in lost oil assets.
Putin bestows top state honors on sailors killed in submarine fire
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday bestowed top state honors on 14 sailors killed in a fire on a secret nuclear submarine in recognition of what the Russian military has called their outstanding bravery.
UK’s Johnson says not true intelligence withheld from him as foreign minister
Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to replace Theresa May as Britain’s prime minister, said on Friday it was not true that secret intelligence was withheld from him when he was foreign minister.
Former ambassador may be North Korea’s new point man in U.S. talks: source
North Korea appears to have appointed a long-time veteran of international diplomacy as point man in the new round of denuclearisation talks with the United States, a diplomatic source in Seoul confirmed on Friday.
Russia to help beef up Venezuela’s armed forces: RIA cites official
Russia plans to take steps to strengthen Venezuela’s armed forces, RIA news agency cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Friday.
Guards commander says Iran should seize UK oil tanker if Iranian vessel not released: Tweet
Iran should seize a British oil tanker if an Iranian tanker detained off Gibraltar earlier this week is not released immediately, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said in a tweet on Friday.
Indonesia’s top court jails woman who reported sexual harassment
Indonesia’s Supreme Court has jailed a woman who tried to report her employer for alleged sexual harassment, in a ruling that rights groups said on Friday risked turning victims of sexual abuse into criminals.
Sri Lanka court delays death penalty for four convicted on drug charges
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has issued an injunction until October 30 against the death penalty for four people convicted of drug-related offences, a lawyer representing one of the petitioners in the case told Reuters on Friday.
Naming of von der Leyen as EU executive chief not transparent: Juncker
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the process to appoint his successor, Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen, was not transparent and marked an unwelcome break with the practice of choosing parties’ lead candidates.
