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News in Brief -(23-10-2019)

October 23, 2019 00:00:00


Iran ready to settle tensions with S Arabia

TEHRAN, Oct 22: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that he is ready to travel to Saudi Arabia to discuss resolution of tensions. "If condition is provided, I would be ready to travel to Riyadh to settle differences" between the two countries, Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV. "Tehran welcomes any initiative seeking to ease tensions in the region, and it will cooperate (with other states) to end Yemen's war," he noted. — Xinhua

Duterte cuts short Japan trip due to spine pain

MANILA, Oct 22: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is cutting short his trip to Japan due to "unbearable pain" in his spinal column caused by his fall during a motorcycle ride last week, his spokesman said on Tuesday. Duterte attended Japanese Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony in Tokyo on Tuesday, at times using a cane and appearing to stand stiffly. In other photos sent by an aide to the media in Manila, the 74-year-old president appears to be in a light mood as he, his daughter and an aide extend their fists forward in a symbolic gesture associated with Duterte. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte would fly back to the Philippines later Tuesday. — AP

Putin, Erdogan start talks on Syria

SOCHI, Oct 22: Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday to discuss the situation in northern Syria, where Turkey has vowed to resume an offensive against Kurdish fighters. "The situation in the region is very severe," Putin told Erdogan at the start of talks in the Russian city of Sochi, adding he hoped that the good rapport between Russia and Turkey "will let us find an answer to even the most difficult questions". — AFP

EU will decide on Brexit extension

LONDON, Oct 22: European Council President Donald Tusk says European Union leaders "will decide in coming days" whether to grant Britain another extension to the deadline for leaving the bloc, but he says their decision depends on developments in London. Tusk said Tuesday that the decision on prolonging Brexit for three months after Oct. 31 "will very much depend on what the British parliament decides or doesn't decide." Britain faces another week of political gridlock after British lawmakers on Monday denied Prime Minister Boris Johnson a chance to hold a vote on the Brexit divorce bill agreed in Brussels last week. — AP

Palestine holds Israel responsible for shrine raids

RAMALLAH, Oct 22: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye on Monday held the Israeli government responsible for the "endless" raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the assaults against its worshippers in Jerusalem. "The Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque are flagrant and systematic, and contradict the freedom of worshipping," Ishtaye said in a press statement issued after his cabinet's weekly meeting. — Xinhua

Polish ruling party seeks vote recount

WARSAW, Oct 22: Poland's ruling conservative party has requested a recount of votes to six Senate seats after losing its control of parliament's upper house in the Oct. 13 national election. Law and Justice spokesman Radoslaw Fogiel said the party is exercising its right to a recount in districts where the vote was close and where there were many invalid votes. — AP


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