Europe

KIEV, October 7. /TASS/: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Prystaiko has warned the Ukrainians against rushing to condemn the "Steinmeier formula," as a broad discussion of the laws on a special status for Donbass and elections in the region is due before it is put into practice.

MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/: The Acron Group shipped 23,000 tonnes of mineral fertilizers to China ports over the Northern Sea Route, using it for the first time for such deliveries, the Russian fertilizer company told the "Future Russia. National Projects" website operated by TASS.

"Goods were loaded in Ust-Luga and traveled across the entire Northern Sea Route. China ports are the destination," Acron announced.

KIEV, October 7. /TASS/: Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is carrying out a policy of discrimination against the Russian-speaking population, failing to fulfil his campaign promise to analyze and review the current Ukrainian language law, Chairman of the Ukrainian opposition platform "For Life" Viktor Medvedchuk stated on Monday.

"The unconstitutional and blatantly discriminatory language law of Poroshenko-Parubiy is still in force, and this means that President Zelensky has not fulfilled his campaign promise," the politician said.

KALININGRAD, October 7. /TASS/: A group of the Baltic Fleet’s warships has passed through the English Channel as part of its deployment to the Indian Ocean, the Fleet’s press office reported on Monday.

"A group of the Baltic Fleet’s warships comprising the guard ship Yaroslav Mudry, the sea tug Viktor Konetsky and the tanker Yelnya that are accomplishing planned long-distance deployment missions has completed its transit of the Strait of Dover and the English Channel," the press office said in a statement.

MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stressed the importance of facial recognition systems in the fight against terrorism and crime, commenting on the lawsuit filed by a Moscow resident demanding that facial recognition be considered unlawful.

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri repeatedly refused to answer questions on Monday about whether she had an intimate relationship with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London.

The Sunday Times has reported that when Johnson was mayor he failed to declare close personal links to Arcuri, who received thousands of pounds in public business funding and places on official trade trips.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday, buoyed by hopes of progress in U.S.-China trade talks and supported by challenges to supply facing major exporters.

Brent crude LCOc1 rose 52 cents or 0.9% to $58.89 a barrel by 1215 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 was at $53.45, up 64 cents or 1.2%.

Both futures contracts ended last week with a more than 5% decline after dismal manufacturing data from the United States and China, with the trade row between the world’s top economies undermining global economic prospects.

VILNIUS (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Monday he had no plans to resign now or next month, denying a report that he was expected to announce his resignation in November.

Asked about the report in Politico, the U.S. energy secretary told a news conference in Lithuania: “No. I’m here, I’m serving.”

“They’ve been writing the story for at least nine months now. One of these days they will probably get it right, but it’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, it’s not next month,” Perry said.

LONDON (Reuters) - A Scottish court on Monday rejected a bid by campaigners seeking an order to force British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask for a Brexit delay if he has not struck a deal with the European Union in less than two weeks’ time.

The court concluded there was no need to take any pre-emptive action against Johnson because he had given legal assurances that he would abide by a law compelling him to ask the EU for an extension if no divorce deal had been agreed.

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the European Union on Monday that the Brexit ball was in its court and that the bloc should now urgently discuss in detail his proposal for breaking the deadlock in talks ahead of Britain’s departure on Oct. 31.

With just 24 days to go before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, both sides are positioning themselves to avoid blame for a delay or a disorderly no-deal Brexit.