Following is a summary of current world news briefs. UK’s Johnson tells EU to agree trade deal by October 15 or ‘move on’

Britain has set a deadline of Oct. 15 to strike a free-trade deal with the European Union, and if none is agreed both sides should “accept that and move on,” UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will say on Monday. Britain left the EU on Jan. 31 but there has been little progress on a new trade deal after a status-quo transition arrangement ends in December. Three rockets hit perimeter of Baghdad international airport, no casualties

Three Katyusha rockets fell in the vicinity of Baghdad airport on Sunday but caused no casualties, Iraqi state news agency INA said. One of the rockets landed in the airport garage damaging four civilian vehicles, it said, citing a military statement.. Turkey’s Erdogan says East Med is test of EU’s sincerity

President Tayyip Erdogan told European Council President Charles Michel on Sunday the EU’s stance towards the East Mediterranean would be a test of its sincerity, calling on it to take an impartial stance in Turkey’s row with Greece. NATO allies Turkey and Greece have been locked in a dispute over hydrocarbon exploration in the sea’s disputed waters and the extent of their continental shelves. Thousands protest against pro-Serb rallies in Montenegro

Thousands gathered in Montenegro’s capital Podgorica on Sunday evening waving national flags to protest against the use of Serbian national symbols by opposition parties that won elections last week. Participants chanted: “This is not Serbia” and “We do not give away Montenegro.” ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero was not kidnapped, says President Kagame

Rwandan President Paul Kagame denied on Sunday that his government had kidnapped from abroad Paul Rusesabagina, whose widely acclaimed heroism inspired a Hollywood movie but who has been detained on terrorism and other charges. At a virtual news conference in the capital, Kigali, Kagame did not say exactly how Rusesabagina had been taken into custody but suggested he had been tricked into travelling to Rwanda before he was arrested. Death knell sounds for some of Japan’s oldest department stores

After more than three centuries in business, the Onuma department store in northern Japanese city of Yamagata began bankruptcy proceedings this year – one of many distinguished department stores across the country in dire straits. Known for fancy food halls, luxury items, impeccable service and, in their heyday, rooftop attractions to entertain families, Japan’s department stores have been in a long slow decline as shopping habits change. Saudi-led coalition destroys explosive-laden drone launched by Yemen’s Houthis – SPA

The Saudi-led coalition forces fighting in Yemen late on Sunday intercepted and destroyed an explosive-laden drone fired by Iran-aligned Houthis targeting Saudi Arabia’s southern region, Saudi state news agency (SPA) said. The coalition had said earlier that it intercepted and destroyed another explosive-laden drone over Yemeni airspace that Houthis fired towards Saudi Arabia, (SPA) reported. Assange’s legal fight to avoid U.S. espionage trial resumes in London

Julian Assange resumes his battle in a London court on Monday to avoid extradition to the United States to face criminal charges over the activities of his WikiLeaks website, after months of delay due to the coronavirus lockdown. The U.S. authorities accuse Australian-born Assange, 49, of conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law in connection with the release of confidential cables by WikiLeaks in 2010-2011. Hong Kong police fire pepper balls at protesters opposed to election delay, new law

Police fired rounds of pepper balls at protesters in Hong Kong on Sunday and arrested almost 300 after demonstrators took to the streets to oppose the postponement of legislative elections and a new national security law imposed by China. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam postponed the Sept. 6 election for seats in the Asian financial hub’s Legislative Council for a year in July because of a spike in coronavirus cases. Saudi King Salman tells Trump no Israeli normalisation without Palestinian statehood

Saudi Arabia’s ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz told President Donald Trump there would be no normalisation with Israel without Palestinian statehood, the kingdom’s state news agency reported on Monday. The leaders spoke by phone following a historic U.S. brokered accord last month under which the United Arab Emirates agreed to become the third Arab state to normalise ties with Israel after Egypt and Jordan.