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LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - A flurry of military activity in Belarus this week has caught the attention of Ukraine and the West as a potential sign that President Alexander Lukashenko may commit his army in support of Russia's flailing war effort in Ukraine.

Lukashenko has ordered troops to deploy with Russian forces near the Ukraine border, and his defence ministry says "combat readiness" drills are under way. On Tuesday, the interior ministry held exercises to eliminate "sabotage groups" near Yelsk, only 20 km (12 miles) from the border with Ukraine.

LONDON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom's (UK) gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 0.3 percent in August, after growth of 0.1 percent in July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Wednesday.

The 0.3 percent GDP fall in August was below economists' previous forecast of zero growth, deepening the concerns that the UK economy is sliding into recession.

LONDON (AP) — As anti-government protests roil cities and towns in Iran for a fourth week, tens of thousands of Iranians living abroad have marched on the streets of Europe, North America and beyond in support of what many believe to be a watershed moment for their home country.

LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow was open to talks with the West on the Ukraine war but had yet to receive any serious proposal to negotiate.

In an interview on state TV, Lavrov said Russia was willing to engage with the United States or with Turkey on ways to end the war, now in its eight month.

His emphasis on Russia's receptiveness to talks came after a series of stinging defeats since the start of September that have swung the momentum of the conflict in favour of Ukraine.

LONDON, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom's (UK) unemployment rate in the three months to August decreased to 3.5 percent, the lowest since February 1974, as long-term sickness kept some workers out of the labor market, official data showed on Tuesday.

The number of people unemployed for between 6 and 12 months increased in the June-August period, while there were decreases for the short-term (up to 6 months) and long-term (over 12 months) unemployed, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Ukraine had carried out "terrorist acts" against Russia and pledged to react forcefully if they continued.

In televised remarks, Putin said Moscow had launched long-range missile attacks against Ukraine's energy, military and communications infrastructure on Monday in retaliation for an attack on a vital bridge linking Russia to the annexed Crimean peninsula over the weekend.

LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday he had ordered troops to deploy with Russian forces near Ukraine in response to what he said was a clear threat to Belarus from Kyiv and its backers in the West.

The remarks from Lukashenko, who has held power in Belarus since 1994, indicate a potential further escalation of the war in Ukraine, possibly with a combined Russian-Belarus joint force in the north of Ukraine.

LONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is confident a second referendum on Scottish independence could take place in October next year, she said on Sunday.

Britain's top court on Tuesday begins hearing arguments for allowing a secession vote without approval from British Prime Minister Liz Truss and her government.

In a 2014 plebiscite, which the British government approved, Scots rejected independence by 55%-45%. However, the Scottish National Party argues the vote for Britain to leave the European Union two years later was a game changer.

LONDON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party has retained a huge opinion poll lead over Prime Minister Liz Truss's Conservative Party, which has failed to stage a recovery after its annual conference this week, a poll showed on Saturday.

The YouGov poll, carried out on Thursday and Friday for The Times newspaper and based on a survey of 1,737 British adults, showed support for Labour at 52%, down two points from a poll by the same organisation in late September, while the Conservatives were up just one point at 22%.

LONDON (AP) — The death toll from a gas station explosion that shattered a small village in northwest Ireland rose to nine on Saturday, as emergency workers combed through piles of rubble for people who are still missing.

Irish police said they did not expect to find any more survivors from Friday’s explosion in Creeslough, County Donegal. Eight people have been hospitalized after the blast destroyed the Applegreen service station in the community of about 400 people near Ireland’s rugged Atlantic coast.