ON TREND

Iran's foreign ministry on Friday dismissed a French call for more negotiations with Tehran over the international nuclear accord and said some of France's partners are "bullying and excessive," a seeming reference to the United States. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2CcADaO

A senior Saudi official on Friday appeared to confirm local media reports that the kingdom is considering digging a canal to separate the Qatari peninsula from the mainland and turn it into an island, amid a year-long dispute between the neighbors. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2wsN5he

Fishing industry officials from France and Britain will try to strike a new deal on dredging for scallops next week following violent skirmishes in the Channel, authorities said on Friday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2C35p5N

The German government has pledged to significantly increase its funding for the U.N. agency that supports Palestinian refugees after the United States cut its aid. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2PTD0SE

Tunisia's Prime Minister Youssef Chahed sacked the energy minister, Khaled Gadour, and four other senior officials linked to that ministry on Friday over corruption accusations, an official source said. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2N2sKZy

Norway's Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg replaced her ministers for oil and transportation in a cabinet reshuffle on Friday, her office said in a statement. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2C61c1a

Tunisia's prime minister ordered a financial investigation and the merger of the ministries of energy and industry after dismissing the country's energy minister over corruption allegations, an official source said on Friday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2N2msZU