Poland’s ruling PiS passes law on judges, opposition sounds alarm
WARSAW (Reuters) – Lawmakers from Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party on Wednesday pushed through a bill to give parliament a greater say in appointing judges, a move that the opposition and rights groups said violated the constitutional separa…
Argentina’s Macri blames Congress for Odebrecht stalemate
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri blamed Congress on Wednesday for lack of progress on a corruption investigation involving Brazil’s Odebrecht SA [ODBES.UL] that has roiled Latin America in recent months.
Annual Northern Ireland parades begin peacefully amid political crisis
BELFAST (Reuters) – Annual parades in Northern Ireland that frequently trigger sectarian violence began peacefully on Wednesday with little sign the British province’s political crisis is increasing tensions in volatile areas.
Sudan halts talks with U.S. after decision on lifting sanctions postponed
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has halted until Oct. 12 the work of a committee formed with the United States to negotiate relief from U.S. sanctions, the Sudanese state news agency SUNA said on Wednesday.
Spain’s king expresses confidence over Gibraltar arrangement with Britain
LONDON (Reuters) – Spain’s King Felipe said on Wednesday he was confident that Spain and Britain could work towards an acceptable arrangement over Gibraltar, a British territory which Spain wants back.
UK government declines to publish review on funding of extremism
LONDON (Reuters) – The British government said on Wednesday it would not publish in full its report on the sources of funding of Islamist extremism in Britain, prompting opposition charges that it was trying to protect its ally Saudi Arabia.
Indonesian rights activists protest crackdown on hardline Islamists
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Civil organizations in Indonesia on Wednesday decried a move by the government to disband certain groups deemed to be in conflict with state’s secular ideology.
NATO, Russia set to urge each other to curb ‘unsafe’ Baltic jet maneuvers
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO envoys and Russia were set to urge each other at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday to fly warplanes more safely over the Baltic Sea after the latest intercepts that both sides say involved dangerous pilot maneuvers.
‘No whistling, just ticking’: EU pushes on Brexit talks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The EU’s negotiator pressed Britain on Wednesday to offer more post-Brexit rights to European expats and accept it will pay a hefty sum on leaving if it wants a quick start to talks on a future trading relationship.
Refugees return to Syria from Lebanon in Hezbollah-mediated deal
ARSAL, Lebanon (Reuters) – A convoy of refugees began leaving the Lebanese border region for Syria on Wednesday, a security source said, the second group to return under an agreement brokered by the Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah.
