Bulgarian ex-energy minister cedes immunity over nuclear project, says innocent
SOFIA (Reuters) – Ex-energy minister Delyan Dobrev voluntarily gave up his parliamentary immunity on Monday after Bulgarian prosecutors asked lawmakers to strip him of it, and denied any wrongdoing over the loss of state funds in a canceled nuclear pro…
First task for Spain’s new government: clear the inbox from hell
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain is days away from forming its first real government in 10 months, but it can’t come soon enough for Susana Morales whose charity needs approval to expand an adoption service — part of a mountainous backlog of work awaiting the…
Pakistan says won’t allow opposition protest to shut down Islamabad
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s government on Monday vowed to block protests in Islamabad if opposition leader Imran Khan pushes ahead with plans to shut down the government and transport in the capital from Nov. 2.
Time to declare: Ukrainian anti-corruption reform faces threats
KIEV (Reuters) – The prime minister urged his cabinet colleagues to be brave enough to do it, saying it was like shutting one’s eyes before parachuting out of a plane.
Plane on French surveillance mission crashes in Malta, five dead
VALLETTA/PARIS (Reuters) – A small aircraft conducting a surveillance mission over the Mediterranean for France’s defense ministry crashed on take-off in Malta on Monday, killing all five people on board.
Syrian child refugees making British clothes in Turkey: BBC investigation
LONDON (Reuters) – Syrian refugee children have been working in factories in Turkey making clothes for British high street retailer Marks & Spencer and online store ASOS, an investigation by BBC Panorama found.
Congo’s Kabila courts regional support as opposition prepares ‘red card’
KINSHASA/NAIROBI (Reuters) – When Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern neighbors took advantage of an outbreak of political turmoil there to invade in 1998, President Laurent Kabila turned to regional powerhouse Angola for help.
Battle for Mosul can shape or break Iraq further
ERBIL (Reuters) – It has taken two years of training a demoralized army, backed up by the air cover and special forces of the world’s greatest powers, for Iraq to mount an offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State.
Lebanon parliament speaker sees five-six months for forming government
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, believes that even if Michel Aoun is elected president next week after a vacancy of more than two years forming a government will take from five to six months, he was quoted as saying in a n…
Russia fires deputy sports minister involved in doping scandal
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has dismissed a deputy sports minister at the heart of the doping scandal that led to its track and field athletes being banned from the Rio Olympics, the government said on Monday.
