Spain state adviser backs move to block Catalonia independence vote
MADRID (Reuters) – The Spanish state adviser on Thursday backed a veto of a watered-down Catalan vote on independence planned for Nov. 9, making it likely the government will try and have the “consultation of citizens” blocked by the courts.
Prosecution cases primed for Syria trial, despite lack of court
GENEVA (Reuters) – A Canadian ex-soldier who once advised the defense in the trial of Saddam Hussein is leading an effort to prepare prosecution-ready dossiers of evidence against individuals responsible for crimes in Syria’s war. But so far, no court …
North Korea to deepen probe into Japanese abductees: Japan’s Abe
TOKYO (Reuters) – North Korea had told Japan it intends to deepen its probe into the fate of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang decades ago, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday, but there was no indication of any imminent breakthr…
Libya’s armed factions may have committed war crimes: Amnesty
CAIRO (Reuters) – Human rights group Amnesty International said on Thursday it had satellite pictures indicating that rival factions in Libya had committed war crimes by shelling densely populated residential areas in the west of the oil-producing coun…
Tunisia’s Islamists down but not out after election defeat
TUNIS (Reuters) – After Tunisia’s Islamist party Ennahda conceded defeat in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, there were no fireworks, concerts or cheering rallies outside the headquarters of its rival, the secular Nidaa Tounes alliance.
Iran says foils bid to sabotage nuclear heavy-water tanks: newspaper
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran has foiled an attempt to sabotage tanks used for transporting heavy water, which is needed to run some nuclear reactors, and blames a “foreign country” for the incident, a senior official was quoted by local media as saying.
Pakistan province rewrites text books to satisfy Islamic conservatives
PESHAWAR Pakistan (Reuters) – A Pakistani province is rewriting school books to make them more Islamic, inserting verses on jihad, removing pictures of unveiled women and changing material on recent history, officials said on Thursday.
Malaysia’s Anwar says hopeful, lawyers question DNA evidence
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday he was a victim of a conspiracy but was hopeful of winning an appeal against a sodomy conviction and five-year prison term that could stymie his political ambitions for…
150 Iraqi tribesmen opposed to Islamic State found in mass grave
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The bodies of 150 members of an Iraqi Sunni tribe which fought Islamic State have been found in a mass grave, security officials said on Thursday.
Britain confident of reducing 2.1 billion euro EU bill: Osborne
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is confident it can get its 2.1 billion euro ($2.6 billion) bill from the European Union reduced, finance minister George Osborne said.
