Catalans form human chain to press for independence from Spain
BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of Catalans held hands in a 400-km (250-mile) human chain across their region on Wednesday to press the Spanish government to let them vote on breaking away and forming their own country.
Bomb damages Libyan foreign ministry building in Benghazi
BENGHAZI/TRIPOLI, Libya (Reuters) – A car bomb damaged a Libyan foreign ministry building in Benghazi on Wednesday, the first anniversary of the attack on the U.S. consulate in the country’s second largest city.
Mali army, rebels clash for first time since peace deal
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Three Malian soldiers were wounded in clashes with separatist Tuareg rebels on Wednesday, the army said, the first clashes since the two sides signed a ceasefire deal in June.
Algeria’s Bouteflika names new ministers months after stroke
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika named new ministers for foreign affairs, the interior and justice on Wednesday in what appeared to be major resumption of political activity since suffering a stroke in April.
U.S. sees ‘troubling’ Iran nuclear moves, seeks steps by Tehran
VIENNA (Reuters) – The United States said on Wednesday it saw “troubling developments” in Iran’s nuclear program and called on the country’s new president to take concrete steps soon to ease concerns about Tehran’s aims.
Bombings at Shi’ite mosque in Baghdad kill at least 33
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A co-ordinated car and suicide bomb attack on a Shi’ite mosque in the Iraqi capital killed at least 33 people on Wednesday evening, police and medical sources said.
Italy PM Letta says borrowing costs at risk as instability continues
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta warned on Wednesday that political turmoil was driving up Italy’s borrowing costs as uncertainty continued over the future of former premier Silvio Berlusconi.
EU’s Barroso attacks UK Conservatives for ‘copying’ UKIP
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) – The president of the European Commission hit out at the leader of the British Conservatives in the European Parliament on Wednesday, saying his party’s copying of the eurosceptic UKIP group risked election defeat.
Putin foe Navalny to challenge Moscow election defeat in court
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent opponent, Alexei Navalny, said on Wednesday he would file hundreds of legal challenges to Moscow mayoral election results he says were rigged to give a Kremlin ally victory.
Sierra Leone minister arrested after accused of raping student
FREETOWN (Reuters) – A deputy minister in Sierra Leone has been sacked and arrested after he was accused of raping a student in his office, state radio said on Wednesday, citing a statement from the president’s office.
