President unhurt in blast on boat

The president of the Maldives was unhurt but his wife and two aides were injured in an explosion on a boat as it approached Male, the capital of the Indian Ocean archipelago, a senior aide said.

Catalan separatists triumph but face problems

Pro-independence parties claim their victory in Catalan regional elections gives them a mandate to continue with plans to break away from Spain but opposition parties and the mainstream media noted on Monday that parties opposed to independence took 52 percent of the votes.

Bombings were 'revenge' for human-smuggling crackdown

The two bombing attacks in Bangkok in August were in retaliation for the Thai government's suppression of human-trafficking gangs, authorities said on Monday.

Clashes at holy site as Jewish holiday starts

New clashes broke out on Monday between Palestinians and Israeli police who stormed Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, as an expected increase in Jewish visitors to the site over the Sukkot holiday boosted tensions.

'Super blood moon' awes world

Skygazers were treated to a rare astronomical event on Monday when a swollen "supermoon" and lunar eclipse combined for the first time in decades, showing Earth's satellite bathed in blood-red light.

Crowd of thousands protests corruption

Tens of thousands of Moldovans took to the streets on Sunday in the capital, Chisinau, calling for early elections as the country continues to be rocked by a 1-billion-euro banking scandal.

Putin doesn't plan to employ combat troops in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia had no plans "right now" to put combat troops on the ground in Syria, but will continue backing the Syrian government.

Iran's leader says Assad must keep power

Iran's president says Syrian leader Bashar Assad must remain in power to fight extremist groups like the Islamic State group, and must not be weakened.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Iran demands apology for hajj deaths

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded on Sunday that Saudi Arabia apologize for a stampede that killed nearly 770 pilgrims at the hajj, at least 144 of them Iranians.

Russia, Iran, Syria cooperating in Iraq

Iraq said on Saturday that its military officials were engaged in intelligence and security cooperation in Baghdad with Russia, Iran and Syria to counter threats from Islamic State extremists, a pact that could raise concerns in Washington.

France expands airstrikes to Syria

France launched its first airstrikes in Syria to expand its military operations against Islamic State extremists, President Francois Hollande's office said on Sunday.