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.

Fresh clashes break out in Jerusalem

Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday morning, firing rubber-coated bullets at "rioters" amid fresh clashes at the flashpoint site, police said. A police spokesperson said masked Palestinian youths "threw stones and firecrackers at police and border police forces" who responded with "riot dispersal means".

Government orders VW to set compliance timetable

German authorities gave Volkswagen a deadline of Oct 7 to set out a timeline for bringing all its diesel cars in line with national pollution standards, a newspaper reported on Sunday.