Syria: Experts shot dead on way to work

Five nuclear scientists and electric engineers were killed near Damascus when gunmen opened fire on their bus as they travelled to work at the Scientific Research Centre, local media reported yesterday.

The pro-government al-Watan newspaper suggested that the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front was behind the attack, which took place on Sunday.

Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the nuclear engineers was an Iranian national.

Yemen: Dozen killed in ongoing clashes

Tribal and military officials reported the deaths yesterday of at least nine Shi’ite rebels and four armed tribesmen in clashes near Radda in the centre of the country.

The clashes are part of ongoing confrontations in the area between local tribes, al-Qaida militants and Shi’ite rebels known as Houthis.
Tribal officials said that the latest violence began yesterday morning when the Houthis advanced, sparking clashes.

Romania: Expat poll mess unseats minister

Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean stepped down yesterday amid complaints that Romanians living abroad had been unable to vote in presidential elections.

Romanians in Paris, London, Munich and elsewhere complained of having to queue for hours and being unable to vote in the November 2 election.

Thousands of people protested at the weekend against the government, accusing it of having prevented expats from voting.

Libya: Pair arrested over Bayda car bombs

Two suspects have been arrested in connection with twin car bombings on Sunday in the eastern city of Bayda, a senior Libyan security official said yesterday.

Top security officials were holding a meeting in the city at the time, the official said.

The two suspects are from the eastern city of Darna, where extremists pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group last month, he said.

United States: Mumia fights gagging law

Political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal and his supporters filed a federal lawsuit yesterday to overturn a new Pennsylvania law they says violates convicts’ free-speech rights.

The new law allows violent-crime victims to take legal action when an offender’s conduct “perpetuates the continuing effect of the crime.”

Governor Tom Corbett signed the measure into law last month boasting of his intention of curbing the “obscene celebrity” cultivated by convicts like Mr Abu-Jamal, who denies killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1991.

Spain: Secession poll ‘gives mandate’ to Mas

Catalan regional president Artur Mas claimed a mandate yesterday to pursue his goal of independence for Catalonia following a non-binding vote on secession from Spain.

With 97 per cent of votes counted, the regional government said more than 2.2 million people out of an electorate of 5.4 million had voted and of those more than 80 per cent opted to break away.

Sunday’s poll sends a message that “Catalonia wants to decide its own future,” said regional government spokesman Francesc Homs.

South Korea: Shots fired at North’s troops on border

South Korean troops fired warning shots across the border with North Korea yesterday, claiming that soldiers had approached too close to the fence.

About 10 North Korean soldiers retreated without returning fire after South Korean troops fired 20 rounds of warning shots, said officials in Seoul.

They claimed to have detected North Korean soldiers approaching the border several times this year, but this was only the second time that warning shots were fired.