CURRENT WORLD ISSUES

Catalonia independence: Puigdemont 'could run if not in jail' 4 hours ago Spain's foreign minister has repeated his government's position that the sacked Catalan leader could run in new elections in December, but stressed that meant only if he was not in jail. Alfonso Dastis spoke as a huge rally for Spanish unity was held in Catalonia's largest city, Barcelona. Carles Puigdemont was removed from office after Madrid stripped Catalonia of autonomy for declaring independence. Spain's central government has now taken control of Catalan institutions. Spain's chief prosecutor is preparing to file criminal charges against Mr Puigdemont and other Catalan officials for breaching Spanish law. This could possibly happen as soon as Monday, the first working day since the independence declaration and the Spanish counter-measures. Mr Puigdemont has said he does not recognize the order from Madrid removing him from power. (Madrid's enforcer for C...

ISIS Reportedly Killed 128 People In Syrian Town Over 3-Week Period The Syrian army recaptured the town on Saturday. BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday that Islamic State  killed at least 128 people in a Syrian town in central Homs  over a three-week period before the Syrian army recaptured it on Saturday. There was no immediate comment from Syrian government officials or state media on the report by the Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor. Syrian troops and allied forces regained control of al-Qaryatayn town “after eliminating terrorist Daesh (Islamic State) groups that had infiltrated it,” state media said on Saturday. Earlier this month, the Observatory said IS fighters had seized the town from government forces, part of a counter-attack by the jihadists who have come under intense pressure in eastern Syria. At least 83 people were killed in the 48 hours before the Syrian army retook the town, the wa...

Double standards: 'Why aren't we all with Somalia?' Almost 300 people were killed when a  powerful bomb  blast ripped through Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, on Saturday. The attack marked the deadliest assault the country has ever witnessed. Somalia  has entered a three-day national mourning period for the victims, with around 300 more people also injured in the blast. Dozens are missing, hospitals are running out of blood and anger is growing.  But social media users have asked: Where is the collective outrage? The attack in Somalia came little more than one week after a deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, but many noted a quieter response to events in Mogadishu. "The world is unfair; social media can attest to that. 276 died in Somalia and we aren't doing the same thing we did when it was Las Vegas," tweeted Eke van Victor. "We mourn with Somalia. 276 dead. 300 hurt. We confess that our tears are often limited to the West....