AFP, Samarkand
Uzbekistan bade farewell to President Islam Karimov at a high-security funeral on Saturday, after his death plunged the country into the greatest period of uncertainty in its post-Soviet history with no clear successor to the iron-fisted ruler.
Karimov, 78, was pronounced dead late Friday after he suffered a stroke last weekend and fell into a coma, authorities said, following days of speculation that officials were delaying making his death public.
Kurdish rebels kill 11 Turkish soldiers
AFP, Ankara
Militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) killed 10 Turkish soldiers and a village guardsman in two separate incidents in Turkey, state media reported on Saturday.
Eight Turkish soldiers were killed during clashes with rebels in the eastern province of Van on Friday, the governor’s office said, quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu.
Scotland revives independence bid
Reuters, Scotland
Scotland voted against independence just two years ago, but the nation is once again considering leaving the United Kingdom in the wake of its historic June vote to leave the European Union.
A 62-percent majority of Scottish voters had opted to remain in the EU, putting Scotland at odds with England, which voted to stay. In order to measure public interest in revisiting the independence question, the Scottish National Party (SNP) plans to conduct research to measure public opinion on the topic by conducting doorstep interviews and surveys with two million of Scotland’s 5.3 million population by the end of November.
Series of anti-Brexit rallies planned in UK
AP, London
A series of rallies is planned in Britain to oppose plans to leave the European Union.
The protesters seek a “pause” in the Brexit process and a continuation of close cultural and economic ties with Europe. More public consultation is sought before the government starts what are expected to be protracted negotiations.
Rallies are planned Saturday in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham and other cities.
