10 things you need to know today: October 14, 2014

1. Iran's president says a nuclear deal is coming

Iran and the West are on track to make a deal regarding the country's controversial nuclear program ahead of a Nov. 24 deadline, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Monday. "A nuclear settlement is certain," said Rouhani, a moderate elected by a landslide 14 months ago. "There are only the fine details to be worked out," Diplomats from the U.S., Iran, and the European Union will meet in Vienna this week to resume talks.

Reuters

2. CDC reviews infection control policies at hospitals after Ebola infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reviewing how health officials screen and control infections at hospitals after a nurse contracted Ebola while treating the first person diagnosed in the U.S. with the deadly virus. CDC chief Thomas Frieden urged hospitals to "think Ebola" and ordered a review of procedures to control infections. Health officials are monitoring 50 people who had contact with the Dallas nurse — identified as Nina Pham, 26 — who was the first person to contract Ebola in the U.S.

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The New York Times The Associated Press

3. Vatican panel calls for respect for same-sex and unmarried couples

A panel of Catholic bishops convened by Pope Francis on Monday signaled a softening of the Vatican's positions on gays, unmarried couples, and divorced Catholics, saying that the church must "turn respectfully" toward unmarried and gay couples and show appreciation for their unions' "positive values." Vatican experts said the comments amounted to a historic shift moving the Vatican's long rigid policies on sexuality and marriage into the mainstream.

The Washington Post

4. U.K. parliament recognizes Palestine as a state in a symbolic vote

British lawmakers on Monday overwhelmingly approved a non-binding motion to recognize a Palestinian state. The 274-12 vote came after five hours of debate. The move was symbolic, however, as it will not force the U.K.'s government to change its policy requiring a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians before extending official recognition to Palestine as a state.

Haaretz

5. Kim Jong Un appears in public for the first time since early September

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared in public on Tuesday for the first time since Sept. 3, the official KCNA news agency reported. Kim's absence from public events had been fueling increasing speculation that he was gravely ill or had been pushed from power in a coup. Official media had previously said that the 32-year-old leader had been suffering unspecified personal "discomfort," but the secretive communist regime's ambassador in London said Sunday Kim was in good health.

BBC News

6. Minnesota abuse victims settle their lawsuit with the Catholic church

Clergy sex-abuse victims in Minnesota reached a settlement with Catholic church leaders, both sides announced Monday. The agreement will end a lawsuit that was headed for trial in November in which the victims accused the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona of failing to warn parishioners about an abusive priest. The settlement requires church leaders to enact measures to protect children, including prevent clergy members credibly accused of abuse from working with minors.

The Associated Press

7. Catalan leaders scrap independence referendum plan

The government of Spain's Catalonia region on Monday called off an independence referendum. The national government in Madrid was staunchly opposed to the vote, which it called illegal because the country's constitution requires all voters across the country to have a say in any question of secession. The Catalan nationalist government of Artur Mas is expected to announce an alternative proposal on Tuesday.

The Guardian

8. Police dismantle protester barricades and clear a main road in Hong Kong

Hundreds of Hong Kong police took down pro-democracy protesters' barricades using sledgehammers and chainsaws on Tuesday to reopen a major road that had been closed since demonstrators took to the streets two weeks ago. On Monday night, bankers, office workers, and other supporters gathered to help build makeshift barriers around the main protest camp to keep authorities from shutting it down. The mostly student-led protesters are demanding free elections and the resignation of the Chinese-controlled city's chief executive.

The New York Times

9. Police arrest more than 50 protesting Ferguson police shooting

Police in the St. Louis area arrested more than 50 people on Monday during the latest protests of the fatal shooting of an unarmed African-American teen, Michael Brown, by a white police officer two months ago. The people arrested included ministers and out-of-town activists, including author Cornel West. Some of the protesters at the flash-mob held signs saying, "Black lives matter."

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

10. Underwater earthquake hits off El Salvador

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck under the Pacific Ocean on Monday, 108 miles off the coast of El Salvador. At least one person was killed in San Salvador, when an electrical pole fell on him. The quake, which was felt across Central America, also did some damage to structures. Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to seek higher ground, but no waves were reported.

CBS News