Merkel eyes social cohesion as she presses for new government
BERLIN (Reuters) – Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, under pressure after three months of failing to form a new ruling coalition, on Sunday vowed to address growing social divisions as she worked rapidly to build a stable German government.
Street protests hit Tehran, 2 demonstrators reported killed in western Iran
DUBAI (Reuters) – Street protests hit Iran for a third day running on Saturday, spreading to the capital Tehran with crowds confronting police and attacking some state buildings, and a social media report said two demonstrators had been shot dead in a …
Congo orders internet and SMS cut ahead of anti-government demonstrations
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo’s government on Saturday ordered telecommunications providers to cut internet and SMS services across the country ahead of planned anti-government demonstrations.
Turkey’s Erdogan to discuss Syria with Macron in Paris – source
PARIS (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will visit Paris on Jan. 5 to meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, with the conflict in Syria high on the agenda, a source in the French president’s office said on Saturday.
Christians in shock after deadly attack on Coptic Church in Egypt
CAIRO (Reuters) – At an hour that Sama’an Farag usually spends leisurely sipping his morning tea, the doorman at the Mar Mina Coptic Church near Cairo found himself springing up to close the doors upon hearing gunshots and the sound of ricocheting bull…
Former Catalan leader urges Spain to accept secessionist election win
MADRID (Reuters) – Catalonia’s former leader Carles Puigdemont on Saturday urged Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to accept the results of a Dec. 21 local election which gave a slim majority to parties favoring a split of the northeastern region fr…
Greek government applies for cancellation of asylum granted to Turkish soldier
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – The Greek government said on Saturday that it had filed a request for the cancellation of the asylum granted to a Turkish soldier accused of involvement in last year’s coup attempt.
Blaze in Manchester apartment block brought under control
LONDON (Reuters) – Firefighters battled a blaze in an apartment block in central Manchester, northern England, on Saturday, with one person taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
Turkey says Greece granting asylum to alleged coup plotter will affect ties
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey said on Saturday a Greek court’s granting of asylum to a Turkish soldier accused of a role in last year’s coup attempt would affect bilateral relations and cooperation on regional issues.
Mali’s Keita names ex-defense and foreign minister as PM
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Saturday appointed Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga – a former defense and foreign minister and intelligence chief – as the new prime minister, according to a decree read on state television.
