Erdogan rallies Turks to thwart ‘plot’ against nation’s success
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urged Turks to rally around him in fighting what he termed a dirty plot by foreign-backed elements targeting “the bread on your table, the money in your pocket, the sweat of your brow”.
Revelers usher in 2014 with fireworks and fruit mist
NEW YORK (Reuters) – From Sydney to London to San Francisco, revelers welcomed 2014 with extravagant fireworks displays, giant street parties and, in a new departure, fruit-flavored mist.
Egyptian police fire tear gas at protesters near Defense Ministry
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of pro-Islamist protesters demonstrating near the Defense Ministry in Cairo on Wednesday, state media said.
Stop the wars, pope says in New Year appeal
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis made an impassioned New Year’s peace address on Wednesday, saying the heart of humanity seemed to have gone astray and too many people were still indifferent to war, violence and injustice.
Coup-leader president’s candidate poised to win Madagascar vote
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – The candidate backed by Madagascar’s coup-leader President Andry Rajoelina held on Wednesday an apparently unassailable lead in the island’s run-off vote, which his rival’s camp has said was rigged.
Saudi morality police may relax rules on prayer times: paper
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s morality police may relax the kingdom’s strict rules on closing shops and businesses for prayer five times a day, the force’s head Sheikh Abdulatif Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying by local press on Wednesday.
Lawyers claim fraud as Pakistan’s Musharraf goes on trial for treason
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Lawyers argued Wednesday that former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf could not receive a fair trial on treason charges, a case that could test the relationship between an increasingly assertive civilian government and th…
Thai PM returns to Bangkok as protest showdown looms
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Embattled Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra returned to the capital, Bangkok, on Wednesday for traditional New Year celebrations in a display of unity alongside military chiefs before a looming showdown with anti-government pr…
Japan minister follows Abe to war shrine, pouring salt on wound for China
TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese cabinet member visited a shrine seen by critics as a symbol of Tokyo’s wartime aggression on Wednesday, pouring salt on a fresh wound after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s pilgrimage there last week drew sharp criticism from Ch…
Thousands march in Hong Kong in escalating battle for democracy
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Thousands protested in Hong Kong on Wednesday pressing China to allow full democracy in the city as a battle intensifies over Beijing’s attempts to control the outcome of a planned direct election for the city’s leader in 2017.
