Turkey’s Erdogan moots retrial of military coup plots
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has mooted the retrial of hundreds of army officers convicted of planning his overthrow, in an apparent attempt to discredit rivals he accuses of contriving a corruption crisis to drive him fro…
Egypt police boost security at churches ahead of Coptic Christmas
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian police deployed at churches across the country with orders to use live ammunition to protect Coptic Christians over their Christmas holiday, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.
Tunisian army shells militant mountain hideouts
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s army has shelled militant hideouts near the Algerian border as part of a campaign against hardline Islamists seeking to destabilize the North African country’s fragile transition to democracy.
Thai tensions rise, economy uncertain as power struggle intensifies
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand is heading for a political showdown, with anti-government protesters aiming to sabotage an election by shutting down Bangkok next week, deepening a crisis that has divided the country and looks set to squeeze economic growt…
Iraqi air force strikes city to try to oust al Qaeda
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi government forces battling an al Qaeda offensive near the Syrian border launched an air strike on Ramadi city on Sunday killing 25 Islamist militants, according to local officials.
North Korean execution by dog story likely came from satire
SEOUL (Reuters) – An international media frenzy over reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s uncle had been executed by throwing him to a pack of dogs appears to have originated as satire on a Chinese microblogging website.
African migrants protest at embassies against Israeli detention
TEL AVIV (Reuters) – Several thousand African migrants protested outside Western embassies in Tel Aviv on Monday, demanding freedom for compatriots jailed by Israel in a desert facility under a new open-ended detention law.
Japan’s Abe wants to explain shrine visit to China, Korea
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he wanted to meet Chinese and South Korean leaders to explain why he visited a controversial war shrine, seen by critics as a symbol of Tokyo’s wartime aggression.
Israeli ex-PM Sharon’s condition in steady decline: hospital
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The condition of Israeli former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma since a 2006 stroke, continues to decline, a hospital official said on Monday.
Rodman leaves for North Korea for basketball on leader Kim’s birthday
BEIJING (Reuters) – Former NBA basketball star Dennis Rodman left Beijing for North Korea on Monday with a team of retired basketball players to mark the birthday of “nice guy” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
