Insight: Erdogan wounded, not felled, by Turkish protests
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Tayyip Erdogan has walked Turkey’s political stage unchallenged for a decade, bringing powerful generals to heel and driving economic success that has changed the face of the country, spreading its influence across the region.
Egypt demands Ethiopia halt Nile dam, upping stakes
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt will demand Ethiopia stop building a dam on one of the main tributaries of the Nile, a senior government aide said on Wednesday, ramping up a confrontation over the project that Egypt fears will affect its main source of water.
Yemen launches assaults on al Qaeda, several killed
ADEN (Reuters) – At least 11 people were killed in Yemeni army operations against al Qaeda-linked militants on Wednesday, including an offensive in eastern Yemen, where fighters had declared their aim to set up an Islamist state.
NATO faults Russia over South Ossetia fence, also chides Georgia
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday it was unacceptable for Russian forces to put up a fence on the border of Georgia’s breakaway province of South Ossetia, believing it could further inflame tensions in the region.
North Korean defector’s “impossible” dream of closing prison camps
GENEVA (Reuters) – North Korea’s best-known defector, Shin Dong-hyuk, dreams of making the “impossible” happen one day – ridding his secretive homeland of the kind of brutal prison camps he says he was born and raised in before a dramatic escape in 200…
Egypt prosecutor orders trial for leading activists
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s public prosecutor referred a group of 12 political activists to trial on Wednesday on charges of inciting violence near the Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters in March, the state news agency reported.
Bosnia strikes temporary deal to allow registration of babies
SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Bosnia’s government agreed to temporarily allow the registration of newborn babies on Wednesday, following a protest by young parents angry over the latest example of political paralysis in the troubled Balkan country.
Assad troops triumphant on conquered town’s deserted streets
QUSAIR, Syria (Reuters) – Apart from a bullet-scarred clock tower that somehow survived the battle, few buildings still stood on Wednesday in the ruined streets of the former rebel stronghold of Qusair, seized hours earlier by Syrian President Bashar a…
Libya to move four state companies to Benghazi
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya said on Wednesday the headquarters of three more state firms as well as the state energy corporation would move from Tripoli to the eastern city of Benghazi, in a measure intended to devolve more authority to the oil-rich regi…
Iranians hold rare political protest at cleric’s funeral : videos
DUBAI (Reuters) – A funeral for a dissident Iranian cleric turned into a rare anti-government protest, videos posted online showed, with thousands of mourners chanting for the release of detained opposition leaders.
