U.S. says ‘very concerned’ about unrest in Egypt: State Department
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is ‘very concerned’ about the situation in Egypt, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday of the sweeping protests surrounding a stand-off between Egypt’s armed forces and Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.
New Tunisian protest movement takes cue from Egypt
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian opposition activists have launched their own version of Egypt’s Tamarud protest movement, whose campaign to remove President Mohamed Mursi drew millions onto the streets and led to an army ultimatum for the Islamist leader to…
Anti-Muslim acts rising in France, rights group says
PARIS (Reuters) – Anti-Muslim attacks and insults have risen steadily in France in recent years as some politicians and media increasingly present Islam as a problem for French society, a Muslim rights group said on Wednesday.
Dutch parliament to investigate Prism allegations
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Dutch parliament will investigate whether alleged eavesdropping by the United States extended to the Netherlands, after a majority of lawmakers indicated on Wednesday they would back a full parliamentary inquiry.
Police, workers exhume Mandela’s children
MVEZO, South Africa (Reuters) – Workers armed with pick-axes and a court order broke into the compound of Nelson Mandela’s grandson on Wednesday to exhume the remains of three of the anti-apartheid hero’s children, a new twist in a row that has split S…
Egypt army deploys around president’s barracks, supporters
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Egyptian army erected barbed wire and barriers around a barracks where embattled President Mohamed Mursi was working and deployed armored vehicles and troops to prevent his supporters marching from a nearby rally to his palace, wi…
Turkish court blocks disputed park project
(Reuters) – A Turkish court has canceled an Istanbul building project backed by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan which provided the trigger for nationwide anti-government demonstrations last month, a copy of the court decision showed.
Mursi aide sees violence from ‘coup’ under way
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Egyptian president’s national security adviser said on Wednesday that a “military coup” was under way and army and police violence was expected to remove pro-Mursi demonstrators.
Belgian King Albert II to step down in favor of son
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium’s King Albert II said on Wednesday he would abdicate and leave the throne to his son on July 21, saying he felt too old to carry out his duties properly.
With eye on election, India launches huge cheap food scheme
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The Indian government launched a $22 billion welfare scheme on Wednesday to give cheap food to hundreds of millions of people, a centerpiece of the ruling Congress party’s plan to win a third term in elections due by May 2014.