Sudanese urge protests on crackdown

Bahrain protesters were gearing up for a mass rally Friday to honour the seven victims of a deadly police crackdown as an anti-regime campaign entered its 12th day.After days of angry protests, demonstrators milled about Pearl Square, the epicentre of the movement, early Friday waving the red-and-white flag of Bahrain, an AFP correspondent said.Many protesters, mainly Shiites demanding an end to the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty which has ruled for two centuries, were chatting, preparing food, or relaxing in the tent city that has sprung up in the square.

Egypt on Tuesday announced the arrest of the supreme leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, dealing a serious blow to the Islamist group at a time when it is struggling to keep up its street protests against the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in the face of a harsh crackdown by authorities.

Egypt’s top prosecutor Wednesday referred toppled Islamist president Mohammed Morsi to trial on charges he conspired with the Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and others to carry out a campaign of terrorist violence to destabilize the country after his ouster. The charges, which carry a potential death penalty, are the most sweeping and heaviest accusations yet in charges levelled against the Brotherhood.

JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/Getty ImagesThis picture taken on November 28, 2013 shows Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Vilnius. KYIV, Ukraine — In the midst of Ukraine’s unen

Turkey — Two Canadian journalists were detained by police Wednesday while covering the ongoing protests in Istanbul. Sasa Petricic and Derek Stoffel, who work for CBC, have made contact with their employer and “say they’re OK,” the broadcaster reported.

Protests in Turkey continued for the fourth straight day on Monday. And for the fourth straight day, Turkish police were on the offensive.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - When he was agitating for revolution, urging fellow Syrians to rise up against President Bashar al-Assad, Abdullah dreaded the midnight knock at the door from the secret police. Now that the uprising has succeeded in his home town near Aleppo, pro-democracy activists are living in fear again - and this time those who brand them "traitor" don't bother to knock.

Egypt’s top prosecutor referred Sunday ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to trial on charges of inciting the killing of opponents protesting outside his palace while he was in office, the state news agency said. The military ousted Morsi on July 3 after millions took to the street demanding he step down. He’s been held incommunicado since. Despite other accusations by prosecutors, Sunday’s decision is his first referral to trial. No date was announced for the trial.