Top news: Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday in the sixth straight day of protests over President Mohamed Morsy's decree expanding his powers and barring other authorities from overturning his decisions. Police clashed with protesters on Tuesday after tens of thousands of people took to the streets, in scenes that recalled the revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak last year.
The country's Cassation and Appeals courts have suspended their work until the Supreme Constitutional Court issues a ruling on Morsy's decree -- a decision that could come in a matter of days.
Egypt's prime minister is convening the cabinet to discuss the crisis, while Morsy's opponents are calling for a mass demonstration on Friday. The Muslim Brotherhood postponed a planned rally on Tuesday so as not to stoke more "public tension."
Afghanistan: An independent report on fraud at Kabul Bank found that bank officials smuggled hundreds of millions of dollars out of Afghanistan and called the collapse of the institution "one of the largest banking failures in the world." The study also claimed that Afghan political figures have interfered in the criminal investigation into the scandal.
Europe
- The European Commission approved a $48 billion bailout for four Spanish banks.
- A growing number of European countries have expressed support for a Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations.
- More than 80 lawmakers in the United Kingdom defended press freedom in a letter published in two British newspapers.
Americas
- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned to Cuba for more medical treatment after struggling with cancer.
- Mexican President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto met with Barack Obama at the White House.
- Four military servicewomen filed a federal lawsuit to overturn the Pentagon's ban on women assuming direct combat roles.
Middle East
- Two car bombings outside the Syrian capital reportedly killed 34 people.
- Gunmen reportedly killed a Saudi Arabian diplomat and his Yemeni bodyguard in Yemen's capital.
- Saudi Arabian security forces detained protesters who staged a demonstration outside the offices of the Human Rights Commission.
Africa
- Congo's M23 rebels have pledged to retreat from the captured city of Goma.
- Sierra Leone's main opposition party threatened to boycott parliament and local councils over concerns about fraud in the country's recent election.
- Four Ugandan terrorism suspects accused the FBI of physically abusing them.
Asia
- Police in Bangladesh arrested three managers at a garment factory that suffered a deadly fire.
- At least five Tibetans have self-immolated in the past few days.
- The Philippines joined several other Asian countries in opposing a controversial new Chinese passport.
AFP/Getty Images
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