Top news: Egyptians defied curfews in three major cities on Tuesday as clashes with police continued as the head of the Egyptian army warned that unrest could topple the state, the most pointed sign yet of exasperation from the country's most powerful institution.
In his most critical comments to date, Gen. Abdul Fattah el-Sisi, the defense minister, said that "political, economic, social, and security challenges" require united action since disagreements between the Islamist government and their opponents "on running the affairs of the country may lead to the collapse of the state and threatens the future of the coming generations." While there was no immediate indication that the military would move to seize power, el-Sisi's comments puts the military in a difficult bind as it is caught between the government's instructions to put down the unrest and Egyptian's unwillingness to restore calm to the streets.
Responding to a call by President Mohammed Morsy to join a national dialogue, prominent Egyptian politicians in the opposition bickered over who was responsible for the violence, and Mohammed el-Baradei, the former diplomat and failed presidential candidate, called for a unity government that would include members of the opposition.
Despite appealing for calm and granting the police extra powers, Morsy appeared powerless to stop the unrest, fueled by discontent over his regime's sluggishness to implement reforms and death sentences against a group of soccer fans that sent their families and hooligans into the street.
U.S. politics: The U.S. Senate confirmed John Kerry, the democratic senator from Massachusetts and former presidential candidate, as the next secretary of state in a an overwhelming vote, 94-3. Three Republicans -- John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas and James Inhofe of Oklahoma -- voted against the nomination. Kerry voted present.
Middle East
- The bodies of at least 65 people, some with their hands tied behind their backs, were found along the bank of a river in Aleppo, Syria.
- As the number of people who fled the conflict in Syria approaching 1 million, aid leaders are asking for a major boost in funding.
- Israel said it will transfer tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority that it froze last year.
Asia
- The government of Myanmar, also known as Burma, abolished a 25-year ban on public gatherings of more than five people.
- South Korea successfully launched a satellite into space, putting an observational satellite into orbit, for the first time.
- Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard called for a general election on September 14.
Africa
- French forces took control of the airport in Kidal, Mali, as they advance steadily northward.
- A suicide bomber killed two outside the prime minister's residence at the Somali presidential palace.
- A Dutch court rejected four out five allegations that oil-giant Shell was responsible for pollution in the Niger River delta.
Europe
- In the latest sign of worsening relations between the two countries, Russia abanadoned a drug and crime-fighting agreement with the United States.
- Britain said it would increase aid to France and other African nations seeking to quell the Islamist uprising in Mali.
- The downturn of the Spanish economy worsened during the last qurter of 2012 as output fell 1.8 percent on the previous year.
Americas
- A judge at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay is weighing how much access to top secret areas of the detention facility to grant defense lawyers.
- Mexican authorities have broken up a cult along the U.S.-Mexico border alleged to have run a sex-slavery ring.
- Brazilian police said that the use of an outdoor flare likely started a fire at a nightclub in Brazil that killed at least 230.
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