Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threw down the gauntlet to his rivals, including “spies” and “traitors” Dec. 22, warning them against using allegations of high-level corruption to undermine his rule or he would “break their hands.” 

The police in Turkey’s Istanbul fired rubber bullets, tear gas andwater cannon to disperse more than 10,000 anti-government protesters on Sunday. An eyewitness said five people were injured and one had a heart attack during thedemonstration supported by more than 200 political parties, associations and platforms inthe country.

Turkey and Moldova have agreed to speed up ties in order to create a strategic partnership and a free trade agreement, TurkishPresident Abdullah Gül said yesterday, after he met with Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.