Stop now, Prime Minister Erdogan tells Turkish protesters

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan demanded on Friday an immediate end to a week of anti-government unrest, saying the protests which erupted over the redevelopment of an Istanbul park had been founded on a "campaign of lies".

Defending the wide use of tear gas in a police crackdown, Erdogan said similar action had been taken during protests in European countries such as Greece, as well as in the United States. Erdogan flew back to a country rocked by its worst unrest for decades in the early hours and declared before a sea of flag-waving supporters at Istanbul airport: "These protests must end immediately." (Reuters)