Egypt Clashes Turn Deadly As Troops Open Fire

By Dominic Waghorn, Sky News Correspondent, in Cairo

At least 36 people in Egypt have died and over 1,000 were hurt in fierce clashes between supporters and opponents of deposed president Mohamed Morsi.

Supporters of the former leader marched to the Cairo barracks of the Republican Guard chanting "down with military rule" after a Muslim Brotherhood rally at the city's Rabea al Adaweya mosque.

Shots were fired as protesters hung pictures of Mr Morsi on a barbed wire barrier around the military complex. At least three demonstrators were shot by the military.

Downtown Cairo witnessed the same street battles played out two-and-a-half years ago, this time with Morsi supporters fighting their enemies with rocks, clubs and fireworks. One person was killed in their clashes.

Following the violence, the country's interim president Adli Mansour held talks with General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi - the army chief who is also defence minister - and interior minister Mohammed Ibrahim who is in charge of the police.

It was the first time Mr Mansour has worked from the president's main offices since he was sworn-in on Thursday, after the military overthrew Mr Morsi - the country's first democratically elected president.

An anti-Morsi protester with evidence of gun cartridges

A pro-Morsi crowd crossed the Sixth Of October bridge heading towards Tahrir Square, provoking a fierce confrontation.

The Egyptian army said troops were responding only with blank rounds and tear gas.

However, anti-Morsi youths showed Sky News what their enemies had done to them, brandishing used shotgun cartridges and pellet wounds.

"They are terrorists and we should get rid of them," they said. "They're using automatic weapons and shotguns."

Egyptian elite soldiers guard a military building in Cairo

The atmosphere was febrile. Changing in a second. Turning from triumphant to panicked, as the crowd scattered thinking their attackers had returned.

"The Muslim Brotherhood is coming here beating us shooting us," said one man. "We're here, we're alone and we need someone to  help us."

As if to answer him, military armoured personnel carriers appeared from the gloom.

But this isn't a conflict against foreign invaders, it's between Egyptians.

The anti-Morsi crowd screamed curses against the ousted president venting their fury, and relief then turned against us, the Sky News crew, mistaking us for Americans.

A hurried explanation gave us time to escape.

More than 200 people have been wounded nationwide, according to officials

There are now two armies of protesters on the streets of Cairo - enraged and out for vengeance, determined to prevail.

Violence also erupted in cities of southern Egypt, along the Suez Canal and in the Nile Delta, with officials reporting more than 200 people injured. Four were killed in the northern Sinai city of el Arish, where Islamists stormed a government building.

Egypt's ambulance authority said 36 people had died nationwide, including 12 people in clashes in Alexandria. Most of the fatalities were from gunshot wounds.

It came after the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies called for protesters to take to the streets on the Muslim day of prayer for what it described as a "Friday of Rage".

The leader of the Brotherhood called for followers to remain peaceful but he vowed to restore power to Mr Morsi, who was ousted in a military coup earlier this week, a year after being elected to office.

Meanwhile, lawyers for ex-president Hosni Mubarak entered a not guilty plea as his retrial for alleged complicity in the killings of protesters in 2011 resumed.

The 85-year-old former leader appeared in the dock behind bars, wearing dark sunglasses and a white prison uniform.

During the televised hearing, Cairo's criminal court heard submissions by the defence before proceedings were adjourned  until August 17.

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Father In Court Over Daughter's Murder

The father of an 11-year-old girl found strangled at her home has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Rebecca Thompson was discovered at the house in Holmefield Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire, on Saturday, June 22.

Her father Simon Thompson, 52, was taken to hospital after being involved in a car crash in the early hours of the same day.

He has now appeared at Hatfield Magistrates' Court, where he was remanded in custody.

Rebecca's headteacher paid tribute to the schoolgirl.

In a statement, Rita Cooper, head of Sacred Heart Primary School, said: "It is with great sadness that we heard of the death of Rebecca who was in Year Six at Sacred Heart.

"Rebecca was a lovely girl who was hard-working and did well in her learning. She was looking forward to secondary school.

"The whole school is very distressed by this tragedy and our thoughts are with her family and friends."

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Islamic Militants Kill 30 In Nigeria School Attack

Armed Islamic militants have killed 29 students and an English teacher in an attack on a boarding school in northeastern Nigeria.

Survivors being treated for burns and gunshot wounds said some students were burned alive in the attack on Saturday which has been blamed on a radical terror group.

Gunmen, believed to be from Islamist sect Boko Haram, stormed the premises of Government Secondary School in Mamudo town in Yobe state at around 3am, setting fire to parts of the complex.

Dozens of children from the 1,200-student school escaped into the bush and have not been seen since.

Parents rushed to the school and screamed in anguish as they tried to identify the charred and dead bodies of the victims.

Mohammed Musa, who taught English at the school, died after he was shot in the chest.

One 15-year-old who survived the attack told of how he awoke to find a gun in his face.

Speaking at Potsikum General Hospital, Musa Hassan said: "We were sleeping when we heard gunshots. When I woke up, someone was pointing a gun at me."

He put up his hands in defence and was shot in his right hand, the one he uses to write with, he said.

He said the gunmen came armed with jerry cans of fuel that they used to torch the school's administrative block and one of the hostels.

"They burned the children alive," he added.

Farmer Malam Abdullahi found the bodies of two of his sons, a 10-year-old shot in the back as he apparently tried to run away, and a 12-year-old shot in the chest.

He said he planned to withdraw his three remaining sons from another school nearby.

"That's it, I'm taking my other boys out of school," he said.

He complained there was no protection for students despite the deployment of thousands of troops since the government declared a state of emergency mid-May in three northeastern states.

"It's not safe," he said. "The gunmen are attacking schools and there is no protection for students despite all the soldiers," he added.

Dozens of schools have been torched and unknown scores of students killed among more than 1,600 victims slain by extremists since 2010.

More follows...

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Third Of Children Think Of Suicide By 16

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Almost a third of children have considered or attempted suicide by the time they turn 16, according to a new survey.

Research for the new mental health charity MindFull also shows that 29% had self-harmed because they felt "down".

The charity is so alarmed by the finding that it is offering 11 to 17-year-olds immediate access to free online counselling with professionals and says it will be working with schools to educate young people on how to cope with mental health issues.

The YouGov poll of over 2,000 young people found almost half of those suffering from depression failed to get the support they needed.

Emma-Jane Cross, founder of the charity, said children are being let down or simply ignored by those they turn to.

She said: "It's unacceptable that so many are having to resort to harming themselves on purpose in order to cope, or worse still are thinking about ending their own lives.

"Early intervention is proven to help prevent adult mental health problems, so swift action must be taken now if we are to avoid a legacy of serious long-term mental illness."

According to the charity, many young children feel down because of stress at school, because they are worried about their future and because they feel they are not "good enough".

Nearly a third said they had thought about or attempted to end their life

April Plater began self harming at the age of 12, cutting her arms, legs and even face as a release from her depression.

She was overwhelmed by problems at home and school, but people she turned to dismissed them as just "teenage troubles".

Now 17, she told Sky News: "After a while of self harming I wasn't getting the release I was originally.

"It was almost like an addiction. So then the suicidal thoughts started to come, because I wasn't getting that satisfaction and I was still not talking about my issues."

Labour leader Ed Miliband and psychologist Tanya Byron are supporting the charity.

Professor Byron said: "Just as we look after our children's physical health, it's vital that we also offer support for their mental wellbeing.

"Children and young people are clearly not getting the help they need and that's why this new online support from MindFull is so important."

:: The Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope, round the clock, every single day of the year. Call 08457 90 90 90, email jo@samaritans.org or find local branch details at www.samaritans.org.

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Egypt Braced For Violence Amid Coup Protests

Muslim Brotherhood's Future

Updated: 2:29pm UK, Thursday 04 July 2013

Some 300 leaders rounded up, gone into hiding or facing travel bans; its Supreme Guide and his deputy labelled as wanted men - Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is reeling and leaderless.

Why, then, would Adli Mansour, the new Egyptian president, reach out to it, saying that it is "invited to take part in political life - they should not be excluded"?

Oddly enough, there is nothing inconsistent about such inconsistencies.

The Supreme Council for the Armed Forces, headed by the man who led the coup against former president Mohamed Morsi, is made up of officers who have spent their careers being indoctrinated with the view that the Brotherhood is a dangerous threat to the Egyptian state.

So rounding up its members, just like they did under Hosni Mubarak and his predecessors as far back as 1954 when the Brotherhood was banned, comes easily.

But the caretaker president knows that the movement is the most effective and widely spread political group in Egypt.

The Brotherhood, even driven underground, will remain a potent if not the most potent force in Egyptian politics.

It has renounced violence. So, although there were bloodcurdling references as the coup unfolded to members being prepared to die to protect the presidency, they chose instead to wait and see what would happen.

So far, what they have seen has frightened them.

"We have gone back to the days of Mubarak. People have gone underground, they are afraid that they will lose their jobs or face persecution, be jailed without charge - just like in the old days," said a Brotherhood activist who said he was in hiding and asked to remain anonymous.

"We don't know what to do next. Our leaders have been silenced and our communities don't know whether they should take to the streets, try to win the next election, or start fighting," he added.

More extreme groups from the Islamic firmament - such as the Dawa movement of Salafists who are dedicated to establishing strict Sharia law - have abandoned the Brotherhood.

Dawa may see an opportunity in the Brotherhood's dark hours to pick up followers. Its members have been ordered to stay away from demonstrations and return to their homes so they can be distinguished from Mr Morsi's supporters.

Such a calculation is unlikely to prove sound - Dawa is more likely to be seen as a sell-out.

The Brotherhood leaders have been in jail before but the movement has survived.

Come the elections promised by the new incumbent in the presidential palace, the movement can expect a strong showing - that is if it's really going to be invited back to Egypt's political party.

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Azelle Rodney 'Unlawfully Killed' By Police

An inquiry into the death of a man shot dead by police eight years ago has concluded that he was unlawfully killed.

Azelle Rodney, who was 24, died after the car he was in was stopped by armed officers in London.

An official report found the police marksman who shot Mr Rodney had no reason to believe he had picked up a weapon - so there was "no lawful justification" for killing him.

The officer who fired the fatal shots could now face criminal charges after the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander said the report backed her view that her son was "executed" and demanded an apology from Scotland Yard.

Former High Court judge Sir Christopher Holland released his findings following the public inquiry into the shooting in Edgware, north London in 2005.

The VW Golf in which the victim was travelling with two other men was stopped by officers who feared the trio were on their way to stage an armed heist on Colombian drug dealers and had an automatic weapon capable of firing 1,000 rounds per minute.

Mr Rodney was shot six times, once each in the arm and back and four times in the head.

Sir Christopher's critical conclusions raise the possibility of the officer, known only as E7, facing criminal charges for the shooting.

He found that even if the armed officer believed Mr Rodney had picked up a weapon, it was disproportionate to fire the four fatal head shots.

Mr Rodney's family and legal team spoke out after the report was published

E7 told the inquiry that he had seen Mr Rodney start moving around, reaching down and then coming back up with his shoulders hunched.

But Sir Christopher's report dismissed this account, which was also contradicted by eyewitnesses.

It said: "E7's accounts of what he saw are not to be accepted. Prior to firing he did not believe that the man who turned out to be Azelle Rodney had picked up a gun and was about to use it.

"Further, on the basis of what he was able to see, he could not rationally have believed that."

The officer has written to the inquiry to claim that the findings against him are " irrational".

Three guns were found in the Golf - a Colt .45 calibre pistol, a Baikal pistol and a smaller gun that looked like a key fob.

The Colt was not loaded, the Baikal was loaded but was not cocked and the safety catch was on, and the key fob gun was loaded, cocked and the safety catch was off.

Sir Christopher found that Operation Tayport, which led to Mr Rodney's death, was not run in a way that would minimise the threat to life.

He also concluded that the "hard stop" on the Golf "fell short of the standards set by the MPS".

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the Met "deeply regrets" the killing

Drivers were not supposed to deliberately ram the suspect car but two of the police cars did.

The firearms officers were also supposed to be wearing police caps, but the two that could be seen in a video of the shooting were not.

Two officers also fired rounds into the tyres of the Golf after it had been rammed and hemmed in by unmarked police cars.

Sir Christopher has recommended that Scotland Yard now nominates a senior officer to carry out a review of the operation.

Speaking after the report was published, Susan Alexander said: "I do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died, but he was entitled to be apprehended and, if there was evidence, to be charged and brought before a court of law to face trial before a jury.

"The fact that he was strongly suspected in being involved in crime does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed."

She said she did not want any further delays in investigating what happened to her son, and asked for apologies from the police and watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "I have read the findings carefully and want to express my personal sympathy to Mr Rodney's family.

"The MPS deeply regrets his death, and I recognise how distressing the inquiry must have been for them."

He said the force accepts recommendations made by Sir Christopher about how officers are debriefed after firearms operations.

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Doctor Punches Heart Surgery Patient In Chest

Footage has emerged of a doctor punching a patient in the chest just after a heart bypass operation.

Highly-regarded Russian anaesthesiologist Dr Andrey Votyakov told investigators he was extremely tired after a 36-hour shift and grew angry when the patient started abusing him.

He is seen hitting the man in the face and striking his fist at his chest while he is strapped on to a bed.

The patient reportedly died later at the Federal Centre for Cardiovascular Surgery in Perm, a city in the Urals, although his death is not believed to be linked to the attack.

Dr Votyakov said: "As soon as I came into the room with my team he started to call me various derogative names. And I just got blown away by it.

"We had spent so much time with his very complicated case to help him recover and he said not a single word of gratitude.

"And then the chronic tiredness added to it. I got carried away, and I punched him several times."

Dr Votyakov said he was "very sorry" and has reportedly apologised to the patient's parents.

It happened in February and at the time the doctor was head of anaesthesiology and intensive care at the hospital.

He was sacked after the incident became public and it is being investigated by police.

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Woman And Child Found Dead In Merthyr Tydfil

The deaths of a woman - who has been named locally - and child in a house in South Wales are being treated as "unexplained", according to police.

Officers found the bodies of Joanne Thomas and a baby after being called to the property in Church Street in Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Tydfil, at around 4.20pm.

One neighbour told Sky News that social services had been knocking at Ms Thomas' door in the afternoon before they entered to find the pair.

Locals said Ms Thomas, who had not been seen for several weeks, was in her late 20s and the child was about four-months-old.

Julia Jenkins told Sky News: "When I arrived home it was just a few people in the street and then 10 minutes later a police car arrived and then an ambulance, and thousands of people, so we didn't really know at that time what had happened."

The area has been cordoned off and house-to-house enquiries are under way.

Police have yet to confirm the age and identity of the two victims. Post-mortem examinations will be carried out over the next 24 hours to establish the cause of their deaths.

A police spokesman said: "The deaths are currently being treated as unexplained and an incident room has been set up at Cardiff Central Police Station."

Borough councillor Gareth Lewis said he found out about the deaths on Twitter and said it would be wrong to speculate on the nature of what had happened.

He said: "All we know is that a child and somebody else, perhaps a young adult, have lost their lives.

"It is a very close-knit community, the people are very nice and will help the police as much as possible with their inquiry.

"The information started to spread online, and it will have a big impact on this community and its people."

Troedyrhiw is part of an old coal mining area, which Mr Lewis described as a "typical, traditional Valleys community".

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley, of the South Wales Police specialist crime investigations team, added: "Troedyrhiw is a close-knit community in Merthyr Tydfil and local people are obviously shocked.

"We would like to hear from anyone who has seen or heard anything suspicious or unusual in Church Street in recent weeks. The information may seem insignificant but could be important to the investigation."

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Egypt Coup: Interim President Is Sworn In

The head of the constitutional court has been sworn in as Egypt's interim president, a day after the overthrow of the country's first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi.

Adli Mansour took his oath of office under an army transition plan in a ceremony that was broadcast live on state television.

As the ceremony got underway, the skies above Cairo filled with military jets in a series of fly-pasts.

Above Tahrir Square, for days the centre of anti-government protests, Air Force planes painted the sky in the colours of the national flag.

"I swear to preserve the system of the republic, and respect the constitution and law, and guard the people's interests," Mr Mansour said.

He also praised the mass protests demanding the ouster of Mr Morsi, saying they united Egyptians.

The ousted president is in custody

The ceremony came after the army removed Mr Morsi, replacing him with Mr Mansour, suspended the Islamist-drafted constitution, and called for new elections.

Mr Morsi, who was elected a year ago, and his Muslim Brotherhood allies have blasted the army's intervention as a "full coup" by the generals.

The "second revolution" - after Arab Spring uprisings that led to the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 - leaves Egypt's 84 million people deeply divided.

In the streets of Cairo, millions celebrated the news of Mr Morsi's removal, as fireworks lit up the sky over Tahrir Square. At a square near Cairo University, his supporters were stunned into initial silence at the news.

Anti-Morsi protesters react to the army statement

Mr Morsi's removal prompted clashes across Egypt that left at least 14 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Fearing a violent reaction by Mr Morsi's Islamist supporters, troops and armoured vehicles deployed in the streets of Cairo and elsewhere, surrounding rallies.

David Cameron called for a return to the democratic process.

"We never support in countries the intervention by the military but what now needs to happen … is for democracy to flourish and for a genuine democratic transition to take place," the Prime Minister said.

"All parties need to be involved in that, and that's what Britain and our allies will be saying very clearly to the Egyptians."

General Abdul Fatah Khalil al Sisi announces the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi

Mr Morsi was being detained by the armed forces at an undisclosed facility, and prosecutors ordered the arrest of the Muslim Brotherhood's top leader, Mohamed Badie, and his deputy, Khairat el-Shater.

Arrest warrants have been issued for scores of other members of the political party.

In a televised address, the commander of the armed forces, General Abdul Fatah Khalil al Sisi, said Mr Morsi had "failed to meet the demands of the Egyptian people".

Flanked by military officials, Muslim and Christian clerics and political figures, he unveiled details of a political transition which he said had been agreed with them.

As acting leader, Mr Mansour will be assisted by an interim council and a technocratic government until new presidential and parliamentary elections are held.

No details were given as to when the new polls would take place.

The military chief also announced a national reconciliation committee that would include youth movements, and said the armed forces and police would deal "decisively" with any violence.

"Those in the meeting have agreed on a road map for the future that includes initial steps to achieve the building of a strong Egyptian society that is cohesive and does not exclude anyone and ends the state of tension and division," he said.

Muslim Brotherhood members and pro-Morsi supporters react in Cairo

President Barack Obama voiced his concern over the military intervention and urged a speedy return to a democratically elected government.

In a statement he said: "We are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsi and suspend the Egyptian constitution.

"I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsi and his supporters."

However, the US and other world powers have not branded Mr Morsi's removal as a military coup - which might trigger sanctions.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had talked with his Egyptian counterpart and had been reassured that "there will be early presidential elections".

A military helicopter above Tahrir Square

He said: "It is the problem with a military intervention that it is a precedent for the future, that if this is going to happen to a democratically elected president it can happen to another in the future, and that's why it's so important to entrench democratic institutions."

The Foreign Office has advised British citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Egypt apart from the Red Sea resorts, and to monitor travel advice from the Foreign Office.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the bloodshed and also called for a swift return to democracy.

Mr Morsi's overthrow came after days of demonstrations against the government. He rejected calls to step down and defied an army deadline.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley, reporting from within a military cordon around Cairo University, said: "This is a miserable scene from the perspective of the Muslim Brotherhood's supporters.

A soldier cheers with anti-Morsi protesters

"They cannot understand why it is possible to overthrow an elected president of the country simply by taking to the streets and holding loud demonstrations. They are also afraid that this could herald a crackdown against them."

The Muslim Brotherhood's TV station was taken off air and its managers arrested hours after Mr Morsi was overthrown.

The Egypt25 channel had been broadcasting live coverage of rallies by tens of thousands of pro-Morsi demonstrators in Cairo and around the country, with speeches by leading Brotherhood politicians denouncing the military intervention to oust the elected president.

The offices of Al Jazeera's Egyptian television channel were also reportedly raided by security forces and prevented from broadcasting from a pro-Morsi rally. Several members of staff were also reportedly detained.

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Sochi Games: Wanted Man Targets Event

Russia's most wanted militant Islamist leader has called on his followers to stop the 2014 Winter Olympics from taking place.

In a video posted online, Chechen rebel Doku Umarov urged the use of "maximum force" to prevent President Vladimir Putin staging the Games in Sochi.

Umarov is the leader of the Islamist insurgency in Russia's disputed North Caucasus region, which is close to the Black Sea resort host city.

In the message, which appeared on the website kavkazcenter.com and has not been independently verified, he said his order not to attack Russian targets outside the North Caucasus has been lifted.

Umarov added: "They (Russia) plan to hold the Olympics on the bones of our ancestors, on the bones of many, many dead Muslims, buried on the territory of our land on the Black Sea.

"We as mujahideen are obliged to not permit that, using any methods allowed us by the almighty Allah."

In response to Umarov's call, the Prime Minister of neighbouring Georgia has pledged to help Russia carry out a peaceful Games.

Bidzina Ivanishvili said: "For our part, we will assist them to the fullest extent wherever possible."

The Islamist insurgency leader is wanted by the authorities for organising a suicide attack at a Moscow airport in 2011 that killed 37 people.

Umarov has also claimed responsibility for the double suicide bombing of the Moscow subway system in 2010 that killed 40 people.

He has fought in two separatist wars in Chechnya and wants Russia to allow the North Caucasus to become an independent Islamic state.

Mr Putin has promised tight security at the Sochi Games, which are scheduled to be held in February next year.

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CCTV: Man 'Unable To Feed Himself' Dies In Cell

Footage has been released which suggests an inmate spent the last two days of his life lying naked on a blanket in his cell, unable to feed himself the food placed beside him.

Elliott Earl Williams was pronounced dead five days after he was booked into Tulsa County Jail in Oklahoma.

Williams' estate is suing Sheriff Stanley Glanz and the jail's healthcare provider, claiming wrongful death and civil rights violations.

The estate alleges a lack of mental and physical care contributed to his death.

Between the time he was placed in the cell and the time he died - 51 hours - prison workers gave him one cup of water that was initially placed at his feet and then at his side.

He was also given what appeared to be two servings of food, put next to him, according to the video.

And then just hours before his death, what appeared to be another meal was pushed through the slot in the cell door.

The footage showed him dipping his fingers in the water cup, and bringing them to his lips. He also placed his hand on one of the meals but appeared otherwise immobile.

The video, which lasted 10 minutes, began with Williams being dragged into the cell on a blanket at 8:27am on October 25, 2011.

Firefighters and jail workers tried to resuscitate Williams

Two days later, at 8:41am on October 27, jail workers checked the bottom of Williams' feet for a response before returning at 11:04am to begin CPR.

Workers and firefighters were unable to revive him and the video ended at 11:29am, with a photographer taking pictures of his body after he was pronounced dead.

The lawsuit alleged officers had arrested Williams following a disturbance call, and cited a police report, saying it was "readily apparent" he was having a "mental breakdown".

The 37-year-old was taken to Owasso police headquarters to be booked on a misdemeanour obstruction charge.

During that time, the lawsuit said he crawled on his hands on knees, barking and screaming. It said he slammed his head against a wall many times.

Police reportedly moved him to the Tulsa County Jail shortly afterwards. The lawsuit states that during the time he was booked in, Williams said he could not walk and begged staff to "cut it out of my belly".

The lawsuit states that he was not initially separated from other inmates. Following an examination from a psychiatrist later on, he was moved to what is called a "suicide cell".

The medical examiner's office reports it was likely a spinal injury from blunt force trauma that caused his death.

Under-sheriff Tim Albin called the death an "unfortunate" incident, adding: "We're looking forward to defending the case in court."

Attorney Guy Fortney, who is representing the Sheriff's Office in the lawsuit, has said previously that the Tulsa Jail is one of the best in the country.

And he accused the Williams estate's attorneys, Daniel Smolen and Louis Bullock, of attempting to try the case in the court of public opinion.

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Egypt: 'Crisis Meeting Held' As Deadline Looms

Egypt's Armed Forces General Command is reportedly holding a crisis meeting, as an army deadline to resolve the country's political crisis draws near.

A military source told the Reuters news agency that senior commanders are attending the talks.

The army has threatened to intervene unless President Mohamed Morsi agrees to a resolution. It could dissolve parliament and take control of the country, sparking fears of a military coup.

Tens of thousands of Egyptians have staged protests across the country

Earlier, a state-run newspaper claimed Mr Morsi will either step down or be removed from office when a political road map for the future of the country is drawn up.

The Al-Ahram newspaper said the plan would establish a three-member presidential council to be chaired by the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court.

However an Egyptian military source denied the reports and said he expected political, social and economic figures to be called to talks.

Thousands joined a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo

Mr Morsi previously refused to step down and said he would protect democratic "legitimacy" with his life.

Addressing the nation in a 45-minute televised speech, he said he had been voted for in a free and fair election and it was his job to "safeguard the revolution" that put him in office.

Mr Morsi called for calm and said Egyptians should not attack the army, police or each other. He was, he said, attempting to get the army to return to its normal duties and withdraw its ultimatum.

Mr Morsi said he would protect democratic "legitimacy" with his life

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley, in the Egyptian capital Cairo, said: "What matters is what does the military do now it's nailed its colours so firmly to the deadline that comes on Wednesday evening, and what will be the reaction, not only of Mr Morsi, but of his supporters?

"The President has very substantial support from, broadly speaking, Islamists across the country and they are not likely to take a sudden change in a presidency that has a three-year mandate lying down.

"They've put out numerous statements on social media saying they will fight and lay down their lives for the cause."

A protester sits in front of anti-Morsi artwork on a Cairo building

The armed forces, which took control of the country after the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, have intensified their presence in Egypt's cities ahead of the deadline.

Thousands of people gathered in Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the revolution, while a giant crowd protested outside the Qasr el-Qobba presidential palace where Mr Morsi has been working in recent days.

Meanwhile, Muslim Brotherhood supporters who witnessed clashes near Cairo University told Sky News demonstrators were attacked with automatic gunfire.

They claimed many protesters were killed and said they expect similar attacks after the deadline passes.

The Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel to most of Egypt and said any Britons in the country should consider "whether they have a pressing need to remain".

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Shipley: Man Arrested Over Murder And Stabbing

A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of an 84-year-old woman and the stabbing of a nine-year-old boy in a skate park in West Yorkshire.

Officers found the pensioner's body in a bedroom at her home in Prospect Mount, Shipley.

It followed reports that a boy had been attacked in the town's Carnegie skate park.

West Yorkshire Police said the woman, named as Louisa Denby, had suffered "numerous stab wounds".

The man, aged 26 and a relative of Mrs Denby, was detained at 4.10am on Tuesday in nearby Idle.

He is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, a police spokesman said.

Another 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.

Three other local men, aged 18, 24 and 29, are being held over the incident in the skate park, the spokesman added.

The boy suffered chest and arm injuries when he was attacked at around 4.40pm on Monday.

He was taken by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary where he is expected to undergo surgery.

He remains in a stable condition, police said.

After the attack on the boy, police launched a hunt for a white man, in his twenties, wearing a cap and glasses and believed to be carrying a walking stick.

The semi-detached house where Mrs Denby lived and the skate park, about 300 yards away, have been sealed off.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

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Postnatal Depression: Blood Test Breakthrough

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

British doctors have developed the first blood test for postnatal depression in a breakthrough that could ease the plight of tens of thousands of women who suffer from the condition every year, Sky News has learnt.

Doctors believe a £10 screening test they have developed – which could be administered as part of ordinary NHS antenatal checks – would allow women found to be at risk to receive treatment for the disease before they give birth.

Around 90,000 pregnant women a year - around one in seven - develop some level of depression in the first three months after giving birth.

In severe cases it can result in new mums committing suicide or harming their babies.

Professor Dimitris Grammatopoulos, who led the research at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, said the research was "extremely important".

He said: "There is evidence that if you can identify women at risk early you could treat early or introduce measures to prevent or stop the process of the disease."

The early warning should mean that simple support from families and health professionals is enough to prevent symptoms developing.

A study of 200 pregnant women, published in the current edition of the Journal of Psychiatric Research, found two molecular "signatures" in the genes that increased the risk of postnatal depression by up to five times.

Although previous research has found genetic "markers" linked to the condition, this is the first time that genetic variations have been found in the hormonal pathway that triggers it.

The researchers believe that changes in oestrogen levels during pregnancy make women more sensitive to the stress hormone cortisol.

But whereas most women "reset" the hormonal imbalance soon after their baby is born, those with the genetic variations are unable to do so, leading to postnatal depression.

Prof Grammatopoulos said he could test women for the genetic changes for between £30 and £40.

But automating the test so that robots could screen large numbers of samples would bring the cost down to just £10.

And he is looking for further genetic changes, called single nucleotide polymorphisms, to increase the predictive power of the test.

He said blood samples already taken routinely in the early stages of pregnancy could then be screened.

"Usually we focus on the mother, but the negative impact on the child is also immense," Prof Grammatopoulos said.

Between a third and a half of women with postnatal depression develop severe symptoms.

Rachael Dobson, 24, said the new test could prevent other women suffering as she did.

She felt "useless as a mum" when her son Andreas was born three years ago.

As her sense of hopelessness grew, she considered suicide - or even harming her son.

Only when she began to consider killing him did she contact her health visitor.

She said: "I remember him crying loads and I'd tried everything in the book - feeding, winding, changing his nappy - because he would not be quiet.

"I just thought 'What if I smothered him?'. At least he would then be quiet and I could sort myself out.

"But within a split second you are almost scared yourself because how could you think that about a vulnerable baby."

Support from health professionals and her husband slowly improved her symptoms. But it has taken the best part of three years.

Mrs Dobson set up the Pre and Postnatal Depression Advice and Support charity (Pandas), which runs a helpline: 0843 2898401.

:: Professor Grammatopoulos is now carrying out a larger study on 1,500 women to help refine the test. Pregnant women interested in taking part should email info@uhcw.nhs.uk

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Qatada Deportation Moves A Step Closer

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A legal treaty between the UK and Jordan has been fully ratified, bringing the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada a step closer.

The treaty was passed by parliaments in both countries last month but not fully ratified until it was published in the Jordanian government's legal gazette.

It guarantees that the Jordanians will not use evidence which might have been obtained through torture in any future trial against Qatada,

The cleric's legal team have already said that once that guarantee is in place, he would be willing to return to Jordan of his own volition.

Security Minister James Brokenshire has welcomed the latest development.

He said: "The publication of the treaty in the Jordanian Official Gazette is welcome. Whilst further steps remain, our focus is on seeing Abu Qatada on a plane to Jordan at the earliest opportunity."

Theresa May signing the treaty with Jordan earlier this year

Sky News understands there still has to be an exchange of letters between the two countries, allowing the Jordanians 14 days to confirm they are still seeking deportation.

However, a delay is not expected and confirmation from the Jordanians could come within days, allowing Home Secretary Theresa May to issue a new deportation order.

The cleric's legal team would have three days to appeal. If he does not, he will deported at the earliest opportunity.

The Home Office recently revealed the eight-year legal fight to deport Qatada has cost taxpayers more than £1.7m.

He claimed asylum in the UK 20 years ago but was convicted on terrorism charges in his absence in Jordan in 1999 and sentenced to life in prison.

He now faces a retrial on those charges, but his lawyers have said some of the evidence may have come from people who were tortured to testify against him.

His legal team believe the new treaty gives the cleric a key guarantee that any retrial in Jordan would be fair.

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Drummer Lee Rigby's Funeral In Next Two Weeks

The funeral of Drummer Lee Rigby will be held in Bury in the next two weeks, according to Sky sources.

Drummer Rigby was attacked as he returned to base after working at the Tower of London in May.

He died from multiple cut and stab wounds, a post-mortem examination found.

Bury has strong links with Drummer Rigby's regiment, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Michael Adebolajo is one of the men charged with Drummer Rigby's murder

The regiment traces its roots back to the famous Bury-based Lancashire Fusiliers. Drummer Rigby is from nearby Middleton.

An inquest heard the soldier, who was 25, suffered such "extensive and serious" injuries that he had to be identified using his dental records.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, of Romford, Essex, and Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich, London, are both charged with his murder.

They are accused of hacking the soldier to death, and will be asked to enter their pleas in September.

On Friday they spoke only to confirm their names as they appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from separate rooms at HMP Belmarsh.

The men were told a plea and case management hearing would take place on September 27. They are expected to stand trial on November 18.

They are also charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause others to believe that violence would be used.

Adebolajo faces further charges for the attempted murder of two police officers.

He appeared to still have his left arm in a bandage after being shot by armed officers at the scene of Drummer Rigby's death.

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Smethwick Fire: Massive Blaze At Recycling Plant

A blaze at a plastic recycling factory, described by firefighters as one of the biggest ever seen in the West Midlands, is believed to have been started by a single Chinese lantern.

Around 200 firefighters have been tackling the blaze at the site in Smethwick, on the outskirts of Birmingham.

An estimated 100,000 tonnes of recycling material and a factory unit are on fire, and crews have been battling to stop the flames spreading to neighbouring businesses.

Vij Randeniya, chief fire officer at West Midlands Fire Service, told Sky News: "We believe a Chinese lantern dropped onto some bales of plastic and, looking at CCTV, it would appear that was the cause.

"Chinese lanterns have been involved in a number of incidents and firefighters have been campaigning for there to be better controls.

"They look really nice but they do pose a danger."

Two firefighters were taken to hospital and 11 more were treated at the scene by paramedics, although their injuries are thought to be minor.

Mr Randeniya said firefighters were tackling "one of the largest fires we've experienced", with intense heat released from the burning plastics.

"These are difficult fires to extinguish and we anticipate being here for a number of days," he said.

A spokesman for Birmingham International Airport said there was no disruption to flights, despite plumes of thick black smoke that could be seen from 50 miles away.

A number of roads around the recycling plant were closed but the nearby M5 motorway remained open.

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Arizona Wildfire: 19 Firefighters Killed

A team of 19 elite firefighters have been killed while battling a fast-moving wildfire in Arizona.

The firefighters, 18 of whom are believed to have been from the specially-trained Granite Mountain Hotshots, were caught by the blaze near the central town of Yarnell.

They were hailed as "heroes" by US President Barack Obama, who said they "selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens they would never meet".

The wildfire is the deadliest involving fatalities to fire crews since a blaze at Griffith Park, Los Angeles, nearly 70 years ago, according to figures from the National Fire Protection Association.

"We're devastated," Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said. "We've just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet."

Hotshot crews often hike long distances and carry chainsaws and backpacks filled with heavy gear to build lines of protection between people and fires.

They were forced to deploy their emergency shelters when confronted by the blaze.

Strong winds and low humidity allowed the blaze to spread quickly

"One of the last fail safe methods that a firefighter can do under those conditions is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective … fire-resistant material," Mr Frajo said.

"The hope at least is that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it. Under certain conditions there's ... a 50% chance they survive.

"It's an extreme measure that's taken under the absolute worst conditions."

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who said the state had endured "as dark a day" as she could remember, said the firefighters may have been caught in a flash fire that "turned around and overcame them all".

Art Morrison, a state forestry official, added: "In normal circumstances, when you're digging fire lines, you make sure you have a good escape route and you have a safety zone set up.

"Evidently, their safety zone wasn't big enough and the fire just overtook them."

Messages of condolence for the families of those who died have been left on a Facebook page set up in their memory.

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed by the fire

"This awful tragedy really reminds us how dangerous a job firefighters have," wrote Lakyn Spivey. "They go to work every day to save lives, not knowing if they themselves will be coming home that day."

Natalie Minafore added: "My son is a firefighter and I cannot imagine the heartache these families must feel. These men are heroes."

According to local newspaper The Republic, around 250 homes - roughly half the town of Yarnell - were destroyed by the wildfire.

Federal government is assisting and President Obama pledged to provide state and local officials with all the support they need.

The blaze, which broke out on Friday, is thought to have been triggered by a lightning strike.

Hot, gusty winds blew the fire out of control over the weekend, as flames ripped through 2,000 acres of dry land.

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Meat From Diseased Cattle Sold By Defra

Meat from cattle slaughtered after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is being sold for human consumption by Defra, the food and farming ministry has said.

The meat is banned by most supermarkets and burger chains, The Sunday Times reported.

Tesco, for example, rejects it because of "public-health concerns surrounding the issue of bTB and its risk to consumers".

But carcasses from around 28,000 diseased animals are sold to caterers and food processors every year.

The meat then finds its way into schools, hospitals and the military, or is used in products such as pies and pasties, the newspaper said.

A Defra spokeswoman said: "All meat from cattle slaughtered due to bovine TB must undergo rigorous food safety checks before it can be passed fit for consumption.

"The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed there are no known cases where TB has been transmitted through eating meat and the risk of infection from eating meat, even if raw or undercooked, remains extremely low."

Cattle which test positive for bTB must be slaughtered. Unless a private slaughter is arranged, the animals are taken to slaughter by Defra, which then pays compensation to farmers based on the market value.

Compensation ranges from £81 for a dairy calf up to £1,717 for an older breeding bull. Payments for pedigree cattle vary from £639 to £4,471.

Meat from slaughtered cattle is sold with no warning to processors or consumers that it comes from a bTB-infected herd.

A spokeswoman for the FSA said: "All meat must be marked with an identification mark which will indicate the approval number of the plant of origin.

"However, meat from TB reactors (animals that have failed tests for TB), once it has been passed as fit for human consumption, is not required to be marked in any way to distinguish it from other meat.

"Meat which passes the post-mortem inspection is fit for human consumption and does not need additional labelling."

The spokeswoman said that where an inspection of a carcass reveals tuberculous lesions in more than one organ or region it is declared unfit for human consumption and destroyed.

If the lymph nodes in only one organ or part of the carcass are infected, that area is removed and the rest is considered safe to enter the food chain.

"Cooking this meat would be an additional safety step, but we would emphasise the risk even before cooking is very low," she said.

The Sunday Times claimed Defra's reassurances contrasted with experts' warnings that rising levels of bTB in cattle are becoming a serious threat to human health.

Such claims have been used to justify a cull of tens of thousands of badgers which are said by some to help spread the disease between cattle.

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Salford Body: Woman Found Murdered In Home

A murder investigation is under way after the body of a woman was found at her home in Salford.

Linzi Ashton, 25, was found dead after police were called to the property in Westbourne Road, in Winton, shortly before 6pm on Friday.

A post-mortem examination has yet to take place.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton said: "A young woman has been murdered and our thoughts are with her family and friends at what is obviously a totally devastating time for them.

"While it would not be appropriate for us to comment on how she died at this time, a full and thorough post-mortem examination will be taking place in due course to establish exactly how and when she died and following that we will be in a better position to provide more information.

"I want to reassure her loved ones as well as those in the local community that we have a team of highly skilled detectives already working on this case but if anyone has any information they think can assist please call us.

"There will be extra officers in the area to offer reassurance so please talk to them if you have any concerns or want to provide us with any information."

Anyone with information should call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Obama To Visit Mandela's Robben Island Cell

Barack Obama and his family are due to visit the stark cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison during the apartheid regime.

The US President arrived in Cape Town ahead of his visit to the jail on Robben Island, now preserved as a tribute to the anti-apartheid icon, who is critically ill in hospital.

Mr Obama has been to the prison before, when he was a senator in 2006, but wanted to return with his wife Michelle and daughters.

"For me to be able to bring my daughters there and teach them the history of that place and this country ... that's a great privilege and a great honour," said Mr Obama during his stop in South Africa as part of a three-nation tour.

South Africa's first black president will be the focus of Mr Obama's keynote speech at the University of Cape Town where Robert F Kennedy gave a speech in 1966 linking the struggles against apartheid and the US civil rights movement.

Barack Obama visiting a prison cell as senator in 2006

Mr Obama will use the platform to cite Mr Mandela's unifying legacy as a blueprint for a new generation in emerging Africa.

Pointing to Africa's crippling lack of electrical power, Mr Obama is also expected to announce a $7bn initiative over five years to double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr Mandela's illness placed Mr Obama in a tricky political spot, forcing him to balance his desire to push for a new economic relationship with Africa, with the need to properly honour his hero and "personal inspiration".

On Saturday, Mr Obama called Mr Mandela's wife Graca Machel and privately visited several of his daughters and grandchildren to offer support and prayers.

But he did not push for a visit to the Pretoria hospital where the 94-year-old is being treated, worried that he would disturb his peace.

Nelson Mandela visiting his old prison cell in 1995

"I expressed my hope that Madiba draws peace and comfort from the time that he is spending with loved ones," Mr Obama told Mrs Machel according to a statement.

Mrs Machel said she drew "strength from the support" from the Obama family.

After bilateral talks with Mr Obama, South Africa President Jacob Zuma said Mr Mandela remained in a "critical but stable" condition with a recurring lung infection.

Mr Obama has been faulted for lacking a grand programme to benefit Africa like the HIV/Aids initiative launched by George W Bush or the broad reductions of trade barriers achieved by Bill Clinton.

Many Africans have been disappointed at what they see as Mr Obama's hands-off approach to the continent, noting that his first extended trip the continent has not come until his second term in office despite his African ancestry.

Mr Obama's father was a native of Kenya.

The president's aides say he has been held back by the need to wind down two wars and to right the US economy after the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

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