Spain train driver to be questioned

27 July 2013 Last updated at 23:10 ET

The driver of a train that crashed near the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela on Wednesday killing 78 people is due to appear before a judge.

Francisco Jose Garzon Amo has been detained on suspicion of reckless homicide and the judge will decide whether to press formal charges.

Mr Garzon is suspected of driving too fast on a bend.

Reports say the train was travelling at more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.

Mr Garzon, 52, was pictured being escorted away from the wreckage by police, blood pouring from a head injury. He left hospital on Saturday and was immediately taken to the central police station in Santiago.

He has so far refused to make a statement or answer questions.

Sunday's court hearing will be closed but the judge will decide whether to remand the driver as an official suspect, release him on bail, or free him without charge.

If the judge finds enough evidence for a criminal trial, Mr Garzon will be charged and a date set.

At least 130 people were taken to hospital after the accident and 30 remained in a critical condition on Saturday.

All eight carriages of the train - packed with more than 200 passengers - careered off the tracks into a concrete wall as they sped around the curve on the express route between Madrid and the port city of Ferrol on the Galician coast.

Leaking diesel burst into flames in some of the carriages.

The train's data recording "black box" is with the judge in charge of the investigation. Officials have so far not said how fast the train was going when it derailed.

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• August 2006: Inter-city train derails in Villada, in the province of Palencia, killing six people and injuring dozens more
• July 2006: At least 43 people killed in a metro train crash in the Valencia area
• 1972: Andalusia crash leaves between 76 and 86 people dead.
• 1944: Hundreds believed dead after a crash in Torre del Bierzo, in Leon province - official account gave the figure as 78 killed.

Gonzalo Ferre, president of Spanish rail network administrator Adif, said the driver should have started slowing the train 4km (2.5 miles) before the spot where the accident happened.

The president of Spanish train operator Renfe, Julio Gomez Pomar, has said that the train had no technical problems.

He said the driver had 30 years' experience with the company and had been operating trains on the line for more than a year.

People from several nationalities were among the injured, including five US citizens and one Briton. One American was among the dead.

Some victims have had to be identified using DNA matches due to the extent of their injuries.

PM Mariano Rajoy, who hails from the city of the crash, declared three days of official mourning on Thursday.

The crash was one of the worst rail disasters in Spanish history.

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UK soldiers assist Afghan operation

28 July 2013 Last updated at 00:09 ET

British soldiers have returned to an area of Afghanistan for a week-long operation to clear Taliban insurgents.

Afghan military commanders requested assistance in Sangin district, an area British forces defended from the Taliban until 2010, earlier this month.

About 80 members of 4th Battalion The Rifles, based at Camp Bastion in Helmand province, were involved.

The Ministry of Defence said some insurgents were killed or captured but there were no British casualties.

Weapons seized

According to the Sunday Times, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond had personally authorised the return to the area for British forces.

It said 106 British personnel were killed in fighting there between 2006 and 2010.

The paper said the threat to the troops was considered so great that, at the MoD's request, it delayed reporting the operation until it had finished.

The British involvement was part of a major operation by 215 Corps of the Afghan National Army (ANA) to clear insurgents in the Sangin district of Helmand Province, in the south.

The operation saw troops from the UK-mentored 3/215 Brigade move north into Sangin, clearing compounds and seizing insurgent weapon stashes alongside soldiers from 2/215 Brigade.

The Brigade Advisory Group, made up of 4th Battalion The Rifles, provided support to 3/215 Brigade.

During the operation, more than 30 improvised explosive devices were found and destroyed by the ANA, and two insurgent vehicles were seized along with ammunition and weapons.

'Challenging area'

The Ministry of Defence said UK personnel occasionally operated outside of the usual British area of operations in central Helmand in an advisory capacity.

"These out-of-area operations have been a long-standing element of the UK mission in Afghanistan and are completely in line with our current role of providing training, advice and assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces," a spokesman said.

"Between 2006 and 2010, UK forces provided vital security for the population of Sangin, disrupting the insurgency in an area the Taliban had considered its heartland, preventing the spread of violence elsewhere, upholding the authority of the Afghan government in the area and enabling economic development to take place.

"Much was achieved then and has been since. It remains a challenging area and it is now for the Afghan forces to deal with the residual insurgency."

Brig Rupert Jones, Commander Task Force Helmand, said the operation had demonstrated further how effective 3/215 Brigade of the ANA had become.

"Operating in Sangin over the past week, they have moved to another level of performance and independence," he said.

"It has been a very impressive demonstration of what the Afghan National Army can be capable of."

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Brazil beach packed for Pope Francis

28 July 2013 Last updated at 03:02 ET

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The BBC's Julia Carneiro says it was an "historic night" on Copacabana

Up to three million people have packed Brazil's Copacabana Beach to hear Pope Francis address their all-night vigil.

The pilgrims are remaining in place for a Mass to be celebrated there by Francis later on Sunday.

In his address, he urged the pilgrims not to be part-time Christians but to lead full, meaningful lives.

The Pope, who has been attending the biggest ever Catholic World Youth Day, leaves Brazil on Sunday after five days - his first overseas trip as pontiff.

'Overcome apathy'

Speaking on a huge stage at the beach where a mock church structure was built, Pope Francis referred to the street protests which have been taking place in Brazil for more than a month.

"The young people in the street are the ones who want to be actors of change. Please don't let others be actors of change," he told the crowd at the vigil.

"Keep overcoming apathy and offering a Christian response to the social and political concerns taking place in different parts of the world."

By the time the Pope's car had reached the stage, the back seat was filled with football shirts, flags and flowers thrown to him by adoring pilgrims lining the route.

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The BBC's Wyre Davies in Rio says almost every inch of the two-and-a-half mile long beach was occupied as most of the young people stayed on, pitching tents or sleeping in the open.

As the crowd grew, female activists held a demonstration nearby in support of abortion and women's rights.

But our correspondent says the Pope and the Church hierarchy will be delighted at the huge turnout and the way Francis has been received by pilgrims from across the globe.

The Mass will be celebrated at the beach in the early afternoon.

Earlier on Saturday, the Pope addressed civil leaders and government officials at Rio's Municipal Theatre.

"Between selfish indifference and violent protest, there is always another possible option: that of dialogue," he said, in a reference to demonstrations that have been rocking the country since June.

"A country grows when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich cultural components: popular culture, university culture, youth culture, artistic and technological culture, economic culture, family culture and media culture."

In the past three decades, the Catholic church has lost millions of followers to smaller Christian denominations.

'Go to the favelas'

Also on Saturday, the Pope repeated his challenge to fellow Roman Catholic clerics to take to the streets.

In a speech to 1,000 bishops and clerics in Rio's cathedral, he said they should go to the favelas - Brazil's shanty towns.

"We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities, when so many people are waiting for the Gospel," he told the audience.

Protests, sometimes violent, broke out in cities across Brazil last month against corruption, poor public services and the high cost of events like the 2014 World Cup.

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Egypt protesters defy removal threat

28 July 2013 Last updated at 06:13 ET

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Jim Muir: "It's hard to see how this area can be cleared without further bloodshed"

Supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi have defied threats of removal from their sit-in protest in Cairo, despite the deaths of dozens in clashes with security forces.

Speakers from the pro-Morsi Muslim Brotherhood addressed protesters overnight, saying they would not back down from their demands.

They want Mr Morsi - removed from power by the army on 3 July - reinstated.

But the interior minister has warned them they will "soon" be dispersed.

Meanwhile, the US has expressed deep concern at the bloodshed - the worst since Mr Morsi's ousting.

US Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the violence and called on the Egyptian authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression

Passionate speeches

Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad told the BBC that "hundreds and thousands of men, women and children" were engaged in the peaceful protest around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque.

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People waking up at Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque this morning remain determined. The mood has been calm since the early hours as many here are approaching their fifth week at the sit-in. Since the beginning they have been saying they will not leave until the ousted President Mohammed Morsi returns.

After Saturday's violence there is an even stronger sense that people here are willing to die for their cause. One man told us he would continue to face the police, ready to be shot. Another man who has been sleeping outside the mosque since 3 July said that, for him, death would be better than living with "police oppression".

The protesters have not been discouraged by the many deaths of Saturday morning - rather they are more convinced of their cause. We met one family of seven sisters and their children leaving the camp to take showers at home in their village north of Cairo. They will come back, ready to carry on their fight.

He said: "Regardless of what happens to the president, we will continue our protest. Our numbers are increasing every day. Citizens are recognising the tyranny and the long-term danger of the military coup".

The BBC's Yasmine Abu Khadra, at the scene in Cairo, says it is now quiet at the camp, although the camp has set up its own tight security, with barricades built.

She says that overnight, prominent leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood delivered passionate speeches to raise the morale of the crowd.

Our correspondent says the message was that the police and security forces felt threatened by the sit-in and that was why they had carried out the killings on Saturday.

The speakers said the crowd should not be afraid of the security forces as the protest was for a just cause.

The health ministry puts the death toll from the clashes on Saturday at 78, although doctors estimated that more than 100 people were killed.

Mr Haddad said three types of groups were to blame - "badly dressed thugs, police in three types of uniform and plain-clothed police".

He said the protesters would continue to demand Mr Morsi's reinstatement, adding: "It may take weeks, months, more than a year - we will still hold our ground."

Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim told the supporters to "come to their senses" and go home.

He said lawsuits filed by residents near a mosque provided legal cover for the clearance.

The government has denied that security forces fired live rounds on Saturday, only tear gas.

But the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Cairo says this appears to be untrue given the severity and number of injuries.

Two leading figures who backed the army's removal of Mr Morsi have condemned the killings.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar mosque - the highest Sunni Muslim authority in Egypt - has called for an investigation, while the vice-president of the interim government, Mohamed ElBaradei, said that excessive force had been used.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement that he was deeply concerned about the bloodshed.

"In this extremely volatile environment, Egyptian authorities have a moral and legal obligation to respect the right of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," he said.

Saturday's clashes appear to have begun after some of the Morsi supporters tried to extend the barricades around their protest site, and the security forces responded.

Medics at a nearby field hospital told the BBC they believed about 70% of the casualties were caused by live fire - with many of the victims hit in the chest or head by snipers firing from rooftops.

'Premeditated murder'

The army removed Mr Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, after mass protests against his rule and called on supporters to take to the streets to give its action a mandate.

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Dr Hesham Ibrahim says Saturday's scenes at the field hospital were like "hell"

Tens of thousands responded by flooding to Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday night.

Mr Morsi has been formally remanded in custody at an undisclosed location for an initial 15-day period, according to a judicial order.

He has been accused of the "premeditated murder of some prisoners, officers and soldiers" when he and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders were freed during a breakout at a Cairo prison in January 2011.

He is alleged to have plotted attacks on jails in the uprising that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Morsi is also accused of conspiring with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip and has strong links with the Muslim Brotherhood.

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EU and China reach solar panel deal

27 July 2013 Last updated at 05:06 ET

The European Commission says it has reached "an amicable solution" with Beijing in a row over imports of Chinese solar panels.

Both sides have agreed a minimum price for the panels, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said.

The dispute erupted after the Commission - the EU's executive arm - imposed temporary anti-dumping levies on the imports.

It argued that Chinese firms were undercutting rivals.

China is the world's largest producer of solar panels. Its exports to Europe totalled 21bn euros ($27bn; £18bn) in 2011.

"After weeks of intensive talks, I can announce that I am satisfied with the offer of a price undertaking submitted by China's solar panel exporters," Mr De Gucht said on Saturday.

"This is the amicable solution that both the EU and China were looking for."

He added that the agreement would "lead to a new market equilibrium at sustainable prices".

The anti-dumping case was the biggest ever undertaken by the Commission.

In June, the EU accused China of "dumping" solar panels in Europe - selling them at below cost to steal market share - and then said it would impose import tariffs of up to 47.6% on them.

China said EU farm subsidies had resulted in European countries "dumping" wine on China, and warned it may respond in kind.

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Man 'too fat' to live in New Zealand

27 July 2013 Last updated at 05:09 ET

Authorities in New Zealand have told a South African chef he is too fat to be allowed to live in the country.

Immigration officials said Albert Buitenhuis, who weighs 130kg (286 pounds), did not have "an acceptable standard of health".

He now faces expulsion despite shedding 30kg since he moved to the city of Christchurch six years ago

New Zealand has one of the highest obesity rates in the developed world, with nearly 30% of people overweight.

Mr Buitenhuis and his wife, Marthie, moved from South Africa to Christchurch in 2007. At the time, the chef weighed 160kg.

Until now, their annual work visas had been renewed with "very little problem", his wife said.

"We applied year after year and there were no issues," she said.

"They never mentioned Albert's weight or his health once and he was a lot heavier then."

But in early May, the couple was told their work visas had been declined because of Mr Buitenhuis's weight.

"The irony is that at the moment he weighs less than when we first arrived in New Zealand and also less than in his first medical, which was accepted by [immigration authorities]," his wife said.

The couple has appealed to New Zealand's immigration minister, citing the chef's recent weight loss.

An immigration spokesman said Mr Buitenhuis's application had been rejected because his obesity put him at "significant risk" of complications including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

"It is important that all migrants have an acceptable standard of health to minimise costs and demands on New Zealand's health services," he said.

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'Scores killed' at Egypt protest

27 July 2013 Last updated at 06:36 ET

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The BBC's Jim Muir: "The casualties are mounting"

More than 100 people are reported to have been killed in Cairo at a protest being held by supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.

A doctor at a field hospital close to the protest at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque told the BBC that more than 1,000 people had also been injured.

The health ministry put the death toll at 20, with 177 wounded.

Both pro- and anti-Morsi supporters had been holding huge protests overnight in the capital.

Many thousands occupied Cairo's Tahrir Square in support of the army, which removed Mr Morsi from office on 3 July.

Army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had urged people to take to the streets to give the military a mandate for its intervention.

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There were pools of blood all over the field hospital. Many of the injured were in bad shape. Some had parts of their head missing - taken out by bullets.

The battle raged last night and all morning. We heard automatic gunfire. Protesters formed a human shield around us as shotguns and CS gas were fired towards us. There was the sound of outgoing shots too. The air was thick with tear gas and people were vomiting.

There was a child, maybe 12, covered in blood. He was deathly white. They closed the doors at the hospital as they could not accept more wounded, but the ambulances were still arriving.

As we left, a child was dragged from a car by the Morsi supporters outside the mosque. He was given a very serious beating.

Early on Saturday, Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim had vowed to end the sit-in at the mosque in the capital's Nasr City area.

He said local residents had complained about the encampment and that the protest would be "brought to an end soon and in a legal manner".

The minister said the prosecutor would issue an order, but this has yet to happen.

The BBC's Jim Muir in Cairo says the latest violence is the most serious since the army's intervention to remove President Morsi, but this does not appear to be a prepared campaign to clear the area around the mosque,

Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped in the protest zone.

It appears the violence began after some of the Morsi supporters tried to block a main road in the area overnight and security forces responded.

State news agency Mena quoted a security official as saying that live fire had not been used, only tear gas.

The official said security forces had been trying to stop fighting between rival sides and that eight security personnel had been injured.

But Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad told Reuters news agency: "They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill."

Our correspondent says medics at the hospital believed about 70% of the casualties were caused by live fire - with many of the victims hit in the chest or head by snipers firing from rooftops.

A senior Brotherhood politician, Saad el-Hosseini, told the agency that this was an attempt by security forces to clear the mosque area.

"I have been trying to make the youth withdraw for five hours. I can't. They are saying they have paid with their blood and they do not want to retreat," he said.

Our correspondent says the pro-Morsi supporters are furious about the role the military is taking, and in particular Gen Sisi, who they say is killing Egyptians.

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Egypt's pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV station, Ahrar 25, quoted the coalition that supports Mr Morsi - the National Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy - as saying it held Gen Sisi responsible for the deaths at the mosque protest.

There has also been violence in Egypt's second city of Alexandria, where at least 10 people have been killed in clashes between rival factions.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she "deeply deplored" the latest deaths in Egypt.

A spokeswoman said Baroness Ashton called "on all actors to refrain from violence and to respect the principles of peaceful protest".

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Now is the time for dialogue, not confrontation. It is the responsibility of leaders on all sides to take steps to reduce tensions."

Morsi accused

Mr Morsi, the country's first democratically elected president, has now been formally accused of conspiring with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip and has strong links with the Muslim Brotherhood.

He is alleged to have plotted attacks on jails in the 2011 uprising that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders were freed during a breakout at a Cairo prison in January 2011.

Mr Morsi is to be questioned for an initial 15-day period, a judicial order said.

The order issued on Friday was the first official statement on Mr Morsi's legal status since he was overthrown and placed in custody at an undisclosed location.

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Tunisia state funeral for murdered MP

27 July 2013 Last updated at 06:49 ET

A state funeral is being held for Tunisian opposition leader Mohamed Brahmi who was killed on Thursday by gunmen in the capital, Tunis.

His death has sparked widespread unrest. One protester died in overnight clashes in the southern town of Gafsa.

The interior minister said Mr Brahmi, 58, was killed with the same gun as a fellow left-wing politician, Chokri Belaid, who was shot dead in February.

A Salafist is one of the main suspects involved the murder, officials said.

Gunmen on a motorbike shot Mr Brahmi, who led the nationalist Movement of the People party, in his car on Thursday.

On Saturday thousands of people lined the streets of Tunis as the coffin wrapped in the national flag passed by under military escort.

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• 58-years-old
• MP for Sidi Bouzid, birthplace of Arab Spring
• Leader of a small left-wing party, the Popular Movement
• Promoted pan-Arabism and socialism
• Far lower profile then Chokri Belaid, who was assassinated in February
• Practising Muslim, unlike Mr Belaid
• Critic of government, but also had many friends in the main Islamist party, Ennahda
• His wife blames Ennahda for his killing; others disagree.

Mr Brahmi's supporters have turned their grief and anger on governing Islamist party Ennahda, with relatives accusing it of complicity in the killing.

The government has rejected the allegations, instead naming a Salafist radical, Boubaker Hakim, as the main suspect.

Hours before the funeral, a policeman was injured when a bomb on a car exploded outside a police station in the capital's La Goulette district.

On Friday thousands of people took part in a protests after the the biggest trade union, UGTT, called a general strike to denounce general "terrorism, violence and murders".

In Gafsa, one demonstrator was killed in clashes with police. The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

Earlier, demonstrators attacked Ennahda's headquarters in Sidi Bouzid, Mr Brahmi's hometown and the birthplace of the Arab Spring revolutions which have swept the Middle East.

In February, the murder of prominent secular figure Chokri Belaid sparked mass protests and forced then-Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali to resign.

Six opposition parties have now withdrawn from the national assembly and called for the Islamist-led government to be replaced by a national unity administration.

Mr Brahmi was a socialist and practising Muslim with a pan-Arab ideology, correspondents say.

He was less prominent than Chokri Belaid and not as critical of Ennahda, which came to power in elections following the January 2011 uprising.

The party has faced growing popular unrest over a faltering economy and a rising radical Islamist movement.

Correspondents say many Tunisians, particularly the young, complain that their quest for secular democracy has been hijacked by intolerant Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood which forms part of the current government.

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Japan 'needs marines and drones'

26 July 2013 Last updated at 03:25 ET

Japan should bolster its marine force and introduce surveillance drones, a defence review paper says, highlighting concerns over China and North Korea.

The paper also called for better defences against missile attacks and the potential to attack enemy bases.

Japan's military is constitutionally limited to a self-defence role.

But PM Shinzo Abe is looking to expand the scope of its activities - potentially a highly controversial move that would anger its neighbours.

Japan is embroiled in a bitter row over islands with China and is deeply concerned by North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

The interim report is part of a defence review ordered by Mr Abe, with final proposals due by December.

On Sunday, Mr Abe won back control of Japan's Upper House, meaning he now controls parliament and would be in a stronger position to reshape Japan's current defence strategy.

'Deter and respond'

Under Article 9 of its post-war constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defence.

But Mr Abe has indicated he wants to re-examine the role of Japan's military to meet the changing security environment in the Asia-Pacific region.

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The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes... land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained"

End Quote Article 9 , Japanese constitution

"This will guide the focus of the direction that the Self Defence Forces should be heading going forward," Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said of the report.

Amphibious units that could be dispatched quickly to remote islands were needed, the report said, and surveillance equipment to detect "at an early stage signs of changes in the security situation".

The report also called for a strengthened ability to "to deter and respond to ballistic missiles".

"Japan needs to enhance its ability to respond to ballistic missile attacks in a comprehensive manner," Kyodo news agency quoted the report as saying.

But officials have been keen to emphasise that this does not mean Japan is eyeing pre-emptive strikes on enemy targets.

"It is necessary to consider whether we should have the option to strike an enemy's missile launch facilities," an unidentified defence ministry official told Reuters news agency.

"But we are not at all thinking about initiating attacks on enemy bases when we are not under attack."

The move comes amid a raft of tensions and potentially challenging security issues.

North Korea conducted what was widely seen as a long-range missile test in December 2012 and followed up with its third test of a nuclear device in February 2013.

China, meanwhile, is locked in a dispute with Japan over East China Sea islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Japan controls the islands but Chinese ships have been sailing in and out of what Japan says are its territorial waters since late last year, as tensions increased.

On Wednesday Japan scrambled fighter jets after a Chinese government plane flew in international air space near the islands.

China said it was on a routine training mission; Mr Abe said it was "an unusual action that we have never seen before".

Japan has also voiced concern over increases in China's military spending, accusing Beijing of a lack of transparency.

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Italy police target Mafia near Rome

26 July 2013 Last updated at 05:40 ET

Italian police have arrested at least 50 people in a big anti-Mafia operation in the coastal region near Rome.

About 500 police officers, backed by dog units, a helicopter and coastal patrol boats are involved.

A police operation was also launched in the southern Calabria region, a hotbed of 'Ndrangheta Mafia crime.

The Rome crackdown, focused on the coastal suburb of Ostia, is said to be the largest yet in or near the capital. Three crime clans are being targeted.

Italy's Corriere della Sera says a "mortal blow" has been delivered to the Fasciani, Triassi and D'Agati clans, who have dominated organised crime for years in that region.

The Triassi clan is reported to have close ties to the Sicilian Cosa Nostra crime network.

Police had been able to monitor the mafiosi not only as they met to settle disputes and divide up territory, but also as they planned murders, Italian media report.

Professionals under suspicion

The operation in the south led to 65 arrests, including doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs, in the town of Lamezia Terme, Italy's Ansa news agency reports.

As part of that operation Senator Piero Aiello, a member of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right People of Freedom (PdL) party, is under investigation, Ansa reports.

Police seized 200m euros' (£173m; $266m) worth of assets from five businessmen, suspected of involvement with the Giampa clan of the Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta crime network.

The suspects include Gianpaolo Bevilacqua, vice president of the company that runs Lamezia Terme airport and a former provincial councillor for the PdL.

The Giampa clan is suspected of an insurance fraud, used to fund arms and drugs and to pay mafiosi.

Police are also investigating murders committed in a clan war that raged in 2005-2011.

The 'Ndrangheta is now reckoned to be Italy's most powerful mafia, having overtaken Sicily's Cosa Nostra. The 'Ndrangheta operates across Europe and has connections with Colombian drug cartels.

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Morsi accused of plotting with Hamas

26 July 2013 Last updated at 06:48 ET

Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is being held over allegations of links with Palestinian militants Hamas and plotting attacks on jails in the 2011 uprising, it has been announced.

He is to be questioned for an initial 15-day period, a judiciary order said.

The Islamist leader has been held as an undisclosed location since his removal by the military on 3 July.

The announcement comes as supporters and opponents of the deposed president prepare to stage mass rallies in Cairo.

The order issued on Friday is the first official statement on Mr Morsi's judicial status since he was overthrown.

It says the former president is suspected of conspiring with Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and has strong links with Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, during the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak.

The state-run Mena news agency says Mr Morsi is accused of colluding with the Palestinian group to storm police stations and jails, "setting fire to one prison and enabling inmates to flee, including himself, as well as premeditated killing of officers, soldiers and prisoners".

Mr Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders were freed during a breakout at a Cairo prison in January 2011.

The BBC's Jim Muir in the Egyptian capital says the order provides legal cover for the continued detention at a time when the UN and Western powers are calling for the ousted president to be released or properly charged.

A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, Gehad el-Haddad, described the accusations as "ridiculous". He told Reuters news agency that the order marked the return of the "old regime".

Heightened rhetoric

Our correspondent says the order comes as Egypt is bracing itself for a trial of strength by numbers on the streets between the two sides in a dangerously polarised crisis.

The army has warned any attempt to use violence during mass rallies planned on Friday will be "dealt with decisively and with force".

On Wednesday, army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on people to take to the streets to give the military a mandate to confront violence and "terrorism".

Since Mr Morsi was ousted, dozens of people have died in clashes between supporters and opponents of the Islamist leader.

Militants have also staged deadly attacks in the Sinai peninsula.

The Tamarod movement that organised protests which preceded Mr Morsi's removal has urged its supporters to take part in Friday's rallies.

"We call on all of the great Egyptian people to gather in the squares on Friday to officially demand that Mohammed Morsi be put on trial and to support the Egyptian armed forces in its coming war on terrorism," it said.

Some analysts say the military could be preparing to move against sit-ins by Morsi supporters, including one in front of the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in a Cairo suburb.

Continue reading the main story

• 10 legal and constitutional experts to draft changes to the constitution
• Panel of 50 people from across Egyptian society consider the amendments
• Final draft put to referendum
• Parliamentary elections early 2014, followed by presidential elections

Mr Morsi narrowly won the presidential election in June 2012 to become Egypt's first democratically elected president, but his opponents accused him of trying to impose an Islamist agenda on the country.

Interim President Adly Mansour has set out a "roadmap" towards a revision of the constitution introduced by Mr Morsi and for fresh elections in early 2014, but this has has been rejected by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Hisham Qandil, who was prime minister under Mr Morsi proposed his own roadmap on Thursday, involving:

• the release of those detained by the army since Mr Morsi's removal
• an independent investigation into the deaths of at least 51 people at the Presidential Guards HQ earlier this month
• a delegation to be allowed to visit Mr Morsi to check on his health
• a halt to protest marches, with both sides agreeing to hold rallies only in specific locations

There has been no official response to Mr Qandil's suggestions, and military spokesmen have previously given the Muslim Brotherhood a deadline of Saturday to join the official process.

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Train crash driver 'formally held'

26 July 2013 Last updated at 07:03 ET

Spanish police have formally detained the driver of a train that derailed on Wednesday, killing 78 people.

The driver - who was injured and is under guard in hospital - faces charges of "recklessness", police say.

There are reports that the train was travelling at more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.

Spain has declared three days of national mourning over the crash, one of its worst-ever rail disasters. About 90 people are still being treated.

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US lawmakers back phone surveillance

24 July 2013 Last updated at 21:16 ET

The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to continue collecting data on US phone calls, in the first legislative move on the programme.

In a 205-217 vote, lawmakers rejected an effort to restrict the National Security Agency's (NSA) ability to collect electronic information.

The NSA's chief had lobbied strongly against the proposed measure.

The vote saw an unusual coalition of conservatives and liberal Democrats join forces against the programme.

The details of the NSA dragnet were made public by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for America's electronic spying agency. He is now a fugitive, seeking asylum in Moscow.

'Fear'

The rejected amendment would have blocked funding for the NSA programme which gathers details of every call made by or to a US phone, unless the records were part of a specific investigation.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Have we forgot what happened on September 11?"

End Quote Mike Rogers House intelligence committee chairman

It was introduced by Michigan Republican Justin Amash, who warned during Wednesday's debate that the proposal's critics would "use the same tactic every government throughout history has used to justify its violation of rights: fear.

"They'll tell you that the government must violate the rights of the American people to protect us against those who hate our freedom."

Despite the White House's lobbying against the amendment, a majority of House Democrats - 111 - voted for it. Eighty-three Democrats voted against.

Among Republicans, 94 voted for the Amash amendment and 134 against.

'We've gone overboard'

Before Wednesday's vote there were fierce exchanges on the House floor during what was the first sustained legislative debate on the NSA's reach since Mr Snowden's revelations.

Continue reading the main story

How the US collects phone records

The National Security Agency (NSA) began collecting Americans' phone records in 2001, as part of far-reaching surveillance programmes launched by then-President George W Bush in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

But the scope of the practice, continued under President Barack Obama, only became apparent in June when ex-CIA contractor Edward Snowden leaked classified US surveillance files.

It emerged that a US secret court had ordered phone company Verizon to hand over to the NSA the phone records of tens of millions of American customers.

This information, known as metadata, includes the numbers of the originating and receiving phone, the call's duration, time, date and location (for mobiles, determined by which mobile signal towers relayed the call or text).

The contents of the conversation itself, however, are not covered, US intelligence officials say. The surveillance applies to calls placed within the US, and calls between the US and abroad.

"We've really gone overboard on the security side," said Democratic Representative Peter Welch of the surveillance, which is part of a classified $30bn (£19.5bn) intelligence budget.

But others said the practice was essential in America's efforts against terrorism.

"Have 12 years gone by and our memories faded so badly that we forgot what happened on September 11?" said Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee.

Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann, not usually noted for her support of President Obama, also backed the administration's stance.

"Let us not deal in false narratives," she said. "Let's deal in facts that will keep Americans safe."

But Republican Jim Sensenbrenner, one of the original authors of the Bush-era Patriot Act, said "the time has come" to stop harvesting phone records.

On the eve of the vote, in a rare statement against a legislative amendment, the White House called the Amash proposal a "blunt approach" that would hamper US anti-terrorism efforts.

NSA director Gen Keith Alexander held separate, closed-door sessions with Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday to lobby them against the bill.

Another NSA surveillance programme, Prism, allows the agency to sweep up global internet usage data through nine major US-based providers.

The programmes' supporters say such surveillance has helped thwart at least 50 terror plots in 20 countries, including up to a dozen directed at the US.

Divided opinion in the US about the snooping was highlighted by a CBS News poll on Wednesday.

The survey found that 67% of Americans opposed the government's collection of phone records, but 52% said it was necessary to counter terrorism.

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Obama: Reverse economic inequality

24 July 2013 Last updated at 22:03 ET

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'Washington has taken its eye off the ball'

Reversing US economic inequality should be Washington's top priority, President Barack Obama has said, as an autumn budget battle with Congress looms.

He touted the slow but steady recovery in what was billed as a major economic speech at Knox College in Illinois.

And he criticised his Republican opponents at length, challenging them to develop their own economic plan.

Republicans attacked the president's speech, saying the country needed actions not words.

On Wednesday, Mr Obama returned to Knox College, where in 2005 he gave one of his first addresses as a newly elected US senator, discussing the economic forces that had depressed the US middle class.

'Morally wrong'

"Even though our businesses are creating new jobs and have broken record profits, nearly all the income gains of the past 10 years have continued to flow to the top 1%," the Democratic president said on Wednesday.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Rajini Vaidyanathan BBC News, Washington

---

President Obama is back on the stump, getting out of Washington DC for a three-stop tour to talk about the economy. It is the single biggest concern for Americans, but one which has been knocked off the news agenda - by issues such as Syria, the NSA leaks scandal and the trial of George Zimmerman. The president said he wants to put the economy back at the heart of debate on Capitol Hill.

But his speech was a reminder of the bigger challenges he faces. His address to a crowd at Knox College in his home state of Illinois was peppered with criticism of Republicans for their opposition to him on spending plans. But the question is how, if at all, he can persuade politicians from all sides to defuse crucial budget battles that lie ahead?

"The average CEO has gotten a raise of nearly 40% since 2009, but the average American earns less than he or she did in 1999.

"This growing inequality isn't just morally wrong - it's bad economics."

Mr Obama put the wage stagnation and the "decades-long erosion" of middle-class security down to technological advances, globalisation, the declining power of labour unions, and the rise in tax incentives for corporations and the wealthy.

But the president said America had seen a stronger economic recovery than other nations, crediting his administration's efforts to rescue the US automobile industry, overhaul the healthcare system, and invest in renewable energy.

Mr Obama added that the US now produced more natural gas than any other country and that it would soon produce more oil than it imported.

To encourage the recovery and create jobs, Mr Obama called for greater public investment in infrastructure and education.

He said the US had to invest in infrastructure if it wanted to remain competitive in the global economy, quipping that many of America's bridges were old enough to collect public pensions.

The president said that failure to restore equality of opportunity would be a "betrayal of the American idea".

'Sitting on sidelines'

Mr Obama also appealed for a raise of the national minimum wage.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

It's an Easter egg with no candy in it"

End Quote John Boehner Republican Speaker of the House

The president devoted much of his address to criticism of the Republican Party, which controls the House of Representatives, holds enough votes in the Senate to block legislation, and has opposed virtually every item on his agenda.

Referring to the Republicans, he said Washington had manufactured an "endless parade of distractions, political posturing and phony scandals", rather than address big issues.

"Washington has taken its eye off the ball," he said. "And I am here to say this needs to stop."

Ahead of Mr Obama's speech, Republicans launched their own offensive.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of "just sitting on the sidelines and waiting to take their cues from the endless political road-shows the president cooks up whenever he feels like changing the topic".

And House Speaker John Boehner called the speech a "hollow shell".

"It's an Easter egg with no candy in it."

The president will next travel to the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. On Thursday he is to speak in Jacksonville, Florida.

The string of speeches is intended to build support for Mr Obama's agenda ahead of a budget deadline in the autumn.

The US economy is gradually recovering from the 2007-9 recession. The unemployment rate is now 7.6%, down from nearly 10% in January 2010.

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China charges politician Bo Xilai

25 July 2013 Last updated at 05:56 ET

China has charged disgraced politician Bo Xilai with bribery, corruption and abuse of power, state media say.

Bo Xilai, formerly the Communist Party chief of Chongqing, was expelled from the party after a scandal surrounding the murder of a British businessman.

His wife Gu Kailai was jailed in August for the killing of the Briton, Neil Heywood.

Mr Bo was charged by prosecutors on Thursday in Jinan in Shandong province, state media said.

The Bo Xilai scandal, which exposed corruption claims and infighting at the top of the Communist Party, was one of the biggest to rock China in years.

Mr Bo had taken advantage of his office to accept an "extremely large amount" of money and properties, state-run news agency Xinhua said, citing the indictment paper.

He is also charged with embezzling public money, Xinhua said.

Murder investigation

The sending of the formal indictment to a court in the city of Jinan suggests the trial is now imminent, the BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai reports.

However, no trial date has been announced yet.

It is common for high-profile political trials to take place in provinces away from where the accused is based, as they are considered more likely to gain beneficial treatment in their home province.

Mr Bo's wife Gu Kailai was tried in a court in Hefei, Anhui province, far from Chongqing.

Mr Bo was previously considered a rising star in the Communist Party, and one of the country's most powerful officials.

However, he came under criticism after his former police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu in February 2012, spending a day there.

Wang made allegations about British businessman Neil Heywood's death while at the consulate, reports said.

Heywood had died in Chongqing the previous year. The Wang Lijun incident prompted an investigation into his death.

Continue reading the main story

So the stage has been set for the trial of a man who was once one of China's most powerful and - rare in the grey-suited world of Communist Party politics - charismatic politicians.

Of course, some have suggested that it was that charisma, coupled with the unique brand of populist politics he practised in Chongqing, that may have earned him powerful enemies all too willing to hasten his demise.

Having been stripped of his party positions more than a year ago, it has since been a question of not if, but when Bo Xilai will be convicted, as per the norms of Communist Party justice.

The publishing of the indictment means that the trial is now imminent and the country's new leaders have judged the timing to be right for such a politically sensitive trial, perhaps wanting to get it out of the way ahead of the big economic planning meeting in the autumn.

But it is still risky. Mr Bo's fall has highlighted cracks in the Communist Party edifice. A commentary published by a state-run news agency warns against resistance to the decision, calling on local governments to "defend the authority" of the Beijing leadership.

Mr Bo was suspected of trying to cover up the murder, and was stripped of his party positions.

Mr Bo's wife Gu Kailai was charged with Heywood's murder, and given a suspended death sentence, which is usually commuted to life imprisonment in China.

Wang, meanwhile, was jailed for 15 years for defection, power abuse and bribe taking.

Populist policies

Mr Bo was popular in his role as party chief in Chongqing.

He was known for two high-profile campaigns: a large-scale crackdown on crime, and a drive to promote China's old communist values.

Despite his charisma, his penchant for the limelight set him apart from other Chinese politicians.

According to analysts, his ambition and flamboyant style earned him enemies and was considered controversial by party leaders.

His populist brand of Maoist nostalgia, such as his encouragement of the public singing of old communist songs, was seen as dangerous by China's more reform-minded leaders, our correspondent says.

On China's microblogs, many users expressed support for the indictment against Mr Bo.

"The handling of Bo Xilai's serious disciplinary violations has again proved the party's 'zero tolerance' attitude to corruption," a user by the name of God's Drop Shadow wrote on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like site.

"I support President Xi's efforts to fight the tigers when it comes to corruption, and clear corrupt elements for the good of the country and the people," user qixiya0 said.

Xi Jinping had previously used the terms "tigers" and "flies" to describe corrupt officials at all levels.

However, evidence of Mr Bo's popularity could still be found online.

"I don't really understand politics, but from when I first knew of Bo Xilai, my impression of him has been of a leader who would teach young people, just like an elder. Despite what has happened, in my heart he will still be like that," Sina Weibo user Small Ears are the Two Large Flowers in Legends wrote.

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Spain train crash death toll mounts

25 July 2013 Last updated at 07:03 ET

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The BBC's Tom Burridge reports on "chaos" at the scene

At least 78 people have been killed in the passenger train derailment in north-western Spain on Wednesday.

More than 140 were hurt, 20 seriously, after all eight carriages of the Madrid to Ferrol train came off the tracks near Santiago de Compostela.

Media reports say the train may have been travelling at more than twice the speed limit around a curve.

It is one of Spain's worst ever train crashes. PM Mariano Rajoy has declared three days of national mourning.

"Today is a very difficult day. Today we have lived through a terrible, dramatic accident, which I fear will stay with us for a long time.

"For someone from Santiago, like myself, believe me, this is the saddest Day of Saint James of my life."

Continue reading the main story

Mr Rajoy, who was born in Santiago de Compostela, has been visiting the scene of the accident.

Continue reading the main story

Spanish press reaction

The website of Spanish daily ABC opens with the line "Spain, in mourning" above a video of the mangled train.

National daily El Pais has headlined a quote attributed to the train driver: "I'm going at 190!".

Regional daily La Voz de Galicia features a close-up of a crying woman being comforted as she awaits news in front of a hospital where the injured have been taken.

Radio station SER is starting its hourly bulletins with a clip from the head of the regional government Alberto Nunez Feijoo saying that "On its national day, the people of Galicia are crying."

State broadcaster Radio Nacional de Espana is running rolling coverage of the derailment and the first stages of the investigation into its causes.

"I want to express my affection and solidarity with the victims of the terrible train accident in Santiago," Mr Rajoy said earlier.

The black box of the train is now with the judge in charge of the investigation.

The president of railway firm Renfe, Julio Gomez Pomar, has said the train in the crash had no technical problems.

"The train had passed an inspection that same morning. Those trains are inspected every 7,500km... Its maintenance record was perfect," he told Spanish radio.

Spain generally has a relatively good record in terms of rail safety, says the BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid.

This is a country which has invested huge amounts of money in its rail network, he says.

According to official figures, the crash is one of the worst rail disasters in Spanish history.

In 1972, a frontal train crash in Andalusia, in the south of the country, left dozens of people dead. The figures given at the time range between 76 and 86.

In 1944, hundreds of people were believed to have been killed in a crash in Torre del Bierzo, in Leon province - though the official account in days of heavy censorship under Gen Francisco Franco gave the figure as 78 killed.

'Hell'

Renfe said the train came off the tracks on a bend about 3 or 4km (2-2.5 miles) from Santiago de Compostela station at 20:41 local time (18:41 GMT) on Wednesday.

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Eyewitness: "There were people lying everywhere"

It was on the express route between the capital, Madrid, and the ship-building city of Ferrol on the Galician coast, with 218 passengers on board - in addition to a unknown number of crew members.

Firefighter Jaime Tizon, one of the first to reach the site of the crash, described the scene as "hell".

"I'm coming from hell, I couldn't tell you if the engine was on fire, or one of the carriages or what..." he told ABC after dragging the injured and bodies from the train.

Continue reading the main story

Santiago de Compostela

• One of the most important Christian pilgrimage sites in Europe
• El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St James) pilgrimage route has been followed by Christians since the Middle Ages
• The remains of St James, one of Jesus' 12 disciples and the patron saint of Galicia, are said to rest in the city

Earlier, the leader of the regional government Alberto Nunez Feijoo described it as "a Dante-esque scene", in comments to Spanish radio.

One witness, Ricardo Montesco, described how the train carriages "piled on top of one another" after the train hit a curve.

"A lot of people were squashed on the bottom. We tried to squeeze out of the bottom of the wagons to get out and we realised the train was burning...I was in the second wagon and there was fire. I saw corpses," he told Spanish Cadena Ser radio station.

Several eyewitnesses described the train travelling very fast before it derailed.

Too fast?

Continue reading the main story

Spanish train crashes

• August 2006: Inter-city train derails in Villada, in the province of Palencia, killing six people and injuring dozens more.
• July 2006: At least 43 people killed in a metro train crash in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia.
• June 2003: At least 19 people killed and some 40 injured in a head-on train collision near Chinchilla in Albacete province.
• March 2002: Two express trains collide outside Tarragona, in Catalonia, killing four people and injuring more than 80.

Renfe says it and the track operating company Adif are collaborating with a judge appointed to investigate the accident.

One of the drivers who was trapped in the cab of the train after the accident is quoted as saying moments after the crash that the train had taken the curve at 190 km/h (118mph) when entering the curve, unidentified investigation sources have told Spanish media.

The speed limit on that section of track is 80km/h.

"I hope no one died because it will weigh on my conscience," he said.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said one British citizen was known to have been injured in the accident.

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Local resident Patricia Varela said cranes were moving carriages off the tracks

The derailment happened on the eve of Santiago de Compostela's main annual festival where thousands of Christian pilgrims were expected to flock to the city in honour of Saint James.

The city's tourism board said all festivities planned for Thursday have been cancelled.

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White House attacks NSA curb plans

24 July 2013 Last updated at 05:58 ET

The White House is urging Congress to reject an attempt to stop the National Security Agency (NSA) collecting Americans' phone records.

With a key vote coming up, President Barack Obama's spokesman said curbs on the NSA would "hastily dismantle" a vital counter-terrorism tool.

NSA chief Gen Keith Alexander spent Tuesday lobbying Congressmen to vote against the proposed measure.

Critics say NSA phone data collection is an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

The details of the programme were made public by Edward Snowden, who had worked for the NSA and is now a fugitive, awaiting a decision on his asylum application in Moscow.

'Blunt approach'

House of Representatives Republican Congressman Justin Amash has tabled an amendment to a defence spending bill, which would block funding for the NSA's programme to collect details of every call made by or to a US phone.

Continue reading the main story

The National Security Agency (NSA) began collecting Americans' phone records in 2001, as part of far-reaching surveillance programmes launched by then-President George W Bush in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

But the scope of the practice, continued under President Barack Obama, only became apparent in June when ex-CIA contractor Edward Snowden leaked classified US surveillance files.

It emerged that a US secret court had ordered phone company Verizon to hand over to the NSA the phone records of tens of millions of American customers.

This information, known as metadata, includes the numbers of the originating and receiving phone, the call's duration, time, date and location (for mobiles, determined by which mobile signal towers relayed the call or text).

The contents of the conversation itself, however, are not covered. The surveillance applies to calls placed within the US, and calls between the US and abroad.

Mr Amash said: "My amendment blocks funding of NSA's collection of personal data if that data does not pertain to a person under investigation."

A vote on the amendment will take place on Wednesday.

House Democrats John Conyers and Jared Polis supported the move, which they said "makes sure that innocent Americans' information isn't needlessly swept up into a government database".

However, the White House said the measure would deprive the intelligence agencies of a key tool in preventing terror attacks.

"This blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open or deliberative process," said spokesman Jay Carney.

"We urge the House to reject the Amash amendment, and instead move forward with an approach that appropriately takes into account the need for a reasoned review of what tools can best secure the nation."

Party split

NSA head Gen Alexander held separate, closed-door sessions with Republicans and Democrats on the eve of the vote in an attempt to persuade them to vote against.

Afterwards he told CNN: "What you can see is that everybody wants to ensure we protect civil liberties and privacy and defend this country.

"We have that responsibility, and the issue is, how do we do that? How do we take care of our people and protect our civil liberties and privacy? This is a tough issue."

The issue has split the main parties, with Democrats and Republicans lining up on both sides of the debate.

Meanwhile it is thought possible that Russia will announce whether Edward Snowden has been successful in his application for temporary asylum in the country.

He has been in limbo in a Moscow airport for weeks, but his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena says Wednesday is the deadline for the Federal Migration Service to rule on his request.

A number of Latin American states say they are willing to offer the former intelligence systems analyst asylum, but he says he first needs Russian asylum in order to be able to travel, since the US has cancelled his passport.

The US has charged Mr Snowden with leaking classified information.

Mr Putin has refused to hand him to US authorities, but says he can only stay in Russia if he stops leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.

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Egypt soldier dies in bomb blast

24 July 2013 Last updated at 05:29 ET

One soldier has died and another is in a critical condition following a bomb blast in the Egyptian city of Mansoura.

Health officials said 29 people were hurt. A timed bomb hidden under a truck detonated near the security directorate in the Nile Delta city, north of Cairo.

Overnight in the capital, unidentified gunmen shot dead two supporters of the deposed President, Mohammed Morsi.

About 100 people have died in clashes between backers and opponents of Mr Morsi since he was ousted from office.

A spokesman for the health ministry in Mansoura said gunshots were exchanged between police and unknown assailants at the time the bomb went off.

Fears over violence

On Saturday night three women were killed in the same city, after clashes broke out during a march to support Mohamed Morsi.

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Cairo says the latest violence is a worrying sign that Egypt's political crisis is intensifying.

The killing of two pro-Morsi demonstrators in Cairo follows a familiar pattern, with both sides in the dispute having been attacked in this way, our correspondent adds.

Supporters of the ousted president have been attending regular rallies near Cairo University in the capital, as well as demonstrations elsewhere in Egypt.

Mr Morsi has been held at an undisclosed location without charge since army chief Gen Abdul Fattah al-Sisi announced his removal on 3 July.

The army declared it had suspended the constitution, and organised a new temporary administration led by an interim President, Adly Mansour, the head of the Constitutional Court. A technocrat cabinet was later unveiled.

On Monday Mr Mansour made a televised appeal for an end to the violence. He called for a "new page in the book of the history of the nation, without rancour, hatred and confrontation".

Continue reading the main story

• Ten legal and constitutional experts to draft changes to the constitution
• Panel of 50 people from across Egyptian society to debate amendments
• Final draft put to referendum within four months
• Parliamentary elections early 2014, followed by presidential elections

Mr Morsi's family says they have had no contact with him since his detention.

On Monday, his daughter Shaimaa confirmed they were taking legal measures against the army.

The Gulf state of Qatar - which has been supportive of the ousted president's Muslim Brotherhood movement - has become the latest country to call for Mr Morsi's release. A foreign ministry source told the Qatar News Agency that a political solution in Egypt could not be achieved as long as the former leader continued to be detained.

The United States has also urged Egypt's interim authorities to set him free. They say he is being held for his own protection.

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EU credit card cap plans confirmed

24 July 2013 Last updated at 05:52 ET

Plans to cut transaction fees on debit and credit cards in the European Union have been published - but there is disagreement over the potential impact.

The European Commission estimates that the EU payment market is worth 130bn euros (£112bn) but is "fragmented and expensive".

It wants to cap "interchange fees" to a maximum of 0.3% of a transaction.

The fees involved are paid by shops and businesses to banks, every time a consumer uses his or her card.

Retailers say customers could ultimately benefit from lower prices in the shops as a result of the proposals, which could take years to implement.

But banks argue that consumers will instead end up paying higher charges to use debit and credit cards.

Cap on fees

Shops and businesses pay different interchange rates to the banks, depending on the size of the retailer, and whether the customer has used a debit card or a credit card.

On average, debit card transactions cost the retailer 9p each, or about 0.2% of the bill.

Credit card transactions typically cost much more, at around 0.9%.

Continue reading the main story

[This will] finally put an end to the unjustified high level of these fees"

End Quote Joaquín Almunia Vice President, European Commission

Under the plans, debit card interchange fees would be capped at 0.2%, and credit card fees at 0.3%.

In other words, many debit card fees would not be affected by the changes, but charges for credit cards would, on average, be reduced by two-thirds.

In the first instance, these caps would only be applied to cross-border transactions, such as a UK resident making a purchase elsewhere in the EU.

But the caps could later be applied within each of the member states.

"The proposed changes to interchange fees will remove an important barrier between national payment markets and finally put an end to the unjustified high level of these fees," said EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier.

European Commission competition chief Joaquin Almunia said: "The interchange fees paid by retailers end up on consumers' bills. Not only are consumers generally unaware of this, they are even encouraged through reward systems to use the cards that provide their banks with the highest revenues."

Warning

The British Retail Consortium, which represents shopkeepers in the UK, has welcomed the plan, arguing that if retailers pay lower fees, they can pass those savings on to customers.

But the banks argue that the present fees accurately reflect the costs of processing the transactions involved.

If the plans are approved, they warn that consumers will end up paying more for the cards themselves.

For debit cards, they say consumers might have to pay an extra £11 a year. Credit cards, they say, could cost an extra £25 a year.

The proposals are part of a series of measures aimed at tightening up the payments market across the EU.

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Egyptian army chief calls protests

24 July 2013 Last updated at 07:13 ET

Egypt's army chief has called for demonstrations on Friday to give the military a mandate to confront "violence and potential terrorism".

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he was not calling for public unrest and wanted national reconciliation.

Supporters of Mohammed Morsi have been protesting against the army intervention which removed him as president of Egypt on 3 July.

But the Muslim Brotherhood dismissed Gen Sisi's call as a "threat".

Essam El-Erian, deputy chairman of the Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said: "Your threat will not stop the millions from continuing to gather."

He called Gen Sisi "a coup leader who kills women, children and those at prayer".

Army 'united'

In a speech at a military graduation ceremony, which was broadcast on television, Gen Sisi said: "I urge the people to take to the streets this coming Friday to prove their will and give me, the army and police, a mandate to confront possible violence and terrorism."

Gen Sisi, who is also the defence minister in the new government, rejected rumours about divisions within the army ranks. "I swear by God that the Egyptian army is united," he said.

Referring to the army's intervention to remove Mr Morsi early this month, Gen Sisi said: "I urged the former president to be a president for all Egyptians".

And, recalling the 2012 presidential election when Mr Morsi was voted into office, he said that he had advised Islamists not to field a presidential candidate - but that they had ignored him.

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US general outlines Syria options

22 July 2013 Last updated at 23:46 ET

The top US military officer has outlined the costs, risks and benefits of possible American military involvement in the Syrian conflict.

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen Martin Dempsey offered five military options, including limited strikes and establishing a no-fly zone.

But he said using force in Syria would be "no less than an act of war" and could cost the US billions of dollars.

Washington has so far ruled out military intervention in Syria.

Its role in the conflict is currently limited to delivering humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries and providing non-lethal help to the Syrian opposition.

'Act of war'

In an open letter to senators, Gen Dempsey analysed five military options the US military could potentially undertake in Syria:

• training, advising and assisting the opposition
• conducting limited strikes
• establishing a no-fly zone
• creating buffer zones inside Syria
• controlling Damascus' chemical arms

Gen Dempsey estimated that the first option would cost about $500m (£325m) a year, while each of the other four actions would require roughly $1bn a month.

"The decision to use force is not one that any of us takes lightly. It is no less than an act of war," he wrote in the letter.

Gen Dempsey acknowledged that the outlined actions would strengthen the opposition and put more pressure on President Bashar al-Assad, but he warned the US should learn from its previous interventions, as in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"We have learned from the past 10 years, however, that it is not enough to simply alter the balance of military power without careful consideration of what is necessary in order to preserve a functioning state," he said.

Gen Dempsey's letter was in response to questions by two members of the Senate Armed Services Committee which is considering re-appointing him for a second two-year term as chairman of the joint chiefs.

More than 90,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising again President Assad began in 2011, according to the UN.

A further 1.7 million have been forced to seek shelter in neighbouring countries.

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Brazil crowds greet Pope Francis

23 July 2013 Last updated at 02:49 ET

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There were clashes during Pope Francis' Brazil visit as Wyre Davies reports

Pope Francis has been greeted by tens of thousands of Brazilian pilgrims as he began his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church.

The first Latin American Pope toured Rio de Janeiro in an open car and then met President Dilma Rousseff at the state governor's palace.

After he left, police fired tear gas to disperse protests against both the government and the cost of the visit.

He is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.

In a speech soon after his arrival, the Pope urged young Catholics to "make disciples of all nations".

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Pope's visit to Brazil - main events

Monday:

• Arrival and welcoming ceremony at Rio state governor's palace

Tuesday

• No scheduled public events

Wednesday:

• Visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida and to the St Francis of Assisi of the Providence of God Hospital in Rio

Thursday:

• Visit to the Varginha community in Rio, welcoming ceremony at the World Youth Day on Copacabana

Friday:

• Meeting with young prisoners and a Way of the Cross ceremony on Copacabana

Saturday:

• Meeting with Brazil's leaders in Rio and a prayer vigil with young people

Sunday:

• Holy Mass for the World Youth Day in Rio, farewell ceremony and departure for Rome

"I came to meet young people coming from all over the world, drawn to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer," he said at the governor's palace, referring to Rio's famous vast statue of Jesus.

"They want to find a refuge in his embrace, right near his heart to hear his call clearly and powerfully."

About an hour after the welcoming ceremony, police fired stun grenades and tear gas against the demonstrators outside the palace.

It was the latest rally against what the protesters described as endemic government corruption across the country.

But some were also unhappy about $53m (£34m) in public fund being spent for the pontiff's visit.

There was little damage and few arrests, but it was a reminder that there is still a real possibility the pontiff's high-profile visit to a huge Catholic festival in Rio could be overshadowed by political events, the BBC's Wyre Davies reports from Rio.

In a separate development, the military said a homemade explosive device had been discovered at a shrine between Rio and Sao Paulo that the Pope is due to visit on Wednesday.

The device at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida was described as being "of low power" and was destroyed.

Relaxed and jovial

As Pope Francis disembarked from the Alitalia plane in Rio's airport earlier on Monday, he was welcomed by President Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang an anthem linked to Youth Day and he was presented with a bouquet of flowers.

The Pope waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio, where thousands of pilgrims have gathered.

Pope Francis looked relaxed and jovial as he was driven into Rio de Janeiro in a modest family car, with the window wound down and security officials struggling to keep back the crowds, our correspondent says.

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Crowds mobbed the Pope's car as it made its way from the airport

There were chaotic scenes as his car became stuck in one of the city's infamous traffic jams, after the pope's driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.

Crowds immediately gathered round the vehicle hoping to catch a glimpse or touch Pope Francis. One woman passed her baby through the window for a kiss from the Holy Father.

Once in the city centre, the Pope switched to an open-air Popemobile, waving at the tens of thousands who lined the streets he travelled through.

"I can't travel to Rome, but he came here to make my country better... and to deepen our faith," said a tearful 73-year-old Idaclea Rangel.

Continue reading the main story 'Thrown away'

The authorities have increased security during the Pope's seven-day visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.

Pope Francis refused to use an armoured Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 30,000 security staff - army and police are on duty throughout his visit.

More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.

The Argentina-born Pope - who became head of the Catholic Church in March - is due to lead a prayer service on Copacabana beach on Thursday. He will also visit one of Rio's shanty towns.

Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, the Pope said young people were "at this moment are in crisis," in an apparent reference to the continuing economic crisis across Europe.

"We run the risk of having a generation that hasn't worked," he said, even though work confers dignity.

He also criticised what he said was a "culture" of socially rejecting the elderly who were "thrown away" as if they had nothing to offer.

CLICKABLE

Pope's residence

Basilica

Varginha slum

Copacabana beach

World Youth Day

Galeao Airport

Guanabara Palace (22 July)

When Pope Francis arrives in Rio, he will attend a welcome ceremony in Guanabara Palace. Guests will include Brazillian President Dilma Rousseff.

Sumare Centre (22 July)

The catholic education institution will be the Pope's residence during his stay in Rio.

Our Lady of Aparecida Basilica (24 July)

The Pope travels to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the city of Aparecida do Norte, the largest Marian pilgrimage centre in the world. He will celebrate a mass there and return to Rio on the same day.

St. Francis of Assisi Hospital (24 July)

As soon as he returns from Aparecida do Norte, the pontiff will inaugurate a special ward for the treatment of drug addicts, built with donations from the Vatican.

City Palace (25 July)

The Pope will be handed the keys to the city from mayor Eduardo Paes. Later, he will bless the Olympic flags for Rio 2016.

Varginha slum, Manguinhos (25 July)

Pope Francis visits the community living in the Varginha slum and will make a speech in a local football field.

Copacabana beach (25-26 July)

The Pope will greet the participants of the Church's World Youth Day on 25 July. The next day, they will join him in a Way of the Cross procession at the beach.

Quinta da Boa Vista (26 July)

The Pope receives the confession of five youngsters in a house that was used by Brazil's royal family members.

St. Joachim Archiepiscopal Palace (26 July)

The pontiff will meet young prisoners. After that, he will deliver the Angelus prayer and blessing from the palace balcony and meet youngsters from the organising committee of World Youth Day for lunch.

Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre (27 July)

Pope Francis meets politicians and local dignitaries.

Campus Fidei, Guaratiba (27-28 July)

The Pope will hold a vigil with the participants of World Youth Day on Saturday evening. On Sunday morning, Pope Francis will celebrate the final mass of the WYD 2013 and deliver the Angelus prayer and blessing once again.

Riocentro (28 July)

On his way to the airport, the pontiff stops in Riocentro, the largest convention centre in Latin America, to meet the WYD volunteers.

Galeao International Airport (28 July)

In his last engagement in Brazil, the pope will make a speech in a farewell ceremony at the airport.

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Rescue as Gansu quake toll rises

23 July 2013 Last updated at 05:06 ET

Rescue efforts are under way following two powerful earthquakes in China that killed at least 94 people.

The quakes hit Gansu province on Monday morning, with the majority of casualties in Dingxi city. More than 800 are injured, state media report.

Two helicopters and around 3,000 soldiers, police and rescue personnel have been deployed, reports say.

Thousands of buildings collapsed or were damaged in the magnitude 5.98 and 5.6 quakes.

More than 9,000 houses collapsed, the Dingxi municipal government said on its verified microblog account.

Rescuers were digging through rubble to look for victims buried by landslides and mudslides triggered by the quake.

As much of the mud is made of loess, a fine yellow sandy silt, the chance of finding survivors under the landslides is considered slim, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

By 18:00 (10:00 GMT) on Monday, the region had experienced 422 aftershocks, including one with a magnitude greater than five, Xinhua reported.

Li Jingui, a student in Dingxi, told AP news agency about the moment she felt the quake: "I saw the bulb hanging from the ceiling start swinging wildly around. I woke my two friends and we ran into the bathroom to hide."

"After the strongest tremors were over, we were worried that there would be aftershocks so we packed our stuff and ran out into a large clearing," Li Jingui added.

"I know I had a lucky escape," survivor Yang Su Xiao, 18, told Agence-France Presse news agency. "I am glad we are all not injured, but we don't know how we are going to repair the damage."

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Nine killed in Egyptian violence

23 July 2013 Last updated at 06:43 ET

Nine people have died in Cairo in overnight clashes between supporters and opponents of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, officials say.

Most of the victims were killed at a sit-in held by pro-Morsi demonstrators near Cairo University.

Mr Morsi's family earlier accused the military of abducting him.

He has been held at an undisclosed location without charge since army chief General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi announced his removal on 3 July.

Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement has refused to recognise the new military-backed administration and continues to hold almost daily street protests.

Demonstrators, many of them from the Muslim Brotherhood, have been staging large rallies across Egypt.

The violence has claimed at least 100 lives since Mr Morsi was deposed.

'Snipers'

Pro-Morsi supporters claimed they had been shot at by snipers on rooftops during the clashes at the sit-in, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville, in Cairo, reports.

They alleged the gunmen had received protection from security forces, our correspondent adds.

Meanwhile, one protester was killed at Cairo's Tahrir Square, while two more people died outside the capital.

On Monday, at least one person died and dozens of protesters were wounded during the unrest in central Cairo, medical officials said.

Egyptian state TV reported that seven pro-Morsi protesters had been arrested for possession of illegal weapons.

More deaths were reported in separate clashes in Qalyubiya province, north of Cairo.

On Monday, Mr Morsi's family said they had had no contact with him and confirmed they were appealing to the International Criminal Court to launch an investigation into the events leading up to his overthrow.

"We are taking local and international legal measures against Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the leader of the bloody military coup, and his putschist group," his daughter, Shaimaa Morsi, told reporters.

Several countries, including the United States, have called for Mr Morsi's release.

But Egypt's interim authorities insist he is being held in a "safe place".

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Pope Francis leaves for Brazil visit

21 July 2013 Last updated at 21:19 ET

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Pope Francis is embarking on his first foreign trip

Pope Francis has left Rome for Brazil for his first foreign trip, which will be taking place amid high security.

The pontiff will be greeted by some two million young people from all over the world at the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival in Rio de Janeiro.

The first Latin American Pope will also celebrate Mass on the famous Copacabana beach and visit shanty towns.

Some 22,000 security staff will be on duty during the visit of the Pope, who is not using his armoured Popemobile.

Mask ban

Ahead of his week-long trip, the 76-year-old Pope from Argentina called on his followers to join him spiritually on his journey through prayer.

The pontiff is due to arrive in Brazil - the world's most populous Catholic country - later on Monday, and huge crowds are expected to greet him at Rio airport.

The Vatican says it has full confidence in the ability of Brazilian security forces to protect the pontiff during his visit.

However, Pope Francis' direct style of communication, his desire for close proximity with his flock and his frequent rejection of protocol are creating some worry among the organisers of the visit, the BBC's David Willey in Rome reports.

In Rio, the security forces have set up several monitoring centres to keep a close eye on the Pope's every step.

The pontiff will also be using army helicopters to avoid Rio's heavy traffic jams.

The Brazilian authorities earlier banned masks at Pope Francis's opening Mass at the World Youth Day.

They are worried that the visit could spark a repeat of June's unrest, when many wore masks in the crowds.

There were widespread anti-government protests last month during the football Confederations Cup. Many of the protesters were wearing Guy Fawkes masks, which have become a feature of demonstrations around the world.

The demonstrators have taken to the streets to complain about the state of public services such as transport, health and education and about what they perceive as the inefficiency of their politicians.

CLICKABLE

Pope's residence

Basilica

Varginha slum

Copacabana beach

World Youth Day

Galeao Airport

Guanabara Palace (22 July)

When Pope Francis arrives in Rio, he will attend a welcome ceremony in Guanabara Palace. Guests will include Brazillian President Dilma Rousseff.

Sumare Centre (22 July)

The catholic education institution will be the Pope's residence during his stay in Rio.

Our Lady of Aparecida Basilica (24 July)

The Pope travels to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the city of Aparecida do Norte, the largest Marian pilgrimage centre in the world. He will celebrate a mass there and return to Rio on the same day.

St. Francis of Assisi Hospital (24 July)

As soon as he returns from Aparecida do Norte, the pontiff will inaugurate a special ward for the treatment of drug addicts, built with donations from the Vatican.

City Palace (25 July)

The Pope will be handed the keys to the city from mayor Eduardo Paes. Later, he will bless the Olympic flags for Rio 2016.

Varginha slum, Manguinhos (25 July)

Pope Francis visits the community living in the Varginha slum and will make a speech in a local football field.

Copacabana beach (25-26 July)

The Pope will greet the participants of the Church's World Youth Day on 25 July. The next day, they will join him in a Way of the Cross procession at the beach.

Quinta da Boa Vista (26 July)

The Pope receives the confession of five youngsters in a house that was used by Brazil's royal family members.

St. Joachim Archiepiscopal Palace (26 July)

The pontiff will meet young prisoners. After that, he will deliver the Angelus prayer and blessing from the palace balcony and meet youngsters from the organising committee of World Youth Day for lunch.

Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre (27 July)

Pope Francis meets politicians and local dignitaries.

Campus Fidei, Guaratiba (27-28 July)

The Pope will hold a vigil with the participants of World Youth Day on Saturday evening. On Sunday morning, Pope Francis will celebrate the final mass of the WYD 2013 and deliver the Angelus prayer and blessing once again.

Riocentro (28 July)

On his way to the airport, the pontiff stops in Riocentro, the largest convention centre in Latin America, to meet the WYD volunteers.

Galeao International Airport (28 July)

In his last engagement in Brazil, the pope will make a speech in a farewell ceremony at the airport.

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