What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” — Nelson Mandela We know all South Africans and indeed the world join us in this profound sense of loss and sadness on the death of our beloved Founder, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences are with the Mandela Family and friends at this time. Let us stand together now and in the days ahead, and do what needs to be done to honour with dignity Tata Madiba. We know you share with many of us the same passionate wish to see Nelson Mandela’s legacy being kept alive and made available to the world. His legacy lives on in all of us – it is in our hands now. Hamba kahle Madiba.

North Korea executes leader's uncle as a traitor

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) —

North Korea said Friday that it executed Kim Jong Un's uncle as a traitor for trying to seize supreme power, a stunning end for the leader's former mentor, long considered the country's No. 2. Related Stories More purges may follow execution of Kim's uncle Associated Press North Korea executes Kim Jong Un's uncle Associated Press N. Korea announces execution of leader's 'traitor' uncle AFP North Korea executes leader's powerful uncle in rare public purge Reuters North Korea purges Kim Jong Un's powerful uncle Associated Press In a sharp reversal of the popular image of Jang Song Thaek as a kindly uncle guiding young leader Kim Jong Un as he consolidated power, the North's official Korean Central News Agency indicated that Jang instead saw the death of Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, in December 2011 as an opportunity to challenge his nephew and win power.

womanizing, gambling and taking drugs, and said he'd been "eliminated" from all his posts. But Friday's allegations, which couldn't be independently confirmed, were linked to a claim that he tried "to overthrow the state by all sorts of intrigues and despicable methods with a wild ambition to grab the supreme power of our party and state." Pyongyang's statement called him a "traitor to the nation for all ages," ''worse than a dog" and "despicable human scum" who planned a military coup — rhetoric often reserved in state propaganda for South Korean leaders. State media said Jang was tried for treason by a special military tribunal and executed Thursday. In the North Korean capital, people crowded around billboards in a subway station displaying the morning paper and news of the execution. North Korea's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun ran a headline on its website that said: "Eternal traitor firmly punished." A radio broadcast of the news was piped into the subway. People sat quietly and listened as the announcer listed Jang's crimes. During his two years in power, Kim Jong Un has overseen nuclear and missile tests, other high-profile purges and a barrage of threats this spring, including vows of nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul. In contrast, his father, Kim Jong Il, took a much lower public profile when he rose to power after the death of his father, Kim Il Sung, in 1994. It's not clear what Jang's execution and Kim Jong Un's very public approach to leadership say about the future of a country notoriously difficult for outsiders to interpret. Some analysts see the public pillorying of such a senior official, and one related to the leader, as a sign of the young ruler coming into his own and solidifying his grip on power. "Whatever problems it faced, North Korea has usually acted in a way to bolster its leaders," said Chin Hee-gwan, a professor at South Korea's Inje University. "By showing a little bit of a reign of terror, it's likely that Kim Jong Un's power will be further consolidated." North Korea Executes Leader's Uncle As Traitor Play video North Korea Executes Leader's Uncle As Traitor But others see signs of dangerous instability and an indication that behind the scenes, Kim Jong Un's rise has not been as smooth as previously thought. "North Korea's announcement is like an acknowledgement that Kim Jong Un's government is still in a transitional period," said Lim Eul Chul, a North Korea expert at South Korea's Kyungnam University. The execution could be followed by more purges, Lim predicted, but Kim Jong Un will eventually ease up in his approach to domestic affairs because he'll face a bigger crisis if he fails to revive the struggling economy and improve people's living standards. There are fears in Seoul that the removal of Jang and his followers — two of his aides were executed last month, South Korea's National Intelligence Service said — could lead to a miscalculation or even an attack on the South. Top South Korean presidential security and government ministers held an unscheduled meeting Friday to discuss Jang's execution and its aftermath, according to the presidential Blue House. Seoul's Defense Ministry said the North Korean military has not shown any unusual activities and that there is not any suspicious activity at the North's nuclear test site and missile launch pads. There are also questions about what the purge means for North Korea's relationship with its only major ally, China. Jang had been seen as the leading supporter of Chinese-style economic reforms and an important link between Pyongyang and Beijing. Although the high-level purges over the last two years could indicate confidence, Victor Cha, a former senior White House adviser on Asia, said he sees signs of "a lot of churn in the system." "If he has to go as high as purging and then executing Jang, it tells you that everything's not normal in the system," said Cha, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. "When you take out Jang, you're not taking out just one person — you're taking out scores if not hundreds of other people in the system. It's got to have some ripple effect." North Korea has recently turned to attempts at diplomacy with South Korea and the United States. But tensions have remained high since Pyongyang's threats in March and April, which included warnings that it would restart nuclear bomb fuel production. There was no immediate word about the fate of Jang's wife, Kim Kyong Hui, the younger sister of Kim Jong Il, although some analysts believe that because she is directly related to the nation's founder, Kim Il Sung, and has been reportedly ill, she may be spared Jang's fate. She was also seen as an important mentor to Kim Jong Un after her brother's 2011 death. The White House said that "if confirmed, this is another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime." The KCNA report was unusually specific in its accusations at times. For instance, it criticized Jang for not rising and applauding his nephew's appointment to a senior position because Jang "thought that if Kim Jong Un's base and system for leading the army were consolidated, this would lay a stumbling block in the way of grabbing the power." One resident in Pyongyang, Kim Un Song, a doctor at a hospital, said she was surprised at the news but supported the execution. "We trust and believe only in Marshal Kim Jong Un. Anti-revolutionary elements can't shake our faith. I don't know if there are more out there, but they will never shake our faith," she said. "It's very good that he was executed."

World Bank Issues Regional Health Reports

Hassana Ousmane rests her head against the bed where her 21-month-old daughter, Zeinab, suffering from malaria, rests at the Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital in Accra, Ghana, April 25, 2012.

The World Bank has released new reports outlining the health challenges facing six major regions. Those challenges include not only many types of disease, but road accidents as well. The bank says the reports will help policymakers develop evidence-based health programs after the Millennium Development Goals expire. The World Bank has released the reports in conjunction with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Timothy Evans is the bank’s director of Health, Nutrition and Population. “What we see when we look beyond the global picture is that there’s a lot of regional specificity to trends in the burden of disease. And so the regional focus just allows us more detail and attention to what’s happening in different regions of the world.” He said the world is too diverse to have a one-size-fits-all health plan. “That doesn’t work anywhere,” he said, “That doesn’t work globally. It doesn’t work regionally. It doesn’t even work within a country. So the more understanding you have of context and need the better able the system is to respond appropriately.” Evans outlined the ongoing health challenges for sub-Saharan Africa. “The big one remains communicable diseases. That relates to HIV and malaria, but also the childhood killers – diarrhea and pneumonia – being two of the biggest. And of all the regions in the world, sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where there are more deaths and life years lost from communicable diseases than other types of illness or injury,” he said. Dramatic progress has been made against malaria through insecticide treated bed nets and indoor spraying. As for HIV/AIDS, greater access to antiretroviral drugs has saved many lives. Nevertheless, the World Bank regional report says these two diseases remain major health problems. Road accidents are also a top killer, not only in sub-Saharan Africa, but in most of the regions studied. Evans said, “What we’re seeing is a dramatic surge in mortality and injury from road traffic accidents. And this is a reflection of many, many, many more vehicles on the road – great increases in vehicle ownership -- and very inadequate investments in the infrastructure related to road traffic safety.” The World Bank official said that the road accident fatality rates in Africa are a hundred times greater than those in the United States. In North Africa and the Middle East, the MENA region, the health concerns are a bit different than those in sub-Saharan Africa. “The large majority of the burden of disease is tied up in what we call the non-communicable diseases – the chronic illnesses -- diseases of aging and lifestyle. And so problems with high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, stroke. These are the lion’s share of the burden of disease in the MENA region,” he said. Much of North Africa and the Middle East has experienced and is experiencing violence and conflict. Evans says that has a direct effect on the health of populations in those countries – Syria, Libya and Egypt, for example. Evans said, “Health does well in conditions of security. Health is really threatened in conditions of insecurity and it relates to some of the terrible violence that you see, which is often associated with situations where the normal rule of law has been lost and there’s armed violence and other sorts of problems. But the second is that the uncertainty often leads to mass movements of people across borders [and] into territories where they’re not necessarily welcome.” What’s more, violence and conflict cause many skilled professionals to leave causing a brain drain. The World Bank has also issued health reports for other four other regions. In South Asia, much progress has been made regarding communicable diseases and maternal health. However, the region is hard hit by chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Child undernutrition also remains a big problem. East Asia and the Pacific have some of the world’s highest rates of diabetes and a high fatality rate from road accidents. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the World Bank says alcohol related illnesses are a major problem, along with communicable diseases, such as HIV. And the Latin America and the Caribbean region is seeing an increase in ischemic heart disease or reduced blood flow to the heart, as well as big increases in depression and low back pain. The World Bank provides two forms of support for the regions: loans and information to help formulate health plans. The information is expected to be used to evaluate the success of the expiring Millennium Development Goals and in deciding what, if anything, will replace them after 2015.

Russia warns of 'catastrophe' if N.Korea restarts reactor

Russia warns of 'catastrophe' if N.Korea restarts reactor

Russia on Thursday warned of a potential "man-made catastrophe" if North Korea restarts an ageing plutonium reactor to boost its stockpile of nuclear weapons, after US experts spotted steam rising from the Yongbyon facility. The reactor, which was completed in 1986, is outdated and North Korea could suffer a major disaster if it is restarted, a Russian diplomatic source told the Interfax news agency. The warning came after researchers at the US-Korea Institute said Wednesday that satellite images taken on August 31 showed plumes of white steam rising from a building next to the reactor. "Our main concern is linked to a very likely man-made disaster as a consequence. The reactor is in a nightmarish state, it is a design dating back to the 1950s," the Russian source said. "For the Korean peninsula this could entail terrible consequences, if not a man-made catastrophe." The US envoy on North Korea meanwhile said the reported restart of the reactor would be "a misstep on the part of North Korea".

View gallery." North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear facility North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear facility. Russia has warned of a potential "man-made catastrophe" if … "If it turns out that these reports are true that North Korea has restarted the five-megawatt plutonium reactor, this would be a very serious matter," Glyn Davies told reporters after meeting Japanese foreign ministry officials in Tokyo. Such a move would "seriously violate the United Nations Security Council resolutions" and North Korea's commitments under a 2005 joint statement after six-party talks, Davies said. The Russian diplomat speaking to Interfax said he did not know for sure whether North Korea had relaunched the facility mothballed in 2007. "It is obvious that some works are being conducted, and for a long time at that. According to some signs, steps were indeed being taken to relaunch it," the diplomat said. "We do not have any information that the reactor has been relaunched." The image examined by researchers at the US-Korea Institute shows that North Korea "appears to have put the reactor into operation", researchers Nick Hansen and Jeffrey Lewis wrote on the institute's blog, 38 North. View gallery." This August 6, 2012 satellite image shows the Yongbyon … This August 6, 2012 satellite image provide by GeoEye on August 22, 2012 shows the Yongbyon Nuclear … But the white steam "could simply be testing of the generator", the Russian diplomatic source cited by Interfax cautioned. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said it was unable to verify the claim since North Korea has barred its inspectors since 2009. "We are aware of the media report," said spokeswoman Gill Tudor. "The agency continues its monitoring of the DPRK's nuclear activities by available means, such as satellite imagery analysis." North Korea declared in April that it would restart all facilities at Yongbyon to "bolster the nuclear armed force both in quality and quantity". The pledge came at a period of high international tension after North Korea defiantly carried out a third nuclear test in February and threatened to attack the United States over its reaction. View gallery." South Korean officials inspect North Korea's Yongbyon … South Korean officials inspect North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex, on January 16, 2009. (AFP Pho … Yet Pyongyang has more recently embarked on something of a charm offensive, agreeing to reopen a joint industrial zone with South Korea and to resume reunions of families separated by the Korean War. The Soviet Union played a key role in helping build the first nuclear complex at Yongbyon in the 1950s and 1960s, although North Korea itself built the plutonium reactor, which became operational in 1986. In 2007, North Korea shut down the Yongbyon reactor under a six-nation aid-for-disarmament deal and publicly knocked down its cooling tower. The reactor was the totalitarian state's sole way of producing plutonium, which it used to conduct its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. Pyongyang is currently believed to have enough plutonium for about six bombs. The Yongbyon reactor is capable of producing six kilogrammes (13 pounds) of plutonium a year -- enough for one nuclear bomb. In recent weeks, North Korea has indicated its willingness to resume six-party talks on its nuclear programme, involving the United States, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea. The US point man on North Korea said Thursday that Washington hopes for "meaningful, authentic and credible six-party talks". But he also added: "There is an issue right now what are six-party talks to be about," insisting that Pyongyang could not set any agenda beyond scrapping its nuclear programme.

Kerry rejects Assad's 30-day timetable

TTHEW LEE 14 minutes ago

GENEVA (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is rejecting Syrian President Bashar Assad's suggestion Thursday that he begin submitting data on his chemical weapons arsenal one month after signing an international chemical weapons ban.

Speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Kerry noted that Assad said a 30-day lead time would be standard. "There is nothing standard about this process," Kerry said, because Assad has used his chemical weapons. "The words of the Syrian regime in our judgment are simply not enough." Kerry cautioned that a U.S. military strike could occur if Assad doesn't agree to dismantle his chemical arsenal properly. He said, "There ought to be consequences if it doesn't take place." Lavrov said the dismantling "will make unnecessary any strike against the Syrian Arab Republic."

Meet the blobfish: The newly crowned 'ugliest animal in the world'

(NORFANZ Founding Parties)

This is the blobfish, a squishy and endangered deep sea creature that floats in the waters off the coast of Australia. It has recently been given the illustrious distinction as "the world's ugliest animal" by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, a collaborative effort between the British Science Association and the National Science + Engineering Competition, which is dedicated to "raising the profile of some of Mother Nature's more aesthetically challenged children." SEE ALSO: The strange symbolism of the $1 bill The blobfish's gelatinous flesh is a nifty adaption that helps the 12-inch fish stay afloat just above the sea floor without having to move or expend energy, "sort of like when you float in the water wearing a lifejacket," as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes it. Unfortunately, the blobfish's low kinetic output, coupled with overfishing (it's not edible), have caused the blobfish's numbers to dwindle. "We've needed an ugly face for endangered animals for a long time and I've been amazed by the public's reaction," says Simon Watt of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. "For too long the cute and fluffy animals have taken the limelight but now the blobfish will be a voice for the mingers who always get forgotten."

U.S. Embassy Warns of Yemen Threats, Urges Citizens to Leave (4)

The United States has evacuated 75 embassy staff from the Yemeni capital, after both the US and United Kingdom told their citizens to leave due to the threat of "terrorist attacks." The US citizens were flown out of the country on military aircraft on Tuesday, according to the Pentagon, which declined to comment further, citing security concerns. The new US measures, announced in a statement on Tuesday, followed a heightened security warning from Washington on Friday that prompted the closure of several Western embassies in Yemen and several US missions across the Middle East and Africa. It also came after at least four suspected al-Qaeda members were killed in what local tribal leaders said was a US drone strike in central Yemen early on Tuesday. "The Department urges US citizens to defer travel to Yemen and those US citizens currently living in Yemen to depart immediately," the statement posted on its website said. The UK's foreign office, meanwhile, advised against all travel to Yemen, and "strongly urge[d] British nationals to leave now". It said that all British embassy staff had been temporarily withdrawn from the country. Italy also urged its citizens to leave, citing the "particularly high risk of kidnap," while the UN's refugee agency boosted security, though it did not withdraw its personnel. 'Intercepted communications' Tuesday's warning came after US media reports indicated that the increased threat levels were the result of what US intelligence officials said were intercepted communications between top al-Qaeda leaders. Al Jazeera interviews former US intelligence officer Bob Ayers on the increased threat levels The New York Times reported on Monday that the closure of the embassies was the result of intercepted electronic communications between Ayman al-Zawahri, who replaced Osama bin Laden as head of al-Qaeda, and Nasser al-Wuhayshi, the head of Yemen-based affiliate al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). US sources said that while some type of message between Zawahri and AQAP was intercepted recently, there were also other streams of intelligence that contributed to the security alert, which was prompted by a threat from AQAP. "The threat picture is based on a broad range of reporting, there is no smoking gun in this threat picture," a US official told the Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity. US officials said there was still no information about a specific target or location of a potential attack, but the threat to Western interests had not diminished. It was unclear whether the drone strike was directly related to the US warnings. Among those killed was an al-Qaeda operative listed by Yemeni authorities on Monday, according to tribal sources. Yemen's official Saba news agency confirmed "the death of four al-Qaeda militants in Wadi Abida in Marib". The tribal source named two of the dead as Saleh al-Tays al-Waeli and Saleh Ali Guti. Waeli figures on a government list of 25 al-Qaeda suspects wanted in connection with an alleged plot to launch a major attack before Ramadan ends and the Muslim Eid al-Fitr feast begins, either Thursday or Friday. Tuesday's drone strike is the fourth of its kind since July 28, bringing the number of people killed in such attacks in the last week to 17.

Thousands demand Tunisia government's ouster

Tens of thousands of Tunisians have crowded the streets of downtown Tunis to demand the government's ouster, in the largest opposition protests to hit the capital since the country's political crisis began two weeks ago. The protest on Tuesday marks the six-month anniversary of the assassination of leftist politician Chokri Belaid, one of two opposition figures to be shot dead in recent months. It comes hours after the embattled Constituent Assembly suspended its work indefinitely. Mustafa Ben Jaffar, the head of the assembly and secretary-general of the centre-left party Ettakatol, announced the suspension. "I assume my responsibility as president of the ANC [assembly] and suspend its work until the start of a dialogue, in the service of Tunisia," he said on state television. I assume my responsibility as president of the ANC [assembly] and suspend its work until the start of a dialogue, in the service of Tunisia. Mustafa Ben Jaffar, The head of the Constituent Assembly He was referring to a crisis sparked by another assassination of an opposition figure, which has already prompted many opposition members to boycott the assembly's sessions. The assembly was only weeks away from finishing a draft constitution and electoral law that would move the country closer to new elections. The country's secular opposition is trying to oust the Islamist Ennahda-led government and dissolve the transitional Assembly. Protests have been held daily since the killing of leftist politician and assembly member Mohamed Brahmi on July 25, nearly six months after another leftist figure was gunned down. More than 70 members of the assembly withdrew two weeks ago in protest at the two killings and organised a sit-in outside the assembly headquarters. The assembly met on Tuesday morning despite the absence of protesting lawmakers. Tunisians are facing the worst political crisis since the toppling of autocratic ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, in a revolt that sparked uprisings across the Arab world.

Huge fire forces Nairobi airport shutdown

Huge forces Nairofirebi airport shutdown 'Massive' fire has gutted parts of airport in the Kenyan capital, forcing all flights to be suspended, officials say.

A "massive" fire has broken out at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International airport, forcing one of East Africa's largest transport hubs to shut down, officials say. "There is a serious fire at JKIA [airport], but we are doing everything possible to avert a crisis," Mutea Iringo, a senior official at Kenya's interior and national coordination ministry, said on Wednesday. "Apart from emergency landings, all flights into and out of JKIA have been cancelled, [the] airport has been shut down," added the official. The fire at east Africa's busiest airport started at around 5:00am local time (02:00 GMT) in the immigration section of the departure lounge and spread to the international arrivals area, a Kenya Civil Aviation Authority official said on condition of anonymity. Kenya's National Disaster Operation Centre, in an update given at 05:00GMT, said that while the blaze had been brought under control in the international departures areas, fire was still burning at the arrivals terminal. All roads around the airport had been closed except to emergency traffic, it added. "This is a major crisis," said senior transport ministry official Michael Kamau. There were no initial reports of casualties, but Iringo said the fire was "massive", adding that the arrivals and immigration sections were "totally damaged". Firefighters were tackling the blaze, while flights were being diverted to other airports, the interior ministry said in a statement. Images on Kenyan media showed flames rising high in the sky and billowing clouds of black smoke out of the main arrivals and departures terminal, with dozens of police and fire trucks at the scene. The airport serves as a regional hub for east Africa, with many long-distance international flights landing there to connect to countries across the region. Wednesday's fire comes less than 48 hours after a fuel jet pump failure caused huge delays at the airport, forcing some flights to be rerouted to the airport in the coastal town of Mombasa, Entebbe International Airport in Uganda and Kigali International Airport in Rwanda.

Children killed in Pakistan explosion

Blast took place after a football match in port city of Karachi, killing eleven children and wounding 26 others.

At least eleven children have been killed and 26 others wounded in an explosion in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, police and witnesses say. The blast took place in the impoverished Lyari neighbourhood of the city after a football match on Wednesday. The bomb was planted on a motorbike that was parked outside the stadium Tariq Dharejo, police official "The bomb was planted on a motorbike that was parked outside the stadium," senior police official Tariq Dharejo told the AFP news agency. Local politician Sania Naz from the Pakistan People's Party also confirmed the blast, putting the death toll at 11 and saying that those killed were aged from six to 15 years old. Dharejo said the bomb was a remote-controlled device. The blast targeted Javed Nagori, a member of the provincial assembly, at the stadium, but he survived, local officials said. Police officials said that between four and six kilograms of explosives were used in the bomb. The children had been playing while their parents shopped for the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr. In the run-up to Eid, many markets in Pakistan remain open all night as most people are fasting during the day. "There was smoke everywhere and people were covered in glass," said Sheree, a local resident who did not want to give her last name. She was near Nagori's convoy when the blast knocked her off her feet. She saw the bodies of three children, she said. "There was total chaos when the bomb went off. People were screaming and running for safety," said resident Zafar Baloch. Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Karachi, said: "Lyari is notorious for gang wars and this appears to be a localised crime in which criminal elements, who were against this politician, tried to target him." Football is popular in the area, with people of all ages playing the game. In other parts of the city, there were several explosions outside licensed liquor shops in four separate areas on Tuesday night. Karachi, a city of 18 million people, contributes 42 percent of Pakistan's GDP but is rife with murder and kidnappings and has been plagued for years by ethnic, sectarian and political violence. Lyari in particular has seen intense violence in the last several years, with rival gangs, backed by political parties, battling for turf and the police periodically launching crackdowns in the area.

McCain says Egypt near 'all-out bloodshed'

US senator's comments come amid reports Egyptian government is ready to declare foreign mediation failed to end crisis. Unrest in Egypt could turn into "all-out bloodshed" in the coming days if efforts to find a political solution fail, US Senator John McCain has warned during a visit to Cairo.

McCain and fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham met with Egypt's new rulers on Tuesday as reports said the country's military-installed government could soon announce that foreign efforts to mediate a peaceful end to the country's political crisis were collapsing. "Oh my God, I didn't know it was this bad. These folks are just days or weeks away from all-out bloodshed," McCain said during an interview in Cairo with US news network CBS. An Egyptian army takeover of the country on July 3 has led to violent confrontations between military forces and supporters of overthrown President Mohamed Morsi. During the CBS News interview, McCain, who unsuccessfully ran for US president in 2008, said: "There is only one way to bring about a peaceful Egypt and that is the process of negotiation and reconciliation between the major players".

But both he and Graham both acknowledged the difficulties ahead for Egypt. Asked by CBS News if they thought Egypt "might fail," McCain responded, "I think it might. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that it might and I think the events in next few weeks will determine that". Graham added: "I'll go one step further. I think it's going to fail if something doesn't change. And to the American people, failure in Egypt matters to us." Neither senator defined what it would mean to have Egypt "fail". 'Political polarisation' Travelling in Egypt during a US Congress recess, McCain and Graham met with Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah El Sisi, interim Vice-President Mohamed ElBaradei and interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi. Egypt's military is understood to be readying for an operation to clear protest sites [AFP] Asked whether Sisi embraced the US message of reconciliation, McCain told CBS News: "I got the impression about General Sisi that he is a very strong man and that he is trying to do what he thinks is best for the Egyptian people". The state news agency MENA said little about the senators' meeting with Sisi, only that the two sides exchanged views on political developments and discussed efforts to end "the state of political polarisation".

What is Ramadan

Ramadan

Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان‎ Ramaḍān, IPA: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn];[variations] Persian: رمضان‎ Ramazān; Urdu: رمضان‎ Ramzān; Turkish: Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting.This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths.The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramiḍa or ar-ramaḍ, which means scorching heat or dryness. Fasting is fard "obligatory" for adult Muslims, except those who are ill, traveling, pregnant, diabetic or going through menstrual bleeding.

While fasting from dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations; in some interpretations they also refrain from swearing. Food and drink is served daily, before sunrise and after sunset. According to Islam, the thawab (rewards) of fasting are many, but in this month they are believed to be multiplied. Fasting for Muslims during Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of salat (prayers) and recitation of the Quran In the Quran

Chapter 2, Revelation 185 of the Quran states: The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful.[Quran 2:185]

Thus, according to the Quran, Muhammad first received revelations in the lunar month of Ramadan. Therefore, the month of Ramadan is considered to be the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, the recording of which began with the Hijra. Beginning of Ramadan

Hilāl (the crescent) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon marks the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.However, to many Muslims, this is not in accordance with authenticated Hadiths stating that visual confirmation per region is recommended. The consistent variations of a day have existed since the time of Muhammad Practices during Ramadan

Fasting Main article: Sawm of Ramadan

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, Muslims also increase restraint, such as abstaining from sexual relations and generally sinful speech and behavior. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Ramadan also teaches Muslims how to better practice self-discipline, self-control,[16] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).[17] It becomes compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty, so long as they are healthy and sane, and have no disabilities or illnesses. Many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Exemptions to fasting are travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy, and breast-feeding. However, many Muslims with medical conditions insist on fasting to satisfy their spiritual needs, although it is not recommended by the hadith. Professionals should closely monitor individuals who decide to persist with fasting.[18] Those who were unable to fast still must make up the days missed later Suhoor and Iftar

Suhoor and Iftar Each day before dawn, many Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called suhoor. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr. At sunset, families hasten for the fast-breaking meal known as iftar. Considering the high diversity of the global Muslim population, it is impossible to describe typical suhoor or iftar meals. Suhoor can be typical breakfast foods, ethnic foods, or leftovers from the previous iftar. In the evening, dates are usually the first food to break the fast; according to tradition, Muhammad broke fast with three dates. Following that, Muslims generally adjourn for the Maghrib prayer, the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. Social gatherings, many times buffet style, at iftar are frequent, and traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, especially those made only during Ramadan. Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also consumed. Soft drinks and caffeinated beverages are consumed to a lesser extent.

In the Middle East, the iftar meal consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers, one or more entrees, and various kinds of desserts. Usually, the dessert is the most important part during iftar. Typical entrees are lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, or roast chicken served with chickpea-studded rice pilaf. A rich dessert such as luqaimat, baklava or kunafeh (a buttery, syrup-sweetened kadaifi noodle pastry filled with cheese) concludes the meal.[23] Over time, iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at masjid or banquet halls for 100 or more diners Charity Main articles: Zakāt and Sadaqah

Men praying during Ramadan Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadan. Zakāt, often translated as "the poor-rate", is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam; a fixed percentage of the person's savings is required to be given to the poor. Sadaqah is voluntary charity in giving above and beyond what is required from the obligation of zakāt. In Islam all good deeds are more handsomely rewarded in Ramadan than in any other month of the year. Consequently, many will choose this time to give a larger portion, if not all, of the zakāt which they are obligated to give. In addition, many will also use this time to give a larger portion of sadaqah in order to maximize the reward that will await them at the Last Judgment. In many Muslim countries, it is a common sight to see people giving more food to the poor and the homeless, and even to see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast Increased prayer and recitation of the Quran In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Quran by means of special prayers, called Tarawih. These voluntary prayers are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Quran (juz', which is 1/30 of the Quran) is recited. Therefore, the entire Quran would be completed at the end of the month. Although it is not required to read the whole Quran in the Tarawih prayers, it is common Laylat al-Qadr Main article: Laylat al-Qadr Sometimes referred to as "the night of power" or 'the night of decree", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.This is the night in which Muslims believe the first revelation of the Quran was sent down to Muhammad stating that this night was "better than one thousand months [of proper worship], as stated in Chapter 97:3 of the Qu'ran. Also, generally, Laylat al-Qadr is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, i.e., the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. The Dawoodi Bohra Community believe that 23rd night is laylat al Qadr End of Ramadan

Eid al-Fitr Main articles: Eid al-Fitr and Eid prayers The holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر‎, "festivity of breaking the fast") marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the next lunar month, Shawwal. This first day of the following month is declared after another crescent new moon has been sighted or the completion of 30 days of fasting if no visual sighting is possible due to weather conditions. This first day of Shawwal is called Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr may also be a reference towards the festive nature of having endured the month of fasting successfully and returning to the more natural disposition (fitra) of being able to eat, drink and resume intimacy with spouses during the day Cultural aspects

Fanous Ramadan decorations in Cairo, Egypt Ramadan in the Old City of Jerusalem In some Muslim countries today lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. Lanterns have become symbolic decorations welcoming the month of Ramadan. In a growing number of countries, they are hung on city streets.The tradition of lanterns as a decoration becoming associated with Ramadan is believed to have originated during the Fatimid Caliphate primarily centered in Egypt, where Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the capital city of Cairo. Shopping malls, places of business, and people's homes can be seen with stars and crescents, as well as, various lighting effects, as well. Penalties of eating in public during Ramadan daytime In some Muslim countries, failing to fast or the open flouting of such behavior during Ramadan is considered a crime and is prosecuted as such. For instance, in Algeria, in October 2008 the court of Biskra condemned six people to four years in prison and heavy fines. In Kuwait, according to law number 44 of 1968 the penalty is a fine of no more than 100 Kuwaiti dinars, or jail for no more than one month, or both penalties, for those seen eating, drinking or smoking during Ramadan daytime. In the U.A.E., eating or drinking during the daytime of Ramadan is considered a minor offence and would be punished by up to 240 hours of community service Origins Origin of the word Ramadan Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Muslim origin. However, prior to Islam's exclusion of intercalary days from its calendar, the name of this month was Nātiq and, due to the intercalary days added, always occurred in the warm season. It is believed that the first revelation to Muhammad was sent down during the month of Ramadan.Furthermore, God proclaimed to Muhammad that fasting for His sake was not a new innovation in monotheism, but rather an obligation practiced by those truly devoted to the oneness of God Pre-Islamic observation of fasting During the Jahiliyyah (i.e. pre-Islamic period), the Quraysh tribe and the Jews used to fast on the day of Ashura.It marks two important events: the day Noah left the Ark and the day that Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God. Ashura may or may not be referring to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur. Abu Zanad, an Arabic writer from Iraq who lived after the founding of Islam around 747 CE, wrote that at least one Mandaean community located in al-Jazira (modern northern Iraq) observed Ramadan

Meeting al-Qaeda in Syria

Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch has been cementing control of villages near Turkey's border and aims create an Islamic state.

These men are no longer just on the frontlines in the Syrian war. They are establishing a presence in villages, particularly those that lie along the main routes to the Turkish border. And in these villages they are laying the foundations for a future state. They don't hide what their aim is: creating an Islamic state under Sharia. We came into contact with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, at one of their checkpoints in the village of Dar Ta Izza in Allepo province. They didn't want to let us pass without checking our identities. One of the fighters said that the "regime thugs working in the Free Syrian Army (FSA)" are trying to smuggle "wanted people". After checking our identities, they escorted us to their leadership in the nearby village of Dana where there were deadly clashes between the Islamic State and units linked to the Free Syrian Army. "You are our guests ... Don't worry," was what a young fighter from Tunisia told me when he got into our car. Clashes I told him that we are interested to hear the view of the Islamic State in Iraq on the circumstances behind the violence in Dana. It wasn't the first incident of its kind whereby local Syrian armed groups and Islamists engaged in clashes. They have become more frequent as of late. "Why should we speak to the media? No one believes us anyway," the Tunisian fighter told me. "And the media is so biased against us. But anyway we are taking you to our commanders and they will decide what to do." We arrived in Dana and it was clear ... The village was now under the control of the Islamic State. Scores of armed and masked men were patrolling the streets. Armed opposition groups linked to the Free Syria Army were no longer there. They were forced to leave. There was a gun battle during a demonstration against these foreign fighters. We cannot independently confirm who fired the first shot. But Abu Osama al Tunisi says his men came under attack. He is the Emir of Dana - a title given to commanders in al-Qaeda's organisation. He is also a Tunisian. Arrest warrants Abu Osama showed us arrest warrants issued by the Islamic court in Idlib against those he said were responsible for arming the protesters. "These groups were responsible for bringing the people ... who are government thugs and drug dealers onto the streets," Abu Osama. "They are accused of corruption and refused to appear in court because they didn't recognise its legitimacy. So the court said force can be used to make the arrests. So we destroyed the sleeper cells. "We say to those who want to harm or destroy the Islamic State ... It will become stronger." And to become stronger you need the support of the people. We watched as they reached out to the villagers. "I ordered my men to stay in their barracks to avoid any confrontation with the protesters," Abu Osama told people who gathered around him, and his armed men in the market. "We were in our bases when they killed our bothers. We gave orders to our men not to leave our bases," he said. "Did you see what they did to the Quran in the school when they ransacked it. Are they Muslims? I can give you a list of names who were invoked in the protests. "They see members of sleeper cells who work for the government. Not one good person took part in the demonstration. They are bad. They don't oppose us but Islam. They don't want Islam. They had arms to kill Muslims." A villager responded: "The protesters said they wanted to demonstrate against you Abu Osama. They said you were you were executing orders on behalf of God. They believe God didn't command you to cut people's hands off." The conversation then ended. Foreign fighters At the start of the Syria war, many Syrians welcomed the help of foreign fighters who came from Islamic countries to support the fight against the Syrian regime. It has been clear for some time now that these these fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant hope to achieve one goal: They want to create an Islamic state. But not all in the Syrian opposition share that goal. And this has caused tensions. The group has been criticised by some for its strict interpretations of Islamic law and punishments, including beheadings. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria's rank and file is mainly made up of foreigners. They are cementing their power in opposition-controlled territories. But the Islamic state says it is working to cleanse the area from regime supporters and those who are fighting Islam. And we asked its vali - or governor of Allepo province, Abu Atheer - why some accuse them of trying to weaken Syrian opposition groups by taking control over border villages. He didn't want to be filmed. But he told us: if we wanted to cut the supply lines it is easier for us to take the warehouses of the FSA. Anyhow we are buying weapons from the FSA. we bought 200 anti-aircraft missiles and Koncourse anti tank weapons. We have good relations with our brothers in the FSA. For us, the infidels are those who cooperate with the West to fight Islam. If confirmed, purchasing weapons from the Free Syria Army won't be good news for the West. It is men like these the West doesn't want to arm and it has urged the FSA to retake areas under their control. It could be a recipe for yet another war within a war that will decide the new face of Syria

Top US general details five options for Syria

No-fly zone and curbing chemical arms use are among options for aiding rebels, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff says.

Dempsey detailed the options in an open letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman [Reuters] The top US military officer, Martin Dempsey, has outlined five options and costs involved in the potential use of military force in Syria. In a letter released Monday, Dempsey detailed the options in an open letter to Carl Levin, senate armed services committee chairman. Here are extracts from the list based on the letter: 1) Train, advise, and assist the opposition Nonlethal forces to train and advise opposition on tasks ranging from weapons employment to tactical planning. This option might include intelligence and logistics. The scale could range from several hundred to several thousand troops with the costs varying accordingly, but estimated at $500m per year initially. Risks include extremists gaining access to additional capabilities, retaliatory crossborder attacks, and insider attacks or inadvertent association with war crimes due to vetting difficulties. 2) Conduct limited stand-off strikes Lethal force to strike targets that enable the regime to conduct military operations, proliferate advanced weapons, and defend itself. Potential targets include regime air defense, air, ground, missile, and naval forces as well as the supporting military facilities and command nodes. Stand-off air and missile systems could be used to strike hundreds of targets at a tempo of our choosing. Force requirements would include hundreds of aircraft, ships, submarines, and other enablers. Depending on duration, the costs would be in the billions. 3) Establish a No-Fly Zone This prevents the regime from using military aircraft to bomb and resupply. It would extend air superiority over Syria by neutralising the regime’s advanced, defense integrated air defense system. It would also shoot down adversary aircraft and strike airfields, aircraft on the ground, and supporting infrastructure. Estimated costs are $500m initially, averaging as much as $1bn per month over the course of a year. Impacts include near total elimination of the regime’s ability to bomb opposition strongholds. Risks include the loss of US aircraft. 4) Establish buffer zones This option protects areas most likely across borders with Turkey or Jordan. The opposition could use these zones to organise and train, and they would serve as safe areas for humanitarian assistance. Lethal force would be required to defend the zones against attacks. This would necessitate the establishment of a limited no-fly zone. Thousands of US ground forces would be needed, even if positioned outside Syria. A limited no-fly zone coupled with US ground forces would push the costs over $1bn per month. 5) Control chemical weapons We do this by destroying portions of Syria’s stockpile. At a minimum, this option calls for a no-fly zone and air and missile strikes involving hundreds of aircraft, ships and submarines. Thousands of forces would be needed. Costs could also average well over $1bn per month. The impact would be the control of some, but not all chemical weapons. It would also help prevent their further proliferation into the hands of extremist groups. Our inability to fully control Syria’s storage and delivery systems could allow extremists to gain better access

Syrian rebels claim control of western Aleppo

Opposition forces say they seized the town of Khan al-Assal, the last bastion of Assad forces in the area.

Syrian rebels claim they have captured the entire western area of Aleppo, a northern province that has seen harsh clashes between the forces of President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters for months. “We managed to liberate the western entry point to Aleppo. We achieved this victory against the Assad forces and Iranian Revolutionary Guards, along with some forces from Hezbollah,” rebels said in a video shared on the Internet on Tuesday. “At this point, we can say that Khan al-Assal has been liberated entirely and is in our control, which means that Aleppo’s countryside is in our control.” Rebels say that Aleppo’s countryside is in their control Khan al-Assal was the last regime bastion in the western part of Aleppo province, which lies on the Turkish border, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based NGO monitoring developments in Syria through intelligence from activists in the country. The rebels also seized the villages of Obeida and Hajireh, southeast of Aleppo city on Monday, the group said. The Syrian government and the opposition have accused each other of being behind a chemical missile attack that killed at least 25 people in Khan al-Assal. On Tuesday, Robert Serry, a UN envoy on the Middle East peace process, said that his organisation had been told of 13 alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The allegations came as the head of a UN investigation into the use of chemical arms in Syria, Ake Sellstrom, and the UN disarmament chief, Angela Kane, arrived in Beirut. The two officials were expected to go to Damascus on Wednesday to start talks with Assad's government on securing access to sites in Syria where the arms are said to have been used. Prison deal Meanwhile, 80 members of the Syrian opposition have been released from Aleppo’s central prison under a deal named “Food for freedom” that was brokered by the Syrian Red Crescent. Under the agreement, the Ahrar al-Sham movement which has been laying siege to regime-controlled parts of the city will ease their blockade to enable the forces get in much needed food supplies.. The release of the prisoners and the deal behind it is seen as a rare gesture of goodwill between the regime and its opponents. "To the Syrian opposition, though, it’s a recognition of their might by the Syrian regime," Al Jazeera's Mohammed Adow said, reporting from Aleppo. The conflict in Syria, which erupted more than two years ago, has left almost 100,000 people killed, according to UN figures.

Pro-Morsi rally comes under fire in Cairo

At least one dead as unknown gunmen shoot at crowd in an apparent ambush of supporters of deposed president.

Supporters of deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi were shot at by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday morning, witnesses said, in the latest of several violent incidents over the last 24 hours. The attack happened as a large group of pro-Morsi marchers made their way through the Heliopolis area in the north of Cairo, Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reported from the capital. "They say that they came under attack by unknown gunmen who shot at them from an elevated point," Rageh said. "They're reporting injuries among them. This again highlights the growing nature of intolerance towards those rallies of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of the deposed president." Footage from a field hospital in the Nasr City area showed at least one dead body. Several men, some covered in blood, were treated on hospital trollies as other men shouted and wept. A group of men gave one unconscious and bloodied protester CPR before doctors used a defibrillation machine to try to revive him. The attack came just 24 hours after the interior ministry said that at least twelve people were killed in clashes, also in Cairo, between supporters and opponents of Morsi. That violence broke out before dawn on Tuesday near a Muslim Brotherhood protest at Cairo University, where Morsi supporters have been camped out since the army removed him from power on July 3 after protests against his rule. There were also running street battles on Monday in which birdshot, gunfire and fire bombs were used. Anger and frustration Al Jazeera's Nicole Johnston, also reporting from Cairo, said the protesters were determined to stay in the streets and fight for their demands. "This isn't the first time that the pro-Morsi rally there has seen this kind of violence ... It's difficult to know how long the demonstrations and rally will continue," said Johnston. "We are talking about an angry, frustrated and determined crowd. If the interim government tries to send in forces [to disperse them], there could potentially be more bloodshed," our correspondent said. In a separate development, a bomb exploded at a police station in a province north of Cairo early on Wednesday, wounding 19 police officers, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Reuters news agency said one person had been killed, citing security and medical sources. Rageh said the bomb detonated in an abandoned building near the police station in Mansoura, the capital of Dakhalia province. She said police then had a gun battle with a group of attackers. Adly Mansour, Egypt's interim president, has renewed appeals for reconciliation with Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood. "We want to turn a new page in the country’s book with no hatred, no malice, no division," he said in a pre-recorded speech that also highlighted the importance of the army in Egypt's history. About 100 people have died in violence since Morsi's removal.

A Brazilian press group condemned Tuesday the police clubbing of an Agence France-Presse photographer and the arrest of two other journalists who were covering a protest in Rio de Janeiro. AFP photographer Yasuyoshi Chiba, a 42-year-old Japanese national, was injured on Monday when a policeman hit him on the head with a truncheon during a protest against the cost of Pope Francis's visit to Rio. The injury required three stitches and medical tests. The Brazilian Investigative Journalism Association (ABRAJI) said two journalists from NINJA, an independent media group, were detained as they videotaped the demonstration for a website. "ABRAJI condemns this new episode of violent action by the Rio de Janeiro (state) military police against media workers. The state must prevent and investigate intimidations and threats against media workers," it said in a statement. "It is worrisome that the Rio de Janeiro police repeats the practices of authoritarian regimes," the statement said. A photographer for the newspaper O Globo was also injured when he was hit by a head during the demonstration, but it is unclear who threw the stone.

Little Prince of Cambridge could tour globe in first year

Gordon Rayner The choice of Australia for the new baby's first official trip abroad would not only make up for the fact that the country has had to wait so long to see the Duchess, but would also have the benefit of shoring up support for the monarchy in a country where republicanism is never far from the political agenda.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby could travel around the world before his first birthday if, as expected, they travel as a family to Australia and New Zealand next year. The young Prince William made the same trip when he accompanied his parents on their six-week tour of Australasia in 1983, staying with his nanny on a ranch in the outback where his parents visited him as often as they could. The Duke and Duchess visited Canada for their first joint foreign tour in 2011, then visited the Far East last year. Because Australia and New Zealand, together with Canada, make up the largest of the Commonwealth realms, the couple seem certain to put them next on their itinerary. The choice of Australia for the new baby's first official trip abroad would not only make up for the fact that the country has had to wait so long to see the Duchess, but would also have the benefit of shoring up support for the monarchy in a country where republicanism is never far from the political agenda. Before then, the Duke and Duchess have a more pressing matter to attend to, that of registering their son's birth. They have 42 days to register the prince's birth at Westminster Register Office, though the registrar will travel to Kensington Palace to complete the formalities before a birth certificate is issued. The next date in the baby's diary will be the christening, which is likely to happen after the Royal family's annual summer break at Balmoral, making a date in September or October likely. The christening is likely to take place in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, where Prince William and previous generations of the Royal family have been baptised. The Archbishop of Canterbury is expected to officiate at the ceremony, and the baby prince will wear a christening robe of Honiton lace lined with satin, which is a replica of a robe made in 1841 for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, and which was used for more than 30 royal christenings up to and including Prince William. The replica was made in 2008 by the Queen's dressmaker, Angela Kelly, because the original had become too fragile. The Duchess and the Duke, who has two weeks' statutory paternity leave from the RAF, are expected to spend some time at their London residence in Kensington Palace before then, but will probably spend most of their time with the Duchess's parents in Bucklebury, Berks. The Queen leaves for Balmoral on Friday and the Prince of Wales has a busy programme for the rest of July, meaning that the Duke and Duchess will turn to the Middletons for company and support as they learn the ropes of parenthood. The Queen has extended an invitation for the Duchess and the Middletons to stay at Balmoral, and it remains a possibility that they may spend some time there in the coming weeks. The Duke and Duchess will also have to turn their thoughts to their son's schooling. The Duke is likely to favour putting his son's name down for Eton, where he and his brother, Prince Harry, were educated, but the baby's primary school will be dictated by the Duke's next career move. With his tour of duty at RAF Valley in Wales finishing in September, the Duke has already decided what he will do next, though he has not made it public knowledge. He will either stay in the RAF but move to another base, transfer to another branch of the Armed Forces, or end his military career to take up full-time royal duties. The location of the couple's new home when they leave their rented farmhouse on Anglesey, which will depend upon the Duke's next choice of career, will determine which primary school the prince attends. If the Duke opts for a London-based military posting or full-time royal duties, he might want to send his son to his primary school, Wetherby pre-preparatory in Notting Hill, where the fees are 5,490 pounds per term. The Duchess went to St Andrew's prep school in Pangbourne, Berkshire, a few miles from her family home, before boarding at Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

Egypt and Ethiopia agree to bridge dam divide

Foreign ministers try to quell tensions over Ethiopia's plans to divert Blue Nile in controversial dam project. Ethiopia and Egypt have agreed to hold further talks on the impact of a huge Ethiopian dam project to quell tensions between the two countries over water-sharing. "We agreed that we will start immediately on consultations at both the technical level... and the political level," Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr told reporters after meeting in Addis Ababa with his Ethiopian counterpart Tedros Adhanom on Tuesday. The countries have been embroiled in a heated dispute after Ethiopia began diverting the Blue Nile River last month for the construction of the 6,000 megawatt Grand Renaissance Dam. The Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi had said earlier that "all options are open" over construction of the dam because of concerns about the impact on downstream water levels. But Amr and Tedros said relations between the two countries remained "brotherly" and that they would continue engaging on the impact of the dam. Amr said previous statements had been made "in the heat of the moment". 'Swim together' "Both ministers stressed the need to continue the dialogue and communication with each other," they said in a joint statement. We have two options, either to swim or sink together. I think Ethiopia chooses, and so does Egypt, to swim together. Tedros Adhanom, Ethiopia FM "We have two options, either to swim or sink together. I think Ethiopia chooses, and so does Egypt, to swim together," Tedros said. An international panel has issued a report outlining the dam's impact on water levels. The report has not been made public, but Ethiopia has said the report confirms that the impact on water levels are minimal. Both nations agreed to "ask for further studies to ascertain the effects of the dam, not only the safety of the dam, the environmental effects, but also the effects of the dam on the downstream countries," Amr said, adding that consultations involve Sudan as well as Ethiopia and Egypt. About 86 percent of Nile water flowing to Egypt originates from the Blue Nile out of Ethiopia, and Cairo has said the construction of the dam is a security concern. Ethiopia's parliament ratified a controversial treaty last week ensuring its access to Nile water resources, replacing a colonial-era agreement that granted Egypt and Sudan the majority of water rights. Biggest hydroelectric dam The new deal allows upstream countries to implement irrigation and hydropower projects without first seeking Egypt's approval. Ethiopia is building the $4.2bn Grand Renaissance Dam in order to generate electricity for export to neighbouring countries, including Kenya and Djibouti. The Blue Nile joins the White Nile in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to form the Nile, which then flows through Egypt. Politics over Nile waters are complex, with its basin including 11 countries with the river travelling about 6,695 km from headwaters in Rwanda and Burundi to the Mediterranean, according to the regional Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). Ministers from the 10-nation NBI are due to meet on Thursday in the South Sudanese capital Juba for annual talks "on the status of the Nile cooperation and how to move it forward", according to a statement from the organisation.

Sandra Bullock isn’t interested in floating in outer space anytime soon

The actress stars in director Alfonso Cuarón’s new sci-fi picture Gravity opposite George Clooney. The feature centers on space shuttle crewmembers who are drifting alone in space after debris disables their spacecraft. Sandra is mother to three-year-old son Louis and couldn’t imagine being part of a space mission before her boy becomes of age. “Someone asked me that, and they said, ‘if your son wanted you to go’, and I said, ‘if he asked me to go and he was already an adult, I would go,’” she revealed to Extra at Comic-Con 2013 in San Diego. “If I knew he would be fine if I perished, I would go.” Sandra reveals that it would still take a mighty amount of convincing to get her into space even when Louis is a grown man. The star likes the effect of gravity on earth. “My feet feel really good on the ground,” she laughed. Sandra’s little boy is becoming a huge science fiction fan. Apparently the star’s immediate family have been piquing Louis’ interest in the genre for years. “My sister and brother-in-law are big Comic-Con [fanatics] and Trekkies, I mean all the figurines all over the house, and now he’s got every single one of them, it’s pretty fantastic,” Sandra explained. The actress will turn 49-years-old on July 26. She jokes that her way of celebrating the new age is by ignoring it. “I’m gonna pretend like it’s not happening and then I’m just gonna wake up and do the day as I normally do,” she quipped. “I don’t know yet, I haven’t planned it yet.” Gravity will reach theaters this fall. © Cover Media This entry was posted in News and tagged Alfonso Cuarón, Comic-Con, George Clooney, Gravity, Sandra Bullock by . Bookmark the permalink.

WHAT OBAMA said about the current volatile situation in Egypt?

US President Barack Obama made phone calls to the leaders of Qatar and the UAE to discuss the current volatile situation in Egypt, where democratically elected president Mohammed Morsi was overthrown by the powerful military, triggering a wave of violent protests. In both the calls yesterday, the three leaders expressed concern over the ongoing violence in Egypt and agreed on the need for all Egyptian leaders to discourage violence. President Obama and Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed about recent developments in Egypt, noting the use of force and incitement to violence by any party is unacceptable, the White House said. "The President and Emir Tamim agreed that a political process that includes participation by all parties and groups is critical for Egypt's stability. "They affirmed that the United States and Qatar will remain actively engaged with all sides in Egypt to promote a quick and responsible return to a sustainable, democratically elected civilian government," the White House said. During their talks, President Obama and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shared their concerns about the ongoing violence in Egypt along with increased political polarisation and agreed on the need for all Egyptian leaders to avoid incitement and discourage violence. Both the leaders affirmed that for Egypt to emerge from this crisis, all Egyptians must come together to find an inclusive path forward. "The President made it clear that United States is encouraging all political, military, and religious leaders in Egypt to remain engaged in dialogue and participate in a political process to hasten a return to democratically elected civilian government," the White House said yesterday. The President encouraged the UAE to underscore in its engagements with Egyptians the importance of avoiding violence and taking steps to enable dialogue and reconciliation, it said. Egypt is embroiled in a political crisis after President Mohammed Morsi was toppled by the powerful military last week.