BBC News with Iain Purdon
The army in Egypt has given politicians from all sides a 48-hour ultimatum to resolve the current crisis. In a televised statement, the army said that otherwise it would have to take responsibility for a plan for the future. However, on its Facebook page, the army denied suggestions that the statement was a military coup in the making. Jeremy Bowen reports.
As soon as they heard the army’s announcement, opponents of the president headed for Tahrir Square to celebrate. Their assumption is that the armed forces are on their side and that if the president doesn’t agree to early elections within 48 hours, the generals will make him. It might not be that simple. The statement by the ministry of defence and army chief, Gen Sisi, was worded carefully. He did not say the president must go. The army which has troops in strategic positions across Cairo is saying that the government and opposition have 48 hours to agree a way forward, or it will intervene with its own plan.
Reports from Moscow say the fugitive former American intelligence analyst Edward Snowden has applied for political asylum. He’s been at an airport in Moscow for more than a week. He faces charges of espionage in the United States for disclosing secrets about internet surveillance. Steve Rosenberg reports.
According to a consular official at Moscow airport, Edward Snowden’s asylum application was submitted on Sunday night. It was delivered by Sarah Harrison, a member of the Wikileaks legal team. But will the Kremlin agree to it? Earlier President Putin appeared to suggest otherwise. Mr Snowden, he said, could only remain in Russia if he agreed to stop leaking secrets that were damaging America. And since there was little sign of that, the Kremlin leader added, the American, who’s currently in limbo in an airport transit zone, should choose an onward destination.
The French President Francois Hollande has said there will be no negotiations with the United States until Washington guarantees it will stop spying on its allies. Secret files suggesting that US intelligence had kept America’s allies under surveillance were leaked to the European media by Edward Snowden. President Obama defended the US.
"Wherever there is an intelligence service, here’s one thing that they are going to be doing. They are seeking additional insight beyond what’s available through open sources. If that weren’t the case, then there’d be no use for an intelligence service. And I guarantee that in European capitals, there are people who are interested in, if not what I had for breakfast, at least what my talking points might be, should I end up meeting with their leaders. That’s how intelligence services operate.”
The director of the scandal-hit Vatican bank and his deputy have resigned three days after the arrest of a senior cleric accused of plotting to smuggle $26m. The Vatican said Paolo Cipriani and his deputy Massimo Tulli stepped down in the interest of the bank and of the Holy See.
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A suicide bomb attack inside a Shiite mosque in Iraq has killed at least 22 people. The evening attack happened in the town of Muqdadiyah about 80km north-east of the capital Baghdad in Diyala province. Iraq has been suffering its worst sectarian violence in several years.
The Portuguese Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar, the main architect of the country’s unpopular austerity policies, has resigned from the government. Mr Gaspar is considered the author of the reform package demanded by the European Union and International Monetary Fund in return for a $100bn bailout. The Portuguese government has been under pressure to move away from the austerity measures as the economy heads for a three straight years of recession with more than 17 per cent of its workforce jobless.
Lorry drivers in Brazil have started three days of nationwide protest demanding lower fuel prices and exemption from road tolls. Hundreds of vehicles partially blocked the motorway that leads to the country’s busiest port, Santos. Brazil’s national football team won the Confederations Cup final against Spain on Sunday and there had been expectations that this might appease the protesters. Brazilians have been demonstrating for nearly a month against issues ranging from the cost of hosting next year’s World Cup to corruption and poor public services.
Finally in tennis, and Serena Williams, the reigning Wimbledon women’s champion and odds-on favourite to win this year’s singles title, has been knocked out. The world No. 1 lost over three sets to Sabine Lisicki of Germany. Speaking after her victory, she said Wimbledon was a special place for her.
"Serena played a fantastic match. She’s such a tough opponent. And, you know, it’s just amazing feeling to win this match. The crowd was so amazing. Thank you for the support.”
Sabine Lisicki’s defeat of Serena Williams is just the latest shock result at this year’s Wimbledon tournament.