Hague condemns Egypt's use of force

BRITISH Foreign Secretary William Hague has condemned the use of force against protesters during deadly clashes in Cairo and accused Egyptian security forces of using live rounds.

Hague also called on Egyptian authorities to either release or charge all political leaders detained since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on July 3. Morsi himself remains in detention.

"I am deeply concerned by recent events in Egypt, and condemn the use of force against protesters which has led to the loss of lives," Hague said in a statement released by the Foreign Office.

"I call on the Egyptian authorities to respect the right of peaceful protest, to cease the use of violence against protesters, including live fire, and to hold to account those responsible."

Egypt's police chief on Saturday denied security forces had used live rounds against protesters.

Hague called on "all sides to refrain from violence" and said it was "time for dialogue, not confrontation."

"I also call on the Egyptian authorities to release political leaders detained following the events of 3 July, or charge them in accordance with the law. Such charges must be free from any suspicion that they are politically motivated," Hague said.

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Libyans ransack offices after killings

THOUSANDS of Libyans have protested against parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood, blamed for a wave of violence a day after a series of deadly attacks in the Libya's east.

Protesters ransacked offices of both the Brotherhood's political wing the Party of Justice and Construction (PJC) and its liberal rival the Alliance of National Forces (NFA) on Saturday.

In Benghazi, youths stormed and ransacked the building housing the PJC, after hundreds took to the streets overnight to denounce the assassination of Abdessalem al-Mesmari, an anti-Islamist lawyer who campaigned for a civil state.

The demonstrators accuse the Brotherhood of being behind killings that have targeted dozens of officers, especially in Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011 armed uprising that ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

In Tripoli, hundreds of people gathered on Saturday at Martyrs' Square in the heart of the capital to demonstrate in "solidarity with Benghazi" and against the Islamist movement.

Chanting "the blood of martyrs was not shed in vain," the protesters converged on the square as they left mosques after morning prayers, an AFP correspondent reported.

About 100 youths then descended on the PJC offices in the Ben Ashur district, smashing its windows and looting furniture.

From the outset, the demonstrators chanted slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood, but they later also targeted the NFA which won July 2012 elections.

Around 100 protesters converged on the alliance's offices in the Hay al-Andalus neighbourhood of Tripoli, invading the premises and throwing documents out of windows.

"We want all political parties to be dissolved," said one protester, Ahmed Trabelsi.

"They're the cause of all our problems. First we need a constitution, then laws regulating political life before parties can begin operating," he said.

The PJC and NFA are accused of manipulating the militias left over from the revolution that toppled Gaddafi in a country still awash with weaponry not in state hands.

NFA leader Mahmud Jibril was an economic adviser to the Gaddafi regime in its final years, before joining the revolution in 2011 and briefly serving as premier.

The NFA has 39 out of the 80 seats reserved for political parties in the 200-seat General National Congress, the country's highest political authority, while the PJC has 17.

The remaining 120 seats are held by independents.

Mesmari was shot dead as he left a mosque in Benghazi on Friday as an army and a police officer were also killed in separate attacks in Libya's restive second city, a security official said.

The prominent activist was among the first Libyans who launched the 2011 uprising. He helped found the political wing of the rebel movement that later overthrew Gaddafi's regime.

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Afghan governor, chief escape bombings

TWO Afghan civilians have been killed and several injured following two failed Taliban assassination attempts targeting a provincial governor and a police chief.

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European stocks slide in early trade

EUROPEAN stock markets have slid following a weak performance by Wall Street overnight, which pushed down also on Asian share prices, analysts say.

London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares on Thursday dropped 0.90 per cent to stand at 6,561.16 points in midday deals and despite official data showing that Britain's economic recovery was improving.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 0.91 per cent to 8,302.60 points, with investors shrugging off news of another rise in Germany business confidence.

The CAC 40 in Paris fell 0.68 per cent to 3,935.77 points compared with Wednesday's close.

"It might be unfair to blame the current negativity on Wall Street, but the longer US markets dithered ahead of new highs the greater the likelihood that the bears would take the chance to push major indices lower," said Chris Beauchamp, market analyst at traders IG.

The sell-off was fuelled by US housing data that raised concerns about the Federal Reserve's stimulus program, analysts said.

The euro eased to $US1.3198 from $US1.3199 in New York late on Wednesday and the US dollar fell to Y99.74 from Y100.26. Sterling was mixed versus the greenback and European single currency.

On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold slid to $US1,315.66 an ounce from $US1,335 on Wednesday.

The main data out of Europe on Thursday revealed that Britain's economic recovery accelerated in the second quarter.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.6 per cent in the three months to the end of June compared with an output gain of 0.3 per cent in the first three months of the year, the Office for National Statistics said.

This was the first time since 2011 that Britain had achieved back-to-back quarterly increases.

Meanwhile all main sectors of the economy - agriculture, construction, industrial production and services - expanded together for the first time for almost three years.

"UK GDP estimates for Q2 arrived in line with market expectations this morning, inspiring limited reaction from equity traders preoccupied with a mixed bag of earnings announcements," said Matt Basi, head of UK Sales trading at CMC Markets.

The telecoms sector was meanwhile in focus as Orange and BT both reported falling profits.

Shares in French telecom group Orange shed 4.65 per cent to 7.39 euros after it said that net profit had fallen by 38 per cent to 1.2 billion euros ($A1.74 billion) in the first half of the year.

In London, British telecoms company BT slid 2.34 per cent to 334 pence.

BT, which recently entered the market for the broadcasting of live television sport, announced on Thursday a drop in quarterly profits.

It said that profit before tax dropped 16 per cent to STG449 million ($A754.94 million) in the its first quarter, or three months to June 30, compared with the outcome a year earlier.

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EU court rules Khodorkovsky trial 'unfair'

EUROPE'S rights court says the trial of anti-Kremlin tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of Russia's most high-profile prisoners, has been "unfair" and ordered Moscow to pay compensation.

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BASF books quarterly profit fall

THE world's largest chemicals company, Germany's BASF, has announced a fall in net profit in the second quarter but held to its targets.

It warned that in a volatile global environment the rest of the year would be more difficult than expected, but maintained its forecast of annual results.

BASF makes a wide variety of chemicals for plastics, paints, textiles and drugs as well as the auto, construction and agricultural sectors.

Between April and June, the group booked net income of 1.16 billion euros ($A1.68 billion), down four per cent year on year, it said in a statement on Thursday.

Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires had expected a rise of almost eight per cent to 1.3 billion euros.

At the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, BASF shares fell more than four per cent in mid-morning to 66.78 euros, reflecting investor disappointment.

Revenues however rose by almost three per cent to about 18.3 billion euros, confirming analysts' estimates, driven by agriculture and energy products.

These more than offset a decline in traditional chemicals, affected by lower prices and margins.

Through the first half, BASF sales revenue was up four per cent to 38.1 billion euros although net group profit declined by over 10 per cent to 2.6 billion euros.

"In light of the challenging conditions, our business performed well in the first half of 2013," Kurt Bock, chairman of the executive board, said in a press release.

"Our business with crop protection products contributed substantially to sales and earnings growth."

He added that "the economic environment is and remains unstable".

The group does not expect the chemical sector to see a demand recovery in the second half but maintained its annual forecast of higher sales and earnings.

Achieving these goals would be "significantly more challenging today" than expected at the start of the year, said Bock.

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'Corpse flower' attracts thousands in US

Up to 20,000 visitors have packed the US Botanic Garden to catch a whiff of the corpse flower. Source: AAP

IT seems a more fitting subject for an Edgar Allan Poe story: a towering maroon blossom that emits the odour of rotting flesh.

Up to 20,000 visitors packed the US Botanic Garden on Monday to catch a whiff of the rare titan arum bloom, also known as the corpse flower, before the short-lived flowering ends.

Found in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, the titan arum takes years to bloom, but its inflorescence, one of the largest in the world, remains open for only 24 to 48 hours. The powerful odour serves to attract carrion beetles and other insects for pollination.

While the US Botanic Garden has 14 corpse flowers, this is the first to bloom since 2007.

Botanists and the public were anticipating the Washington event for a week before the plant finally bloomed on Sunday evening. During that time, more than 400,000 viewers logged on to a webcam monitoring the plant's progress.

Bill McLaughlin, the garden's curator of plants, heard that the titan arum was about to bloom on Sunday and arrived just in time to see it open around 6pm.

Crowds converged on the garden on Monday, forming a line that wove slowly through the shrubbery. Many visitors wore suits or high heels as they stole away from work for a quick peek.

Though it smelled sweet at first, McLaughlin said, the stench soon "began descending from the roof, like a pile of dead animals".

"It's hilarious that all these people are here to smell something awful," he said.

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New prince has long wait to inherit throne

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced the birth of their child via press release and Twitter. Source: AAP

EDS: updates with comments from Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

By Julian Drape, AAP London Correspondent

LONDON, July 23 AAP - The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a healthy baby boy but by the time the future king actually takes to the throne Australia could be a republic.

For the first time in more than 100 years the next three generations to wear the crown are alive at the same time as the sovereign.

So it could be 70 years before the new Prince of Cambridge inherits the crown.

If the Queen lives until the same age as her mother she'd be on the throne until 2027.

Prince Charles would be 80 then and could reign for some years before Prince William takes over as the head of the world's most high-profile monarchy.

Royal commentators insist Monday's birth will make the royal family more modern and alleviate disquiet about Charles and Camilla inheriting the throne.

But as Robert Hazell from the Constitution Unit at University College London notes: "We might have a succession of very elderly monarchs".

In her first comments after the birth Kate thanked hospital staff for "the tremendous care" she'd received.

"We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone - staff, patients and visitors - for their understanding during this time," she said in a joint statement with husband William.

Kensington Palace added: "Mother, son and father are all doing well this morning."

The palace said the new family weren't expected to leave the private Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital until after 6pm Tuesday London time or possibly Wednesday morning.

Even so photographers and reporters aren't about to temporarily abandon their hard-fought-for positions opposite the entrance.

When it poured rain around midday they simply huddled under the umbrellas they'd used to keep the sun off the previous day.

It is expected William and Kate will pose for the first photographs with the royal baby on the steps of Lindo Wing as they leave.

It will be reminiscent of the scene three decades ago when Princess Diana stood holding the infant Duke alongside husband Prince Charles.

Royal watchers are also hoping the newborn's name will be announced sooner rather than later. The palace on Monday said the name would be revealed "in due course".

On Tuesday it said: "No news on names."

George, James and Alexander are now the favourites with the bookies.

Prince William and Kate's baby was born on Monday afternoon London time weighing 8lbs 6oz (3.8kg).

The Duke of Cambridge was present at the birth and afterwards said: "We could not be happier."

Prince Charles said in a statement he was "overjoyed".

"I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future," he said.

British tabloid The Daily Mail on Tuesday ran a large picture of the Prince of Wales on its front page with the headline: "Oh boy! One's a grandpa".

"It's a Boy!" was splashed across many UK front pages while top-selling The Sun temporarily changed its masthead to "The Son" in honour of the tiny monarch-in-waiting.

The birth of the third-in-line to the throne will be marked on Tuesday afternoon by a 41 royal gun salute at Green Park. Simultaneously a 62 royal gun salute will be fired from Gun Wharf at the Tower of London.

Large crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace late on Monday night to celebrate.

Australian Tanya Topfer, a self-described "royalist", waited there all day for the birth notice to be displayed in the forecourt.

"It is absolutely insane in there," the 50-year-old told AAP after emerging from the scrum having secured a photograph of the easel.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd passed on Australia's wishes saying: "This is a happy day for our close friends in Britain and the Commonwealth."

The PM has decided Australia's official gift to the little prince will be a soft bilby toy and an enclosure for the treasured but threatened marsupial to be named in his honour at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

The Australian Republican Movement also sent its wishes to the people of the UK on the birth of "their future monarch".

"We look forward to a future day when an Australian head of state can stand beside the British monarch as friends and equals," national director David Morris said.

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Pressure mounts for Morsi release in Egypt

Four people died and more than 20 have been injured as protests continue to grow violent in Egypt. Source: AAP

PRESSURE is growing on Egypt's new leaders to release Mohamed Morsi from detention as clashes between supporters and opponents of the deposed Islamist president have left 10 people dead.

The deadly clashes which also wounded dozens broke out on Monday, raged through the night and were continuing on Tuesday, a day after Morsi's family vowed to sue the military over his ouster.

At least six people were killed early on Tuesday when opponents of Morsi attacked supporters of the deposed president who were staging a sit-in near Cairo University, state media reported.

Morsi's family told a news conference on Monday they will take legal action against the military for having "kidnapped" the elected president after he was deposed in a military-led coup on July 3.

Egypt's new leadership says Morsi is in a "safe" place for his own good.

Calls for Morsi to be released have also been issued by the United States, Germany, the United Nations and the European Union which, on Monday, again called for the Islamist leader to be freed.

"It is now of utmost importance that Egypt embarks on a transition, allowing a transfer of power to a civilian-led and democratically elected government," EU foreign ministers said in a statement.

They listed demands, including "the release of all political detainees, including Mohamed Morsi" - reiterating remarks EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton made last week in Cairo.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement has also vowed to sustain protests until his reinstatement and has refused to recognise the interim government installed by the military ahead of new elections early next year.

Tuesday's violence came a day after Morsi's supporters marched on the US embassy, setting off a gunfight with opponents in the nearby Tahrir Square that killed one protester.

Later in Qalyub, north of Cairo, street battles killed three people, one of them run over by a train as he tried to escape the violence.

As violence billowed, interim president Adly Mansour appealed in a late Monday speech for a "new page in the book of the history of the nation, without rancour, hatred and confrontation."

But Morsi's detention and subsequent arrests of senior Brotherhood leaders, have hardened his supporters against dealing with the new regime.

His daughter Shaimaa Mohamed Morsi told reporters on Monday that the family would sue army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and also take legal action outside Egypt.

"We are taking local and international legal measures against Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the leader of the bloody military coup, and his putschist group," she said.

Morsi's son Osama said the family had not heard from him since his overthrow.

"None of us has had any contact with our father since the afternoon of the coup on July 3," he told reporters.

Although mostly peaceful, the pro-Morsi protests have resulted in deadly clashes, with the unrest claiming more than 100 lives in all, according to an AFP tally.

In the bloodiest single incident, at least 53 people died, mostly Morsi supporters, during clashes with soldiers outside the elite military barracks where they believed Morsi was being held.

Violence has also swept the restive Sinai Peninsula, where militants have stepped up deadly attacks on security forces since Morsi's ouster, including one on Monday that killed a police officer and a civilian.

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Oppn drowned out by 'celebrity' Kev

Joe Hockey complains that coalition policy announcements have been drowned out by "celebrity" Rudd. Source: AAP

SHADOW treasurer Joe Hockey has complained that coalition policy announcements have been drowned out by "celebrity" Kevin Rudd.

Mr Hockey again referred to the prime minister as "Kevin Kardashian" and said sooner or later people would see through him.

He insisted the coalition had big plans for Australia and its pitch was far broader than just abolishing the carbon tax and stopping the boats.

"We've been making announcements every day for our plans for Australia's future, but they've been drowned out by the celebrity Kevin Rudd," he told the Ten Network Bolt Report program.

Mr Hockey said Mr Rudd was all smoke and mirrors.

He said Australia could end up paying social security and Medicare benefits to asylum seekers for the rest of their lives under the PNG solution.

The carbon price was also set to rise to $38 a tonne under Mr Rudd's move to an emissions trading scheme, he said.

But climate change minister Mark Butler said it was Opposition Leader Tony Abbott who predicted Australians would have to pay $100 for a roast dinner and that some towns would be wiped off the map under the carbon tax.

"The time has come for the opposition to get off the political posturing," he told Sky News.

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Abu Qatada denied bail in Jordan

Abu Qatada's lawyer says a military court has rejected a bail application by the Islamist cleric. Source: AAP

A MILITARY court has rejected a bail application by Islamist cleric Abu Qatada, who faces terror charges in Jordan following his deportation from Britain, his lawyer says.

"The state security court today refused to release Abu Qatada on bail," Taysir Diab said on Sunday.

"The court gave no reason for its decision. I will meet with Abu Qatada on Wednesday to look into the issue and decide future steps."

Abu Qatada, 53, was charged on July 7 with "conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts", just hours after his deportation from Britain. He pleaded not guilty.

The next day, Diab asked the military tribunal to release on bail the Palestinian-born preacher.

He is currently in the Muwaqqar prison, a maximum security facility that houses more than 1000 inmates, most of them Islamists convicted of terror offences.

Abu Qatada was condemned to death in absentia in 1999 for conspiracy to carry out terror attacks, including on the American school in Amman.

But the sentence was immediately commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour.

In 2000, he was sentenced in his absence to 15 years for plotting to attack tourists in Jordan during millennium celebrations.

Britain's expulsion of Abu Qatada came after Amman and London last month ratified a treaty guaranteeing that evidence obtained by torture would not be used in his retrial.

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Japan PM Abe's coalition wins upper house

The coalition of Japan's PM Shinzo Abe won a resounding victory in upper house elections. Source: AAP

THE coalition of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a resounding victory in upper house elections, broadcasters' exit polls showed.

The Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner New Komeito claimed at least 71 of the 121 seats that were being contested, NHK projected, handing them control over both chambers of parliament.

Citing its own polling and interviews with voters, the state broadcaster said the governing coalition could have won as many as 80 of the seats that were up for grabs.

There are 242 seats in the upper house, half of which are elected every three years on six-year terms.

Other television stations predicted a similar margin of victory.

The projected win means Abe will face few legislative obstacles in his drive to push through painful economic reforms, including liberalising trade and raising consumption tax to begin slowing the growth of Japan's runaway national debt.

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