Islamist Morsi Wins Egypt’s Presidential Election
Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi has been declared the winner of Egypt's presidential run-off, opening a new phase for the country following the toppling of Hosni Mubarak's government.
A huge cheer went up from Tahrir square, where supporters of Mr. Morsi gathered Sunday. The crowd celebrated with chants and fireworks — a big difference from nearly a year and a-half ago when Egyptians packed the square in anti-government protests.
Election officials say Mr. Morsi won nearly 52 percent of the vote, beating former prime minister and Mubarak-era official Ahmed Shafiq. Mr. Morsi becomes Egypt's first freely elected president.
Supporters of both Mr. Morsi and Mr. Shafiq had threatened a backlash should their candidate lose the closely contested election, but there were no reports of violence. Authorities deployed extra security around Cairo.
The United States issued a statement congratulating Mr. Morsi for his victory and urging him to advance national unity by “reaching out to all parties and constituencies” as he forms his new government.
Iran's foreign ministry and the Palestinian Authority also offered their separate congratulations to the region's newest elected leader.
Egypt's election commission was supposed to release the results Thursday, but said it needed more time to investigate fraud allegations against both candidates.
The office of the president emerges with fewer powers than the candidates expected when the army promised to hand over power to civilian rule by July 1.
The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces recently carried out a series of moves aimed at solidifying its power, including the court-ordered dissolution of the Islamist-dominated parliament. The council also declared an interim constitution that gives its generals and the courts final say over much domestic and foreign policy, as well as the process to create a new, permanent constitution.
Greece’s New Leaders to Miss EU Meeting
Greece has run into a snag in its efforts to renegotiate its European-led bailout, as health problems sidelined the new prime minister and finance minister ahead of a critical meeting with the European Union.
The government said Sunday that doctors had told Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to avoid travel after he had eye surgery on Saturday. Vassilis Rapanos was hospitalized with stomach pain Friday before he could be sworn in as finance minister.
Greece will be represented by Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos at the meeting in Brussels on June 28-29.
Mr. Samaras's week-old coalition government has called for the renegotiation of the harsh terms of the bailout, which is keeping Greece from bankruptcy.
Also, a visit to Athens Monday by officials of Greece's lenders — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — has been postponed.
The debt inspectors were due to review the country's fiscal situation and resume talks that had been put on hold during Greece's nearly two-month political deadlock.
Turkey Accuses Syria of Shooting Down Jet in International Airspace
Turkey Sunday accused Syria of shooting down a Turkish military jet in international airspace and called for a NATO meeting on how to respond to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the pilots were testing the jet's radar capabilities when it was downed Friday over the Mediterranean Sea. The minister said the plane had entered Syrian airspace briefly, but had left about 15 minutes before it was shot down. Syrian and Turkish forces still are searching for the two missing pilots.
At Ankara's request, NATO officials say the alliance will meet Tuesday under Article 4 of its founding treaty, which commits all members to protect one anothers' security and borders.
Syria has acknowledged downing the plane, saying it trespassed on Syrian airspace. Syrian authorities said they shot down the jet in accordance with laws that govern such situations.
Relations between Turkey and Syria are tense, with Turkey condemning Syria's bloody crackdown on protests against the government of President Assad. Meanwhile, Damascus has accused Ankara of providing weapons and intelligence on its forces to Syrian rebels.
Turkey maintains that its plane was not involved in any covert activities.
Opposition activists in Syria say government forces and rebel forces continued to clash Sunday across the country, leaving some 40 people dead.
Turkey has joined nations such as the United States in saying President Assad should step down because of the uprising in his country.
A disapointing finish for Delano Williams at trials
Turks & Caicos tracks star Delano Williams took part in the Olympic trails on Sunday afternoon in the UK.
In his first trial, Delano ran 20.91 in the heats which was a significant qualifying time for the 200 meters, however had a bad start and came seventh in his final heat with a time of 21.5 coming seventh.
Speaking with Delano in the UK earlier, he lamented, "Today was just not my day, I had a bad start, I know what my error was and will be working on it."
RTC Sports has not yet received confirmation as yet as to whether his times will allow him to qualify for the UK team.
Chambers wins but misses Olympic mark
Dwain Chambers ran his fastest time of the year to win the 100 metres final at the British Olympic trials yesterday but that still wasn't enough to get him a spot on the team.
The 34-year-old, banned in 2003 after failing a drugs test, recently, saw his path to selection for a Games in his native London cleared after the British Olympic Association's lifetime Olympic ban on drugs cheats was overturned.
But Chambers's time of 10.25 seconds wasn't good enough to reach the 'A' qualifying standard of 10.18 secs.
British selectors were looking to their sprinters to both achieve the standard and finish in the top two at the trials — something achieved only by 18-year-old rising star Adam Gemili, the runner-up to Chambers yesterday, who become the second fastest man in Europe this year when he clocked 10.08 secs in Germany earlier this month.
A frustrated Chambers, who was heard to swear after winning the final, said he would now try to achieve the 'A' standard at the European Championships in Helsinki next week.
"First of all, I want to apologise for swearing at the end of the race," Chambers told the BBC. "I got a little carried away.
"I had pressure with all the youngsters like Adam coming through, but I relied on
my experience and it got
me through.
"I still need to get the qualifying time and I have a chance to get it at the Europeans in Helsinki next week, so that is the next step.
"The pressure of trials is the hardest part and I'm glad it's over. Now I can concentrate on getting the time," Chambers said.
BBC
England bow out on penalties
England suffered penalty agony once more as Italy won a shoot-out after the Euro 2012 quarter-final finished goalless in Kiev.
Italy were vastly superior to England over the course of 120 minutes - but the resilience and organisation that have swiftly become the trademark under new manager Roy Hodgson took an enthralling game to penalties.
And, as on five of the previous six occasions England have entered this sudden-death environment, they were left heartbroken, with Italy confirming a semi-final meeting with Germany in Warsaw on Thursday.
England captain Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney were successful from the spot, but Ashley Young struck the bar and Ashley Cole's effort was saved by Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Mario Balotelli scored Italy's first spot-kick but Riccardo Montolivo's miss gave England hope that was cruelly snatched away as Andrea Pirlo audaciously chipped in his spot-kick and Antonio Nocerino coolly slotted home before former West Ham midfielder Alessandro Diamanti scored the decisive penalty.
England cannot complain that the better team did not emerge as winners - but even in the face of a constant wave of Italian attacks Hodgson's men still showed enough heart and durability to make their Euro 2012 exit with pride.
As Italy subjected them to what was almost torture by possession, England's back four and goalkeeper Joe Hart responded magnificently by erecting a wall of defiance, with John Terry outstanding.
England will head for home on Monday after a campaign they can reflect on with a measure of satisfaction despite the disappointment. Hodgson - at short notice - marshalled his forces effectively but the gulf in class with Italy was clear and his team looked jaded long before the end.
Hodgson will now take stock of events in Ukraine, where England drew with France and won against Sweden and Ukraine to top Group D, as he plots the qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Hodgson picked England's first unchanged team since the miserable last-16 encounter with Germany at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa - a show of faith in the side that beat Ukraine in Donetsk.
England were almost given the worst possible start when, after a prolonged period of possession, De Rossi's swerving left-foot volley hit the post with Hart stretching in vain to make contact.
If this was an ominous start for England, they responded with an opportunity of their own when Glen Johnson found space in the area but could not get sufficient power in his shot and Buffon was able to claw the ball away.
England's opening spell had been their best of Euro 2012. It was almost capped with a goal in the 13th minute when the dangerous Johnson crossed for Rooney but he could only glance a header over the top.
Balotelli had been his usual combination of threat mixed with moments of infuriating slackness. He was slow to react to the peerless Pirlo's pass and allowed Terry to make a fine recovering tackle, then forced his Manchester City team-mate Hart into a save from a low effort.
England had lost the measure of control they had exerted for a spell, but there was still much to encourage Hodgson, particularly when Rooney opened up Italy's defence and Danny Welbeck should have done better than sidefoot wide from the edge of the area.
Balotelli was again involved as he closed in on Antonio Cassano's header six yards out but was left hacking at the post in frustration as Terry and Joleon Lescott combined to clear.
BBC
England beat West Indies in T20
Alex Hales hit 99 as England beat West Indies by seven wickets in the Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge.
The Nottinghamshire batsman was denied England's first-ever T20 century when he was bowled by Ravi Rampaul with four runs needed to win.
Ravi Bopara made 59 from 43 balls as England chased down 173 with two balls to spare for only their third win in eight T20s against West Indies.
Earlier, Dwayne Smith hit 70 and Dwayne Bravo 54 not out for the tourists.
Hales, who became the first batsman ever to be dismissed on 99 in international T20 cricket, staked his claim to become the long-term successor to the retired Kevin Pietersen with an assured 68-ball innings, which included six fours and four sixes.
On a good batting track at Trent Bridge, West Indies survived the early loss of Chris Gayle to set a competitive target. The West Indies opener was caught on the fine leg boundary by Jonny Bairstow after being tempted to mistime an attempted hook to a Steven Finn bumper.
England looked in control after the six powerplay overs, with the visitors 29-2 after good spells from Finn and Jade Dernbach. But Gayle's fellow opener Dwayne Smith got the West Indies innings back on track with a 54-ball 70 that included five sixes and five fours.
Two other West Indians with Indian Premier League experience, Bravo and Kieron Pollard (23 not out) then brought the score up to 172-4, with a partnership of 65 for the fifth wicket in just 28 balls.
BBC
Julian Assange 'abandoned by Australia'
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange says he has sought refuge in the Ecuador's London embassy because his native Australia abandoned him.
Mr Assange is seeking diplomatic asylum to prevent him being sent to Sweden to answer accusations of rape and assault, which he denies.
In his first interview since entering the embassy, Mr Assange admitted there was no guarantee his bid would succeed.
Ecuador's president said the country was examining the case for asylum.
Mr Assange fears if he is sent to Sweden it could lead to him being sent to the United States to face charges over Wikileaks and that he could face the death penalty.
His Wikileaks website published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables that embarrassed several governments and international businesses.
In his interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp radio, Mr Assange, 40, said he did not know when the decision would be made.
"We hope that what I am doing now will simply draw attention to the underlying issues," he said.
He said he had mounted his bid because his native Australia had made an "effective declaration of abandonment" by refusing to intervene in his planned extradition.
Accusing the US ambassador to Australia and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard of using "slimy rhetoric," he dismissed Australian government claims he had been receiving ongoing consular assistance.
"We had heard that the Ecuadoreans were sympathetic in relation to my struggles and the struggles of the organization with the United States," he said, explaining his decision.
Mr Assange is spending a third night in the embassy while inquiries by Ecuadorian diplomats continue.
Police say he faces arrest in the UK for breaching his bail conditions.
Mr Assange, whose bail conditions include staying at a named address between 22:00 and 08:00 BST, arrived at the embassy in Knightsbridge on Tuesday.
Politically-motivated
Speaking to BBC Mundo, the Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa said: "Ecuador defends the right to live and we will have to check if there is danger of death [for Mr Assange]."
He said that for some of the crimes Mr Assange has been accused of, he could face capital punishment if ever sent to the US.
Mr Correa added: "If there has been a breach of law [by Julian Assange], he should be prosecuted.
"But we have to be cautious in case they are making things up for an improper prosecution. We must analyse all that."
Last Thursday, seven judges at the UK's Supreme Court dismissed Mr Assange's attempt to reopen his extradition appeal as being "without merit".
Two female ex-Wikileaks volunteers alleged in 2010 that he had attacked them while he was in Stockholm to give a lecture. No charges have been filed.
Mr Assange claims the sex was consensual and that the allegations are politically motivated.
The Australian has until 28 June to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. His lawyer, Dinah Rose QC, said he was considering whether to do this.
Swedish authorities have said the ECHR would intervene if Mr Assange was to face the prospect of "inhuman or degrading treatment or an unfair trial" in the US.
As part of Mr Assange's bail conditions, securities totalling £200,000 were lodged at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.
A further £40,000 put up as sureties are thought to have been provided by socialite Jemima Khan and film director Ken Loach, who each offered £20,000.
Lawyers say bail would be forfeited only if Mr Assange failed to turn up for a scheduled court appearance.
Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo faces impeachment
Paraguay's parliament has voted to have President Fernando Lugo impeached after deadly land clashes last week.
The opposition-controlled lower house overwhelmingly approved the move.
The Senate quickly followed suit and announced it would hold the trial on Friday, giving the left-wing president 24 hours to prepare his defence.
Mr Lugo has faced severe criticism over his handling of a forced land eviction in which seven police officers and at least nine farmers were killed.
He has said he will not resign but will "face the consequences" of the trial.
Speaking on national television, Mr Lugo said: "This president announces that he is not going to present his resignation and that he will fully respect the constitution and the law to face the impeachment trial and its full consequences."
The Senate, the body which will decide whether or not to remove the president from office, is controlled by the opposition. Reports suggest only five out of 45 senators support Mr Lugo.
Following emergency talks, the Union of South American Nations said it would send an urgent mission of foreign ministers to Paraguay to "ensure the right to defend democracy".
BBC regional analyst Leonardo Rocha says South American countries are worried that Mr Lugo, Paraguay's first left-wing president, is the victim of a political trial by right-wing groups which held power for 61 years before his election in 2008.
Land clashes
The clashes in eastern Canindeyu province last Friday which sparked the impeachment proceedings left seven police officers and at least nine farmers dead.
More than 300 police officers tried to evict 150 landless farmers from an estate owned by a wealthy businessman who is also a political opponent of Mr Lugo.
The eviction escalated into violence and the farmers opened fire on the police.
Nine farmers involved in the clashes were charged with murder.
The farmers have argued the land was illegally taken during the 1954-1989 military rule of Gen Alfredo Stroessner and distributed among his allies.
Land disputes are not unusual in Paraguay, where a small fraction of the population owns about 80% of the land.
According to the Paraguayan Truth Commission, 6.75 million hectares of land were sold or handed over under "irregular circumstances" during military rule.
18 Hostages Freed Following Afghan Hotel Attack
Afghan officials said Friday its security forces have freed 18 civilians after a Taliban attack on a hotel on the outskirts of Kabul. Authorities said two of the attackers are dead.
Taliban suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the hotel late Thursday, seizing civilian hostages, including women and children.
The attack set off an hours-long gunbattle with Afghan security forces and the fighting continued Friday morning.
A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters had targeted a hotel being used by foreigners.
Officials said early Friday at least three of the militants remain inside the Spozhmai Hotel.
There were reports of civilian and police casualties, but details were not immediately available.
Police say the Taliban insurgents, armed with rocket-propelled grenades and Kalashnikov rifles, attacked the hotel on the shores of Qargha Lake, where guests and families had gathered for a party. The hotel is popular with wealthy Afghans, businessmen, and foreigners.
The attack came hours after Afghan President Hamid Karzai told parliament that insurgent attacks against Afghan police and soldiers are increasing as foreign combat troops prepare to pull out of the country.