The final leg of an unprecedented world tour by a solar-powered plane was postponed due to the pilot's health, he said in a message on Twitter.
	The Solar Impulse 2 had been scheduled to leave Cairo for Abu Dhabi.
	"I'm sick. Stomach upset. I prefer to postpone the take-off @solarimpulse. I cannot go flying for 48 hours in that shape. Sorry," Bertrand Piccard wrote on Twitter yesterday.
	The aircraft had arrived in Cairo on Wednesday after a two-day flight from Spain, finishing the 3,745 kilometre (2,327 mile) journey with an average speed of 76.7 kilometres an hour.
	It had earlier landed in Seville after completing the first solo transatlantic flight powered only by sunlight, flying through the night with energy stored in its 17,000 photovoltaic cells.
	The plane is being flown on its 35,400-kilometre (22,000 mile) trip in stages, with Piccard and his Swiss compatriot Andre Borschberg alternating at the controls of the single-seat plane.
	"So Piccard was not feeling well yesterday. .

World touring solar plane's final departure to UAE delayed

PTI Automatic

Egypt today blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution backed by the United States condemning the attempted coup d'etat in Turkey, diplomats said.
	The United States, following consultations with officials from key NATO ally Turkey, had proposed a draft statement calling on "all parties in Turkey to respect the democratically elected government of Turkey."
	But Egypt, currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council, objected.
	Its relations with the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have been particularly tense.
	Erdogan supports the Muslim Brotherhood of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, who was deposed by the Egyptian army in 2013.
	The Turkish leader has denounced that move as a "coup d'etat," drawing the wrath of the Egyptian general behind the ouster, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is now president.
	During the UN debate, Egypt argued that it was "not for the Security Council to decide whether the government is democratically elected," and it ...

Egypt blocks UN resolution supporting Turkish government

New British foreign minister Boris Johnson today vowed to defend the country's sovereignty of Gibraltar, whose future was thrown into question after Britain voted to leave the European Union.
	"The people of Gibraltar have repeatedly and overwhelmingly expressed their wish to remain under British sovereignty and we will respect their wishes," Johnson said following a meeting with Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
	"I reassured him (Picardo) of both our steadfast commitment to Gibraltar, and our intention to fully involve Gibraltar in discussions on our future relationship with the EU."
	The tiny rocky outcrop on Spain's southern tip has long been the subject of an acrimonious sovereignty row between London and Madrid, which wants Gibraltar back after it was ceded to Britain in 1713.
	Immediately following Britain's vote last month to quit the EU, Spain said the "Spanish flag is much closer to the Rock".
	Many of the 33,000 inhabitants of the Rock are now worried that it will be 

Boris Johnson commits to Gibraltar post-Brexit

Marine Le Pen, head of the far-right National Front party, today called on France's interior minister to quit after the deadly Nice truck attack.
	"In any other country in the world a minister with a toll as horrendous as Bernard Cazeneuve -- 250 dead in 18 months -- would have quit," she told a news conference at her party's headquarters.

Marine Le Pen calls on French interior minister to quit

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility today for the truck massacre in Nice, as France highlighted the "extreme difficulty" of preventing such attacks amid tough questions over security failures.
	In a statement via its Amaq news service, IS said one of its "soldiers" carried out the attack "in response to calls to target nations of coalition states that are fighting (IS)".
	Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, on Thursday night ploughed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of people who had been watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city, killing 84 and injuring around 300.
	After crisis talks in Paris, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that IS had recently repeated calls for supporters to "directly attack the French, Americans, wherever they are and by whatever means".
	"Even when Daesh is not the organiser, Daesh breathes life into the terrorist spirit that we are fighting," he said, using an Arabic name for IS.
	In the wake of its third major ...

IS claims truck massacre as France defends security

Scoreboard at stumps on the third day
of the first Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's today:
	   Pakistan 1st Innings 339 (Misbah-ul-Haq 114, Asad Shafiq 73; C Woakes 6-70, S Broad 3-71)
	   England 1st Innings (overnight: 253-7)
	   A. Cook b Mohammad Amir                  81
	   A. Hales c Azhar Ali b Rahat Ali          6
	   J. Root c Hafeez b Yasir Shah            48
	   J. Vince lbw b Yasir Shah                16
	   G. Ballance lbw b Yasir Shah              6
	   J. Bairstow b Yasir Shah                 29
	   M. Ali lbw b Yasir Shah                  23
	   C. Woakes not out                        35
	   S. Broad b Wahab Riaz                    17
	   S. Finn lbw b Yasir Shah                  5
	   J. Ball run out (Shan Masood/Wahab Riaz)  4
	   Extras (nb2)                              2
	   Total (all out, 79.1 overs, 358 mins)   272
	   Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Hales), 2-118 (Root), 3-139 (Vince), 4-147 (Ballance), 5-173 (Cook), 6-193 (Bairstow), 7-232 (Ali), 8-260 ...

London, Jul 16 (AFP) Scoreboard at stumps on the third day

Pakistan's Yasir Shah made a useful unbeaten 30 after starring with the ball to leave Pakistan well-placed come stumps on the third day of an intriguing first Test against England at Lord's today.
	Pakistan were 214 for eight in their second innings at the close, a lead of 281 runs, after leg-spinner Shah took six for 72 in England's first innings 272.
	But at stumps he was shaking hands with Chris Woakes after the Warwickshire all-rounder had taken five for 31 to follow the lively paceman's Test-best haul of six for 70 in Pakistan's first innings 339.
	Woakes's 11-wicket haul was the first time he had grabbed at least 10 in a Test match.
	England now need to at least equal their record fourth-inning score to win a Test at Lord's of 282 for three against New Zealand in 2004 if they are to go 1-0 up in this four-match series.
	Sarfraz Ahmed (45) and Shah, promoted from his first innings position of number 11, frustrated England in a seventh-wicket stand of 40.
	Both batsmen were ...

Shah stars with bat despite Woakes heroics

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve today called on citizens to become reservists and help boost security forces in the wake of the country's latest terror attack.
	France's "operational reservists" include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers.
	"I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve," said Cazeneuve.
	His call comes after the government has been criticised for not doing more to stop attacks.
	French President Francois Hollande said yesterday that reservists would be called upon to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes.
	The operational reserve is currently made up of 12,000 volunteers, 9,000 of whom are within the paramilitary police and 3,000 in the regular police force, said Cazeneuve.
	"We are going to reinforce the presence of security forces across the country," he added.
	He said the number of security forces deployed to protect the population was nearly 100,000, including ...

Paris calls all willing citizens to become reservists

Air raids on rebel-held districts of Syria's battleground second city of Aleppo killed at least 28 civilians including children today, a monitor said.
	The death toll from what residents said an attack with barrel bombs steadily rose throughout the day as bombardment rocked the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
	"Eleven civilians, including four children, were killed by air raids after midnight in the Bab al-Nasr area of Old Aleppo, and seven others were killed in Fardous neighbourhood," the monitor said.
	At least six people, including a child and two women, were killed in the Salhin district, in addition to four more civilians in other rebel-controlled neighbourhoods, the Britain-based monitor said.
	The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources across Syria for its information, said the air strikes were likely either Russian or regime warplanes.
	"At least 20 people are still under the rubble," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
	Syrian state 

Air raids kill at least 28 civilians in Syria's Aleppo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today urged the United States to extradite the preacher Fethullah Gulen, who he accuses of masterminding the failed coup, to face justice in Turkey.
	"The United States -- you must extradite that person," he told thousands of supporters in Istanbul, referring to Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania and has denied any involvement in yesterday's attempted coup.

Erdogan calls on US to extradite preacher Gulen in Istanbul

A top army general has been detained over alleged involvement in a coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, an official said today.
	"General Erdal Ozturk, commander of the Third Army, has been detained," said the Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Turkey detains general Erdal Ozturk, Third Army commander

Thousands today massed in an Istanbul district waving Turkish flags in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after he survived a coup, an AFP correspondent said.
	The people gathered in the district of Kisikli on the Asian side of Istanbul, where Erdogan has a home, responding to a call from the Turkish strongman to come out in force in his support.

Thousands mass in Istanbul district in support of Erdogan

Egyptians woke up today to find some newspapers announcing the Turkish military's ouster of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, even as the strongman loathed by Cairo quashed a coup attempt.
	"The Turkish army topples Erdogan," declared a red banner on the front page of the state's flagship Al-Ahram newspaper.
	"Recep Tayyip vanishes," said the subhead.
	"Army controls Turkey and deposes Erdogan," the private Al-Watan announced, labelling yesterday night's attempted coup by an army faction as "military disobedience".
	Erdogan is a main backer of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian president whom the army deposed in 2013.
	Several Brotherhood leaders are in exile in Turkey, having fled a bloody crackdown against Islamists following Morsi's overthrow.
	Erdogan regularly attacks what he calls Egypt's "coup", infuriating Cairo.
	Some Egyptian media personalities could not contain their glee as news of the attempted coup percolated overnight.
	"Good evening, good viewers ...

Egypt media jumps the gun on Turkey coup

Eight Turkish military personnel who fled Greece by helicopter after yesterday's failed coup took no part in the putsch, their lawyer said today, although a Greek government spokeswoman contradicted their account.
	The eight, who have claimed asylum in Greece, arrived by military helicopter today after sending a distress signal to authorities at the airport in northern Alexandroupolis.
	Seven of those on board were in military uniform, ERT TV said.
	"They were in Istanbul with the order to transport the wounded. They didn't know what was happening exactly," Greek lawyer Ilia Marinaki told reporters.
	"On Saturday morning, when policemen started shooting against them, they decided to leave."
	Marinaki added that the soldiers -- all married and in their forties -- were "in a bad mental state" because they were afraid for both their own and their families' lives.
	Athens News Agency said the group was made up of three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors.
	Turkey's Foreign ...

Turkish soldiers flee in chopper after coup attempt

UNESCO suspended its world heritage meeting in Istanbul today in the wake of Turkey's attempted military coup, the organisation said.
	"The 40th session of the World Heritage Committee is suspended until further notice," the Paris-based body said in a statement on its website.
	Soldiers and tanks took to the streets late last night and multiple explosions rang out throughout the night in Ankara and Istanbul, the two biggest cities of the strategic NATO member of 80 million people.
	The meeting, which began last Sunday, was deciding whether to give world heritage protection to 29 sites across the world.
	The most headline-grabbing of its discussions centred on whether it would list some of the Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier's most iconic modernist buildings. A decision had been expected Sunday.
	UNESCO has twice rejected previous bids to give its protection to Le Corbusier's utilitarian concrete buildings, which had a huge impact on urban planning across the planet.
	Seventeen of ...

UNESCO world heritage meeting in Istanbul suspended: official

Turkey detains general Erdal Ozturk, commander of the

Tahar Mejri looks exhausted as he stumbles out of the children's hospital in Nice where he went in desperate search of his four-year-old son, Kylan.
	"I have called everywhere, police stations, hospitals, Facebook and I can't find my son. I have been looking for him for 48 hours," he told  AFP.
	"My wife is dead, where is my son?"
	Mejri is one of hundreds whose life changed in an instant when a truck careered into Bastille Day crowds in Nice on Thursday.
	A few hours later his search came to an end at the Pasteur Hospital in the north of the city where he learned that his son was dead.
	Earlier, he told AFP he could not understand why Nice's famed Promenade des Anglais -- from where thousands of people had watched a fireworks display -- had not been closed to traffic.
	It was, but 31-year-old Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel smashed through onto the pavement in the truck, leaving police helpless to stop him from killing 84 and injuring around 200.
	"Everyone was there, old people, .

'Where is my son?' tears and trauma at Nice hospital

Turkey today detained a member of the country's top court after a bloody coup attempt aiming to oust the government, local media reported.
	Alparslan Altan, one of 17 judges on the constitutional court, was taken into custody, the private NTV television reported, without specifying what he was accused of.
	Earlier, the judicial authorities said that some 2,745 judges across the country would be dismissed in the wake of the coup.
	This also came in addition to the arrests of several senior military figures including 2nd army generals Adem Huduti and Avni Angun, Turkish media said.
	The government said that in all almost 3,000 soldiers had been arrested in a major purge of the armed forces.

Turkey detains judge from top court in wake of failed coup: TV

German Chancellor Angela Merkel today condemned "in the strongest terms" the failed coup in Turkey, but called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to deal with the plotters lawfully.
	The treatment "of those responsible for the tragic events of last night can and should only be handled according to the rule of law," she said after the coup bid, which left more than 250 people dead.
	Erdogan, who flew back from the holiday resort of Marmaris to a triumphant welcome from supporters at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, denounced the coup attempt as "treachery".
	"They will pay a heavy price for this act of treason," Erdogan said of the putschists. "We will not leave our country to occupiers."
	Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the plotters were "cowards" who "would get what they deserve."
	Addressing Erdogan but not mentioning him by name, Merkel said that "democracy, which respects everybody's rights and protects minorities, is the best foundation (for the rule of law)".
	Germany stands by ...

Merkel urges Erdogan to deal with coup plotters lawfully

The US military has suspended air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq from a base in southern Turkey, a US official said.
	Operations from the Incirlik air base were suspended "because of the closure of the airspace" used by the missions, the defense official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
	The Turkish authorities imposed a security lockdown at the base today following an attempted coup d'etat by military officers overnight.

'US suspends strikes against IS group from Turkey base'

Even operating at a quarter of its eventual capacity, South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope showed off its phenomenal power today, revealing 1,300 galaxies in a tiny corner of the universe where only 70 were known before.
	The image released today was the first from MeerKAT, where 16 dishes were formally commissioned the same day.
	MeerKAT's full contingent of 64 receptors will be integrated next year into a multi-nation Square Kilometre Array (SKA) which is is set to become the world's most powerful radio telescope.
	The images produced by MeerKAT  "are far better that we could have expected," the chief scientist of the SKA in South Africa, Fernando Camilo said at the site of the dishes near the small town of Carnarvon, 600 kilometres north of Cape Town.
	This "means that this telescope as is today, only one quarter of the way down (to its full contingent) is already the best radio telescope in the southern hemisphere," Camilo told AFP.
	When fully up and running in the 2020s, the ..

AFP

AFP

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