Egypt security

Cairo, Sept. 12 (Reuters): Egypt extended a state of emergency by two months today because of the security situation, the presidency said.

The government originally announced a one-month state of emergency on August 14 and today’s announcement extended the order, which covers the whole country, to mid-November.

Egyptian security forces have been cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood, smashing its protests in Cairo.

Pope car

Vatican City (Reuters): Pope Francis plans to drive around Vatican City at the wheel of a “popemobile” that is a lot like him: frugal, clad in white, and with a fair bit of mileage. The 1984 Renault 4 economy car with 300,000km on the clock was given to him by a 70-year-old priest from northern Italy, Father Renzo Zocca, who took the pope for a spin inside the walls of the tiny city-state.

Korea reactor

Washington (Reuters): Satellite imagery suggests North Korea has restarted a research reactor capable of producing plutonium for weapons at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, a US research institute and an American official said on Wednesday.

US picnic off

Washington (Reuters): The White House said on Wednesday it had cancelled its summer picnic for members of Congress and their families — an annual opportunity for the President and lawmakers to set aside partisan sniping in favour of music and food.

Royal Mail

London (Reuters): Britain embarked on its largest privatisation in decades on Thursday as the government unveiled plans to sell the majority of the near 500-year-old state-owned Royal Mail postal service.