Day after, Egypt death toll rises to 525

Day after, Egypt death toll rises to 525 Count Highest Since Uprising Against Mubarak; US Scraps Joint Ops Saumya Pant TNN  Cairo: The death toll in the ferocious clashes between the Egyptian armed forces and deposed president Mohamed Morsi’s supporters dramatically rose to 525 on Thursday, up from 149 the previous day, making for some of the bloodiest conflicts between the two warring sides so far. US President Barack Obama condemned the interim government, saying he was cancelling a US-Egypt military operation in protest.     With more than 3,700 people injured, the number of dead is set to rise even further but in spite of the spiraling violence and body count, there was no backing off by Muslim Brotherhood supporters who called for more people to occupy the streets against the army-backed interim government.     The death toll makes Wednesday by far the deadliest day since the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime ruler and autocrat Hosni Mubarak.     Egypt’s health ministry said on Thursday morning that 525 people were killed in violence on Wednesday throughout the country, while 3,717 were wounded. The dead include 43 policemen. The Muslim Brotherhood has claimed that a staggering 2,600 people have been killed so far and over 10,000 injured. Egyptian judicial authorities extended deposed president Mohamed Morsi’s detention period for 30 days, the state news agency said on Thursday.     Obama said Operation Bright Star, a joint biennial military exercise that had been due to take place in the Sinai region next month, would not now happen, and hinted further steps could be taken. The US had halted aplanned delivery of F-16 fighter jets last month. “While we want to sustainour relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed on the streets,” he said.     “We call on the Egyptian authorities to respect the universal rights of the people. We call on those who are protesting to do so peacefully and condemn the attacks.”     Interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in a televised address to the nation that it was a “difficult day” and that he regretted the bloodshed but offered no apologies for moving against the protesters, saying they were given ample warnings to leave and he had tried foreign mediation efforts.     El-Beblawi added that the government could not indefinitely tolerate a challenge to authority that the six-weekold protests represented.     “We want to see a civilian state in Egypt, not a military state and not a religious state,” he said. Despite the curfew, sporadic clashes continued in Cairo through Wednesday evening and much of Thursday. In the city of Assiut, south of Cairo, a police station was hit by two mortar shells on Wednesday night fired by suspected Morsi supporters.     While gunfire could be heard through the night as the country came to a standstill on Wednesday, Thursday was largely peaceful as security forces managed to cordon off areas where there was a possibility of violence. There are tanks and military vehicles on every bridge and square in the city. But markets in some areas re-opened on Thursday and people were seen buying provisions.     For the full report, log on to www.timesofindia.com  EGYPT’S ROAD TO CHAOS  3 JULY President Mohamed Morsi is ousted by Egypt’s military Military suspends the constitution Islamist parties calls for mass demonstrations against army’s actions 4 JULY Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested Pro-Morsi protesters begin sit-ins 8 JULY At least 51 people die in clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and security forces near the Presidential Guard, where Morsi is suspected to be held Brotherhood says the army raided its sit-in while protesters were praying27 JULY Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood clash with opponents in Cairo Bloody clashes between security forces and pro-Morsi protesters Doctors estimate over 100 people were killed, but health ministry puts the toll at 65 Brotherhood blames the military for the deaths, accusing soldiers of shooting to kill 11 AUGUST Forces threaten to clear pro-Morsi sit-ins, but protesters defy threats, their numbers swell 14 AUGUST Security forces move in to clear sit-ins. Tear gas, gunfire used to clear protest sites; bulldozers dismantle camps Presidency announces a month-long state of emergency Veep Mohamed ElBaradei resigns Health ministry says 149 people killed, but Brotherhood says over 2,000 died  WORLD CONDEMNATION Paris, London, Berlin and Rome summon Egypt’s ambassadors to voice concern Turkey’s PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls for urgent UNSC meeting over Egypt’s ‘massacre’ China appeals for ‘maximum restraint’ US terms the events deplorable Denmark suspends aid worth $5.3 million to Egypt Only the UAE & Bahrain voiced support for Egypt’s military leaders, saying it was the state’s duty to restore order  KEY PLAYERS MOHAMED MORSI AND MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD Mohamed Morsi was Egypt’s first elected civilian president. He had been in office for a year until he was ousted Critics accuse him of concentrating power in the hands of Brotherhood He is now under house arrest at an army barracks in Cairo GEN ABDUL FATTAH AL-SISI & MILITARY Defence minister General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was instrumental in ousting Mohammed Morsi from power MOHAMED ELBARADEI The former UN nuclear agency chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, was a favourite to lead Egypt after Morsi ouster, but was appointed vicepresident after Brotherhood protests TAMAROD (Anti-Morsi movement) Tamarod, meaning “revolt” in Arabic, is a new grassroots group that called for the nationwide protests against Morsi on 30 June ADLY MANSOUR Adly Mahmud Mansour, the head of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, sworn in as interim leader on July 4