White House to review Egypt aid

Foreign Secretary William Hague has spoken of the need to "leave the door open" with Egypt's new government as he met European counterparts to discuss the EU's future aid to the country. He said he was working within "three clear principles":

• "We support democratic institutions and their creation in Egypt. We don’t pick sides; we don’t support individuals or parties, and that means we want to see an inclusive political process in Egypt."

• "[We must] promote political dialogue in Egypt ... We have to leave the door open to doing that in the future ..."

• "We must keep faith with the majority of the people of Egypt who want a stable, democratic and prosperous country for themselves and that means we mustn’t do anything that hurts them or that cuts off support to them."

The White House said it will hold a cabinet-level meeting to discuss the possibility of cutting some US aid to Egypt.

The White House said reports that assistance to Egypt has been cut off are not accurate.

Read: Obama administration 'halts military aid to Egypt'

A aid to a Senator on the panel for foreign relations in the USA said that the "transfer of military aid" from America to Egypt has been halted.

David Carle, an aide to Senator Patrick Leahy, said the suspension reflects the administration's "current practice, not necessarily official policy."

The Obama administration said it is reviewing aid to Egypt in light of the overthrow of President Morsi and the ongoing crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood, but stressed no final decision had been made.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said $585 million in military aid this year had not been delivered.

Read: Egypt violence bankrolled by enemies of the Muslim Brotherhood

Four Irish siblings detained by Egyptian authorities in the deadly political violence in Cairo have not been charged with any offences, Ireland's junior foreign minister said.

A diplomat from the embassy visited the three young women and their teenage brother.

Read: Irish siblings 'in Cairo jail'

The siblings were in "good spirits" and are being kept together in prison in Cairo. Joe Costello, Irish minister for state at the department of foreign affairs said:

More: Irish teen 'beaten to hell' in Cairo jail

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has appointed Mahmoud Ezzat as its interim spiritual leader following Mohamed Badie's arrest.

The Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, said, "Mahmoud Ezzat, deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, will assume the role of supreme guide of the group on a temporary basis."

Read: Brotherhood spiritual leader's arrest

The charges brought against the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader Mohamed Badie "are implausible fabricated charges with no legally acceptable evidence," his lawyer said.

"Brotherhood lawyers are waiting for Dr. Badie to appear before prosecutors within 24 hours, so they would attend investigations," lawyer Ali Kamal stated on the website of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party.

Read: Brotherhood spiritual leader arrested

An Egyptian journalist working for a state-run newspaper was shot dead by soldiers at a military checkpoint near Cairo earlier today, security officials told Reuters.

The unnamed officials said Tamer Abdel-Raouf from the Al-Ahram newspaper and a colleague were on the road after finishing a late-night interview with the recently appointed governor of Beheira Province.

The pair were stopped at a checkpoint and asked to show their ID and press cards when the incident occurred.

The soldiers reportedly told them they had broken a military-imposed night-time curfew after which the pair drove off "without permission".

A soldier from the checkpoint then opened fire, killing Abdel-Raouf. His colleague was injured when the car hit a tree, the officials added.

The funeral for 25 police officers killed when suspected Islamic militants ambushed their vehicles in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula has taken place.

Yesterday's daylight attack raised fears that the strategic desert region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip could be plunged into a full-fledged insurgency.

The police officers were given a funeral with full military honours and Egypt's interim president Adli Mansour declared a nationwide state of mourning to mark their deaths.

The spiritual leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has been detained by police in Cairo, security officials said.

The private ONTV network showed footage of a man the network said was Mohamed Badie after his arrest.

Officials said Badie was detained in a flat in the eastern Cairo district of Nasr City, where a pro-Morsi sit-in protest was cleared out during a crackdown that turned violent last week.

Read: Brotherhood's spiritual leader arrested