Egypt promises a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood as the death toll mounts – Seven lives are lost in a killing spree near Miami – The international community stands by yet again as another African nation disintegrates, and no one is there to protect millions from ravaging rebel gangs – One Australian who did stand up when others didn’t is honoured – The songwriter behind classic hits for Eric Clapton and others has died.

Egypt’s interior minister is vowing to disperse supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi from a sit-in outside a mosque in Cairo.  This is after dozens of people were killed when security forces clashed with Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood supporters.  The government says 80 people were killed, while doctors at the scene put that at 120 lives lost.

More than 1,000 detainees broke out of Libya’s Al-Kuifiya Prison near Benghazi.  It happened as protesters massed across the country, angered over the killing of Abdelsalam al-Mismari, an activist who was a critic of the Muslim Brotherhood.  It’s unclear if the two events were linked or if the prisoners intentionally used the rallies as cover. 

Tunisia police fired tear gas on tens of thousands of protesters demanding the government step down.  The demonstrations grew out of the funeral for assassinated secular politician Mohamed Brahmi, the second such political killing in recent months.  The protesters and the families of the assassinated men believe the Islamist government was involved, while the government accuses a French-born weapons smuggler with links to al Qaida. 

The Central African Republic has descended into complete lawlessness since rebels ousted the government months ago, and the United Nations says the entire population of 4.6 million people is victims.  And while arms are flowing in, no international help is on the horizon. Rebel gangs are raping women, summarily executing men, and forcing children to become soldiers, and the UN can’t get member nations to pitch in peacekeepers or money to help the situation.

Spain is detaining the driver of the train that derailed and killed 78 people for reckless manslaughter.  Francisco Jose Garzon Amo has been refusing to answer questions, but will be put before a judge on Sunday.  The train was going twice the speed limit for the bend in Santiago de Compostela when it left the tracks and crashed.

The EU and China have reached an agreement to ward off a trade war.  The EU had accused Beijing of “dumping” solar panels at below cost to undercut and ruin continental rivals.  Both sides have now agreed to minimum prices.

Seven people are dead after a police swat team ended a killing spree and standoff in Hialeah, a suburb of Miami, Florida.  Crazed 43-year old gunman Pedro Vargas shot and killed his elderly landlord and his wife, a man just coming home from work across the street, and the family in the apartment downstairs.  He took two more people hostage inside his unit and tried to burn the place before the cops busted in and ended it by killing Vargas.

As many as 10 thousand people in Uganda attended a memorial for Australian Irene Gleason, who dedicated more than two decades of her life to helping feed, house, and school an estimated 6,000 orphans or destitute children in the oft-troubled African nation. The 68-year-old died in Sydney last week from cancer. 

Singer and prolific American songwriter JJ Cale has died of a heart attack in Los Angeles at 74-years of age.  The Oklahoma native wrote “After Midnight” and “Cocaine” which were covered by Eric Clapton, “Call Me the Breeze” which was a hit for Lynyrd Skynyrd, as well as several others recorded by Tom Petty, Carlos Santana, and many others.