Egyptian authorities have given police the go-ahead to use deadly force to protect themselves and key state institutions, new measures that come after supporters of the deposed Islamist president torched two government buildings in Giza, and U.S. President Barack Obama cancelled next month's U.S.-Egypt military exercises. The Interior Ministry, which is in charge of national security, announced the new measures in a statement Thursday, a day after Egypt put in place a nationwide state of emergency. Clashes between Egyptian police and supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi have resulted in at least 638 deaths, Egypt's health ministry said Thursday, an increase from the previous tally of 525 killed in Wednesday's violence. The city of Giza is next to Cairo and home to the famed pyramids. Egyptians mourn over the bodies of their relatives in a mosque at Nasr City, Cairo, on Thursday. Egypt's military-backed government also pledged Thursday to confront "terrorist actions and sabotage" allegedly carried out by members of former President Mohammed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group since he was ousted in a military coup July 3. The government buildings burned in Giza were a two-storey colonial-style villa and a four-storey administrative building. The offices are on Pyramids Road on the west bank of the River Nile. Read more http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/08/15/egypt-morsi-violence-protests-coup.html
