4 killed as police, protesters clash in Egypt

At least four people were killed on Friday during clashes between Egyptian security forces and supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi at a neighborhood in the capital Cairo, official MENA news agency reported. "The four victims include a female journalist at Dostor online newspaper and a female Copt," MENA quoted a security source as saying. "Our colleague Maiada Ashraf, a journalist, was shot dead while covering the ongoing clashes at Ezbat al-Nakhl neighborhood in Ain Shams town in Cairo," Dostor wrote on its official website. A Health Ministry source said the fierce clashes prevented ambulances from reaching the turmoil area in Ain Shams to help the injured people. Pro-Morsi protesters chanted slogans against the military and the government, as they consider Morsi's removal by the army last July "a military coup." Several marches were staged Friday by Morsi's supporters across Egypt in reaction to the recently-announced presidential bid of ex- military chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who carried out Morsi's ouster. Protests were held at several provinces, including Cairo, Giza and Alexandria. Since Morsi's removal his loyalists have been staging constant anti-government protests in defiance of fierce security crackdown, mass arrests and trials, as well as a new anti-protest law.