The News Matrix: Monday 28 January 2013

State of emergency after dozens die

President Mohamed Mursi has declared a state of emergency in three cities along the Suez Canal where anti-government violence has killed dozens of people over the past four days. Seven people were shot dead and hundreds were injured in Port Said yesterday.

Smartphones launch by BlackBerry

BlackBerry is set to unveil two next-generation smartphones on Wednesday. The BlackBerry Z10 and X10 are tipped to reignite the company, which has struggled to compete with Apple and Samsung.

Dead robber was a 'career criminal'

An armed robber who died after being disarmed by customers in a bookies was a "career criminal" trying to turn his life around, his family has said. Alan Levers, 50, stormed into a Ladbrokes branch in Plymouth, Devon, on Friday night.

Clegg children may go to public school

Nick Clegg will consider sending his children to a private school but says the decision will not be based on politics. The Deputy Prime Minister said he hopes his elder son Antonio goes to a state secondary this autumn, but added there was "huge competition" for places in London.  MORE

Two cyclists killed in hit-and-run

Two cyclists were killed in a hit-and-run crash in Bristol yesterday. Police said a car struck and killed the cyclists – a man and a woman – before the driver fled the scene on Lower Hanham Road at about 3.50pm. Paramedics found the man and woman had suffered fatal injuries.

Cities found to affect rural temperatures

Waste heat generated by large cities can affect temperatures in areas hundreds of miles away by changing wind patterns in the upper atmosphere, a study has found. In theory, big cities could raise temperatures in North America and northern Asia by as much as 1 degree C. MORE

Twelve civilians die in French airstrike

A dozen civilians have died in the Malian town of Konna as a result of military action by French forces as they drove out Islamist fighters. Around 15 more were injured. Until now confirmed reports of civilian casualties of the French-led assault have been hard to verify MORE

Russian PM: Assad's days are numbered

President Assad's chances of retaining power in Syria are getting "smaller and smaller by the day," said Russia's Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, yesterday. The statement is the most explicit admission from the regime's chief ally that its days may be numbered, but Mr Medvedev also reiterated that the regime must not be toppled by external forces. MORE

Burger and fries to go for a final journey

Mourners at a US fast-food fan's funeral wanted him to have it his way, so they arranged for his hearse to make one last drive-thru visit before reaching the cemetery.

French to portray Corden's mother

Dawn French is to play James Corden's mother in his new comedy-thriller television series. The actress has been added to the cast of new BBC2 show The Wrong Mans.

Police raid spoils mafia dons' dinner

Russian police made a rare swoop to arrest a number of alleged mafia kingpins over the weekend, during a restaurant get-together where they were supposedly discussing their strategies. Four crime bosses and 19 others were arrested. MORE

Record-maker's final frontier

Graham Hughes from Liverpool will enter Russia tomorrow to complete his "around the world without flying" record. His Guinness World Record bid was deemed invalid in November after he previously entered Russia illegally.  MORE