a humanitarian ceasefire in syria has now been postponed until later on saturday. there's been deadlock since thursday because of objections from russia. more than 460 people have been killed in the past week. us investigators examining russian influence on the 2016 election have done a deal with donald trump's former campaign aide rick gates. mr gates has admitted lying to the fbi and has pleaded guilty to conspiracy. reports say that other more serious potential charges, including bank fraud and money laundering, have been dropped. the head of the european council says the uk is under "pure illusion" if it thinks it can pick and choose the terms of its future relationship with europe. let's take a quick look at what's been making headlines on the front covers of some of the first editions of the morning's papers. we start with the guardian, which leads on an investigation

into safety standards at britain's meat plants. the paper says that more than half of all audited plants have had at least one major breach in a 3—year period. from the former head of mi6. sir richard dearlove says labour leaderjeremy corbyn has "questions to answer" over his contact with a communist spy back in the ‘80s. turning to the times, and it leads on a russian billionaire who's lost a legal battle to maintain his anonymity amidst a dispute with his ex—wife. arkady rotenberg is barred from coming to britain under eu sanctions. the daily mail says hospital consultants have fought off a bid to strip them of bonuses worth up to £77,000 a year. the scheme costs the nhs around £320 million a year. a smiling stephen fry appears on the front cover of the independent.

the writer and broadcaster has announced that he's recovering from prostate cancer. and finally, the daily mirror reports on the vote in the commons over a new law that could see people opt—out rather than opt—in to an organ donor list. the picture is of 10—year—old maxjohnson, who received a heart transplant himself. now on bbc news, it's time for our world. welcome to egypt. enticing images of timeless hospitality and ancient attractions. a picture postcard view the authorities are keen to promote. but there is another egypt — a military—backed regime where dreams of freedom have been crushed. and this is the approach to dissent.

in the last few minutes the police have been using teargas and have been live rounds. i have been the bbc ‘s corresponded in egypt in the four years. i have tracked the escalating crackdown on the streets. gatherings like this are few and far between. gunfire. and i have witnessed peaceful protest is being targeted. wait. i have never seen a regime as bloody as sisi's regime. regime as bloody as sisi's regime. regime were a growing number have simply disappeared. this regime is based on terara and torture is one detail of that. press freedom is under attack, much of the brutality carries on scene. this is a story the regime would prefer us

not . tell. it all looked so different seven yea rs it all looked so different seven years ago. this was tahrir square in february 2011 — the night the people broke free of president hosni mubarak, ending 30 years of authoritarian rule — or so they hoped. at the new dawn didn't bring a vibrant new democracy in the heart of the middle east. now, the square feels like a place of lost opportunity. well, standing here in tahrir square seven years on, there is really

nothing to indicate that this was the cradle of an uprising, that it was here that the people toppled an autocrat. the monument is bare, no list of names of all of those who were killed, and that is just the way the authorities want it. it is as if the revolution has been erased and along with it, the hope it brought. the former military strongman hosni mubarak wound up behind bars. he was in 2012 islamist succeeded in 2012 and the islamist mohamed more sea the muslim brotherhood. egypt's first elected president. democratically elected president. but he too was jailed after a divisive here in office. he had been divisiverhere ineffice. he had—been

divisiverhere ineffice. he had—beer} injuly 2013 in a military ousted injuly 2013 in a military coup that had mass popular support. the coup was led by the army chief, general abdel fatteh el—sisi who went on to be alert to president one year later. critics say he has presided over an unprecedented assault on human rights. i came to cairo on egremont‘s watch as history was being rewritten. those hailed as heroes of the revolution were being treated as enemies of the state. like alaa abd el—fattah, one of egypt's best—known dissidents. he is egypt's best‘known dissidentsfie is gee out egypt's best‘known dissidents'f-ie is gee out on human rights else: i; l i: i i: l. .., human rights campaigner' 4 i: i 1: i? ”f human rights campaigner is 3:1: 5” , l human rights campaigner is from 1: i? , l and human rights campaigner is from and human rights campaigner is from a prominent family of activist. this was someone a prominent family of activist. this

was someone who could have been amazing, not just to was someone who could have been amazing, notjust to this country, this is someone with a really valuable mind and set of- and valuable mind and set of skills and it is because of fat that he is being put away. i met alaa abd el—fattah in april 20 1a. he had already talked already been charged and he talked about how much worse things were than before the revolution. when you we re than before the revolution. when you were confronting mubarek, hope was material things, like you could almost touch it, and it. very almost touch it, and it was very easy to feel that it was worth it and people were taking these risks without feeling any kind of despair. right now it is looking bleak. he was a leading light of the tahrir protests. he was used to paying the price for speaking out. he -jailed or speaking out. he was jailed or threatened with arrest under all of

the recent regimes here. and when his son was born, he was in prison. alaa abd el—fattah was accused of organising this protest. the demonstrators appeared peaceful. 01’ or effectively banned. —— protests are effectively banned. i was iwas in i was in court to see him being convicted. 0thers came forward to say they - to the protest. say they plan to the protest. he still got five years. another member of generationjail. his fractured family go through the motions

without a much—loved son, husband and brother. human rights groups say there are thousands like them his mother has been an activist for decades. in this household, perce nters decades. in this household, percenters the family dissent the family business but she says the struggle for change is harder than ever under president abdel fattah el—sisi. the level of bloodiness is beyond anything i've ever heard or experienced. efined the eeee’ the“; helge fie,e-e,e;-;g‘~ — —— ———— — ———— ., to belittle the value of people's lives, to make people get used to death sentences, to forced

disappearances and abduction, these days on the streets, there is no clamourfor these days on the streets, there is no clamour for reform. many no, amputee lefo get by. and grateful struggling to get by. and grateful the relative stability. and plenty not to raise their heads prefer not to raise their heads above the parapet. - good reason. above the parapet. with good reason. well, there is something that you above the parapet. with good reason.

well, lsee is something that you above the parapet. with good reason. well, lsee here mething that you above the parapet. with good reason. well, lsee here met you that you above the parapet. with good reason. well, lsee here met you can you above the parapet. with good reason. well, lsee here met you can feel cannot see here that you can feel and that his fear. it has been increasing during my time here. people who would - been ready to people who would have been ready to speak on camera two or three years ago are too frightened to do that 110w. ago are too frightened to do that now. in the last few weeks we have looked into many cases, disappearances, torture, people whose loved ones were killed in custody, and those families were too frightened to work here. they tell us frightened to work here. they tell us they are afraid and other loved one will be arrested if they do. —— and other loved one. those who end up in custody can expect the harshest treatment. torture is nothing new in egypt. but my sources say it is now routine nationwide. mahmood mohammed hussein has first—hand experience of the latest torture techniques. we first met one - ago when every

step was a reminder of the abuse he suffered. he was held without trial for more than two years. this is the only reason he was arrested, aged just 18, was because of his t—shirt. the slogan read "a nation without torture". 110w now 22, he is struggling to rebuild his life. but could still be tried for attending a band protest. and joining a terrorist group. charges he denies. —— banned. despite the risks, he wants to tell the world his story. aren't you afraid that by speaking out like this that the authorities could come after you again? 0thers others also want - words to be heard at feel unable to appear on camera. like another young man i met who described being subjected to every kind of abuse. he gave us a

detailed, credible and disturbing account, he identified the police station where he was interrogated and tortured, he said he was beaten, blindfolded, stripped, kicked, and electrocuted. and later, in his words, he discovered there was something worse than electrocution, he was raped with a stick. torture victims used to have one refuge. 0ne place to go for support. this centre in cairo. for over two decades, staff provided rehabilitation. but last year, the authorities moved in and forced the centre to close its doors. its co—founder, a

psychiatrist, says the prevalence of is the worst she has ever torture is the worst she has ever known. i work in this field since ! andi known. i work in this field since ! and i have been hearing about 1993 and i have been hearing about this field is in my university yea rs. this field is in my university years. what i have been seeing and what might colleagues have been seeing since 2013 is unheard of. what might colleagues have been seeing since 2013 is unheard ofm was never, ever that the. so how widespread would you say the practice is now? as widespread as the conflict. as widespread as the country. what would you say to government here you deny them as torture? you are to deny them as torture? you are liars. i would say you are liars. i would say you know there is torture because you practise it. what can i say? and i would say that there will

come the day. i say? and i would say that there will come the day. - i will not the day but there will we day when those people will be a day when those people will be brought tojustice. a day when those people will be brought to justice. but justice a day when those people will be brought to justice. butjustice can be elusive for anyone hidden behind the sun. that's what egyptians call those who vanished from the streets and are held in secret by the state. most are islamist but anyone opposing the regime is at risk. human rights campaigners say enforced disappearances are a trademark of the abdel fattah al—sisi era. they have documented at least 1500 cases in the last quarter yea rs. least 1500 cases in the last quarter years. but they believe the real figure is much higher. —— last four yea rs. figure is much higher. —— last four

years. most of the disappeared and merge weeks or months later in custody, facing terrorism charges. but some remain hidden. but this man's brother who has been gone sincejuly 2013. man's brother who has been gone since july 2013. a man's brother who has been gone sincejuly 2013. a bill says his brother, mohammad amir, was an engineering student who disappeared as an islamist protest aged 22. he tells me witnesses saw him being taken away by the security forces. the years of fruitless searching since then have been a torment for his family. their father,

theirfather, ibrahim, their father, ibrahim, a theirfather, ibrahim, a lawyer, has been fighting a lonely battle for egypt's disappeared. he founded an association for families of the victims. last september, he set off for geneva, to address a united nations working group on disappearances. however, at cairo airport he is welljoined the ranks of the disappeared and was later discovered in jail. the of the disappeared and was later discovered injail. the lawyer of the disappeared and was later discovered in jail. the lawyer is 110w discovered in jail. the lawyer is now being held here in the full bidding prison complex in cairo. his family says he has been tortured. ——

across town after a journey to yet another broken family. we are on our way to see a mother who has a truly terrible story to tell. we - been in touch her over the last few weeks and with her over the last few weeks and we have arranged to sit down with her tonight. she lives in a suburb out near the pyramids so we are them 110w. “— out near the pyramids so we are them now. —— headed there now. this is a student of 23 who wants to open her own business. her- says that own business. her mother says that she and her daughter were arrested near a demonstration in 2014 and convicted of offences including attending i band protest. she says attending a band protest. she says they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and spent seven months in

jail but were later acquitted. she tells me that in 2016, is a glider was detained again at a police checkpoint and disappeared. —— her daughter was detained - she was daughter was detained again. she was dumped by the roadside after 28 days a changed girl. but her legal papers show the anguish did not end there. as she

was struggling to recover, she disappeared for the second time last april. her mother says neighbours saw her being taken by armed and masked police. she seeks comfort now in her daughter's bedroom. and in mementos from the past. her treasured keepsakes are just as

she left them are waiting for her return. her mother refuses to give up return. her mother refuses to give up hope, refuses to be silenced. we wa nted we wanted to ask the authorities about her daughter ‘s disappearance and the other cases in this report. we approached the interior ministry, the foreign ministry and the state information service. no—one was prepared to be interviewed. in the past, the authorities have told me there is no systematic torture. but if mistakes are made, offices are punished. they have also denied lr‘fhed the hie 3's“ eee‘ee ~~ , ~ 7 ~ ~ , are thhed the hae a'fh eee‘ee ~~ , ~ 7 ~ ~ , are disappearances there are enforced disappearances and widespread human rights abuses.

0n the banks of the nile, there is little hint of change. egypt looks locked in the past. elections are coming but the president does not need to worry about the outcome. several potential to help meet challenges have been intimidated out of the race. —— potential challengers. many here are concerned about security and the bomb attacks by the so—called islamic state. the president says he is waging war on terror. but human rights campaigners say he is using that as a pretext to wage war on dissent. having been here for overfour wage war on dissent. having been here for over four years wage war on dissent. having been here for overfour years i know wage war on dissent. having been here for over four years i know a lot of the problems that egypt is facing. there are real economic

issues. there are serious security threats from islamic state. but this is the most populous country in the arab world and if- cannot steer arab world and if egypt cannot steer a course towards real democracy, thatis a course towards real democracy, that is the problem for the middle east and a problem for the west. i am leaving him with questions. how long before all of the repression here starts to backfire? and how many more prisons and the regime feel? —— fill? hello there. the weekend is upon us and it should be a lovely one to get out the skies will often be blue, but underneath those blue skies it is going to feel chilly, particularly when we add in the strength of a biting

cold easterly wind. now, we start saturday morning on a very chilly note. you can see the blue colours on the chart here. a widespread frost, temperatures below freezing for many. perhaps not quite as cold for northern ireland, because there's a bit more in the way of cloud here. where you see this white shimmering effect on the map, that shows where we have a touch of frost to start the day. now, that frost will slowly melt away to reveal a lot of dry weather and some spells of sunshine. but, with that chilly breeze down towards the south, it is going to feel quite cold, despite the fact that temperatures on the thermometer will get up to around six, possibly seven degrees in places. always more cloud across parts of south devon and cornwall but sunny skies for much of wales and northern england. northern ireland brightening up after the cloudy start and things turning brighter again after a cloudy start in western scotland. in eastern scotland up towards the northern isles, we should see a fair amount of sunshine. then we go through saturday night, we do it all again underneath these

largely clear skies. it is going to turn cold. perhaps at this stage, a little more cloud feeding in towards parts of eastern scotland and north—east england. notice still some green shading on the map here. maybe not quite as cold underneath the cloud. the chilliest weather will be underneath those clear skies. so again, here's the frost to start sunday morning. that frost only slowly lifting as temperatures rise pretty slowly on sunday morning. but then again, a lot of sunshine. but that extra cloud for eastern scotland and parts of north—east england could start to produce the odd snow flurry. still with that chilly feel, still that cold easterly wind, particularly noticeable in the south. so when we add on the strength of the wind, this is what it will feel like — subzero for the likes of birmingham and norwich. and that's because we're going to be bringing the air all the way from siberia. we really start to tap into that very cold air as we head into the new working week. not only will it be cold, with temperatures struggling to get above freezing even by day, there is the increasing chance

of some snow showers, particularly in eastern areas initially. perhaps some areas with more persistent snow at times, but even further west, not completely exempt. we will have the potential for a little bit of snow. so, to sum up things for next week, it'll be very cold with bitter winds. some snow at times and widespread frost and ice. this is bbc news. i'm nkem ifejika. our top stories: the bombardment continues on the ground, as the un security council delays a crucial vote on a ceasefire in syria. a former senior adviser to donald trump pleads guilty to conspiracy and lying to fbi investigators. as pressure grows for action on gun ownership, the american president suggests again that classroom teachers should be armed. and, taking on the system.

the cuban family prepared to go the extra mile for a long—awaited reunion. hello.