Gunmen Open Fire On Tourist Bus In Egypt

The gun attack happened near the Giza pyramids

Security sources in Cairo said there have been no deaths among the group of holidaymakers, which included two Israelis.

An official said there had been some damage to the facade of the Three Pyramids Hotel.

The Egyptian government has been battling an insurgency based in northern Sinai, with attacks multiplying after the military overthrew Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The uprising has seen the country's mainland attacked a number of times in recent months.

Some extremists in Sinai have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and claimed the downing of a Russian airliner that killed 224 people there last year.

Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Christians are celebrating Christmas today in the mainly Muslim country.

Lemmy's Funeral Will Be Streamed Online

The 70-year-old's funeral service will take place at the Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery, Hollywood, on 9 January at 11pm UK time.

Rock fans around the world have been urged to tune in and celebrate Lemmy's life.

The band wrote on its Facebook page: "With such limited space available on-site, we respectfully ask that you don't attend the cemetery... but we want you all to be a part of this, so we are setting up a live feed of the service via the internet on Motorhead's official YouTube channel."

They added: "Go to your favourite bar, or your favourite club, make sure they have access to an internet connection and toast along with us.

"Whatever your venue, and however you can, let's be sure to gather globally on Saturday 9th and celebrate the life of our dear friend and irreplaceable icon."

Lemmy was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer on Boxing Day and died two days later at his home in Los Angeles.

The announcement of the funeral came after fans started a campaign to name a newly-discovered heavy metal after him.

Fan John Wright has now launched a petition urging the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry to recommend that "one of the four new discovered Heavy Metals in the Periodic table is named Lemmium".

The petition has already gained more than 12,000 signatures on the change.org website.

But some are not so keen on the idea.

One wrote on the petition page: "Let's not. Lemmy himself said in 2010, 'We were not heavy metal. We were a rock'n'roll band. Still are. Everyone always describes us as heavy metal even when I tell them otherwise. Why won't people listen?' Why won't you listen?"'

Another, Christopher Scurrah, added: "Lemmy always said Motorhead wasn't heavy metal, he said 'We're Motorhead and we play rock and roll'. If 118 is a noble gas that's fine with me."

The four new elements were verified on 30 December after being discovered by scientists in the US and Japan - they are set to be officially named in the next few months.

Iran’s Rouhani asks judiciary to prosecute Saudi Embassy attackers

President Hassan Rouhani asked Iran's judiciary on Wednesday to urgently prosecute the people who attacked the Saudi Embassy in Tehran in protest over the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shia cleric.

His comments appear to show his determination to reduce tensions with Iran's Sunni Gulf neighbors and continue his attempts to normalize ties with world powers by speaking out on a practice that has become a challenge for the Islamic Republic's foreign policy.

On Wednesday, Qatar became the latest country to recall its ambassador from Iran. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti broke ties with Iran earlier in the week. The United Arab Emirates downgraded its relations, and Kuwait recalled its ambassador after the embassy was stormed. Jordan summoned Iran's ambassador.

After reaching a landmark nuclear deal with world powers in July, Rouhani is seeking to end Iran's long isolation with the West.

However, the repercussions of the attack could jeopardize that, posing the biggest diplomatic crisis of his government. Members of the United Nations Security Council released a statement on Monday condemning the attack and another on a consulate in the city of Mashhad “in the strongest terms.”

“By punishing the attackers and those who orchestrated this obvious offense, we should put an end once and forever to such damage and insults to Iran's dignity and national security,” Rouhani was quoted as saying in a letter published by the state news agency IRNA.

While embassies are often a focus of protests worldwide, Iran still celebrates the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran every year and refers to it as the second revolution.

Since then, Iranians have attacked several embassies in Tehran — including those of Kuwait in 1987, Saudi Arabia in 1988, Denmark in 2006 and Britain in 2011 — with most of those incidents leading to a breach in diplomatic relations.

Some of those attacking the Saudi Embassy and starting fires took selfies and published them on social media — a clear sign that they thought they would enjoy immunity from prosecution in a country that has multiple power centers.

In the letter, Rouhani asked Sadeq Larijani, the head of judiciary, to bring to justice those behind the attacks.

“This has been always a paradox in the Islamic Republic,” said Hossein Rassam, a former political adviser at the British Embassy in Tehran. “While the revolutionary state condones or supports such attacks to capitalize on their revolutionary momentum, the administration dismisses them, as it should deal with their diplomatic consequences.”

In a signal of how Western ties with Iran have thawed, Britain reopened its embassy in Tehran in August. The nuclear deal also prompted a flurry of European visits aimed at positioning for the end of Iran’s economic isolation.

Iranian police have already announced the arrest of 50 people for the attack on the Saudi mission. However, in previous cases the rioters have been detained for a few days and released without facing any charges.

“In the case of the British Embassy, we are not aware of any legal action taking place against the aggressors,” said Rassam. “Although months later [Supreme Leader] Ayatollah Khamenei criticized the move, the attackers walked free, and nothing happened to them more than a gentle slap on the hand.”

The Iranian government has distanced itself from the attack, saying the protesters entered the Saudi Embassy despite widespread efforts by the police to stop them. 

Revolutionary War-era ship unearthed at Virginia construction site

The remains of a ship dating back to the Revolutionary War have been found at a site of a new hotel under construction in Virginia.

Local archaeologists in Alexandria are now scrambling to identify the story behind the 250-year-old sailing ship. The area once was in the Potomac River before it was backfilled two centuries ago to expand Alexandria's waterfront.

"A remarkable archaeological dream basically,” Francine Bromberg, who has been the archaeologist in Alexandria for a quarter century, told Fox 5. "We know that this ship was put in place sometime between 1775 and 1798.”

But who owned it? What did it carry? Who sailed on it? For now, that remains a mystery.

John Mullen, the principal archeologist for Thunderbird Archeology, the firm responsible for monitor the construction for any historic finds, told The Washington Post that the ship probably was built to carry heavy cargo or was used by the military. It may also have provided the foundation to fill in the cove at Port Lumley, one of the locations where deep-water channels of the Potomac advance to the shoreline.

The ship’s partial hull – currently under a blue tarmac at the hotel construction site – has become a popular draw among local residents. The find comes just months after construction workers discovered a 1755 foundation from a warehouse which is believed to be the city’s first public building, according to The Washington Post.

As soon as the fences were opened up to let people get a peek at the old ship, big crowds showed up.

"I think it's great,” said one person. “It's like a great window into the past.”

"It makes you wonder what else is hidden and underneath our ground here,” said another resident.

What is next for this 18th century ship? A 21st century water tank will be used to stabilize the wood. That will also give experts like Bromberg more time to solve the mystery of Alexandria's newest piece of history.

There is a little historical irony going on here. There is a big debate in Alexandria over the waterfront and it even cost the last mayor his reelection. Some development opponents are not happy about this hotel, but this discovery might not have been found without the hotel’s construction. In fact, the ship might not have been buried here at all if Alexandria’s founders had not decided to develop this waterfront 200 years ago.

'How I lost my confidence when I lost my face'

I don't think there is anyone who could honestly say that they are 100% confident. 

We all have those aspects of our appearance, personality or abilities that cause self-doubt at one time or another. The teenage years are often the worst and my teens were an uphill struggle against bad skin, frizzy hair and body woes. The beauty and charisma of childhood were gradually chipped away. By my mid-teens I was so self-conscious that I would try my hardest to avoid any activity that might involve people looking at me. 

My mum could see that I was having issues with self-esteem and decided to do something about it. Not being a fan of the softly-softly approach she made me apply for a job in a local restaurant. I was terrified at the mere thought of it and even more horrified when I was given a job as a waitress. There is a method of teaching babies to swim where the parent simply plops the infant into the water and lets it get on with it. I was like one of those babies and I got on with it just as well.

Within months I had blossomed into one of the best members of staff they had. I still hated the way I looked but it wasn't the main focus anymore. I was praised and liked for my strengths. 

By my 20s I had built on this and, with the addition of some foundation, mascara and lipstick, I actually felt pretty. I had a boyfriend, a home, a career and for the first time in years I was fairly happy with my looks and life in general. However, at the age of 32 my looks and my life changed forever. 

Christmas of 2013 was much like any other, going to my mum's to spend the holiday with family. I had planned a trip to London on the 27th to see my sister and her family but I woke up that day feeling lousy, so postponed until the next day. But by the next day I was in the intensive care unit of my local hospital. 

What I had assumed was a hangover got progressively worse until I could barely get out of bed and even a sip of water made me vomit. I passed it off as a nasty sickness bug, convinced my brother was being dramatic with his talk of doctors. 

When my legs and lips went numb I was slightly more concerned. My extremities felt cold and nothing I tried could warm them up. I went into my mum's bedroom and with one look at me she shouted for my stepdad to call an ambulance. Two hours later I was comatose in a hospital bed hooked up to drips, monitors and machines to keep me alive. 

It took ten days for me to be diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia, a strain of meningitis that causes blood poisoning. I also had disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) which is a severe version of the rash associated with meningitis. The DIC caused my blood vessels to haemorrhage and bleed under the skin, looking at first like bruising and then turning black as my circulation shut down. My extremities were the worst affected and it resulted in necrosis on my face and limbs. I lost the bottom half of my nose and almost all of my lips. The flesh on the bottom half of my legs and small areas of my arms, hands and feet had to be removed and the surviving skin on my limbs is criss-crossed with burn like scars. Tendons, muscles and nerves were also damaged so I have been left disfigured and with mobility and dexterity problems.

So here I was again with a face and body that I was deeply unhappy with. I was in hospital for four months but outside of the safety of the hospital, where it seemed OK to look such a wreck and everyone knew why I did, I became very self-conscious. Before my illness I had worked hard to become a very social and active person but when I got home from hospital I would rarely leave my flat for anything other than hospital appointments.

I felt broken and pathetic. It was as if the old, independent, free-spirited Tammy had died and in her place was this person I hardly recognised. I didn't like what I saw and not just because of my appearance. When I mentioned these feelings to friends or family they were surprised. To them I was the same old Tam but with the added bonus of having fought through a terrible time with a smile on my face. 

As embarrassing as it was, and still is, to hear words like "inspirational" and "powerful" I started to think to myself that all these people can't be wrong. I was still the same person inside and deserved to be happy.

That's why I applied to be on Channel 4's The Undateables - a dating programme for people with challenging conditions. I'd cheated death for goodness sake so I was pretty sure there was nothing I couldn't do.

he deep end that my mum had given me in my teens, I decided to make myself take a leap. 

It worked. Being on the programme has given me the boost I needed. I have been reminded of my good points and was pleasantly surprised to find that everyone I met also saw those good points, not just a bad face. Coming from strangers who have no "old Tam" for backup this was uplifting and I found telling my story a cathartic process. 

The date itself was the icing on the cake.

I had been a bag of nerves beforehand but within minutes of meeting him I was able to forget my appearance. He looked into my eyes, not at my scars and liked me for my personality. It finally proved that despite everything that has happened I am still an attractive person because of how I am inside. 

Since filming I have been back in hospital three times and each time I have made new friends. When I was first admitted into hospital I wouldn't even see my old friends for fear of how they would react to how I looked but now I have the confidence to share a ward, to chat, laugh and cry with people I hardly know. With each person that says something lovely or stays in touch because they care about my recovery, that confidence grows.

I am often told that it doesn't matter what other people think about me, but it does - especially when their thoughts validate something I already feel about myself. 

I have had negative reactions. I do get stared at and whispered about and while I understand this behaviour I also know it is wrong. 

Since my episode aired the level of confidence that I felt at the end of my date with Gary has increased tenfold. I had braced myself for the response, knowing that there are people out there who thrive on giving negative feedback but I needn't have bothered. While I expected friends and family to support me I also received praise from people I'd never met and endless reams of heart warming tweets. It has confirmed to me again and again that I am a lovable person.

My journey with confidence is still a work in progress and I am thankful the majority of people want to help me on the way. I am determined to keep their focus, and mine, on the good points. I know now that confidence comes from the inside.

Final Rollover: Saturday's Jackpot Must Be Won

The jackpot will rise to £57.8m on Saturday

Operator Camelot said it sold about 200 tickets a second in the hour before sales closed at 7.30pm - leading the website to crash.

None of those who did manage to get a ticket matched the winning numbers: 8, 30, 40, 50, 54, 57. The bonus ball was 13.

Lotto rules mean the jackpot can roll until it reaches or exceeds £50m. If it is still not won, it rolls over one more time to the next draw.

That means someone will definitely walk away with the jackpot this Saturday - even if no one matches all six numbers. In that instance, the prize will be shared between those who get five numbers plus the bonus ball.

jackpot is the result of 13 consecutive rollovers.

It follows the number of balls increasing from 49 to 59 in October, which mathematicians say reduced the odds of a player getting six numbers from about one in 14 million to one in 45 million.

Camelot, however, argues its rule changes increased the chances of becoming a millionaire.

The biggest UK Lotto win was in 1995 when colleagues Mark Gardiner and Paul Maddison shared £22.5m, though Mr Gardiner later revealed the money did not bring him happiness.

The biggest single winner was Iris Jeffrey from Belfast, who scooped £20.1m.

The opportunity to win the biggest jackpot came as Camelot revealed the luckiest postcodes for previous winners.

The postcodes are ranked by the number of prize wins of £50,000 or more since the National Lottery began.

The statistics show that the RM postcode, which includes Romford, Dagenham, Hornchurch, Grays and Purfleet, comes out top.

In second place is Sunderland (SR), followed by local neighbour Newcastle Upon Tyne (NE).

1. RM – Romford

2. SR – Sunderland

3. NE – Newcastle Upon Tyne

4. L – Liverpool

5. EN – Enfield

6. WA – Warrington

7. BR – Bromley

8. WV – Wolverhampton

9. DA – Dartford

10. DD - Dundee

Zimbabwe: Woman promoted to a top air force post

Ellen Chiweshe was given the third-highest position in the country's air force. A woman has been given one of the most prominent positions in Zimbabwe's air force as she became the southern African country's first female Air Commodore.

Ellen Chiweshe was promoted to the third-highest post in Zimbabwe's air force. The state-run Herald newspaper reported Chiweshe's new rank in Tuesday's edition, which included a photograph of Air Force Commander Perrance Shiri fitting a hat onto her head as part of a promotion ceremony.

The newspaper quoted Chiweshe as saying: "It was a men's world and it was difficult to break in."

Chiweshe was promoted "not because of bias or favour but because of her competency", the Herald quoted Shiri as saying.

"The sky is the limit. There is nothing that can stop women from attaining high posts," he said.

Zimbabwe's army has a female brigadier general, noted Shiri.

The country’s constitution, adopted in 2013, requires gender parity in all state institutions, but men remain dominant in top government and military jobs.