[Anderson:] We're going to get you up to date in our top story, the political crisis in Egypt. And there was celebration in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Live pictures for you. The Egyptian army has said in a statement in the past few minutes that it rejects accusations that it has or will mount a military coup despite the fact that it gave the government 48 hours to sort itself out earlier today. The Egyptian armed forces says, responding to the they are responding to the pulse of the Egyptian street. Live pictures for you of Tahrir Square this evening. Certainly those who were there, anti-government protesters supporting the Egyptian military this evening. But they say themselves, Egyptian army says, it rejects accusations it has mounted a military coup. We'll get back to this story for you in a couple of minutes time. First, the director and every director of the Vatican bank have resigned three days after Italian police arrested this man, Monsignor Nunzio Scarano. He's a senior cleric with close ties to the bank who is accused of plotting to smuggle $26 million into Italy from Switzerland. The Vatican says the resignations are in the best interest of the institute and the Holy See. The U.S. state of Arizona is mourning the loss of 19 elite firefighters who died trying to put out raging wildfires on Sunday. The team was on the front lines of an ongoing blaze in central Arizona. Officials say they tried to deploy fire shelters and survival blankets as last ditch efforts to save themselves. It's the greatest loss of firefighters' lives in the U.S. in more than a decade. Earlier, the governor Jan Brewer gave an emotional press conference and said all state flags would be flying at half staff to honor the victims. Later this hour we'll be live with our team on the ground in Arizona. We're going to cross to our weather team as well for you this evening who have more details on why these fires were so deadly. U.S. President Barack Obama called the men who lost their lives heroes. He reacted to the devastating news earlier today.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] The news is heartbreaking and you know our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the brave firefighters who were out there.
[Anderson:] President Obama is in Tanzania as part of a six day trip to Africa. He's there to discuss trade in the region. Tomorrow, Mr. Obama is meeting with his predecessor George W. Bush to attend a memorial for a U.S. embassy attack. Well, earlier, the U.S. president was welcomed by crowds of excited locals. Drums, trombones and dancing greeting Mr. Obama and the first lady as they got off their plane. CNN's Nima Elbagir is in Dar es Salaam. And she joins us live. Tanzania, a strategically important country for the U.S. as it has key ports, of course, in the Indian Ocean. Is this part of a competition for business with China? What I guess the ultimate question is why is the U.S. president there at this time?
[Nima Elbagir, Cnn International Correspondent:] Well, absolutely, Becky. This is very much all being done with one eye on China. Three years ago, China overtook the US as Africa's single largest individual trading partner. Only the European Union as a whole trading bloc competes with China, and the US clearly wants to make up that space between them. And he's always said that this is the part of the trip where he's going to be talking money, and he seems to be making good on that promise, Becky. He announced a new phase in US-African relationships. Take a listen.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] We are looking at a new model that's based not just on aid and assistance, but on trade and partnership. And increasingly, what we want to do is use whatever monies that we're providing to build capacity.
[Elbagir:] Now, to make that happen, he's announcing two new initiatives. One, Power Africa, that's hopefully going to be expanding access across sub-Saharan Africa to the electricity grid by some 22 million homes over the next five years. And also Trade Africa. He's hoping that that's going to bolster US trade with this region by about 40 percent. And undercutting all of this it was really interesting to hear him say this, Becky he's made it very clear that although there is assistance in this package, this package is as much about sorry, excuse me is as much about US interest as it is about African interest, that Africa is this incredible, untapped consumer growth market, and the US has to get in there. And he's hoping that by the time he gets on that plane home tomorrow, Becky, he's going to started to bridge that gap with China. Of course, that will remain to be seen. So, we'll watch and wait, Becky.
[Anderson:] Nima, thank you for that. Well, South Africans continue their daily vigil for Nelson Mandela. Police on Monday offering a special tribute. After 24 days, the crowds have not thinned outside the Pretoria hospital where the 94-year-old Apartheid icon remains in critical but stable condition with a lung infection. Well, among those reflecting on Nelson Mandela's legacy is former US president George W. Bush. He and his wife, Laura, as I said, are in Africa right now. They are in Zambia working on a cancer-fighting initiative. Robyn Curnow sat down with the former president for this exclusive interview.
[Robyn Curnow, Cnn International Correspondent:] As Nelson Mandela begins his fourth week in this hospital, I spoke to former President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush and asked them to reflect on what he means to them.
[George W. Bush, Former President Of The United States:] Sometimes there are leaders who come and go. He his legacy will last for a long time.
[Laura Bush, Former First Lady Of The United States:] He is, I think, really an inspiration to people around the world and to a lot of Americans. A figure that we watched from afar from the United States, and I have a lot of respect for, of course.
[Curnow:] He was quite tough on you, though. He criticized you publicly about the Iraq War.
[G.w. Bush:] Yes. He wasn't the only guy. It's OK. I mean, I didn't look at him any differently because he didn't agree with me on an issue.
[Curnow:] Comfortable in retirement, President Bush and Mrs. Bush opened up a clinic in Zambia today, which helps to diagnose and treat cervical cancer. They hope it'll save thousands of lives. Robyn Curnow, CNN, Pretoria.