Syria unrest: 'Dozens of bodies found dumped' in Homs

Despite the Arab League's efforts,
 the violence is continuing in Syria

At atomic 34 humans accept been abducted and asleep by pro-government militias in the city-limits of Homs, activists say.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted assemblage as adage the bodies had been begin dumped in a aboveboard in the agitated city-limits on Monday.

The affirmation has not been apart verified, as a lot of adopted media are banned from entering Syria.

Meanwhile, Damascus says it responded "positively" to an Arab Alliance plan aimed at catastrophe months of unrest.

Foreign admiral agent Jihad al-Makdisi told reporters a letter by President Bashar al-Assad's government had been beatific to the Cairo-based league, abacus that he accepted a accord to be active soon.

He batten afterwards the accomplishment of the league's latest borderline for Damascus to accede to its accord plan and acquiesce in assemblage to adviser it or face the artifice of added sanctions accustomed endure week.

The Arab Alliance secretary accepted accepted cancellation of the letter, adage it independent new elements which were now getting studied.

Syria is beneath burden to end its crackdown on an insurgence the UN says has larboard added than 4,000 humans asleep back the agitation began in March.

On Monday, the Observatory quoted assemblage as adage that the bodies of at atomic 34 humans were apparent in a aboveboard in Homs.

It said victims - abounding of them civilians - had been bedeviled by pro-Assad militiamen from districts against to the government.

Government armament accept laid annoy to Homs for several months.

Earlier this week, UN Human Rights Council acerb accursed the "gross and systematic" violations by Syrian forces, and said it was appointing a appropriate investigator to address on the advancing crackdown.

President Assad's government says it is angry armed gangs.

Source From BBC News

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Egypt Islamists widen poll lead

Latest after-effects from the Egyptian elections announce that Islamist parties are acceptable to acquire a able majority in the new parliament.

The political addition of the Muslim Brotherhood and a added bourgeois Salafist Islamist affair are leading, while civil liberals are behind.

However, a lot of candidates will acquire to go through to two added circuit of voting over the next six weeks.

The Muslim Brotherhood alleged for the will of the humans to be respected.

Salafists second

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says this is arguably the aboriginal absolutely chargeless and fair acclamation in Egyptian history.

Turnout was 62% in the vote, the aboriginal acclamation back ex-President Hosni Mubarak was agitated in February.

Preliminary after-effects appearance the Freedom and Justice Affair (FJP), the political addition of the Muslim Brotherhood, is in the lead.

The Brotherhood - which led the action to Mr Mubarak during his 30 years in ability - was until this year clearly banned. In practice, it was acceptable as continued as it remained at the margins of politics.

Its rivals accused the FJP of handing out aliment and anesthetic as a way of acceptable votes.

"We alarm aloft everyone, and all those who accessory themselves with democracy, to account the will of the humans and acquire their choice," the Brotherhood said in a statement.

The aboriginal after-effects put the ultra-conservative Salafist al-Nour Affair in additional place, followed carefully by the affiliation of advanced parties accepted as the Egyptian bloc.

Salafists alarm for a acknowledgment to the way Islam was practised during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions, in the 7th Century.

The voting on 28 and 29 November covered nine out of 27 provinces, which will accept about 30% of the 498-seat lower abode of parliament.

Two added circuit are appointed over the next six weeks.

The high abode will again be adopted in addition three stages.

Source From BBC News

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'End of virginity' if women drive, Saudi cleric warns

Saudi Arabia remains one of the only countries in
 the world to prevent women from driving

A report in Saudi Arabia has warned that if Saudi women were given the right to drive, it would spell the end of virginity in the country.

The report was prepared for Saudi Arabia's legislative assembly, the Shura Council, by a well-known conservative academic.

Though there is no formal ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, if they get behind the wheel, they can be arrested.

Saudi women have mounted several campaigns to try to overturn the ban.

Aside from the practical difficulties it creates, they say it is also illogical as in trying to keep them under family control and away from men, it actually puts them in daily contact with a male driver.

The issue has received huge international attention.

Some Saudi women feel it has attracted too much interest, obscuring other equally important issues.

As part of his careful reform process, King Abdullah has allowed suggestions to surface that the ban might be reviewed.

This has angered the conservative religious elite - a key power base for any Saudi ruler.

Now, one of their number - well-known academic Kamal Subhi - has presented a new report to the country's legislative assembly, the Shura.

The aim was to get it to drop plans to reconsider the ban.

The report contains graphic warnings that letting women drive would increase prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce.

A Saudi woman who has campaigned for women drivers told the BBC that the report was completely mad.

She said the head of the Shura had assured women campaigners that he was still open to hearing the case for lifting the ban.

By Sebastian Usher

BBC News

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UK warns Iran after embassy stormed

Riot police took several hours to remove protesters from the embassy compound

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has warned Iran of "serious consequences" afterwards protesters stormed the British admiral and a UK admixture in Tehran.

Offices were ransacked and flags austere in the attacks, which followed a affirmation adjoin sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme.

Mr Cameron declared the attacks as "outrageous and indefensible".

The US and EU aswell accursed the attacks. Iran's adopted admiral bidding "regret" for the incidents.

The demonstrations followed a vote in Iran's assembly to abate adept ties with Britain in backfire for arty added sanctions.

'Dangerous situation'

Mr Cameron said the abortion of the Iranian government to avert British agents and acreage was "a disgrace".

He said all British agents and their audience had been accounted for and he accepted Britain's agent to Iran, Dominick Chilcott, for administration a "dangerous bearings with calm and professionalism".

"The Iranian government accept to recognise that there will be austere after-effects for declining to assure our staff. We will accede what these measures should be in the advancing days," he added.

US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply disturbed" by the attack.

"That affectionate of behaviour is not acceptable, and I acerb appetite the Iranian government to authority those who are amenable to task," he said.

Germany, France and the EU aswell accursed the attack.

Hundreds of protesters - whom Iran declared as "students" - had aggregate alfresco the admiral admixture afore ascent the walls and the gates.

A car was set alight, windows were broken, offices ashore and paintings and added items abject alfresco and dumped.

The acceptance chanted "the admiral of Britain should be taken over" and "death to England".

Another UK adept admixture in arctic Tehran, accepted locally as Qolhak Garden, was aswell beat and damaged.

The occupations went on for several hours. By black anarchism badge had adequate adjustment and evicted the protesters.

The Iranian Adopted Admiral bidding "regret for assertive unacceptable behaviour by a baby amount of protesters in animosity of efforts by the police".

"The accordant authorities accept been asked to yield the all-important measures and attending into this affair immediately," it said.

Correspondents say the protests were organised by pro-government groups at universities and Islamic seminaries. The demonstrations aswell apparent the ceremony of the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran, which abounding Iranians accept abhorrent on the UK. Britain denies any involvement.

Diplomatic row

Last anniversary the US, UK and Canada appear new measures targeting Iran over its arguable nuclear plans.

That followed a address from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that appropriate Iran was alive appear accepting a nuclear weapon.

It said Iran had agitated out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear device".

For its part, the UK Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian banks, accusing them of facilitating the country's nuclear programme.

On Sunday, Iran's assembly voted by a ample majority to decline adept relations with the UK in acknowledgment to the British action.

Iranian radio appear that some MPs had chanted "Death to Britain" during the vote, which was accustomed by 87% of MPs.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.

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Egypt military chief Tantawi warns over elections

Egypt's army arch says he will not let "troublemakers" meddle in Monday's aldermanic elections, admonishing of "extremely grave" after-effects if the country does not affected its crisis.

Activists are calling on people to gather for another huge rally on Sunday

Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi batten as bags of protesters afresh aggregate for addition rally.

He apprenticed top presidential candidates Mohammed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa to aback his choice for Prime Minister.

Recent unrest, in which dozens accept died, has casting a adumbration over the polls.

Monday marks the aboriginal footfall of an acclamation calendar which lasts until March 2012 and covers two houses of parliament.

Protesters abhorrence the Supreme Board of the Armed Armament (Scaf) - which is headed by Field Marshall Tantawi and is administering the alteration to autonomous aphorism - is aggravating to absorb power.

Mass demonstrations accept been calling for aggressive aphorism to end afore aldermanic elections are captivated - although there aswell accept been abate gatherings cogent abutment for the country's acting aggressive rulers.

'Dangerous hurdles'

Field Marshal Tantawi said the army would ensure aegis at the polling booths and common that the vote would go advanced on schedule.

"We will not acquiesce troublemakers to meddle in the elections," he said, in comments appear on the website of state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper.

"We are at a crossroads. There are alone two routes, the success of elections arch Egypt appear assurance or adverse alarming hurdles that we in the armed forces, as allotment of the Egyptian people, will not allow."

More than 40 humans accept been dead and some 2,000 blood-soaked in the endure anniversary as the aegis armament approved to breach up massive protests, arch to the affliction abandon back the abatement of Hosni Mubarak.

Analysts say the vote is about assertive to proceed, but the voting action is circuitous and there has been little time for campaigning, so it is cryptic how abounding humans will casting ballots.

Mubarak-era figure

On Saturday, Field Marshall Tantawi captivated talks with arch political abstracts Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa to altercate the political crisis.

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says the man that the aggressive board has nominated as PM, Kamal Ganzouri, has not acquired absorption or boundless support.

Aged 78, he looked every one of his years at a contempo account appointment and is apparent as a Mubarak-era figure, our contributor says.

But Mohamed ElBaradei - who has said he would be able to advance a civic government until a admiral could be appointed - and Amr Moussa are able political abstracts who would claiming the ability of the army, our contributor says.

By allotment Kamal Ganzouri as prime minister, Field Marshall Tantawi is acutely aggravating to arch off that threat, our contributor says.

One affair is clear, our contributor adds: Egypt is a very, actual disconnected country.

Source from BBC News

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Syria unrest: Arab League drafts economic sanctions

Funerals were held for soldiers killed in an attack in the central province of Homs

Members of the Arab League accept drafted a account of bread-and-butter sanctions to appoint on Syria, afterwards a affair in Cairo.

The proposals cover the awkward of diplomacy with the Syrian axial bank, the abeyance of bartering flights and a biking ban on chief officials.

Arab ministers are to vote on the proposals on Sunday - the latest move to corruption Syria for its continuing barbarous crackdown on protesters.

Syria's adopted abbot has accused the League of meddling in its affairs.

In a letter to the 22-member organisation, Walid al-Muallem said it was gluttonous to "internationalise" the conflict.

'Humanitarian corridor'

More than 3,500 humans accept died back protests adjoin the Syrian government began in March, the UN estimates.

The League threatened Syria with sanctions beforehand this ages afterwards President Bashar al-Assad again bootless to apparatus accomplish to end the violence, including acceptance all-embracing assemblage to access Syria.

The abstract certificate - fatigued up by the Arab League's Social and Bread-and-butter Committee on Saturday and apparent by correspondents - requires the abutment of two thirds of adopted ministers.

It aswell includes the freezing of all Syrian assets in Arab countries.

The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says the guidelines of the sanctions amalgamation had already been set by the adopted ministers, so approval is appealing abundant a foregone conclusion.

Damascus depends on its Arab neighbours for bisected of its exports and a division of its imports, so the sanctions are accepted to accept some impact.

But our contributor says Syria can still calculation on two neighbours - Iraq and Lebanon - not to accomplish them fully. Neither country has accustomed the move.

On Saturday, Mr Muallem hit out at the accumulation afterwards it asked the UN to accord to the proposed eyewitness mission, calling it an allurement "for adopted action instead of a anxiety to abstain one".

Soldier burials

Meanwhile, France has appropriate creating altruistic corridors to accommodate aliment and anesthetic to civilians cut off by aggressive operations.

French Adopted Abbot Alain Juppe said the plan fell abbreviate of a aggressive action but accustomed that such convoys ability charge armed protection.

Earlier, Syria active 22 associates of the armed forces, including six aristocratic pilots, dead in assorted attacks.

Activists say at atomic 16 civilians were dead on Saturday, a lot of of them in the flashpoint Homs province.

A United Nations animal rights console has bidding anxiety at letters it has accustomed of aegis armament in Syria disturbing children.

The Geneva-based UN Committee adjoin Torture says it has accustomed "numerous, constant and embodied reports" of boundless corruption in the country.

Reports from Syria are difficult to verify as adopted journalists are clumsy to move about the country freely.

Source from BBC NEWS

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Iraq: Bomb blasts in Baghdad kill at least 15

A alternation of explosions in and about the Iraqi basic Baghdad on Saturday has dead at atomic 15 humans and blood-soaked added than 20, admiral say.

Three bombs exploded in the bartering Bab al-Sharqi commune of axial Baghdad, killing eight people.

Another two explosions hit a barter accustomed architecture workers on the alley amid Baghdad and Falluja.

Violence in Iraq has collapsed in contempo years, but militants still backpack out approved attacks.

"I saw a woman, who was confined tea to customers, lose a leg in one of the explosions," a bazaar bell-ringer abreast the website of the Bab al-Sharqi bang told the AP account agency.

Fallujah Hospital "received seven bodies and seven wounded" from the barter blast, Dr Omar Delli told the AFP account agency. Two of the blood-soaked after died, he said.

Violence has beneath from its aiguille in 2006-2007, but the attacks accept aloft apropos over whether the planned abandonment of US troops will advance to a deepening of the aegis situation.

The endure US troops are due to abjure from Iraq by the end of 2011.

However, the US and the Iraqi government are in talks over whether to absorb a bound American attendance into 2012.

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Chavez repatriates Venezuela's foreign gold reserves

Venezuela has accustomed its aboriginal addition of gold bars, afterwards President Hugo Chavez ordered the repatriation of 85% of the country's banknote reserves.

The gold was escorted through Caracas by troops and armoured vehicles

The gold was unloaded from a even and taken beneath abundant bouncer to the Central Coffer in the capital, Caracas.

President Chavez has explained the move as an act of ascendancy that will assure Venezuela's affluence from all-around bread-and-butter turbulence.

However critics say it is big-ticket and unnecessary.

Venezuela affairs to accompany home about 160 tonnes of gold, account added than $11bn (£7bn).

"The gold is abiding to area it was consistently meant to be: the vaults of the Central Coffer of Venezuela," Mr Chavez said.

Hundreds of troops lined the avenue to Caracas as a accompany of armoured aegis trucks escorted by aggressive cars agitated the banknote to the bank.

'Historic act'

Officials said the gold had appear from European countries but did not say how abundant was in the aboriginal shipment, citation aegis concerns.

Central Coffer arch Nelson Merentes said the acknowledgment of the gold to Venezuela was a "historic act".

"It has celebrated value, it has allegorical value, and it has banking value," he said.

"The country's affairs will be backed by free wealth, so we are not accountable to burden from anyone."

Opposition groups accept criticised the move as a autonomous admeasurement aimed at advocacy Mr Chavez's acceptance advanced of next October's presidential elections, if he is gluttonous addition appellation in office.

Some critics accept appropriate that Mr Chavez is acting out of fears Venezuela's across assets could one day be arctic by sanctions, as happened to his acquaintance and ally, the backward Libyan baton Col Muammar Gaddafi.

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Syria unrest: Arab League observer ultimatum passes

The BBC's Paul Wood was smuggled into Syria from Lebanon, and has spent a week undercover in Homs with Syrian army defectors

An Arab Alliance borderline for Syria to acquiesce an eyewitness mission or face sanctions has anesthetized with no acknowledgment from Damascus to the ultimatum.

The borderline was set for 11:00 GMT. Earlier, the alliance warned it would accommodated on Saturday to altercate sanctions.

The alliance wants 500 assemblage to access Syria to adviser the bearings amidst continuing protests, but Damascus has reportedly agreed to let in alone 40.

Meanwhile, new affirmation has emerged of protests axis into armed insurgency.

The BBC's Paul Wood, who travelled afterwards permission to Syria's flashpoint city-limits of Homs, letters that he saw a baby but abiding beck of defectors from the official aegis forces.

In the latest violence, at atomic 51 humans were dead beyond Syria on Thursday, activists said.

More than 3,500 humans accept died back anti-government protests began in March, the United Nations estimates.

Violence has continued in Homs and other Syrian cities

The government of President Bashar al-Assad blames the abandon on armed gangs and militants.

But letters of the bearings on the arena are difficult to verify as adopted journalists are clumsy to move about Syria freely.

'Last chance'

The Arab Alliance set the borderline for Syria to assurance the eyewitness accord - which is a allotment of a broader accord plan - at a affair in Cairo on Thursday.

An bearding Arab antecedent told Reuters account bureau that Mr Assad's government would be accustomed until the end of the day to answer.

Earlier this month, the alliance voted to append Syria and warned of bearding sanctions for not implementing the accord plan.

One of the capital afraid credibility was Damascus' appeal to alter the angle for the 500 assemblage to be accustomed in to Syria.

The Syrian government reportedly capital to abate the amount to 40 - a appeal alone by the 22-member league.

An beforehand borderline for Syria to end its crackdown anesthetized endure Saturday night with no assurance of the abandon abating.

The options for sanctions cover a abeyance of bartering flights to Syria and a arrest to all affairs with its axial bank.

Damascus depends on its Arab neighbours for bisected of its exports and a division of its imports, according to account bureau AFP.

In Cairo, diplomats aswell appealed to the UN to anticipate added violence, allurement the apple physique "to yield all measures to abutment the efforts of the Arab Alliance to boldness the analytical bearings in Syria".

On Friday, Turkish Adopted Minister Ahmet Davutoglu declared the league's borderline as the "last chance" for the Syrian government.

However, Russia afresh accurate its action to the alfresco pressure, calling for talks amid Damascus and the opposition.

France beforehand appropriate that some array of altruistic aegis zones be created central Syria, the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo reports.

It is the aboriginal adumbration that all-embracing aggressive action is beneath consideration, our contributor adds.

'Stream of defectors'

Meanwhile, the BBC's contributor Paul Wood and cameraman Fred Scott accept acquired contiguous affirmation that the attempt for capitalism in Syria is acceptable an armed insurgency.

The BBC saw supporters of the action Free Syria Army (FSA) accumulation bringing in accoutrements from Lebanon on old smuggling routes.

Our contributor says he witnessed casualties advancing out the aforementioned way in the breadth which is mined and abounding of Syrian patrols, but not absolutely sealed.

Once central Syria, he witnessed a abiding beck of defectors and exchanges of blaze if their above assembly approved to stop them, our contributor says.

A accumulation of 5 defectors told the BBC that they had absitively to change abandon afterwards getting ordered to blaze on pro-democracy protesters in Homs.

Almost from the beginning, it has been the Syrian government's attitude that armed groups are acknowledging the opposition.

Now that allegory of an armed affront is acceptable reality, our contributor adds.

Earlier, the arch of the FSA, Riyad al-Asad, told the BBC that President Assad was now "finished".

Speaking from a refugee affected in Turkey, he said: "Even if the alfresco apple doesn't advice us or angle with us, the Syrian nation is bent to accompany down this dictator."

"The arrangement is rotten to the core. It looks strong, perhaps, on the alfresco but it is anemic at the heart," the above colonel in the air force added.

The FSA was formed in August 2011 by army deserters.

Source from BBC News 

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Egypt protests: Mass rally in Cairo ahead of election

Lyse Doucet in Cairo: "They are very sceptical about any moves to put a new government in place"

Tens of bags of protesters accept arranged into axial Cairo's Tahrir Aboveboard to appeal that Egypt's aggressive rulers footfall aside.

The assemblage follows Friday prayers in the square, area protests accept connected for a week.

The demonstrators wish the cessation of elections due to alpha on Monday.

The latest beachcomber of protests has led to the affliction abandon aback the abatement of President Hosni Mubarak in February. More than 40 humans accept been killed.

The Supreme Board of the Armed Armament (Scaf) is administering a alteration to noncombatant rule.

Despite promises by the board to acceleration up the process, some protesters abhorrence it intends to adhere to power. They wish aggressive aphorism to end afore aldermanic elections are held.

Yet abounding Egyptians wish the acclamation to go advanced as planned. One affecting group, the Muslim Brotherhood - which is accustomed to do able-bodied in the vote - is not acknowledging the Tahrir Aboveboard protests.

A battling affirmation in favour of the elections is demography abode abreast the autogenous admiral building.

In Washington, the White House said ability in Egypt should be transferred to civilians "as anon as possible".

"The United States acerb believes that the new Egyptian government accept to be empowered with absolute ascendancy immediately," a White House account said.

The army has appointed ex-Prime Abbot Kamal Ganzouri to anatomy a new government afterwards his antecedent resigned, accompaniment TV reported.

Sunni Islam's accomplished authority, the admirable imam of al-Azhar mosque, beatific the protesters a attenuate bulletin of support. An aide, Hassan Shafie, was apparent on bounded TV cogent the army on Tahrir Square: "The admirable imam backs you and is praying for your victory."

'Last chance'

Tens of bags accept converged on the aboveboard to yield allotment in what organisers alarm a "last adventitious Friday" assemblage ambitious an actual alteration of power.

The imam arch the capital Friday prayers in Cairo alleged on the aggressive to duke over power, and said demonstrators would abide in the aboveboard until their demands were met, AFP account bureau reported.

The protesters accept criticised the arrangement of Mr Ganzouri - who headed Egypt's government from 1996 to 1999 beneath Mr Mubarak.

"For the additional time, we are traveling to depend aloft the old bouncer of Mubarak's regime. Why we do not accord adventitious for the young, instead of those humans who are 80 years old?" one man in Cairo's Tahrir Square, Suhir Nadim, told Reuters account agency.

"Appointing Ganzouri is a crisis for the revolution. We accept to abide in Tahrir," addition protester, 44-year-old Hossam Amer, told Reuters.

On Tuesday, the arch of Scaf, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, accustomed the abandonment of the antecedent military-backed noncombatant chiffonier and appear that presidential elections would be captivated by June 2012 - six months beforehand than planned.

On Wednesday, the aggressive board apologised for the deaths of protesters, but insisted that aldermanic acclamation would alpha on Monday as scheduled.

The Egyptian Independent Trade Union Federation alleged for a advance to Tahrir Square, while addition labour rights accumulation alleged for a accepted bang to aback the protests.

Much of the contempo abandon has taken abode in a artery arch from Tahrir Aboveboard to the autogenous ministry. Soldiers accept now set up barricades of cement, metal confined and acid wire to abstracted protesters and aegis forces.

Mr Ganzouri, who distanced himself from Mr Mubarak's regime, has been appropriate as a accessible presidential candidate.

During his appellation as prime minister, he was accepted as the "minister of the poor" because he was apparent as apery the beneath well-off, and he charcoal accepted with abounding Egyptians, says the BBC's Yolande Knell, in Cairo.

Source from BBC News

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Egypt military 'appoints Kamal Ganzouri as new PM'

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen says although clashes have subsided, tension remains high around Cairo

Egypt's aggressive rulers accept appointed ex-Prime Abbot Kamal Ganzouri to anatomy a new government, accompaniment media say.

The antecedent military-appointed noncombatant chiffonier accommodated beforehand this anniversary in the deathwatch of agitated protests in Cairo and added cities.

The aggressive board has said aldermanic elections will activate beyond Egypt next anniversary as scheduled.

Clashes abreast Cairo's Tahrir Aboveboard accept below but activists are calling for renewed protests on Friday.

Large numbers of demonstrators are spending the night in the aboveboard advanced of a accumulation assemblage afterwards Friday prayers.

The Supreme Board of the Armed Armament (Scaf) is administering a alteration to noncombatant aphorism afterward the degradation of President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Despite promises by the board to acceleration up the process, abounding Egyptians abhorrence the aggressive intends to adhere to power.

Mr Ganzouri headed Egypt's government from 1996 to 1999 beneath Mr Mubarak.

Continue account the capital story

“Egypt's slow-motion anarchy has taken a ambagious about-face - in which no-one is absolutely arena the role you would expect”

Kevin Connolly

BBE News, Cairo

Egypt disconnected advanced of acute elections

State bi-weekly al-Ahram said on its website that Mr Ganzouri had agreed in assumption to advance a civic conservancy government afterwards affair Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, arch of the aggressive council.

Mr Ganzouri, who has distanced himself from Mr Mubarak's regime, has been appropriate as a accessible presidential candidate.

Military apology

The BBC's Yolande Knell, in Cairo, says Mr Ganzouri was in talks with aggressive leaders beforehand on Thursday.

During his appellation as prime minister, he was accustomed as the "minister of the poor" because he was apparent as apery the beneath well-off, and he charcoal accustomed with Egyptians, she says.

Earlier on Thursday, aggressive leaders apologised for the deaths of about 38 protesters in clashes with badge back Saturday.

The abandon has been the affliction back February.

Maj Gen Muhammad al-Assar bidding "the affliction and acknowledgment of the absolute armed armament on the tragedy that occurred".

He added: "Our hearts bled for what happened. We achievement that this crisis will end and, God willing, it will not be afresh again."

Activists are advancement accumulation protests on what they alarm "the Friday of the endure chance" to appeal an actual alteration to noncombatant rule. They wish Monday's elections adjourned until the aggressive accomplish down.

Troops have set up barriers near Tahrir Square to keep protesters at bay

However, abounding added Egyptians wish elections to go advanced unhindered. The capital action group, the Muslim Brotherhood, is not acknowledging the protests and expects to do able-bodied in the polls.

Much of the abandon has taken abode in a artery arch from Tahrir Aboveboard to the autogenous ministry.

Soldiers accept now set up barricades of cement, metal confined and acid wire to abstracted protesters and aegis forces.

On Tuesday, Field Marshal Tantawi accustomed the abandonment of babysitter Prime Abbot Essam Sharaf's chiffonier and summoned political leaders to altercate a way forward.

He approved to defuse the protests by able presidential elections by June - six months eventually than planned.

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Syria protesters call for no-fly zone

At atomic 37 humans accept been asleep in crackdowns during protests calling for the atrophy of the government captivated beyond Syria afterwards Friday prayers.

The deaths took abode mostly in Homs and Hama as protesters alleged for a no-fly-zone to be imposed, activists said.

Despite the blackmail of violence, at atomic 170 protests took abode on Friday, the acceptable day of protest.

More than 3,000 humans accept died in the agitation back protests bankrupt out in March.

Protesters said those asleep on Friday included an 80-year-old man attempt abreast Homs, as able-bodied as a adolescent boy abreast Deraa, in the south.

Young demonstrators

Protesters alleged for all-embracing aegis from Nato whose war planes played a basic role in the abolish of above Libyan baton Muammar Gaddafi.

"God, Syria, we wish a no-fly area over it," protesters shouted in the Bab Tadmur neighbourhood of Homs, while others agitated banners ambitious all-embracing protection, Reuters reports.

In the agitated Balaa neighbourhood, about 20,000 humans marched calling for the abatement of President Assad's regime, Agence France Presse reports, commendation the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

An armed affront has emerged over the accomplished few weeks about the city, home to one actor humans and some 85 afar (140km) arctic of Damascus, the account bureau reports.

In the capital, footage acquaint on the internet appeared to appearance a army of hundreds acceptable and singing in a acceptable ball whose lyrics had been acclimatized to become a beef song, Reuters reports.

Dozens of adolescent protesters marched in the capital's Barzeh neighbourhood, the Observatory said, abacus that 40 were arrested.

Internet and communications casework were reportedly disrupted in locations of Damascus, as able-bodied as in Homs.

'Looting'

Concerns are ascent as what began as a peaceful beef movement has become more armed as soldiers accept defected to the opposition.

The Syrian government insists the agitation is getting stoked by armed gangs and adopted extremists searching to activity up bigoted strife.

Syrian accompaniment media said that what it alleged "armed gangs" had attacked the capital badge base in Homs and that gunmen had attempt asleep a adolescent boy and an old man.

They said aegis armament had captured a amount of armed men and bedeviled quantities of weapons and ammunition.

Foreign journalists accept been abundantly prevented from advertisement from the country, authoritative it difficult to affirm contest on the ground.

On Wednesday, envoys from six Arab League nations - Qatar, Egypt, Algeria, Oman, Sudan, Yemen - accustomed in Damascus to authority what were declared as "frank and friendly" talks with President Assad.

The appointment followed a alarm by the accumulation for talks amid the Syrian government and action armament to yield abode aural 15 days.

The talks are appointed to resume on Sunday, either in Damascus or in Qatar.

But a backer for the action Syrian National Council (SNC), said it was "impossible" to allocution about chat as the crackdown continued.

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