Egyptian troops blasted protesters with water cannons, tear gas and live ammunition, trying to prevent them from marching on the Defence Ministry in clashes that left one soldier dead and scores of people injured just three weeks ahead of presidential elections.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon and his envoy were encouraged that a ceasefire appears to be holding in Syria, but urged its government to keep its promises and said a single gunshot could derail the fragile peace.

Egypt was thrust into a fresh crisis last night as security forces fired tear gas at protesters who returned to the streets of Cairo to demonstrate against the deaths of 74 football supporters on Wednesday.

Cairo football fans say Port Said catastrophe was reprisal for their part in revolution

I wouldn't be surprised if Monica Mason, the director of the Royal Ballet, was feeling pretty furious the last couple of days. Her young star, Sergei Polunin, walked away from the company two days ago without a word. There had been no particular sign, apparently, that he was unhappy or thinking of leaving; there were no negotiations that had broken down.

Tens of thousands of Egyptians rallied today to mark the first anniversary of the country's 2011 uprising, with liberals and Islamists gathering on different sides of Cairo's Tahrir Square in a reflection of the deep political divides that emerged in the year since the downfall of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

The year's most unforgettable photographs

Egypt's military rulers were ordered yesterday to stop the use of "virginity tests" on female detainees after one of the women subjected to the test took them to court.

Several thousand Egyptians rallied in Cairo's central Tahrir Square today to denounce violence against protesters.

Hillary Clinton has condemned the ruling Council's 'disgraceful' handling of the protests

A video showing military police viciously clubbing a woman, repeatedly kicking her head and then stamping on her semi-naked chest triggered a wave of outrage yesterday and threatening to further inflame three days of bloody clashes in the capital.

Egyptian soldiers clashed with hundreds of rock-throwing protesters in central Cairo for a second consecutive day today, in a resurgence of turmoil just days after millions voted in parliamentary elections.