Cairo quiet for now

Riot police appeared to have regained control of the area near the presidential palace in Cairo early on Saturday (February 2), following clashes with rioting protesters demanding the overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi.

At least one protester was shot dead and dozens wounded on Friday (February 1) when riot police clashed with youths throwing petrol bombs and shooting fireworks at the outer wall of Mursi's Cairo presidential compound as night fell.

Police responded by firing water cannon and teargas leading to skirmishes in the surrounding streets.

Two witnesses said they had seen a protester shot dead in Cairo with live ammunition in front of them.

The head of Egypt's ambulance service said at least 54 people had been wounded across the country, mostly in Cairo.

The protesters accuse Mursi of betraying the spirit of the revolution by concentrating too much power in his own hands and those of Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood accuses the opposition of trying to overthrow the first democratically elected leader in Egypt 7,000-year history.