French ground troops deployed around the central Malian town of Niono today in a bid to halt any further advance by Islamist rebels who have seized the nearby village of Diabaly, Malian military sources said.
At least one protester was shot dead and dozens wounded today when riot police clashed with demonstrators demanding the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, witnesses said.
Egypt's first Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, was sworn in today propelling his Muslim Brotherhood into power after 84 years of struggle, although the military remains determined to call the shots.
Thousands of Tunisians rallied to protest against what they see as a push by the Islamist-led government for constitutional changes that would degrade women's status in one of the Arab world's most liberal nations.
Pope Benedict appealed for a halt to the flow of arms into Syria, saying it would help end a civil war that has killed many thousands of people and which Christians fear could bring Islamists to power.
Egypt's government struggled to regain control of an angry nation, inviting Islamist opponents to political talks as protesters demanding the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak battled with his supporters on the streets.
Tunisians turned out in force to vote in the country's first free election, 10 months after vegetable seller Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in an act of protest that started the Arab Spring uprisings.
At least 65 people were killed in the northeast Nigerian city of Damaturu, an aid agency said today, after Islamist insurgents bombed churches, mosques and police stations and fought hours of gun battles with police.