Clashes continue in Egypt

Police fired tear gas at rock-throwing protesters in Cairo today, a day after Egypt’s president declared a state of emergency in three provinces hit hardest by political violence.

The clashes near Tahrir Square in the capital mark the fifth consecutive day of street violence in Egypt.

Late Sunday, thousands of protesters demonstrated in Port Said, Ismailiya and Suez to reject President Mohammed Morsi’s declaration of a 30-day state of emergency in the three Suez Canal cities and their surrounding provinces.

Those provinces have been the hardest hit by a weekend wave of unrest that has left more than 50 dead.

Mr Morsi declared the state of emergency in a televised address yesterday and warned that he would not hesitate to take more action to stem Egypt’s latest eruption of violence.