BBC News with Iain Purdon
In an unprecedented move, the Arab League has voted to impose economic sanctions against Syria in an attempt to force the government to stop its suppression of opposition protests. The measures include a freeze on all commercial and financial dealings with Syria's government and banks. Jim Muir reports.
All these will add to the economic pressure and political isolation that Syria is already suffering. It's angrily accused the league of targeting the Syrian people as part of a Western-engineered conspiracy to prepare the way for outside intervention. It knows that hard times lie ahead, but Damascus is drawing comfort from the fact that two neighbours - Iraq to the east and Lebanon to the west - did not support the sanctions and are in a position to help ease the pressure.
Thousands of Egyptian protesters are again occupying Tahrir Square in Cairo on the eve of the first elections since the uprising that toppled President Mubarak. They are trying to maintain the momentum of their demands for the transfer of power to a civilian government. Yolande Knell reports.
Many political parties and groups have been calling for a delay to this vote. With a large protest against the ruling military continuing in Cairo's Tahrir Square, they argue the country should wait until the atmosphere is calmer and safer. But the head of the armed forces council, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, is determined that the parliamentary elections should go ahead. He called on Egyptians from all walks of life to head to the polling stations so that the new People's Assembly would represent them.