BBC News with Fiona MacDonald.

Thousands of people are on the streets of Egyptian capital Cairo for rival demonstrations ahead of a referendum on Saturday. The opposition wants President Mohammed Mursi to scrap the referendum on a new constitution, his supporters say it should go ahead. Jon Leyne reports from Cairo.

Once again, Egyptians have come out in force to the streets. It's been a show of strength by President Mursi's supporters and his opponents. Despite heavy security, members of the opposition managed to lever away some of the concrete blocks protecting the presidential palace, allowing the protesters closer to the palace itself. But it's largely been peaceful and noisy. The president's supporters are calling for a yes vote in the referendum on the new constitution, his opponents want the actual vote postponed, something the government has refused to do.

Egypt's military chief has called for all sections of society to come together in a national dialogue at Cairo's Olympic stadium on Wedneday.

The United States has declared a militant Syiran rebel group a terrorist organization. The US says the al-Nusra front is another name for al-Qaeda operating in Iraq. Despite the group's attempts to portray itself as a legitimate part of the Syrian opposition. It's now illegal in the US to provide support to the al-Nusra front, significant parts of Syria's largest city of Alleppo are reported to be under the control of the al-Nusra front and other radical Islamist groups.