Counting is still continuing in Cairo but results from more than 90% of the country suggest that Mohammed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood is now decisively in the lead. Ahmed Shafiq, a former general who was President Mubarak's last prime minister, looks almost certain to join him in a round of election in the mid of June. So the two old power centers in Egyptian politics, the army and the Brotherhood, would

go head-to-head

in what could be a very polarised battle.

Lebanese official say a group of Shia pilgrims kidnapped in Syria on Tuesday has been released. There were celebrations in the southern suburb of Beirut following the news of the 11 members on their way back to Lebanon via Turkey. A BBC correspondent in the Lebanese capital says the abduction of the pilgrims apparently by rebel fighters from the Sunni based opposition in northern Syria have threaten to cause further tension between Lebanese supports and opponents of the Syrian government.

Officials in Sudan say government troops have captured two areas from rebels in Blue Nile State on the boarder with South Sudan. After a day's fighting, the rebel group SPLM-North denied the claims by the governor of Blue Nile State, who said clashes were continuing. Fighting in the region began shortly after South Sudan became independent last year.

And the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has vetoed parts of a controversial bill, which regulates how much land farmers must preserve as forest. Among the 12 articles, which President Rousseff rejected, is an