BBC News with Fiona MacDonald

Rebels in Mali are reported to have taken control of the biggest military camp in the north of the country, a

garrison

near Gao, after fighting with government forces. The regional group Ecowas has put 2,000 troops on standby. Thomas Fessy is following events from neighbouring Senegal.

I've spoken to a rebel commander on the ground who claims that his men have now taken over that big military camp, that soldiers were on the move fleeing towards Bamako. We have yet to understand how many casualties there are. The army was able to put up strong resistance, but not enough apparently because tonight the outcome is that the Tuareg-led rebels seemed to have taken over this military camp, which is a major

trophy

for them in their fight for an independent north.

The Muslim Brotherhood has decided to

field

a candidate in Egypt's presidential election, reversing an earlier pledge that it could not contest the poll. The group announced at a press conference that its deputy leader Khairat al-Shater would stand in the election in May. From Cairo, Yolande Knell reports.

Khairat al-Shater, a wealthy businessman, has long been a senior member of the Islamist group. He spent 12 years in prison because of his connection with the Brotherhood, which was previously banned. He was only released after last year's uprising. The Muslim Brotherhood said it had reversed its decision not to contest the