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At least 40 demonstrators stormed Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies demanding a military coup.

The protesters scuffled with guards and took over the podium as a session began on November 16.

Denouncing government corruption, protesters called for a return to military rule – which Brazil saw from 1964 to 1985.

In Rio de Janeiro, police fired tear gas at public sector workers protesting against cuts.

Demonstrators swept past security guards and smashed a glass door to get into the parliament chamber, where they shouted “general here, general here” and sang the national anthem.

According to Reuters, it took police three hours to round up all the protesters.They were all detained.

Later in the day, President Michel Temer’s spokesman, Alexandre Parola, called the protest an “affront” and said it was a “violation of the norms of democratic co-existence.”

Public confidence in Brazilian institutions has been eroded by a massive corruption scandal and the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.

Michel Temer was Dilma Rousseff’s vice-president before being promoted after her dismissal.

Last week Dilma Rousseff filed court documents accusing Michel Temer of accepting a large bribe. Michel Temer’s party says the money was a legal campaign donation.

Brazil was one of several Latin American nations where the military overthrew democratic governments in the 1960s and 70s.

The generals said they were countering the very real threat of a communist insurgency and had support from a considerable part of Brazil’s elite.

The military regime detained, tortured – and in some cases – killed its opponents, while overseeing rapid economic growth.

Also on November 16, protesters gathered outside the state legislature where austerity plans to tackle the city’s financial crisis were being debatedbrazil-crisis

Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades into a crowd of about 2,000 protesters, ranging from teachers to off-duty police officers, AFP reported.

Brazil has been hit by a drop in global oil and commodity prices and declared a financial emergency ahead of the Rio Olympics earlier this year.

Many public workers have not been paid in months.

General Gilbert Diendere, a close ally of former Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, has been named the country’s new leader after presidential guard officers have seized power in a coup, with shooting reported in the capital, Ouagadougou.

French President Francois Hollande condemned what he called a coup in the former French colony.

Presidential forces opened fire to disperse protesters in Ouagadougou, and some were arrested, reports say.

The coup leaders have imposed a night-time curfew across Burkina Faso, and have ordered the closure of land and air borders, AFP reports.Burkina Faso coup 2015

The headquarters of Blaise Compaore’s Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) party were ransacked in Ouagadougou as news of the coup spread, it adds.

Francois Hollande called for the immediate release of interim President Michel Kafando and PM Isaac Zida, who were detained at a cabinet meeting in the president palace on September 16.

Their transitional government was due to hand power to a new government after elections on October 11.

Blaise Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last year after 27 years in power, and is currently in exile.

Some of his key allies had been barred from contesting the election.

A statement issued by the coup leaders said Burkina Faso would be led by Gen. Gilbert Diendere, Blaise Compaore’s former chief-of-staff.

An earlier announcement on state television said wide-ranging talks would be held to form a new interim government that would organize “peaceful and inclusive elections”.

Transitional parliamentary speaker Cheriff Sy said the move was “clearly a coup”.

Cheriff Sy said the presidential guard had “sequestrated” the interim government, and he urged people to protest on the streets.

“We are in a resistance situation against adversity,” he added.

Earlier, there was heavy shooting by presidential forces at the capital’s Revolution Square, where protesters had gathered to demand the release of the interim leaders.

The elite presidential guard has been trained, in part, by the US. It is the most powerful armed group in Burkina Faso and often disrupted the activities of the transitional government as it tried to cling to the privileges it enjoyed under Blaise Compaore’s rule.

It is seen to be close to him, and is not popular on the streets. So its seizure of power could be a recipe for serious violence.

The transitional government might have made two mistakes – preventing politicians loyal to Blaise Compaore from running in next month’s elections and allowing the Reconciliation Commission, formed to heal wounds after the end of his authoritarian rule, to release a report calling for the presidential guard to be disbanded.

Some argue that a newly elected president would have had greater legitimacy to take such action.

Adly Mansour, top judge of Egypt’s Constitutional Court, is to be sworn in as interim leader, hours after the army ousted President Mohamed Morsi and put him under house arrest.

Army chief General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi announced the move on Wednesday, in what Mohamed Morsi said was a military coup.

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected leader, had “failed to meet the demands of the people”.

The move comes after days of mass rallies against the Islamist president.

Protesters accused him and the Muslim Brotherhood of pursuing an Islamist agenda for the country and of failing to tackle Egypt’s economic problems.

The president had appeared to protesters to be economically out of his depth, and had not given them the reassurances they wanted that he could address rampant poverty.

Mohamed Morsi’s opponents celebrated through the night in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as the army announced it had suspended the constitution and pledged to hold new elections.

But clashes erupted overnight between Mohamed Morsi supporters and the security forces in Cairo and Alexandria, leaving seven protestors dead. A further 10 deaths have been reported in confrontations in other parts of the country.

Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, said the ousted leader had been put under house arrest and the “entire presidential team” was in detention.

His father, senior Morsi aide Essam el-Haddad, and Saad al-Katatni, head of the Brotherhood’s political wing, are among those held.

The state-run al-Ahram newspaper reported that arrest warrants had been issued for 300 leaders and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Adly Mansour, top judge of Egypt's Constitutional Court, was sworn in as interim leader

Adly Mansour, top judge of Egypt’s Constitutional Court, was sworn in as interim leader

US President Barack Obama has said he is “deeply concerned” by the latest turn of events and called for a swift return to civilian rule.

The removal of the president followed four days of mass protests against Mohamed Morsi and an ultimatum issued by the military, which expired on Wednesday afternoon.

In his televised speech, General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said the armed forces could ignore the call of the Egyptian masses.

He spoke of a new roadmap for the future, and said Adly Mansour would be given the task of “running the country’s affairs during the transitional period until the election of a new president”.

Adly Mansour, currently chief justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court, is scheduled to be sworn in as head of state at around 10:00.

The army moved quickly after General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi ‘s speech, with military vehicles seen fanning out across the capital.

TV stations belonging to the Brotherhood went off air and state news agency Mena said managers at the movement’s Misr25 channel had been arrested.

A notice on Mohamed Morsi’s Facebook page condemned the “military coup”.

The statement asked Egyptian citizens to “abide by the constitution and the law and not to respond to this coup”.

Mohamed Morsi, who had pledged his life to defend constitutional legitimacy, accused the army of “taking only one side”.

In Tahrir Square thousands of anti-Morsi protesters celebrated with fireworks and honking car horns.

One protester, Omar Sherif, told AFP news agency: “It’s a new historical moment. We got rid of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.”

After General Sisi’s address, both Pope Tawadros II – the head of the Coptic Church – and leading opposition figure Mohammed ElBaradei made short televised speeches about the new roadmap for Egypt’s future which they had agreed with the army.

Mohammed ElBaradei said the roadmap aimed for national reconciliation and represented a fresh start to the January 2011 revolution.

“This roadmap has been drafted by honorable people who seek the interests, first and foremost, of the country,” added Pope Tawadros.

Opposition leader and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa told AFP that consultations for a government and reconciliation “will start from now”.

Mohamed Morsi became Egypt’s first Islamist president on 30 June 2012, after winning an election considered free and fair following the 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

However his term in office was marred by constant political unrest and a sinking economy.

The mass protests at the weekend that led to the army’s intervention were called by the Tamarod (Rebel) movement, in response to worsening social and economic conditions.

But there has been a growing sense of discontent since last November, when Mohamed Morsi issued a controversial constitutional declaration granting himself extensive powers.

Mohamed Morsi’s moves to entrench Islamic laws and concentrate power in the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood also alienated liberals and secularists.

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General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the head of Egypt’s army, has given a TV address, announcing that President Mohamed Morsi is no longer in office.

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said the constitution had been suspended and the chief justice of the constitutional court would take on Mohamed Morsi’s powers.

Flanked by religious and opposition leaders, General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said Mohamed Morsi had “failed to meet the demands of the Egyptian people”.

Anti-Morsi protesters in Cairo gave a huge cheer in response to the speech.

The army’s move to depose the president follows four days of mass street demonstrations against Mohamed Morsi, and an ultimatum issued by the military which expired on Wednesday afternoon.

TV stations belonging to Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood went off air at the end of the speech.

Minutes later, a notice went up on Mohamed Morsi’s Facebook page denouncing the army move as a “military coup”.

The statement asked Egyptian citizens – both civilians and military – to “abide by the constitution and the law and not to respond to this coup”.

The ousted leader’s current whereabouts are unclear.

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the head of Egypt's army, has given a TV address, announcing that President Mohamed Morsi is no longer in office

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the head of Egypt’s army, has given a TV address, announcing that President Mohamed Morsi is no longer in office

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said on state TV that the armed forces could not stay silent and blind to the call of the Egyptian masses.

He spoke of a new roadmap for the future, and said that the chief justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adli Mansour, would be given the task of “running the country’s affairs during the transitional period until the election of a new president”.

After General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s address, both Pope Tawadros II – the head of the Coptic Church – and leading opposition figure Mohammed ElBaradei made short televised speeches about the new roadmap for Egypt’s future which they had agreed with the army.

Mohammed ElBaradei said the roadmap aimed for national reconciliation and represented a fresh start to the January 2011 revolution.

“This roadmap has been drafted by honorable people who seek the interests, first and foremost, of the country,” added Pope Tawadros.

The army is currently involved in a show of force, fanning out across Cairo and taking control of the capital.

The tens of thousands of anti-Morsi protesters on the streets of Cairo are now celebrating, with fireworks lighting up the night sky and car drivers honking their horns in excitement.

But Mohamed Morsi supporters elsewhere in the city are reported to have shouted: “No to military rule.”

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According to the United Nations, 7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, with the total number now higher than at any time since 1994.

A report from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that Syria is “a major new factor” driving up refugee numbers.

The report say 55% of all refugees come from five countries: Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan and Syria.

It also found that developing countries now hosted 81% of the world’s refugees, 11% more than a decade ago.

“These truly are alarming numbers. They reflect individual suffering on a huge scale and they reflect the difficulties of the international community in preventing conflicts and promoting timely solutions for them,” said UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres.

Antonio Guterres said that the figure of 7.6 million meant there was a new displaced person every 4.1 seconds.

7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, with the total number now higher than at any time since 1994

7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, with the total number now higher than at any time since 1994

“Each time you blink another person is forced to flee,” he said.

The UNHCR says the figures are based on data from the agency itself as well as from governments and other NGOs.

Afghanistan remained the world’s biggest source of refugees, a position it has now held for 32 years, with 95% of Afghan refugees located in either Iran or Pakistan.

Somalis were the second biggest group of refugees in 2012, followed by Iraqis. Syrians were the fourth biggest group.

The figures do not, however, reflect the additional one million people who have fled Syria in the last six months.

The UN says if current trends persist, a further 2 million people will have left Syria by the end of this year. In the next few days it is expected to ask European countries to take at least some of them in.

The report also says there has been a marked rise in displacement from Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mali’s army, heavily backed by France, has been fighting Islamist and ethnic Tuareg rebels this year. Islamists seized control of the north of the country after a military coup last year.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, some 800,000 people have fled since fighting broke out last year between government forces and the M23 rebel movement.

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General Ismail Hakki Karadayi, former Turkish army chief, has been detained over a military intervention that ousted a pro-Islamist government in 1997.

Ismail Hakki Karadayi was detained at his home in Istanbul and taken to the capital, Ankara, for questioning.

He is suspected of helping what became known as the post-modern coup, as no soldiers were involved.

Former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan was forced to resign in 1997, being replaced by a civilian government.

General Ismail Hakki Karadayi, former Turkish army chief, has been detained over a military intervention that ousted a pro-Islamist government in 1997

General Ismail Hakki Karadayi, former Turkish army chief, has been detained over a military intervention that ousted a pro-Islamist government in 1997

In May, another six retired generals linked with Necmettin Erbakan’s removal from power were charged.

Separately, investigations are continuing into allegations of attempted coups by the military.

Turkey’s military has long seen itself as the guarantor of the country’s secular constitution, analysts say.

It staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and has a history of tension with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A Turkish court sentenced three former army generals to 20 years in jail each in September for plotting another coup. Nearly 330 officers were convicted of involvement in the plot.

They were accused of plotting to bomb mosques and trying to trigger a war with Greece in order to justify a military coup against the elected government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2003.