Egypt paves way for free elections

Combined news services

CAIRO - Prime Minister-designate Essam Sharaf has named a caretaker cabinet to help lead the country through reforms and toward free elections after the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

The changes include new faces in the foreign, interior and justice ministries, a decision expected to be met with the approval of the pro-reform groups.

Protesters rallying outside the Interior Ministry, which houses offices of the hated State Security agency, were violently broken up. The protests followed reports that agents were burning and shredding documents to destroy evidence that would incriminate them in possible cases of human rights abuses.

Elsewhere:

TUNISIA. Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi named an interim government Monday, and a much-hated police unit was disbanded as the leadership seeks to stabilize a country still finding its way after a popular revolt. Caid Essebsi kept the heads of the defense, interior, justice and foreign affairs ministries, but named new figures to six posts vacated last week. The Interior Ministry said it has abolished the dreaded State Security Department, whose so-called political police spied on and harassed citizens under ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

BAHRAIN. Thousands of Shia opposition supporters blocked the entrance to the prime minister's office, but failed to disrupt a government meeting as the campaign for reform entered its third week.

KUWAIT. Anti-government rallies were called for Tuesday, an extension of nasty political skirmishes that were under way long before the first glint of dissent that began in Tunisia more than two months ago. The plan now is to take the demands for a political overhaul to the streets.

SYRIA. A cousin of President Bashar al-Assad said the leader should take steps to liberalize the country's political system and allow more freedom to prevent the region's turmoil from spreading to Syria. Assad should "end the state of emergency, which would be a symbolic and tangible step," said Ribal al-Assad, 35, one of 16 children of Rifaat al-Assad, who was forced into exile in 1984 by his brother, the late President Hafez al-Assad, who also is the father of the current president.

SAUDI ARABIA. Authorities released a Shia cleric two days after Shias in the eastern region demonstrated to demand his release. Tawfiq al-Amer, who was arrested last week after he called for a constitutional monarchy, was released, a close associate said.