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© unknownRobert Gates
Syria should follow Egypt's lead and the Syrian army should "empower a revolution", Robert Gates, US secretary of defence, argued as thousands marched in a southern city.

Mr Gates made his comments - some of the toughest remarks to date by a US official about the rule of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president - on a day of further upheaval in the Middle East and beyond.

The White House signalled it was preparing for a change in power in Yemen, where it has been allied with the government of Ali Abdullah Saleh, president. Nato allies reached a deal in which the alliance will take over command of the Libyan no-fly zone, although responsibility for strikes on forces loyal to Col Muammer Gaddafi will not immediately come under the Nato umbrella.

Read the full article at FT.com