There were reports of fresh clashes in Egypt's capital Cairo this morning, after president Mohamed Morsi appeared on state TV to call for talks to defuse an ongoing political crisis.

The Islamist president, who has angered opponents when he granted himself sweeping new powers, expressed his sorrow at the deaths of seven people who died during this week's riots."We respect peaceful freedom of speech but will never allow anyone to take part in killings and sabotage," he said in the speech, which came amid the worst political crisis since his election in June.There were reports of new protests in the capital after the speech.Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mahmud Ghozlan told AFP that protesters stormed the organisation's headquarters and set it on fire, but a police official said it was a limited blaze and riot police managed to push demonstrators back.Earlier, pro and anti-Morsi activists armed with sticks, guns, fire bombs and rocks clashed with each other through the night, although units from the elite Republican Guard restored an uneasy calm outside the palace.