Hazem el-Beblawi, a liberal economist and Egypt's former finance minister, was today appointed as the country's new prime minister in a transitional government as the interim President unveiled a roadmap for fresh polls by early next year to end the raging political crisis.

Interim president Adly Mansour appointed El-Beblawi to Egyptian premiership, presidential spokesman Ahmed El-Moslamany announced. He also appointed Nobel laureate and former IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei as Vice President for foreign affairs.