The results of Egypt's presidential run-off have been delayed by the election authorities, further raising tension across the polarised country.

埃及总统最终选举结果被竞选委员会推迟公布，此举加剧了埃及国内的紧张氛围。

They had been due to be announced on Thursday, but the election commission said it needed more time to look into complaints presented by the candidates.

The Muslim Brotherhood¹'s Mohammed Mursi and former PM Ahmed Shafiq both claim they won last weekend's vote.

Thousands of opposition² supporters are protesting in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

They have gathered to demonstrate against the delay in announcing the poll result and also against the Supreme³ Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) - the military council that has led the country since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted⁴ last year.

Increasing speculation⁵

The Muslim Brotherhood called people into the square to voice their outrage⁶（愤怒） over recent constitutional amendments⁷ which gave the Scaf sweeping⁸ political and legislative⁹ powers.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says that if the Muslim Brotherhood has won the election, there are doubts over whether the authorities would allow them to take power after fighting them for so many decades.

There is increasingly fevered speculation about whether the election will be cancelled or rigged, he adds.

Meanwhile, 84-year-old Mubarak remains¹⁰ in critical condition at an army hospital in Cairo.

He is said to have had a series of strokes and to be on a life-support machine, but there has been no official word on his condition.

Earlier this month, Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the death of protesters during last year's revolution.

Correspondents say there are fears that Mubarak's failing health could be used as a distraction¹¹ as Egypt awaits the result of the hotly disputed election.