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Egypt unrest: Mubarak at military center, Al Jazeera slams Egyptian government
Read full coverage of the unrest in Egypt updated continually by CNN reporters worldwide. Are you there? Send your photos and video to iReport.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Egypt's major cities on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year-rule. Here are the latest developments as confirmed by CNN.
Sunday January 30, 2011:
[Update 3 p.m. Cairo, 8 a.m. ET] Turkey has sent two planes to Egypt to begin evacuating its citizens.
[Update 2:45 p.m. Cairo, 7:45 a.m. ET] State-run Nile TV reports that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is currently visiting an armed services operations center to follow up on the security situation and in show of support. State television also reporting that Egypt's military has arrested 450 people in various parts of Cairo.
Egypt's defense minister, Gen. Mohamad Tantawi, urged the public Sunday to obey the 4 p.m.-8 a.m. curfew (9 a.m.-1 a.m. ET) Tantawi's statement was carried by state television, and Tantawi was escorted to the network's headquarters by red-helmeted troops in a convoy of sport-utility vehcies. Tantawi is among the Cabinet ministers that Mubarak announced he was replacing over the weekend.
Also Sunday afternoon in Cairo, Al Jazeera "strongly denounces" the closure of its Cairo bureau by the Egyptian government, the news network said in a statement Sunday. Egypt's information ministry announced the shutdown of Al Jazeera in Egypt and the withdrawal of its media license to operate in the country, state-run Nile TV reported Sunday.
Saturday January 29, 2011:
[Update 1:50 a.m. Cairo, 6:50 p.m. ET] - Roughly 1,000 prisoners have escaped from Prison Demu in Fayoum, southwest of Cairo, state-run Nile TV reported early Sunday. The inmates are "on the streets causing chaos and families are scared," according to Nile TV.
[Update 1:33 a.m. Cairo, 6:33 p.m. ET] - Seventeen people have been shot to death by Egyptian police, according to Reuters.
Twelve people were killed trying to attack a police station in Beni Suef governorate, south of Cairo, Reuters reported. Another five people died in an attempted attack on a station in Nasr City, according to Reuters.
[Update 1:16 a.m. Cairo, 6:16 p.m. ET] - CNN's Ben Wedeman (#bencnn) tweeted that angry crowds dragged two looters to soldiers. The army is in control of the Egyptian Museum.
The Egyptian Museum hosts one of the most extensive collections of Egyptian artifacts in the world, including the treasures of Tutankhamun. In addition to jewelry, sculptures and artwork, the museum boasts the Royal Mummy Room, which features the remains of several pharaohs. The artifacts were discovered around the turn of the 20th century.
In Alexandria, CNN's Nic Robertson (#NicRobertsonCNN) tweeted that gangs of machete- and iron-bar-wielding youths are stalking the deserted streets of Alexandria despite a curfew.
[Update 12:53 a.m. Cairo, 5:53 p.m. ET] - In front of military tanks, people have gathered arm in arm outside the Egyptian Museum, protecting the famed building from looters.
[Update 10:47 p.m. Cairo, 3:47 p.m. ET] - CNN's Ben Wedeman (#bencnn) sent these tweets within the past 20 minutes:
- Neighborhood protection groups wearing white armbands in Cairo. People getting organised to end chaos and looting.
- NDP source says Omar Sulaiman VP appointment should be seen as first step for transfer of power.
[Update 9:40 p.m. Cairo, 2:40 p.m. ET] - National Security Adviser Tom Donilon on Saturday held a meeting with top officials to discuss the events in Egypt, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said. Among the participants were Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Israeli politician Benjamin Ben Eliezer says Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak recently told him "this is not Beirut and not Tunis." In an interview with Israeli TV on Saturday, Eliezer said that Mubarak suggested that Egyptian authorities knew what was going on and had prepared the army in advance.
In Alexandria, the scene at hospitals was chaotic, CNN's Nic Robertson said in a message on Twitter. The facilities were short-staffed and injured protesters said they were not being treated quickly enough.
[Update 8:19 p.m. Cairo, 1:19 p.m. ET] Cairo residents have given accounts of lawlessness after police withdraw from the streets. There were reports of looting and residents appealing to authorities for protection.
- CNN photojournalist Mary Rogers saw businesses looted in a downtown Cairo mall. She saw fast-food restaurants - KFC and Hardee's - smashed and looted. People were carrying items from the mall.
- Journalist Ian Lee said vigilante groups in a middle-class Cairo neighborhood called Dohy were forming to protect personal property. He heard live fire, but saw no police presence. Soldiers were in the area but did not respond to the trouble, he said.
- CNN's Fred Pleitgen tweeted: Illegal checkpoints popping up in Cairo. Just ran by a group of guys with guns and clubs.
- From Alexandria, CNN's Nic Robertson tweeted: Without police, Alexandria residents fearful of looting, set up neighborhood watch, board shop windows.
[Update 7:05 p.m. Cairo, 12:05 p.m. ET] CNN's Ben Wedeman (#bencnn) sent this series of tweets within the past 20 minutes:
- Came to office by Cairo metro today. People talking about Mubarak as president IN THE PAST TENSE. For most I spoke, Mubarak is gone.
- Almost all police stations ransacked, arsenals looted. Suddenly weapons in the streets wielded by thugs. Where is the army?
- Saw a truckload of riot police leaving Cairo this morning. they looked defeated and scared. people say "they should be"
- Widely believed hated #Egypt police force playing part in the chaos and looting. they've abandoned their posts, in civilian clothes
- In residential areas of Cairo people setting up barricades to protect their streets. Wielding clubs, knives fearing looters.
- Man in Tahrir Square told me "We have fired Mubarak." It's clear from the streets that he's no longer wanted.
[Update 6:55 p.m. Cairo, 11:55 a.m. ET] At least 31 people have been killed in protests in Alexandria, Egypt, hospital authorities told CNN Saturday.
[Update 6:46 p.m. Cairo, 11:46 a.m. ET] Omar Suleiman, Egypt's newly appointed deputy president, "is someone that we know well and have worked closely with," State Department spokesman PJ Crowley told CNN on Saturday.
[Update 6:19 p.m. Cairo, 11:19 a.m. ET] Egyptian Army Chief of Staff Sami Annan was huddling Saturday with five of his deputies after returning to Egypt from Washington, a senior Egyptian military official told CNN. Annan and other top officials were attending high-level talks with Pentagon officials when this week's unrest broke out and those meetings were cut short Friday for the Egyptians to return to Cairo.
[Update 6:07 Cairo, 11:07 ET] Ahmed Shafik, a minister from the cabinet that resigned today, has been appointed to form a new government, state TV reported. Shafik is Egypt's former civil aviation minister.
[Update 5:45 p.m. Cairo, 10:45 a.m. ET] At least five people have died from gunshot wounds near the Egyptian Interior Ministry, according to a physician at a triage center in a Cairo mosque.
[Update 5:28 p.m. Cairo, 10:28 a.m. ET] Omar Suleiman, a former head of intelligence, has been appointed presidential deputy for Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, state TV reported.
[Update 5:19 p.m. Cairo, 10:19 a.m. ET] The Egyptian military is urging people "to stop the looting, chaos and the things that hurt Egypt. Protect the nation, protect Egypt, protect yourselves," according to state TV in Egypt.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday, affirming his solidarity with Egypt, the official Palestinian news agency reported.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged Mubarak on Saturday to seize the moment and carry through with reforms in Egypt.
Egypt's ruling party has accepted the resignation of Ahmed Ezz, who was one of its senior leaders and a close confidant of Mubarak's son, according to state-run Nile TV.
The Egyptian military blocked protesters who were trying to enter a central bank building, Al Arabiya is reporting.
[Update 4:40 p.m. Cairo, 9:40 a.m ET] Police are firing on demonstrators at the Interior Ministry building in Cairo, journalist Ian Lee tells CNN. Lee said he was standing over a man who appeared to have been shot in the head.
[Update 4:12 p.m. Cairo, 9:12 a.m. ET] Midyear examinations have been delayed in all of Egypt's universities, state-run Nile TV reported on Saturday.
[Update 4:03 p.m. Cairo, 9:03 a.m. ET] Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of protesters remain in front of the Information Ministry building on Corniche Al Nile in Cairo despite arrival of curfew and presence of army tanks, CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports.
[Update 3:59 p.m. in Cairo, 8:59 ET] A tweet from Ashraf Khalil in Cairo: Was in Tahrir 10 minutes after Mubarak gave his speech. Protestors though[t] it was comical. They weren't even mad, just laughed it off.
[Update 3:39 p.m. Cairo, 8:39 ET] Delta Air Lines says its final flight out of Egypt has departed from Cairo and is scheduled to arrive at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at 5:50 p.m. ET. "We have suspended flights out of Egypt indefinitely," Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec said. More information is available at Delta's website.
[Update 3:31 p.m. Cairo, 8:31 a.m. ET] Thirty-eight people have died in the unrest in Egypt, including 10 members of the security forces, the state-run Nile TV reported Saturday.
[Update 3:28 p.m. Cairo, 8:28 a.m. ET] The Iranian government urges Egypt to react peacefully to public demonstrations and respond constructively to demonstrators' demands, Iran's state-run Press TV reports.
"Iran expects Egyptian officials to listen to the voice of their Muslim people, respond to their rightful demands and refrain from exerting violence by security forces and police against an Islamic wave of awareness that has spread through the country in form of a popular movement," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Saturday.
Tehran attaches great importance to the fulfillment of public demands in Egypt, he said.
"Iran regards demonstrations by the Muslim people of this country as a justice-seeking movement in line with their national-religious demands."
In 2009, the Iranian government carried out a bloody crackdown on political demonstrations following the suspicious landslide re-election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
[Update 2:41 p.m. Cairo, 7:41 a.m. ET] The Egyptian cabinet has presented its resignation in response to President Hosni Mubarak's request in his speech Saturday, Egypt's state-run Nile TV is reporting.
[Update 2:31 p.m. Cairo, 7:31 a.m. ET] A nighttime curfew from 4 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday local time has been imposed in the Egyptian cities of Cairo, Alexandria and Suez, state-run Nile TV reported.
[Update 2:25 p.m Cairo, 7:25 a.m. ET] Saudi Arabia's king told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that he stands with the Egyptian government. In the statement reported by the Saudi Press Agency, King Abdullah said in a Saturday phone call to Mubarak that he condemned people who have attempted "to destabilize the nation's security and stability."
[Update 2:11 p.m. Cairo, 7:11 a.m. ET] The Egyptian government has announced that the Egyptian stock market and all banks will be closed Sunday, which usually is a normal business day in the Middle East.
[Earlier] - Cell phone service was apparently restored Saturday morning, a day after the internet went dark in many parts of the country and some text messaging and cell phone services were apparently blocked amid calls for intensified protests.
- Police fired tear gas on protesters who were pushing toward the country's Interior Ministry in Cairo on Saturday.
- At least 2,000 protesters gathered in Raml Square in Alexandria on Saturday. There was no sign of police, and protests appeared peaceful. People chanted, "No for Mubarak and his dynasty."
- They also said, "The military and the people together will change the regime." Protesters smiled and shook hands with troops patrolling the area. One soldier cradled a baby and posed for a picture.
- Also on Saturday, Egyptian military tanks surrounded Cairo's Tahrir Square, where a crowd of hundreds of protesters continue growing. Demonstrators chanted, "Down with Mubarak" and "We are all Egyptians." The atmosphere was tense, but people gathered in the square were posing for pictures with tanks and shaking troops' hands.
- Tahrir Square, located near many government buildings in the heart of downtown Cairo, has been a focal point for protesters. Nearby, police fired tear gas on protesters who were pushing toward the country's Interior Ministry.
- Mubarak said in a speech Saturday morning that he asked the members of his government to resign so that he can form a new government, under his direction.
- The Egyptian leader, who has been president for 30 years, said, "We have to be careful of anything that would allow chaos." He said his primary goal was to protect Egypt's security, and he criticized looters and those who had set fires.
- Mubarak, 82, said that he heard from demonstrators who wanted more job opportunities and lower prices on key goods. According to a translation, he said, "I know all these things ... that the people are asking about it. I've never been separated from it, and I work for it every day."
Watching CNN live now – where sneering Frederica continues to use the word "chaos," "fear," and "Islamist." If the Egyptians were black Christians in Mississippi would she be using such degrading language? And why the focus on looting? Why not discuss the root causes of the rioting? One of the most insidious is the deep-seated disrespect for regular citizens who happen to be Arabs or Muslims constantly demonstrated by the media in the U.S.
Good point, Pat! There is tremendous hatred and fear of Muslims and Arabs voiced in the American media. Most of the reporting in CNN about Egypt isn't too bad, but there are one or two reporters who really show their biases against Arabs and Muslims and should be sacked.
******************** Dear Iran: Shut up. You murder your own people. Your opinion is not even worth sewage water. Egyptians don't need your B/S. ++++++++++++++++++++
I second that opinion
me too.
Egypt is the land of Gods & we're the land of Evil. I think this time we're going too far. We should stay out of it because after all at the end Evil never wins!!!
@sarah..you were referring yours NOT ours, you must be from China or Iran or Afghanistan.
I pray for Peace to permeate the situation, and that the resolution come swiftly. Calmness to replace anger...so the people won't be harmed. Safety and protection for their families, their heritage, homes, and lives.
I fervently hope...I really do.
May Peace, Understanding, Prosperity and Love will prevail and reign on earth.
Yea, reset the clock.
people are tired of family & money ruling world wide.
more dictators to goooooooooo
justice & peace for allll
We need Egypt. Some of our finest renditions take place there.
We need to look to what the money the USA is sending (money we don't even really have) to Egypt's dictatorship.
So far I have heard a list of tortures and ordinance that our government was fully aware of while we have continued to send billions to this dictator. This was on Aljazeera TV. I hate hearing it but what concerns me most is that this is an international station which the whole world hears. The USA is NOT looking good right now.
I have also seen covert tactics commonly employed by US and Israeli paramilitary forces to destabilize already volatile situations. This includes the use of plain clothes police (disguising them as protesters) in violence and vandalism to create a demand for police protection and intervention. This is already in the news on Drudge and Aljazeera TV. We saw it happen in the US at the G20.
This crap has to end asap. The American people should not be willing to stand for this level of corruption in our own nation let alone interfering in other people's countries. The people who are responsible for this should be put on trial for war crimes.
We in the USA need to clean this mess NOW!
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A Song for the brothers and sisters of the Egyptian/Arab Revolution . The fight needs to be fought, Bless all of you
District of Broken Hope
my nephews band, just released, please pass it on http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Ravenscode
Iran supplanted one dictator for something worse. Hamas is democratically elected but.... Hizbullah is about to be elected "democratically".
Of note Hitler was also appointed "democratically".
Wait till the brotherhood gets into power in Egypt "democratically".
Not all democracies fulfill western ideals or standards nor are they necessarily beneficial to our lives in North America.
Wait and see the question is: Will all of us be better of in 2 years following these "rebellions". I personally doubt it.
Could somebody please clarify to me whether the "chaos" is refering to the looting, violence, etc. or the protesting?
1. The new vice president is more criminal than MubareK. He is well known that he killed, and tortured egyptians. How are we going to trust and support him to be transitional leader of Egypt. Please, don't repeat same mistake.
2. I believe that the looters are Mubarek/Suleiman' men. they wants to scare the people.
3. I believe that the corrupted police freed the prisoners by order of the vice president & the president.
If I read this right; the USA is handing Egypt three billion a year in aid for their military murder machine???? WHY! That comes to $37.50 per Egyptian if the population is eighty million, I think... I would prefer giving each Egyptian the $37.50 directly to spend on themselves; then to support a military murder machine. The decision makers of these United States are demented!
So goes eygpt sp goes the World. the cradle of civilation
The cradle of repression and tyranny.
Actually, Iraq was the cradle of Civilization.
Denis Cica....
You are seeing and asking the right questions. If you continue you will see the full picture. This will remain a mess for two reasons.
First, Our country old USA cant go in and tell this man what to do... Cause we have sat back and watch him do it for all these years.. Not forgetting to give him money every step of the way.
What is sad is the american people only learned about all this a few days ago. Not including Egypt being under the power of one man for over thirty plus years...This is what the Egyptian people want you and the rest of the world to know. This is why they are doing what they are doing!!!! I got side tracked.....
Second, The Middle East will not step in. Majority of there countries are ruled by AMIR's or Kings... What do you think they will do stand up and say yea it should only be a eight year reign of power and thats it.. LoL. That would be shooting themselves in the foot. So madness...
I will say this I am glad the US instructed him to turn on the Internet and the phones back on... He was about to do very very bad things to his people. And the worse is yet to come... I pray i am wrong cause my wife and child are there. But if you have lived in Egypt or you are Egyptian. You will know the pride Egyptians have is something special. So they will continue to destroy Egypt until someone steps in or in Murbarak case steps down...
Now i pray the president of Egypt does not show his true colors to the world. To be in power for that long he has a since that he can do what ever he wants! Cause he has for the longest without the public eye being on him. Its one thing to sing in the shower ... its another to do it in a stadium full of people.
In closing I will quote a Kuwait lawyer here in Kuwait City.. "In a Muslim country a democracy will never work." The ideas and planning are good but the Arab people and culture only knows and will follow one ruler.. One king".. And we where discussing the country of Iraq. How ironic is that!!! Well Egypt proclaims to be the first to do democracy in the Middle East... Would it be safe to say they have not mastered it yet? Or did we leave them without instructions but with plenty of money... The old saying" Money is the route of evil"..... Then crude Oil has to be hell...
Yes it is terible what has happoned. No there is nothing we can do about it nore should we. Belive it or not people need to fight for there own freadom. I know im tired of fighting of other countrys freadoms that dont want to be free. Yes goveronments tople its disined to. I just hope its not a nother excuse to rase gas prises
we need this riots to spread all over europe, then the states, then the whole world, throw out this corrupted crap and start all over again.
And just what is your specific plan genius.
Right.... then we can replace that void between your ears with a real brain....
Anarchy and vigilante-ism is the fast track to civil society's destruction. Freedom without the constraints of personal responsibility and mutual respect is an illusion that is the false hope of the uneducated and the selfish.
Uhuh... let all the prisoners go ?
Yes, let's create global chaos, and live in absolute fear.
Pretty soon, we'll all have to carry assault rifles with us to get groceries.
maybe the US will execute or imprison Mubarak when he is kicked out. They usually do. Did it with Noriega, Saddam, Bin Ladin etc .all financed and encouraged by the US to kill and plunder.
The gist of AJZ's comment is solid: "we need this riots to spread all over europe, then the states, then the whole world, throw out this corrupted crap and start all over again." What it needs is deep study, analysis, and a program. Rich people (mainly white but getting some melanin) own and run the world. The differences are staggering. The Egyptian insurrection is a sign, but lacks at least a program. Revolution - change of the class that rules - is the objective.
Every government in the world is corrupt. The US Federal Reserve is a private corporation which exists outside the bounds of US law. They print money below cost and then loan it to Uncle Sam (at face value) while charging interest.
We're in the same situation the colonials were in before the Revolutionary war. You're taught in school that they rebelled against England. But who financed England? The Bank of England, of course.
"Give me control of a nation's money supply, and I care not who makes its laws." -Mayer Amschel Rothschild
Constant war = constant profits for Fed Res bankers.
Mods I apologize for clicking the wrong button, I have no problem with AJZ's post.
The western media is so predictably bourgeois in its reporting. These are people who closest connection wtih oppression is when they get too much milk in their latte. The current word plants from the entire MSM: looting, thugs, and especially "sticks and knives" (what the populace at home is supposed to be picking up to protect themselves from looting and thugs. MSM: This is a people's insurrection. It's not supposed to be neat and clean like your fake-news rooms. Struggle is struggle, waged for new manifestations of power, in this case the broad population of Egyptians. It's a difficult task. I support their struggle without reservation.
Interesting how the other day the experts were insisting Mubarak was secure as he controlled the keys to power in Egypt the security services and the military. Now the police are routed and it's clear there are a good number of ordinary soldiers and officers who won't shoot down innocent protestors in the streets...Though still a good number who will.
Tough situation. Lets hope the democratic parties win out and the radical Islamists are held back. I pity the President right now, very hard to see what can be done and how to do it.
True enough. No clear way forward for American benifactors.
The Egyptian people will sort this out.
Egypt is a dictatorship. That guy's been 'president' for 30 years.
i have a feeling this might have something with the new zeitgeist film that was just released. lets hope the american people are as brave and can shed our rulers as well.
Time to check on eBay to see if there are any iPads sold out of Cairo cheap.
Al-Jazeera is reporting that apprehended looters were in possession of central security services IDs and government issued weapons.
It looks like Mubarak is creating chaos to blame on the freedom-fighters.
What better distraction by Mubarak and those currently in power than to engineer the release of 1,000 prisoners to scare the legitimate protesters. I don't buy that the prisoners just "escaped." Is anyone looking into this?!? Also this claim by the abusive police forces that they have shot and killed many people "trying to attack the police stations" - why is CNN taking all these at face value?!??! To do so seems absolutely naive!!
I am in the USA and have family located in Egypt..I have not talked to them since they cut off all communication does anyone know how to get in touch with loved ones that are over there??
Use land line
Land line isnt working either
You maybe be able to reach them through a landline if you do reach them share this info. Via twitter RT @telecomix We are now providing dialup modem service at 46850009990. user/pass: telecomix/telecomix (only for #egypt, respect that please!).
I am in the same situation. I am only listening to CNN Live with live feed from the Nile TV. God be with them.
christina,i have a friend that lives there and i finally got through to him this afternoon just keep trying and hopefully you will get through to them.
I just talked with my wife and her phone service is now back up and running.... Its a lot of people trying to get through but it is up....So first Land line or house phone and then cell... Hope your family is okay..
No internet nor phones there; I'd suggest a ham radio operator if you know one.
Hi Christina, i am egyptian, living and working here in the US, i just talked with my brother yestarday and my family is fine but my brother told me that the situation is very bad thre and everyday becoming worse
I am in US too Chrsitina and I talked to my family a few mintues ago. Cell phones are working now. Good luck and i hope that all is well with you family.
I dont understand what the world is comin too...Why dont the un get involved an try to save peoples lives..I think this is a international problem and the middle east needs help an so does the united states..
Jonathan its all the fault of Israel which refuses to give the Palestians their freedon and the land that the UN says they must. So they are grabbing all the bits of land they can. Eventually the masses will win and the Jews will end up with nothing. They are a greedy race of people that is despised around the world. If the EU had more guts they would have sanctions against Israel and blockade their ports then the crisis would end and we could all live in peace.
Have you noticed what a great job Egypt has done to comfort those poor Palestinians? They don't want them either. And, just because a group of people are historically or internationally unpopular, that doesn't mean that they should be rubbed off the face of the earth. Think of the Jews,
I don't believe Israel is to blame, but there are far too many greedy, power-hungry people in this world. Governments have forgotten that they serve their people, not the other way around. If there is one group of people to blame, I blame men. Men have been in control of the nations on this planet for far too long and it's time they are removed from positions of power over people.
It is all "too little-too late for Murbarak