Protests in Egypt have continued for the fifth straight day as President Hosni Mubarak prepared to appoint a new cabinet hours after a televised address. Army was called in yesterday to quell protests over unemployment, repression, and state corruption.
Friday saw tens of thousands on the streets of Cairo, Suez and Alexandria in protests that continued into the night, defying the curfew. Mr Mubarak responded by sacking his government. Today’s demonstration are an indication that the protesters were not satisfied by President Mubarak’s remarks, who has been in power since 1981.
Al Jazeera, the Qatari News channel, has been showing images of protesters at the central Tehrir Square shouting “Go Away, Go Away” and “illegitimate, illegitimate” while surrounded by the army. Similar crowds gathered in the cities of Alexandria and Suez.
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said he had telephoned President Mubarak after his televised address asking him to give meaning to his pledges of greater democratic and economic freedom.
- Despite the ongoing street protests, two Cairo mobile phone networks restored their services today, a day after they cutting them.
- Leading Egyptian opposition figure and Nobel laureate Muhammad El-Baradei told media that Mubarak “must go.” He was reportedly under house arrest.
- The ruling National Democratic Party’s headquarters in the capital was still ablaze, many hours after it was set alight by protesters while the National Antiquities Museum located nearby was secured by the Egyptian army.
