Egypt braces for further day of protests

[nadinbrzezinski]

Source: BBC

On Wednesday night, activists remained on the streets of the capital Cairo and of Suez, defying official warnings.

The government has said all the protests are illegal and has launched a crackdown, arresting some 700 people.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Egypt to "respond to the legitimate needs" of the people.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says that while the protesters are still only a minority of Egyptians, they show no sign of fading away and there is a chance that many more people will join once the working week finishes on Thursday.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12294804

---

We are now in the same kind of rhythm that we saw in Tunisia... and for you kids, unfamiliar, the Iranian Revolution.

As I said yesterday, some folks in DC (and I am betting Tel Aviv) are a tad worried. Pepto Bismol comes to mind.

Ah yes, BBC we definitely find it very useful.

[Catherina]

1. Really? According to today's Egyptian Paper Al-Ahram, front page,

the most important thing happening in the world right now are protests in LEBANON

Front page of Al-Ahram today
This is the actual front page of Al-Aharam today:

The headline reads: "Wide Protests and Disturbances in Lebanon"

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/01/front-page-of-al-ahram-today.html

Now that's brazen. Day three of the protests and the Egyptian paper tries to ignore it. That's what our papers do come to think of it.

Here are their articles today:

Tunisia echoes in the Arab street
The surprising success of the Tunisian revolt emboldened many in the Arab world to press for more social and political justice. Dina Ezzat explores how inspired they are

* Egypt

Justice served
Egypt will emerge stronger and more unified after Sunday's verdict sentencing to death the murderer of innocent Coptic Christians at a Christmas mass last year, concludes Gamal Nkrumah

Looking for answers
As the investigation into the Alexandria church bombing continues few new leads emerge, Mohamed Abdel-Baky reports

Invalid comparisons
Neither the Egyptian government nor the public is displaying any overreaction to events in Tunisia, writes Dina Ezzat

Committed to the poor
The ruling party and the government renewed their pledge to solve the problems of the needy, reports Gamal Essam El-Din

* Economy

Gear up for a boom
Reduction of customs duties and an international auto exhibition breathed life into the automotive market this month, Ahmed Kotb reports
Bring down the barriers
One crisis after another, development has become a do-or-die for Arab countries. Niveen Wahish reports from Sharm El-Sheikh on the Second Arab Economic Summit

* Sudan referendum

Sudan: after the referendum
Asma El-Husseini observes a country in a state of shock
Farewell my country that never was
By Ali Belail
Catch 2011
By Ismail Kushkush

* Interview

Al-Bashir is to blame
In exclusive interview, Asmaa El-Husseini spoke to Hassan Al-Turabi hours before his arrest in Khartoum

* Region

Days that shook the Arab world
Clashes broke out in central Tunis on Tuesday demanding that the new interim cabinet be purged of the old guard that served Bin Ali (photo: AP) This week's formation of an interim national-unity government in Tunisia was supposed to mark the country's political transition, but events on the ground show that many uncertainties remain, writes Samar Negida in

Tunis
Tunisia at the crossroads
As the country wakes up to a new political future after 23 years of single-party rule, Tunisians are emphasising their thirst for change, writes Mourad Teyeb in Tunis

Can the PA tackle corruption?
To clean up its image, the Palestinian Authority is moving to stamp out corruption. But can it be enough if the big names are exempt, asks Khaled Amayreh in Ramallah

The end of Dahlan
The face-off between Palestinian President Abbas and Mohamed Dahlan appears permanent with the latter forced out of politics altogether, writes Saleh Al-Naami

Incurring the veto
Washington will likely veto any Palestinian resolution at the UN -- that's why it should be put, writes Graham Usher

In or out of Iraq?
Even with a public commitment to bringing the occupation to an end, the future of the US presence in Iraq still seems undecided, writes Salah Hemeid

Back in deadlock
Government collapse and the postponement of consultations to find a new prime minister: Lebanon feels the déjà vu, Lucy Fielder reports from Beirut

* Culture

Such stuff as dreams
Nehad Selaiha slips into dreamland at Al-Ghad theatre
News flick
Hani Mustafa is cinematically harassed

* Book review

Arab Theology and the Origins of Youssef Zeidan
Youssef Zeidan, Al-Nabati, Cairo: Dar El Shorouk, 2010
Reviewed by Soha Hesham

* Living

Sudan's beauty revolution
Ismail Kushkush meets Saba El-Musharaf, founder of a Sudanese company specialising in safe and natural products for women with coloured skin

* Sports

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/

Rec'd

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Ok what can I say? High comedy?

This means Mubarak is now trying, actively, to control this... and it is not working.

Yesterday they were shutting down (or rather trying) twitter.

They have been arresting reporters too.

[Catherina]

3. Their lack of finesse jars the soul.

I can't understand how they reason.

They've got an angry population and they cut off their internet. Why? Once you cut off their internet, off course everyone's going to be out in the streets, even more pissed off, to see what's going on. Brilliant tactic. I'm going to get some sleep and will be back in about 6 hours.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Revolutions, like fall of empires

follow a very predictable pattern...