Egypt in chaos cabinet dismissed

President Hosni Mubarak speaking on the role of Egypt’s security forces in suppressing anti-government protests and also dismissed his government and said a new cabinet would be announced on Saturday.“I have asked the government to present its resignation today,” Mr Mubarak said, adding that he would appoint a new government on Saturday.He also said he acknowledged that the demands of the protesters were legitimate, but accused them of resorting to violence to destabilise Egypt and understood the protesters’ grievances but that a thin line divided liberty from chaos and he would not allow Egypt to be destabilised.

There is no showing signs of quitting, embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday sacked his government as thousands of protesters defied curfew demanding an end to his 30-year-old autocratic rule. In a late night televised speech, 82-year-old Mubarak defended the actions of police, who had tried to clamp down the protesters by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at them.Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for three decades, asked his cabinet to resign and promised reforms."I have asked the government to present its resignation and tomorrow there will be a new government," he said on Saturday."We will not backtrack on reforms. We will continue with new steps which will ensure the independence of the judiciary and its rulings, and more freedom for citizens," he said.Even as he made the announcement, thousands of protesters continued to defy curfew in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez on Friday night and poured on the streets with many of them asking patrolling soldiers to join them.
There were reports of looting in several parts of Cairo including in offices related to the government.At least 50 people have been killed in the clashes and over hundreds injured.Around 1,000 protesters have been arrested across the country since the protests broke out four days ago.

In unprecedented scenes on Friday, protesters had set ablaze the headquarters of Mubarak's National Democratic Party in Cairo and two police stations and smashed security vehicles.Protesters had also tried to storm the Foreign Ministry office.
Mubarak had clamped night curfew from 6 pm to 7 am in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez cities.Later, the curfew was extended nationwide. The president had on Friday asked the "armed forces, in cooperation with the police, to implement the decision, and maintain security and secure public establishments and private property".
Reports said that pro-democracy leader Mohamed ElBaradei, who had joined the wave of protests, was placed under house arrest.Authorities had on Friday cut Internet and cell-phone data services across the country in a bid to hamper protesters from organising mass rallies.The protests for Mubarak's ouster came against the backdrop of widespread resentment over rising unemployment, food prices and corruption.The unrest comes close on the heels of an uprising in Tunisia in which Zine al Abidine Ben Ali was ousted after ruling the country for 23 years.The demonstrations are backed by both the country's biggest opposition group the Muslim Brotherhood and ElBaradei, galvanising the protests."It is a critical time in the life of Egypt. I have come to participate with the Egyptian people," ElBaradei had said before leaving Cairo airport after his arrival from Vienna."We're still reaching out to the regime to work with them for the process of change. Every Egyptian doesn't want to see the country going into violence," he had said, adding "Our hand is outstretched."
"I wish that we didn't have to go to the streets to impress on the regime that they need to change," ElBaradei said.


Obama calls on Mubarak, asks to halt crackdown on protestors
US President Barack Obama Saturday called on his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak to halt the crackdown on protestors, saying Washington would continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work along with their government to ensure a better future.Obama, who spoke to Mubarak for 30 minutes, asked the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors."The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere," Obama said in his statement to the press.
Obama spoke with Mubarak after the latter addressed the nation, in which he ordered the resignation of his entire Cabinet.The US President also called on the Egyptian government to restore services of Internet and cellphone, which was earlier suspended following the protests."At the same time, those protesting in the streets have a responsibility to express themselves peacefully. Violence and destruction will not lead to the reforms that they seek," he said in his remarks addressed to the protestors.

"Now, going forward, this moment of volatility has to be turned into a moment of promise. The United States has a close partnership with Egypt and we've cooperated on many issues, including working together to advance a more peaceful region. But we've also been clear that there must be reform -- political, social and economic reforms that meet aspirations of the Egyptian people," he said.Noting that grievances have built up over time in the absence of these reforms, Obama said Mubarak pledged for a better democracy and greater economic opportunity when he addressed the Egyptian people.

"I just spoke to him after his speech and I told him he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise," Obama said.Violence, he argued, would not address the grievances of the Egyptian people."And suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. What's needed right now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people: a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens, and a path of political change that leads to a future of greater freedom and greater opportunity and justice for the Egyptian people."

Observing that ultimately the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people, Obama said that they want the same things like every one -- a better life for themselves and their children, and a government that is fair, just and responsive.

"Put simply, the Egyptian people want a future that befits the heirs to a great and ancient civilization."Expressing America's commitment to work with all the sections in Egypt to achieve a better future, Obama said, "Around the world governments have an obligation to respond to their citizens. That's true here in the US; that's true in Asia; it is true in Europe; it is true in Africa; and it's certainly true in the Arab world, where a new generation of citizens has the right to be heard," he said.Protesters are returning to the streets of Egypt, following violent overnight demonstrations across the country staged in defiance of a curfew.

Protesters gathered in Tahrir Square in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Saturday morning, shouting "Go away, go away!", so is scene of crowds collecting in the cities of Alexandria and Suez, Al Jazeera's correspondents reported. Alexandria, dozens of marchers were calling on Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to step down.
"They are calling for regime change, not cabinet change," Report said.
In Suez, Al Jazeera's Jamal ElShayyal reported that 1,000-2,000 protesters had gathered, and that the military was not confronting them.ElShayyal quoted a military officer as saying that troops would "not fire a single bullet on Egyptians", regardless of where the orders to do so come from.The officer also said the only solution to the current unrest was "for Mubarak to leave".
Today's protests reflected popular discontent with Mubarak's midnight address, where he announced that he was dismissing his government but remaining in power.
The several hundred protesters in Tahrir Square demonstrated in full view of the army, which had been deployed in the city to quell the popular unrest sweeping the Middle East's most populous Muslim country since January 25.They repeatedly shouted that their intentions were peaceful.

The police "fired shots" on the protesters in Cairo news need to be confirmed of that is awaited.Road leading from Tahrir Square to the parliament and cabinet buildings has been blocked by the military, the Associated Press news agency reported.Cities looked like a warzone early on Saturday morning.Tanks have been patrolling the streets of the capital since early in the morning, and a statement from the Egyptian armed forces asked citizens to respect the curfew and to avoid congregating in large groups.Reports of Rising death toll created cities across Egypt witnessed unprecedented protests on Friday, with tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets after noon prayers calling for an end to Mubarak's 30-year rule.The number of people killed in protests is reported to be in the scores, with at least 23 deaths confirmed in Alexandria, and at least 15 confirmed in Suez, with a further 15 deaths in Cairo.

Media News reports in Alexandria said that the bodies of 23 protesters had been received at the local morgue and in Suez confirmed 15 bodies were received at the morgue in Suez, in Cairo, confirmed that 15 bodies were present at a morgue.

Estimated more 1,000 were also wounded in Friday's violent protests, which occurred in Cairo and Suez, in addition to Alexandria.Protests continued throughout the night, with demonstrators defying a nighttime curfew Dutton, in Cairo, said the number of the people on the streets "increased after president Hosni Mubarak's speech shortly after midnight".

The ruling National Democratic Party's headquarters in the capital is still ablaze, more than 12 hours after it was set alight by protesters.

The Egyptian army says that it has been able to secure the neighbouring museum of antiquities from the threat of fire and looting, averting the possible loss of thousands of priceless artefacts.Armoured personnel carriers remain stationed around the British and US embassies, as well as at the state television station.Some mobile phone networks resumed service in the capital on Saturday, after being shut down by authorities on Friday. Internet services remain cut, and landline usage limited.
Authorities had blocked internet, mobile phone and SMS services in order to disrupt planned demonstrations.Friday's demonstrations involving tens of thousands of people were the biggest and bloodiest in four consecutive days of protests against Mubarak's government.Tens of thousands of Egyptians defied the nighttime curfew to take to the streets.Buildings were set alight, and violent clashes continued into the night after a day of unprecedented anger.Shots were heard near parliament earlier in the day as the headquarters of the ruling party was in flames.Dozens of protesters climbed on the military vehicles in Suez. They talked to soldiers who attempted to wave them off.Protesters often quickly dispersed and regrouped.As clashes intensified, police waded into the crowds with batons and fired volleys of tear gas.Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog and an opposition leader in Egypt, was briefly detained by police after he prayed at a mosque in the Giza area but he later took part in a march with supporters. The unrest in Egypt was triggered by the overthrow two weeks ago of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in an uprising that has also inspired anti-government protests in Jordan, Yemen and elsewhere.The government in Egypt had vowed to crack down on demonstrations and arrest those participating in them.
Media Agencies