Egypt unrest: Tahrir Square in transition. Mark Mardell's America: Will the genie grant Washington's wishes? In pictures: Egypt restores damaged treasures. Egypt's Muslims and Christians join hands in protest. 10 February 2011Last updated at 09:17 By Anne Alexander University of Cambridge Muslim and Christian shoulder-to-shoulder in Tahrir Square Just weeks after a New Year's Day church bombing rocked the port city of Alexandria, Egypt's religious tensions have been set aside as the country's Muslims and Christians join forces at anti-government protests. Making my way to Tahrir Square during the anti-Mubarak protests, a striking piece of graffiti caught my eye.
Scrawled on the concrete pillar of a flyover was the symbol of a Muslim crescent embracing the Christian cross and the words: "We are all against the regime". During the big "Day of Departure" protest in Tahrir Square last Friday, Coptic Christian protesters made a human chain around their Muslim brothers and sisters as they performed the noon prayers. A Christian Copt holds a sign: "From Muslim and Christian brothers, Leave Mubarak you coward" A man in a jacket began to speak as chanting died away. I was told: "We are all in this together. Egypt unrest: Striking doctors flock to Tahrir Square. 10 February 2011Last updated at 12:49 Medics say they are angry at corruption as well as low wages in Egypt Striking doctors and a host of other workers have joined thousands of anti-government protesters in Egypt.
Medics wearing white coats streamed into Cairo's Tahrir Square alongside demonstrators who continue to call for President Hosni Mubarak to resign. A key Cairo hospital was reported to have been closed by strike action as an estimated 3,000 staff walked out. The renewed protests come after Egypt's foreign minister criticised US calls for Egypt to lift its emergency law. Rebuffing Washington's calls to speed up the pace of political reform, Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Washington should not "impose" its will on "a great country".
Many thousands of Egyptians have been protesting since 25 January, calling for President Hosni Mubarak to step down. Mr Mubarak has said he intends to step down after presidential elections, due to be held in September. 'Chaos' warning 'Genie out of the bottle'
Egypt opposition divided ahead of possible transition. 4 February 2011Last updated at 13:59 By Yolande Knell BBC News, Cairo Some accused Mohamed ElBaradei of hijacking the protesters' cause Egypt's opposition groups are weak and fractured, offering no clear leader to steer the country during this historic opportunity for democratic change. Ruled by a succession of military strongmen since the 1952 revolution, Egypt's political system has successfully stifled opposition voices. The official secular parties - Wafd, Tagammu and Nasserist - are weak and unpopular. Other potential rivals to President Hosni Mubarak have been sidelined, jailed on dubious charges or subjected to vicious smear campaigns. Now Mr Mubarak has ruled out running for a sixth successive term in September's election, the door could be opened for serious change. Crucially, amendments are expected to constitutional rules that set the bar impossibly high for presidential candidates, particularly independents.
Key contenders Continue reading the main story “Start Quote Out and about. In pictures: Egypt's 'day of departure' Egypt crisis 'costing economy $310m a day' 4 February 2011Last updated at 12:59 Credit Agricole has revised down its estimate for Egypt's economic growth this year Egypt's uprising is costing the country at least $310m (£192m) a day, according to analysis from Credit Agricole bank. Economists at the bank have also revised down their economic growth estimate for Egypt this year from 5.3% to 3.7%. Banks and the stock exchange have been closed for days, and many factories in the major cities have shut. There have also been more food price rises, one reason tens of thousands of protesters were already on the streets. Egypt is still in the middle of its peak tourist season, which commonly lasts until May, but airlines and travellers are shunning the destination. 'Early exit' The report said: "Prolonged political uncertainty and perceived violence could have a destructive impact on tourism earnings this year.
"A shortfall in tourism receipts will have to be addressed by additional budgetary support. " Hacktivists target Egypt and Yemen regimes. 4 February 2011Last updated at 11:51 Yemen has become the latest target for hacktivists Hacktivists from the online group Anonymous have turned their attention to Yemen as part of their battle for greater net freedoms. The website of President Ali Abdullah Saleh has become inaccessible as Yemenis stage anti-government protests. It follows attacks on the websites of Egypt's ruling party and ministry of information this week. Last month Anonymous shut down some Tunisian websites, including the government's official site. Anonymous's move into Middle East politics has alarmed security experts, who warn people against jumping on the bandwagon. "If you participate in these attacks, you are knowingly engaging in a cyber crime," said Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant for security firm Sophos.
Web freedoms "If you aren't prepared to go and throw rocks, then maybe you should think again about clogging up websites with traffic," he added. Egypt violence exposes secret tools of state repression. 4 February 2011Last updated at 03:07 By Frank Gardner BBC security correspondent Middle Eastern states have long used secret police to stifle dissent and prop up unpopular regimes International journalists covering events in Egypt this week have had a small but painful taste of "the dark side" - the secret security apparatus used by governments across the region, day in day out, to keep unpopular rulers in power. The BBC, CNN and several Arab media organisations have all been experiencing harassment, crude and at times violent, by plain clothes "thugs" supporting President Hosni Mubarak.
On Wednesday the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes was handcuffed, hooded and interrogated, while another journalist, from Al-Arabiya TV, was beaten so badly by plain clothes men he had to be hospitalised. Local opposition figures would simply say: "Welcome to our world. " Democracy stifled Continue reading the main story “Start Quote End Quote But Egypt does not have a monopoly on brutal secret police.
Egypt protests: 'Day of departure' rally in Cairo. 4 February 2011Last updated at 20:59 Ian Pannell spent the day with the crowds in Tahrir Square Huge crowds have occupied the main square in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to reinforce their demand for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. The tens of thousands of protesters attending the "day of departure" rally in Tahrir Square waved flags and chanted "Leave! Leave! Leave! " Soldiers have been guarding the area to limit disruption by Mubarak supporters.
Mr Mubarak has said he is "fed up" with being in power, but that he does not want to resign as it will cause chaos. Meanwhile, speaking in Washington, US President Barack Obama called for an "orderly transition that begins right now" in Egypt. Mr Obama said the "entire world is watching" and urged Mr Mubarak to "make the right decision". 'Chaos' Mr Mubarak told ABC News on Thursday that the banned Islamist opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, would fill a power vacuum left by his absence. 'Silent majority' Continue reading the main story. Egypt unrest: Hosni Mubarak vows to quit after polls. 2 February 2011Last updated at 01:05 President Hosni Mubarak: 'I did not intend to stand again' Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he will not stand for re-election in September, as protests against his rule grow.
Speaking on state TV, Mr Mubarak promised constitutional reform, but said he wanted to stay until the end of his current presidential term. The announcement came as hundreds of thousands rallied in central Cairo urging him to step down immediately. US President Barack Obama said that Egypt's transition "must begin now". He said the US would be happy to offer assistance to Egypt during that process. Continue reading the main story Analysis Yolande Knell BBC News, Cairo The crowd went quiet as the president's speech was projected on a huge sheet hung up on the side of an apartment building in Tahrir Square. Quickly though, exclamations of disbelief rang out. As the speech ended, further angry cries of "irhal - go! " Protesters have made the same simple demand throughout the day. History lessons for Egypt's protesters.
1 February 2011Last updated at 16:48 By John Simpson BBC World Affairs Editor, Cairo Egypt's army has ruled out the Tiananmen option - using force to end the protests In every revolution, popular or otherwise, there comes a critical moment - a tipping point - at which the future is decided. Suddenly there is an answer to the basic question: Are the protesters too strong for the power structure or can the country's leaders face them down? In Iran, in 1978-79, the Shah resisted the demonstrators in the streets and ordered his soldiers to shoot them for several months until his will to continue gave way and he escaped. In China's Tiananmen Square in 1989, crowds a million strong gathered - not just students but sometimes judges, senior policemen, politicians as well - but Deng Xiaoping refused to go and eventually found a general who was prepared to shoot the demonstrators down.
All popular revolutions share certain basic similarities. Survival blueprint But he has started to make concessions. Cairo: Relaxed crowd, stern message. 1 February 2011Last updated at 20:10 By Rupert Wingfield-Hayes BBC News, Cairo The army's promise not to attack protesters encouraged families to venture out If Hosni Mubarak is hoping that the uprising against his government is starting to lose steam, then Tuesday's massive demonstrations will come as a rude shock. They have been by far the biggest yet. How big is hard to estimate. In Cairo, Tahrir Square is jammed from end to end. And so too are streets stretching far away from the square towards the old Islamic city. From what I saw I would guess there were at least 200,000 people out in Cairo, but it's only a guess.
The atmosphere of the demonstrations has changed too. Today was more like a carnival. Shukri and Fawzia - a slightly nervous middle-aged couple - had been persuaded to come out by their three daughters. "I'm 61 and I have never been on a demonstration in my life," said Shukri. Searched for weapons The demonstrations were also much more organised. Continue reading the main story. Egypt unrest: US urged Mubarak not to seek re-election. 2 February 2011Last updated at 01:29 President Obama: "An orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful and it must begin now" US President Barack Obama has said an orderly political transition "must begin now" in Egypt and lead to free and fair elections.
His statement followed the announcement by Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak that he would not stand for re-election. Earlier, the US had told Mr Mubarak not to stand for re-election nor to put forward his son, the BBC learned. The Obama adminstration's message was carried to Cairo on Monday by former US Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner. The White House had previously said it was not Mr Obama's place to pick Egypt's leader.
On Tuesday night, Mr Mubarak - who has ruled Egypt for the past three decades - said he would not stand for re-election. However, he said nothing about his son, Gamal Mubarak, whom he is seen as having positioned to be his successor. Continue reading the main story Analysis Kim Ghattas BBC News, Washington. Egypt unrest.
In pictures: Egypt unrest. Intelligence agencies urged to track social media sites. 28 January 2011Last updated at 13:21 ET Intelligence agencies should track social networking sites more closely, the UK's top civil servant has said. Sir Gus O'Donnell told the Iraq inquiry that events in Egypt, where protests against the government are escalating, showed the value of "open source" intelligence as a barometer of opinion. The issue would be examined as part of a review of government intelligence "machinery" due by the summer, he said. But he said any information gathered must, above all, be "reliable". Sir Gus, who has been cabinet secretary and head of the Civil Service since 2005, was questioned about the UK's current intelligence-gathering methods during his evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry into the 2003 Iraq invasion.
"When you look at what is happening, as we speak, in Egypt... the use of the internet, the use of Twitter, the way protest movements develop, this is a different world," he said. 'Secret stuff' "The problem is that there is too much information. Egypt blogger: 'We want to change the entire regime' Egypt protest: 'Carnival atmosphere' among demonstrators. 31 January 2011Last updated at 17:39 By Yolande Knell BBC News, Cairo The crowds have defied a curfew to remain in the square For many in Tahrir Square in central Cairo, the days are starting to take on a familiar pattern. After nearly a week of demonstrations, many people now sleep here.
There are a few tents and pieces of cardboard that serve as beds on a small patch of grass in front of a government building, the Mugamma. "We get just four hours sleep or so and then we wake up to start the protest again," said Samah al-Dweik, who has not been to her home in Maadi, just outside the city, since Friday. "We do not know how long we will have to continue. While shops and restaurants around the square are closed, some entrepreneurs have set up stalls selling the Egyptian rice dish, koshari, and sesame seed snacks. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote You see them with smiles on their faces. End QuoteWael KhalilMovement for Democratic Change "I spent three hours on the bus," he said.
Regional press uneasy about Egypt crisis. 31 January 2011Last updated at 17:14 Protesters want President Hosni Mubarak to step down after 30 years in power. Official and pro-government newspapers in the Middle East are looking nervously at the implications of Egyptian unrest. Some of their editorials worry about the unpredictable nature of popular uprisings. A Jordanian daily compares the desire for change to a disease which kills. Others deflect attention from themselves by saying that the US and Israel have the most to worry about if current alliances start to fall apart in the region. Editorial in Saudi Arabia's Al-Riyadh Anyone who knows the meaning of peace and at the same time sees the scenes recurring in many Arab cities will discover that the power of the street will lead to serious crisis. Sultan al-Hattab in Jordan's Al-Ra'y The influenza for change is blowing in some Arab countries and is causing deaths. Editorial in Yemen's Al-Thawrah Editorial in UAE's Al-Bayan Editorial in Iran's Hemayat Editorial in Algeria's Al-Fadjr.
Managing Egypt's revolution. 31 January 2011Last updated at 11:39 By Paul Reynolds World affairs correspondent, BBC News website The US is seeking a middle course towards change in Egypt The United States is trying to steer Egypt away from revolution towards evolution. It is seeking a middle, managed course towards change. It does not want simply to dump an ally of 30 years, one who has stood by the treaty with Israel which is of great importance to US Middle East policy. But it is now signalling that President Hosni Mubarak's departure - if not now, then later - has to be part of that change. You can see this in a shift of American language. Last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Egyptian government was "stable and looking for ways to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people". Continue reading the main story “Start Quote End QuoteHillary ClintonUS Secretary of State But by Sunday, she was calling for "an orderly transition to a democratic government".
Opposition's time. Egypt unrest: Tough questions if revolution succeeds.
Egypt protests: Hillary Clinton urges 'orderly transition' Foreign Office upgrades Egypt advice for UK citizens. Analysis: Why Egypt matters. Egypt protests: Flashpoints map. Egypt protests: Tension rises as jets buzz Cairo square. Stand-off in Cairo's Liberation Square. Egypt severs internet connection amid growing unrest. Egypt protests: Anti-Mubarak protesters dominate Cairo. Concern in Israel over demonstrations in Egypt. Egypt protesters pray in front of water cannons. Cracks in Egypt's fragile economy have been exposed. US Egyptians call on Obama to act. Egypt protests: ElBaradei tells crowd 'change coming'
Egyptians abroad feel the effects of unrest. People power builds momentum in Egypt. Egypt protests: Army rules out the use of force. Mohamed ElBaradei: 'What has begun, cannot go back' Egyptian journalist: this is no 'Brotherhood takeover' In quotes: Reaction to Egypt protests. Egypt's security and armed forces: The deciding factor. Egypt unrest: What if Mubarak goes? Egypt protesters to hold massive Cairo demonstration.