Reports are flying that Mubarak may have already left Cairo. Opposition leader Ayman Nour is saying that Mubarak is in Dubai, reports BBC News, and Al Arabiya reported earlier that the president was at the Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh. In an interview with BBC News, the head of the ruling NDP party said that he had met with Mubarak yesterday, but that he did not know where he was now. No reports have been confirmed that Mubarak, who is to address the nation in the next few hours, has left Cairo.
Egypt's military announced on national television that it has stepped in to "safeguard the country" on Thursday and assured protesters that President Hosni Mubarak will meet their demands in the strongest indication yet that Egypt's longtime leader has lost power. In Washington, the CIA chief said there was a "strong likelihood" Mubarak will step down Thursday.
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The dramatic announcement showed that the military was taking control after 17 days of protests demanding Mubarak's immediate ouster spiraled out of control.
Gen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, told thousands of protesters in central Tahrir Square, "All your demands will be met today." Some in the crowd held up their hands in V-for-victory signs, shouting "the people want the end of the regime" and "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," a victory cry used by secular and religious people alike.
The military's supreme council was meeting Thursday, without the commander in chief Mubarak, and announced on state TV its "support of the legitimate demands of the people." A spokesman read a statement that the council was in permanent session to explore "what measures and arrangements could be made to safeguard the nation, its achievements and the ambitions of its great people."
The statement was labeled "communique number 1," a phrasing that suggests a military coup.
Thousands of state workers and impoverished Egyptians launched strikes and protests around the country on Wednesday over their economic woes as anti-government activists sought to expand their campaign to oust President Hosni Mubarak despite warnings from the vice president that protests won't be tolerated much longer.
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Some 8,000 protesters, mainly farmers, set barricades of flaming palm trees in the southern province of Assiut, blocking the main highway and railway to Cairo to complain of bread shortages. They then drove off the governor by pelting his van with stones. Hundreds of slum dwellers in the Suez Canal city of Port Said set fire to part of the governor's headquarters in anger over lack of housing.
Efforts by Vice President Omar Suleiman to open a dialogue with protesters over reforms have broken down since the weekend, with youth organizers of the movement deeply suspicious that he plans only superficial changes far short of real democracy. They refuse any talks unless Mubarak steps down first.
Showing growing impatience with the rejection, Suleiman issued a sharp warning that raised the prospect of a renewed crackdown. He told Egyptian newspaper editors late Tuesday that there could be a "coup" unless demonstrators agree to enter negotiations. Further deepening skepticism of his intentions, he suggested Egypt was not ready for democracy and said a government-formed panel of judges, dominated by Mubarak loyalists, would push ahead with recommending its own constitutional amendments to be put to a referendum.
"He is threatening to impose martial law, which means everybody in the square will be smashed," said Abdul-Rahman Samir, a spokesman for a coalition of the five main youth groups behind protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square. "But what would he do with the rest of the 70 million Egyptians who will follow us afterward."
Suleiman is creating "a disastrous scenario," Samir said. "We are striking and we will protest and we will not negotiate until Mubarak steps down. Whoever wants to threaten us, then let them do so," he added.
Nearly 10,000 massed in Tahrir on Wednesday in the 16th day of protests. Nearby, 2,000 more blocked off parliament, several blocks away, chanting slogans for it to be dissolved. Army troops deployed in the parliament grounds.
For the first time, protesters were calling forcefully Wednesday for labor strikes, despite a warning by Suleiman that calls for civil disobedience are "very dangerous for society and we can't put up with this at all."
Today 1:09 AM Time Of Mubarak's Speech
Sky News is reporting that Mubarak will speak at 6:30 GMT (1:30 pm EST).
Today 1:05 AM Where Is Mubarak?
Reports are flying that Mubarak may have already left Cairo. Opposition leader Ayman Nour is saying that Mubarak is in Dubai, reports BBC News, and Al Arabiya reported earlier that the president was at the Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh. In an interview with BBC News, the head of the ruling NDP party said that he had met with Mubarak yesterday, but that he did not know where he was now. No reports have been confirmed that Mubarak, who is to address the nation in the next few hours, has left Cairo.
Today 0:53 AM White House Watching 'Fluid Situation'
Reuters is reporting that White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said President Obama is closely watching the "very fluid situation" in Egypt.
Today 0:40 AM Mubarak To Speak
Reports the New York Times:
 | @ nytimesworld : President Mubarak will speak to #Egypt from his palace in Cairo in a few hours, state television said. |
Today 0:17 AM Unconfirmed Reports That Mubarak Has Left Cairo
Al Arabiya is reporting that Mubarak has traveled to the Red Sea. Via Breaking News:
 | @ BreakingNews : President Mubarak has traveled to Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh with his army chief of staff - Al Arabiya |
Today 0:11 AM Road To Cairo Airport Closed?
There are unconfirmed reports of the road closing. Al Jazeera English correspondent
Sherine Tadros tweets:
 | @ SherineT : Reports that the road to cairo airport are now closed #egypt #jan25 |
Today 0:05 AM CIA Weighs In
According to Breaking News:
| @ BreakingNews : CIA Director Leon Panetta: 'strong likelihood Mubarak will step down this evening' |
Today 0:04 AM 'Awaiting Orders That Will 'Make The People Happy'
The AFP reports:
Badrawi did not specify that he was referring to Mubarak stepping down, but a senior military officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP: "We are awaiting orders that will make the people happy."
02/10/2011 11:56 PM Ruling Party Leader Says Mubarak Will 'Make A Move,' Probably Tonight
Channel Four has this interview with Hossam Badrawy, the recently appointed secretary general of the ruling party, saying that expects President mubarak to "make a move probably tonight" and "transmit his authorities as president to his vice president."
Channel Four adds:
Dr Badrawi told International Editor Lindsey Hilsum that President Mubarak had reluctantly come to his decision and now recognises it is time to change."He sees himself as someone who served his country," he said."He made mistakes but he sees himself as someone that does not deserve getting out of power, of his service, that way. At the same time he realises that it’s the time to change. That’s my impression in the last two days."
02/10/2011 11:52 PM NBC Reporting Mubarak Will Step Down Tonight
According to Reuters:
 | @ Reuters : NBC reporting Mubarak will step down tonight |
02/10/2011 11:37 PM 'Everything You Want Will Be Realized'
Reuters tweets:
| @ Reuters : FLASH: Senior military officer in Tahrir tells protesters demanding Mubarak leave: "Everything you want will be realized" |
02/10/2011 11:36 PM More On Mubarak
More reports:
 | @ msnbc_breaking : Mubarak to step down as Egypt's leader, Suleiman to take over, sources tell NBC News http://on.msnbc.com/caJ3T3 |
| @ BreakingNews : Two sources inside Egypt president's office say that Mubarak will step down tonight , VP Omar Suleiman will take over as leader - NBC |
02/10/2011 11:20 PM Mubarak To Hand Over Power TONIGHT?
| @ Reuters : FLASH: Egypt's President Mubarak to transfer power as army chief to military -CNN |
02/10/2011 11:15 PM Mubarak's Departure 'Being Discussed'
The BBC's Lyse Doucet reports:
 | @ bbclysedoucet : just spoke Badrawi NDP: Mubarak "probably" speak tonite, & "hopes" he hands over powers. Confirmed its being discussed. #Jan25 #egypt |
Tweets Breaking News:
| @ BreakingNews : President Mubarak's departure is being discussed; more soon, Egyptian prime minister tells the BBC |
02/10/2011 11:14 PM Corruption Investigation
AP reports:
Egypt's state television reports that the state prosecutor has launched a formal corruption investigation against three former government ministers and a former ruling party leader.
The report Thursday said the investigation is targeting former Commerce Minister Rachid Mohammed Rachid, former Tourism Minister Zuhair Garana, and former Housing Minister Ahmed Maghrabi. Ahmed Ezz, a steel tycoon and former senior figure in the ruling party, is also under investigation. Ezz, a parliament member, is a close confidant of President Hosni Mubarak's son Gamal.
The three ministers were part of the Cabinet Mubarak sacked early on in the protests against his rule that began on Jan. 25. Ezz has resigned from the ruling party.
02/10/2011 9:53 PM Doctors And Lawyers Join Strikes
Al Jazeera correspondents in Cairo reported that thousands of doctors and medical students, dressed in white coats, marched in central Cairo and were hailed by pro-democracy protesters as they entered Tahrir [Liberation] Square.Another 3,000 lawyers marched from the capital's lawyers syndicate, also en route to Tahrir Square.
02/10/2011 9:27 PM Saudis Pledge To Support Mubarak
The Saudi King told Obama that he would bankroll the Mubarak regime if the U.S. withdrew aid. Reports Reuters:
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah told President Barack Obama that his country would prop up Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak if the United States withdrew its aid program, The Times said on Thursday.Abdullah told Obama not to humiliate Mubarak, who is under pressure from protesters to quit immediately, in a telephone call on January 29, the newspaper said, citing a senior source in Riyadh.
02/10/2011 9:03 PM Protesters Defiant On 17th Day
In Egypt, protesters continued their defiant stance on the 17th day of protests, even as the government renewed threats the "order" would be imposed if demonstrations did not end soon.
According the the New York Times, figures in the government are saying that the military, which has thus far remained a neutral force, might get involved. The Timesreports:
As Egypt’s uprising entered its 17th day on Thursday, bolstered by strikes and protests among professional groups in Cairo and workers across the country, a senior official in President Hosni Mubarak’s embattled government was quoted as saying the army would “intervene to control the country” if it fell into chaos.
Meanwhile, as of Thursday, the government continued to resist calls for immediate democratic reform. Reuters adds:
The Egyptian government resisted growing pressure on Thursday from key ally the United States and from a still energetic popular protest movement, both demanding radical and immediate political change.Growing concern among the business community and the wider population about the economic impact of more than two weeks of disruption is adding to strains facing the cabinet appointed 10 days ago by President Hosni Mubarak to try to stave off the unprecedented challenge to his 30 years of one-man rule.The army -- which has provided Egypt's leaders for six decades -- continues to stand by, overseeing and praised by pro-democracy demonstrators encamped in Cairo, while promising to help restore normal life and maintain political stability.
02/10/2011 4:48 PM China: We're Staying Out Of Egypt
In a press conference today, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu expressed concern over the situation in Egypt, but said China opposes other countries intervening in the crisis. According to the AP, "China has close ties with the embattled Egyptian government and state media has closely censored reporting on the protests."
02/10/2011 1:56 PM Nobel Laureate Urges Mubarak To Go
Reuters reports that U.S.-Egyptian scientist Ahmed Zewail, who once received a medal from Hosni Mubarak, is calling for Egypt's leader to exit immediately:
"He should step down tomorrow and allow for a transitional government," Zewail told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.Zewail, 64, who won the Nobel prize for physics in 1999 and was awarded the Grand Collar of the Nile by Mubarak the same year, has long enjoyed a celebrity cachet in his native land.
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