"Egypt protests: army warns against breaking curfew "

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ftermath of Cairo protests following day of riots
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Egypt Unrest

* Analysis: Why Egypt matters
* Live updates: Egypt unrest Live
* Egyptians losing fear of regime
* Can Mubarak be toppled?

Egypt's army has warned that anyone on the streets of major cities after curfew at 1600 local time (1400 GMT) will be in danger.

Anti-government protests are now in a fifth day, despite President Mubarak's promise to name a new cabinet.

In Cairo, protesters have clashed with police outside the interior ministry but the army has not yet intervened. Injuries have been reported.

There have also been clashes in the cities of Alexandria and Ismailiya.

Thousands have gathered in the centre of the capital Cairo, where troops and armoured vehicles are deployed but have not yet taken any action against protesters.

Health officials say 38 people have died in clashes across Egypt since Friday.

The latest figures bring the death toll in the week's unrest to at least 45, with both protesters and police officers among the dead. About 2,000 people have been injured.
Turmoil

A curfew in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez has been extended to last between the hours of 1600 and 0800 (1400 GMT and 0600 GMT).

The army has advised people to obey the curfew and avoid gathering in groups.
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AT THE SCENE
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes BBC News, Suez

The streets of this industrial port city are tense but quiet this morning after a night of violence and bloodshed. Local reports say as many as 13 people may have been killed during the hours of darkness.

City police and administrators have fled Suez and the army has moved onto the streets, although there is no real sign that they're in control.

The central police station is a smouldering ruin as are many shops and other businesses with close ties to President Mubarak's regime.

People have told us the protests will continue until every trace of that regime is gone.

Others have threatened us and demanded we stop filming, accusing the US and UK of supporting President Mubarak, and Western media of portraying the demonstrators as criminals and looters.

Hundreds of foreign tourists and Egyptian nationals are at Cairo's main airport seeking flights out of the country.

The Egyptian military has used tanks and armoured personnel carriers to seal off the site of the pyramids on the Giza Plateau, the Associated Press reports.

The army had already secured the Egyptian Museum, home to such treasures as the gold mask of King Tutankhamen, to protect it from looters.

Cairo stock exchange will be closed on Sunday - a full trading day in the Middle East - because of the turmoil in the city.

Friday saw tens of thousands on the streets across Egypt in protests that continued into the night, defying a curfew. In Cairo, protesters set fire to the headquarters of the governing NDP party and surrounded state TV and the foreign ministry.

Mr Mubarak responded by sacking his government. In a televised address - his first public comments since the protests began on Tuesday - he also accused the protesters of destabilising the country.

The government has now formally resigned, with reports suggesting that Racheed Mohamad Racheed - current minister of investment, commerce, and industry - will be named as the new prime minister.
Defiance

In Cairo, Tahrir Square is again the main focal point for demonstrators, who are shouting anti-Mubarak chants. Mobile phone services have been restored in the city, but the internet remains down.

The BBC's Yolande Knell, in the Egyptian capital, says there is anger that demands for political reform are not being listened to. Protesters say they will ignore the curfew and stay on the streets until there is change, she adds.
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Burned out personnel carrier beside a tank in central Cairo

* In pictures: Egypt protests

In Suez, soldiers are on the streets after the city's police and authorities fled following Friday's violence in which the main police station was burned down.

Reports from the northern coastal city of Alexandria and the eastern city of Ismailiya say thousands of protesters are on the streets, with clashes occurring between polices and demonstrators.

And a BBC Arabic producer reports that inmates have rioted in the city of al-Manufiya, north-west of Cairo.

US President Barack Obama, who telephoned President Mubarak on Friday, has said a violent response by the Egyptian authorities will not address the grievances of the people. He urged protesters to desist from violence, and also called on the Egyptian government to stop interfering with the internet, social networking sites and mobile phone services.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Washington would review its aid to Egypt based on events in the coming days. Egypt is the fourth largest recipient of US aid, after Afghanistan, Pakistan and Israel.

Britain, the US and France are all advising against non-essential travel to Egypt.

The unrest in Egypt follows an uprising in Tunisia two weeks ago which toppled President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years in power.

The Tunisian upheaval began with anger over rising food prices, high unemployment and anger at official corruption - problems which have also left many people Egypt feeling frustrated and resentful of their leadership"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12314799

"Egypt protests: Mubarak to appoint new government"

"Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is due to appoint a new government after firing his previous administration amid a wave of protests against his rule.

Friday saw tens of thousands on the streets of Cairo, Suez, Alexandria and other cities in protests that continued into the night, defying a curfew.

At least 18 people are reported to have been killed during the day in clashes with security forces.

Protests are continuing in central Cairo, and shots have been heard.

Mobile phone services have been restored in the capital, but the internet remains down.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, in Suez, says the streets of the eastern port city were left to the protesters overnight but the army has now arrived there.

Mr Mubarak's televised address on Friday evening - his first statement since the protests began - followed a day of violence and anarchy.

In Cairo, troops in armoured vehicles were deployed in support of riot police as protesters set fire to the headquarters of the governing NDP party and surrounded state TV and the foreign ministry. The army secured the Egyptian Museum, home to such treasures as the gold mask of King Tutankhamen, to protect it from looters.
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Analysis
Magdi Abdelhadi BBC Middle East analyst

Hosni Mubarak looked composed and determined to survive his worst crisis since coming to power 30 years ago.

There was both a carrot and a stick - he acknowledged that the demands of the protesters were legitimate, but accused them of resorting to violence to destabilise Egypt.

Such an accusation is likely to infuriate them, and possibly increase their determination to challenge him even more.

Mr Mubarak defended his record in government, the very thing that is in doubt in the eyes of the hundreds of thousands who have taken to the streets in the past four days.

He promised to continue with democratic reforms, but as far as the opposition is concerned, they have heard it all before. He did make however one big concession: he sacked his entire cabinet.

Medical sources said at least five people were killed in Cairo on Friday, with a further 13 losing their lives in Suez. If confirmed, that would bring the death toll to at least 26 since the protests began on Tuesday. Hundreds have been injured.

The BBC protested to the Egyptian authorities after a reporter for BBC Arabic, Assad Sawyer, was arrested and beaten by plain-clothes policemen in Cairo.

In his address, Mr Mubarak announced the sacking of his government and said he would give the new cabinet clear instructions to deal with "the priorities of the current phase". Mr Mubarak blamed the protesters for abusing the freedoms he said he had given them, and accused them of destabilising the country.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says there had clearly been a lot of discussion behind the scenes before Mr Mubarak spoke to the country, but his comments will probably just provoke further unrest.
'Moment of promise'

US President Barack Obama said he had telephoned President Mubarak and told him he must give meaning to his pledges of greater democratic and economic freedom.

Mr Obama said a violent response by Egyptian authorities would not address the grievances of the people, and he also asked protesters to desist from violence. He also called on the Egyptian government to stop interfering with the internet, social networking sites, and mobile phone services.
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Barack Obama: "What's needed right now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people"

The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington said there is no immediate suggestion that the White House is cutting its ties with Mr Mubarak, its long-time ally but it is clearly giving him the chance to turn the unrest into what Mr Obama described as "a moment of promise".

Earlier, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Washington would review its aid to Egypt based on events in the coming days. Egypt is the fourth largest recipient of American aid, after Afghanistan, Pakistan and Israel.

Britain, the US and France are all advising against non-essential travel to Egypt.

The unrest in Egypt follows an uprising in Tunisia two weeks ago, in which President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled after 23 years in power.

The Tunisian upheaval began with anger over rising food prices, high unemployment and anger at official corruption - problems which have also left many people Egypt feeling frustrated and resentful of their leadership."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12314799