Senior State TV reporter Shahira Amin quit Nile TV, the government’s television station. Speaking on Al-Jazeera, she said that she can’t stand the government’s propaganda anymore, and that she came to be with the people in Tahrir (Liberation) square.
Shahira Amin’s move is currently the first made by the media. The television building are heavily guarded by the army.
In the meantime, the protests in Cairo’s main square have calmed down after a violent day and a violent night, in which scores were killed. Pro-Mubarak supporters (suspected as state police) came to the square armed with machetes, knives, baseball bats and iron bars and hit the opposition demonstrators.
This turned into dirty clashes between both sides, with the the army sitting on sidelines. Currently the army is more active in separating both sides. The new Egyptian prime minister apologized for the violence, a rare event.
One opposition leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, gave an ultimatim to Hosni Mubarak to leave by Friday. US President Barack Obama said that he prays that the situation will be resolve and that “a new day will dawn on Egypt”. Is this the dawn of February 4?
There’s a rumor that Mubarak is in Sharem a-Sheikh, the resort town at the tip of the Sinai peninsula.
There seems to be little flexibility in the Egyptian regime – Omar Sulieman spoke of possible elections in August rather than September.
The dollar is somewhat stronger, but this isn’t too related to Egypt, as the situation in Cairo is relatively stable. Protests on Friday could rock the markets, even though the US Non-Farm Payrolls are expected shake them. EUR/USD is currently at 1.3640 , holdiing above 1.3576.
More Egyptian news:
- Tanks fire in Cairo
- One leader of the Muslim brotherhood wants war with Israel.
- Rumor – Obama to Egyptian Army: Down With Mubarak