Egypt protests: day five of the protests as it happened How events unfolded on day five of the protests in Egypt against President Hosni Mubarak's Government in January 2011.
• Opposition figure ElBaradei calls for Mubarak to step down
• Omar Suleiman, head of intelligence, sworn in as vice president
• Ahmad Shafik, aviation minister, appointed as prime minister
• Officials put death toll at 62, medics say at least 92
• Foreign Office Egypt hotline: 0207 007 1500
• Egypt protests: live
Latest video:
• Mohamed ElBaradei urges Mubarak to resign
• Angry scenes outside Egyptian embassy in London
• Hague calls for 'reform, not repression and violence'
21:41 Seventeen people have been killed while trying to storm two police stations in Beni Suef, south of Cairo, according to Reuters: "Twelve of those shot were attempting to attack a police station in Biba while five others were trying to attack another in Nasser city. Dozens of others were injured in the exchanges."
21:33 Tahir Imran, a journalist in Cairo, has been blogging regularly on the crisis. His latest is on what changes ordinary Egyptians want from their budding revolution, and what Mubarak has done to earn so much hatred. It's worth reading in full.
21:25 More on the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, from AP:
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"Would-be looters broke into Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum, ripping the heads off two mummies and damaging about 10 small artifacts before being caught and detained by soldiers, Egypt's antiquities chief said Saturday.
"Zahi Hawass said the vandals did not manage to steal any of the museum's antiquities, and that the prized collection was now safe and under military guard."
The picture shows an Egyptian Army soldier guards the Egyptian Museum, with the Cairo Tower seen behind. Photo: AP.
20:39 Medical sources say that at least 92 people have died so far in the protests, according to AFP:
"The revised toll includes 12 killed in Beni Sueif, 140 kilometres (85 miles) south of Cairo, where protesters tried to burn down a police station, witnesses said.
"Three other people were killed Saturday in Cairo, three in Rafah on the border with Gaza, and five in Ismailia, on the west bank of the Suez Canal.
"On Friday, 62 people were killed, including 35 in Cairo, in the deadliest day of protests calling for regime change in the Arab world's most populous country.
"Seven people were killed between Tuesday and Wednesday in Cairo and the canal city of Suez."
20:36 Reuters say that protesters have set fire to the Egyptian Tax Authority headquarters, an office tower near the Interior Ministry and other government buildings in Central Cairo: "Flames could be seen from several blocks away and smoke was billowing out of the building."
20:30 Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maksoud,a lawyer for the the Islamist opposition party Muslim Brotherhood, has said that the protests will not die down until Mubarak resigns or announces wide-ranging reforms, according to Reuters:
"(People) have legitimate demands that can't be quelled by the army or security. The demands have to be met.
"Had the government resigned on Tuesday, things would have calmed down but now demands are increasing.
"Core political reforms have to be made to make people feel these is a seriousness about those reforms, such as scrapping the emergency law and dissolving parliament."
20:29 Another couple of videos: William Hague calls for 'peaceful reform and not repression and violence' and Angry scenes outside Egyptian embassy in London.
20:20 I haven't seen this and am reporting at third-hand, but apparently Ben Wedeman, the CNN reporter in Cairo, has quoted unnamed "sources inside the regime" who say that President Mubarak is preparing to step down. Entirely unconfirmed, of course, but we will let you know more if and when we hear it.
20:15 David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has joined Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, and Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, in a statement urging Hosni Mubarak to avoid violence "at all costs", AFP report:
"We call on President Mubarak to avoid at all costs the use of violence against unarmed civilians, and on the demonstrators to exercise their rights peacefully.
"The Egyptian people have legitimate grievances and a longing for a just and better future.
"We urge President Mubarak to embark on a process of transformation which should be reflected in a broad-based government and in free and fair elections."
"It is essential that the further political, economic and social reforms President Mubarak has promised are implemented fully and quickly and meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people.
"There must be full respect for human rights and democratic freedoms, including freedom of expression and communication, including use of telephones and the Internet, and the right of peaceful assembly.
"We now urge him to show the same moderation in addressing the current situation in Egypt."
19:35 Alastair Jamieson, in Sharm-al-Sheikh, has got in touch with more on the situation there:
"There were queues at road checkpoints around Sharm-el-Sheikh last night as police took longer than usual to inspect the credentials of drivers and tourists.
"But there was no sign of any unrest, and the streets linking the town's giant resort hotels were mostly deserted.
"Local mobile phone networks were briefly turned on again, and many Internet servers have also come back online, leading to cheering from some hotel staff receiving text messages with the earlier news of the country's new cabinet.
"Armed guards continued to turn vehicles away from access roads leading to Hosni Mubarak's winter residence and it was impossible to corroborate local rumours that the embattled leader was in hiding at the house.
"Despite the political revolution taking place in Egypt, local workers still remain in fear of the police after years of state surveillance. Taxi drivers refused to drive close to Mubarak's residence, fearing arrest.
"One of the few willing to speak out was Ibrahim Wasi, 25, a private hire taxi driver who said: 'It is easier for us working here in Sharm because we earn more, maybe several thousand dollars a year more than what can be earned in Cairo.
"'There is a lot of anger in the cities, but here we need everything to be normal. February is a big month for tourism and this is good for our country but maybe bad for us here.'"
19:32 And Colin Freeman, The Sunday Telegraph's Chief Foreign Correspondent asks if this is 'the end' for Mubarak:
"The graffiti on the smashed-up police riot van in downtown Cairo on Saturday seemed to speak for the hopes of millions. Daubed in two-feet high letters across a battered side panel, it read simply: 'The End'.
"Yet as tens of thousands of Egyptians poured into the city centre for a fifth day of protests demanding a finish to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule, it seemed the moment they all longed for was still some way off."
19:31 Interesting piece from the Telegraph's US correspondent Alex Spillius: What next for Egypt, the USA and the Middle East?
"As Washington struggles to come to terms with a rapidly changing Middle East, US President Barack Obama is acutely aware he must get Egypt right, for the wrong side of history eagerly beckons.
"Faced with a dilemma that has long troubled Western leaders, including Britain's, Barack Obama's administration has not covered itself in glory vis à vis Egypt."
19:28 Video of Mohamed ElBaradei urging Mubarak to resign from a few minutes ago.
19:24 Interesting piece in The New York Times about the long history of co-operation between the American and Egyptian militaries:
"The officer corps of Egypt's powerful military has been educated at defense colleges in the United States for 30 years. The Egyptian armed forces have about 1,000 American M1A1 Abrams tanks, which the United States allows to be built on Egyptian soil. Egypt permits the American military to stage major operations from its bases, and has always guaranteed the Americans passage through the Suez Canal.
"The relationship between the Egyptian and American militaries is, in fact, so close that it was no surprise on Friday to find two dozen senior Egyptian military officials at the Pentagon, halfway through an annual week of meetings, lunches and dinners with their American counterparts."
19:20 Interesting stat, if it's true: Naser AlAbduljalil says on Twitter that:
"Hosni Mubarak is 3rd longest ruler in 5000 year history of Egypt after Mohamad Ali Basha and Pharoah Ramesis II"
19:17 Vodafone have defended their decision to suspend their mobile phone services in Egypt after the country's government demanded it - a spokesman for the country told Reuters:
"We would like to make it clear that the authorities in Egypt have the technical capability to close our network, and if they had done so it would have taken much longer to restore services to our customers.
"It has been clear to us that there were no legal or practical options open to Vodafone or any of the mobile operators in Egypt but to comply with the demands of the authorities."
19:10 More on the heartbreaking looting in the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities:
Zahi Hawass, the Vice Minister of Culture, has thanked protesters for keeping the museum safe, but confirms two mummies have been destroyed, amid other damage.
19:06 Sultan Al Qassemi on Twitter has more on the power vacuum on the streets of Cairo as the police remain conspicuous by their absence:
"My cousin's family is terrified in Cairo, the men in the apartment block are guarding the building with batons. There is no police presence."
19:03 AP have an update on the death toll:
"At least 73 people have been killed across Egypt and thousands injured in anti-government riots since Friday, according to medics."
18:58 A crowd of 800 is protesting outside the UN headquarters in New York, with a heavy police presence a few blocks away at the Egyptian embassy, according to Reuters.
18:49 Reuters are reporting that people are ganging together to defend their homes:
"Egyptians armed with sticks and razors have formed vigilante groups to defend their homes from looters after police disappeared from the streets following days of violent protests.
"Banks, junctions and important buildings previously guarded by the police and state security were left abandoned on Saturday and civilians have quickly stepped in to fill the void.
"'There is no police to be found anywhere,' said Ghadeer, 23, from an upscale neighbourhood. 'Doormen and young boys from their neighbourhoods are standing outside holding sticks, razors and other weapons to prevent people from coming in.'
"She added: 'The community is working together to stop this and protect ourselves.'"
Protesters wear police berets as they sit atop an army APC (Pic: AP)
Police withdrew from the streets when the army was sent in to take over security in Cairo. Witnesses have since seen mobs storming supermarkets, commercial centres, banks, private property and government buildings in Cairo and elsewhere.
18:41 The defining characteristic of the situation in much of Egypt at the moment seems to be anarchy: the police have not been seen in Alexandria or Cairo for 24 hours and more, and the army - while highly visible - are not engaging either protesters or looters. Al Jazeera are reporting that the numbers of protesters on the street are smaller than at this time last night.
Al Jazeera are still putting the death toll estimate at over 100, judging by their own tours around the morgues of the cities.
18:39 Unconfirmed reports via Al Arabiya and Twitter that Gumal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak, has resigned his post in his father's ruling National Democratic Party.
18:35 The Foreign Office has issued travel advice to Britons planning a trip to Egypt:
"In light of the ongoing demonstrations, we advise against all but essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Suez. This does not affect transits through Cairo airport for onward travel to other destinations, although there is some disruption to flight schedules. A nationwide curfew is in place from 1600 to 0800 local time. The Egyptian authorities have blocked mobile telephone and internet communications.
"If you are already in Egypt, you are strongly advised to stay put and follow the advice set out below. We are not, at present, advising British nationals to leave the country. If you are travelling to or through Egypt, you are advised to check with your airline to confirm your flight."
18:18 Some images from within Cairo, via Twitter. First, locals form a human wall around the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to prevent looting (via @theplayethic):
Second, a man uses a McDonald's sign as cover from rubber bullets in midst of clashes (via @mideastmedia):
18:14 The protests in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez have not reached the Red Sea resort of Sharm al Sheik. Alastair Jamieson, a Sunday Telegraph journalist who is in the area, has emailed us to say:
"Roadblocks familiar to tourists are taking longer to clear as police check credentials of both drivers and foreign visitors in what appears to be heightened security. But the streets are deserted and there is none of the febrile atmosphere witnessed in Cairo or Alexandria."
He adds that Sharm is the site of some of the more conspicuous excesses of the crumbling Mubarak regime:
"Apparently Mubarak's winter residence in Sharm consists of three miniature palaces, one for him and one each for his sons Alaa and Gamal."
18:11 The Guardian's live blog on the protests has the following, from Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director of Human Rights Watch:
"I went to the morgue at the Alexandria General Hospital, where I saw 13 bodies of dead people - all men, young and old, but mostly young. Also visited the hospital's emergency room and saw many people who had been shot and were waiting for treatment. Live bullets seem to have been used by police yesterday evening when protesters went to attack police stations, but also by security services against people even in their own homes. One man who told me that thugs (whom he referred to as "mukhabarat", the security services) showed up at his home, accused him of throwing things at police from his windows, and shot him.
"Spoke to an Egyptian lawyer who saw 20 bodies at another Alexandria morgue; there's a third I haven't managed to visit yet. That makes a total of at least 33 confirmed dead here. The Egyptian government has got to rein in its security forces on the streets today.
"Things are very tense in Alexandria. Large protests are ongoing. The police stations appear to have all been burned. Yesterday, demonstrators tried to burn down the building of the intelligence services, but seem not to have succeeded. The army is not intervening - so far."
17:57 The AFP has a lengthy profile of Omar Suleiman, who you can see here during his swearing-in ceremony, which I'll reprint in full:
Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, anointed by embattled President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday as his first ever deputy, is a loyalist general more at home in a tailored suit than a uniform.
Always impeccably dressed and sporting a distinctively groomed moustache, Suleiman has emerged from the shadows of his job as the Middle East's most powerful spy chief to become the man most likely to succeed Mubarak.
A discreet negotiator who favours working behind the scenes, he will have his work cut out trying to help Mubarak placate an angry nation demanding he step down after 30 years in power.
Suleiman, who received military training in the former Soviet Union, was for years a highly enigmatic figure for the world at large and in Egypt, where the all-powerful military's activities are shrouded in secrecy.
But he has increasingly acquired a public face in recent years, being tipped even before this week's violent popular revolt as a potential successor to Mubarak, himself a former head of the air force five years Suleiman's senior.
Symbolising the unparalleled role of the military in governing Egypt, Suleiman saluted Mubarak as he took his oath of office on Saturday, becoming Egypt's first vice president since Mubarak himself had the job in 1981.
Mubarak automatically became president when his predecessor Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Islamists in the same year.
Suleiman is a trusted talks partner for the United States, Israel and the Palestinians, and has orchestrated a series of albeit short-lived truces between Israel and the Palestinians over the past 10 years.
But while he may be liked and trusted abroad, many in Egypt consider Suleiman part of Mubarak's inner circle, and as such a pillar of a corrupt regime.
As news spread that the veteran president had finally decided to name a deputy, a crowd on Cairo's central Tahrir square tellingly chanted: "Neither Mubarak nor Suleiman, we're sick of Americans."
In 1995, Suleiman advised Mubarak to ride in an armoured car during a visit to Addis Ababa that shielded him from the fire of Islamist gunmen which killed the car's driver.
During the 1990s and following the botched Ethiopian assassination attempt, Suleiman joined the efforts of the CIA and other foreign intelligence agencies to crack down on Islamists, at home and abroad.
He also proceeded to target homegrown radical Islamist groups Gamaa Islamiya and Jihad after they carried out a string of attacks on foreigners that hit Egypt's vital tourism industry hard.
Born in 1936 to a well-off family in the southern Egyptian town of Qena, Suleiman graduated from Cairo's military academy in 1955. Appointed aide to Egypt's military intelligence chief in 1988, he replaced his boss a year later.
But besides bolstering Mubarak in a time of crisis, it is unclear what the exact role of Egypt's new vice president is supposed to be - except waiting in the wings to accede to the top spot in the Arab world's most populous nation.
17:51 The BBC has confirmed that Gamal and Alaa Mubarak are in London. Roger Cohen of The New York Times says that Gamal has a "nice pad on London's chic Eaton Square."
17:39 Mohamed ElBaradei is speaking to the press - I've taken some of it down as best I can:
"Peaceful demonstration is a lawful right of the people. The army is now focusing on protecting the public property and people must protect themselves.
"Mubarak is refusing to listen to the people. The recent appointments will not appease them. We want a change of regime, not a change of figures. Mubarak must resign. I hold the President responsible. I respect Omar Suleiman and Ahmad Shafik but we want an end to this Pharaonic regime not a change of some faces.
"Who is in command now? The presidency or the army? The president should be duly appointed by the people. He should step down today or otherwise the country will collapse. We are seeking parliamentary and democratic assurances. A coalition government must be formed, with a new democratic constitution that the people can vote on in an referendum"
"The whole world should realise that Egypt has risen up. They will not go back until their demands are realised.
"An armed response will wreak havoc.
"The Egyptian people will remember who stood by them and who stood by the regime when it falls."
Here is Mr ElBaradei in the crowd during the protests yesterday, when he was briefly arrested (Pic: AFP):
17:35 More on the looting: "thugs" going around on motorcycles looting shops and houses, according to Al Jazeera. They say they are getting more and more reports of looting. More worryingly, one group of looters who were captured by citizens in the upmarket Cairo district of Heliopolis turned out to have ID cards identifying them as members of the regime security forces.
17:34 Al Arabiya is reporting that the official death toll so far is 62. We can safely assume that that figure is going to rise significantly.
17:31 El Al, the Israeli national airline, has flown dozens of Israeli citizens out of Egypt on an emergency flight, AP report:
"Israel's national airline has whisked dozens of Israelis, including families of Israeli diplomats, out of Egypt on board an emergency flight to escape the chaos engulfing the Arab country.
"An Israeli official said Saturday's emergency El Al flight, which was arranged by the Foreign Ministry, carried about 40 Israeli citizens who were in Cairo on private business and wanted to return to Israel. Spouses and children of Israeli diplomats in Egypt were also on the flight.
"The official said Israeli diplomats would remain in Egypt for the time being. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.
"A Cairo airport official confirmed that El Al provided the special flight. El Al does not usually fly on the Jewish Sabbath to appease observant Jewish passengers who do not travel on the day of rest.
"El Al refused to comment.
"The flight reflects Israel's concerns over the deteriorating situation in Egypt - the first Arab country to reach peace with Israel."
17:27 Earlier today hundreds also gathered outside the Egyptian embassy in London, on South Street near Park Lane. There are videos of the protests here.
17:18 Sympathy protests in North America, in Vancouver, Washington, LA, San Francisco and elsewhere, calling for the USA to end its support for President Mubarak's regime - pic via Al-Jazeera:
17:16 The German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, has added his voice to the calls for restraint from the military and security services in Egypt - via AFP:
"I call on officials in Egypt and the security forces to be aware of their responsibility so that the situation does not degenerate further.
"There should be no use of violence against peaceful demonstrations.
"On the political level it is crucial that Egyptian leaders take the path of political and economic reforms now.
"For lasting stability there must be democracy, respect for human rights and guarantees of freedom of opinion."
17:13 The Egyptian army has urged protesters to respect the curfew, which few if any people are doing at this point. A spokesman, speaking to the "law-abiding" people of Egypt, says there are "thugs" on the street looting and fighting, and calls on people to trust the Defence Ministry as they try to maintain order.
17:09 A moment of humour, via the Telegraph's Jon Swaine on Twitter. The website PoliticsHome.com seems to be suggesting an unlikely appointment to the Egyptian government:
17:04 How much of a role Twitter and the internet in general has played in the uprising will no doubt be the subject of much debate over the next few days and weeks, but it seems that protesters themselves feel they are important. This cartoon, held up in the crowd, shows a young protester wearing the #jan25 Twitter hashtag on his top, holding President Mubarak by the scruff of his neck:
17:02 Channel 4's Chief Correspondent, Alex Thomson, has blogged on the protests and how they will affect the delicate balances of power in the region:
"If Egypt's President Mubarak is toppled, America and Israel stand to lose a key ally in the Middle East. The stakes could hardly be higher."
17:00 The Iranian opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has hailed the protests - here's more from AP:
"Iran's opposition leader has expressed hope that protests engulfing Egypt can bring change that has so far evaded his own country.
"Mir Hossein Mousavi compared the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen with the protest movement that followed the 2009 disputed elections in Iran.
"He says Iran's movement was the starting point but all aimed at ending the 'oppression of the rulers.'
"A heavy crackdown suppressed the peaceful protests in Iran, but Mousavi said Saturday that he hopes Egyptian and Yemeni protesters will succeed in bringing change to their country."
16:55 Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Cairo, is reporting from Tahrir Square in the centre of the city, where thousands are gathered. He says that the crowd reacted with anger to the news of the appointments of Gen Suleiman and Marshal Shafik. The reshuffle is seen as "moving the chairs", he says.
16:53 Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the IAEA and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spoken to Al Jazeera, calling for "A new Egypt, based on justice, social democracy, and social freedom".
16:50 CNN's Ben Wedeman, a journalist whose camera was smashed by police in the protests yesterday, has been reporting from Cairo on Twitter. He says:
"Police no longer functioning as law enforcement force. Army doing little to actually enforce order. Widely believed hated #Egypt police force playing part in the chaos and looting. they've abandoned their posts, in civilian clothes. Saw a truckload of riot police leaving Cairo this morning. they looked defeated and scared. people say 'they should be'. Almost all police stations ransacked, arsenals looted. Suddenly weapons in the streets wielded by thugs. Where is the army?
"Came to office by Cairo metro today. People talking about Mubarak as president IN THE PAST TENSE. For most I spoke, Mubarak is gone."
16:48 The Washington Post has an astonishing AP image on its website of an armoured personnel carrier in front of the Great Pyramid in Giza, which I can reproduce here:
16:34 Terrible scenes from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, of shattered display cabinets and ancient artefacts scattered on the floor after looting yesterday, on Al Jazeera. There are now armed security services in the museum. It is reported that locals formed a human chain around the building to protect it, but were not entirely successful. Two mummies were destroyed.
16:26 Egyptian state TV is continuing to pretend nothing is happening, as it spent most of yesterday doing. It is showing scenes of a peaceful Cairo night, according to Sultan Al Qassemi of the Middle Eastern newspaper The National on Twitter. It is also claiming that Hosni Mubarak's sons have fled the country, a story now confirmed by Fox News and the BBC.
16:21 A bit more on the cabinet reshuffle: apparently this is the first time that Egypt has had a vice president in more than 30 years. Air Marshal Ahmad Shafik, formerly the civil aviation minister, is the new Prime Minister: before that he was a fighter pilot, flying active duty in the 1972 Yom Kippur war. Here are the Wikipedia pages for both General Suleiman and Marshal Shafik.
16:17 Al Jazeera say that the death toll is believed to have risen to over a hundred across Egypt: more gunfire has been heard in Cairo, while the wounds of the dead in the morgue show that the police are using live ammunition. A reporter for the channel says that he counted 23 dead bodies in the morgue in Alexandria and another 15 in Suez.
16:05 Jim Roberts, the assistant managing editor of the New York Times, has Tweeted a link to an old story of ours, about Omar Suleiman, the newly sworn in vice president:
@nytjim "Telegraph profile of Omar Suleiman from Feb. 2009. 'One of the world's most powerful spy chiefs.'"
This is General Suleiman, then the intelligence chief, with then Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak (pic: Getty):
16:04 BBC World is reporting on Twitter that Hosni Mubarak's two sons, Alaa and Gamal, have arrived in London.
16:02 Appalling images on Al Jazeera of bodies in a Cairo morgue, barely covered by blood-soaked blankets. I won't reprint them here.
15.44 White House spokesman PJ Crowley says:
@PJCrowley "The Egyptian government can't reshuffle the deck and then stand pat. President #Mubarak's words pledging reform must be followed by action."
15.25 On Twitter, @rallaf - associate fellow of Chatham House and Middle East commentator - writes:
"Omar Suleiman VP = US and Israeli agreement on interim presidency. #Egypt #Jan25"
15.20 Omar Suleiman, director general of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, has been named vice president. Interesting move by President Mubarak - appointing one of the world's most powerful spy chiefs as your deputy. Watch this space...
15.05 Army use tanks to drive protesters away from the Central Bank in a Cairo suburb, firing shots into the air.
14.56 Al Jazeera reporting that at least three killed during protests outside the Interior Ministry in Cairo
14.28 BMI flight BD771 from Heathrow to Cairo, which left at 09.15, has turned back to the UK - shortly before arriving in Egypt. The airline said that its later flight to Cairo, BD772, was cancelled.
13:42 Police open fire on 1000 Egyptian protesters trying to storm the Interior Ministry in Cairo, according to Al Jazeera
13:19 Journalist in Cairo says Army officer tells him there is no way he will open fire on fellow Egyptians. Could Mubarak's gamble on the military backfire? Or will it take the heat out of protests? You can read more of Tahir Imran's eyewitness account on his blog
12:56 Egyptian military closes tourist access to the pyramids. Tanks and armored personnel carriers seal off the site on the Giza Plateau, which is normally packed with tourists
12:38 British Airways says it has chartered a plane to bring back passengers from Cairo already booked on flights but wanting to leave early. Most Brits are in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which remains quiet.
12:09 Foreign tourists and Egyptian nationals are flocking to Cairo airport, AP says
12:08 Al-Jazeera reports 50,000 protesters massing in central Cairo
11:44 Health ministry puts Friday death toll at 38
11:29 Senior military commanders last night cut short a trip to the Pentagon, sparking all sorts of rumours on Cairo streets. As Channel 4's Jonathan Rugman tweets...
@jrug "Egypt latest: I'm hearing rumours the military could take over tonight. #jan25"
11:14 Mohamed El Baradei says Mubarak "must go" and that protests will intensify until his rule ends, in an interview with France 24 television. He skirts around questions about whether he is under house arrest but says he will return to the streets today.
10:46 Death tolls are mounting at alarming speed. AP is quoting security officials saying 25 protesters and 10 policemen have died in this week's protests, figures expected to rise significantly. Also say 750 police and 1,500 demonstrators injured
10:33 Al Jazeera's Dan Nolan is tweeting from across Cairo
@nolanjazeera "15 dead bodies in Cairo morgue. Words can't do justice to the anger of grieving families. Screams at our camera 4 Mubarak to leave #Jan25"
10:26 To no-one's great surprise, the opening of the Cairo book fair has been cancelled. The whereabouts of the guest of honour, one Hosni Mubarak, remain uncertain
10:12 Praveen Swami, our Diplomatic Editor, has a gloomy take this morning: Even if the fires raging in the Middle East raze its authoritarian regimes, little will change.
"The democratic successors of today's authoritarian regimes will find themselves hard-pressed to deliver change, for much the same reasons their predecessors did: the changes needed are too large, and the solutions too painful.
"Islamists – who have the great advantage that their political promises pertain, in the main, to the next life – will likely benefit the most from this second failure."
10:02 After yesterday's mobile phone and internet blackout it looks like communications are getting back up and running. We have managed to make contact with Colin Freeman our foreign correspondent by text message - as well as landline - this morning. Internet users are also finding ways to get online, using old-fashioned dial-up services offered on European phone numbers.
09:43 Our splash this morning: Egypt protests: America's secret backing for rebel leaders behind uprising
09:35 After last night's disruption to flights, BMI says its morning flight from Heathrow to Cairo is leaving as normal. Due in at 16.10 local time. A spokesman said: "BMI passengers yesterday all safely left the airport terminal at Cairo after the flight arrived, and we expect the same situation today."
Saturday 09:30 Another big day in Egypt. Protesters out early for fresh day of demonstrations in Cairo. Cabinet expected to convene within the hour for ministers to tender mass resignation following President Mubarak's announcement late last night that he had told them to step down.
• Egypt protests: day four of the protests as it happened
The Telegraph team covering Egypt:
Adrian Blomfield covers the Middle East from the Daily Telegraph's Jerusalem bureau. He has been writing for the paper since 2001, based first in Nairobi and later in Moscow.
Richard Spencer is one of the Daily Telegraph's Middle East correspondents. He was China correspondent for six years before moving to Dubai, where he lives with his wife and children.
Colin Freeman is the Chief Foreign Correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph. He has worked for the paper for five years, covering stories in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Rob Crilly is the Telegraph's Pakistan Correspondent. He previously reported on the Middle East and before that was East Africa correspondent of The Times, travelling extensively through the continent's wars in Somalia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Opposition figure ElBaradei calls for Mubarak to step down
• Omar Suleiman, head of intelligence, sworn in as vice president
• Ahmad Shafik, aviation minister, appointed as prime minister
• Officials put death toll at 62, medics say at least 92
• Foreign Office Egypt hotline: 0207 007 1500
• Egypt protests: live
Latest video:
• Mohamed ElBaradei urges Mubarak to resign
• Angry scenes outside Egyptian embassy in London
• Hague calls for 'reform, not repression and violence'
21:41 Seventeen people have been killed while trying to storm two police stations in Beni Suef, south of Cairo, according to Reuters: "Twelve of those shot were attempting to attack a police station in Biba while five others were trying to attack another in Nasser city. Dozens of others were injured in the exchanges."
21:33 Tahir Imran, a journalist in Cairo, has been blogging regularly on the crisis. His latest is on what changes ordinary Egyptians want from their budding revolution, and what Mubarak has done to earn so much hatred. It's worth reading in full.
21:25 More on the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, from AP:
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"Would-be looters broke into Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum, ripping the heads off two mummies and damaging about 10 small artifacts before being caught and detained by soldiers, Egypt's antiquities chief said Saturday.
"Zahi Hawass said the vandals did not manage to steal any of the museum's antiquities, and that the prized collection was now safe and under military guard."
The picture shows an Egyptian Army soldier guards the Egyptian Museum, with the Cairo Tower seen behind. Photo: AP.
20:39 Medical sources say that at least 92 people have died so far in the protests, according to AFP:
"The revised toll includes 12 killed in Beni Sueif, 140 kilometres (85 miles) south of Cairo, where protesters tried to burn down a police station, witnesses said.
"Three other people were killed Saturday in Cairo, three in Rafah on the border with Gaza, and five in Ismailia, on the west bank of the Suez Canal.
"On Friday, 62 people were killed, including 35 in Cairo, in the deadliest day of protests calling for regime change in the Arab world's most populous country.
"Seven people were killed between Tuesday and Wednesday in Cairo and the canal city of Suez."
20:36 Reuters say that protesters have set fire to the Egyptian Tax Authority headquarters, an office tower near the Interior Ministry and other government buildings in Central Cairo: "Flames could be seen from several blocks away and smoke was billowing out of the building."
20:30 Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maksoud,a lawyer for the the Islamist opposition party Muslim Brotherhood, has said that the protests will not die down until Mubarak resigns or announces wide-ranging reforms, according to Reuters:
"(People) have legitimate demands that can't be quelled by the army or security. The demands have to be met.
"Had the government resigned on Tuesday, things would have calmed down but now demands are increasing.
"Core political reforms have to be made to make people feel these is a seriousness about those reforms, such as scrapping the emergency law and dissolving parliament."
20:29 Another couple of videos: William Hague calls for 'peaceful reform and not repression and violence' and Angry scenes outside Egyptian embassy in London.
20:20 I haven't seen this and am reporting at third-hand, but apparently Ben Wedeman, the CNN reporter in Cairo, has quoted unnamed "sources inside the regime" who say that President Mubarak is preparing to step down. Entirely unconfirmed, of course, but we will let you know more if and when we hear it.
20:15 David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has joined Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, and Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, in a statement urging Hosni Mubarak to avoid violence "at all costs", AFP report:
"We call on President Mubarak to avoid at all costs the use of violence against unarmed civilians, and on the demonstrators to exercise their rights peacefully.
"The Egyptian people have legitimate grievances and a longing for a just and better future.
"We urge President Mubarak to embark on a process of transformation which should be reflected in a broad-based government and in free and fair elections."
"It is essential that the further political, economic and social reforms President Mubarak has promised are implemented fully and quickly and meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people.
"There must be full respect for human rights and democratic freedoms, including freedom of expression and communication, including use of telephones and the Internet, and the right of peaceful assembly.
"We now urge him to show the same moderation in addressing the current situation in Egypt."
19:35 Alastair Jamieson, in Sharm-al-Sheikh, has got in touch with more on the situation there:
"There were queues at road checkpoints around Sharm-el-Sheikh last night as police took longer than usual to inspect the credentials of drivers and tourists.
"But there was no sign of any unrest, and the streets linking the town's giant resort hotels were mostly deserted.
"Local mobile phone networks were briefly turned on again, and many Internet servers have also come back online, leading to cheering from some hotel staff receiving text messages with the earlier news of the country's new cabinet.
"Armed guards continued to turn vehicles away from access roads leading to Hosni Mubarak's winter residence and it was impossible to corroborate local rumours that the embattled leader was in hiding at the house.
"Despite the political revolution taking place in Egypt, local workers still remain in fear of the police after years of state surveillance. Taxi drivers refused to drive close to Mubarak's residence, fearing arrest.
"One of the few willing to speak out was Ibrahim Wasi, 25, a private hire taxi driver who said: 'It is easier for us working here in Sharm because we earn more, maybe several thousand dollars a year more than what can be earned in Cairo.
"'There is a lot of anger in the cities, but here we need everything to be normal. February is a big month for tourism and this is good for our country but maybe bad for us here.'"
19:32 And Colin Freeman, The Sunday Telegraph's Chief Foreign Correspondent asks if this is 'the end' for Mubarak:
"The graffiti on the smashed-up police riot van in downtown Cairo on Saturday seemed to speak for the hopes of millions. Daubed in two-feet high letters across a battered side panel, it read simply: 'The End'.
"Yet as tens of thousands of Egyptians poured into the city centre for a fifth day of protests demanding a finish to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule, it seemed the moment they all longed for was still some way off."
19:31 Interesting piece from the Telegraph's US correspondent Alex Spillius: What next for Egypt, the USA and the Middle East?
"As Washington struggles to come to terms with a rapidly changing Middle East, US President Barack Obama is acutely aware he must get Egypt right, for the wrong side of history eagerly beckons.
"Faced with a dilemma that has long troubled Western leaders, including Britain's, Barack Obama's administration has not covered itself in glory vis à vis Egypt."
19:28 Video of Mohamed ElBaradei urging Mubarak to resign from a few minutes ago.
19:24 Interesting piece in The New York Times about the long history of co-operation between the American and Egyptian militaries:
"The officer corps of Egypt's powerful military has been educated at defense colleges in the United States for 30 years. The Egyptian armed forces have about 1,000 American M1A1 Abrams tanks, which the United States allows to be built on Egyptian soil. Egypt permits the American military to stage major operations from its bases, and has always guaranteed the Americans passage through the Suez Canal.
"The relationship between the Egyptian and American militaries is, in fact, so close that it was no surprise on Friday to find two dozen senior Egyptian military officials at the Pentagon, halfway through an annual week of meetings, lunches and dinners with their American counterparts."
19:20 Interesting stat, if it's true: Naser AlAbduljalil says on Twitter that:
"Hosni Mubarak is 3rd longest ruler in 5000 year history of Egypt after Mohamad Ali Basha and Pharoah Ramesis II"
19:17 Vodafone have defended their decision to suspend their mobile phone services in Egypt after the country's government demanded it - a spokesman for the country told Reuters:
"We would like to make it clear that the authorities in Egypt have the technical capability to close our network, and if they had done so it would have taken much longer to restore services to our customers.
"It has been clear to us that there were no legal or practical options open to Vodafone or any of the mobile operators in Egypt but to comply with the demands of the authorities."
19:10 More on the heartbreaking looting in the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities:
Zahi Hawass, the Vice Minister of Culture, has thanked protesters for keeping the museum safe, but confirms two mummies have been destroyed, amid other damage.
19:06 Sultan Al Qassemi on Twitter has more on the power vacuum on the streets of Cairo as the police remain conspicuous by their absence:
"My cousin's family is terrified in Cairo, the men in the apartment block are guarding the building with batons. There is no police presence."
19:03 AP have an update on the death toll:
"At least 73 people have been killed across Egypt and thousands injured in anti-government riots since Friday, according to medics."
18:58 A crowd of 800 is protesting outside the UN headquarters in New York, with a heavy police presence a few blocks away at the Egyptian embassy, according to Reuters.
18:49 Reuters are reporting that people are ganging together to defend their homes:
"Egyptians armed with sticks and razors have formed vigilante groups to defend their homes from looters after police disappeared from the streets following days of violent protests.
"Banks, junctions and important buildings previously guarded by the police and state security were left abandoned on Saturday and civilians have quickly stepped in to fill the void.
"'There is no police to be found anywhere,' said Ghadeer, 23, from an upscale neighbourhood. 'Doormen and young boys from their neighbourhoods are standing outside holding sticks, razors and other weapons to prevent people from coming in.'
"She added: 'The community is working together to stop this and protect ourselves.'"
Protesters wear police berets as they sit atop an army APC (Pic: AP)
Police withdrew from the streets when the army was sent in to take over security in Cairo. Witnesses have since seen mobs storming supermarkets, commercial centres, banks, private property and government buildings in Cairo and elsewhere.
18:41 The defining characteristic of the situation in much of Egypt at the moment seems to be anarchy: the police have not been seen in Alexandria or Cairo for 24 hours and more, and the army - while highly visible - are not engaging either protesters or looters. Al Jazeera are reporting that the numbers of protesters on the street are smaller than at this time last night.
Al Jazeera are still putting the death toll estimate at over 100, judging by their own tours around the morgues of the cities.
18:39 Unconfirmed reports via Al Arabiya and Twitter that Gumal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak, has resigned his post in his father's ruling National Democratic Party.
18:35 The Foreign Office has issued travel advice to Britons planning a trip to Egypt:
"In light of the ongoing demonstrations, we advise against all but essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Suez. This does not affect transits through Cairo airport for onward travel to other destinations, although there is some disruption to flight schedules. A nationwide curfew is in place from 1600 to 0800 local time. The Egyptian authorities have blocked mobile telephone and internet communications.
"If you are already in Egypt, you are strongly advised to stay put and follow the advice set out below. We are not, at present, advising British nationals to leave the country. If you are travelling to or through Egypt, you are advised to check with your airline to confirm your flight."
18:18 Some images from within Cairo, via Twitter. First, locals form a human wall around the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to prevent looting (via @theplayethic):
Second, a man uses a McDonald's sign as cover from rubber bullets in midst of clashes (via @mideastmedia):
18:14 The protests in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez have not reached the Red Sea resort of Sharm al Sheik. Alastair Jamieson, a Sunday Telegraph journalist who is in the area, has emailed us to say:
"Roadblocks familiar to tourists are taking longer to clear as police check credentials of both drivers and foreign visitors in what appears to be heightened security. But the streets are deserted and there is none of the febrile atmosphere witnessed in Cairo or Alexandria."
He adds that Sharm is the site of some of the more conspicuous excesses of the crumbling Mubarak regime:
"Apparently Mubarak's winter residence in Sharm consists of three miniature palaces, one for him and one each for his sons Alaa and Gamal."
18:11 The Guardian's live blog on the protests has the following, from Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director of Human Rights Watch:
"I went to the morgue at the Alexandria General Hospital, where I saw 13 bodies of dead people - all men, young and old, but mostly young. Also visited the hospital's emergency room and saw many people who had been shot and were waiting for treatment. Live bullets seem to have been used by police yesterday evening when protesters went to attack police stations, but also by security services against people even in their own homes. One man who told me that thugs (whom he referred to as "mukhabarat", the security services) showed up at his home, accused him of throwing things at police from his windows, and shot him.
"Spoke to an Egyptian lawyer who saw 20 bodies at another Alexandria morgue; there's a third I haven't managed to visit yet. That makes a total of at least 33 confirmed dead here. The Egyptian government has got to rein in its security forces on the streets today.
"Things are very tense in Alexandria. Large protests are ongoing. The police stations appear to have all been burned. Yesterday, demonstrators tried to burn down the building of the intelligence services, but seem not to have succeeded. The army is not intervening - so far."
17:57 The AFP has a lengthy profile of Omar Suleiman, who you can see here during his swearing-in ceremony, which I'll reprint in full:
Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, anointed by embattled President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday as his first ever deputy, is a loyalist general more at home in a tailored suit than a uniform.
Always impeccably dressed and sporting a distinctively groomed moustache, Suleiman has emerged from the shadows of his job as the Middle East's most powerful spy chief to become the man most likely to succeed Mubarak.
A discreet negotiator who favours working behind the scenes, he will have his work cut out trying to help Mubarak placate an angry nation demanding he step down after 30 years in power.
Suleiman, who received military training in the former Soviet Union, was for years a highly enigmatic figure for the world at large and in Egypt, where the all-powerful military's activities are shrouded in secrecy.
But he has increasingly acquired a public face in recent years, being tipped even before this week's violent popular revolt as a potential successor to Mubarak, himself a former head of the air force five years Suleiman's senior.
Symbolising the unparalleled role of the military in governing Egypt, Suleiman saluted Mubarak as he took his oath of office on Saturday, becoming Egypt's first vice president since Mubarak himself had the job in 1981.
Mubarak automatically became president when his predecessor Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Islamists in the same year.
Suleiman is a trusted talks partner for the United States, Israel and the Palestinians, and has orchestrated a series of albeit short-lived truces between Israel and the Palestinians over the past 10 years.
But while he may be liked and trusted abroad, many in Egypt consider Suleiman part of Mubarak's inner circle, and as such a pillar of a corrupt regime.
As news spread that the veteran president had finally decided to name a deputy, a crowd on Cairo's central Tahrir square tellingly chanted: "Neither Mubarak nor Suleiman, we're sick of Americans."
In 1995, Suleiman advised Mubarak to ride in an armoured car during a visit to Addis Ababa that shielded him from the fire of Islamist gunmen which killed the car's driver.
During the 1990s and following the botched Ethiopian assassination attempt, Suleiman joined the efforts of the CIA and other foreign intelligence agencies to crack down on Islamists, at home and abroad.
He also proceeded to target homegrown radical Islamist groups Gamaa Islamiya and Jihad after they carried out a string of attacks on foreigners that hit Egypt's vital tourism industry hard.
Born in 1936 to a well-off family in the southern Egyptian town of Qena, Suleiman graduated from Cairo's military academy in 1955. Appointed aide to Egypt's military intelligence chief in 1988, he replaced his boss a year later.
But besides bolstering Mubarak in a time of crisis, it is unclear what the exact role of Egypt's new vice president is supposed to be - except waiting in the wings to accede to the top spot in the Arab world's most populous nation.
17:51 The BBC has confirmed that Gamal and Alaa Mubarak are in London. Roger Cohen of The New York Times says that Gamal has a "nice pad on London's chic Eaton Square."
17:39 Mohamed ElBaradei is speaking to the press - I've taken some of it down as best I can:
"Peaceful demonstration is a lawful right of the people. The army is now focusing on protecting the public property and people must protect themselves.
"Mubarak is refusing to listen to the people. The recent appointments will not appease them. We want a change of regime, not a change of figures. Mubarak must resign. I hold the President responsible. I respect Omar Suleiman and Ahmad Shafik but we want an end to this Pharaonic regime not a change of some faces.
"Who is in command now? The presidency or the army? The president should be duly appointed by the people. He should step down today or otherwise the country will collapse. We are seeking parliamentary and democratic assurances. A coalition government must be formed, with a new democratic constitution that the people can vote on in an referendum"
"The whole world should realise that Egypt has risen up. They will not go back until their demands are realised.
"An armed response will wreak havoc.
"The Egyptian people will remember who stood by them and who stood by the regime when it falls."
Here is Mr ElBaradei in the crowd during the protests yesterday, when he was briefly arrested (Pic: AFP):
17:35 More on the looting: "thugs" going around on motorcycles looting shops and houses, according to Al Jazeera. They say they are getting more and more reports of looting. More worryingly, one group of looters who were captured by citizens in the upmarket Cairo district of Heliopolis turned out to have ID cards identifying them as members of the regime security forces.
17:34 Al Arabiya is reporting that the official death toll so far is 62. We can safely assume that that figure is going to rise significantly.
17:31 El Al, the Israeli national airline, has flown dozens of Israeli citizens out of Egypt on an emergency flight, AP report:
"Israel's national airline has whisked dozens of Israelis, including families of Israeli diplomats, out of Egypt on board an emergency flight to escape the chaos engulfing the Arab country.
"An Israeli official said Saturday's emergency El Al flight, which was arranged by the Foreign Ministry, carried about 40 Israeli citizens who were in Cairo on private business and wanted to return to Israel. Spouses and children of Israeli diplomats in Egypt were also on the flight.
"The official said Israeli diplomats would remain in Egypt for the time being. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.
"A Cairo airport official confirmed that El Al provided the special flight. El Al does not usually fly on the Jewish Sabbath to appease observant Jewish passengers who do not travel on the day of rest.
"El Al refused to comment.
"The flight reflects Israel's concerns over the deteriorating situation in Egypt - the first Arab country to reach peace with Israel."
17:27 Earlier today hundreds also gathered outside the Egyptian embassy in London, on South Street near Park Lane. There are videos of the protests here.
17:18 Sympathy protests in North America, in Vancouver, Washington, LA, San Francisco and elsewhere, calling for the USA to end its support for President Mubarak's regime - pic via Al-Jazeera:
17:16 The German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, has added his voice to the calls for restraint from the military and security services in Egypt - via AFP:
"I call on officials in Egypt and the security forces to be aware of their responsibility so that the situation does not degenerate further.
"There should be no use of violence against peaceful demonstrations.
"On the political level it is crucial that Egyptian leaders take the path of political and economic reforms now.
"For lasting stability there must be democracy, respect for human rights and guarantees of freedom of opinion."
17:13 The Egyptian army has urged protesters to respect the curfew, which few if any people are doing at this point. A spokesman, speaking to the "law-abiding" people of Egypt, says there are "thugs" on the street looting and fighting, and calls on people to trust the Defence Ministry as they try to maintain order.
17:09 A moment of humour, via the Telegraph's Jon Swaine on Twitter. The website PoliticsHome.com seems to be suggesting an unlikely appointment to the Egyptian government:
17:04 How much of a role Twitter and the internet in general has played in the uprising will no doubt be the subject of much debate over the next few days and weeks, but it seems that protesters themselves feel they are important. This cartoon, held up in the crowd, shows a young protester wearing the #jan25 Twitter hashtag on his top, holding President Mubarak by the scruff of his neck:
17:02 Channel 4's Chief Correspondent, Alex Thomson, has blogged on the protests and how they will affect the delicate balances of power in the region:
"If Egypt's President Mubarak is toppled, America and Israel stand to lose a key ally in the Middle East. The stakes could hardly be higher."
17:00 The Iranian opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has hailed the protests - here's more from AP:
"Iran's opposition leader has expressed hope that protests engulfing Egypt can bring change that has so far evaded his own country.
"Mir Hossein Mousavi compared the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen with the protest movement that followed the 2009 disputed elections in Iran.
"He says Iran's movement was the starting point but all aimed at ending the 'oppression of the rulers.'
"A heavy crackdown suppressed the peaceful protests in Iran, but Mousavi said Saturday that he hopes Egyptian and Yemeni protesters will succeed in bringing change to their country."
16:55 Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Cairo, is reporting from Tahrir Square in the centre of the city, where thousands are gathered. He says that the crowd reacted with anger to the news of the appointments of Gen Suleiman and Marshal Shafik. The reshuffle is seen as "moving the chairs", he says.
16:53 Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the IAEA and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spoken to Al Jazeera, calling for "A new Egypt, based on justice, social democracy, and social freedom".
16:50 CNN's Ben Wedeman, a journalist whose camera was smashed by police in the protests yesterday, has been reporting from Cairo on Twitter. He says:
"Police no longer functioning as law enforcement force. Army doing little to actually enforce order. Widely believed hated #Egypt police force playing part in the chaos and looting. they've abandoned their posts, in civilian clothes. Saw a truckload of riot police leaving Cairo this morning. they looked defeated and scared. people say 'they should be'. Almost all police stations ransacked, arsenals looted. Suddenly weapons in the streets wielded by thugs. Where is the army?
"Came to office by Cairo metro today. People talking about Mubarak as president IN THE PAST TENSE. For most I spoke, Mubarak is gone."
16:48 The Washington Post has an astonishing AP image on its website of an armoured personnel carrier in front of the Great Pyramid in Giza, which I can reproduce here:
16:34 Terrible scenes from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, of shattered display cabinets and ancient artefacts scattered on the floor after looting yesterday, on Al Jazeera. There are now armed security services in the museum. It is reported that locals formed a human chain around the building to protect it, but were not entirely successful. Two mummies were destroyed.
16:26 Egyptian state TV is continuing to pretend nothing is happening, as it spent most of yesterday doing. It is showing scenes of a peaceful Cairo night, according to Sultan Al Qassemi of the Middle Eastern newspaper The National on Twitter. It is also claiming that Hosni Mubarak's sons have fled the country, a story now confirmed by Fox News and the BBC.
16:21 A bit more on the cabinet reshuffle: apparently this is the first time that Egypt has had a vice president in more than 30 years. Air Marshal Ahmad Shafik, formerly the civil aviation minister, is the new Prime Minister: before that he was a fighter pilot, flying active duty in the 1972 Yom Kippur war. Here are the Wikipedia pages for both General Suleiman and Marshal Shafik.
16:17 Al Jazeera say that the death toll is believed to have risen to over a hundred across Egypt: more gunfire has been heard in Cairo, while the wounds of the dead in the morgue show that the police are using live ammunition. A reporter for the channel says that he counted 23 dead bodies in the morgue in Alexandria and another 15 in Suez.
16:05 Jim Roberts, the assistant managing editor of the New York Times, has Tweeted a link to an old story of ours, about Omar Suleiman, the newly sworn in vice president:
@nytjim "Telegraph profile of Omar Suleiman from Feb. 2009. 'One of the world's most powerful spy chiefs.'"
This is General Suleiman, then the intelligence chief, with then Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak (pic: Getty):
16:04 BBC World is reporting on Twitter that Hosni Mubarak's two sons, Alaa and Gamal, have arrived in London.
16:02 Appalling images on Al Jazeera of bodies in a Cairo morgue, barely covered by blood-soaked blankets. I won't reprint them here.
15.44 White House spokesman PJ Crowley says:
@PJCrowley "The Egyptian government can't reshuffle the deck and then stand pat. President #Mubarak's words pledging reform must be followed by action."
15.25 On Twitter, @rallaf - associate fellow of Chatham House and Middle East commentator - writes:
"Omar Suleiman VP = US and Israeli agreement on interim presidency. #Egypt #Jan25"
15.20 Omar Suleiman, director general of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, has been named vice president. Interesting move by President Mubarak - appointing one of the world's most powerful spy chiefs as your deputy. Watch this space...
15.05 Army use tanks to drive protesters away from the Central Bank in a Cairo suburb, firing shots into the air.
14.56 Al Jazeera reporting that at least three killed during protests outside the Interior Ministry in Cairo
14.28 BMI flight BD771 from Heathrow to Cairo, which left at 09.15, has turned back to the UK - shortly before arriving in Egypt. The airline said that its later flight to Cairo, BD772, was cancelled.
13:42 Police open fire on 1000 Egyptian protesters trying to storm the Interior Ministry in Cairo, according to Al Jazeera
13:19 Journalist in Cairo says Army officer tells him there is no way he will open fire on fellow Egyptians. Could Mubarak's gamble on the military backfire? Or will it take the heat out of protests? You can read more of Tahir Imran's eyewitness account on his blog
12:56 Egyptian military closes tourist access to the pyramids. Tanks and armored personnel carriers seal off the site on the Giza Plateau, which is normally packed with tourists
12:38 British Airways says it has chartered a plane to bring back passengers from Cairo already booked on flights but wanting to leave early. Most Brits are in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which remains quiet.
12:09 Foreign tourists and Egyptian nationals are flocking to Cairo airport, AP says
12:08 Al-Jazeera reports 50,000 protesters massing in central Cairo
11:44 Health ministry puts Friday death toll at 38
11:29 Senior military commanders last night cut short a trip to the Pentagon, sparking all sorts of rumours on Cairo streets. As Channel 4's Jonathan Rugman tweets...
@jrug "Egypt latest: I'm hearing rumours the military could take over tonight. #jan25"
11:14 Mohamed El Baradei says Mubarak "must go" and that protests will intensify until his rule ends, in an interview with France 24 television. He skirts around questions about whether he is under house arrest but says he will return to the streets today.
10:46 Death tolls are mounting at alarming speed. AP is quoting security officials saying 25 protesters and 10 policemen have died in this week's protests, figures expected to rise significantly. Also say 750 police and 1,500 demonstrators injured
10:33 Al Jazeera's Dan Nolan is tweeting from across Cairo
@nolanjazeera "15 dead bodies in Cairo morgue. Words can't do justice to the anger of grieving families. Screams at our camera 4 Mubarak to leave #Jan25"
10:26 To no-one's great surprise, the opening of the Cairo book fair has been cancelled. The whereabouts of the guest of honour, one Hosni Mubarak, remain uncertain
10:12 Praveen Swami, our Diplomatic Editor, has a gloomy take this morning: Even if the fires raging in the Middle East raze its authoritarian regimes, little will change.
"The democratic successors of today's authoritarian regimes will find themselves hard-pressed to deliver change, for much the same reasons their predecessors did: the changes needed are too large, and the solutions too painful.
"Islamists – who have the great advantage that their political promises pertain, in the main, to the next life – will likely benefit the most from this second failure."
10:02 After yesterday's mobile phone and internet blackout it looks like communications are getting back up and running. We have managed to make contact with Colin Freeman our foreign correspondent by text message - as well as landline - this morning. Internet users are also finding ways to get online, using old-fashioned dial-up services offered on European phone numbers.
09:43 Our splash this morning: Egypt protests: America's secret backing for rebel leaders behind uprising
09:35 After last night's disruption to flights, BMI says its morning flight from Heathrow to Cairo is leaving as normal. Due in at 16.10 local time. A spokesman said: "BMI passengers yesterday all safely left the airport terminal at Cairo after the flight arrived, and we expect the same situation today."
Saturday 09:30 Another big day in Egypt. Protesters out early for fresh day of demonstrations in Cairo. Cabinet expected to convene within the hour for ministers to tender mass resignation following President Mubarak's announcement late last night that he had told them to step down.
• Egypt protests: day four of the protests as it happened
The Telegraph team covering Egypt:
Adrian Blomfield covers the Middle East from the Daily Telegraph's Jerusalem bureau. He has been writing for the paper since 2001, based first in Nairobi and later in Moscow.
Richard Spencer is one of the Daily Telegraph's Middle East correspondents. He was China correspondent for six years before moving to Dubai, where he lives with his wife and children.
Colin Freeman is the Chief Foreign Correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph. He has worked for the paper for five years, covering stories in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Rob Crilly is the Telegraph's Pakistan Correspondent. He previously reported on the Middle East and before that was East Africa correspondent of The Times, travelling extensively through the continent's wars in Somalia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
