News

Tanks vs. Twitter in Egypt

Now there’s a sentence one couldn’t have imagined writing even a few years ago. Translated to the more familiar vernacular, it is sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees. So it has been in trying to decipher the … read more

Egyptian army pledges democracy

Egypt’s new military leadership has pledged to support the current government until elections take place and uphold its international treaties, in an implicit reassurance to Israel and the West that it will not revoke its 1979 peace treaty with Israel. … read more

Bustling traffic returns to Cairo protest square

Traffic again flowed through much of Cairo’s emblematic Tahrir Square on Sunday as most protesters headed home following the nationwide revolt that brought down president Hosni Mubarak. Military police directed cars through what had been the epicentre of the uprising, … read more

Army takes down tents on Tahrir Square

Egypt’s military is taking down the makeshift tents of protesters who camped out on Tahrir Square in an effort to allow traffic and normal life to return to central Cairo. There were a few verbal altercations between soldiers and protesters … read more

Military starts removing barricades; world reacts

The Egyptian military on Saturday began removing the barricades around Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the popular revolt that drove veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak from power. As tanks lurched to the sides of the main roads leading into the … read more

Army officer says 15 others join protesters

An Egyptian army officer who joined protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square said on Friday 15 other middle-ranking officers had also gone over to the demonstrators. “The armed forces’ solidarity movement with the people has begun,” Major Ahmed Ali Shouman told … read more

Mubarak refuses to quit

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said yesterday he had delegated power to his deputy and proposed constitutional changes but stopped short of resigning, infuriating protesters who had urged him to go. His televised speech was met with angry chants of “Down, … read more