Observers now explain the possibilities for contagion based on whether other Arab countries share the socioeconomic challenges and political grievances of Egypt and Tunisia, or have access to new technologies that helped the demonstrators organize. But these factors have all been present for years, and the regimes that are now apparently shaken by them were thought resilient only weeks earlier.  Egypt Protests: Government Agrees To Major Demands In Talks On SundayWho will fill the empty space in Malaysinpolitics? None of our parties understands that we live in a time of revolutionary change. Could it be Nurul? So far she has given hint that The future, will be built by those who focus on the first, who think big and give young Malaysaian a sense of limitless possibilities. Extremely foolhardy of Umno to sent Anwar to jail for a trumped-up charge to way clear for Nurul Izzah THE FUTURE PRIME MINISTER  The world is watching Sodomy II, reminds KarpalSenior lawyer says this in applying for High Court judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah to voluntarily recuse himself. Senior lawyer says this in applying for High Court judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah to voluntarily recuse himself. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s lead defence counsel Karpal Singh today cautioned Sodomy II trial judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah in deciding on the defence’s application to disqualify him, saying that there were laws and rules in place to punish a judge for being “biased”. Anwar claimed yesterday the presiding judge in his Sodomy II trial had “intimidated” Karpal after he moved to disqualify the judge. In a written affidavit filed along with a notice of motion to disqualify Mohd Zabidin, Anwar said the judge had “threatened” Karpal earlier this week when the lawyer gave notice of the defence’s intentions to file an application to disqualify him. In presenting the defence’s oral submission today, Karpal stressed that a judge was by no means above the law, and could face punishment “short of removal” of office. “A judge can be subjected to disciplinary proceedings if he is found to be biased. “I’m giving your lordship a gentle reminder, your lordship would have to carefully consider, if your lordship insists on carrying on, with biasness, (then) be prepared for the consequences,” said Karpal Karpal explained that a Judges’ Ethics Committee 2010 was set up recently and the committee was empowered to look in possible cases of misconduct by trial judges as well as hand out punishments. “A judge cannot act as he pleases, he or she is subjected to rules and laws,” he said. Speaking to reporters outside the court, Karpal added that besides the ethics committee, a judge’s actions in presiding over cases were also under scrutiny in accordance with the judges’ Code of Conduct 2009. “If a judge rules in a manner deemed biased, the Court of Appeal can also decide whether he has been biased. “He (Mohd Zabidin) is subject to laws which can result in punishment short of removal,” said Karpal. The white-haired lawyer had also told the court earlier of the international repercussions of the sodomy trial. “This trial under close scrutiny. (There have been) calls by the United States Secretary of State, European Union and others for a fair trial. Malaysia’s legal system is also under trial. “Your honour has no alternative but to recuse,” said Karpal. The trial is scheduled to continue tomorrow to allow the prosecution to reply to the defence’s submission. Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Hanafiah Zakaria said the prosecution needed more time as Solicitor-General II Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden could not make it to court today as he was “unwell”. It is understood that Yusof had an accident this morning and injured his leg, although his exact condition has yet to be confirmed. Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life. The former deputy prime minister is charged with sodomising a former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara here between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008. Anwar has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction. The trial is taking place 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008. He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences. He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife. He had two years ago led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.
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Images shot by activists appear to show graphic scenes of intense fighting in Cairo and Alexandria |
ElBaradei, however, told the American television station NBC that he had not been invited to the talks. He slammed the negotiations for being "opaque", saying that "nobody knows who is talking to whom at this stage".
The MB's Fotouh described the meeting as testing the waters for what concessions the government was prepared to make.
He said he "did not see any ... seriousness so far. They [the government] have failed to take concrete measurement on the ground.
"If they were serious, the parliament would have been dissolved, also a presidential decree ending the emergency law".
He said that articles 77, 78 and 88 of the constitution should also have been amended by now.
Fotouh was referring to an article of the constitution covering presidential elections, which now effectively puts Mubarak's governing NDP party in a position to choose the next president, and another that allows the president to run for unlimited presidential terms.
He said the Muslim Brotherhood "does not seek power" and will not be fielding a candidate for president in elections.
He asserted that the organisation was not prepared to step back from its demand for Mubarak's departure, saying that if it did, the move would be a "betrayal of the martyrs who have died in the these protests".
Official statement
According to a statement from Suleiman's office following Sunday's talks, the government offered to form a committee to examine proposed constitutional amendments, pursue allegedly corrupt government officials, "liberalise" media and communications and lift the state of emergency in the country when the security situation was deemed to be appropriate.
A proposal being promoted by a group of Egyptians calling itself the The Council of Wise Men involves Suleiman assuming presidential powers for an interim period pending elections.
But some opposition figures argue that would mean the next presidential election would be held under the same unfair conditions as in previous years.
They want to first form a new parliament to change the constitution to pave the way for a presidential vote that is democratic.
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| Click here for more on Al Jazeera's special coverage |
Both he and Mohammed Mursi, another senior leader, said that the group would be sticking to its demand that Mubarak resign.
An Al Jazeera correspondent in Cairo described the news of the MB joining the talks as "highly significant".
"They are interested in talking about the resignation of president Mubarak," he said. "They want parliament resolved, they want those responsible for violence of the last few days put on trial ... and wanting to be able to peacefully protest."
Al Jazeera's correspondent in Alexandria - one of the Muslim Brotherhood's strongholds - says many people are surprised by the group's decision to enter talks.
He said it is a major concession that might be seen as a "weakness" in the sense that the MB did not stick to its stated position against joining negotiations until Mubarak resigns.
Cherif Bassiouni, president of the Egyptian American Society and a former UN human rights expert, said the MB has already proved itself to be a responsible participant in Egypt's legislative process.
"They participated in the 2005 legislative elections. They elected 88 members to the parliament. So they've had a role in the secular parliament," Bassiouni said.
Contest of wills
The government tried to get people back to work on Sunday, with banks and businesses reopening in the first clear test of how far protesters can keep up the momentum to topple the government.
But the protesters vowed not to back down in their demand for Mubarak to step down.
"They are steadfast and very sure in their aims and refuse to move," an Al Jazeera correspondent in Cairo said.
The leadership of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) resigned en masse on Saturday, according to state television.
| Opposition Demands |
 Hosni Mubarak must go Dissolve parliament Lift state of emergency Transitional unity cabinet Constitutional amendments Fair and transparent trials |
Other new appointees include: Mohamed Ragah Ahmed, Mohamed Ahmed Abd El-Illah, Maged Mahmoud Younes El-Shirbiny, Mohamed Ahmed Abd El-Salam Hebah and Dr Mohamed Mostafa Kamal, according to an NDP press release.
Officials in the US administration welcomed the resignation of Gamal Mubarak, terming it a "positive" move.
But the administration has continued to insist upon an orderly and peaceful transition in Egypt.
Frank Wisner, who has acted as a White House envoy by carrying a message to Mubarak, said on Saturday that Mubarak "must stay in office to steer" a process of gathering "national consensus around the preconditions" for the way forward.
PJ Crowley, the US state department's spokesman, said, however, that Wisner was speaking as a private citizen, and that his views did not represent those of the US government.
CAIRO — Egypt's vice president met a wide representation of major opposition groups for the first time Sunday and agreed to allow freedom of the press, to release those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks and ago and to lift the country's hated emergency laws when security permits.
Vice President Omar Suleiman endorsed a plan with the opposition to set up a committee of judiciary and political figures to study proposed constitutional amendments that would allow more candidates to run for president and impose term limits on the presidency, the state news agency reported. The committee was given until the first week of March to finish the tasks.
The regime also pledged not to harass those participating in the anti-government protests, which have drawn hundreds of thousands at the biggest rallies. The government also agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging and Internet.
Sunday's meeting was the broadest representation of Egypt's fragmented opposition to meet with the new vice president since the protests demanding the immediate ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak began on Jan. 25.
The opposition groups represented included the youthful supporters of leading democracy advocate Mohamed ElBaradei, who are one of the main forces behind the protests.
The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition group, and a number of smaller leftist, liberal groups also attended the meeting, according to footage shown on state television.
Mubarak, Egypt's ruler of nearly 30 years, has rejected calls to step down immediately and instead promised a package of unspecified political reforms – part of a series of concessions the regime has made in an unsuccessful bid to quell the protests.
The two sides also agreed at the meeting that the government would open an office that would field complaints about political prisoners, according to the state news agency.
The government also pledged to commission judicial authorities to fight corruption and prosecute those behind it. It agreed to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the yet unexplained disappearance of police from Cairo's streets more than a week ago, which unleashed a wave of lawless looting and arson.
Egypt's emergency laws were imposed by Mubarak when he took office in 1981 and they have been in force ever since. The laws give police far-reaching powers for detention and suppression of civil and human rights. Lifting the laws has been a longtime demand by the opposition.
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Today 2:09 AM Gunfire In Tahrir Square
Egyptian army fires warning shots in Tahrir Square, CNN reports.
 | @ cnnbrk : Multiple bursts of automatic gunfire, apparently warning shots, heard in Cairo's Tahrir Square. http://on.cnn.com/i8G9Cv |
According to ABC, however, the gunfire was actually just fireworks.
Today 0:57 AM Egyptian Prime Minister On Journalist Arrests
CNN's Candy Crowley spoke this morning with Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and pressed him about the arrest of Al Jazeera reporter Ayman Mohyeldin and other journalists and human rights activists.
"We are not allowed at all to do something like that," Shafiq said, and promised to look into the matter after their phone conversation.
The hasthag #freeayman is now trending on Twitter.
02/06/2011 10:48 PM Negroponte, Albright On Mubarak
Today on CNN's "State of the Union," John Negroponte, who served in the State Department and as director of national intelligence under President Bush, said he if he could tell Mubarak one thing, it would be: "Mr. Mubarak, please help facilitate the success of this transition."
When asked by host Candy Crowley if Mubarak should step down, former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said, "There is never an indispensable leader. I think there is a time with dignity that one needs to leave. But it is not -- they have to make the decision there. I think that the Mubarak era -- my own personal opinion is the Mubarak era is over, and the question is how to have a process that really works properly, that allows these various voices to come together and not disagree on some of the tactical aspects."
02/06/2011 10:39 PM Al Jazeera Correspondent Arrested
Despite the government's agreement Sunday to allow press freedom and release detainees, the crackdown on journalists appears to continue. Al Jazeera reports this morning that Ayman Mohyeldin has been arrested:
 | @ AJEnglish : Al Jazeera correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin ( @AymanM) has been arrested by #Egypt military authorities. We call for his immediate release. |
02/06/2011 10:19 PM Oil On The Rise
The unrest in Egypt is causing oil prices to spike, and they could go as high as $110 a barrel, on OPEC official tells Reuters.
02/06/2011 9:53 PM Protesters Win Major Concessions In Talks With Government
The AP reports:
Egypt's vice president met a wide representation of major opposition groups for the first time Sunday and agreed to allow freedom of the press, to release those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks and ago and to lift the country's hated emergency laws when security permits.
Vice President Omar Suleiman endorsed a plan with the opposition to set up a committee of judiciary and political figures to study proposed constitutional amendments that would allow more candidates to run for president and impose term limits on the presidency, the state news agency reported. The committee was given until the first week of March to finish the tasks.The regime also pledged not to harass those participating in the anti-government protests, which have drawn hundreds of thousands at the biggest rallies. The government also agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging and Internet.
Read the full story here.
02/06/2011 9:29 PM A Return To Normalcy?
Even as protests continue in Tahrir Square, life in other parts of Cairo began to return to normal on Sunday. The AP reports:
The government opened a limited number of banks for the first time in a week, although just for three hours. Long lines formed outside banks in Cairo's downtown area and in the wealthy neighborhood of Zamalek.
Also in Zamalek, home to many foreign embassies, several food outlets opened for the first time since Jan. 25. Pizza delivery boys checked their motorbikes. Employees at a KFC restaurant wiped down tables. Hairdressers and beauty salons called their patrons to let them know they were reopening.Traffic also was back to near regular levels and more stores reopened across Cairo, including some on the streets leading to the central Tahrir Square -- signals many hoped would ease enormous economic losses. Protesters greeted some store owners with flowers.
In Alexandria too, buses are back on the road, CNN's Nic Robertson reports, leading to the traffic jams.
02/06/2011 9:22 PM A Committee To Study Constitutional Reform
The BBC reports:
Egypt's government and opposition have agreed to set up a committee to study constitutional reform, state TV says, after days of protests calling for President Hosni Mubarak to quit.
The move followed talks between new Vice-President Omar Suleiman and key opposition members, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood.
Opposition groups have not yet confirmed the reports. Mohamed ElBaradei was not taking part in today's talks.
02/06/2011 9:04 PM France Suspends Arms Sales To Egypt
France has suspended the sale of arms and tear gas to Egypt, Agence France Pressreports.
The decision to suspend tear gas sales was made on January 25, the day the protests in Egypt began. The French prime minister's office decided to suspend arms sales on January 27.
02/06/2011 12:33 PM Protests Across America
Hundreds gathered to protest Mubarak's regime across the United States today, the APreports:
About 150 people gathered outside the New Orleans federal building to demand that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak step down. Meanwhile, about 180 people demonstrated in Atlanta outside the headquarters of CNN. In Washington, more than 100 marched from the Egyptian Embassy to the White House, following protests in that city on Tuesday and last Saturday. Rallies were also held in New York and Seattle.
Full story here.
02/06/2011 12:13 PM 'Day Of Anger' In Bahrain?
Reports have surfaced of a possible "Day of Anger" to take place on February 14 in Bahrain, both in solidarity with and inspired by the Egyptian people. The Bahraini Youth For Freedom have created a website that calls for the event. Check it out here.
02/06/2011 12:07 PM NYT Analysis: America's Complex Egypt Policy
The New York Times posted a news analysis about the White House's complicated policy in Egypt:
The latest challenge came Saturday afternoon when the man sent last weekend by President Obama to persuade the 82-year-old leader to step out of the way, Frank G. Wisner, told a group of diplomats and security experts that “President Mubarak’s continued leadership is critical — it’s his opportunity to write his own legacy.”
Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton immediately tried to recalibrate those remarks, repeating the latest iteration of the administration’s evolving strategy. At a minimum, she said, Mr. Mubarak must move out of the way so that his vice president, Omar Suleiman, can engage in talks with protest leaders over everything from constitutional changes to free and fair elections.It is hardly the first time the Obama administration has seemed uncertain on its feet during the Egyptian crisis, as it struggles to stay on the right side of history and to avoid accelerating a revolution that could spin out of control.
Full story here.
02/06/2011 12:04 PM Protesters Fear Retribution, But Press On
HuffPost's Jake Bialer reports:
Even as members of Egyptian government make concessions, some political activists are worried about their safety and the future of Egypt. This is especially true as work is expected to resume for many this week.
"The calmer things are, the more the fear there will be because the Ministry of Defense people will be back to work," Cairo native Eman Hashim told the Huffington Post by phone.
Activists are concerned by the continued detainment of their associates, the words of politicians, and the broadcasts of state media.
Read the whole story here.
02/06/2011 11:56 AM Honeymoon In Tahrir Square
Photos are circulating on Twitter of this young couple who plans to spend their honeymoon amidst the revolution in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
02/06/2011 11:55 AM Egypt's Cyber-Crackdown Aided By U.S. Economy
Al Jazeera English reports on a link between the U.S. and Egypt's Internet blackout:
An American advocacy group called Free Press says it's uncovered a link to a California-based technology company which allegedly sold the Egyptian government equipment allowing it to track online activity.
Watch their video report:
02/06/2011 9:59 AM Christian Mass Planned
Reports are surfacing on Twitter that a Christian mass will be held in Cairo's Tahrir Square at 2pm tomorrow.
02/06/2011 9:57 AM ElBaradei: Protests Could Turn More Violent
In an interview with Reuters, leading opposition activist Mohamed ElBaradei warned that protests in Egypt could turn even more violent:
"There is of course a little fatigue everywhere," he told Reuters, adding that there was a "hard core" of demonstrators who would not give up as long as Mubarak held onto power.
"It might not be every day but what I hear is that they might stage demonstrations every other day," ElBaradei said. "The difference is that it would become more angry and more vicious. And I do not want to see it turning from a beautiful, peaceful revolution into a bloody revolution."
Full story here.
02/06/2011 9:13 AM Blogger: We Are Not Winning 'By A Long Shot'
Blogger Sandmonkey, who has been participating in and chronicling the protests in Egypt, shared his thoughts on developments in the country in a new post on his blog today.
Most notably, Sandmonkey explained that "even though it appears we are winning...we are not by a long shot" and mentioned there is still much work ahead to remove Mubarak from power.
Calling for Mubarak to step down and an Egyptian Unity party to be formed, he says, "so far we have proved all the critics and the haters wrong. It’s time to do that again!"
02/06/2011 9:09 AM BBC: Muslim Brotherhood 'To Join Talks'
The BBC reports that Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, its most powerful opposition group, will enter into talks with officials about ending the crisis:
The group told Reuters the talks would begin on Sunday and would aim to assess how far the government was "ready to accept the demands of the people".
The Brotherhood had earlier said it would not take part in the negotiations with Vice-President Omar Suleiman.
Full story here.
02/06/2011 8:44 AM Central Bank: Egypt Can Deal With Crisis
Reuters reports that the Central Bank said Egypt has the reserves and experience to deal with the economic outfall from the crisis:
The central bank said on Saturday that growth which had been forecast at 6 percent would be hit by Egypt's political crisis and outflows could hit $8 billion in two weeks but Egypt had reserves and experience to deal with it.
Speaking on the evening before banks open on Sunday after being closed for a week due to anti-government protests, Governor Farouk el-Okdah said Egypt's reserves were adequate at $36 billion, the figure at the end of December.
Full story here.
If Anwar goes to jail on trumped charges I believe the people would rise up against the Umno led govt even stronger with a faster pace than before. Remember what happened to Aquino when he was gunned down when he returned from exile. Philippines experienced people's power and threw the Marcos out and hound them out of the country.related articleMalaysia’s third great CONSPIRACY or IDIOTICRACY?