Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Towards the Day of Departure

0540 GMT: Now see Thursday's LiveBlog: "The Battle of Tahrir Square".

0536 GMT: The pro-regime protesters and thugs have not left Cairo yet. Some of them have taken over tall buildings and are throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at democracy protesters below outside of Tahrir Square. 

This has not stopped hundreds of protesters from continuing to join democracy protesters in Tahrir Square, swelling up their numbers.  

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0530 GMT: Another chink in Mubarak's armor. Mosa'ab Elshamy, who was in Tahrir Square last night amidst the clashes, tweets: 

Some of the thugs we captured confessed the police promised them L.E 5000 (~ $1000) if they succeeded in taking over Tahrir square.

0523 GMT: Last night, activist Mona Seif, who was in Tahrir Square, spoke to Al Jazeera amidst the sounds of gunfire, directed at her and other protesters. Here's what she said: 

0520 GMT: As the sun gets higher on the Egyptian sky, more democracy protesters are coming out to join the protesters in Cairo who spent a night under gunfire by thugs and government supporters. Chants are getting louder by the minute. People are now chanting, "The people want to topple the regime!" 

0510 GMT: Live broadcast from Cairo. Democracy protesters are still in Tahrir Square and chanting against Mubarak. Click here to watch. People are chanting, "The people want to execute the killer!"

0505 GMT: Several people are reporting that Egyptian state TV is blaming the deaths in Tahrir Square - a result of gunfire by pro-Mubarak thugs and protesters - as random shooting by a passing car. 

0450 GMT: And where did these thugs and pro-Mubarak protesters come from? @Wael tweets from Cairo: 

From an arrested thug: an MP brought him & others in truck saying: "let's beat Americans in Tahrir"

Anybody in the White House reading this?

0440 GMT: Reports that the Army is going to keep more protesters from entering Tahrir Square where democracy protesters have barricaded themselves and spend a brutal night when they were assaulted by thugs and pro-Mubarak protesters. 

Day light is creeping on Cairo and more democracy protesters are expected to turn up on the streets today. 

0435 GMT: Many claim that men who fired upon protesters were militias, intelligence officers, police officers and others. Some even claim that they were men paid by pro-Mubarak businessmen. We cannot confirm. But while the democracy protests included women, children, elderly as well as men, the pro-Mubarak protests were largely composed of men in their late 20s and early 30s. 

0430 GMT: Al Jazeera and others are now reporting that in the past few hours as a result of the assaults by thugs and pro-government protesters, the democracy protesters in Tahrir Square have lost 5 lives and 15 others have been injured. 

0425 GMT: More heavy gunfire is being heard in Cairo according to eye-witnesses. 

0415 GMT: Now there are more reports of clashes around Egypt National Museum. Eye-witness in Tahrir Square says that nobody will leave Tahrir Square until Mubarak leaves. He says that they have many demands and that Mubarak's promise to leave power after next election is a joke and that they want him to leave immediately. 

He adds that they won't accept this anymore since the regime is killing its people, it is torturing its people. They won't wait until March, until April or until may. They want him to go now. 

0410 GMT: Evan Hill of Al Jazeera reports from Cairo: 

I am going to be busy filing and uploading, but suffice to say tonight was the Battle of Tahrir, and the protesters won. Cairo is changed.

0350 GMT: Al Jazeera now reporting through AP that some mosques are calling on people go out and protest for Mubarak. 

0345 GMT: Reporters are claiming the pro-Mubarak supporters have no signs now. Just guns and Molotov cocktails and only shooting at people and trying to disperse people in Tahrir Square. Al Jazeera is showing bodies of protesters being dragged away by people. 

0335 GMT: Another eye-witness on Al Jazeera - @Monasosh - says that democracy protesters won't leave Tahrir Square, even though they are being shot at by thugs and pro-regime men. She said, "I don't understand what more the world needs to kick Mubarak out of Egypt?!"

This is while Al Jazeera confirms that in the past hour and a half, at least 4 people have been killed by gunfire. 

She claims that they won't leave the square because they know if they leave, the regime will hunt them down one by one and kill them. She says the regime has done before and they will do it again. 

She implores the army to do something to stop the bloodshed. She says that people won't stop, gunshots won't stop and that thugs are not stopping and that the army is not doing anything to stop the people getting shots. 

"If everyone is concerned [Egyptians] why is Mubarak still here?" she says. Her message to the world: We are not leaving this place till Mubarak leave. There are two options for whole world, either Mubarak stays and this square becomes massacre square or you force Mubarak out and give these people what they want.

She says that the square is filled mostly by young people and that there are women and children there. 

0325 GMT: Al Jazeera reporter claims she can hear gunfire, but also people screaming and shouting after each volley of gunfire. Adds they've been hearing sounds of gunfire and explosions and that pro-regime protesters have created barrackades leading into Tahrir Square and are manning them. 

0320 GMT: Eye-witness on Al Jazeera from Tahrir Square from among the democracy protesters is really emotional and crying about how they were fired upon and how the injured are being taken away in ambulances. 

She says that she doesn't know who are shooting at them and that nobody should be allowed to have guns around the protesters like that. She also confirms that there are women and children in the square. 

0315 GMT: Injured democracy protesters are being carried away in ambulances. 

0310 GMT: Hillary Clinton in a call to Egyptian Vice President described the shooting on democracy protesters in Tahrir Square in Cairo as 'shocking'. Gunfire continues. 

0300 GMT: We kept hearing an hour of continuous gunfire, machine gun fire and loud bangs in Tahrir Square, Cairo. Still going on. There have been over a dozen injuries, at least 2 people have been killed now. 

0253 GMT: Anti-Mubarak protesters have finally managed to push pro-Mubarak protesters and thugs off the 6th October Bridge from which they were shooting from the square. This means they won't have the high vantage point from which to shoot on anti-Mubarak protesters anymore. 

0250 GMT: Al Jazeera reporter say armored vehicles have mostly left the square - only two are there now. Unconfirmed reports says dozens have been injured and at least two have died in the square as a result of automatic weapons being fired upon them. 

0245 GMT: Another eye-witness on Al Jazeera reaffirms that there are women and children are in Tahrir Square and that the Army is not listening to them to intervene and stop the thugs and pro-Mubarak protesters on the bridge from firing on them. 

0236 GMT: Continuous barrages of gunfire are being heard around Tahrir Square. There are now reports that another protester has died as a result of gunfire on Tahrir Square from the bridge above where pro-Mubarak protesters and thugs have taken position. 10 are claimed to have been injured. All of this has happened just in the past few minutes.  

0228 GMT: Eye-witness, Salma Al-Tarzi from, a woman in Tahrir Square, on Al Jazeera claims that there are still women, children and elderly alongside the men in Tahrir Square amidst the anti-Mubarak protesters. She claims it is the thugs, the militias and the intelligence agency that are opening fire on protesters amidst the pro-Mubarak protesters. 

She says some people are leaving, but a lot of people are not leaving because they cannot leave at this point. She says they are using stones and sticks while they are being shot at by the thugs. She says that people are too tired to be afraid of the gunfire.  

In reply to whether they should go back home or not because Mubarak has promised he will step down, She says they cannot trust a government that are sending people to kill them, adding they are committing crimes against innocent civilians for the past ten days. We want freedom and freedom of choice.  

0225 GMT: Al Jazeera confirms one protesters was killed in the gunfire. Loud machine gun fire and gunfire can be heard can be heard Tahrir Square. Tanks can be seen advancing towards where gunfire is coming from. 

0215 GMT: Unconfirmed reports suggest that at least 1 protester has so far been killed after shots were fired into the anti-Mubarak protester camp by pro-Mubarak protesters who seem to be armed. The number of injuries is between 2 and 7.  

0210 GMT: Another reporter claiming pro-Mubarak protesters are moving away from the frontline on the bridge and are looking at the anti-Mubarak protesters. The protester is also reporting they are being resupplied with petrol and that they already have a huge supply of petrol bombs. 

Al Jazeera quotes witness saying at least 7 have been injured so far in the past few minutes after thugs and pro-Mubarak supporters shot at anti-Mubarak supporters. Al Jazeera reporter claims that pro-Mubarak supporters are armed. 

0205 GMT: Al Jazeera reporter says that up to 20% of protesters inside Tahrir Square have some for of bandages around their head, arm, leg or other part of body. With thousands in the square, it looks like injuries might top 1,500 that was reported earlier. 

Reporter also reports that people are being taken to the back of the square where most of ambulances are. People are being taken to hospitals and make-shift hospitals. 

0200 GMT: Reports from Cairo state that at least two protesters have been injured as a result of gunfire by pro-Mubarak protesters and thugs. Others claim up to six were injured. 

0155 GMT: While Al Jazeera is reporting hearing gunfire, coming from the side of the pro-Mubarak protesters and thugs, the Army may no longer be neutral. One protester claims that they were not allowed to enter central Cairo and join protests in Tahrir Square by the Army, while they allowed pro-Mubarak protesters to pass through. 

0152 GMT: Here's a map, showing the frontlines of the battles between the anti-Mubarak protesters and the pro-Mubarak protesters + thugs from @weddady. Blue lines indicate positions of anti-Mubarak protesters, while the red area is occupied by the pro-Mubarak protesters and thugs.

 

0147 GMT: There are several reports that when anti-Mubarak protesters arrest thugs who are trying to disrupt protests - the soldiers hold them for a few minutes, then release them so they could join back their friends and continue attacking innocent civilians. 

Dima Khatib tweets: 

The army is reported to have released the attackers handed over by protesters !

0135 GMT: Many of the pro-Mubarak protester being caught are holders of membership cards in the National Democratic Party - the ruling party to which President Mubarka belongs. 

Here are some of the pictures of the ID cards. 

0110 GMT: People in Cairo had been getting text messages telling them that there will be a protest in support of President Mubarak all day Feb 2. The text reads: "A huge protest will start today from Mostafa Mahmoud Square in Mohandessin to support President Mubarak" 

This is while text messaging has been blocked in the country for the past several days. We cannot confirm - even though there are many claims and reports - that the messages are only being sent through Vodafone. Number is blocked. Activists in Egypt are claiming this is further proof that government is using its powers to try and quell protests by mobilizing its supporters and thugs while rest of population are being deprived of any such opportunity. Here's a picture of the text message: 

0100 GMT: Clashes in Tahrir Square continue at 3:00 AM in Cairo. There are fires burning in the neutral ground between the pro and anti-Mubarak protesters. One witness claimed to have seen an pro-Mubarak protester throwing molotov cocktails. 

Al Jazeera reporter is reporting that pro-Mubarak protesters seem to have an endless supply of Molotov cocktails. 

0050 GMT: We've all heard of the religious harmony displayed during protests in Cairo. But now we have images showing the chivalry displayed by Christians of Egypt, during this time of crisis: @nevinezaki has this photograph, showing Christians, forming a human chain around their Muslim countrymen to protect them while they pray in Tahrir Square, Cairo:

 

2255 GMT: This is pretty much an admission of US failure with Hosni Mubarak: Obama's envoy Frank Wisner, who was sent out this weekend to convince the Egyptian President to stand down, has returned to the US. The official line is "he was no longer able to be as effective a conduit to President Mubarak after their private conversations had been made public"; the reality is that Mubarak's speech last night and the regime's unleashing of violence today exposed the weakness of the US mission.

Now the question is whether the US is admitting failure or whether it will attempt something to check a further show of force by Mubarak and his supporters.

2245 GMT: Journalist Maryam Ishani gives this account of the afternoon in Tahrir Square:

I'm basically stuck between what they've established as two cordons around Tahrir. One is established by pro-Mubarak demonstrators, whose job it is to keep people out of the square. That includes ambulances and anyone who's not on their side. They ask you if you're pro- or against. They're looking for Americans and foreigners. They're saying things like, "You brought Baradei. This is your fault. You're trying to break Egypt." They're quite hostile. They physically hit me with sticks. I went in to film them throwing stones and they knocked me back pretty hard, which is not the mood of the demonstrators inside the square.

The second cordon is also pro-Mubarak demonstrators, who are just beating up the demonstrators inside Tahrir. They have swords --- I'm not exaggerating --- they have things that look like machetes with a 12-inch blade or longer, sticks, pipes, automatic weapons. This is why people [are] saying they're actually police. They're in very large numbers, not just people who collected. They're generally all men between the ages of 20 or 30.

Among them are some pretty thuggish types. I walked down a street into a crowd of about 10 of them and I was so uncomfortable with the look on their face that I just turned right around. It literally looks like their job is to just beat people up. They're working their way into Tahrir an inch at a time with the cordon behind them keeping everyone out, specifically the press. They're confiscating cameras. They'll take things away and break them. They're throwing stones. They mean business in a way that hasn't been the case so far.

The army is not intervening at all on either side. There are a lot of injuries. I'm seeing ambulances treating four of five people with head injuries and cuts to the body from, I'm guessing, the knives.

There's a lot of live fire. It's difficult to tell which direction it's coming from. But I'm hearing both shotguns and automatic weapons. I really can't see what's happening inside the square, but it's certainly nothing good.

2240 GMT: The official toll for today in Tahrir Square is 3 dead and 639 injured. Al Jazeera says 3 dead and more than 1500 injured.

We had confirmation of 3 dead hours ago (see 1840 GMT), so we expect the total of killed to rise.

2200 GMT: According to Al Hayat TV, Mohamed ElMoourshedy, a member of the ruling NDP, has announced his resignation from the Parliament "to save the lives of youth".

2145 GMT: Continuing clashes in Cairo tonight. Evan Hill of Al Jazeera has been providing a running commentary on the closing stages of the eight-hour front-line battle outside the National Museum. Excerpts:

The Egyptian Museum pro-Mubarak throng is now more dispersed and aimless. APC is firing into the air again, red tracers arcing over Cairo.

Tahrir protesters open the barricade, allow men with metal shields to advance on pro-Mubarak crowd. The Tahrir protesters are trying to slowly advance their shield wall, and a new battle has opened. Stone and molotov throwing.

This is medieval. The pro-Mubarak crowd has mounted several charges against the advancing Tahrirites, but they never get w/in 75 ft. Protesters at museum now look like they outnumber the Mubarak supporters. They have formed a staggered wall of angled metal shields.

This APC [armoured personnel carrier/ seems to be aiding the protesters. It has fired shots into the air multiple times now and sits in the middle of pro-Mub crowd. The cacophony we've heard seems to be rocks hitting the protesters metal barriers or the protesters banging on the barriers for effect.

The Mubarak crowd at the Egyptian museum is melting away. Tahrir protesters are beating on their metal barricades in unison, in celebration. (Shades of the movie Zulu, for those who have watched.)

Jaw-dropping: the Tahrir protesters have broken out completely and rushed the Mubarak crowd. Mubarak protesters in complete retreat. This is incredible. Spectators running from their position on the overpass.

Barricades being moved. The protesters have massed behind a new line of barricades and are exchanging molotov cocktails with the remnants of the pro-Mub crowd. Mubarak supporters are now on the 6th of October overpass, throwing rocks over the heads of the spectators at railing in front of them.

Someone just attempted to drive a bus into the Tahrir protesters, rumbled through for about 50 feet before he was stopped by the sheer mass.

2015 GMT: Two Swedish journalists from the paper Aftonbladet were attacked by a crowd and then held for several hours by the military today.

Egyptian journalist Jano Charbel was beaten by State Security Police.

Al-Arabiya TV correspondent Ahmed Abdullah (see 1810 GMT) has been found. He was severely beaten and is now in hospital.

2010 GMT: If this statement is reported correctly, it is the height of naivete or insensitivity from the US military. From NBC News' Jim Miklaszewski:

U.S. officials tell NBC News the impression is that the Egyptian military is "trying very hard to stay out of the politics" and does not want to "get caught between the anti- and pro-government demonstrators." The expectation is that the Interior Ministry and Egyptian police would take the lead in any efforts to clear Tahrir Square. (my italics)

1950 GMT: Evan Hill of Al Jazeera English sends the message, "A dozen or more ambulances just drove down Corniche toward Qasr Aini Hospital, another dozen or so are in Tahrir. Not good."

1935 GMT: Mostafa El Fekki from the ruling NDP tells Al Jazeera Arabic:

I can confirm that NDP businessmen were behind the Meydan Tahrir [Tahrir Square] mercenaries. The NDP businessmen sent the mercenaries to Tahrir as a favour for Mubarak. I am an NDP member but I disagree with some policies. What happened today is simply too much.

1930 GMT: Associated Press reporter Hadeel al-Shalik writes, "Dozens injured. Bleeding heads, limbs, and eyes. Doctors seem overwhelmed and overworked."

An EA source sends us this appeal, "People in Tahrir need blood donation. Please help."

Al Jazeera reports that fighting continues near the National Museum on the north side of the Square.

1845 GMT: Two ambulances finally reach Tahrir Square.

1840 GMT: An interviewee on Al Jazeera English passes on word from a medical source at a Cairo hospital that it has received three bodies.

1830 GMT: Ivan Watson of CNN writes from central Cairo, "Below our window, sounds like a medieval castle seige. Men digging up stones for ammo. Wounded screaming. Prayers."

1825 GMT: Al Jazeera now estimates, from medical sources, that more than 750 have been injured in Tahrir Square today.

Egyptian State TV is featuring a large banner warning demonstrators to evacuate the Square immediately.

1814 GMT: White House spokesman Robert Gibbs is now emphasising that the violence today shows the need for the Egyptian regime to pursue a speedy transition. He restates the call for restraint, without blaming either side, and points to President Obama's mention of the important role of the military: "It is imperative that the violence we are seeing stop."

Gibbs talks about the message from Obama to Mubarak in their "frank" discussion last night: "The time for change has come."

1810 GMT: Al Arabiya journalist Ahmad Abdullah is reported missing after being attacked by a pro-Mubarak group.

1749 GMT: Leading Islamic scholar Yusuf Al Qaradawi, who has called for the Egyptian President to step down, has just said, "My final words are to Mubarak: Haram (sinful) on you to kill your people. The shepherd has become a wolf."

1745 GMT: Gunshots have been fired by the Army in Tahrir Square to deter pro-Mubarak attackers, who continue to throw flaming objects into the Square.

The official announcement is one dead and more than 400 injured. Al Jazeera believes there are far more casualties.

Al Jazeera's Gregg Carlstrom reports:

Was out near Tahrir Square a few moments ago; crowd of 500 pro-Mubarak people started throwing rocks over tanks near Qasr al-Nil bridge Anti-Mubarak demo responded, battled for about 15 minutes, thousands of rocks flying through the air, some of them quite large.

The army largely stood by; when things got tense on Qasr al-Nil, soldiers retreated into their tanks. Pro-Mubarak crowd climbed on top.

1720 GMT: Both Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera report that the captured pro-Mubarak riders on horses and camels in Tahrir Square have Ministry of Interior ID cards.

1710 GMT: Four Israeli journalists have been arrested in Egypt for violating curfew.

1635 GMT: AFP is reporting, from a medic, at least 500 injuries in Tahrir Square today.

1630 GMT: British Prime Minister David Cameron has taken a line which is a notable contrast to the cautious statements of American and European colleagues. He said, "If it turns out that the regime in any way has been sponsoring or tolerating this violence, that would be completely and utterly unacceptable. These are despicable scenes."

Cameron called for a "quick road map for reform....That change needs to start happening now."

1625 GMT: In Tunisia, the new Minister of Interior has accused members of the security services of instigating unrest. “There is a conspiracy against state security,” said Rajhi, who alleged that some of the security forces were behind recent looting.

Rajhi also announced the detention of his predecessor, Rafik Belhaj Kacem, who will spend a renewable period of three days under arrest for interrogation. Rajhi added that 42 senior security officials were replaced, including the heads of general security and presidential security.

1620 GMT: The Army has been using water cannon to try and put out fire started by Molotov cocktails thrown into and around Tahrir Square.

Daily News Egypt says that the Molotov cocktails were thrown inside as well as outside the National Museum.

1600 GMT: Without condemning any side, the European Union's Catherine Ashton calls for restraint and no violence. She asks for people to work with President Mubarak for a declared transition, so Egyptians can "feel confident" that transition and transformation will take place. The President "must explain that he has a plan...for Egypt to move forward".

1550 GMT: Al Masry Al Youm summarises the day in Alexandria....

Thousands of pro-Mubarak protesters demonstrated in the Semoha, Sidi Beshr, Mahatit Misr, Algomrok, Sidi Gaber, and Mahatit Alramal neighbourhoods. They chanted “President, we love you!”, "Oh Mubarak the pilot, don't leave Egypt burning," and "There is nobody like Mubarak.”

A source in the ruling National Democratic Party said the party asked provincial offices to organise pro-Mubarak protests. Mohamed al-Helo, a member of Alexandria's local council, and Abdallah Osman, a high-ranking member of the NDP in Alexandria, were seen guiding the protesters.

In their first public appearance in Alexandria since Friday, police cars were seen in Semoha. Pro-Mubarak protesters carried two policemen chanting, "People and the police are one hand."

At Mahatit al-Ramal district, clashes erupted between demonstrators for and against Mubarak in front of Al-Qaed Ibrahim Mosque, but the army asked pro-Mubarak protesters to leave the area.

1545 GMT: Reports of a petrol bomb thrown at the National Museum, where the front-line battle has been waged. An ambulance is trying to make its way to Tahrir Square.

1540 GMT: P.J. Crowley of the State Department has posted on Twitter, "We reiterate our call for all sides in #Egypt to show restraint and avoid violence."

That has brought the short, sharp response from a Middle East analyst: "ALL SIDES?"

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has told CNN, "We continue to watch the events very closely, and it underscores that the transition needs to begin now."

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, echoed Crowley, "I am deeply concerned by the continuing violence in Egypt. I once again urge restraint to all the sides"; however, he added, "Any attack against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable and I strongly condemn it."

Ban Ki-moon also said that the "transition" of power in Egypt "should take place now".

1523 GMT: An Army vehicle with pro-Mubarak supporters appears to have moved towards Tahrir Square.

1513 GMT: Mohamed ElBaradei calls for Army intervention.

An Al Jazeera correspondent says he was attacked during a broadcast by a pro-Mubarak group but was saved by warning shots from the Army.

1510 GMT: More on-air shouting, close to panic, from an observer for Al Jazeera English who talks of "tens" of injured: "Where are the ambulances?....There is no one to help us."

She says every pro-Mubarak charge into the Square has been repulsed but "each time we have tens of wounded".

1500 GMT: Anti-Mubarak protesters have countered the charge of pro-Mubarak forces and are driving them back.

1455 GMT: In the battle near the National Museum, anti-Mubarak protesters are retreating as pro-Mubarak forces throw objects, including some set on fire, onto them from surrounding rooftops. The pro-Mubarak group has retaken the three Army trucks used as fortifications.

1450 GMT: Tear gas is now being fired into the front-line battle near the National Museum between the two sides (see 1415 GMT).

AFP claims from a witness that organisers paid people 100 Egyptian Pounds ($17) to take part in the pro-Mubarak rallies.

Nick Kristof of The New York Times: "In my part of Tahrir, pro-Mubarak mobs arrived in buses, armed w/ machetes, straight-razors, and clubs. Very menacing."

1436 GMT: Al Jazeera correspondent in Tahrir Square reports "at least five" pro-Mubarak protesters, claimed to be police, handed over to the military by anti-Mubarak demonstrators.

Correspondent also describes seeing more than 100 people injured, the most serious an unconscious 8-year-old boy.

There are also reports of gunfire, perhaps warning shots by the Army, near the Square.

1433 GMT: There are also rival demonstrations in Alexandria, with some anti-Mubarak protesters reportedly injured by stones.

1429 GMT: A correspondent describes repeated efforts by pro-Mubarak forces to charge the Square, "There is no semblance of law and order here." He says there are no more than a "few thousand" pro-Mubarak protesters, but "unless the military intervenes, this will get bloodier".

Dan Nolan of Al Jazeera: "Soldiers left four tanks outside museum. Now anti-Government protestors sitting on top. Main battle bout 100 metres further toward Galaa Street. UTTER CHAOS!"

1420 GMT: A military tank fails to take up position between the two sides when pro-Mubarak forces tried to catch a ride on it to get amidst the anti-Mubarak protesters.

Correspondent now says, "The military don't seem to be doing anything. The clashes are just getting more intense."

1415 GMT: Al Jazeera English's coverage is now taken up by an ongoing stone-throwing battle between the opposite sides. Anti-Mubarak protesters have seized three military trucks, commandeered earlier by pro-Mubarak forces, and are using them as fortifications.

One eyewitness is crying as she tries to report the situation to Al Jazeera: "We cannot leave the Square even if we want to....They have blocked all the exits."

1400 GMT: Pro-Mubarak forces have taken over three Army personnel carriers and are driving them into the crowd.

1350 GMT: Al Jazeera English correspondent reporting a new charge by pro-Mubarak groups against the civilian cordon around Tahrir Square.

Anti-Mubarak protesters are banging on aluminium lids, calling for more people to come to Tahrir Square.

1325 GMT: The Egyptian newspaper Al Masry Al Youm is evacuating its offices as its building in Shorouk is attacked by a pro-Mubarak group.

A CNN crew has been roughed up, with reporter Anderson Cooper hit 10 times in the head. Press TV's Hassan Ghani has been hit in Tahrir Square.

1320 GMT: Al Jazeera is showing film from anti-Mubarak protesters with police IDs allegedly captured from participants in the pro-Mubarak group charging the Square.

1303 GMT: An observer says there were several uniformed police of State Security with the dozens of riders on horses and camels moving along the Nile Corniche to Tahrir Square.

1255 GMT: Jane Dutton of Al Jazeera reports, "Dozens of men on horseback and camels moving" into Tahrir Square. Reports are that these are security forces with the pro-Mubarak group.

Dutton also says there is a report that an Al Arabiya journalist has been stabbed.

Another reporter narrates how a group of eight pro-Mubarak forces --- seven on horses and one on camel --- charged through the linked arm of an anti-Mubarak human chain. A cameraman was trampled. A couple of the riders were pulled off the horses and "badly beaten", and anti-Mubarak groups are now pushing back.

1252 GMT: Al Jazeera correspondent says that an Army tank and soldiers have moved in to keep pro-Mubarak groups from getting to the Square, but this appears not to be working.

The soldiers are not displaying weapons at this point as they cry, "Stop! Stop!". They are waving an Egyptian flag as they cry, "Enough!"

A second tank has now appeared.

1247 GMT: Eyewitness says that pro-Mubarak forces are moving back towards Tahrir Square.

1240 GMT: The pro-Mubarak crowd has been pushed out of Tahrir Square, but clashes move to side streets outside the Square.

1238 GMT: A report comes through that artist and lecturer Ahmad Bassyouni was killed by sniper-fire in Cairo on Friday.

1235 GMT: Plumes of white smoke now appearing in Tahrir Square.

Dan Nolan of Al Jazeera: "Clashes erupt now, rocks sticks flying in each direction. 8 people pulling out to anti mubarak side with bloody heads."

1230 GMT: Al Jazeera now showing live footage of skirmishes between pro-regime and anti-regime groups in Tahrir Square, with throwing of stones and charging of each other's lines.

An anti-regime demonstrator says others have been wounded by stones thrown by pro-Mubarak protesters.

1155 GMT: Al Arabiya reports that pro-Mubarak demonstrators have attacked one of its crews, destroying their equipment.

CNN's Hala Gorani adds, "The pro-Mubaraks are out to cause trouble: one tried to whack a camera out of our shooter's hands."

1150 GMT: Dan Nolan of Al Jazeera reports, "Anti-Mubarak protestors tried to block pro-Mubarak crowd at Cairo Museum but failed. Now they're all in [Tahrir] Square. Army very tense now!"

And then: "No violence yet but Egyptian v Egyptian. In each other's faces. No army to stop this in middle of square. Hope things hold but easily ignited."

1115 GMT: John Rugman of Britain's Channel 4 reports from Tahrir Square in Cairo that the Army is keeping out a pro-Mubarak crowd. "We don't want revolution, we want security," soldiers say, "Let [Mubarak] go in September."

1105 GMT: Al Jazeera showing footage of thousands of pro-Mubarak protesters about State TV building, which is about 1/2 kilometre (.3 mile) from Tahrir Square in Cairo.

The channel is now juxtaposing shots of the two locations.

1055 GMT: Reporter Jon Jensen is with a pro-Mubarak march of about 100 people in Dokki.

1050 GMT: The opposition coalition has issued the statement, "Dialogue with Vice President Omar Suleiman will commence after Mubarak steps down from office." It calls for a big protest on Friday to press for the President's departure.

1045 GMT: We are noticing the resurrection of the Internet in Egypt, with Egyptian readers returning to EA.

1040 GMT: Al Jazeera reports that Abdel Abu El Fatouh of the Muslim Brotherhood has reaffirmed that the organisation will not enter talks with the current regime: "We support the continuation of protest until Mubarak steps down."

1035 GMT: Al Arabiya reports that the Parliamentary sessions is suspended until all disputes over the recent election are resolved.

1025 GMT: Al Arabiya estimates 10,000 in the pro-Mubarak protest in Cairo.

Egyptian authorities have eased the curfew in Cairo and other cities to 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.

1010 GMT: Catching up with the pro-Mubarak demonstrations in Cairo....

Peter Beaumont of The Observer of London reports, "I spoke to woman from Mahalla,who said she came in an organised group brought by bus." He adds, however, that the scale of the demonstration is still nowhere near anti-regime protests of the past week.

Al Jazeera English's correspondent is concerned: "Tensions are running extremely high with the potential for violence." She says a pro-Mubarak protest has torn the Brazilian flag off that country's consulate and replaced it with an Egyptian one." The banner: "If 1 million are against Mubarak, then 82 million are for him."

The correspondent concludes, "The people here are really quite frenzied."

0955 GMT: Word comes out that Internet and SMS services have been restored in Egypt. The military is quick to take advantage sending out text messages for people to "protect" their country.

0945 GMT: A spokesman for Minister of Defense Mohamed Hossein Tantawi has urged protesters to return home "for the stability of the country": "Your message is received....Your demands became known."

0940 GMT: The Egyptian Stock Market will remain closed on Thursday. It was last open on 27 January.

0935 GMT: The Minister of Information has asked employees of State Radio and TV to protest in support of President Mubarak.

Frederik Pleitgen of CNN adds this message from Mohandessin (see 0905 GMT), "Big pro Mubarak demo. Then three protesters come to us, say they are with National Petroleum Company. Forced to come protest."

0905 GMT: Egyptian State TV is showing footage of a pro-Mubarak march by "thousands" in the Mohandessin neighbourhood of Giza.

0900 GMT: Lara Setrakian of American ABC News reports from their bureau in Cairo, "Around 300 people at the pro-Mubarak rally downstairs, chanting 'mish yamshee'(He won't go)."

0835 GMT: Some pro-Mubarak protesters have tried to enter Tahrir Square in Cairo, but they were met by a human chain of about 200 anti-regime demonstrators. Scuffles ensured, with reports of at least Mubarak supporters beaten.

0814 GMT: Breaking news from Yemen that President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power for 33 years but facing growing protests, has declared, "I will not seek re-election nor will I seek to install my son as President."

Saleh has made such announcements before, saying in 2005 that he would not stand in the 2006 election.

0810 GMT: Egyptian State TV is doing its best to limit and stigmatise the protest this morning: it is warning viewers not to attend because of "expected violence" and it is claiming "foreign elements" are behind the demonstrations. This is supported by the claim that four captured prisoners, who escaped from jails during turmoil last week, are Palestinian and members of Hamas.

0805 GMT: And another projection to note:

EA on Tuesday: "The Administration's path seems only to be laid to the point of Mubarak's departure. After that, the politics gets very fuzzy."

The Wall Street Journal this morning:

On Monday...Middle East experts joined in a meeting with National Security Council officials. At one point, a participant said, Please tell me you have contingencies in case Mubarak's regime collapses.

The NSC officials had to admit they didn't.

0755 GMT: A revelation to back up what we picked up earlier in the crisis.

EA on Sunday:

There were stories yesterday of a serious split between the civilian leadership in the Government and the military over whether to use live fire. And today it is notable that some have said [Minister of Interior Habib] el Adly was the Minister preparing the order to shoot.

[Later] someone high up in the US Government, which has been calling on Cairo to avoid violence, or someone in the Egyptian system close to Washington put out the [false] story that el Adly had been detained. The signal would be that the Obama Administration does not want, in any circumstances, the bloodshed of protesters.

The Wall Street Journal this morning:

At 4 p.m. [on Friday], the battles appeared to tip decisively in the protesters' favor. An order came down from Mr. Mubarak to the Minister of Interior, Habib al-Adly to use live ammunition to put down the protests, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Mr. al-Adly passed on the order to his top lieutenant, Gen. Ahmed Ramzy—but Mr. Ramzy refused, according to this person.

"It was a poor assessment of what [orders] his generals would take from him," this person said.

When Mr. Mubarak saw that Mr. Adly wouldn't get the job done, he gave the order for the army to deploy, this person said.

El Adly was replaced as Minister of Interior on Monday.

0750 GMT: Another piece of the puzzle to add to our analysis this morning about Mubarak's defiance of the US

Obama spoke to Mubarak for a half hour by telephone after he announced plans to step down in September.

A senior administration official said Obama's conversation with Mubarak was frank and direct and left no doubt that "the time for transition is now, it can't be put off."

In other words, after Mubarak defied Obama's special envoy both in the tone of his speech and in the failure to set out the transition, the US President intervened personally. And after that, Obama delivered his speech --- demanding that transition with no further delay by Mubarak --- to drive the point home.

0740 GMT: A new project to highlight: the activists behind Alive in Iraq, Alive in Gaza, and Alive in Afghanistan have now launched Alive in Egypt:

Alive in Egypt was started to add further functionality to the Twitter, Google and SayNow Egypt collaboration. We were so impressed and excited with the technology and the number of calls coming in that we wanted to help bring the voice of the egyptians to even more people. We reached out to our network of translators and started working on a public spreadsheet to help translate all the audio files coming out.

Transcribed and translated messages are already appearing:

Peace be upon everyone on Twitter. I am (inaudible) from Egypt. I hope all of you are okay. Thank God. Me, Rania, Basma, Nesma, Redda, thank God we are okay. We need all our prayers for us in Egypt. Please pray for us. We hope really that we can change what we want to change. Just pray for us. We are okay- don’t worry for us. We miss you all and we hope to see you all again soon. Peace be on you.

0735 GMT: And here, by the way, is the miscalculation from Egypt's military leadership: "[They] reassured the U.S. that they do not intend to crack down on demonstrators, but instead they are allowing the protesters to 'wear themselves out'."

An activist gave a sharp response last night after Mubarak's speech, "If he is here until September, then so are we." We go further in the special analysis this morning:

now comes Friday and the protesters' declared "Day of Departure". On that day, they are likely to make the march that was blocked yesterday. The military will then no longer be in the position of brokering the crisis: it either protects Mubarak and his continued occupation, or it allows the opposition to come up to his gates.

0720 GMT: Thanks to Josh Shahryar for handling the overnight shift on Tuesday's LiveBlog. Catching up with his news, we post a special analysis, "Dead President Walking?"

A quieter start to today, after last night's drama of President Mubarak's speech, the shouts of the masses in Cairo's Tahrir Square, and the response of President Obama. Indeed, while there will be continued protest today throughout Egypt, we may be in a lull before Friday's "Day of Departure" announced by the demonstrators.

The New York Times, fed by the Administration, puts out the US scenario this morning: "A Diplomatic Scramble as an Ally is Pushed to the Exit". Amidst the narrative to bolster the image of the skill of the Obama Administration and to signal Hosni's demise --- "Mr. Mubarak had already lost the backing of his other crucial pillar of support: the Egyptian military --- there are nuggets of value.

Here are the most significant: while Mubarak did announce he would not run for re-election in September, he rebuffed Washington by refusing to say that his son Gamal would not be standing for the Presidency. So "[Obama envoy Frank] Wisner has extended his stay in Cairo, officials said, and may have a follow-up meeting with Mr. Mubarak if events seem to demand a quicker exit".