17 days on, Cairo square protesters still hold the ground

Thursday February 10, 2011 03:19:44 PM, DPA

Cairo: Thousands of protesters were standing their ground in Cairo's Tahrir Square Thursday, in the 17th day of protests demanding higher wages, political reform and the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.

Hundreds had camped overnight on the streets, within sight of the nearby parliament buildings. The demonstrators did not appear to be placated by the government's recent promises of reforms.

A judiciary committee agreed Wednesday to amend six articles of the constitution, among them putting term limits on the presidency and expanding the list of people eligible to run for top office.

Despite attempts to return the country to normalcy, protesters disregarded a warning from Vice President Omar Suleiman, of the danger of a "coup" if discussions with opposition groups failed.

The opposition Muslim Brotherhood said that recently launched talks with the government were inconclusive and were on hold, as the group also continued calls for the resignation of Mubarak's government.

Precise casualty figures have not been confirmed, but the UN said last week that it had received reports of 300 dead in the nationwide protests.

Three people died in clashes between demonstrators in the southern city of Kharga Wednesday.

More than 3,000 railway workers went on strike Wednesday, and protesters in Cairo called for another "1-million-strong rally" nationwide on Friday.

                                           Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Bail to Malegaon youths: Court directs CBI to reply by February 17

The special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai today directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply on Swami  »

Bail plea of Malegaon blast accused: Next hearing on Feb 09

No evidence against accused arrested in '06 Malegaon blasts case: CBI

  Most Read

Thousands of protesters remain in Cairo's Tahrir Square

Thousands of Egyptians Wednesday continued to camp     »

Egypt crisis continues; Is Mubarak headed for clinic?

India's biggest mosque to come up in Kozhikode

Preliminary work to build what is billed as India's biggest mosque has begun here, thanks to the initiative of the charitable institution Jamia Markazu Ssaquafathi Ssunniyya headed by Muslim scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobaker Musliyar. Musliyar heads the   »

  News Pick

AMU microbiologist receives prestigious award

Prof. Abida Malik, Department of Microbiology, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University has been conferred on the prestigious   »

Doctor parents to be tried for Aarushi's murder

One of the biggest whodunits in India saw the plot thicken Wednesday when a special CBI  »

Aarushi murder case: Claims and counter-claims

One crore Kerala people charge LF with non-governance

The Congress-led opposition in Kerala Wednesday submitted to Governor R.S. Gavai a memorandum signed by one crore people of the state against the non-performance of the ruling Left Front government. Leader of Opposition   »

India begins 1.2 billion population headcount

Some 2.7 million officials fanned out across the country Wednesday to begin the mammoth exercise of headcounting India's estimated 120 crore (1.2 billion) people, with President Pratibha Patil being the first citizen to be  »

RSS ‘Kumbh’ in MP: Petrified Christians fear Kandhamal-like situation

The spectre of fear and depredation is haunting minorities, especially the Christian community, in tribal-dominated Mandla   »

Muslims preach RSS values in Lucknow