Egypt: Ruling party leadership resigns
The turmoil in Egypt could finally be heading for a closure as top members of the ruling National Democratic Party, including the son of an increasingly cornered President Hosni Mubarak, stepped down on Saturday.
With protests entering the 12th day and pressure from within his country and from Washington beefing up, Gamal Mubarak led the resignation of the party?s top leadership, state television reported.
There have also been conflicting reports of President Mubarak stepping down as party head but the reports are unconfirmed.
The spree of resignations however do not seem to have assuaged the anti-government protesters who dismissed the move as a ruse and still sticking to their demand of the ending Mubarak?s 30-year-old rule.
The United States on Saturday formally endorsed the gradual transition in Egypt led by the country?s vice president, Omar Suleiman preparing for polls in September in an attmept to broker a compromise with the protesters.
?The status quo is simply not sustainable,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, adding it takes time for such a transition of power.
Despite its firm backing on having Mubarak step down, the Obama administration is supporting the decision to grant the embattled President a graceful exit from power.
?That takes some time. There are certain things that have to be done in order to prepare,? Clinton said.
In Egypt the scene on streets remained largely unchanged on Saturday. A gas pipeline was blown up overnight by saboteurs in northern Egypt, breaking off flows to Jordan and Israel.
Thousands of people gathered again in Cairo?s Tahrir Square ? the main site of the anti-government protests. The Egyptian army appeared to have reinforced security checks and tightened the area available to the demonstrators.
Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera ? said to be backing the anti-Mubarak upheaval ? reported that its bureau chief and a journalist had been arrested by the authorities, a day after its Cairo office had been set ablaze.
The government, however, seems to be wanting a speedy return to normalcy as President Mubarak met with his ministers to discuss the a revival plan following the turmoil that has caused billions of dollars worth of damage to the Egypt?s economy.
The upheaval is said to be costing over USD 310 million per day since it broke out on Jan 25 after anti-government protesters sought relief from what they call years of authoritarian rule and economic hardships.
The United Nations says about 300 people have been killed so far in the unrest. Egypt?s health minister said around 5,000 people have been injured in the uprising and in clashes that followed in the Arab nation.