Egypt Feature; there's Good News, and there's Bad News. LK Blog asks, 'Whats Going Down? And Why?'

Update: Mubarak has resigned, military council takes control of Egypt until September elections. Still a long way to go, but a lot has been achieved.

Update: mubarak resigns, watch history:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEnglish
Update: Al Jazeera live stream http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/


First of all, what the heckins is going on?

Mubarak tells ABC that
he is "fed up"and "If I resign today
there will be chaos"

Things have been a politically uneasy in Egypt for a while, but it was the recent Tunisian unrest and subsequent government overhaul that kicked things off.
The bad guy here is President Hosni Mubarak of the National Democratic Party, who has been in rule for 30 years.
People in Egypt are unhappy because poverty, food prices and corruption, as well as many young Egyptians out of work.



The Bad News......... and the Good News

• Bad - On the 28th of January, the Egyptian government pulled the plug on mobile phone services and the internet, denying access to crucial social-network protest media, such as Facebook and Twitter
• Good - Millions of young people take to the streets in 'Day of Rage',  International news keeps protesters point of view heard (Al-Jazeera)
• Bad - Around 300 deaths in Egypt caused by clashes between protesters, pro-Mubarak supporters and the police. Wide spread looting and Antiquities at risk of damage. Attacks on journalists by pro-Mubarak condemned by UN (UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: "scandalous and totally unacceptable,"), some seriously injured.
• Good - Protests show no sign of letting up fight, massive swell in patriotic pride. Human chain formed around Cairo Museum. Army in cities maintain order. 
•  Bad - President Mubarak still refuses to step down
• Good - He promises to leave in September, wants an orderly take over. Protesters still not backing down. Muslim Brotherhood  likely to take over (who are they?) 

A Protester holds a sign that compares the
number of US Presidents with Egyptian
Presidents.

The Bad

Praying Muslims sprayed with water cannon by riot police

The Good

Christians join hands to protect praying Muslims in Cairo

• What could happen next?
• Mubarak may leave, the army will take control and secure country. However, armed islamist groups may thrive
• Military and Police crush protests. US will not be happy.
• The opposition will peacefully join the government after Mubarak steps down for democratic elections in September (this is what Mubarak is probably going to do).
• First Tunisia, now Egypt; could Libya, Syria, Jordon and Morroco be next? With similar problems, (ie. unemployment) and a large young internet community, quite possibly. 

Latest







I created this article to make sense out of the mass-media-vomit-cluster that is this the news that comes out of Egypt. The links give extended info from other sites or YouTube videos. If even this concise guide is TMI, the text in bold should give you a basic idea of what's going on. LK reporting, back to you in the studio. Or wherever the hell you are. On your computer. Watching youtube videos. heh. The shame.


Update: Fixed crappy human chain link