Friday, January 28, 2011

While American News Focus On Tea Parties, Egypt Shuts Down Internet During Revolts

By Nicole Belle

Things just got real in Egypt after days of protest and revolt. No longer just blocking Twitter and Facebook to prevent news being shared, the government of Egypt has shut down all internet access after a video of a protester being shot went viral. Sean Paul Kelley has been the go to site for info on Egypt:
This is not a joke. The internet has been turned off in Egypt, 15 minutes after AP posts this horrible video of man being shot. Bodes ill for protesters. Egypt has also disabled the use of SMS/texting in all domestic phones. News trickling out that electricity and water have been suspended as well.Sadly, almost none of this is making it to American news, being far more interested in examining ad nauseam the tea parties and the latest ridiculous committee assignments in the Senate. Reportedly, Hillary Clinton couldn't even get her call taken in an attempt to broker for a democratic solution. And even more violence is predicted for tomorrow.
Egypt's interior ministry has said it will take "decisive measures" against anti-government protesters who plan further demonstrations on Friday.
The warning comes after days of deadly clashes with police that have killed at least five people on the third day of violence across the country.
Egyptians have been urged to join mass protests tomorrow, demanding the overthrow of the President's government.
Major demonstrations are expected following Friday prayers after the Muslim Brotherhood backed the unrest.
The Brotherhood is the largest power structure in Egypt besides the army and state.
And don't look now, you neo-cons telling us that a democratic Iraq would be a shining aspiration to the rest of the Middle East, but things don't look much more stable in Tunisia and Yemen either.

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