INTRODUCTION

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and the Islamic world. Covering an area of about 1,010,000 square kilometers (390,000 sq mi), Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west. Egypt is one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East. The great majority of its estimated 79 million people live near the banks of the Nile River, in an area of about 40,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq mi), where the only arable land is found. The large areas of the Sahara Desert are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with most spread across the densely populated centres of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta. Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization, with famous monuments such as the Giza pyramid complex and its Great Sphinx. Its ancient ruins, such as those of Memphis, Thebes, and Karnak and the Valley of the Kings outside Luxor, are a significant focus of archaeological study. The tourism and the Red Sea Riviera employ about 12% of Egypt's workforce. The economy of Egypt is one of the most developed and diversified in the Middle East, with sectors such as tourism, agriculture, industry and service at almost equal production levels.

HISTORY: ANCIENT EGYPT: A unified kingdom was founded c. 3150 BC by King

Menes, leading to a series of dynasties that ruled Egypt for the next three millennia. Egyptian culture flourished during this long period and remained distinctively Egyptian in its religion, arts, language and customs. The first two ruling dynasties of a unified Egypt set the stage for the Old Kingdom period, c. 27002200 BC., famous for its many pyramids, most notably the Third Dynasty pyramid of Djoser and the Fourth Dynasty Giza Pyramids.

PTOLEMAIC AND ROMAN EGYPT: The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a

powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to Cyrene to the west, and south to the frontier with Nubia. Alexandria became the capital city and a center of Greek culture and trade. To gain recognition by the native Egyptian populace, they named themselves as the successors to the Pharaohs. The later Ptolemies took on Egyptian traditions, had themselves portrayed on public monuments in Egyptian style and dress, and participated in Egyptian religious life. The last ruler from the Ptolemaic line was Cleopatra VII, who committed suicide with her lover Marc Antony, after Caesar Augustus had captured them. The Ptolemies faced rebellions of native Egyptians often caused by an unwanted regime and were involved in foreign and civil wars that led to the decline of the kingdom and its annexation by Rome. Nevertheless Hellenistic culture continued to thrive in Egypt well after the Muslim conquest.

ARAB AND OTTOMAN EGYPT: The Byzantines were able to regain

control of the country after a brief Persian invasion early in the 7th century, until in AD 639, Egypt was absorbed into the Islamic Empire by the Muslim Arabs. When they defeated the Byzantine Armies in Egypt, the Arabs brought Sunni Islam to the country. Early in this period, Egyptians began to blend their new faith with indigenous beliefs and practices, leading to various Sufi orders that have flourished to this day. These earlier rites had survived the period of Coptic Christianity. Muslim rulers nominated by the Islamic Caliphate remained in control of Egypt for the next six centuries, with Cairo as the seat of the Caliphate under the Fatimids. With the end of the Kurdish Ayyubid dynasty, the Mamluks, a Turco-Circassian military caste, took control about AD 1250. By the late 13th century, Egypt linked the Red Sea, India, Malaya, and East Indies.They continued to govern the country until the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517, after which it became a province of the Ottoman Empire. The mid-14th-century Black Death killed about 40% of the country's population. After the 15th century, the Ottoman invasion pushed the Egyptian system into decline. The defensive militarization damaged its civil society and economic institutions.

MODERN EGYPT: Local dissatisfaction with Ismail and with European intrusion
led to the formation of the first nationalist groupings in 1879, with Ahmad Urabi a

prominent figure. In 1882 he became head of a nationalist-dominated ministry committed to democratic reforms including parliamentary control of the budget. Fearing a reduction of their control, the UK and France intervened militarily, bombarding Alexandria and crushing the Egyptian army at the battle of Tel el-Kebir. They reinstalled Ismail's son Tewfik as figurehead of a de facto British protectorate.

In 1914 the Protectorate was made official, and the title of the head of state, which had changed from pasha to khedive in 1867, was changed to sultan, to repudiate the vestigial suzerainty of the Ottoman sultan, who was backing the Central powers in World War I. Abbas II was deposed as khedive and replaced by his uncle, Hussein Kamel, as sultan. In 1906, the Dinshaway Incident prompted many neutral Egyptians to join the nationalist movement. After the First World War, Saad Zaghlul and the Wafd Party led the Egyptian nationalist movement to a majority at the local Legislative Assembly. When the British exiled Zaghlul and his associates to Malta on March 8, 1919, the country arose in its first modern revolution. The revolt led the UK government to issue a unilateral declaration of Egypt's independence on February 22, 1922.

KINGDOM: The new government drafted and implemented a constitution in 1923

based on a parliamentary system. Saad Zaghlul was popularly elected as Prime Minister of Egypt in 1924. In 1936 the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty was concluded. Continued instability due to remaining British influence and increasing political involvement by the king led to the dissolution of the parliament in a military coup d'tat known as the 1952 Revolution. The Free Officers Movement forced King Farouk to abdicate in support of his son Fuad. British military presence in Egypt lasted until 1954.

REPUBLIC: On June 18, 1953, the Egyptian Republic was declared, with General
Muhammad Naguib as the first President of the Republic. Naguib was forced to resign in 1954 by Gamal Abdel Nasser the real architect of the 1952 movement and was later put under house arrest. Nasser assumed power as President in June, 1956. British forces completed their withdrawal from the occupied Suez Canal Zone on June 13, 1956. He nationalized the Suez Canal on July 26, 1956, prompting the 1956 Suez Crisis.

Three years after the 1967 Six Day War, during which Israel had invaded and occupied Sinai, Nasser died and was succeeded by Anwar Sadat in 1970. Sadat switched Egypt's Cold War allegiance from the Soviet Union to the United States, expelling Soviet advisors in 1972. He launched the Infitah economic reform policy, while violently clamping down on religious and secular opposition. In 1973, Egypt, along with Syria, launched the October War, a surprise attack against the Israeli forces occupying the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. It was an attempt to regain part of the Sinai territory Israel had captured 6 years earlier. Sadat hoped to seize some territory through military force, and then regain the rest of the peninsula by diplomacy. The conflict sparked an international crisis between the US and the USSR, both of whom intervened. The second UN-mandated ceasefire halted military action. While the war ended with a military stalemate, it presented Sadat with a political victory that later allowed him to regain the Sinai in return for peace with Israel. Sadat made a historic visit to Israel in 1977, which led to the 1979 peace treaty in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from Sinai. Sadat's initiative sparked enormous controversy in the Arab world and led to Egypt's expulsion from the Arab League, but it was supported by most Egyptians. A fundamentalist military soldier assassinated Sadat in Cairo in 1981. He was succeeded by Hosni Mubarak. In 2003, the Egyptian Movement for Change, popularly known as Kefaya, was launched to oppose the Mubarak regime and to establish democratic reforms and greater civil liberties. In January 2011, a popular protest began against the Mubarak government, consisting of a wide range of class demographics. The objective of the protest was the removal of Mubarak from power. On February 11, 2011, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced that Mubarak had stepped down as President of Egypt as a result of the popular protests starting on January 25

THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT

Egypt has been a presidency since the 23rd July revolution led by Gamal Abd El Nasser in 1952 when the Free Army Officers' movement overthrew the current regime then and expelled king Farouk who has been known as the king of Egypt and Sudan backed by the British. The first Egyptian president in 1953 was Mohamed Naguib who has been a general in the army. Nasser was the second president of Egypt in 1954. Hosny Mubarak is the current Egyptian president elected in 1981 after the assassination of late president Anwar Sadat. Until 2005 The constitution of Egypt put the rules of selecting a president every 6 years by selecting a candidate by at least two thirds of the members of the Egyptian parliament (People's Assembly) then holding a public referendum for people to vote for the selected candidate but in May 2005 a new article in the constitution ( article 76 ) set the rules of electing a President by public vote for candidates who get support of 250 of elected members of parliament or other elected bodies. Also political parties can present a candidate with no need for the support of parliament members. The last election held was in 7 September 2005 and Hosny Mubarak won by more than 85% of the votes. There are three main Authorities in Egypt as stated by the Egyptian constitution : The Government The Parliament The Judicial system

The President chooses the prime minister who heads the government and selects members of the governments (Ministers) and the president should approve his selection for the government to start its assignments as dictated by the president. The president as stated by the constitution is the supreme commander of the Egyptian armed forces and he has the authority to choose the General commander of the Egyptian army. The parliament or Peoples' assembly as it is described in the constitution consists of 444 members elected by the people in a public election every 5 years in addition to 10 members at most assigned by the president. There is no need to be a member of a political party in order to be a candidate in the election although there are over 15 political parties in Egypt. National party (Al Watany) is the ruling party currently holding the majority in the parliament

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN EGYPT

The Egyptian political system refers to the rules, regulation and practices, its political structure and fundamental laws, all which shows how the government, its state power and relationship between the state and society works. Egypt being a Republic with a democratic system outlines the political system and defines its public authorities. The Constitutional System The Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt, adopted in 1971 and amended in 1980, has its roots in the English Common Law and the Napoleonic Code . It declares Egypt as an Arab Republic with a democratic system . Executive Branch The Head of the State is the President . Appointed by at least a one-third of the Majlis ash-Sha'ab , the People's Assembly , approved by at least two-third and elected by a popular referendum, he is elected for a time of six years and maybe re-elected for other subsequent terms. The implementation of general state policy is formulated and supervised by him. He is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Force . The last elected president of the republic was Mohammed Hosni Mubarak . The supreme executive and administrative organ of the State is the government, consisting of the Council of Ministers . They are headed by the Prime Minister and he supervises the work of the government. The highest Executive and administrative organ of the Egyptian Republic is the Council of Ministers. The Ministers are all jointly responsible for the general policy of the State before the People's Assembly, and each Minister is responsible for the performance of his Ministry. The Parliament has the right to withdraw confidence from the Cabinet or from any Cabinet member. Legislative Branch The Egyptian Parliament is bicameral in character and consists of the People's Assembly, or Majlis El-Shaab and the Advisory Council or Majlis El-Shourah.

The People's Assembly is the legislative branch of the State consisting of 444 directly elected members and 10 members appointed by the President , who serve for a term of five years . It has the power to approve the general policy, new laws, the budget and the development plans of the government. It also has the authority to undertake investigations and to levy taxes, besides appointing the Presidential candidate and passing a vote of no-confidence in the cabinet. The Advisory Council with 140 members, out of which 70 members are nominated by the President , is Egypt's consultative council. It offers advices and consultation and proposes to the Assembly new laws and regulations. Judicial Branch The Egyptian Judicial System introduced into the country in 1854 and based on the English common law, Islamic law , and Napoleonic codes system is exercised through four categories of courts of justice. The highest judicial body, the Supreme Constitutional Court , the Court of Cessation , the Seven courts of Appeal in the various Governorates , and the Summary Tribunals in the districts are the principal court system in Egypt. It guarantees the independence of the judicial system. The Party in Power The Egyptian system is based on a Multi-party system . The Law 40 of 1977 regulates the development of political parties in Egypt. Though there is currently 17 active political parties representing various stands across the political spectrum, the law prohibits the creation of religious-based political parties in the state. Presently the National Democratic Party holds the majority of seats in the People's Assembly . Local Government Headed by a Governor who is appointed by the President, Egypt is administratively divided into 26 Governorates . Within their districts, local government units establish and run all public utilities, provide services and designate industrial areas. Working closely at various levels with local government is the Local Popular Councils .

THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN EGYPT:

By its constitution, Egypt has a multi-party system, however in practice the National Democratic Party is the long-time ruling party and is dominant in the Egyptian political arena. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. Law 40 of 1977 regulates the formation of political parties in Egypt. This law prohibits the formation of religious-based political parties, although there are growing political pressure groups such as Kefaya movement and the Muslim Brotherhood, who are seeking more balance in political power.

PARTY LAW REVIEW: Talk of political reform has never before come
naturally to the NDP, a party which has often been accused of rigging elections to secure its overwhelming parliamentary majorities. The NDP now says it wants to remove the constraints hampering the political activities of other parties in the country. "There is thinking about reviewing the law on political parties to give more freedom for new parties to be established and more freedom of action to those which already exist," said Mohamed Kamal a member of the Policy Secretariat. So far the scope of the proposed reforms has not been made clear. The party also says it wants to improve the relationship between citizens and the police - an important issue in a country accused by human rights groups of the systematic use of torture in police stations.

THE 2011 REVOLUTION

BACKGROUND: Hosni Mubarak became head of Egypt's semi-presidential
republic government following the assassination of President Anwar El Sadat, and

continued to serve until his departure in 2011. Mubarak's 30-year reign made him the longest serving President in Egypt's history. Mubarak and his National Democratic Party (NDP) government maintained one-party rule under a continuous state of emergency since 1981. Mubarak's government earned the support of the West and a continuation of annual aid from the United States by maintaining policies of suppression towards Islamic militants and peace with Israel. Hosni Mubarak was often compared to an Egyptian pharaoh by the media and by some of his harsher critics due to his authoritarian rule.

Emergency law An emergency law (Law No. 162 of 1958) was enacted after the 1967 Six-Day War, suspended for 18 months in the early 1980s, and continuously in effect since President Sadat's 1981 assassination. Under the law, police powers are extended, constitutional rights suspended, censorship is legalized, and the government may imprison individuals indefinitely and without reason. The law sharply limits any non-governmental political activity, including street demonstrations, non-approved political organizations, and unregistered financial donations. The Mubarak government has cited the threat of terrorism in order to extend the emergency law, claiming that opposition groups like the Muslim Brotherhood could come into power in Egypt if the current government did not forgo parliamentary elections and suppressed the group through actions allowed under emergency law. This has led to the imprisonment of activists without trials,illegal undocumented hidden detention facilities, and rejecting university, mosque, and newspaper staff members based on their political inclination. A parliamentary election in December 2010 was preceded by a media crackdown, arrests, candidate bans (particularly of the Muslim Brotherhood), and allegations of fraud involving the near unanimous victory by the ruling party in parliament. Human rights organizations estimate that in 2010 between 5,000 and 10,000 people were in long-term detention without charge or trial.

Police brutality The deployment of plainclothes forces paid by Mubarak's ruling party, Baltageya, has been a hallmark of the Mubarak government. The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights has documented 567 cases of torture, including 167 deaths, by police that occurred between 1993 and 2007. On 6 June 2010, Khaled Mohamed Saeed died under disputed

circumstances in the Sidi Gaber area of Alexandria. Multiple witnesses testified that Saeed was beaten to death by the police. Activists rallying around a Facebook page called "We are all Khaled Said" succeeded in bringing nationwide attention to the case. Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, led a rally in 2010 in Alexandria against alleged abuses by the police and visited Saeed's family to offer condolences. Economic challenges The population of Egypt grew from 30,083,419 in 1966[49] to roughly 79,000,000 by 2008.[50] The vast majority of Egyptians live in the limited spaces near the banks of the Nile River, in an area of about 40,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq mi), where the only arable land is found and competing with the need of human habitations. In late 2010, around 40 percent of Egypt's population of just under 80 million lived on the fiscal income equivalent of roughly US$2 per day with a large part of the population relying on subsidised goods. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the basic problem Egypt has is unemployment driven by a demographic youth bulge: with the number of new people entering the job force at about 4 percent a year, unemployment in Egypt is almost 10 times as high for college graduates as it is for people who have gone through elementary school, particularly educated urban youth, who are precisely the people currently seen out in the streets.

Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel Nasser but opened up considerably under former President Anwar Sadat and Mubarak. The Mubarak-led government from 2004 to 2008 aggressively pursued economic reforms to attract foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth, but postponed further economic reforms because of global economic turmoil. The international economic downturn slowed Egypt's GDP growth to 4.5 percent in 2009. In 2010, analysts assessed the

government of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif would need to restart economic reforms to attract foreign investment, boost growth, and improve economic conditions for the broader population. Despite high levels of national economic growth over the past few years, living conditions for the average Egyptian remained poor. Corruption Political corruption in Mubarak administration's Ministry of Interior has risen dramatically due to the increased power over the institutional system necessary to prolong the presidency.[53] The rise to power of powerful business men in the NDP in the government and the People's Assembly led to massive waves of anger during the years of Prime Ministers Ahmed Nazif's government. An example of that is Ahmed Ezz's monopolizing the steel industry in Egypt by holding more than 60 percent of the market share. Aladdin Elaasar, an Egyptian biographer and an American professor, estimates that the Mubarak family is worth from $50 to $70 billion. The wealth of Ahmed Ezz, the former NDP Organisation Secretary, is estimated to be 18 billion Egyptian pounds; The wealth of former Housing Minister Ahmed al-Maghraby is estimated to be more than 11 billion Egyptian pounds; The wealth of former Minister of Tourism Zuhair Garrana is estimated to be 13 billion Egyptian pounds; The wealth of former Minister of Trade and Industry, Rashid Mohamed Rashid, is estimated to be 12 billion Egyptian pounds; and the wealth of former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly is estimated to be 8 billion Egyptian pounds. The perceptions of corruption and its beneficiaries being limited to businessmen with ties to the National Democratic Party have created a picture "where wealth fuels political power and political power buys wealth." During the Egyptian parliamentary election, 2010, opposition groups complained of harassment and fraud perpetrated by the government. As such opposition and civil society activists have called for changes to a number of legal and constitutional provisions which affect elections. In 2010, Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index report assessed Egypt with a CPI score of 3.1, based on perceptions of the degree of corruption from business people and country analysts (with 10 being clean and 0 being totally corrupt)

LEAD UP TO THE PROTESTS

In background preparation for a possible overthrow of Mubarak, opposition groups had studied the work of Gene Sharp on non-violent revolution, including working with leaders of Otpor!, the student-led Serbian uprising in 2000. Copies of Sharp's list of 198 non-violent "weapons", translated into Arabic and not always attributed to him, were circulating in Tahrir Square during its occupation. Tunisian revolution After the ousting of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali due to mass protests, many analysts, including former European Commission President Romano Prodi, saw Egypt as the next country where such a revolution might occur. The Washington Post comments on this saying "The "Jasmine Revolution," should serve as a stark warning to Arab leaders - beginning with Egypt's 83-year-old Hosni Mubarak - that their refusal to allow more economic and political opportunity is dangerous and untenable." However, others argued on the contrary citing little aspiration of the Egyptian people, low educational levels and a strong government with the support of the military. The BBC said "The simple fact is that most Egyptians do not see any way that they can change their country or their lives through political action, be it voting, activism, or going out on the streets to demonstrate."

Self-immolation On 17 January due to rising discontent with the country's state and the poor living conditions, and following the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia, a man set himself ablaze in front of the Egyptian parliament; about five more attempts of selfimmolation followed suit. National Police Day protests

One of the protestors holding the Egyptian flag during the protests that started on 25 January 2011 in Egypt that demanded the removal of the regime and for Mubarak to step down

Opposition groups were planning a day of revolt for 25 January coinciding with the National Police Day. The goal for the protests was to protest against abuses by the police in front of the ministry of interior These demands expanded to be the resignation of the minister of Interior, the restoration of a fair minimum wage, the end of Emergency Law and the limitation of the presidency to two terms. A major supporter for the protests was the April 6 Youth Movement, which distributed 20,000 leaflets saying "I will protest on 25 January to get my rights". Security forces however deemed the protests as "illegal", not having the required permissions to proceed and would therefore deal with it strictly. Many political movements, opposition parties and public figures chose to support the day of revolt including Youth for Justice and Freedom, the Popular Democratic Movement for Change and the National Association for Change, however, its leader Mohamed El Baradei did not support the protests saying that he "would like to use the means available from within the system to effect change". The Ghad, Karama, Wafd and Democratic Front parties also lend their support to the protests. Public figures including novelist Alaa Al Aswany, writer Belal Fadl and actors Amr Waked and Khaled Aboul Naga announced they would also participate, while the facebook group set for the event attracted 80,000 attendees. However, the Tagammu Party and the Muslim brotherhood stated they would not participate. The Coptic church also urged Christians not to participate in the protests.

THE TIME LINE:

25 January 2011: The "Day of Revolt", nationwide protests against the government of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak began. Tens of thousands of protestors gathered in Cairo, with thousands more in cities throughout Egypt. The protests were generally nonviolent, but there were reports of some casualties among both civilians and police. 28 January 2011: The Friday of Rage protests began. Shortly after Friday prayers, hundreds of thousands gathered in Cairo and other Egyptian cities. Opposition leader Mohammed ElBaradei traveled to Cairo to participate. Some looting was reported. Prisons were opened and burned down forcing inmates to escape after orders from the corrupt Minister of Interior Habib El Adly in what was believed to be a fear tactic to

horrify the protesters. Police forces withdrew from the streets completely. The Egyptian government ordered the military to assist the police. International fears of violence grew, but no major casualties were reported. President Husni Mubarak addressed the nation for the first time after 4 days of ongoing protests and asked the government to hand in it's resignation. 29 January 2011: Protests continued as military presence in Cairo increased. A curfew was instituted, but protests continued throughout the night. The military showed restraint, reportedly refusing to obey orders to use live ammunition; there were no reports of major casualties. 1 February 2011: After continued nationwide unrest, Mubarak addressed the people and offered several concessions. In addition to proclaiming he would not run for another term in the September 2011 elections, he promised political reforms. He said that he would stay in office to ensure a peaceful transition. Pro-Mubarak and anti-Mubarak groups began to clash in small but violent interactions throughout the night. 2 February 2011: "The Scene of Camels". Several Camels and Horses were unleashed into Tahrir Square following orders believed to be given by the corrupt Minister of Interior Habib El Adly, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Violence escalated as waves of Mubarak supporters met anti-government protestors. The military limited the violence, constantly separating anti-Mubarak and pro-Mubarak groups. President Mubarak, in interviews with various news agencies, refused to step down. Violence toward international journalists and news agencies escalated; speculation grew that Mubarak was actively increasing instability as a way to step in and end the protests. 5 February 2011: Protests in Cairo and throughout the nation continued. Egyptian Christians held Sunday Mass in Tahrir Square, protected by a ring of Muslims. Negotiations began between Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman and opposition representatives. The Egyptian army increased its security role, maintaining order and protecting Egypts museums. Suleiman offered political and constitutional reforms while other members of the Mubarak regime accuses nations, including the US, of interfering in Egypts affairs. 10 February 2011: Mubarak formally addressed Egypt amid reports of a possible military coup, but instead of his expected resignation, he stated his powers would transfer to Vice President Suleiman, and he would remain in Egypt as its head of state. Anger and

disappointment spread through crowds in Cairo, and demonstrations began to escalate in number and intensity throughout Egypt. 11 February 2011: The "Friday of Departure", massive protests in response to Mubaraks speech continued in many Egyptian cities. At 6:00 p.m. local time, Suleiman announced Mubarak's resignation and that the Supreme Council of Egyptian Armed Forces would assume leadership of the country. 13 February 2011: The Supreme Council of Egyptian Armed Forces dissolved Egypts parliament and suspended the Constitution. The council also declared that it would hold power for six months or until elections could be held, whichever came first. ElBaradei urged the council to provide more details to the Egyptian people regarding its plans. Major protests subsided but uncertainty remained, and many pledged to keep returning to Tahrir square until all demands had been met.

THE CITIES AND REGIONS AFFECTED

Cairo Cairo has been at the epicentre of much of the crisis. The largest protests were held in downtown Tahrir Square, which was considered the "protest movements beating heart and most effective symbol." On the first three days of the protests, there were clashes between the central security police and protesters and as of 28 January, police forces withdrew from all of Cairo. Citizens then formed neighbourhood watch groups to keep the order as widespread looting was reported. Traffic police were reintroduced to Cairo on the morning of 31 January. An estimated 2 million people protested at Tahrir square. Alexandria Alexandria, the home of Khaled Saeed, had major protests and clashes against the police. Demonstrations continued and one on 3 February was reported to include 750,000 people..There were few confrontations as not many Mubarak supporters were around, except in occasional motorized convoys escorted by police. The breakdown of law and order, including the general absence of police on the streets, continued through to at least the evening of 3 February, including the looting and burning of one the country's largest shopping centres Alexandria protests were notable for the presence of Christians and

Muslims jointly taking part in the events following the church bombing on 1 January. Mansoura In the northern city of Mansoura there were protests against the Mubarak regime every day from 25 January onwards. One protest on 1 February was estimated at one million people, while on 3 February, 70,000 people were reported on the streets. Siwa The remote city of Siwa has thus far been reported as relatively calm. Local sheikhs, who were reportedly in control of the community, put the community under lockdown after a nearby town was "torched." Suez The city of Suez has seen the most violence of the protests thus far. Eyewitness reports have suggested that the death toll there may be higher, although confirmation has been difficult due to a ban on media coverage in the area. Some online activists have referred to Suez as Egypt's Sidi Bouzid, the Tunisian city where protests started. A labor strike was held on 8 February. Large protests took place on 11 February. Tanta Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets from the first day (Jan. 25th) and most of the days after until Feb. 11th. It exceeded a hundred thousand many times. Some hospitals reported casualties during the clashes of Friday Jan. 28th. Beni Suef City of Beni Suef have seen repeated protests in front of the City Hall On el Kourneish, in front of Omar abd el Aziz Mosque, and in El Zerayeen Square, on most days of the protests and demonstrations. 12 protesters have been killed when Police Opened fire at Mass groups protesting in front of the Police Station in Beba, South Beni suef. Many others got injured. Thugs and outlaws have robbed many Governmental garages and burned down several Governmental buildings. Sinai Peninsula Bedouins in the Sinai Peninsula fought the security forces for several weeks Sharm-El-Sheikh No protests or civil unrest took place in Sharm-El-Sheikh on 31 January. All was still calm as Hosni Mubarak and his family left on 11 February.

Deirout Police opened fire on protesters in the Deirout near the southern suburbs of Cairo and Asyut, on 11 February. Shebin el-Kom Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Shebin el-Kom on 11 February. El-Arish Thousands protested in the city of El-Arish, in the Sinai Peninsula on 11 February. Sohag Large protests took place in the southern city of Sohag on 11 February. Minya Large protests took place in the southern city of Minya on 11 February. Ismailia Nearly 100,000 people protested in and about the local government headquarters in Ismailia on 11 February. Kafr El Sheikh Large protests took place on 28 January and 4 February all over Kafr el-Sheikh.

INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS TO THE PROTEST

International reactions have varied with most Western states saying peaceful protests should continue but also expressing concern for the stability of the country and the region. Many states in the region expressed concern and supported Mubarak, while others

like Tunisia and Iran supported the protests. Israel was most cautious for change, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asking his government ministers to maintain silence and urging Israel's US and European allies to curb their criticism of President Mubarak; however, an Arab-Israeli parliamentarian supported the protests. There were also numerous solidarity protests for the anti-government protesters around the world. NGOs also expressed concern about the protests and the ensuing heavy-handed state response. Many countries also issued travel warnings or began evacuating their citizens. Even multinational corporations began evacuating their expatriate workers. Post-ousting Amid the growing concerns for the country, on 21 February, David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, became the first world leader to visit Egypt since Mubarak was ousted as the president 10 days previously. A news blackout was lifted as the prime minister landed in Cairo for a brief five-hour stopover hastily added at the start of a planned tour of the Middle East.

THE CONCLUSION TO THE PROTESTS

Two days of wild clashes between protesters and regime supporters that killed 11 people this week seemed to have pushed the United States to the conclusion that an Egypt with Mubarak at the helm is potentially more unstable than one without him. For the first time in the 11-day wave of protests, varying scenarios were being put forward by two opposing camps in Egypt and by the United States on how to usher the country into a post-Mubarak era after nearly 30 years of his authoritarian rule.

President Barack Obama said that discussions have begun in Egypt on a turnover of the government and he called for "a transition period that begins now." "We want to see this moment of turmoil turned into a moment of opportunity," Obama said in Washington. He did not explicitly call for Mubarak to step down immediately, but U.S. officials said the administration has made a judgment that Mubarak has to go soon if the crisis is to end peacefully. Under one U.S. proposal, the 82-year-old Mubarak would step down and hand power to a military-backed temporary government headed by his newly appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks. The government would prepare for free and fair elections later this year.

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5. The Times Of India 6. The Hindu 7. The Hindustan Times