Day 12: Mubarak Still Head Of NDP

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by Zoe Pollock

Dish's earlier coverage from today here. Mackey clarifies:

After hours of confusion, the ruling National Democratic Party in Egypt has clarified: President Hosni Mubarak has not stepped down as chairman of the party and remains in control. ...

It was still unclear how the report had emerged, whether due to a mistranslation, a rush to be competitive, misdirection by the government, a simple mistake, and/or all of the above.

WaPo reports:

The united front among Egyptian opposition parties fractured Saturday as several of them began negotiating with Vice President Omar Suleiman, despite earlier promises that they would not agree to talks until President Hosni Mubarak stepped down. ...

But representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition party, said they had not participated in the talks. Nor did Mohamed ElBaradei, the democracy advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who had earlier been chosen by opposition parties as their spokesman.

EA links to what is purported to be the "brutal arrest of Google exec and a designated spokesperson for the the 6th of April Movement, Wael Ghonim." Scott Lucas clears up another case:

2000 GMT: The past two days, there have been reports that Ahmad Mohamed Mahmoud, a journalist working with Al-Ahmram newspaper in Egypt, had died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head two days ago. 

Now, we are being informed by several sources - including a man claiming to be Mahmoud himself - that he is very much alive. The mix up, he explains, happened because Al-Ahram published a report about the death of another man named Ahmad Mohamed Mahmoud.

Mackey on the scene in Cairo:

Thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square are preparing to settle in for the night under their makeshift tarps and blankets, metaphorically curling up around the tanks. A clear standoff has emerged, with the protesters refusing to budge until President Mubarak steps down, and the government, despite some concessions, determined to stand firm.

Scott Lucas for EA:

1630 GMT: It's raining in Tahrir Square and the temprature is lower than the nights before, however, the march of people towards the area continues and the number of protesters is growing still even as night falls.

And in Tunisia:

2347 GMT: The Associated Press now reports that 4 people have been killed and 17 injured in the shooting by police in El Kef, Tunisia.

The Huffington Post purportedly has graphic video of a protester shot in Alexandria. Sandmonkey advises, via Twittter:

So here is my 2 cents: Instead of getting blankets, please get some foldable tables, chairs, papers, pens and a laptop.

Start registering the protesters, get their names, addresses & districts. Start organizing them into committees. & they elect leaders.

But the status quo won't due. This lack of action and organization will be used against us in every way possible.

(Photo: Egyptians demonstrate in support of Egypt's uprising against President Hosni Mubarak in front of the White House in Washington on February 5, 2011. By Nicholas KAMM for AFP/Getty Images)

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