Egypt’s President Names Ex Intelligence Chief as VP

World | January 29, 2011, Saturday // 18:45
Bulgaria: Egypt’s President Names Ex Intelligence Chief as VP Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak names former intelligence chief as Vice President. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has named a vice president for the first time in his presidency.

Mubarak named his former intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, as vice president, ABC News reported. Suleiman has lead major foreign policy issues in Egypt, such as the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.

Even though the president promised Friday to implement reforms in Egypt, tens of thousands of protesters were not appeased. They defied the government-imposed curfew and took the streets for the fifth day in a row.

At least 38 people have died so far, including 10 members of the security forces, the state-run Nile TV said.

Earlier Saturday, the government officially resigned. However, demonstrators continued to demand the resignation of the 82-year-old president, who has been ruling the country for 30 years.

At least 50,000 people gathered Saturday in downtown Cairo, according to Al Jazeera, calling or a change in power. They are angry and frustrated at the country’s dire economic situation, high food prices, rising unemployment and decades of corruption and poverty.

“The Egyptian president declared that he will change the government, but the people’s demands have been clear since the beginning, for him to step down from the regime,” said a protester, Ahmed Hagag, as cited by ABC News.

At least five people have died from gunshot wounds near the Egyptian Interior Ministry Saturday. The police opened fire on demonstrators in front of the building.

The military urged people “to stop the looting, chaos and the things that hurt Egypt. Protect the nation, protect Egypt, protect yourselves,” according to the state-run TV.

Egypt’s former Civil Aviation Minister, Ahmed Shafik, who resigned with the cabinet earlier Saturday, has been appointed to form a new government, according to the state TV.

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Tags: Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, protesters, intelligence, Vice President, government, police

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