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[bullish]

As probably everyone knows now, any news on the international schools there? Internet is shut down. I have friends in Cairo, and am concerned.

[veiledsentiments]

None of my friends have been able to break through the shut-off either. I guess you can't you use your proxy server if they shut down all of the net. Cell phones seem to be down too. I have a number of friends trying to get through from various countries.

At least we can stream Al-Jezeera over the net.

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

VS

[KOEinCairo]

We had planned a month long visit beginning next week with my husband (who is Egyptian) and my two young sons. We were planning on moving there this summer. I'm so afraid for my in-laws and friends. I sure hope all the ESL teachers are safe.

[veiledsentiments]

I just saw on MSNBC that the mobiles are turned back on. At least their reporter showed his working. Hopefully you will be able to get in touch with your family soon. It is very worrisome as many neighborhoods had looting. Maadi sounded particularly bad. The residents of Zamalek set up their own roadblocks to keep out the troublemakers.

This may not be the best time to move back to Egypt.

VS

[bule_boy69]

i dunno about Maadi..but where I am it aint so bad. feels more confusing than scary. hard to get reliable info. Lotsa the rumours about looting are rumoured to govt misinformation. Not to say that there hasnt been any....hopefully the locals and army will keep that in check now.

[Rakuten]

This has been all over FB/Twitter. I'm not sure if it works or not- but worth a shot if anyone knows people in Egypt.

[VikingElvis]

[veiledsentiments]

[johnslat]

"DUBAI, United Arab Emirates � The pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera said Sunday that Egyptian authorities ordered the closure of its Cairo news hub overseeing coverage of the country's massive street protests, denouncing the move as an attempt to "stifle and repress" open reporting.
The Qatar-based network has given nearly round-the-clock coverage to the unprecedented uprising against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and had faced criticism by some government supporters and other Arab leaders as a forum to inspire more unrest.
Al-Jazeera's flagship Arabic channel has faced numerous bans and backlash across the Arab world, including bitter complains this month from the Palestinian Authority over allegations that its reporting favored rival Hamas over leaked documents about peace talks with Israel. Al-Jazeera also broadcasts in English.
But the ban by Egyptian official comes amid one of the most pivotal Arab political showdowns in decades and a possible watershed moment for Arab networks expanding their presence on the web and social media. The blanket coverage offers another example of how border-spanning outlets such as Al-Jazeera and the worldwide reach of the Internet have destroyed the once-unchallenged media control of governments.
Al-Jazeera called the Egyptian ban "an act designed to stifle and repress the freedom of reporting by the network and its journalists."
"In this time of deep turmoil and unrest in Egyptian society, it is imperative that voices from all sides be heard," said the statement from its headquarters in Qatar's capital Doha. "The closing of our bureau by the Egyptian government is aimed at censoring and silencing the voices of the Egyptian people."
The network promised to continue its coverage, but it was unclear in what form. It said Al-Jazeera journalists would provide updates on Twitter. The network had previously posted clips from broadcasts on YouTube, but there were no new items after the ban was imposed.
The station broadcast video clips tagged as "live" showing crowds in Cairo's central Tahrir Square, but they appeared to be from fixed rooftop cameras and were not accompanied by reports directly from Egypt. It was unclear whether Egypt's ban would permit such shots.
It also was not immediately clear whether Egypt's ban would extend to other Arab broadcasters, such as Dubai-based Al-Arabiya.
In contrast, at least one Egyptian state TV channel late Saturday and early Sunday started broadcasting soothing pharaonic pictures, shots of the tranquil Nile River and greenery after ending a newscast in which they listed the areas where thugs were active in Cairo.
Egypt has moved aggressively to try to control mobile phones and the web since the protests swelled late last week � inspired by the uprising by drove Tunisia's long-ruling leader from power. Egyptian authorities cut mobile phones and web links in tactics that mirrored the information choke-hold imposed by Iran's security forces in the chaos after last year's disputed elections.
Anti-government riots also have spread to Yemen, where President Ali Abdullah Saleh claimed the tone of Al-Jazeera's coverage incited "unrest, violence and sabotage in the Arab countries."
Al-Jazeera has been frequently at odds with authorities in the Middle East, previously facing bans or restrictions in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq. In December, its offices where closed in Kuwait after it broadcast a clash between security forces and opposition groups.
The Qatari government bankrolled Al-Jazeera when it launched in 1996 and is believed to still fund the station, but it operates with considerable editorial freedom compared with other government-run media outlets in the Arab world.
The network is part of a wider effort by Qatar's emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, to widen the Gulf nation's political and cultural reach. Qatar has taken a lead on several difficult regional issues, including peace talks for Sudan's Darfur region, and was selected to host the 2022 World Cup.
But some media observers note that Al-Jazeera's enthusiastic coverage of the protesters leave it exposed to questions about its leanings.
"Al-Jazeera actually spun these protests as noble efforts worthy of international support and duplication," said Philip Howard, a University of Washington professor who follows media trends in the Muslim World. "I think their coverage of every dictator with 30-plus years of rule has been consistently unflattering."
On Al-Jazeera's homepage, comments about the reporting ban by Egypt spanned from outrage to quips that Al-Jazeera got what it deserved.
"We need 100 Al-Jazeeras to expose the practices of government," wrote one post without giving a home country.
Another from Egypt attacked Al-Jazeera and asked: "Do you want to control the decisions of the nations? You criticize Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt and other Arab countries except Qatar."
Some of the harshest comments recently against Al-Jazeera have come from supporters of Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas, who claim that leaked documents about Middle East peace talks sought to undercut Abbas and favor his rival Hamas.
In pro-Abbas marches in the West Bank last week, some raised home-made Israeli flags with the Star of David was replaced by the Al-Jazeera logo. Others chanted "Jazeera, Mossad" � claiming that Al-Jazeera was playing into Israel's hands by trying to weaken Abbas.
Nashat Aqtash, media professor at the West Bank's Bir Zeit University, called Al-Jazeera a "very lucrative political investment" for tiny Qatar."
"`Al-Jazeera might have a political agenda, but it tackled the most sensitive issues for the Arab world and became No. 1 simply because we lack media in the Arab world," Aqtash said. "Media in the Arab World is still mostly government- and partisan-driven media, not sources of information." "

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110130/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_al_jazeera

[veiledsentiments]

I've been trying to get an answer as to whose "live" shots they were using... their own or perhaps Reuters?

They were doing split screens with their broadcasts versus the local Egyptian channels.

VS

[KOEinCairo]

I am trying to pass on the internet access codes (Gov't bypass) that were mentioned here but I am not understanding how they work as it seems an international number must be dialed in order to connect.... I know that you cannot dial international numbers from land lines....can someone explain how this works so that I can pass it on to those friends and family I am able to contact??? This will be a godsend if they are able to contact family and friends here in the U.S........ Thanks

[jnanagirl]

Follow the link to an article with info at the bottom of the article and a toll-free phone number for people in the US or Canada to call if they are concerned about family and friends in Egypt and have been unable to contact them -
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/30/egypt.us.flights/index.html?hpt=C1

[redsnapper]

It's not only Egypt anymore. I just canceled a trip I was going to take to go to Jordan because the Egypt situation has already spilled over to there as well. Hopefully, the fire is running out of steam....

[cheapshoes]

A friend of mine in Jordan says everything is fine. The peaceful protesters there weren't born in Jordan.

[bule_boy69]

I'm in Heliopolis.

Looks likely we (UK citizens) 'll get evacuated soon.

who knows..feels safe enough, but all very confusing.