CAIRO! SOS!

Huge crowds are occupying the main square in the Egyptian capital,
Cairo, to reinforce their demand for the resignation of President
Hosni Mubarak.
The tens of thousands of protesters attending the "day of departure"
rally in Tahrir Square have been waving flags and chanting "Leave!
Leave! Leave!"
Soldiers have been guarding the area to limit disruption by Mubarak supporters.
Mr Mubarak has said he is "fed up" with being in power, but that he is
does not want to resign as it will cause chaos.
He told ABC News that the banned Islamist opposition group, the Muslim
Brotherhood, would fill a power vacuum left by his absence.
He also denied that his administration was behind the violence of the
last two days, and that his son Gamal intended to run for presiden
Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei took issue with the president's
remarks, saying: "We as a people are fed up as well, it is not only
him."
"The idea that there would be chaos is symptomatic of a dictatorship.
He thinks if he leaves power the whole country will fall apart."
A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Issam al-Aryan, denied that
his group would put forward someone for the presidency, telling the
BBC that it would prefer the opposition to nominate a consensus
candidate.
"We want a civil state, based on Islamic principles. A democratic
state, with a parliamentary system, with freedom to form parties,
press freedom, and an independent and fair judiciary," he added.
Those attending the "day of departure" had to queue for hours on the
main bridge over the Nile so they could pass through checkpoints
staffed by soldiers and anti-government demonstrators.
They are searching everyone who enters the square to make sure they
have no weapons. There is even a separate queue for women - I was
patted down apologetically several times.
The numbers have swelled again, with tens of thousands joining the
crowd. There are shouts and whistles, and more cries of "Leave, leave
Mubarak!" Despite all the government's concessions, the message
remains unchanged.
After more fighting in the north of the square overnight, the mood is
peaceful and there are more women and children here than in the past
few days.
They were set up to prevent Mubarak supporters entering and triggering
further violent clashes.
Egypt's health ministry says eight people have been killed and more
than 800 injured in the clashes in Cairo in recent days. The UN
believes more than 300 have died across Egypt since the protests began
on 25 January, with about 4,000 hurt.
At noon, thousands of the protesters paused to take part in Friday
prayers. One cleric praised the "revolution of the young" and
declared: "We want the head of the regime removed."
As soon as the prayers finished, the protesters renewed their chants
of "Leave", and began singing patriotic songs and waving flags.
The BBC's Jim Muir in Tahrir Square says the mood is relaxed but it is
not quite the carnival atmosphere that existed before Wednesday.
At one point, Defence Minister General Mohammed Hussein Tantawi and
other military leaders visited the square and spoke to soldiers
manning a cordon, as well as some of the demonstrators.
The secretary-general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, also made an
appearance. Some people shouted "We want you as president".
Asked earlier by French radio if he would consider taking a role in
any transitional government or run for office, he replied: "Why say
no?"
There were reports of minor clashes between pro- and anti-government
demonstrators around the square on Friday, but the main rally by
Mubarak supporters took place in the Mohandiseen district.
Meanwhile, thousands of anti-government protesters have gathered again
outside the main mosque in Egypt's second city, Alexandria.