Some scenes and thoughts from watching AlJazeera live. Newest entry on top.

Me signing off – this day was big and changed some important global policy issues. The era of "Egypt  (80 millions people) supports the Israeli ( 3-4 million Jews)  position" is over. Aside from that, some other ME regimes will go down soon. It is unpredictable what will follow them.

21:00 GMT (23:00 Cairo)

Live pictures show some big gun tanks- M60 variant – deploying – new level of violence? [doubt it for now]

[I agree – this is extrodinary and Mubarak can't get it back – additionally – this very excellent AJ coverage today will make sure this will spread to more countries in the ME and possibly beyond – all dictators in the ME (and some of our pseudo democrats elsewhere) have reason to shit their pants now -  how this will end? – inpredictable – an Islamic Muslim Brother regime is just as possible as some rudimentary social democracy – whatever the result may be, Israel and the U.S. have lost an "ally" (mercenary) today and will have to do some recalculations – yesterday they were concerned about Hizbullah M8 party issues in Lebanon – Egypt is a different, a much bigger caliber – what are they going to do when Jordan and the Saudi princes fall? (Not that I expect that yet(!), but one wonders)]

AJ studio has talk with some Arab professor – "I'd be astonished if Mubarak last another weak"

20:30 GMT (22:30 Cairo)

White House press conference – 40 minutes presidential briefing on Egypt today – lots of meetings [read  panic] – Obama did not speak with Mubarak – "not about picking a person" [read: Mubarak is dead] – legitimate grievencence need to be addressed blahblah – (parallel AJ video shows lots of traffic despite official curfue) – security forces and military should be restrained – our posture based on coming events [read: no idea what's gonna happen] – in continual contact with Egypt government – blahblah – no presidential contact though [Mubarak is now left in the cold – no more U.S. support]

Cairo live report – helicopters in the air – reporter shows tear gas canisters – says Made in U.S.A. – video – people walking down the streat with a looted big Egypt government seal from some ministry – Mubarak nor any other official has said something yet – military and protesters getting more unfriendly to each other – airlines cancels lots of Egypt flights (tourists, money)

AJ studio has talk with some Egypt professor – NDP building burning is a major change – we don't know what army will do – currently a vacuum of power – we need a pillar (new video shows M113 blocking a big street) – clock can not be set back – beginning of a social revolution – Tunisisation of Arab world – Gamal Mubarak succession is dead

AJ studio has a talk with another, older U.S. ambassador to Egypt, Veliotes, -  talks about early Mubarak- was more liberal earlier – then blahblah

AJ studio – critical person now is Tantawi – Defense Minister, commander of army and presidential guard since 1991

Cairo – phone live report – protesters seem to be in control – military deployed but passive – mood towards military seems to change – no more celebration of them [dangerous]

Suez – phone live report – main Vodafone building looted (Vodafone blocked internet in Egypt) – business building of leading NDP party guy burned down – no police – no military visible – reporter said protesters started peaceful – there was huge animosity against state security (after three dead earlier) – police did  drive vehicles (water cannons) into demonstraters starting violence – now security vacuum in the city – no police – military only securing crucial oil/gas/canal areas/buildings

AJ studio – Cairo hospitals "overwhelmed" by wounded – some 870  [overwhelmed too editorial]

Suez – phone live report – buildings at fire that belong to some NDP elites – chaoic situation – no fire engines – no police – military only secures some oil/gas company buildings/infrastructure

Cairo – phone live report from near the NDP building – six floors of the building at blaze – military helicopters in the air – thousands of protesters on the streets – sounds of gunfire reporter says – no attempts to get NDP building fire out – would be hopeless anyway reporter says

[With its main building burning and looted the NDP, the National Democratic Party which is neither national nor democratic, is done.]

[How does the introduction of the military in the streets and its welcome by the people change the power centers in Egypt? Some generals my now grow big ones. Why is Mubarak not, as announced hours ago, appearing on TV? Is he still in Egypt?]

19:00 GMT (21:00 Cairo, 3 hour into the unobserved curfue)

Cairo live pictures – people looting the burning NDP ruling party main building – a dozen police(?) vehicles around the building on fire – lots of smoke – more vehicle fires around the main square of Cairo from earlier protests there

Suez – phone live report – 12 tanks plus several personal armoured carrier just passed heading towards some important buildings (oil/gas infrastructure) – earlier police shooting at military confirmed by military – thousands of people still in the street, no sign of police, lots of military passing but otherwise just peaceful people

AJ studio says presidential guard deployed to protect state TV building

AJ studio has phone talk with someone in the a North-Sinai peninsula city -  had protests – police armoured vehicle fired seven RPG – electricity cut off – there is no army in the Sinai so no military deployed

Cairo live picture – firefighters deploy to put out the fire at the ruling party's building which is next to the National Museum – more military vehicle, armoured four wheelers and tracked, greated, waved at and waving back, with/to the protesters

AJ studio talks with former U.S. ambassador to Egypt – political blah-blah – says U.S. "should not take sides" – emphazises "friendship"

Suez – phone live report – military came in  at nightfall – was greeted by protesters, were shoot at from police station – military retreated – now more military vehicles deploying again – still friendly with protesters

Alexandria – phone live report – police gone away since two hours when military deployed – soldiers shake hands with protesters – fires have been put out

18:00 GMT (20:00 Cairo, 2 hour into the unobserved curfue)

AJ studio says Qatar airways stops service to Egypt – despite announcement Mubarak has not yet been on state TV

Cairo phone report from a photographer – reports several fires in Cairo

Suez – phone live report – military vehicle with surrounding friendly protesters in the street where shoot at from a policestation

Unconfimed – army, police clash in Cairo

Cairo live picture – six M113 tracked military vehicle driving towards the ministry buildings – waved at, get cheered while passing by some protesters

Alexandria – phone live report – police seems to be off the street everywhere – military deployed – friendly with protesters

AJ now making some comparison between its own live pictures and live pictures from state media – state media shows no riots as all – just a peaceful city picture

Cairo live picture – a policevan that was in a sidestreet in protesters hand has been pulled to a main street and is on fire – reporter says number of protesters seems to increase – foreign ministry is said to have been stormed by protesters [guess they want to phone Clinton?]

Suez – phone live report – army deployed – their carriers surrounded by friendly protesters

17:30 GMT (19:30 Cairo, 1 hour into the curfue)

AJ studio has phone talk with someone from Baradei's  team – he is surrounded in his house- says Port Said had demonstration of 80,000

AJ studio has phone talk with some Muslim Brotherhood guy in a district some 120 miles south of Cairo -  There have been protests – 50,000 people he says 

Suez – phone live report – protests ongoing – army has taken police stations away from protesters

Alexandria – phone live report – armoured personal carriers from the Army – get thumbs up from protesters, soldiers show thumbs up too – gunfire noise in the background (automatic weapons)

AJ shows Clinton live: all should refrain from violence – urging to allow peaceful protests and to reopen communication lines – calls for reforms – mentions "a democratic society" – no request for Mubarak or government to step down

Cairo live sound – reporter says people are bashing empty police vehicle in a street next to the bureau with stones

[this AJ English coverage is excellent – if the AJ Arabic coverage is similar, the Jordan king and the Saudi princes will have to watch out … this sets examples for their people]

17:00 GMT (19:00 Cairo, 1 hour into the curfue)

Cairo live picture – police fires teargas onto praying people – someone throws it back – lots of sound of protests and shots

Cairo live picture – some people lining up in the street for evening prayer

Suez – phone report – road that was full of protesters all day now empty – army has deployed tanks(?) but reporter does not know whereto – expects protests to continue

Alexandria – phone report – curfue gets ignored – protests contine – some people try get on cars to go home

Cairo live sound – reporter says gunfire coming from the direction of main TV building – center of government media – fire/smoke in the distance

16:30 GMT (18:30 Cairo – dark now)

Cairo reporter says gun fire – quite a lot in the riot/protester sound – doesn't know where the sound comes  from

Cairo live sound – seems to be automatic weapons – lots of protester noice

Cairo live picture – headquarter of ruling NDP party seems on fire – confirmed

Suez – live by phone – army tanks deploying towards the city – center of city in the hands of protesters – total blackout of communication lines – only sat-phones working

Pictures from Alexandria a few hours ago – riots against police

Mubarak to be live on state TV in a few minutes [likely useless unless he announces his retirement]

Cairo live picture – police truck now on fire

16:05 GMT (18:05 Cairo)

Cairo live picture – truck doesn't want to go down the Nile – now trying to set it on fire

[excellent coverage by AJ – best I have ever seen]

Cairo live picture – protesters trying to dump a police personal carrier into the Nile

Cairo live picture – smoke rising near NDP party building

[does Mubarak trust the army? will it use force?]

Egypt state media – army to reinforce the police and enforce curfue

Cairo live pictures – 3 military trucks (30mm(?) cannon turrets)

Cairo live pictures but AJ pulled camera back from balcony now filming through window – protesters rushing a bridge – riot sound

Cairo live pictures – reporter says – police on the way to their office

Cairo live pictures – police has fallen back from the protesters – no clashes currently visible

Cairo live pictures – prayer over – protesters talking to police – on one bridge lots of trucks, police(30+) and fire(3), moving in a column

Alexandria – live phone report – more fires visible – a dozen police trucks on fire

Cairo live pictures – more people praying on a bridge that has been fought over all day

Suez – phone report – curfue announced – reporter thinks police unable to impose that – military?

Cairo live pictures – Prayer time (sundown in Cairo now), protesters asked police to stay back for prayers – protesters in rows praying in the street – police standing some 20 meters away

15:30 GMT

AJ Cairo says state security has entered AJ building

[curfue  – who is suppost to fight for that? – police seems to be overwhelmed]

AJ reports state media says curfue from 6pm (in half an hour) on

[stun grenades are useless in riots – are they running out of teargas? they did shoot a lot]

Cairo – live pictures – some 30 riot police try to get at a group of some 200 protesters – shooting teargas and stun grenades(!) – police pushed back

Analyst (political science prof) – on seeing the military: now the army is decisive – usually the army doesn't like the police security forces – people hope army take their sides like in Tunesia

Suez – live phone report – second police station taken over – one protester dead – protest began peaceful – police escalated with watercanons – protests turned violent

[Cairo – the AlJazeera office is right next to the Hilton hotel and its balconey oversees two of the Nile bridges and the protests there – optimal location for coverage.]

[first time we see soldiers!]

Cairo: live picture – military(!) vehicle with soldiers – friendly to protesters surrounding it – gets cheered

Alexandria: live phone report – Police has no control – police groups overwhelmed – no police leadership – police conscripts don't know what to do – police trucks on fire – reporter saw protesters with a dead civilian body

15:00 GMT

Suez: live phone report – at least six police trucks set on fire -  Protesters have upper hand

[some three hours ago live video from Cairo showed some 2000 people kneeing/bowing for prayer in the usual disiplined mosque rows but on the middle of a large street. Muslim Brotherhood folks?]

[my guestimate of the last scene 5-10,000 protesters.]

Suez: video – protesters burn one police vehicle – One police vehicle flees hitting several protesters – One protester captures teargas gun

[Police looks relative well organized to me, but not effective. Too many roads to cover. Lunatic tactic seen several times when a single police truck with a man looking out of the top and shooting teargas rushes after and into a crowd. Could easily be attacked if the crowd would block it off.]

14:30 GMT

AJ repeats pictures of

• plaincloth police hitting single caught protesters over and over.
• police truck retreating
• police shooting teargas
• wounded protesters

AJ now reports from London and Washington – 50 people protest in front of Egypt embessy

Suez: live telefon report – Main square under protesters control

Cairo: live-pictures – a group of some 30 riot-police + 20 plain cloth midaged men with clubs, three teargas guns visible -  Firing teargas

[AlJazeera pushing pretty much pro-protesters]

Cairo: live pictures – again teargas towards the Hilton hotel /next door to AJ studio) to which some protesters had fled -  Dark smoke from tires(?) burning

Alexandria: live telephon report: Some 10 different protests with several hundred each – Reporter saw protester help wounded riot police – Reporter told by eyewitness of dead girl

Protesters appear to be all kind of people -  Women, men, even an few children

Cairo: live – some people wounded by teargas canisters – civil cloth police taking some away – hitting single protesters

Cairo: live – quite intense clashes of several thousands live watched from AJ studio building – intense use of teargas -  police retreating and re-attacking, demonstrators retreat re-attack

14:00 GMT

Suez: Video shows police lines retreat from some 5,000 protesters

Suez: Reporter says a main police station was surrounded, prisoners freed, now burning

Suez: Reporter says Suez had lots of police reinforcement after violent protest yesterday

13:40 GMT

Ayman Nour, one of the opposition figueres, in hospital after having been hit in the head by a stone. His son comes to AlJazeerah and reports live of plaincloth thugs, not police, fighting for the government.

Report of ElBaradei under government siege in a mosque in Giza.

There are reports of protest in additional cities.

AlJazeerah has live reports from Suez, Alexandria and Cairo.