Live blog Feb 5 - Egypt protests

Live coverage

(All times are local in Egypt, GMT+2)

10:14am: Commenting on the Sinai gas pipeline attack mentioned below, our correspondent says

It will be a great loss to the Egyptian economy which is already in struggle as a result of the stand-off that is taking place across Egypt with a lot of trade being affected.

10:03am: Sources tell Al Jazeera that a small amount of explosives had been placed in a control room along the pipeline which goes from northern Sinai to Israel. Our correspondent in Cairo says no major damage was caused to the pipeline, which goes mainly underground. A small amount of gas has been leaked but the leak has now been contained.

9:57am: Our correspondent in Cairo, following this morning's explosion in northern Sinai, says on Twitter: "No casualties in gas pipeline explosion fire now contained investigation underway"

9:54am: Demonstrations expressing solidarity with the Egyptians are being held across the world today. This picture is from a rally in Tokyo, Japan.

Photo by Reuters

9:46am: The Egyptian army has closed the main source of gas supplying the pipeline that was attacked in northern Sinai this morning, a security source tells Reuters.

"The armed forces and the authorities managed to close the main the source of flow and are trying to control the fires," the source said.

9:34am: There are no reports of casualties in the Sinai blast.

9:30am: Sources confirm to Al Jazeera that a blast has occured in northern Sinai. Residents in El-Arish says flames are raging near gas pipeline leading to Israel.

"Saboteurs took advantage of the security situation and blew up the gas pipeline," a state television correspondent reports.

9:17am: Reuters quotes Egyptian state TV as saying "terrorists" have targeted an Israel-Egypt gas pipeline in northern Sinai.

9:15am: There are reports of a blast and fires in Arish in northern Sinai near a gas pipeline close to the Israeli border.

9:03am Our reporter says pro-democracy groups are getting ready for confrontations, setting up metal barriers and three layers of human walls.

8:37am: Giving a feel of the festive atmosphere in Tahrir Square yesterday, this videp posted by YouTube user ScarceClips shows protesters, led by a guitar, singing a song along the lines "All of us ... one demand: leave, leave, leave. Down with Hosni Mubarak... The people want to topple the regime ... He leaves, we're not leaving".

URL du live: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/02/04/live-blog-feb-5-egypt-protests