Mubarak Clings to Life, Protesters Converge on Tahrir Square

Conflicting news reports scoured the airwaves out of Egypt local time Tuesday night and into the morning hours concerning former president Hosni Mubarak’s health. MENA reported that the president was clinically dead while a top general refuted the report saying Mubarak was in a coma after suffering a heart attack and a blood clot to the brain. Mubarak was airlifted from the prison where he was serving a life sentence to a military hospital.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters converged on Tahrir Square in protest of the military’s recent dismissal of parliament and moves to strip the powers of the incoming president after promising for over a year that they would handover power to a civilian government with no strings attached. Many of the protestors were from the Muslim Brotherhood-backed candidate Mohamed Morsi, although plenty of Ahmed Shawfiq supporters joined in as well.

The presidential run-off result is not yet official, and both candidates are claiming victory in a very tight race. Official results are expected on Thursday.