Jan. 30: The Egyptian authorities have imposed a ban on the work of the Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera in Egypt amid escalating anti-government protests in the north African country, Egypt’s state television announced on Sunday. According to the announcement, the accreditations of Al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt have been annulled and the TV channel’s access to satellite communication has been closed.
Al-Jazeera was a major news source for Egyptians, as it had the largest ramified network of correspondents across Egypt. Al-Jazeera had telecast live reports from Cairo and other Egyptian cities swept by anti-government protests, interviewed opposition leaders and protesters and provided exclusive information on riots, lootings and victims in
Egypt. Anti-government protests started in Egypt on January 25, with crowds of tens of thousands demanding the President, Mr Hosni Mubarak, step down after three decades of unbridled power.
Mr Mubarak dismissed the country’s government and appointed a former civil aviation minister, Mr Ahmed Shafiq, as the new Prime Minister, ordering him to form a new Cabinet.