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Egyptians Rise in Cairo; Unrest Spreads From Cairo; Americans Stranded in Egypt; State Department on U.S. Evacuations; More Pro- Uprising Demos Planned; Egypt's ElBaradei Joins Protest; Cairo Under All-Night Curfew; Social Media and Protests; Another Winter Storm Approaching; European Leaders Call for Major Reforms in Egypt; Early Voting for Chicago's Mayoral Election to Begin

Aired January 30, 2011 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Americans stuck in Egypt as a massive revolt there intensifies. We're going to have full coverage of this ongoing crisis throughout this news day.

Plus, this hour we'll talk to a trapped U.S. tourist who is watching all this uprising unfold from within.

Then, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, reaction to the crisis from around the world. We're going to find out which nations are making strong demands for reform and which ones are strikingly silent.

And then the scene on the streets of Egypt, unforgettable images from a country in revolt. iReporters in the thick of this. We're going to show you all the compelling pictures at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Drew Griffin, in today for Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin with our top story.

Within the last few hours, we've witnessed what could prove to be a turning point in this Egyptian crisis -- the emerging voice of opposition there. A Nobel laureate and internationally-respected former diplomat, Mohammed ElBaradei, was ushered into a major square in Cairo, telling protesters what they have started cannot be stopped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ELBARADEI, LEADING OPPOSITION FIGURE (through translator): I came today to participate in the lives of Egyptians. Today I look into the eyes of each one of you, and everyone is different today.

Today, you are an Egyptian demanding your rights and freedom, and what we started can never be pushed back. As we said, we have one main demand -- the end of the regime and to start a new phase.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: That's ElBaradei tonight, along with thousands who defied a state-asked-for curfew. Earlier today, ElBaradei talked with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, explicitly saying President Mubarak's reign over Egypt is at an end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELBARADEI: I think this is a hopeless, desperate attempt by Mubarak to stay in power. I think it is loud and clear from everybody in Egypt that Mubarak has to leave today. And this is non-negotiable for every Egyptian. People have been saying -- or demonstrating for him to leave.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Other developments today, Egyptian fighter jets flew over protesters in Cairo in an effort to enforce that curfew. Tens of thousands of protesters were in the main square there. The jets so low, their cockpits could be seen from the ground.

Criminals, reportedly, have broken out during prison unrest. State- run TV says at least three prison breaks have occurred. In one of them, southwest of Cairo, about 1,000 inmates escaped. As we see in these scenes from Nile TV, some of the escapees have now been recaptured.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling for a peaceful transition to democracy in Egypt. The secretary of state speaking with our own Candy Crowley on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We want to see this peaceful uprising on the part of the Egyptian people to demand their rights, to be responded to in a very clear, unambiguous way by the government, and then a process of national dialogue that will lead to the changes that the Egyptian people seek and that they deserve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Clinton says the United States believes stability in the region is the top immediate priority there. Egypt, as a society, is either crumbling at the street level or reaching for historic change through an angry and long-overdue uprising. It depends on who is speaking. The center of Cairo is packed right now at 9:00 p.m. local time with thousands of people demanding major changes.

Let's get to Cairo, where CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is watching developments -- Fred.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi Drew.

Yes, you're absolutely right. There are still thousands of people in that square in central Cairo called the Tahrir Square, and they've been there for a very long time. And as you said, they're defying this curfew.

It was very interesting to see earlier today, as those fighter jets were going over that area. The people were absolutely defying those jets. They were screaming up at them.

It was clearly a show by the Egyptian military that they're going to get serious about enforcing this curfew. That so far hasn't happened. It's actually the third day of this curfew, and so far, there's not been even an inkling to indicate that that would be enforced. So people really aren't too afraid of that.

What however is happening is because of a lack of police forces on the ground. They've of course disappeared since Friday, since that uprising on Friday.

There is a lot of unrest on the streets outside of downtown. There's people forming vigilante militias to try and shield their property from looting gangs.

I, today, was actually -- you were talking about the prison breaks. I was at one of those prisons that had seen a prison break earlier in the day. And when I got there, there was still gunfire going on between looters who were trying to steal the rifles out of that prison that normally the prison guards used. And the people I spoke to in that area said, look, we have no cops on the street, we have prisoners running around here, and those prisoners have guns. So, right now, a lot of people in Cairo are very, very afraid.

Meanwhile, as you said, these protests in downtown, they continue, and they continue to gather momentum -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Fred, can you give me a sense of the security in Cairo itself? Is it a case where the people are literally taking control of the streets themselves? And thus, it's not chaotic or out of control? Or is there chaos in some areas?

PLEITGEN: Well in some areas, yes, indeed, there is chaos. But you're absolutely right. I mean, people are taking control of the streets.

If you go around at a time like this -- I did this last night -- you'll see that people are forming makeshift checkpoints. They're checking vehicles. They're checking to see who is going into their neighborhoods. They're trying to fend off what they call armed gangs.

I was in the street with one of these militias last night. They arm themselves with everything from samurai swords to rifles to pistols to 2 x 4s to try and beat these people away. And they kept showing us these guys who were riding on motorcycles, and some with flatbed trucks, who they said would come into these neighborhoods and try to loot buildings, or try to go into buildings and threaten the people who were inside.

And every time one of these sort of gangs came, a load of people just stormed onto the street and threatened them with the weapons that they had. So, certainly, it is a case where people are taking matters into their own hands, are forming these community militias, arming themselves with everything they have to try and keep the peace in the streets. And foremost, to try to keep their families safe. I was in one man's home today. And he says, "My wife and my daughter are absolutely terrified." And meanwhile, he and his 15-year-old son are on the street the whole night trying to defend their neighborhood. And they said they had guys with automatic rifles trying to attack their place as well -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Fredrik Pleitgen, live from Cairo.

Thanks, Fred.

All of those people in central Cairo essentially breaking the law. The government slapped a curfew on the city, 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. Nobody allowed outside. As you just saw, plenty of people are ignoring that curfew.

CNN's Ivan Watson was in the middle of the crowd when two things happened. The curfew time arrived and Egyptian fighter jets shot across the sky.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is as unmistakable show of military force. The fighter jets flying low over Cairo's Tahrir Square, Liberation Square, which has been a symbol of defiance for days now against the Mubarak presidency.

And the people here are still chanting. Curfew was supposed to have begun minutes ago, but they refuse to disperse.

And I've been talking to a professor.

What do you think when you see these fighter jets overhead?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we are not going to be -- as I said, we're not going to be intimidated by all of this. This is a sign of weakness, it's not a sign of strength.

If he's strong enough, he would say to the people -- he would change the constitution and he would drop down the assembly which has been voted.

WATSON: Do you think the fighter jets are a warning?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, not at all. As you can see, the people here are gathering more and more.

It makes them stronger and stronger. These people are strong because they are strong from their heart.

They are strong by holding each other, by helping each other out. And that's the spirit of the Egyptian that has been lost under this regime for about 30 years. We are gaining our spirit.

(CROSSTALK) WATSON: So there you hear it. You hear it there. Defiance ongoing from people here, demonstrators who have gathered here, despite a curfew that the outgoing defense minister called for on state television, saying please adhere to a curfew that is supposed to have started moments ago and continue until 8:00 in the morning.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Cairo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Secretary of State Clinton admits the U.S. is in a very tough spot in Egypt. We're going to have her entire interview with CNN's Candy Crowley just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: These are some of the images we're getting into our newsroom from Cairo, Egypt, and across Egypt today. Gunfire heard in Cairo, maybe military warning shots. Also, burnt buildings and vehicles all around Egypt.

There have been some reports of looting. Obviously, police departments have been sacked, as our reporters have been saying, as people come out to see what has happened.

Looking at burnt vehicles there on the street.

And then this moment -- the crowd stops their protest to pray. Very diverging images there.

Public defiance and street turmoil is not only happening in the capital, Cairo. Egypt's second-largest city is Alexandria. It's on the Mediterranean coast, and that's where dozens of people are reported killed this weekend in clashes with riot control police, and where there's also a visible military presence.

We go there live now and talk to CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson.

Nic, good evening.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Drew, hi.

In just the past couple of hours, less than an hour, we've been out on the streets here. It is way past curfew, it is nighttime.

There are vigilante groups in all the little streets you go through in the center of the city here. They're carrying kitchen knives, machetes, wooden stakes.

But there's also a big demonstration going on in the center of the city. Again, way past curfew. And there were heavy eruptions of heavy machinegun fire, tracer fire lighting up the sky, flying over -- way high over the heads of this crowd. But it was the army at a nearby checkpoint warning the protesters not to come -- not to come too close to their positions. What we are seeing here is these protests that have gone on through the afternoon here continue in defiance of the army. And what the protesters are telling us is, that these shots that are being fired are just warning shots. But the fact, they say, that the army has cleared checkpoints off the roads so that their demonstrations can go through, they say means that they believe the army is on their side at this time.

However, there are others that do have very serious concerns. When push comes to shove, will the army side with them or with President Mubarak? And there are certainly some who believe that they may -- the army may still be on President Mubarak's side -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Nic Robertson, live from Alexandria.

Thank you, Nic.

This uprising in Egypt puts the U.S. in a tough spot, with no easy answers. So says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Here's what she told CNN's Candy Crowley on "STATE OF THE UNION" earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": It seems to me that when this started out and we saw the signs and the protesters in the street, they were anti-Mubarak. Now, if you are watching, we are seeing signs that say, "U.S., stop backing Mubarak."

What side is the U.S. on, Mubarak or the people in the streets?

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, there's another choice. It's the Egyptian people.

We are on the side, as we have been for more than 30 years, of a democratic Egypt that provides both political and economic rights to its people, that respects the universal human rights of all Egyptians. And that is the message that every ambassador, whether Republican or Democratic president, everyone has conveyed for over 30 years.

What happens is truly up to the Egyptian people. And what the United States is doing is sending a very clear message:

We wish to see everyone refrain from violence. The army is now fulfilling security responsibilities. They're a respected institution in Egyptian society. And we know they have a delicate line to walk, because they want to protect peaceful protests, but they also don't want to see any city descend into chaos with looting and criminal activity. And we are encouraging a very careful approach that respects the rights of people.

We are also very much behind the kind of concrete steps that need to be taken for economic and political reform. We have, over the past 30 years, supported civil society groups. We have supported women's groups. We have tried to help build up a lot of the elements within Egyptian society that are going to be necessary when there is a national dialogue as we are urging to determine the path forward.

And clearly, Candy, this is a complex, very difficult situation. Egypt has been a partner of the United States over the last 30 years, has been instrumental in keeping the peace in the Middle East between Egypt and Israel, which is a critical accomplishment that has meant so much to so many people.

So I think we have to keep on the message we've been on, convey that publicly and privately as we are doing, and stand ready to help with the kind of transition that will lead to greater political and economic freedom.

CROWLEY: The president's remarks, in which he said much of what you just said, warning against huge crackdowns against peaceful protesters, saying we've got to see some concrete steps towards opening up political reform and advancing it, it's been interpreted here by many and some overseas as a beginning to back away from President Mubarak.

Do you argue with that translation?

CLINTON: We -- we do not want to send any message about backing forward or backing back. What we're trying to do is to help clear the air so that those who remain in power, starting with President Mubarak, with his new vice president, with the new prime minister, will begin a process of reaching out, of creating a dialogue that will bring in peaceful activists and representatives of civil society to, you know, plan a way forward that will meet the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people.

There's no easy answer. And, clearly, increasing chaos or even violence in the streets, prison breaks, which we've had reports about, that is not the way to go. We want to see this peaceful uprising on the part of the Egyptian people to demand their rights, to be responded to in a very clear, unambiguous way by the government and then a process of national dialogue that will lead to the changes that the Egyptian people seek and that they deserve.

Now, that will take time. It is unlikely to be done overnight without very grave consequences for everyone involved.

So what we want to see is, as we've said over and over again, the concrete steps taken.

You know, it took 30 years to have a vice president appointed. We want to see both the existing and any new members of any government continue to put real life into what President Mubarak himself said, which were concrete steps toward democratic and economic reform.

CROWLEY: If I could, the people that we're seeing and certainly that you're seeing don't seem like the type that want to wait another 30 years for full democracy.

CLINTON: Oh, of course not.

CROWLEY: So when -- when we look at these demonstrations, when we talk to some of the people involved in it, it does not seem that even if President Mubarak were to do everything you have now laid out that he is at all acceptable.

Do you think that President Mubarak can survive this?

CLINTON: You know, again, Candy, this is going to be up to the Egyptian people. But let's look at what we have.

We have a calendar that already has elections for the next president scheduled, so there is an action-enforcing event that is already on the calendar. Can there be efforts made to really respond to the political desires of the people so that such an election is free and fair and credible?

There are many steps that can be taken by reaching out to those who have advocated a peaceful, orderly transition to greater democracy where the Egyptian people themselves get to express their views. That's what we wish to see.

CROWLEY: But from what you've seen -- from what you've seen, will that be enough? If he takes those steps and says, "Hey, we've already got prescheduled elections coming up," is that enough to keep him in power?

CLINTON: Well, no. Much has to be done. And we're not advocating -- we're not advocating any specific outcome. We are advocating that the government, the representatives of the civil society, the political opposition and activists begin a dialogue to chart a course.

Egypt is a large, complex, very important country. I don't think the Egyptian people want to see what is a very clear effort to obtain political and economic rights turn into any kind of new form of oppression or suppression or violence or letting loose criminal elements. That's not what they're in the streets protesting for.

So how do we get from where they are today to where they would like to be? It needs to be done immediately with a process that brings people to the table and that the Egyptian people can see, "Oh, I know so-and- so. He represents a group that has been advocating for democracy for many years."

This is going to be a legitimate effort that is going to result in changes that will have responded to the needs and the voices of the people who have been protesting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Americans are being told not to travel to Egypt, of course, but some are already there and they can't get out. We'll have one woman's story, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Well, the U.S. State Department is advising Americans not to travel to Egypt, but some are already there and can't get out.

Joining me by phone from Luxor, Egypt, is Laura Murphy Lee (sic).

Ms. Lee (sic), this was somewhat of a pleasure trip for you. How did you end up in Egypt.

LAURA MURPHY, AMERICAN STRANDED IN EGYPT: It's actually Laura Murphy.

I ended up going on a cruise with my sister to celebrate her 66th birthday. And it was a trip organized by several of her friends, with 14 women.

GRIFFIN: And from what I gather, you have seen some of this uprising, or at least traveled through these areas.

MURPHY: I have. In Cairo, I saw a truck being bombed in the evening, on Saturday evening. Rather, Friday evening. And I also saw all day Friday, a fantastic peaceful marching across a bridge near our hotel balcony.

We were sent to Alexandria because we could not get into the Egyptian museum. Once we got to Alexandria, we were turned away, and all tourists who were not based in Alexandria were asked to leave the city. So we drove two-and-a-half hours from there -- or from Cairo to Alexandria, and then had to go back to Cairo.

Then flew to Luxor, where we were supposed to take a cruise down the Nile. All of the stops along the cruise on the Nile asked the ship director not to come because they couldn't guarantee the safety of American citizens.

There are well over 100 American citizens stuck in Luxor. We cannot get out of the city because the Egyptian airline is not flying into Cairo because of curfew restrictions and plane problems.

I've spoken to the ambassador today, and I believe what she -- what she and the State Department are doing is well-intentioned, but grossly insufficient to take care of the safety of American people.

GRIFFIN: Well, let me ask you, do you feel safe at your location right now? You're at a hotel?

MURPHY: Yes, I'm safe, but I'm trapped. Two of the group members that I'm with went to the airport. They had paid for tickets from Luxor to Cairo, which is about an hour flight, and they could not get on the plane. The plane never showed up. The airport was packed with American citizens.

So you cannot get away by water. You cannot take public transportation because it's been deemed unsafe. And you cannot fly.

And when I spoke to the ambassador, I was more distressed after I talked to her than before, because she did not seem to know of the attempts to bomb the government buildings, the National Democratic Party buildings, and the fact that gangs and criminals were looting homes and cars.

GRIFFIN: Well, let me ask you, what -- MURPHY: They attempted to burn the governor's house. So she did not know about these things, and so we're not being addressed.

GRIFFIN: What was the advice that the ambassador gave you? What are you getting from the State Department?

MURPHY: The ambassador said, "You're on a lovely cruise ship, so I suggest that you stay there." Now, on the trip are women who are senior citizens -- I'm not one of them, but there are senior citizens on fixed income. They cannot pool their money to charter a plane.

They've been told to call a number -- the ambassador, the White House, people that I know in Washington, where I work. I called them at State. At least we have cell phone coverage.

We are being told to call a number. When you call the number, you're told to go to the Internet site.

We have no Internet access in Egypt. And then when you can't -- when you -- when you press the button for emergency assistance, you're kept on hold.

So apparently there are over 50,000 Americans in Egypt, some of whom may be flown out of the major cities. But those of us who are not in Cairo or Alexandria are trapped right now. We are not being called form the State Department, even though we registered with the State Department.

GRIFFIN: All right. Laura Murphy, thank you. We're trying to get some answers now from the State Department.

Janice Jacobs, the assistant secretary for Counselor Affairs at the State Department, joining me live.

And thank you so much, Ms. Jacobs, for calling me.

"Safe but trapped" is how Laura Murphy describes her situation. And I've got to think for the State Department, that ain't too bad for what's going on in Egypt.

JANICE JACOBS, STATE DEPARTMENT: Well, thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to talk to you today.

Certainly taking care of American citizens in Egypt right now is our top priority. And we have tried to get information out about the situation there through a variety of means.

We understand the frustrations with not being able to get through either by email or by phone. We, as you can imagine, are getting hundreds and hundreds of inquiries.

We have posted information on our Web site. We understand without access to the Internet, that that presents special problems. So we are getting information out through radio, through television, and other means. GRIFFIN: And what is the advice, Ms. Jacobs? Are there going to be some kind of -- I hate to say rescue flights, because that brings up a dire situation that may not exist. But are there going to be any kind of U.S. State Department-sponsored flights to evacuate Americans?

JACOBS: Yes, there will be. In fact, we are in the process right now of arranging for some charter flights that will be going out of Cairo. Those will begin tomorrow and they'll be ongoing until we are able to get all Americans who are not able to get out via commercial airline.

We're going to be giving more information about those flights later today and tomorrow. So people will have full information we do encourage people of course who already have tickets for a commercial airline to take advantage of that.

But we are going to be working to get Americans who want to leave out of Egypt. In fact, we are sending a number of additional consular officers to Egypt right now in order to help with that -that evacuation of Americans.

GRIFFIN: OK, Egypt a vastly popular tourist spot for American and tourists all across the world. Was the State Department somehow caught off-guard by this? Did this crisis kind of sneak up on the State Department in terms of handling the American tourists who are there?

JACOBS: I don't think it, it took us by surprise. I think that the events in Egypt moved rather quickly, but around the world, we have measures in place for handling any kind of crisis situation. We do encourage American travelers to register their presence with us through our embassy.

And we would certainly encourage all Americans who do, still have access to the internet, to do that. We really are relying on family members and friends back here in the united states, who do have access, to our internet sites, to convey information to friends and family who are in Egypt right now and we strongly encourage people to use those, the contact information that I believe is on the screen right now, both the email address and the phone number.

GRIFFIN: Ms. Jacobs, if you were going to give advice right now. I mean, it's coming into the late evening, early-morning hours over in Cairo, Egypt. You're not telling anybody at this point to go to the airport. You're not telling anybody to leave wherever they are and head somewhere, is that, that's correct, right?

JACOBS: That's correct. We, right now, we are asking people to limit their movements as much as possible and to weight for the additional information that we will have very shortly on these charter flights that will be leaving.

GRIFFIN: All right. Ms. Jacobs, thank you for coming out from the State Department. We thank Laura Murphy as well as the frustration continues for Americans who are seemingly trapped in Egypt with no way to get out. People taking to the streets in American cities and throughout the world are showing support for the Egyptian uprising, too. We'll have that right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Protests in support of the uprising in Egypt are being held around the world for a second straight day. These pictures you're seeing right now were taken at numerous demonstrations held yesterday in the U.S. and overseas. More protests planned today in Washington, Los Angeles, and Houston.

Our top stories begin with a major development in Egypt. An emerging voice of opposition, Nobel Prize Laureate, Mohammed ElBaradei appeared in a crowded Cairo Square today, defying the military curfew. The former diplomat told protesters that what they started just can't be stopped. He called on Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, to step down.

Inmates have reportedly broken out of several Egyptian prisons. State-run TV says there have been at least three prison breaks. In one of them southwest of Cairo, roughly 1,000 inmates reportedly escaped.

The U.S. embassy is stepping up to help Americans who want to leave Egypt. An embassy spokeswoman said flights will be leaving Cairo tomorrow. So far, there are no reports of Americans being hurt or killed in this unrest.

Back to Cairo now, where the government warned people to stay off the streets, thousands and thousands of people ignored the warning and are gathering in public spaces. But others, like CNN's Ben Wedeman are playing it safe, staying at home.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm spending time at home now because just the situation in the neighborhood has gotten such that I think I need to be closer to my family rather than the live camera in the work space.

But what I've saw is they've been going through just nightly constant gunfire. Tonight, it's a little quieter. But in fact, I had come back home this morning from working all night in the CNN bureau in downtown Cairo, and I was getting a bit of sleep.

And at about 11:00 in the morning, I was woken up by an intense volley of automatic machine gun fire and that woke me up. I started awake. I grabbed my telephone, trying to look for everybody. The first person I called was my 17-year-old son, Christopher. I called him up and I said, where are you get back home quickly and he said, why, I'm walking to my girlfriend's house.

And I said, you need get home, there's shooting in the street. He said, I'm used to it, it's been going on now for three days. So people are getting used to it. My kids, like a lot of other kids in the neighborhood have gotten out their slingshots and their blow guns and their darts and what-not, put rocks on the balcony.

People need to do what they need to do to protect their homes. There are men in the streets. I had tea with them a little while ago. They've all got baseball bats, samurai swords, shotguns and revolvers. And it's not just Egyptians, it's foreigners as well, everybody pitching in because everybody is worried about safety.

GRIFFIN: Interesting perspective from Ben Wedeman, of course, our correspondent living in Cairo with his family. Facebook, Twitter, social media played a major role in the protests in Egypt, but what did people do when all that was blocked? Technology expert, Marc Saltzman was join us live via Skype with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Social media has been a galvanizing force in the protests in Egypt. That's why the country has shut it all down. The internet went dark. Egyptians though still got their messages out.

We're going to try it find out how with technology expert Marc Saltzman. Marc, the answer to this is, yes, these things can be bypassed if somebody tries to shut down your internet, but how?

MARC SALTZMAN, SYNDICATED TECHNOLOGY WRITER: That's the old attitude goes, when there's a will, there's a way. And Egyptians were forced to blow the dust off of aging equipment. The fax machines, ham radios and landlines to get the message out.

Now with landlines in particular, those without internet connectivity and that is about 92 percent of the country is without high-speed internet, they were able to use technology called VPN software.

And what they do is in one of two ways they can get the message out by logging in through a dial-up modem. They can call a neighboring country and log in their computer and surf the internet as if they were there remotely. So they can access sites like Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and Flicker and others.

The second thing they can do, which is apparently popular in Egypt this week is called -- is to install software called "Hotspot Shields." This makes it look like you are surfing the internet from another country altogether. It masks where that computer is. It's called an IP address so it changes. So you're basically fooling the authorities, if you will. By making it looked like you're not surfing from where you are.

GRIFFIN: What was very interesting to me as I was watching this is how quickly the internet was shut down and then how quickly all of these bypasses were put in place. Is there a how-to out there? Are these just ingenious people figuring this out on the spot?

SALTZMAN: Those who are able to get through, and communicate with other Egyptians or to family members outside of Egypt, who would then write or call friends and family within the country. What they're doing is just passing on all of this information and these tips as quickly as possible. For example, there are tweets out there that are telling you how to wash your face properly from tear gas. There's other Twitter messages out there saying, hey, for those who do have high-speed internet still, only about 8 percent to 12 percent of the country has, they're telling them to take off the password from their wireless networks at home, so that their neighbors can get online as well.

So they're just using any means necessary to communicate with one another. Organize rallies and disseminate the information on what's happening. Citizen journalism will find any tools available to spread the word.

GRIFFIN: There should be a lesson to any government out there trying to shut people down. Thanks, Marc, appreciate it.

Well, we continue to monitor events in Egypt. Let's listen to some of the sounds of the streets of Cairo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The moment now is not about one group of people. It's already about all people. Christians and Muslims, not only Muslims. Christians and Muslims and we, we're saying, yesterday, that we are Muslim and Christian, we are all one country. And Muslim brothers are not leading this protest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will not leave here until he goes out and this message is a message for American people and all free people and all free world. That to support our people, support our revolution, why Obama is supporting Mubarak and not supporting the Egyptian people. Why? We are very peaceful, revolution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Images from the crisis taking place in Egypt. These are stills from the streets of Cairo. You can see the debris in the streets, burned-out vehicles, and also, defiant protests, protests tonight.

Mohammed ElBaradei and thousands of others defying a curfew to attend a protest in a square. Leave Mubarak, is what the people are demanding. Of course, Mubarak so far has not gone.

We also have night video coming in of the military, actually arresting people in Cairo. We're not sure if they're looters. There have been reports of inmates who have escaped from prison, but you see this is the Egyptian military performing security on the streets of Cairo.

Well, the primary motivation behind the uprising, economic frustrations. We're going to have a special live edition of "YOUR MONEY," taking an in-depth look at that plus the economic impact of the unrest in the U.S. that's at the top of the hour and CNN's Christine Romans joins us now with a quick preview -- Christine. CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Drew. Well, coming up at the top of the hour, the latest from Egypt, including live reports from Nic Robertson and Ivan Watson. We're following every moving detail tonight.

We're looking at the economic side of this crisis. The price of oil and therefore, the gasoline you put in your car. The Suez Canal, it's so vital to the region and to the entire world.

We're going to talk live to an American student living in Cairo right now and the pressure for him to leave the country. A special edition of "YOUR MONEY" minutes away with all of that - Drew.

GRIFFIN: Looking forward to it, Christine, thanks.

Well, he spent 17 years behind bars for a crime he never committed, the evidence that could have freed him, hidden. The story part of a CNN documentary, we'll take look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: The dominant national news story this week may be a weather wallop, another winter storm coming. Jacqui Jeras, and this looks at least widespread, if not huge.

JERAS: Yes, it's completely widespread. In fact almost every single state in the country is going to feel some type of an impact from this storm system. And you know, this is a nor'easter type system. This isn't going to be a big hitter for the northeast, we don't think, at least not initially.

This is going to be the nation's midsection so we're talking about the nation's heartland. Places like Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Detroit. And the winter storm watches and even blizzard watches are in place in advance of this storm.

We think the height of it isn't going to kick in until Monday night, last through the day Tuesday and likely start to wind down a little bit on Wednesday morning. There you can see Chicago and Milwaukee already under those blizzard watches because the winds are just going to be howling with this thing, a good 40 miles per hour.

Where's the storm now? Believe it or not, it's way over here. It's in California and this thing is going to dive down through the four corners and then make its way on up through the plain states. This is the forecast track that we're going to expect for it and this can deviate a little bit between now and then. So keep that in mind.

We're also real concerned about the chance for some freezing rain across parts of the Ohio River Valley before it moves on through maybe even some severe weather to parts of the south. The only thing going on today outside of the system in California is we've got some heavy showers and thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast. Not related to our big upcoming storm, but we'll have to watch out for a few severe thunderstorms.

GRIFFIN: We will indeed and call your airport ahead of time.

JERAS: Yes.

GRIFFIN: That's for sure. Jacqui, thanks.

Well, what happens when officers charged with fighting crime don't play by the rules? In a new CNN documentary titled "Rogue Justice." I examined the North Carolina State Bureau Of Investigation and how it put at least one innocent man behind bars. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN (voice-over): For 17 years, Greg Taylor sat in prison for a murder he consistently claimed he didn't commit. For much of that time, he slept here, on Bunk 23.

GREG TAYLOR: In the beginning, there was almost a constant hope and then there was that periodic hope and then there was no hope.

GRIFFIN: This was his world. This is where he ate and this is only recreation.

TAYLOR: I can remember the first birthday I missed of my daughter's was her 10th birthday and that first Christmas, I can remember thinking when she was 16, she's driving now. And I have to worry about her, you know, being on the roads and what-not and she graduated high school. You just want so much to get out, but you sit there and you're helpless.

GRIFFIN: Then Chris Muma came into his life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We get, you know, 750, 1,000 claims a year. We reject about 95 percent of them.

GRIFFIN: Muma runs the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence. A last resort for those who claim they've been wrongly convicted.

(on camera): In 2007, Chris Muma brought the case to the newly- formed North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission. It was the first and only government panel in the country created to free the wrongfully imprisoned.

And it was here on this unassuming room. That Greg's bid for freedom would be heard.

(voice-over): It meant Greg would be one last chance to clear his name.

TAYLOR: To the very essence of who you are, you just hate, just absolutely hate being accused of something like this.

GRIFFIN: When he was about to find out would rock the justice system, evidence that would have changed everything and had been buried for 17 years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had Greg's innocence in our hands. (END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: To learn more about this case and others, watch "ROGUE JUSTICE" tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, an all-new CNN presents.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Time for a CNN Equals Politics Update. We're keeping an eye on the latest updates on the CNNPolitics.com desk. Here's what's crossing right now.

European leaders banding together to urge Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, to make major political and economic reforms. The heads of England, France and Germany issuing a joint statement saying those reforms should be made quickly and include open elections.

Turning to U.S. politics, a weekend meeting near Palm Springs, California, fueling a heated debate over the role of corporate money in politics. At the meeting, billionaire brothers, David and Charles Coke and powerful Republicans, including House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor. Liberal groups say the meeting shows how wealth unfairly influences politics. A spokesman for the Coke brothers company denies the charge.

Early voting for Chicago's February mayoral election starts tomorrow. Former White House Chief Of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, will be on the ballot. Thursday, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Emanuel does meet residency requirements and can remain a candidate for mayor of Chicago.

CNN's coverage of the crisis in Egypt continues now with Christine Romans in a special live edition of "YOUR MONEY."