Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Unrest and Protests in Egypt Continue; Lawlessness and Food Shortages Starting to Take Their Toll in Egypt; U.S. Evacuating Americans From Egypt; Wall Street Watches Oil Routs in Egypt; Tea Party's Role in Republican Politics Welcome, Says Gallup; Quality Versus Quantity of Jobs Created

Aired January 31, 2011 - 10:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. It's the top of the hour, and it's Monday, 10:00 a.m. in the east, 14 minutes to sunrise in San Francisco, right now we're watching the midwest in that dangerous winter storm that could bury old snow records in St. Louis and Chicago. The system could trigger tornadoes in the south and it could batter the east cost by Thursday.

Then near Seattle, a vigil for a corrections officer found dead in a prison chapel. It's believed that an inmate serving life for rape and assault strangled her as she was trying to escape. The victim, Jamie Vindal was the only guard working in the chapel. The superintendent said she didn't even carry a weapon, the inmate is now in an isolated unit and has asked for a lawyer.

And the government's new dietary guidelines out today, if you love sugar, salt and big sticks of margarine, you're out of luck, the fed say cut that out. Eat more seafood, fruits and veggies.

It's now 5:00 p.m. in Egypt and a curfew is in place and Hosni Mubarak remains in power. This morning he swore in a new cabinet in his latest concession to anti-government protesters. Meanwhile, the man who has become the face of that movement says Mubarak's fall seems inevitable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE (via phone): I will continue to participate in whatever it takes to make sure that the Mubarak regime should leave. I think that's a - that is a consensus here in Egypt, in every part of society that this is a regime that is dictatorial, that has failed to deliver on economic, social or political fronts, and that we need a new beginning in Egypt that is free and that is democratic, and we need to go through a transitional period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: But on the seventh day of protests, some stark realities hitting home. Food shortages becoming commonplace. People waiting in lines for hours to buy bread. Store shelves becoming empty. Lawlessness reaching a new level as well. Prisons empty with murderers, rapists, terrorists running free. And a show of brazen defiance, citizens then looted those prisons themselves.

Now all eyes remain on the country's military on what role it's going to play in the uprising. Fighters igniting fear and rumors yesterday when they buzz crowds of protesters and some people felt panicked because they thought they were about to be bombed.

Now out of the chaos, Mohammed Elbaradei is emerging as a leading figure of the opposition. The name might sound familiar. He used to head up the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency. And yesterday, he joined the crowds in Cairo's (INAUDIBLE) Square. A move that energized many of those protesters.

Our Fred Pleitgen was right there earlier this morning. And he told us what he saw at street level.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERICK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police forces absolutely vanished off the street here. There is some talk that it might return today. We're not exactly sure that's going to be the case but simply that's something that is really being discussed and is the talk of the town. That could actually spur new unrest, because it was the heavy-handedness of the police that caused the riot here last Friday. But right now, there's no police present.

I was going around Cairo yesterday, in the suburbs, and we went past seven or eight police stations, which all of them had been abandoned, looted and burned down. There is an air of lawlessness where a lot of people are defending their own homes with everything they can find from samurai swords to clubs to rifle. So right now there isn't much in the way of any law enforcement authority. And the ones that are sort of trying to keep order is the military.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, the U.S. is evacuating Americans who want to escape that turmoil in Egypt. And U.S. citizens are gathering now in Cairo's main airport. The first charter flight has already taken off. The evacuees will be responsible for the costs of their flights, and according to the State Department, there are about 52,000 Americans registered with the embassy in Cairo.

So far, 2,400 Americans have already been asked to evacuate. Now, for those who want to stay, the State Department is urging them to limit their movements, and keep a close eye on this escalating crisis.

Now Lara Getz is one of 35 students who got caught up in the Egypt unrest. She and her Tulane classmates have been waiting for the call that says they can go home. Laura joins me on the phone from Alexandria, Egypt.

So Lara, describe what you've seen and what it's been like for you?

LARA GETZ, STRANDED STUDENT: Well, first of all, I should probably clarify that I'm just one student from Tulane. We're a group of about 20 different students from different programs here, but it's been a really, you know, extraordinary and pretty life-changing experience. You know, right know, we're waiting to get out, but you know, starting on Friday we were able to see the Egyptian people finally stand up to a government that's been extremely oppressive for about 30 years now and you know, take to the streets in a unified effort, despite the president's efforts in limiting that.

I mean, he cut off the internet. He cut off all mobile services, so there's no communication among people and yet everyone's still banded together. It has, you know, been a mixture of experiences. It has been frightening at times, since it's been getting violent between people looting and you know, some of the criminals getting out.

So, you know people running around. People have weapons now, but what has been really extraordinary as well has been to see how the Egyptian people have really united over all of this, and that, you know, in the neighborhoods we have been seeing people - we know people who are pretty much setting up watches and guards, and having people from all different walks of life, professors, street shop owners, young people, to like an 80-year-old man coming down and guarding their buildings and their friends and families and neighborhoods.

So, you know, on the one hand you see, yes, it's become violent and it's unfortunately come to this state, and the president has refused to step down. On the other hand, you've also seen a people really unite and show that they can really work together.

PHILLIPS: Lara, you've been mixing with college students since you've been there, with other college students and you know, the average age is 20-something, 30-something, the younger generation that's out there in protest. What have fellow college students there been telling you, as you talk about, even before this, as you talk about the politics and the life?

I mean, for the most part, have they all appeared to be anti- Mubarak? Or have you found that there are students in support of his government?

GETZ: Obviously - this program has had a unique opportunity to really get to know the Egyptian youth themselves. All of us have a lot of Egyptian friends. And so obviously, you know, we've seen a wide range of people, but really the majority of them know that it's type for Mubarak to step down. He's been extremely oppressive. They all want something better. They all want a better life for their family, for their friends, for their country.

And so, you know, it has been incredible. Things that quite honestly, as a lot of people led up to the 25th and to Friday, you know - I'm not sure how many people are expecting this to actually happen among the Egyptians and American students that I know.

PHILLIPS: Real quickly, do you know how you're going to get out of there, Lara? Do you have any idea? GETZ: We do. Right now, we have a couple different plans and we're just waiting to see which one is the best option. One of the problems has been that most of the evacuation efforts, actually almost all evacuation efforts have been focused on Cairo, and we're in Alexandria. So we've been pretty much working with different people in the U.S. and in Egypt to help get evacuation efforts from Alexandria, which is now beginning to work.

PHILLIPS: Well, you keep us posted, Lara. We want to stay in touch with you. Be careful. Thank you so much for calling in.

GETZ: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

All right. Let's take a quick check of the big board right now. It looks like the Dow Industrials up 10 points. Overseas markets are shaky, of course, because of the turmoil in the Middle East. We'll keep watching the numbers for you and what it means for you.

Now the instability is not just hanging over Wall Street, it's also rippling to your corner gas station. Buckle up. Some analysts say that if Egypt remains in turmoil we could see oil prices more than double.

Stephanie Elam, that is not going to make commuters happy.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: No, it's not exactly the Valentine's day present anyone is hoping for around here, Kyra. This is what everyone is keeping their eyes on, is exactly how far this unrest is going to go. Could it potentially affect the Suez Canal because it affect the Su-Med pipeline? This is really important.

Because they actually are in Egypt's control. However, a lot of the world's oil makes their way through this. So here you have on this one graphic here that the red line, which would be the Suez Canal and then yellow line, which is the Sumed pipeline. We should not that that pipeline has 1.8 million barrels a day that flowed through it. In 2009, at 1.8 million flowed through the Suez Canal.

So those two arteries are key to getting oil out. Because if those two didn't exist, Kyra, then they would have to ship it all the way around Africa, and that's an extra 6,000 miles. So no one wants to do that, because obviously it's more expensive, and on top of it. It would really cut into supply here if we had to do that.

So that would just take a lot longer to do and would affect how this oil gets to everybody else. Because as we know, a lot of the Middle East producers supply to a lot of the world. Now, at this point I do need to say that there could be delays at the Suez Canal. There maybe some delays now but it's not because of issues as far as the canal is concerned. What we are hearing is that the issues are communications because we know a lot of the communications abilities were shut down because of the unrest. So shippers are having a hard time. The cal itself, the pipeline itself, are very much in control. So right now, we're seeing that displayed even in oil prices, which did top 90 bucks in overnight trading but have come back a little bit.

So it doesn't look like anything crazy right now, but again that could change on a dime when you see what exactly has gone on with oil just this month, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, we're going to keep tracking it. Thanks, Stef.

Other big news. That major blizzard that we've been talking about with possible record-setting cold and snow, is moving into the midwest. Rob Marciano is watching it second by second for us.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it's really starting to come together. We have a number of ingredients and it's going to be multi-day event, Kyra and it's going to be a multistate event and it's going to be multi-headaches. I can tell you that. All of it. We've got snow, cold air, so frigid cold temperatures, blizzard conditions expected in Chicago, a ribbon of ice from New York City all the way back through northern Texas.

And then down to the south, thankfully no snow or ice in the deep south, but enough heat and energy that we built up over the weekend to probably spawn some severe thunderstorms tomorrow and again on Wednesday. So big storm and big headaches. We got winter storm watches that have been posted from New England all the way down to New Mexico.

So over 2,000 miles of linear real estate there, and tens of millions of people affected by this thing. And we could see anywhere from places like Chicago, you could see 12 to 18 inches of snow. How about that? My goodness. If that happens, and I'm pretty confident we're going to have at least a foot. If they get 18 inches or 20 inches that would be the biggest snowstorm that they have seen in over 10 years. So a big deal, no doubt about it.

We got a bit of rain across parts of the southeast. This is causing some travel delays across Atlanta, just kind of a precursor of the main storm. Minneapolis also seeing some snow right now. That's driving down into Chicago, but this is the main event here, or the main piece of energy that's really going to be driving down into Texas.

And as that happens, everything is going to begin to take shape with this system. And we're going to start to see it wind up fairly rapidly. I mentioned Atlanta got some delays, Houston, some delays as well, and Minneapolis because of the snow that's limiting visibility right now, a couple of inches on the ground from this particular storm.

All right. Let's go through where this storm is going to be and what time. We start it today, and we go through the next 24 hours. Oklahoma through parts of eastern Kansas is going to get hammered with snow and wind tomorrow. Blizzard conditions expected in Chicago, again a foot and a half potentially and the wintry mix nosing into the northeast, several inches of snow and ice expected there through Thursday. Going to be quite a week. Hold on to your hats. Kyra? PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, Rob.

OK. You've heard of krab, with a "k," right? Is it really crab? It never had claws or legs. We want to know, what other foods are out there that sounds genuine? You might even fool your taste buds, if you really think about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, the stars came out for the Screen Actors Guild last night. And the "King's Speech," "The Fighter" and "Boardwalk Empire" are some of the big winners. "Showbiz Tonight" host A.J. Hammer is watching all these for us. It's good to see you back. I missed you last week. Did you see "The King's Speech"?

A.J. HAMMER, HOST "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": You know what, I still haven't seen it? I can't believe I'm saying that. I have a whole pile of movies to get to before the Oscars.

PHILLIPS: A.J., you've got to see this movie.

HAMMER: I'm on it. I know. Well, last night, Kyra, I'm here to tell you "The King's Speech" absolutely ruled and it was Betty White who reigned last night at the Screen Actor's guild in Los Angeles. Now "The King's Speech" won two awards, including the big one, outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.

Colin Firth got outstanding male actor for playing King George VI in a movie, "Black Swan's" Natalie Portman and "The Fighter" co-stars Christian Bale and Melissa Leo were also honored with 12 pound, 16- inch high trophies called "The Actor." Over the TV side, "Boardwalk Empire" and "Modern Family" won the awards for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama and comedy, respectively.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the funniest actress in this category, according to Amy Poehler and the teamsters, is Betty White.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Well, 89-year-old Betty White beat out "Glee's" Jane Lynch and "30 Rock's" Tina Fey for favorite TV funny woman in a comedy series for her role in "Hot in Cleveland." Do you see the look in her face? She looked absolutely shocked, and no surprise, Betty brought down the house.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETTY WHITE, ACTRESS: But to have this happen on top of -- oww!

-- on top of everything else, I cannot say thank you enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Now, this was White's first S.A.G. award, Kyra. She called the win the biggest surprise of her career when you think about how many decades, multiple decades, Betty White has had a career, that's a pretty big statement.

PHILLIPS: She's a piece of work. Can you believe she's 89 years old?

HAMMER: Unbelievable.

PHILLIPS: Yes and she's still got it.

All right. So clearly it was a night of big stars, and big winners, but one huge TV star was noticeably absent.

HAMMER: Yes, the guy with the biggest show on TV as far as sitcoms are concerned. We're talking about Charlie Sheen, of course. And that's because he checked himself into rehab once again on Friday. That's basically shut down production of his hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men," for the second time in a year.

His publicist telling "Showbiz Tonight" Charlie voluntarily entered an undisclosed rehabilitation center, and CBS and Warner Brothers Television tell us, "We are profoundly concerned for his health and well being and support his decision." Now the announcement that he's seeking treatment came a day after Charlie was hospitalized with what his publicist had called severe abdominal pains late last week. An ambulance was called to Sheen's Beverly Hills home, that was early Thursday, amid all these reports of wild party with porn stars, Charlie will reportedly be in rehab for at least, the next three months.

And that leaves the production status of "Two and a Half Men" in limbo for the time being. But while Charlie is headed into rehab, some pretty good news about celebrities who have finished up their time in treatment. Disney star Demi Lovato left the treatment center that she voluntarily entered three months ago. She has returned to her home in Los Angeles, according to a source close to her family.

Lovato dropped out of a world tour with the Jonas Brothers and sought help for emotional and physical issues back in early November. That was after some kind of an altercation with a dancer on her concert tour. Little information has been made public about Demi's issues, but a statement by her publicist in November described them as emotional and physical issues that she's dealt with for some time. And the publicist had cautioned at that time against describing the treatment as rehab. So good to see her out, hopefully on the right path, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, A.J.. And if you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J. has always got it for you. Every night, "Showbiz Tonight" 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on HLN.

Well, beefy, cheesy, chocolatey, how do you know if you're eating the real thing? The beef with Taco Bell's beef had us talking this morning. And of course we're keeping an eye on Egypt. The situation there so volatile right now. CNN correspondents are all over the region witnessing the action right there on the ground and from the air.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This is an unmistakable show of military force. Fighter jets flying low over Cairo's Tahrir (ph) Square, Liberation Square. This has been as symbol of defiance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's one big step. A couple of long-distance runners will never forget taking. Their story tops our look cross country. Molly Johnston and David Upton not only ran the 26 miles of Houston's Chevron marathon yesterday, but they took a matrimonial side trip. That's right. They actually tied the knot during the race. As they crossed the finish line, another journey was just starting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID UPTON: (INAUDIBLE) the only way I was going to marry here (INAUDIBLE).

MOLLY UPTON, MARATHON NEWLYWEDS: It's been five years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Molly and David, just as you took care of yourselves during the challenges of those training runs, take care of your (INAUDIBLE).

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: We got another love story with good fortune. This one for a homeless couple from Green Bay, Wisconsin. (INAUDIBLE) and her boyfriend won an all-expense paid trip to this Sunday's showdown in Dallas, compliments of the city's visitors and convention bureau which held a secret phrase contest that Ouida read about on-line.

OUIDA WRIGHT, WON TRIP TO SUPER BOWL: And I said, have you to Dallas lately? And he said, oh yes, I have. And I said "Are you the contest guy?" "Why? Yes, I am." Can you imagine a homeless person who can't afford a movie gets to go to the Super Bowl?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, a lot of people are asking why don't they just sell that trip, bank the proceeds and look to their future, but it's Green Bay, Wisconsin, and they're Packer fans. That's all I have to say.

Motorists in downtown Indianapolis need to be careful around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue in New Jersey street after five manhole covers literally flipped their lids. Firefighters investigating a report, a smell of natural gas from those manhole started popping. One fire truck and nearby building were damage. Local gas company says, "no. (INAUDIBLE) manholes don't appear to be natural gas related.

All right. We want to talk more about that beef with Taco Bell. The company has got its call of - well in a big chalupah. Sorry, I missed that one. The plaintiffs claim that the company's beef is really less than 35 percent real - the other 65 percent, well, a mix of water, chili pepper and other stuff, including my personal favorite, yeast extract.

A top company executive says bring it on, the beef claim is bogus and that the food starts with 100 percent USDA inspected beef and that the finished product is about 88 percent beef. Now the rest is the stuff that gives the food a flavor. He's also promising a counter- suit. Let's bring in Kat Kinsman. She's the managing editor of CNN's "Eatocracy," food blog. Now Cat did I get that right. It is the chalupahs. Is that one of the - I haven't been to Taco Bell in a long time. Did I say that right?

Oh, you're missing out if you haven't been to Taco Bell for a while. I think they're mostly focusing on the taco meat (INAUDIBLE).

PHILLIPS: I almost said Chihuahua. That would not have been good. I would have gotten in big trouble.

KAN KINSMAN, EATOCRACY.COM: Not so much.

PHILLIPS: All right. So regardless of who wins this beef battle there's a teachable fast-food moment here, right?

KINSMAN: There certainly is, and really it comes down to three words - read the label. All the information is out there, easy for you to find, it's on the web site, two clicks away. You're nuts if you're looking to Taco Bell to regulate your health at this point. Just empower yourself, like in what you're eating.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about the beef and the chicken, and how do we know - you say read the label, but come on, a lot of us really don't do that. What's the reality check, if a taco is 89 cents we should know it's not, you know, a certain kind of beef, if the chicken is at a certain price. Because I mean, you know, we do want the real thing, but there's a lot of marketing ploys out there.

KINSMAN: There's a huge difference between cheap food and inexpensive food. And it just takes educating yourself a little bit to know the difference. In fact today the USDA was releasing new guidelines on what Americans should be eating. And that just really comes down to personal responsibility.

Again, you look for words that you understand. How much salt is in there, how much actual beef is in there, just - if you don't understand what a word is, take some time out and look it up. It's the most important thing you're going to do for your health, so why not take that little bit of time to do it. Words like cheesy and even blueberry are not necessarily regulated by the FDA, so you know, marketers will go with terms like chocolatey, beefy. I always don't trust that "y" at the end of something because it means it's like something but isn't something.

So again, just go to the label and look for those words.

LEMON: Got it. Lemon flavored, chocolate flavored, made with real - that's interesting. When they say made with real, dot dot dot?

KINSMAN: Oh, it's crazy. You see a lot of things, made with real juice. That can mean that whatever juice it is that you're drinking only has been 10 percent actual fruit juice in it. You know, I don't know about you, but if I'm drinking juice, I want to be drinking juice, not just added sugar and water. And again, those new guidelines that are coming out today are telling you that you really should be cutting down on all of that added sugar, on added salt, and it's really just up to people to take care of their own well-being. It's not that hard, and it's all right out there.

PHILLIPS: Good advice. Kat Kinsman, a managing editor of CNN's Eatocracy. If you haven't seen it in our web site. It's fantastic. CNN "Eatocracy," go right to it with all kinds of good advise. Kat, thanks.

KINSMAN: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well the situation in Egypt so volatile right now that things can change in an instant. We know that. We've seen it protesters are defying the curfew, thugs are roaming the streets with machetes and home-made weapons and with little to no police force, well, people there are forced to protect their homes and belongings however they can.

Firsthand account, live from Cairo is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, stock market opening ball just about an hour ago. Let's check the numbers. Dow Industrials up 24 points.

The uprising in Egypt may be causing ulcers on Wall Street. Stocks opened higher just about an hour ago, but investors remain cautious about Egypt. Let's go live now to Stephanie Elam in New York.

So, Steph, Egypt not a big oil producer, but there are definitely concerns over the disruptions to tanker shipments going through the Suez Canal.. We talked a lot about this with Zain Verjee out of London. It's definitely something we're watching.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's something everyone will be watching, especially on Wall Street because it could impact us. Right now, it does look like things are controlled. When you take a look at the Suez Canal, though, it is so, so important. Simply because if it weren't for the Suez Canal and the Sumed Pipeline, which is just to its west, then you would have to ship it all the way around Africa, which would be an extra 6,000 miles you'd have to add to the shipment. So, the fact that these two arteries are in Egypt has made people watch.

But overall, things have looked like they've been controlled. Egypt is saying that everything is controlled at the Suez Canal, that there are no issues. Shippers may see some delays, but that's because of communication issues. Those are those two arteries, the yellow one and the red. The Suez Canal is the red one.

They're very, very key. As you can see there, 1.1 million barrels coming through the Sumed Pipeline, 1.8 barrels going through the Suez Canal. So, very important. But right now, based on what we've been seen, oil has gone up over 90 dollars a barrel overnight, but pretty much holding steady there. That's that trip around Africa that would add that extra 6,000 miles, which no one wants. That would really mess with supply and demand.

So, all in all, we are keeping an eye on it. It could change, but right now, it does seem like things are controlled as far as this is concerned in Egypt. If that were to change, then that would be something that could affect the markets again here like we saw happen on Friday, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. And let's switch to another subject, Democrats announcing an aviation bill this afternoon. They say this would mean more jobs. What's your take on that?

ELAM: Yes. They're selling this as completely about the jobs. The Democrats in the Senate say they'll take to the floor today. It's really about $8 billion that they're saying would actually help out with the airports, get this money to the FAA so that they can improve the infrastructure of airports, and golly, don't we know some airports that could use some of that fundage.

But they're pointing to an American Association of Airport Executives estimate, which says that these construction funds would play the part in 280,000 jobs. Now, they're saying it wouldn't create the jobs necessarily. Some of these jobs could already exist, but they're saying it would help keep some of these jobs around. A lot of construction jobs here as well. They're saying the airline industry accounts for about 11 million U.S. jobs, they would like to see more of that happening.

Now, if this bill sounds familiar, it was taken to the Senate floor last spring, and it did pass 93-0 was the vote there, but then later stalled because of some side issues involved. The Senate Democrats are now saying this could get through more easily this go- around, but they're really pushing it in this $8 million really as they're fixing up the infrastructure they will actually be able to create jobs and keep some jobs basically . They're very careful how they want to word that, but hoping this will help out some of the cities across the nation. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Okay. We'll it. Thanks, Steph.

It's about 10:30 now in the East, 7:30 out West.

History-making winter storm about to hammer the Midwest. It could impact 100 million people before it's all over. Chicago, St. Louis could see new snow records. And that storm could spin off tornadoes in the South. The East Coast could see it by Thursday.

And ready to roll. A little more than nine hours from now, workers at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida will begin moving the space shuttle Discovery to the launching pad. The February 24 liftoff will be Discovery's last. Discovery crew will deliver a module and spare parts to the International Space Station.

Well, you have seen the images. The protesters, their faces, but who are they? Well, they are young, the median age in Egypt is 24. And many are highly educated with advanced degrees. Despite that, they are unemployed or underemployed.

According to the U.N., Egypt's per capita income is $1,800 a year. The official unemployment rate last year was 9.7 percent, but experts say the real jobless rate is significantly higher. All of those factors created a volatile situation, one that my next guest is watching very closer.

Dina Amer lives in Cairo. She grew up there, and it's her generation that has flooded the streets of Cairo. She's a freelance journalist working with CNN this week. And Dina, just to tell our viewers, you actually interned for us a number of months ago. You did an incredible job, you graduated college, one of the smartest we have ever seen. And you were back home, visiting your parents in Cairo where you grew up. You were in London working, and it's amazing how this all happened in just a couple days. But for you as an up-and- coming journalist, this is giving you real-life experience. When has it been like for you and your family?

DINA AMER, FREELANCE JOURNALIST (via telephone): Hello, Kyra. Thank you very much, first, for saying all those lovely things about me. It was a pleasure to work with you.

But I mean, this has been surreal. I mean, I wouldn't think in my wildest dreams I would be present here in Cairo while all this was happening. And I would be able, as a journalist, to take upon myself to experience this not only professionally, but personally, because my family is here, and I am also very emotionally affected. There are many events unfolding around me, and it's all very surreal in that aspect.

I think that the most important --

PHILLPS: What's -- what's it like at home, Dina? I think you mentioned that your brother has been outside sort of guarding the homestead, kind of being your security guard. Describe to me how your family and you have responded to this, because it's something that you guys have lived there for years that you've never experienced.

AMER: Yes. As you can tell, basic government functions have completely, like, failed, so citizens have taken it upon themselves. So, my brother and every man in the neighborhood has been up every night without a wink of sleep standing in the streets, with either kitchen knives or, like, wooden sticks, baseball bats, creating their own militias to try to secure the neighborhoods and to take care of their loved ones up above.

It's just - it's very surreal because this is a very safe place normally. We never have to worry about, you know, taking care of our own property or looters, any of this. But because the reports of looting and vandalism and breaking into homes, every citizen has been on edge, and they have really been out in the streets every night, all the men grouped together and unified to secure the neighborhood.

PHILLIPS: What about food? We've been reporting about a shortage of food, and you can't get out to get any food. Have you experienced that?

AMER: Yes, I have. My mother actually called me today very frantically. She went to the supermarket there were a lot of shortages of food. People were there and they were really stocking up on all types of food products and supplies for the home. Because people are very much on edge. We don't know what's going to happens next. And if it continues and prolonged, then what will happen if there is a serious shortage of food?

PHILLIPS: Now, Dina, this is your age group, it's the younger generation that are out there on the streets protesting. Are you surprised by this? Did you sort of see this coming? Do you have classmates that are out there, people that you have grown up with out on the streets?

AMER: I mean, this is very surprising. I'm American-Egyptian, I used to come back every summer, every winter break. And I never in my (INAUDIBLE) would have imagined this type of uprising to the Mubarak regime. But it's happening, and people are in the streets, very impassioned and relentlessly coming back every day. The youth -- most of the youth are there because also, as you mentioned, there's high unemployment. So, this is kind of a sense of purpose every day to go out there and continue until they see their demands come to fruition.

PHILLIPS: Dina Amer there, working for us in the Cairo bureau. Sure appreciate you calling in. It's great to have your experience and your background as an Egyptian there working for us. Dina, thank you.

AMER: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Well, eat less salt? That's just one recommendation in the government's new dietary guidelines. We're going to tell you what else is on the list for better health.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The very latest on the situation in E -- Egypt, rather, in just a moment. But first, we want to catch you up on a few international stories worth your attention today in the "Morning Passport." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton back from a quick visit this weekend to Haiti. This is in advance of the nation's presidential runoff. That's coming up in March. Now, Secretary Clinton says she's still got concern about the Haiti's election protocols, but isn't considering to withhold crucial U.S. aid to Haiti.

And to Cambodia, where published reports have surviving members. The Khmer Rouge asking for their release from jail in advance of their war crimes trial set for next year. Now, the brutal regime is blamed for killing thousands of people, if not millions during the bloody rule in the late 1970s. Their leader was found guilty back in July of last year.

And Japan's Mount Shimo. Cool to look at, but bad to live close by. The long-quiet volcano roared to life for the first time in 50 years, belching hot, molten ash to the townspeople below. Folks closest to the eruption have been safely evacuated.

And just moments ago, the government released a new list of dietary guidelines, urging Americans to eat healthy foods. Among the recommendations, cut down on salt. High-risk groups, no more than half a teaspoon a day. Everybody else, one teaspoon. Put more vegetables and fruits in your diet. Replace those refined grains with whole grains. And limit cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams per day. The goal behind the new guidelines, promoting health, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, and fighting weight problems.

President Obama's push to create jobs is running smack into a hard truth. Most of the new jobs just aren't paying enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The gunfire we can hear rocketing through the air, demonstrators say that's the army firing to warn them to stay away. It's long - there's gunshots - it's long after curfew right now. And if the government was controlling the situation -- tracer fire flying into the air -- these people wouldn't be out on the streets if the government was in control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Last night -- earlier -- I spoke with Nic, and he says that today, the Egyptian army is using even more muscle. They're firing warning shots at protesters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An overwhelming majority of Republicans want the Tea Party to have some role in their party. Senior political editor Mark Preston following that story for us from the CNNpolitics desk. Hey, Mark.

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, good morning, Kyra. Great news for Tea Party activists. A new Gallup poll just released a few hours ago shows that 90 percent of Republicans say that it's important that the Tea Party's ideas are given significant weight within the party as it's going forward.

Now, we really shouldn't be too surprised by this because the fact of the matter is, the Tea Party's main platforms are really based on fiscal discipline and really cost cutting here in Washington, D.C. And given these tough, fiscal times, a lot of folks would like to see that happen.

You know, yesterday, the new White House chief of staff, Bill Daly was out on the talk show circuit. In fact, he was on CBS' "Face The Nation." He was asked about health care and moving forward the whole issue.

Well, you know President Obama just last week in the State of the Union address said he would be open to working with Republicans to make some changes to that, although President Obama really defended the health care legislation that he really pushed through Congress last year. Well, the White House chief of staff reiterated that yesterday. He said the president has said that he's been open to changes, but he did go on to say that the president is not in favor of refighting this fight. Well, we know House representatives - the House Republicans pushed through the repeal of health care recently, so I suspect this will be an issue that Democrats and Republicans will continue to fight about. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: President Obama doesn't just have to deal with the job loss, but also the kind of jobs being created. Tell us about that.

PRESTON: Yes, this is really a fascinating story that's up on CNNmoney.com, written by Chris Isadora. The fact of the matter is, there's been a lot of talk about how many jobs have been lost. The Obama administration Democrats are talking about jobs they have created since the recession. The fact of the matter is, what kinds of jobs have they created?

Not great news, according to a new study from the National Employment Project. In fact, 76 percent of jobs created in the first seven months of 2010 were in low- to mid-wage industries. That's basically people who earn between $8.92 to $15 an hour.

What's probably more disturbing, and more disturbing politically as well for President Obama as he heads into 2012, high-wage sectors, which are jobs made up between people who make between $17.43 and $31 an hour, accounted for nearly half of all the jobs lost in this whole recession. But only five percent of the new jobs that have been created are in that high-sector category.

So, yes, it's a tough employment situation for the country, but it's also a very difficult political position for President Obama to be in right now. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Mark.

We're going to have your next political update in just about an hour. And you can always go to our Web site, CNNpolitics.com, 24/7.

From easy lay-up to serious beatdown, high school basketball game takes a turn for the worse when parents get into the action. Where is the love?

(MUSIC PLAYING) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: All right. What did you miss over the weekend? Well, this is some video that caught our attention from the past two days. A little basket-brawl highlights for you out of North Carolina. Not among the players, though! This is the parents, folks. Can you believe this?

The fight started actually between the father and the school resource officer. Then the man's wife and daughter didn't want to get left out. So, hey, they both jumped into the fray. Father was arrested. Police say more arrests could come.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. We're keeping a close eye on Egypt. And the fear and anger that's rippling across the region right now. Over the last two weeks, five Arab states have been rocked by protests. And CNN's Suzanne Malveaux takes a closer look how a regionwide movement began with a single street vendor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(AUDIENCE CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Starting with Tunisia, where an unemployed graduate student sets himself on fire after a city inspector confiscates his unlicensed fruit cart and then allegedly slaps him. His death sparks unprecedented fury and protests against the government, forcing Tunisia's longtime president to flee.

(AUDIENCE CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

MALVEAUX: In Algeria, riots break out over rising food prices and a housing crisis.

(AUDIENCE CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

MALVEAUX: In Yemen, students take to the streets. Emboldened by its neighbors in the region -

(AUDIENCE CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

MALVEAUX: -- on Tuesday, Egypt erupts. Angered by the alleged corruption, police brutality, and lack of reforms in their own country, thousands pour into the streets, demanding Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, who's held power for nearly three decades, resign.

Protesters are met with tear gas and violence. The next day, the violence escalates as Egyptian security forces turn water cannons and tear gas on the growing angry crowds. The Egyptian military urges calm. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter report that they are being blocked by the government the

Thursday a leading Egyptian opposition figure, Mohammed ElBaradei, returns home from Europe vowing to back the protesters. The Egyptian government then arrests a prominent leader of country's largest opposition group, the Muslim brotherhood. The Obama administration is alarmed by the growing intensity of the crisis, but reacts with caution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So, the government has to be careful about not resorting to violence, and the people on the streets have to be careful not to resort to violence. And I think that it's very important that people have mechanisms in order to express legitimate grievances.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: As unrest spreads beyond Cairo in the days to come, protesters take to the streets in Qatar and Jordan to show demonstrators their support. Mubarak goes on national television to tell Egyptians he government will resign, but he will stay in power. His offer does not quell the angry and growing crowds. A thousand inmates break out of a prison outside Cairo. Looters ransack prison buildings and businesses, and vandals tear off the heads of mummies at the Egyptian Museum.

Journalists report a dangerous power vacuum.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The army is sort of controlling the street. Politically, there is a complete vacuum.

MALVEAUX: Heading into this week, thousands of Egyptians continue to defy Mubarak's curfew by packing Cairo streets. At the same time, American tourists are getting a lifeline out of the country. The State Department now reports more than 200 are being flown out of the Egypt.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, our Suzanne Malveaux is of course reporting on Cairo because she lived there and has first-time insights.

But also, we welcome you. You have moved to Atlanta.

MALVEAUX: I have, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: This is your new gig.

MALVEAUX: I'm feeling a lot of love here, too, actually. It's been fantastic.

PHILLIPS: Well, being a twin, I'm expecting you to baby-sit my twins and to mentor my twins. (LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: I will. I'll have that second job. You have a full- time job there, Kyra. You have to carry both. I hope you're ready.

PHILLIPS: So what do you think, leaving the White House and coming to Atlanta?

MALVEAUX: You know, the news is everywhere. I'm excited to be here, as well as in Washington. It's great.

And obviously, yes, I lived in Cairo. A lot of friends there very concerned about what's happening there. And it's a very big story. So we're going to get started with that. OK?

Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Take it away, and welcome.