Hosni Mubarak refuses to quit, cabinet resigns, death toll now 48

Embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused to bow to mounting pressure to quit but sacked his cabinet which later resigned, as the death toll rose to 48 in nationwide demonstrations and clashes with police which entered the fifth day today.

As the situation in the world's most populous Arab nation deteriorated, tens of thousands of protesters returned to the streets in several cities and dissatisfied with Mubarak's promise in his midnight television address to the nation to usher in fresh reforms.

The pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo -- Egypt's premier tourist site -- were closed by the military to tourists as tanks guarded key government buildings in the capital, a day after massive and violent confrontations in escalating crisis that threatened 82-year-old Mubarak's 30-year rule.

Three policemen were killed when Egyptian protesters attacked the state security headquarters in the border town of Rafah in fresh wave of violence today.

An Egyptian health ministry official said 38 people died and 2,000 were wounded in virulent anti-government demonstrations yesterday after Friday prayers. Details of the deaths were announced today. Seven people had died in the first three days of protests.

In yesterday's anti-government riots, 12 people were killed in Cairo, 12 in Suez, eight in Alexandria, three in the canal city of Port Said, two in the Delta city of Mansura and one in Giza, the official said.

The official said that 13 policemen were among the killed in five days of unrest.

Pro-democracy hero and top dissident Mohamed ElBaradei said Mubarak "must go", vowing that protests against his rule would intensify.

"The protests will continue with even more intensity until the Mubarak regime falls," the Nobel Laureate and former IAEA chief told a TV channel.

Egyptian state television said that the Mubarak cabinet has officially resigned after days of protests, hours after the president fired his cabinet promising democratic and economic reform.

In his first response to the unrest against his iron fisted rule, Mubarak said he had fired the cabinet.

"I have asked the government to present its resignation and tomorrow there will be a new government," he said in his television speech.

Dozens of military armoured personnel carriers and tanks as well as soldiers on foot deployed around a number of key government buildings in the capital, including state television and the foreign ministry after thousands of protesters besieged the two offices in Friday's riots.

The military was protecting important tourist and archaeological sites such as the Egyptian Museum, home to some of the country's most treasured antiquities, as well as the cabinet building.

The army warned the people to obey a curfew and to refrain from congregating in public places, according to a statement carried by the official MENA agency.

The military extended a night curfew imposed Friday in the three major cities where the worst violence has been seen -- Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.

State television reported the curfew would now begin at 4pm and last until 8am, longer than the 6pm to 7am ban on Friday night.

Mubarak, who defended riot police's firing of tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at protesters, promised democratic and economic reforms.

"We will not backtrack on reforms. We will continue with new steps which will ensure the independence of the judiciary and its rulings, and more freedom for citizens," he said in his first statement since the protests against his rule erupted.

Mubarak vowed to take fresh measures "to contain unemployment, raise living standards, improve services and stand by the poor."

But he refused to step down, setting the stage for possible heavier protests by tens of thousands of activists demanding his resignation.

Notwithstanding Mubarak's announcement about sacking of the government, thousands of protesters continued to defy curfew in capital Cairo and cities of Alexandria and Suez and poured on the streets, with many of them even asking patrolling soldiers to join them.

There were reports of looting in several parts of Cairo, including in offices related to the government.

Meanwhile, mobile phone services had been partially restored in the country after authorities ordered a communications ban in a bid to stop anti-government protests. But the Internet remained down.

Vodafone service was working this morning, about 24 hours after it was cut, media reports said. Other service providers were unable to operate.