Crowds Smaller on 14th Protest Day

Weekend negotiations failed to quell the unrest in Egypt, as protests went into their 14th day Monday. Demonstrators remain camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. However, protesters may be wearing out their welcome with the military, which, so far, has allowed the protests: Al Jazeera says troops near the Egypt Museum opened fire Sunday night. Also on Sunday, Egypt’s new vice president inaugurated talks with six opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood and promised several reforms, including looking at new constitutional amendments, tackling government corruption, and liberalizing the media. Still, protesters want President Hosni Mubarak to resign. The New York Times says that for the past week Mubarak “has veered between anger, a sense of betrayal and stoicism.”