Massive Protests Across Egypt, Economy Sees 4th Quarter Rise in GDP

Demonstrators in Cairo, Suez and Alexandria have continued their anti-government protests despite the government’s warning of “decisive measures,” the arrest of more than 1,000 people and the disabling of internet and mobile phone access. Seven people have died in the violence.

Crowds gathered after Friday prayers, with many chanting “down, down with Mubarak,” referring to President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for three decades. The show of dissent has not often been seen in Egypt, where such gatherings are illegal. Friday’s crowds were estimated to be the largest yet, after initial protests kicked off on Tuesday after an online posting.

The unrest follows the ousting of Tunisia’s president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia amid growing demonstrations in Tunis.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel laureate and former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency returned to Egypt on Thursday. He has been considered a potential contender to face Mubarak in the next presidential election in September. Riot police reportedly beat back his supporters. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition group, has also been targeted in a crackdown.

In an exclusive interview with the NewsHour, Vice President Joe Biden said he did not consider Mubarak a “dictator,” but said he needed to be “more responsive to some of the needs of the people.” The United States has been cautious in responding to protests in Egypt and Yemen, both of which are considered allies in the region.

U.S. GDP Sees Jump in Fourth Quarter of 2010

Gains in consumer spending helped boost the U.S. economy in the fourth quarter of 2010, with the gross domestic product growing by 3.2 percent between October and December.

Final sales rose more than 7 percent, and economists say household spending is on pace to increase in the first quarter of 2011. General Electric and Apple were among the companies that saw benefits from the rise in consumer spending.

Bomb in Kabul Supermarket Kills 8

A suicide bomber fired shots before detonating a bomb inside a supermarket in Afghanistan’s capital Friday, killing eight people, including a child. The supermarket is near the British Embassy and is frequented by foreigners.

A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted “some employees and the head of Blackwater, a private security firm.”

There have been several attacks on known foreign assets, including several guesthouses and hotels, in the past year. Afghan security forces are responsible for security in Kabul, and U.S. forces are due to begin leaving the country this year.

Nelson Mandela Released From Hospital

After being treated for a respiratory infection, former South African president Nelson Mandela was released from a Johannesburg hospital and is said to be on the mend.

Mandela, who was imprisoned for almost three decades at a prison on Robben Island, off the coast of Cape Town, is 92 years old and rarely makes public appearances. His doctors said there was no need for panic, and that his condition had occurred because he once suffered from tuberculosis.

NASA Marks 25th Anniversary of Challenger Explosion

The crew of the disastrous STS 51-L mission: (back row, left to right) Ellison S Onizuka, Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Gregory B Jarvis, Judith A Resnik, (front row, left to right) Michael J Smith, Francis R Scobee and Ronald E McNair. All seven were killed when the Challenger shuttle exploded during take-off on Jan. 28, 1986. (NASA/Space Frontiers/Getty Images)

Flags were flown at half-staff at NASA facilities across the country Friday, in honor of those killed aboard the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded shortly after launch on Jan. 28, 2011.

Millions of Americans were watching the launch live when the tragedy occurred. All seven crew members were killed, including teacher Christa McAuliffe, who had trained after being selected from NASA’s Teacher-in-Space program, aimed at boosting science education.

The Challenger disaster was a major blow to the space program. Though it was not the first space shuttle accident, having it played out on national television made it especially prominent in national memory.