1. “There is nothing now the president can do except step down and let go of power.” –Mohammed el-Beltagui, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood
Protests turned violent in Egypt, as demonstrators clashed with Mubarak supporters. Journalists have been targeted. The military, whose backing Mubarak rode to power, said it respected the protestors’ demands and wouldn’t fire on them. The death toll has risen to 11 and about 5,000 have been injured, according to Egyptian officials.
2. “The Hosni Mubarak who speaks to you today is proud of his achievements over the years in serving Egypt and its people.” –Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
Mubarak announced he would not run for reelection, named a new vice president, prime minister and deputy prime minister as well as offering to discuss constitutional reforms in an attempt to mollify the protestors, but the protestors demanded he step down. President Obama called for an orderly transition, saying it “must begin now.”
3. “Crippling and potentially killer blizzard to continue to this morning.” –the National Weather Service on Wednesday
The third largest storm in Chicago history left around 20 inches of snow in the area. Metra closed five lines on Wednesday, CTA trains were delayed, 2,500 flights to O’Hare were cancelled and Northwestern took a day off.
4. “We believe in civil rights, and we believe in civil unions. We believe in liberty and justice for all.” –Gov. Pat Quinn
Illinois became the sixth state to recognize civil unions on Monday. Same-sex couples will now have hospital rights and probate rights starting June 1.
5. “Congress could require that people buy and consume broccoli at regular intervals.” -District Court Judge Roger Vinson of Pensacola, Fla.
Going beyond a Virginia judge’s invalidation of the insurance mandate provision, Vinson struck down the entire health care law, saying Congress does not have the power to forcing citizens to buy a product- thereby regulating inactivity. Two judges have ruled the law constitutional.
6. “They want to replace health with sickness. They want to replace the promise of tomorrow with the pain of yesterday.” –Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
The Senate voted Wednesday against repealing the health care law, with all 47 Republicans voting for repeal. The Senate voted 81-17 in favor of a measure to eliminate paperwork in the law that required income tax filings for every purchase above $600.
7. “Gung Hay Fat Choy.” –California Gov. Jerry Brown
Thursday was Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the rabbit. The world’s largest internal migration is expected to involve some 2 billion trips in China over the month-long holiday.
8. “We’re going to have to do much better and cut much more.”-Representative Jeff Flake (R-Arizona)
On Thursday, House Republicans announced $32 billion in spending cuts for the Fiscal Year ending in 2011, after coming into office promising to slash $100 billion of a $3.8 trillion budget in their first year in control.
9. “This is a good result.” -District Attorney Kristen Dyman
A Danish court sentenced a Somali man who attempted to kill a Danish cartoonist to 9 years in prison. The cartoonist’s drawing depicted Prophet Muhammad with a bomb strapped to his head as a turban.
10. “I won’t say who I voted for, but I can tell you I believe he’s the candidate with the best plan for Chicago.”–Rahm Emanuel
Early voting in Chicago began four days after Emanuel’s residency question was settled. The snowstorm closed some sites temporarily.
