Egypt: 'The critical juncture'

Now it all moves very fast, faster than usual. The Associated Press and The Huffington Post has reported the following within the last hour or so:

CAIRO - Egypt's military threw its weight Friday behind President Hosni Mubarak's plan to stay in office through September elections while protesters fanned out to the presidential palace in Cairo and other key symbols of the authoritarian regime in a new push to force the leader to step down immediately.

Meanwhile, Mubarak's whereabouts were unknown. Widespread reports indicate that he has left Cairo. ... Al Arabiya retracted an earlier report that the president had left the country.

Meanwhile, shortly after that moved, HuffPost moved a breaking-news ribbon that said the wannabe Pharaoh, who apparently pulled off a vanishing act over the last several hours, is now thought to be at his Red Sea hideaway.

All while throngs continue to gather at Tahrir Square on what some have said will be a pivotal moment. "Tomorrow's going to be a decisive day in determining whether this revolution is going to go the full course or not," said Yasser el Shimy, a former Egyptian diplomat now with Catholic University interviewed on Thursday. "Right now Egypt is at the critical juncture."