Tom in Egypt // توم في مصر

I really wanted to post on this before the event - now it looks like it will have to wait - but Mohammed ElBaradei, Nobel laureate and former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is set to return to his native Egypt in the next couple of hours.

There's not really time to explain the full story here, but basically ElBaradei is someone who is being frequently touted by opposition movements as the man they believe has the political and international clout to actually challenge the Mubarak regime in the presidential elections in 2011. Whether this is an accurate analysis or not may be the subject of another post, for now though there is plenty of anticipation about his timely return to Egypt after 27 years of living abroad.

Here's my Meedan event on the latest news, I'm trying to post up to date info as I get it via Twitter, combined with background info and opinion posts. There's a strange absence of coverage of this on the local TV news channels, but I'm keeping my eyes open. I'd also really recommend the post by the Arabist - he's at the airport providing some sterling coverage and plenty of pictures of those who have gathered to welcome ElBaradei.

Meedan: ElBaradei set to return to Egypt as expectations run high


The Arabist: The Campaign for ElBaradei