Egyptian opposition forces have agreed to support prominent dissident Mohamed ElBaradei to negotiate with the government.
Mr ElBaradei has addressed thousands of protesters in Cairo as they defied a curfew on a sixth day of protests. As many as 10,000 people protested in Tahrir Square to express anger at poverty, repression, unemployment and corruption.
A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Essam el-Eryan, says political groups support Mr ElBaradei to negotiate with the regime.
The former head of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency returned to Egypt last week from Europe in time for the protests that have left President Hosni Mubarak clinging to power.
Mr ElBaradei, 67, told thousands of protesters in Cairo they are beginning a new era and what they have started cannot be taken back.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate urged patience and told them Egypt would soon be able to make a new start.
At least 125 people have died and thousands have been injured in clashes across Egypt since rallies began last Tuesday.
Several countries are organising charter flights to get their citizens out of Egypt, including the United States, Australia, China and Japan, amid reports hundreds of people are stranded at Cairo International Airport after dozens of flights were cancelled.
State television has reported that the 4pm curfew, which has been widely ignored, would be extended in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez to run from 3pm until 8am, the BBC says.
Demonstrations have also been taking place in Egypt's second largest city Alexandria following the funerals of some of those killed.
President tries to placate citizens
President Mubarak, 82, clinging on despite unprecedented demands for an end to his 30-year rule, has ordered his new cabinet to preserve economic subsidies.
The cabinet replaces the one Mr Mubarak sacked, hoping to placate thousands of Egyptians demonstrating throughout the country.
Mr Murbarak has also called on his new ministers to tackle corruption and move toward political reform, the BBC reports.
Egpytian state television read out a letter Mr Mubarak sent to his newly-appointed Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik calling for economic policies that give the highest concern to people's suffering and reduce unemployment by creating new jobs.
He also speaks of the need to make progress toward constitutional and legislative reporm through a dialogue with political parties.
The BBC reports it is not the first time since the protests began that the president has promised such changes, but all the signs continue to suggest that the only change the protesters will settle for is the end of the president's rule.
On Sunday, Mr Mubarak met with military leaders. The military has staged a show of strength with an increased army presence and military jets and helicopters flying repeatedly over the city.
By late afternoon, more army trucks appeared in a show of military force but demonstrators in Tahrir Square remained.
Mr Mubarak held talks with newly appointed vice-president Omar Suleiman, Defence Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Chief of Staff Sami al-Anan and other senior commanders.
Western governments call for change
Western leaders called Mr Mubarak to insist that he must heed calls for democracy and resist turning to violence.
The United States is calling on Mr Mubarak to do more to diffuse the crisis, but has stopped short of saying that that he should quit. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have called for an orderly transition to real democracy.
In a phone call to Mr Mubarak, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed expectations that the president take a committed approach to announced reforms, her office said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country was following events in Egypt with vigilance and will exercise responsibility and restraint.
On Saturday, Mr Mubarak appointed intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as vice-president, the first time he has has appointed a deputy in 30 years of office.
It was the position that Mr Mubarak held before he become president and many saw the appointment as ending his son Gamal's long-predicted ambitions to take over.
Evacuation plans
The governments of the US, Turkey, Greece, Iraq and Japan are sending additional planes to evacuate their citizens.
Oil company Royal Dutch Shell says it plans to move out its international staff and their families.
The New Zealand ambassador to Egypt, Rene Wilson, says all New Zealanders should leave if they are concerned about their safety. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is advising against travel to Egypt.
Witnesses report scenes of chaos at Cairo's main airport, as people try to catch a decreasing number of flights.
However, major airlines including Lufthansa and Air India are reported to be sending additional aircraft to Cairo and Alexandria.
Meanwhile, in a further attempt to control news about the protests, the authorities have closed the offices of the Arabic television network Al Jazeera.
The Qatar-based network says the bureau closure is an act designed to stifle and repress the freedom of reporting by the network and its journalists.
