If big news happens, it’s safe bet that the Huffington Post will have it bannered on the front page within five minutes or less. News of the sentencing of former Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak to life imprisonment broke sometime between 10:30 and 10:40 am Prague time (1:30 to 1:40 am in LA, 4:30 to 4:40 am in New York), and there was no Post headline 10 minutes later, and none 20 minutes later. It’s now 11:25 am in Prague and the Huffsters still don’t have the story headlined. [Note time on screen capture — 2:18 am.] 50 minutes of front-page silence on the biggest story of the day? Somebody needs to get whacked.

Update: Three minutes ago (11:34 am Prague time) the Huffington Post posted an AP link: “Mubarak to be transferred to Cairo prison.”

Mubarak was sentenced to life this morning for his role in the killing of protesters during last year’s Egyptian revolution that led to his ouster.

“The harsh sentence against the 84-year-old former leader appeared aimed at defusing tensions ahead of a divisive runoff presidential race that pits Mubarak’s last prime minister against the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate,” an AP story said.

Egypt’s former interior minister Habib el-Adly was also sentenced to life in prison for the protester killings. But the acquittal of other senior interior ministry figures plus Mubarak’s sons suggests that Mubarak the Elder is being put forth as a sacrificial lamb in order to save those still living high off the corruption and repression that are still in place within the Egyptian government.