Mubarak Steps Down

- Hosni Mubarak has stood down as Egypt's president after 18 days of mass demonstrations.

-The announcement was made by Vice-President Omar Suleiman shortly after it was reported that Mr Mubarak had flown to Sharm el-Sheikh.

-Mr Suleiman said that power was being handed to the higher council of the Egyptian armed forces.

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt resigned his post and turned over all power to the military, ending his 30 years of autocratic rule and bowing to a historic popular uprising that has transformed politics in Egypt and around the Arab world.

The streets of Cairo exploded in shouts of “God is Great” moments after Mr. Mubarak’s vice president and longtime intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, announced during evening prayers that Mr. Mubarak has passed all authority to a council of military leaders.

The military did not indicate whether it intended to take the kinds of fundamental steps toward democracy that protesters have been demanding. This was the second direct statement from the military in two days, and it largely stuck to the main constitutional and electoral reforms Mr. Mubarak and Mr. Suleiman had promised to implement. It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Suleiman would retain a role, under the military council, in running the country.

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