Hosni Mubarak steps down as president of Egypt, after weeks of protest by anti-government demonstrators in Cairo and other cities.
-BBC
Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- [Update 8:49 p.m. in Cairo, 11:49 a.m. ET] Amre Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League, told CNN that Egyptians are "looking forward to a different future" and hoping for "a better future."
[Update 8:45 p.m. in Cairo, 11:45 a.m. ET] Fireworks exploded in the sky and people honked horns as the celebration of Mubarak's resignation continued 45 minutes after the announcement, CNN's Ivan Watson reported from Cairo's Tahrir Square.
[Update 8:43 p.m. in Cairo, 11:43 a.m. ET] Egyptian protest leader Wael Ghonim sent out a Twitter message saying "congratulations Egypt the criminal has left the palace."
[Update 8:38 p.m. in Cairo, 11:38 a.m. ET] President Obama was informed of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's decision to step down during a meeting in the Oval Office. Obama then watched TV coverage of the scene in Cairo for several minutes. He will make an on-camera statement later today.
[Update 8:36 p.m. in Cairo, 11:36 a.m. ET] The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has been put in charge of Egypt's affairs, is expected to make an announcement shortly.
[Original story] Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned Friday, relinquishing power after three decades of iron-clad rule in the powerhouse nation of the Arab world.
Vice President Omar Suleiman announced the resignation on state television and said he was transferring authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to "run the affairs of the country."
Tens of thousands of emotional anti-government protesters erupted in deafening cheers on the streets of Cairo after the announcement.
"Egypt is free!" they chanted.
It was a moment anti-government protesters had been waiting for after 18 days of relentless demonstrations that called for Mubarak's departure.
U.S. President Barack Obama said he was notified of Mubarak's decision Friday morning and was closely watching the extraordinary developments unfold in Egypt, a key U.S. ally. He will make a statement Friday afternoon, the White House said.
A source with close connections to Persian Gulf government leaders told CNN that Mubarak had gone to the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Thank God that justice has finally prevailed. I hope that Africans in diaspora will take a queue from this and stand up to any depraved ruler that runs the country like his personal property. I will be happy if this takes place in all states in Nigeria. some of our Governors are so corrupt bcos no one has stood up to them
ReplyDelete