Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has resigned from his post, handing over power to the armed forces.<\/p>\n
Omar Suleiman, the vice-president, announced in a televised address that the president was “waiving” his office, and had handed over authority to the Supreme Council of the armed forces.<\/p>\n
Suleiman’s short statement was received with a roar of approval and by celebratory chanting and flag-waving from a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as well by pro-democracy campaigners who attended protests across the country on Friday.<\/p>\n
The crowd in Tahrir chanted “We have brought down the regime”, while many were seen crying, cheering and embracing one another.<\/p>\n
Mohamed ElBaradei, an opposition leader, hailed the moment as being the “greatest day of my life”, in comments to the Associated Press news agency.<\/p>\n
“The country has been liberated after decades of repression,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Tonight, after all of these weeks of frustration, of violence, of intimidation … today the people of Egypt undoubtedly [feel they] have been heard, not only by the president, but by people all around the world,” our correspondent at Tahrir Square reported, following the announcement.<\/p>\n