From our headquarters in Doha, we keep you updated on all things Egypt, with reporting from Al Jazeera staff in Cairo and Alexandria. 
 
 Live Blog: Jan28 - Jan29 - Jan30 - Jan31 - Feb1 - Feb2 - Feb3 - Feb4 - Feb5 - Feb6 - Feb7 - Feb8 - Feb9 - Feb10 
 
 The Battle for Egypt - AJE Live Stream - Timeline - Photo Gallery - AJE Tweets - AJE Audio Blogs 
 
 
 
 (All times are local in Egypt, GMT+2) 
 
 11:58pm The Turkish prime minister Erdogan, said in a written statement: 
 
 We hope The Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will adopt a commonsense approach and under this new administration organise free and fair elections. It should hand over power in as short a time frame as possible. Since the beginning of the mass protests in Egypt, Turkey has supported the legitimate demands of our brother Egyptians for democracy and freedom. The country should now move peacefully towards a new order that is pluralist, representative, and upholds human rights. 
 
 11:11pm Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood issued a statement congratulating the Egyptian people on ousting Mubarak and expressed hope in this historic event meeting the aspirations of Egyptians so that it will continue to be a strong Arab leader. 
 
 11:05pm Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, spreaking to Al Jazeera: 
 
 
 
 It is not the role of outsiders to impose or depose the rulers of Egypt ... This is a momentous day for the entire Arab world. Where Egypt leads, traditionally, the rest of the Arab world follows ... An Egypt that wants to be a part of the international community will have to respect the peace treaty with Israel. 
 
 10:19pm We are back on this live blog, bringing you the latest reactions from Egypt and abroad. 
 
 7:58pm As Mubarak's resignation is announced, Al Jazeera cuts live to jubilant scenes in Tahrir Square. 
 
 7:37pm An audio update from Al Jazeera's web producer in Cairo. This was taken just over an hour ago: 
 
 7:34pm Qatar: We look forward a continuous special relations with Egypt that will benefit both countries. 
 
 7:12pm Bahrain's foreign minister Khalid al Khalifa: Egypt takes the Arab world into a new era .. Let's make it a better one 
 
 6:54pm ElBaradei speaks to Al Jazeera: 
 
 We need to rebuild the Egyptian culture and intellect 
 
 6:50pm Jubilation in Tahrir Square continues after Mubarak stepped down as Egypt's president. 
 
 6:39pm A somewhat timely piece by Yuliya Tymoshenko, former prime minister of Ukraine and current leader of the opposition: 
 
 My revolution betrayed - After revolutions, counter-revolutions may follow. But how can the spirit of an uprising be kept up as the years pass? 
 
 6:29pm Missed the 30 seconds that ended the 30 years of Mubarak's rule? Watch it again here: 
 
 6:20pm Ayman Mohyeldin, Egyptian and Al Jazeera correspondent, says that for so many people, "a dream has become a reality". 
 
 6:12pm: Mubarak steps down. Brought to you live on Al Jazeera: 
 
 6:09pm: No point any of our presenters trying to speak over the roar of Egyptians celebrating. 
 
 6:04pm: Jubilation breaks out across Egypt. Flags waving. Joyous scenes in Tahrir Square, Alexandria, Suez. Watch our live stream here: http://aje.me/jelive 
 
 6:03pm: He's gone. He's resigned. 30 years of Mubarak rule is over. Omar Suleiman says: 
 
 President Hosni Mubarak has waived the office of president. 
 
 6:01pm: Omar Suleiman addressing nation now. 
 
 6:00pm: Hosni Mubarak's move to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is "a positive first step", a White House official says. 
 
 5:58pm: Ibrahim Sharqieh, of Doha Brookings Institute, tell us a lot needs to happen "before we can really call this a revolution" 
 
 For the revolution to be successful, the regime needs to be completely changed - with Mubarak no longer in power - and probabaly not in the country either. Also, the ruling NDP leaders cannot be in power. 
 
 
 
 The army can play an important role in making this revolution successful by working to establish a transitional government to take over from Omar Suleiman. 
 
 5:50pm Hossam Badrawi, the recently appointed general secretary of the NDP, resigns saying Egypt needed new parties. 
 
 It's a resignation from the position and from the party. The formation of new parties in a new manner that reflects new thinking is better for society now at this stage.﻿ 
 
 5:40pm Alaa Abdel Fatah says that the army have now given up and are letting the protesters control the flow of people around the state television building. 
 
 5:34pm Alaa Abdel Fatah, a prominent activist, speaks to Al Jazeera from outside the state television building in Cairo: 
 
 5:33pm Egyptian Museum remains shuttered; pyramids are open, but no sign of tourists. 
 
 4:58pm Protesters in the north Sinai town of El-Arish exchanged gunfire with police and hurled Molotov cocktails at a police station, witnesses said. About 1,000 protesters broke off from a larger group and headed towards a police station, lobbing firebombs and burning police cars, witnesses said. 
 
 4:53pm Military helicopters arrive at Cairo's Presidential Palace ahead of expected statement - more details soon. 
 
 4:39pm The Egyptian presidency is to make an "urgent and important" statement shortly, state television says. Al Jazeera showing live pictures from Alexandria: 
 
 4:34pm Obama's intelligence chief, James Clapper, calls the Muslim Brotherhood movement "largely secular", Fox News reports. 
 
 The term 'Muslim Brotherhood'...is an umbrella term for a variety of movements, in the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has decried Al Qaeda as a perversion of Islam. They have pursued social ends, a betterment of the political order in Egypt, et cetera.....In other countries, there are also chapters or franchises of the Muslim Brotherhood, but there is no overarching agenda, particularly in pursuit of violence, at least internationally. 
 
 4:09pm The Iraqi government is offering money and free flights to their citizens in Egypt who want to leave amid the social unrest. 
 
 More than 1,700 Iraqis have so far taken up the offer to return home, with Iraq making use of prime ministers Nouri al-Maliki's personal plane and one provided by transport ministry, while families who opt to stay in Egypt are also to receive financial support. 
 
 4:02pm What the Muslim Brothers Want - Essam El-Errian, a member of the guidance council of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, writes for The New York Times, explaining that the "Egyptian people have spoken, and we have spoken emphatically". 
 
 3:56pm Tens of thousands of protestors in the port city of Suez have surrounded 10 government buildings and announced that they will not leave until Mubarak steps down. This reported by Al Ahram, the largest state owned newspaper. 
 
 3:48pm The prime minister of Denmark, Lars Rasmussen, has become the first European Union leader to call for Mubarak's resignation... saying he is, quote, "history". 
 
 3:43pm Al Jazeera continues to bring you the latest from Tahrir Square. Watch live on Youtube or here: http://aje.me/ajelive 
 
 3:31pm Senior ruling party official tells Al-arabiya station that Mubarak has delegated his authorities to the vice president last night, and he is now in-charge. 
 
 Mohamed Abdelllah, senior member of ruling party, also said that he had information that Mubarak was heading to Sharm el-Sheikh. 
 
 3:19pm Mubarak reported to have left Cairo with his family, the AFP news agency reports, citing a source close to the government. But it said his destination was not immediately clear. 
 
 3:15pm Significant splinter demonstrations have formed at the state television station in central Cairo - thousands are still streaming out of Tahrir Square towards the television building. 
 
 3:06pm Mother of protester who was killed in the protests, addressed protesters and said that she was willing to offer her second son for the struggle for democracy. 
 
 3:02pm Heavy security contingent surrounding the presidential palace in Alexandria with snipers on top of all the buildings surrounding the area - protestors continue streaming towards the palace. 
 
 2:58pm State telvision announces that the army will lift the state of emergency, but only when things calm down. 
 
 2:55pm In last 10 minutes the barbed wire barrier on the 6th of October bridge was removed and large group of protesters making their way to the area around the state television building. 
 
 2:51pm Egyptians hold 'Farewell Friday' - Al Jazeera reports that the protesters' new push to force Mubarak to step down may test the military's loyalties. 
 
 1:30pm Thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Mahala, Tanta, Alexandria, Ismailia, and Suez took to the streets chanting "Mubarak must go". 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1:00pm Photo sent in by Al Jazeera English reporter during Friday prayers in Egypt's second largest city Alexandria. 
 
 
 
 After the sermon was over, Al Jazeera English reporter, tweets: 
 
 
 
 "Another friday, another massive sea of hundreds of thousands, all calling for freedom on the streets of Alexandria!" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12:20pm Pro-democracy protesters continue to pour into Tahrir [Liberation] Square in Cairo. They call for president Mubarak to step down. The Imam during the Friday prayer in the square urged the people to stay strong and stick to their demands. 
 
 
 
 
 
 12:15am Reuters news agency has reported Egypt's army said it would lift emergency law "as soon as current circumstances end," conceding a key demand to anti-government protesters but indicating it wanted them off the streets. 
 
 
 
 It also guaranteed a free and fair presidential election, constitutional changes and protection of the nation. 
 
 
 
 11:27am Vice-President Omar Suleiman has told Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq to appoint a deputy premier from a council of "wise men" who have been in talks with the government. The state news agency says the deputy prime minister would take responsibility for "a national dialogue". 
 
 11:22am A few thousand protesters have gathered in Alexandria. Our correspondent says the crowd is expected to "increase massively" after midday prayers. 
 
 11:09am Massive crowds in Tahrir are chanting "the people and the army are hand in hand". 
 
 10:43am Photo sent in by journalism student @ghazalairshad from Tahrir Square with caption "broken bones but not broken spirit". 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10:28am The Associated Press news agency has reported that a former Israeli Cabinet minister who has long known Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, says Mubarak is looking for an honourable way out. 
 
 
 
 Binyamin Ben-Eliezer of Israel's Labor Party says he spoke with Mubarak just hours before the president's speech yesterday in which he transferred authorities to his deputy but refused to step down. 
 
 
 
 Ben-Eliezer told Army Radio that Mubarak knew "this was the end of the road" and wanted only to "leave in an honorable fashion." 
 
 
 
 10:07am Egypt state TV reported that they have not been able to enter or leave the building since last night. 
 
 
 
 9:51am An army officer joining protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square says 15 other middle-ranking officers have also gone over to the demonstrators. 
 
 "The armed forces' solidarity movement with the people has begun," Major Ahmed Ali Shouman tells Reuters. 
 
 9:24am The state news agency MENA says Egyptian military leaders have held an "important"' meeting and will issue a statement to the people. MENA says the chief commander and defence minister Hussein Tantawi chaired the meeting of the Armed Forces Supreme Council. 
 
 8:50am Mona Seif, an activist, posted this image of pro-democracy protesters this morning outside the national TV building. She wrote on her Twitter feed: A new morning, a new liberated area, national tv building #Jan25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8:30am A video posted on Youtube shows a solidarity protest song titled Sout al Horeya, 'the sound of freedom', by Moustafa Fahmy, Mohamed Khalifa, and Mohamed Shaker. 
 
 
 
 "I went down and I said I am not coming back, and I wrote on every street wall that I am not coming back. 
 
 
 
 "All barriers have been broken down, our weapon was our dream, and the future is crystal clear to us, we have been waiting for a long time, we are still searching for our place, we keep searching for a place we belong too, in every corner in our country. 
 
 
 
 "The sound of freedom is calling, in every street corner in our country, the sound of freedom is calling.. 
 
 
 
 "We will re-write history, if you are one of us, join us and don't stop us from fulfilling our dream. 
 
 
 
 The sound of freedom is calling. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7:55am Don't forget, if you're in Britain - and have Freeview, you can watch us live on TV - right now! And if you're in the US, you can Demand Al Jazeera on your network, too... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7:50am YouTube.com has linked to Al Jazeera across their entire site. http://aje.me/YouTB 
 
 
 
 7:00am Ramy Raoof, an Egyptian activist, tells Al Jazeera: the demonstrators in Tahrir [Liberation] Square are peaceful demonstrators, if any violence erupts it will come from the regime's side not the demonstrators. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6:39am Daniel Williams in Los Angeles Times: Egypt's power players 
 
 
 
 "In Egypt, the military is not a profession; it's a ruling caste. If that doesn't change, ousting Hosni Mubarak will mean little." 
 
 
 
 5:52am Thousands of protesters have moved overnight towards the sensitive presidential palace, in the upscale neighbourhood of Heliopolis in central Cairo. 
 
 In addition to Tahrir Square, pro-democracy protests have already blocked access to the parliament building near the Liberation Square. 
 
 
 
 Thousands of protesters were also surrounding the radio and television building in Cairo, which they see as a mouthpiece for Mubarak's regime. 
 
 
 
 
 
 [AFP] 
 
 
 
 5:48am After two-and-a-half weeks of calls for him to go, president Hosni Mubarak's TV speech was eagerly anticipated. But hopes they would be hearing a resignation speech were dashed . Al Jazeera's Jackie Rowland reports. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5:20am Thomas L.Friedman in The New York Times: Out of Touch, Out of Time. . . 
 
 This man is staggeringly out of touch with what is happening inside his country. This is Rip Van Winkle meets Facebook. 
 
 
 
 4:30am Jim Hoagland in The Washington Post: Dear Hosni Mubarak . . . 
 
 Not nearly enough, Mr. President. Not within a million miles of enough. 
 
 3:51am Scenes from Tahrir Square: Mubarak's Non-Resignation (by one of our web producers in Cairo) 
 
 3:34am Robert Fisk of The Independent: As Mubarak clings on... What now for Egypt? 
 
 To the horror of Egyptians and the world, President Hosni Mubarak – haggard and apparently disoriented – appeared on state television last night to refuse every demand of his opponents by staying in power for at least another five months. 
 
 3:24am Canadian cartoonist Patrick Corrigan responds to Mubarak's speech (posted by globalcartoons via twitpic). 
 
 3:14am Al Jazeera Arabic reports roughly 10,000 protesters are surrounding the state TV building in Cairo. The protesters are planning to spend the night there. 
 
 3:00am Statement of US president Barack Obama on Egypt: 
 
 The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient. Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world. The Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity.[...] 
 
 2:55am CNN says there are 1,000-2,000 protesters who have reached the presidential palace, an extremely sensitive site which nobody has marched to thus far. We're hearing that they are settling in for the night. That means there could be consistent, camped-out protests at Tahrir, parliament, and the presidential palace. 
 
 2:41am Pro-democracy protesters call for 20 million Egyptians to march tomorrow after Friday prayers. 
 
 2:25am More photos of angry protesters on Tahrir square listening to Mubarak’s speech (posted by @LaurenBohn via twitpic) 
 
 2:05am Marc Lynch in Foreign Policy: Responding to the Worst Speech Ever 
 
 It's hard to exaggerate how bad Hosni Mubarak's speech today was for Egypt.... 
 
 2:00am An angry crowd has gathered in front of the Egyptian State TV building in Cairo. Protesters are chanting against the regime and calling for Mubarak to resign. (posted by @Gsquare86) 
 
 1:45am Slavoj Žižek in The Guardian: For Egypt, this is the miracle of Tahrir Square 
 
 There is no room for compromise. Either the entire Mubarak edifice falls, or the uprising is betrayed. 
 
 1:35am Britain's Foreign Minister William Hague: 
 
 It is not clear what powers Mubarak is handing over to his deputy. 
 
 1:22am Protesters gathered in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square brandished their shoes - a serious insult in the Muslim world - while others shouted "Get out!" and "Down, down Hosni Mubarak". 
 
 
 
 1:05am Tunisians call on Egyptian protesters to see through their pro-democracy demonstrations after Mubarak announced his intention to stay in his position. ||||| CAIRO—Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak handed power to his vice president but retained his title, a half-measure that confused observers, angered opposition leaders and provoked an uproar from hundreds of thousands of protesters massed in the center of the country's capital. 
 
 Charles Levinson has the latest from Cairo where protesters are reacting to President Mubarak's decision to remain in power. John Bussey and Robert Danin look at what's next for Egypt and U.S. relations with that country. 
 
 Hosni Mubarak surprised many when he announced late today he would not step down as Egypt's President until elections in September. Tamer El-Ghobashy has reaction from Cairo's Tahrir Square. John Bussey and Jerry Seib have analysis of the situation. 
 
 The move sets up another conflict with the opposition movement, which has called on supporters to gather for a huge protest Friday. Expectations that the president would resign had built through the day, and the immediate reaction to the speech was anger, with protesters chanting "Leave, leave." 
 
 An Army officer using a loudspeaker tried to calm protesters. "Let's save our energy for tomorrow," a man screamed to the crowd. "Go home and sleep, because tomorrow will be the day of judgment." 
 
 The defiant tone taken by Mr. Mubarak—and widespread confusion about the meaning of his speech—left the Obama administration scrambling to devise its next steps in a crisis that appears out of its control. 
 
 After Mr. Mubarak's speech, President Barack Obama, in a statement from the White House, said "The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient." 
 
 Mr. Obama called on the Egyptian government "to move swiftly to explain the changes that have been made." 
 
 Mr. Mubarak's speech left the White House with a sense of "disbelief," a U.S. official said. 
 
 Egyptian officials said Mr. Mubarak gave the U.S. much of what Vice President Joe Biden requested earlier in the week: the delegation of presidential powers to the vice president, Omar Suleiman. 
 
 But Mr. Suleiman, who delivered a televised address after Mr. Mubarak, enraged protesters by refusing to distance himself from the president, even as he gestured toward the legitimacy of the protesters' demands. 
 
 The reaction casts a shadow over hopes by the U.S. and other traditional Egyptian allies that Mr. Suleiman would become a figure who is able to orchestrate a smooth transition from Mr. Mubarak to a more open electoral process in September. 
 
 The White House is now squeezed between Arab and Israeli allies, who have complained loudly that Mr. Obama was pushing Mr. Mubarak too hard to step down, and lawmakers who accuse the White House of not pushing hard enough. Now, the White House finds itself largely a bystander. 
 
 "This is really bad," a senior U.S. official said after Mr. Mubarak's address. "We need to push harder—if not, the protests will get violent." 
 
 Mr. Mubarak's language and refusal to yield to what he called the intervention of foreigners—a reference that appeared directed primarily at the U.S.—left protesters furious and the situation in Cairo precarious. 
 
 The anger welling among protesters placed the country's army in a tight position in its quest to keep the nation stable and secure. 
 
 Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, after Mr. Mubarak's address, told CNN that the president and Mr. Suleiman were "twins" and that "neither are acceptable to the people." 
 
 In a earlier post on Twitter, Mr. ElBaradei wrote: "Egypt will explode. Army must save the country now." 
 
 Mr. Mubarak's speech continued a pattern of making concessions short of what protesters have been demanding. "I've seen fit to delegate presidential powers to the vice president, as according to the constitution," Mr. Mubarak said in his speech. 
 
 But he said he was "adamant to continue to shoulder my responsibility to protect the constitution and safeguard the interests of the people." He vowed that he would remain in the country and said he was addressing the youth in Tahrir as "the president of the republic." 
 
 Israeli analysts remain concerned about possible new threats to the country's security amid unrest in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East. Special correspondent Martin Himel reports from Tel Aviv. 
 
 Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Sameh Shoukry told CNN that Mr. Mubarak had passed all powers of the presidency to Mr. Suleiman, except for three: to amend the constitution, dissolve parliament—stacked with supporters of Mr. Mubarak—and fire the cabinet. 
 
 Those powers now belong to no one, Mr. Shoukry said, insisting that Mr. Suleiman was now the "de facto" president. 
 
 That interpretation wasn't immediately clear from the speech, however, and its nuances appeared lost, or irrelevant, to opposition leaders and protesters waiting to hear the president say he was quitting. 
 
 Instead, the president's comments brought a deflating end to a day of rumors and contradictions. 
 
 Hossam Badrawy, secretary general of the ruling National Democratic Party, had said early in the day that he told Mr. Mubarak that the president needs to step down for the good of the country, and said he believed the president would go. 
 
 Egypt's powerful military signaled it was moving to take control of the country. State television showed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces meeting—conspicuously without Mr. Mubarak present. 
 
 The armed forces "have started taking necessary measures to protect the nation and support the legitimate demands of the citizens," an army spokesman said on state television. 
 
 The meeting and statement that followed appeared to represent a break from the military's previous posture as a neutral party providing security. 
 
 Those developments drew what was possibly the biggest crowd yet to Tahrir Square, the epicenter of protests that began Jan. 25. 
 
 Western officials, senior Egyptian government officials, and opposition leaders appeared to believe it was likely that Mr. Mubarak would announce he was stepping down and that the military would take over. 
 
 WSJ's Tamer El-Ghobashy reports from the streets of Cairo on demonstrations expanded beyond Tahrir Square, and that government workers are striking in opposition to president Mubarak refusing to step down. 
 
 Google Inc. executive and Egyptian protest leader Wael Ghonim said in his Twitter account: "Revolution 2.0: Mission Accomplished." 
 
 Question marks hang over what transpired inside the regime's corridors of power between early evening in Cairo, when signs pointed to Mr. Mubarak's stepping aside, and 10:50 p.m., when the president gave his televised address. A person familiar with Egypt's power centers said a possible wild card in Mr. Mubarak's decision could be the presidential Republican Guard, the opaque force that is responsible for the president's personal security. 
 
 When Mr. Mubarak's face appeared on a makeshift television screen made from a large sheet in one corner of the square, the crowd suddenly hushed for what many thought would be a momentous event: the resignation of their president for 29 years. 
 
 The crowd formed clusters, around people with radios and cellphones. People listened impatiently, and expressed frustration at the wordiness of his speech. As the end of the speech neared, a groan was audible in the masses. Some began chanting "resign" only to be told to shut up by those still listening. 
 
 As it became increasing clear Mr. Mubarak wasn't resigning, many in the crowd began to hiss. 
 
 "I don't like what I'm hearing," said Mohamed Mustafa, 49 years old, huddling with four others around a small radio. 
 
 Once it was over, people joined in a massive chant of, "Resign means leave, obviously you don't understand!" 
 
 Soldiers who had abandoned their posts outside ran back to the edges of the square and eventually to their positions near tanks. 
 
 "This will make people go mad," said Sherif Oman, a 24-year-old engineer. "He will regret this speech tomorrow. He is insulting us with this speech." 
 
 After a period of spirited chanting, the stunned crowd made its slow exodus from Tahrir Square. Some protesters marched on the nearby state television building; most appeared to opt for home. 
 
 Some protesters meanwhile began to chant, "Tomorrow we go to the palace!" 
 
 —Matt Bradley, Sam Dagher and Christopher Rhoads contributed to this article. 
 
 Write to Margaret Coker at margaret.coker@wsj.com, Charles Levinson at charles.levinson@wsj.com and Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com ||||| Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned Friday, relinquishing power after 18 days of protests and three decades of rule in the powerhouse nation of the Arab world. Vice President Omar Suleiman announced the transfer of authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to "run the affairs of the country." Check out our full coverage and the latest tweets from CNN correspondents on the ground. Click here to watch developments live from Egypt. 
 
 Developments, as confirmed by CNN, on the revolution in Egypt: 
 
 [Update 5:30 a.m. in Cairo, 10:30 p.m. ET] Even as daylight neared on Saturday, throngs remained on the streets of Cairo celebrating the end of President Mubarak's rule. Some areas near Cairo's Tahrir Square remained packed, with Egyptian flags waving and sporadic fireworks firing into the air. 
 
 [Update 4:18 a.m. in Cairo, 9:18 p.m. ET] Not everyone's rejoicing over the developments in Egypt. iReporter W.J. O’Reilly in New York says that Americans should be cautious in reacting to the events in Egypt: "A far more destructive state of tyranny may only be in the first stages of beginning." 
 
 [Update 3:25 a.m. in Cairo, 8:25 p.m. ET] So, now what? "Dear Egyptians, Go back to your work on Sunday, work like never before and help Egypt become a developed country," Wael Ghonim suggests on his Twitter account. 
 
 [Update 2:45 a.m. in Cairo, 7:45 p.m. ET] A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood told CNN's John King that his organization trusts Egypt's new military leadership to transition to a free and open democracy. Essam El Erian said that the Muslim Brotherhood, which has vowed not to field a presidential candidate, expects to be represented in a new parliament but does not expect to win a majority of seats. 
 
 El Erian added that reports that al Qaeda has a presence in Egypt are "all rumor," one that he claims originated with Egypt's interior ministry. 
 
 [Update 2:10 a.m. in Cairo, 7:10 p.m. ET] Sarah Palin, a former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, urged the media on her Twitter page to ask, "Will Obama Admin exert as much 'constructive' pressure on Iranian govt to change & allow freedom - as they just did for Egypt?" Palin, a popular figure among U.S. conservatives, has consistently criticized how U.S. President Obama has handled the effort to halt Iran's budding nuclear program. 
 
 [Update 1:45 a.m. in Cairo, 6:45 p.m. ET] Wael Ghonim earlier credited Facebook with helping the revolution get started online long before the January 25 protest that triggered the revolt (which was also organized with the help of a Facebook event page). Facebook had this to say in response: 
 
 "Mr. Ghonim is a hero and, like all true heroes, he diminishes his own role and gives credit to others. We've witnessed brave people of all ages coming together to effect a profound change in their country. Certainly, technology was a vital tool in their efforts but we believe their bravery and determination mattered most," spokesman Elliot Schrage said. 
 
 [Update 1:00 a.m. in Cairo, 6:00 p.m. ET] "Egypt today is a free and proud nation. God bless," Nobel laureate and leading Egyptian opposition figure Mohammed ElBaradei tweets. 
 
 [Update 12:30 a.m. in Cairo, 5:39 p.m. ET] The head of Iran's National Security Council compared "the Egyptian Revolution with the victory of Iran's Islamic Revolution," according to Iran's state-run media. Saeed Jalili added, "The United States and Europe must be answerable to the Egyptian people for supporting a dictatorship for 30 years." 
 
 On the topic of U.S.-Egypt relations, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, a Texas Republican known for his libertarian streak, said that American support of Mubarak over the past three decades is "a big mistake." He urged the United States to maintain a friendly relationship with Egypt's new government but said it should stop providing economic and military support. 
 
 [Update 11:45 p.m. in Cairo, 4:45 p.m. ET] Many streets in Cairo, especially around Tahrir Square, remained full of revelers as midnight approached Friday. People stood atop cars, waved huge Egyptian flags, sang and danced to celebrate the end of Mubarak's reign. 
 
 iReporter Abdel-Maguid Ramzy, a professor at Cairo University Medical School, shot video of people praying and celebrating near the presidential palace in Heliopolis on Friday evening. "It's a very special moment for us," he said. "We didn't know that it was going to happen that fast." 
 
 Egyptians aren't alone - people around the world are celebrating. iReporter Jason Antos of New York City says people watched the developments in Egyptian-owned businesses and poured out into the street to celebrate after the annoucement Mubarak would step down. He says police allowed people to demonstrate in the streets for a little while. 
 
 [Update 11:20 p.m. in Cairo, 4:20 p.m. ET] Egypt's stock market – which has been shuttered for weeks due to the political turmoil there – will open Sunday for three hours, Egypt's state-run Nile TV reports. Meanwhile, U.S. stocks surged Friday following word that Mubarak was stepping down. 
 
 The unrest in Egypt shouldn't have a major continuing effect on world prices, Fadel Gheit, an Egyptian oil analyst for Oppenheimer, told CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow. However, he warned that, long-term, similar popular uprisings against ruling regimes in Saudi Arabia or Iran could be a huge concern for oil prices. 
 
 [Update 10:58 p.m. in Cairo, 3:58 p.m. ET] It is important for the next Egyptian government to recognize the Egypt-Israel Camp David accords, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Friday. 
 
 Gibbs also appeared to indicate that administration officials may have known that President Hosni Mubarak was stepping down before the official announcement was made in Cairo. Last night and "through the morning," there were indications "that the last speeches may not have been given" by Egyptian authorities after Mubarak spoke Thursday, Gibbs said. 
 
 Gibbs also said "there is quite a contrast" between the way "the government of Egypt and the people of Egypt are interacting" and how the Iranian government is treating its people, especially those who might publicly voice opposition. Tehran is "scared," Gibbs said. The Iranian government "has met the concerns of its people (by) threatening to kill them." 
 
 [Update 10:35 p.m. in Cairo, 3:35 p.m. ET] Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, issued this statement regarding the developments in Egypt: 
 
 "Hamas congratulate the Egyptian people with this victory, and considers it a victory for the Palestinian people and calls on the new Egyptian leadership to lift the siege of Gaza and to open the Rafah crossing and assure the free movement between Egypt and Palestine and to start the development construction process of Gaza," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement. 
 
 [Update 10:20 p.m. in Cairo, 3:20 p.m. ET] How do Egyptians feel about U.S. President Barack Obama's speech? 
 
 "We started this revolution without any outside help and we're going to finish it without any outside help," Mustafa, an Egyptian doctor and protester in Tahrir Square, told CNN's Nic Robertson. 
 
 "This is just the beginning of the revolution." 
 
 [Update 10:09 p.m. in Cairo, 3:09 p.m. ET] "Today belongs to the people of Egypt," President Obama said in a statement Friday that was broadcast live in the United States and Egypt. 
 
 "There are very few moments in our lives where we have the privilege to witness history taking place. This is one of those moments," the president said. 
 
 "The people of Egypt have spoken; their voices have been heard and Egypt will never be the same," he said. "By stepping down, President Mubarak responded to the Egyptian people's hunger for change...but this is not the end of Egypt's transition. It's a beginning." 
 
 He praised the Egyptian military for acting "patriotically and responsibly," and said it now needs to help ensure a credible transition. Among other things, Egyptian authorities need to end emergency rule and ensure the enactment of key legal reforms, Obama said. 
 
 "Egyptians have made it clear that nothing less than genuine democracy will carry the day," he said. 
 
 "This is the power of human dignity, it can never be denied... for Egypt, it was the moral force of non-violence, not terroism, not mindless killing... that bent the arc of history toward justice once more," he said. 
 
 Obama promised Friday that the United States "will continue to be a friend and partner to Egypt" and will help with that country's transition to democracy. 
 
 "The wheel of history turned at a blinding pace" the past few weeks, Obama said. It disproved the notion that "justice is gained by violence." 
 
 [Update 9:59 p.m. in Cairo, 2:59 p.m. ET] In southern Beirut and south Lebanon – strongholds of the Hezbollah militia – hundreds of people took to the streets to celebrate Mubarak's resignation with gunfire and fireworks. 
 
 In a statement, Hezbollah congratulated the Egyptian people for "their historic triumph in achieving this revolution." A spokesman said the group applauded the "the steadfastness and unity of the Egyptian people, young and old, men and women, which showed that blood was stronger than the sword." 
 
 In the past, Mubarak frequently accused Hezbollah of infiltrating Egypt and doing Iran's bidding. 
 
 [Update 9:27 p.m. in Cairo, 2:27 p.m. ET] Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh called Egypt "a pillar in the region" and sent along "wishes for stability, security and prosperity." In a Twitter message, he said Jordan "respects free choice" of Egyptians and has confidence in the military to lead the country toward a "new era." 
 
 [Update 9:24 p.m. in Cairo, 2:24 p.m. ET] CNN Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman shared his personal reactions to the day's events through a series of messages on Twitter: 
 
 I think everyone in Egypt is either in or coming to Tahrir. ... Thank god cairo back to normal. Blaring horns, crazy traffic, people everywhere!!! ... Everyone even soldiers are celebrating ... egypt's love of noise on display ... If Egypt could overthrow a 30-year old dictatorship in just 17 days (I don't have enough characters to ponder the rest) ... Two weeks ago the police pulled out of Cairo, the Army moved in. Today President Mubarak resigns. My head is spinning. ... This revolution couldn't have happened to better people. Patient, peaceful, good-humored, resilient, imaginative. ... The Mubarak regime miscalculated the people of #Egypt from day one (#Jan25). No matter what regime did, the people always won. 
 
 [Update 8:58 p.m. in Cairo, 1:58 p.m. ET] China "understands and supports Egypt's efforts to maintain social stability and restore normal order" and believes "that the affairs of Egypt should be decided by itself independently without intervention from the outside," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. 
 
 French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed Egypt's "historic moment" and paid tribute to Hosni Mubarak's decision to resign. France - which called for steps leading to free elections and reforms - urged Egyptians" to continue their non-violent march to freedom." 
 
 Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Friday called the political change in Egypt an important development for the people and their democratic aspirations. 
 
 [Update 8:48 p.m. in Cairo, 1:48 p.m. ET] CNN iReporters are sending descriptions, images and video from Egypt. It looks like a combination of New Year's Eve in Times Square and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. 
 
 In Alexandria, iReporter Fady captured video of celebratory fireworks being shot off. 
 
 In Cairo, iReporter Omar Sultan sent in video of people celebrating near the presidential palace. 
 
 [Update 8:45 p.m. in Cairo, 1:45 p.m. ET] Hamas, the anti-Israeli Palestinian movement that controls the Gaza territory bordering Egypt, urged the new leadership in Cairo "to lift the siege of Gaza and to open the Rafah crossing and assure the free movement between Egypt and Palestine and to start the development (and) construction process of Gaza." 
 
 [Update 8:33 p.m. in Cairo, 1:33 p.m. ET] A statement issued by Egypt's military council affirmed that the military will not abolish civil authority but will only control the country during the transition period between civilian governments. 
 
 The military statement also expressed appreciation for former President Hosni Mubarak's service to the country, and saluted "martyrs" of Egypt's revolution. 
 
 U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon says he respects "the difficult decision" for Hosni Mubarak to step down as president of Egypt and he reiterated a call for an "orderly, peaceful transition." 
 
 The United Arab Emirates says it's confident in the ability of Egypt's military to run "the country's affairs in these delicate circumstances." 
 
 [Update 8:09 p.m. in Cairo, 1:09 ET] Switzerland has frozen "all possible assets" of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his circle, a government official said Friday. 
 
 [Update 8:03 p.m. in Cairo, 1:03 p.m. ET] President Barack Obama did not talk to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak or Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman before Friday's announcement of Mubarak's resignation, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. 
 
 German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday called the events in Egypt "irreversible" and said in the end there must be free elections. She also said Germany expects future Egyptian governments to honor the peace treaty with Israel. 
 
 British Prime Minister David Cameron hailed the bravery of the Egyptian protesters and said there must be "civilian and democratic rule as part of this important transition to an open, democratic and free Egypt." 
 
 The toppling of the Egyptian "pharaoh" has "joyfully" coincided with the anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency said Friday. 
 
 [Update 7:58 p.m. in Cairo, 12:58 p.m. ET] The U.S. is preparing a new package of assistance to Egyptian opposition groups designed to help with constitutional reform, democratic development and election organizing, State department officials tell TIME magazine. 
 
 [Update 7:43 p.m. in Cairo, 12:43 ET] A high-ranking Egyptian military official said that discussions were under way in the Supreme Council about dismissing Mubarak's government and parliament and the timing for elections. The source said an announcement was expected later Friday. 
 
 [Update 7:34 p.m. in Cairo, 12:34 p.m. ET] Opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, a diplomat and Nobel laureate, said in remarks to Al Jazeera that he believes it could take a year for the people and army to lay the necessary groundwork for presidential and parliamentary elections. 
 
 He added that he doesn't foresee Egyptians growing impatient during the process because they endured Mubarak's rule for 30 years. 
 
 "This is a dream I have been wishing to see for the last 30 years, and it's an amazing feeling," he told the station. 
 
 ElBaradei dismissed the notion that the Mubarak regime should immediately be held accountable for any misdeeds, saying, "We will have a lot of daunting tasks ahead of us." The priority, he said, should be to "make sure the country is restored," politically and economically. 
 
 His parting message to his countrymen: "You have gained your liberty. You have gained your right to catch up with the rest of the world. Make the best of it." 
 
 [Update 7:21 p.m. in Cairo, 12:21 p.m. ET] CNN iReporter Johnny Colt says the people at a coffee shop in Jordan didn't like the news out of Egypt. 
 
 [Update 7:06 p.m. in Cairo, 12:06 p.m. ET] Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, issued a statement urging a peaceful transition of power for the longtime U.S. ally. 
 
 "I am pleased that President Mubarak has heard and heeded the voice of the Egyptian people, who have called for change," Reid said. But "it is crucial that Mubarak's departure be an orderly one and that it leads to true democracy for Egypt, including free, fair and open elections." 
 
 "We caution all sides against violence during this transition," he added. 
 
 [Update 7:03 p.m. in Cairo, 12:03 p.m. ET] Egyptian protest leader Wael Ghonim told CNN Friday the real heroes of the revolution are the young Egyptians in Tahrir Square and the rest of the country. 
 
 [Update 6:49 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 6:45 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 6:43 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 6:38 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 6:36 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. 
 
 [Update 6:16 p.m. in Cairo, 11:16 a.m. ET] Hosni Mubarak has decided "to step down as president of Egypt and has assigned the Higher Council of the Armed Forces to run the affairs of the country," Vice President Omar Suleiman announced. 
 
 [Update 6:10 p.m. in Cairo, 11:10 a.m. ET] A military council will run Egypt in the wake of Mubarak's resignation, Egypt's vice president says. 
 
 [Update 6:09 in Cairo, 11:07 ET] Demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square chanted "Egypt is free!" upon hearing the news of Hosni Mubarak's resignation on Friday. 
 
 [Update 6:01 p.m. in Cairo, 11:01 a.m. ET] President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down from the presidency of Egypt, Vice President Omar Suleiman said. 
 
 Crowds across Cairo erupted in deafening cheers at the announcement. 
 
 [Update 5:32 p.m in Cairo, 10:32 a.m. ET] Tanks guarding the presidential palace in Cairo turned their turrets away from approaching demonstrators, eliciting a huge cheer from the crowd, CNN's Ivan Watson reported. 
 
 
 
 [Update 4:37 p.m. in Cairo, 9:37 ET] President Hosni Mubarak has gone to the Egyptian Sinai city of Sharm el-Sheikh, a well-placed source with close connections to government figures in the Gulf told CNN on Friday. There will be an "important statement" soon from the office of Egypt's president, state TV reported. 
 
 [Update 4:28 p.m. in Cairo, 9:28 a.m. ET] Wael Ghonim, the Google employee whose tearful TV interview galvanized protesters, tweeted: Dear Western Governments, You've been silent for 30 years supporting the regime that was oppressing us. Please don't get involved now. 
 
 An hour earlier, Ghonim had written: Dear President Mubarak your dignity is no longer important, the blood of Egyptians is. Please leave the country NOW. 
 
 [Update 4:18 p.m. in Cairo, 9:18 a.m. ET] Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has left Cairo, according to various media reports. CNN is trying to confirm this information. 
 
 [Update 4:16 p.m. in Cairo, 9:16 a.m. ET] A massive demonstration has begun in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, witnesses said. 
 
 [Update 3:35 p.m. in Cairo, 8:35 a.m. ET] Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood on Friday called the statements made Thursday night by President Hosni Mubarak and Vice President Omar Suleiman "completely unacceptable." 
 
 [Update 2:24 p.m. in Cairo, 7:24 a.m. ET] Thousands of demonstrators protesting against President Hosni Mubarak were surrounding the headquarters of the Suez government compound after Friday prayers, witnesses said. 
 
 [Update 1:17 p.m. in Cairo, 6:17 a.m. ET] So many demonstrators had swarmed around the state broadcasting corporation's headquarters in Cairo that Nile TV said employees were prevented from entering the building. 
 
 [Update 12:40 p.m. Friday in Cairo, 5:40 a.m. Friday ET] Egypt's top military leaders released a statement Friday saying the nation's emergency rule will end when the current crisis passes, state television reported. The leaders said they will ensure that elections planned for September are free and fair. 
 
 Finance Minister Samir Radwan said Friday that Mubarak's "perception is that he is trying to help the process of a smooth transition." Radwan denied that the military is interfering in government affairs. Radwan said the nation risks higher budget deficits if the protests continue. 
 
 [Update 11:02 a.m. Friday in Cairo, 4:48 a.m. Friday ET] Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman has asked Prime Minster Ahmed Shafiq to appoint a deputy prime minister to "lead the national dialogue," Egyptian state television reported Friday. 
 
 The presidential palace in Cairo is surrounded by soldiers, police cars and military tanks. The roads leading up to the palace were shut down Friday and the army is setting up a barbed-wire barricade. 
 
 The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is meeting and will issue a statement Friday, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported. 
 
 The Egyptian army will issue a new statement Friday, state-run Nile TV reported. Nile TV said hundreds of protesters gathered around its offices on Friday and prevented employees from entering. 
 
 [Update 8:02 a.m. Friday in Cairo, 1:02 a.m. Friday ET] Anti-government chants rang out in Cairo's Tahrir Square as protesters streamed in Friday morning for an 18th day of demonstrations demanding Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's resignation. Troops and tanks stood guard as protesters continued calls for an end to the leader's nearly 30-year rule. 
 
 [Update 6:22 a.m. Friday in Cairo, 11:22 p.m. Thursday ET] More large anti-government protests are expected Friday in Cairo, Alexandria and elsewhere in Egypt, despite Mubarak's announcement late Thursday that he'd delegate his powers to Vice President Omar Suleiman. 
 
 [Update 6:20 a.m. Friday in Cairo, 11:20 p.m. Thursday ET] U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement late Thursday that the United Nations "stands ready to assist" in the process of ensuring "genuine and inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders" in order to expedite a "transparent, orderly and peaceful transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Egyptian people." 
 
 [Update 4:29 a.m. in Cairo, 9:29 p.m. ET] - Following Mubarak's Thursday night speech, thousands of demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square have been showing their defiance to his rule by lying down on the streets and sidewalks under blankets for a massive "sleep in." On one wide sidewalk, about a hundred protesters lay next to each other under blankets. 
 
 Meanwhile, a group of volunteers were working early Friday to construct makeshift homes and buildings in the square, using plywood and wooden boards. They included shower stalls and bathrooms, activist Sharif Makawi said. 
 
 [Update 3:30 a.m. in Cairo, 8:30 p.m. ET] Long a pillar of Hosni Mubarak's three-decade rule over Egypt, Omar Suleiman now sits at the top of the pyramid as its de facto president. Read more about Suleiman and his gradual rise to the top. 
 
 Brush up on Mubarak's speech here and find Suleiman's speech here. 
 
 Update 3 a.m. in Cairo, 8 p.m. ET] U.S. President Barack Obama urged the Egyptian government "to move swiftly to explain the changes that have been made, and to spell out in clear and unambiguous language" the process that will lead to democracy. 
 
 "The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient. Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world," he said in a statement. "The Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity." 
 
 Obama did not call on Mubarak to step down, but he did call for emergency law to be lifted while negotiations continue among the government, opposition parties and civil society on the country's future.
– One of the first public reactions to Hosni Mubarak's non-resignation doesn't bode well for what happens next: “Egypt will explode," wrote Nobel laureate and pro-democracy advocate Mohamed ElBaradei on Twitter, reports the Los Angeles Times. "The Army must save the country now. I call on the Egyptian army to immediately interfere to rescue Egypt. The credibility of the army is on the line." In Tahrir Square, protesters are seething and calling for bigger demonstrations tomorrow, notes the Wall Street Journal.