Hosni Mubarak has stepped down as president of Egypt, after weeks of protest in Cairo and other cities. The news was greeted with a huge outburst of joy and celebration by thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the heart of the demonstrations.
Egypt's military has vowed to oversee a transition to civilian rule, as crowds continue to celebrate Mubarak's resignation. The ex-president had previously pledged to quit office only after presidential elections due to be held in September.
Meanwhile anti-government rallies in Algeria and Yemen, inspired by the recent events in Egypt, were broken up by police and government supporters.
Middle East after Hosni Mubarak: impact of a revolution
Well done to the Egyptian people. This is their victory, and they have every right to celebrate what they have achieved: the end of three decades of autocratic rule. Following so soon after the fall of President Ben Ali in Tunisa (after an equally impressive display of people-power in that country), no wonder commentators are wondering whether we are watching the dominoes fall across North Africa and the Middle East.
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