Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned Friday, handing over power to the military, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced."Mubarak has decided to resign as president," Suleiman announced in a brief statement on state TV, the BBC reported.The announcement came as thousands of demonstrators gathered in Cairo and other Egyptian cities for the 18th day of protest to demand Mubarak's resignation.Egyptian state TV reported that Mubarak would speak to the nation from his palace in Cairo on Thursday evening.The crowd, one of the biggest since the mass protests began more than two weeks ago, chanted, “He’s leaving! He’s leaving!”The rumors that Mubarak would give a speech and possibly announce his resignation began earlier Thursday afternoon when a senior Egyptian military official said to protesters in local media that, “All your demands will be met today.
”The rumor quickly gained steam around the world as international news organizations picked up on the story. NBC reported that two independent sources had confirmed that Mubarak would step down and that his vice president, Omar Suleiman, would take over. CNN reported that CIA Director Leon Panetta also expected Mubarak to resign Thursday.Thousands of protesters in Cairo's central Tahrir Square gather as it appears Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will step aside, with the military likely taking control of the country. Egypt Crisis :Tahrir Square Anticipates Mubarak Resignation
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