Omar Suleiman announces that Hosni Mubarak has handed power to the military

• Omar Suleiman announces that Hosni Mubarak has handed power to the military.

• Thousands of protesters have gathered outside the presidential palace, Egypt's state television centre and Tahrir Square amid fears of further clashes.

• Iran blocks foreign media over its coverage of the mass protests in Egypt.

• Army announces it will end emergency powers but not until the mood is calm 

 16.42 Israel tells AFP that it hopes the transition of power after Mubarak's departure will be "conducted smoothly".

16.40 Talk on Al Jazeera that Egypt is entering a new era as history is made.

 16.39 As crowds continue to celebrate, thoughts now turn to what might happen next with the military being in control.

16.34 And here it is

16.33 The first video of Omar Suleiman's speech announcing Mubarak's department is coming in now.

16.27 Journalist for Al-Masry Al-Youm notes that Mubarak transferring power to the military indicates he realised vice-president Omar Suleiman was not what the crowds wanted.

He tweets: "Notice that Mubarak passed power to supreme armed forces council NOT to Suleiman--sign that he knew Suleiman not acceptable to crowds #egypt"

16.24 President Obama due to make televised statement shortly.

16.19 People falling to their knees, crying. Others setting off home-made fireworks after 30 years of Mubarak rule ends with a 30 second statement.

16.18 The US stock market has surged after news of Hosni Mubarak's departure. The Dow moved from an early slight loss to add 0.30 percent, while the Nasdaq also rose 0.30 percent.

16.17 Reports now confirming that it will be the military taking over from Mubarak not Omar Suleiman.

16.14 Richard Spencer is amongst the cheering crowds in Cairo. He reports an immediate uproar with the streets full of cars honking their horns.

"Immediate uproar from tahrir square - i am near it now and now the streets are full of cars honking horns. incredible moment. And of course the inevitable question - who's next?"

16.11 Many saying this is the most important moment they have ever experienced.

Amira Salah-Ahmed tweets: "THIS is the most important moment we have ever experienced...we just ousted a dictator! #egypt"

16.05 Reaction on Twitter now. Cries of "we are free".

Zeinobia tweets: "The army council is ruling the country now , I got tears in my eyes , we are free , yes we are free."

16.04 The crowd has erupted into a sea of cheers. Jubilation that the embattled former president Hosni Mubarak has finally gone.

16.03 Omar Suleiman is now speaking saying Mubarak has left. A very brief announcement.

16.00 The editor of The New Yorker has given his perspective on Mubarak's shock defiance yesterday.

He says: "To watch Hosni Mubarak today in his late-night speech in Cairo, as he used every means of rhetorical deflection to delay his inevitable end, was to watch a man so deluded, so deaf to the demands of history, that he was incapable of hearing an entire people screaming in his ear."

15.55 Hossam Badrawi, the recently appointed general secretary of the NDP, says his resignation is because Egypt needs new parties, according to Al Jazeera.

He says: "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."

15.50 The name of the leader of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party is Hossam Badrawi. He is expected to resign shortly.

15.49 Here is a picture of those tank turrets pointed at the crowd outside the state TV building. According to an ABC News Nightline journalist the tanks have now moved away from the crowd.

15.45 Jon Snow for Channel 4 is back in Cairo for Mubarak's impending statement. He says his sources suggest Mubarak will take the easy option and opt for taking an "extended vacation".

15.33 Washington are hailing Mubarak's exit from Cairo as a "positive first step".

15.30 We are now hearing reports that the leader of Mubarak's ruling party is to step down, according to AFP.

15.20 A journalist from ABC News Nightline says the army tanks have finally turned away from the crowds with one of the soldiers inside waving a flag.

He tweets: "#Egypt: Army tanks slowly turn their turrets away from the crowd at palace. A soldier in one of the tanks takes a flag and starts waving it. Soldiers and crowd now waving and cheering each other across the concertina wire."

15.18 Ahead of the "urgent and important" statement expected shortly, the BBC's Tim Whewell says traffic is completely jammed outside the presidential palace.

He tweets: "#Egypt Traffic congested at the palace. A sea of flags and protestors."

15.03 Protesters are trying to harass the military helicopters flying overhead with kites, according to one Cairo tweeter.

He tweets: "protesters in Tahrir r flying kites on high altitudes to harass the military helicopter :D #jan25"

14.59 Several people injured in the El-Arish clashes but numbers currently unknown.

14.56 We are hearing that Egyptians in the north Sinai town of El-Arish have exchanged gunfire with police and are hurling Molotov cocktails at a police station (AFP).

Witnesses sais about 1,000 protesters broke away from a larger group and headed towards the police station lobbing fireballs and burning police cars.

14.54 Richard Spencer says the mystery military airbase that Mubarak allegedly left from this morning is the Al Maza Airport. This is at Air Force HQ near his palace in north Cairo.

14.50 Here is that picture of Mubarak with the UAE's foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed that Richard Spencer mentioned earlier. As ichard pointed out, the UAE's minister is one of the only foreign ministers to show his support for Mubarak since the crisis began.

14.45 People on Twitter say two helicopters have just flown over the palace. People in the crowds saying it could be Mubarak. Unconfirmed.

Abdel-Rahman Hussein said: "2 Helicoptors fly over #oruba palace, ppl think it might be Mubarak and jeer like crazy #jan25"

14.38 Important news just in. The Egyptian presidency is set to make an "urgent and important" statement shortly according to state television.

State television said: "An important and urgent statement will be made by the presidency of the republic shortly."

14.36 Richard Spencer makes an interesting observation as to why Mubarak may have refused to step down last night. He says President Mubarak would only be able to leave the country while still in power whereas if he stepped down first he could be stopped at the airport.

"Mubarak can only guarantee to flee if he is president. If he steps down first, he could be stopped at the airport."

14.25 Mubarak has apparently told an Israeli MP that he is "looking for a way out" and an "honorable exit", according to AFP. Labour MP Benjamin Ben-Eliezer says he spoke to Mubarak by phone shortly before his televised address last night.

Mr Ben-Eliezer told Israeli army radio: "He knows it's over, that it is the end of the road. He didn't tell me anything before his speech, except that he was looking for a way out,"

The former minister is considered as the Israeli with the closest ties to the Egyptian leader.

14.22 Video footage has come in from the protests. Furious Egyptians claim Mubarak has insulted them.

14.18 Here is video footage of this morning's statement from The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The statement angered thousands after protesters realised the military was standing by Mubarak.

14.10 Reports that Mubarak has left Cairo are not stopping protesters decending in their thousands towards the palace. The crowds are still growing with people saying the palace is a symbol. Al Jazeera's online producer Evan Hill says long lines of peope are still heading towards the palace. He is following a march of Egyptians currently passing the ministry of defence.

"Long, long line of people still headed to presidential palace after a pause for afternoon prayers. March now passing by the ministry of defense. Army officers watching from the balconies and roof inside walled compound."

14.01 Our man on the ground Richard Spencer finds rumours that Mubarak may have gone to the United Arab Emirates interesting. He says the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi is one of the only foreign leaders to have shown support for the defiant Egyptian president in recent weeks.

 v:shapes="_x0000_s1027">"Rumour that Mubarak is heading towards UAE are interesting. Photos of the [Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed the UAE foreign minister] (corrected) in papers there early this week with Mubarak - he is the only foreign minister seen with him since this all began. A strong expression of personal support."

13.56 CBS News says that although Mubarak has left he is expected to return. The American news channel also says that earlier reports that Mubarak left for medical care are false.

13.55 Sailors are throwing food rations to the crowd.

13.46 The BBC's Security Correspondent says that there are persistent reports now that Mubarak has gone to Sharm El Sheikh. He speculates this could be his way of saving face. It does however add weight to reports that Mubarak's partial power hand over to vice-president Omar Suleiman last night was to make him de facto head of state.

He tweets: "Persistent reports #Egypt s Pres Mubarak and family have fled to Sharm El Sheikh, natural bolthole - far from Cairo but still in Egypt"

13.41 More from Richard Spencer now, he says the military are trying to prevent people camping outside the presidential palace.

 v:shapes="_x0000_s1029">"Pick up truck containing blankets turned back by military police. Clearly want to stop people camping out."

13.39 Al Jazeera's Glynnis MacNicol claims that the reason President Obama was shocked last night when Mubarak didn't resign was because the CIA was basing intelligence on information in the media.

13.32 Al Jazeera now reporting that Mubarak has gone to the United Arab Emirates.

BreakingNews tweets: "Report: Mubarak has left for the United Arab Emirates - Al Jazeera"

13.20 Here is a picture of that fencing around the presidential palace going up. Soldiers seem to be battening down the hatches so to speak. More pictures can be found here.

13.19 More reports that Mubarak has left. AFP quotes a source "close to the government" as saying he left Cairo earlier today with his family.

13.11 Washington have responded to this morning's reports that Iran has blocked foreign media channels, calling it "hypocisy".

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor says:"The recent arrests and effort to block international media outlets underscores the hypocrisy of the Iranian leadership,"

"For all of its empty talk about Egypt, the government of Iran should allow the Iranian people the same universal right to peacefully assemble, demonstrate and communicate in Tehran that the people are exercising in Cairo."

13.07 Very much unconfirmed but reports on Twitter saying airport police are on strike due to economic demands.

"RT @alaa: wow airport police on strike, economic demands apparently but still that's a first #Jan25"

13.05 Reuters saying that Mubarak left Cairo from a military airbase - destination unknown.

13.01 Protesters seem to be bracing for further violence. Our man on the ground Richard Spencer has spoken to a surgeon who is preparing a first aid station.

"A vanguard of marchers arrive from the square to be met with wild cheering. Spoke to avuncular surgeon who says he is preparing a first aid station."

12.59 Western officials now saying Mubarak has left Cairo, according to the BBC.

12.53 Martin Strydom from The Telegraph's finance desk says crude oil prices in London have boomed to $101 a barrel due to fears that oil tankers in the Suez Canal may be disrupted due to today's fury in Egypt. The FTSE 100 has also slipped 15 points to 6004.30.

alt=Quote v:shapes="_x0000_s1034">Ben Critchley, Sales Trader, IG Index, said: "Markets are still uneasy about the lack of resolution to the Egyptian unrest, and with the weekend looming it could make for a cautious session ahead."

12.50 Mubarak's location remains somewhat a mystery. Israeli TV now saying he has gone to his villa in Sharm el-Sheikh.

12.42 Arab TV network's AL Arabiya is saying that Mubarak has fled Cairo but has not left Egypt.

12.41 Photos are now starting to come in of what is described as "an army soldier" in a tank behind barbed wire at the palace, confirming Richard Spencer's earlier reports. People in the crowds are holding their shoes in the air in protest.

Here it is...

12.32 More and more chants of "Mubarak must go", now from pro-democracy protesters all around Egypt in Mahala, Tanta, Alexandria, Ismailia, and Suez.

12.30 The Telegraph's Richard Spencer is now in the crowds at the presidential palace. He says tanks from the presidential guard are blocking junctions with locals fearing the guard may fight the army.

"Main road from square to palace wired off about 1km away. Other junctions heavily protected by tanks from presidential guard. Locals fear the guard will fight the army.

"But rear way to palace through New Egypt neighbourhood much more lightly protected. Hundreds gathering right against wall of palace about 15 yards away opposite. Quietly for now but with sense of anticipation. Guards look on a bit nervously I think. "

12.26 The situation around the state television centre in Cairo is becoming more and more tense with hundreds circling at its base. A nearby bridge is gridlocked as traffic struggles to pass thousands of protesters.

12.21 Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei has tweeted:

"Entire nation is on the streets. Only way out is for regime to go. People power can't be crushed. We shall prevail. Still hope army can join."

12.20 The military is now blocking the road to the presidential palace, Al Jazeera reporting. A significant development showing that the army are starting to step in.

12.15 More and more people seem to be gathering seemingly from out of nowhere. Al Jazeera journalists saying people just keep streaming out from the sidewalks and residential buildings to join the growing crowds.

12.11 In case you missed it this morning The Telegraph's Con Coughlin gives an insightful evaluation of Mubarak's refusal to step aside.

"Oh dear, my hunch proved wrong. Hanging around with William Hague’s Foreign Office team last night it seemed that Hosni Mubarak’s departure as Egypt’s president was a sure-fire cert.

"The problem now is that Mr Mubarak’s stubborn refusal to go is becoming a serious problem not just for Egypt’s political and economic leaders, but for the economy."

11.59 Protesters outside the palace are chanting to remove Mubarak and Suleiman because "they are American agents", according to the BBC. Quite why they think this is unclear given Obama's calls for Mubarak to step aside.

11.55 Friday prayers in Alexandria have now finished with the crowds erupting into a chorus of the national anthem. The crowds are just as furious with the army's backing for Mubarak as in Cairo.

11.50 Our man on the ground Richard Spencer says pro Mubarak supporters are also heading to the presidential palace:

"Reports that pro Mubarak squads are at the presidential palace. That's where many of the Tahrir Square crowd say they will head later today."

11.49 Protesters being urged to move from Tahrir Square to outside the presidential palace. It is unknown whether President Mubarak is currently inside. Mohamed ElGohary in Cairo tweets:

"Those who are going to Tahrir, no need, #Tahrir has now more than enough. Go to the Presidential palace #Jan25"

11.45 Al Jazeera journalist Sherine Tadros says the crowds in Tahrir Square are now so big she can't even see her feet.

She tweets: "Its so crowded I can't see my feet, but I can tweet, what I'd do for a seat..and a piece of meat #revolutionpoetry"

11.40 Prayers in Egypt's second largest city Alexandria are still ongoing due to the time difference.

11.38 The army is still insisting this is not a coup and that it will not take power itself.

11.32 Crowds now realising the full extent of what the army announced this morning during Friday prayers and they are furious. Protesters gathering around the palace with one even grabbing an army colonel's microphone to denounce the move as he tried to repeat the military's statement.

The protester shouted to the crowds:

"You have disappointed us, all our hopes rested in you."

11.30 Incredible scenes in Tahrir Square with hundreds of thousands of people chanting and threatening to "take the revolution to the next level", according to reporters on the ground for Al Jazeera. What this means in real terms is unclear.

11.29 Apparently the Egyptian army is "in a big mess". Speaking to the BBC, Professor Abdallah Al-Ashal says senior officers are very dismayed and don't want to be embarrassed.

11.20 The Iraqi Embassy is offering food, financial aid and free flights home to Iraqis who feel threatened by the riots and looting. Speaking to The Washington Post a spokesman for Iraq's migration and displacement ministry said the government has already flown around 2,000 Iraqis home and given each family about $225 towwards their travel costs.

11.15 Reports now that three Egyptian army officers have deserted to join the protesters. Student Omar Gamal who is in Cairo's Tahrir Square told AFP:

"They joined the crowd, smiling, and chanted slogans calling for the fall of the regime."

An AFP reporter also saw one of the soldiers addressing the crowd to loud cheers.

11.05 Friday prayers appear to have finished, many commentators now worrying about what will happen next as many will not be aware of the military's statement this morning. Reports that many are calling this the "Friday of Farewell". People rallying around chanting for Mubarak to leave and threatening not to leave the square until he goes.

1057 A Cairo journalist, Hossam, says he cannot see police anywhere.

alt=Twitter v:shapes="_x0000_s1042">He tweets: "Police has completely vanished from the streets. Not even the traffic police can be seen."

1055 Matthew Cassel, a freelance photographer and journalist, says that as soon as praying finished the chants against Mubarak resumed in Tahrir Square.

1053 Peter Horrocks, director of the BBC World Service, has condemned the jamming of BBC Persia from Iran.

The events in Egypt are being viewed by the entire world and it is wrong that our significant Iranian audience is being denied impartial news and information from BBC Persian TV", he said.

1050 The Telegraph's Richard Spencer is in the midst of Tahrir Square.

He tells us: "The square is at its fullest yet. There is not enough room for people to kneel and pray. The mood is still good humoured desipte overnight anger at Mubarak. People are not expecting trouble judging by the number who have brought their children."

1042 Sally Sami, a human rights activist, speaks for many in Tahrir Square when she tweets:

"Regardless of the military statement, we will remain in #tahrir until our demands are met."

1041 The Egyptian blogger known as Sandmonkey comments on Twitter:

"The emergency law isn't lifted. It will be lifted once "calm is restored" , which could mean after all of us are arrested."

1039 Chants from outside the presidential palace include: "Leave means go away, you who can't understand"

1037 Wililam Hague is expected to give his response in the next hour.

1027 The details of the military statement is still filtering through the crowd.

1022 The Imam taking the Friday prayers in Tahrir Square has fainted while calling for the army to intervene during his sermon.

1020 Friday prayers are underway. It will be interesting to see how the crowd reacts once they are over

1019 The road to the Presidential Palace is being blocked off to prevent protesters from getting too close.

Lindsey Hilsum from Channel 4 tweets: A few hundred outside Heliopolis Sporting Club 400 metres fm Pres Palace. Tanks and barbed wire block the street. #egypt @channel4news

1001 It's unclear who the protesters will respond to such a guarded statement. BBC Arabic has predicted that up to five million people could turn out to today's mass protest.

0950 The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has released a statement. There is no mention of the President and it has not said it will help form an interim government.

They said the military is monitoring events following delgation of powers from Mubarak. The army has promised that emergency law will end but only once the current circumstances have come to an end. The army promises free and fair elections - with no time for that set - and to help with a "peaceful transition of power".

The statement also said that "honest men who said no to corruption will not be prosecuted". It called for a return to "the normal way of life" and a "return to work".

0945 Sherine Tadros Al Jazeera correspondent currently in Tahrir Square warns the demonstrations will spread throughout Cairo.

She tweets: Protestors here say they will take their demos outside the sq today after #mubarak's refusal to stand down

0942 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".

0941 Thousands of protesters have also gathered in Alexandria with more expected after Friday prayers.

0934 The BBC has issued a statement saying its Persian TV service is being jammed "from within Iran" following the corporation's coverage of the protests in Egypt.

The Guardian's Roy Greenslade blogs: "The trigger point was a joint broadcast on Wednesday by the corporation's Persian and Arabic services in which Iranian and Egyptian callers exchanged views."

0931 Hadeel Al-Shalchi, Cairo correspondent for the BBC says protesters at the Television building are calling on people to stay there and not go to Tahrir Square to increase numbers.

He tweets: Protesters at the #egypt state tv bldg say they are tired of lies permeated by state broadcast.

0927 The UN says 300 people have been killed since protests began.

0925 Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4's international editor is also watching the State Television building with interest.

She tweets: "Chanting crowd gathered outside #Cairo TV station. Soldiers sitting quietly on tanks guarding entrance."

0921 Meanwhile in Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses crowds gathered in Azadi (Freedom) Square in Tehran on the 32 anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

We will soon see a new Middle East materialising without America and the Zionist regime and there will be no room for the world arrogance (the West) in it," he said.

0918 Commentary from Daniel Williams for the Los Angeles Times. He says that the military is part of the ruling class and unless fundamental change is made within it then ousting Mubarak will make little difference.

0914 The Telegraph's Nick Meo describes trying to make his way to the press centre which is located in the same building as Egypt State Television.

"A big, angry chanting crowd was in front of the army waving flags - so they have basically taken over a new, and very important, part of the city.

"I couldn't even get in to the building to find out if my accreditation was ready.

"The mood was positive. The protesters looked determined and still confident, but angry, but people milling around in the city, security men and shopkeepers, look very tense. A lot of Cairo people fear what may happen today."

0911 Egypt state TV reports that they have not been able to enter or leave the building since last night.

0908 According to reports by Al Jazeera the chant ringing round the square is: "The army and the people are hand in hand."

0905 Despite calls from the Vice President last night for demonstrators to go home the crowd is in no mood to listen.

Ian Lee, a write and reporter in the Middle East tweets: "The mood in Tahrir this morning is tense. Protesters are angry and frustrated."

0901 Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said

the genie is out of the bottle" in Egypt.

He said everyone is "impatient" for change to come more quickly than the timescale laid out by Mr Mubarak last night.

0859 Last night President Obama made a speech in which he said 'We are witnessing history unfold'

0851 Protesters are now threatening to move away from Tahrir Square towards government buildings.

Dominic Waghorn, Middle East correspondent for Sky News tweets: "Big crowds in #tahrir already. Very loud chants lift from tented encampment."

0850 We are now hearing that the army is expected to make a statement before the next Friday prayer.

0838 Government officials around the world have commented on Mubarak's refusal to resign.

Nicolas Sarkozy has stressed that he hopes time will be taken to form political parties and warned about the transferal from one diactatorship to a "religious dictatorship".

William Hague said:

What we want is a them to settle their own differences in a peaceful but democratic way."

Al Jazeera is speculating over the sanctions that America might impose to encourage Mubarak to step down. They include the possibility of freezing assets and visa bans.

Correspondent Paul Harrison tells Al Jazeera the Americans don't want to burn bridges with the current government if they are going to remain in power until September.

0832 In what has been dubbed the second Farewell Friday the mood of protest shows no sign of dampening in Cairo. Since Mubarak's announcement that he will not stand down around 2,000 people thronged to the presidential palace. They have camped there overnight.

The military is expected to make an announcement to appease the crowds in the next few hours. While thousands of people continue to crowd into Tahrir Square for the first time protests are beginning to move elsewhere. The Eyptian State Television building in Cairo is seeing increasing numbers of demonstrators. It is thought that they are trying to shut down the offical mouthpiece of the regime.