In Egypt, people are still celebrating the ouster of Hosni Mubarak while the crowd at Cairo's Tahrir Square is thinning. Egyptian military has begun removing the barricades around the square which was the epicenter of the popular revolt for 18 days that drove Hosni Mubarak out from power. Egypt's state television says, the country's night-time curfew has been relaxed and it now starts at midnight and ends at 6 a.m. instead of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.Meanwhile, reports quoting airport officials say that current and ex-government officials have been banned from travelling without permission from either the state prosecutor or the armed forces. The move comes a day after President Hosni Mubarak surrendered power to the military. Officials say they have a list of officials from the former regime and have already prevented the information minister from leaving.Earlier, vice President Omar Suleiman said in a brief televised statement last night that taking into consideration the difficult circumstances the country is going through, President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave the post of president of the republic and has tasked the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to manage the state's affairs. Defence Minister Field Marshal Hussain Tantawi is the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.The announcement set off a frenzy of celebration, with protesters shouting Egypt is free. Nobel Peace laureate Mohammed ElBaradei told that this is the greatest day of his life. He added that the country has been liberated after decades of repression adding that he expects a beautiful transition of power.Earlier state media reported that Mr. Mubarak and his family left the Egyptian capital Cairo for his resort home in Sharm el-Sheik in the face of biggest ever demonstrations across the country.
News On AIR | February 12, 2011 7:47 PM
Egypt: People still celebrate Mubarak’s ouster