Alison Chung and Hazel Baker, Sky News Online

Protesters are preparing to leave Cairo's Tahrir Square for the first time in 19 days as Egypt's military promises to hand over power to an elected civilian government.

Sky sources say activists will end their protest tonight but plan to reconvene every Friday in order to maintain pressure on the military to carry through its promise of reforms.

Speaking from Tahrir Square, Sky's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay said he had spoken with protesters, who took the decision shortly after hearing the army's announcement.

In a statement read on state television, the military said it would abide by all international agreements and keep the current government until elections are held.

It also reassured allies that Egypt would abide by its 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

"The protesters told me they are disappointed with the initial response and they are concerned about what will happen," said Ramsay.

"But I think they accept that staying in the square isn't on, unless there's a major development."

SkyNewsBreak: Carl Whant, 26, has been charged with the murder of pregnant teenager Nikitta Grender, from Newport, South Wales. [via Twitter]

Saturday February 12, 2011 9:26 SkyNewsBreak

7:53	Alison@Sky: The head of Egypt's higher military council, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, has met with the interior minister to discuss the quick redeployment of the police force, Egypt's state media reports. Saturday February 12, 2011 7:53 Alison@Sky

7:51	Alison@Sky: Sky's special correspondent Alex Crawford, in Sharm el Sheikh, says there is widespread speculation that Hosni Mubarak has fled to the United Arab Emirates. Read the full story Saturday February 12, 2011 7:51 Alison@Sky

6:56	Alison@Sky: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has said it is not seeking power and praised the efforts of the new army rulers to transfer power to civilians. Saturday February 12, 2011 6:56 Alison@Sky

6:38	Alison@Sky: Egyptians join celebrations in London's Trafalgar Square. See Sky reporter Mark Stone's report Saturday February 12, 2011 6:38 Alison@Sky

5:08	Tom_Rayner: VIDEO: The boys of Tahrir -- the day after the revolution #jan25 #egypt [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 5:08 Tom_Rayner

4:51	SkyNewsBreak: Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes the Egyptian military's pledge to maintain peace treaty. [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 4:51 SkyNewsBreak

4:50	Alison@Sky: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed an announcement by Egypt's military that Cairo will continue to honour its peace treaties. Saturday February 12, 2011 4:50 Alison@Sky

4:39	Tom_Rayner: VIDEO: Painting the new Cairo - people doing their bit to restore the city #jan25 #tahrir [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 4:39 Tom_Rayner

4:19	Alison@Sky: Egyptian information minister Anas El Fekky has been placed under house arrest, military sources say. The minister had been close to President Mubarak. Saturday February 12, 2011 4:19 Alison@Sky

4:17	Alison@Sky: Some organisers of the protests say they will form a council to defend the revolution and negotiate with the military council now running the country. Saturday February 12, 2011 4:17 Alison@Sky

2:59	Tom_Rayner: Hundreds in tahrir sq are forming human chains to protect the fresh wet paint on the curbstones. Now that's people power. #jan25 #egypt [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 2:59 Tom_Rayner

2:57	Tom_Rayner: people of #cairo have already taken their city into their own hands - sweeping streets & repainting curbstones. Cleansing in full flow. ... [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 2:57 Tom_Rayner

2:27	SkyNewsBreak: Sky sources: Tahrir Square protest in Cairo will end tonight but reconvene every Friday. http://bit.ly/gEofW5 [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 2:27 SkyNewsBreak

1:22	SkyNewsBreak: Egyptian military promises to hand over to an elected civilian administration. http://bit.ly/goHuQ6 [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 1:22 SkyNewsBreak

1:21	SkyNewsBreak: Egypt's military promises the country will abide by its international agreements. http://bit.ly/goHuQ6 [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 1:21 SkyNewsBreak

1:20	Hazel@Sky: In a statement read on state TV, Egypt's army has said the current government, as appointed by Mr Mubarak, will stay in power until a new administration can be named. Saturday February 12, 2011 1:20 Hazel@Sky

12:54

Tom_Rayner: VIDEO: Kids climb the tanks under the Abdelmunim Riyad overpass #jan25 #tahrir #egypt [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 12:54 Tom_Rayner

12:22

Hazel@Sky: In a statement, pro-democracy activists in Tahrir to stay there until the Higher Military Council now running Egypt accepts their agenda for reform. Saturday February 12, 2011 12:22 Hazel@Sky

11:59

Hazel@Sky: Following successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, heads of other Arab countries will be concerned the movement may spread. See our gallery of leaders under the spotlight. Saturday February 12, 2011 11:59 Hazel@Sky

11:27

Hazel@Sky: Egyptian authorities have shortened the curfew from midnight to 6am. The previous curfew (largely ignored) was from 8pm to 6am. Saturday February 12, 2011 11:27 Hazel@Sky

11:25

Hazel@Sky: The nation's stock exchange has said it will reopen on Wednesay, with measures in place to suspend trade if shares plunge sharply. It has been closed since Jan 27. Saturday February 12, 2011 11:25 Hazel@Sky

9:38

ITwitius: #Egypt Bahrain respects choice of Egyptian people says Al Watan paper. Says nothing about its Shia population being led by Sunni minority. [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 9:38 ITwitius Sky's Middle East correspondent Dominic Waghorn, in Tahrir Square, said many protesters are unhappy with the current government - the five-man cabinet that Mr Mubarak announced to replace his old one. "The protesters are delighted Mubarak has gone and the military have taken charge and are ensuring stability, but they say the cabinet isn't good enough. "They want a government with only one military member, with the four others being civilians. "They also want to see an end to hated emergency rules, the abolition of military courts, and the return of political prisoners." Meanwhile, reports suggest Mr Mubarak, 82, is staying in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, but there is widespread speculation he has fled to the United Arab Emirates. Sky's special correspondent Alex Crawford, in Sharm el Sheikh, said: "It's been confirmed that the UAE foreign minister visited Cairo and met with Mubarak and apparently offered him a solution of leaving Egypt and going to Dubai. "There, it was viewed - certainly in the West - he would be immune from prosecution." Sky sources say Mr Mubarak feels "betrayed" because the US, which had bankrolled him for decades, did not back him. It has emerged "possible assets" he holds in Switzerland have been frozen. The Swiss foreign ministry declined to say how much money was involved. Arab Leaders Eye Egypt With Concern For more pictures of Arab leaders click on this gallery Egyptians woke to a new era this morning after they took to the streets in their thousands during the night to revel in the end of Mr Mubarak's 30-year rule. Pro-democracy protesters danced, chanted and prayed in Tahrir Square, where thousands had gathered over the past two weeks to call for the president to quit. Barricades in the square have since been dismantled by troops and a huge clean-up operation has begun as attention turns to who will take control of the country. Breaking News 9:07pm UK, Saturday February 12, 2011 Egypt Activists To End Tahrir Square Protest Share Comments (29) Alison Chung and Hazel Baker, Sky News Online Protesters are preparing to leave Cairo's Tahrir Square for the first time in 19 days as Egypt's military promises to hand over power to an elected civilian government. Sky sources say activists will end their protest tonight but plan to reconvene every Friday in order to maintain pressure on the military to carry through its promise of reforms. Speaking from Tahrir Square, Sky's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay said he had spoken with protesters, who took the decision shortly after hearing the army's announcement. In a statement read on state television, the military said it would abide by all international agreements and keep the current government until elections are held. Egypt: Who Will Take Charge? It also reassured allies that Egypt would abide by its 1979 peace treaty with Israel. "The protesters told me they are disappointed with the initial response and they are concerned about what will happen," said Ramsay. "But I think they accept that staying in the square isn't on, unless there's a major development." <a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=387c7539d6">Sky News in Egypt</a> Sky's Middle East correspondent Dominic Waghorn, in Tahrir Square, said many protesters are unhappy with the current government - the five-man cabinet that Mr Mubarak announced to replace his old one. "The protesters are delighted Mubarak has gone and the military have taken charge and are ensuring stability, but they say the cabinet isn't good enough. "They want a government with only one military member, with the four others being civilians. "They also want to see an end to hated emergency rules, the abolition of military courts, and the return of political prisoners." One Protester's Journey Through The Revolution Meanwhile, reports suggest Mr Mubarak, 82, is staying in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, but there is widespread speculation he has fled to the United Arab Emirates. Sky's special correspondent Alex Crawford, in Sharm el Sheikh, said: "It's been confirmed that the UAE foreign minister visited Cairo and met with Mubarak and apparently offered him a solution of leaving Egypt and going to Dubai. "There, it was viewed - certainly in the West - he would be immune from prosecution." Sky sources say Mr Mubarak feels "betrayed" because the US, which had bankrolled him for decades, did not back him. It has emerged "possible assets" he holds in Switzerland have been frozen. The Swiss foreign ministry declined to say how much money was involved. Arab Leaders Eye Egypt With Concern For more pictures of Arab leaders click on this gallery Egyptians woke to a new era this morning after they took to the streets in their thousands during the night to revel in the end of Mr Mubarak's 30-year rule. Pro-democracy protesters danced, chanted and prayed in Tahrir Square, where thousands had gathered over the past two weeks to call for the president to quit. Barricades in the square have since been dismantled by troops and a huge clean-up operation has begun as attention turns to who will take control of the country. A look At Situation In Tahrir Square :: What happens now? Egypt in the hands of the military Announcing Mr Mubarak's resignation on Friday, vice-president Omar Suleiman said the president had handed power to the army and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi. The popular protests were inspired by the ousting last month of Tunisia's president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Questions are now being asked as to whether other Arab regimes are at risk of similar revolutions. In the Algerian capital Algiers, thousands of riot police failed to fully contain a banned pro-democracy protest which resulted in some arrests. Eyes are now on the Egyptian military to see if they follow up promises of freedom Mr Mubarak's reign came to an end following waves of angry demonstrations and sometimes violent clashes involving anti-government protesters, riot police and Mubarak supporters. He had resisted calls to quit ahead of elections due to take place in September. In a speech on Thursday he insisted he would be staying in power, sparking fury among those gathered in the square. But within 24 hours he had been swept out of office by the sheer will of the people, who won support from key leaders across the world. In a televised address, US president Barack Obama said there were "echoes of history" in the Egyptian uprising - at one stage referring to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall He said: "Egyptians have made it clear that nothing less than genuine democracy will carry the day. "(The military) will now have to ensure a transition that is credible in the eyes of the Egyptian people." Egypt Tweets I'm dead tired, but can't sleep. In our new Egypt, sleeping sounds like wasting time. We should enjoy every moment of freedom. #jan25 by Ssirgany Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:39:58 I'm an Egyptian revolutionary! I helped topple a dictator! #jan25 #egypt by NadiaE Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:37:15 Here's the deal: I'll stay in Tahrir until the army issues a statement with concrete steps. Then I'll go home. #jan25 by tarekshalaby Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:36:13 Good morning from the happiest place in the world. #Tahrir by mosaaberizing Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:34:16 Just came back from #Tahrir square ppl r chanting raise ur head u r Egyptian, proud to be Egyptian ,now our martyrs can rest in peace #egypt by KAMEL_MOSTAFA Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:32:57 On loudspeakers in #tahrir "fellow Egyptians, martyrs square welcomes you" by Lobna8 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:31:41 Egyptians are rebuilding today #tahrir is becoming spotless #25jan by sallyzohney Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:30:42 Last updated: 2011-02-12 09:41:08

8:53	Tom_Rayner: even eygptian state papers are catching up with the story everyone - one has the headline "The people ousted the regime" #jan25 #egypt [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 8:53 Tom_Rayner

8:52	Tom_Rayner: Headline in Al-Ahrar newspaper this morning: "THE REVOLUTION LIVED" #jan25 #egypt [via Twitter] Saturday February 12, 2011 8:52