Hundreds of thousands of people have spent another night in Cairo's Tahrir Square. But instead of protesting - as many have done for the past 18 days - they're celebrating the end of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year reign as Egypt's president.
Mr Mubarak handed control of the government to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces early on Saturday morning (NZT).
The news, announced on state television by Vice-President Omar Suleiman, was greeted with massive outbursts of joy from the people in Tahrir Square - epicentre of protest action since 25 January.
"We have brought down the regime, we have brought down the regime," chanted the hundreds of thousands packed into the square, when news of the resignation reached them through a public address system.
Fireworks burst over the square as people waved flags, cried, cheered, embraced and ululated.
Cairenes from all walks of life poured into the city centre to join a giant street party that ran late into the night, with most of the crowd reluctant to go home. Cars choked the streets, honking and flying the Egyptian flag.
By morning, things were returning to normal throughout Cairo, and tanks and barricades were being removed from around the protest camp set up in Tahrir Square.
Many activists remain, however, unwilling to move until they know what the country's new rulers intend.
Mubarak at Red Sea resort
The protests, inspired by the demonstrations that drove Tunisia's President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power on 14 January, began on 25 January and continued without let-up.
The BBC reports they were also partly driven by the country's economic problems and anger at what many saw as a corrupt regime.
Mr Mubarak, 82, who ruled unchallenged for nearly 30 years, has gone to his residence at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh.
The ABC reports that the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Field-Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, who is also Defence Minister, will sack the cabinet, suspend parliament and co-opt Supreme Court judges to rewrite the constitution.
'Greatest day' of ElBaradei's life
Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei - one of many oppositon leaders prominent during the protests - says it's the greatest day of his life, though, asked if he was going to run for the presidency, he said he was just happy to see Egypt liberated.
"My message to the Egyptian people is that you have gained your liberty," he said in an interview with Al-Jazeera television. "Let's make the best use of it and God bless you."
Mr ElBaradei says he believes the army is taking over in order to ensure a smooth transition to new political arrangements.
After Mr Mubarak's resignation, a military spokesman appeared on state television and promised the army would not act as a substitute to a "legitimate government acceptable to the people".
He said the military was preparing the next steps needed to achieve the ambitions of "our great nation" and would announce them soon.
