decided that the higher council of the armed forces will lead the nation. >> taking them by surprise. let's see the reaction. many thought that it might be just simply an announcement that he was going for a vacation or a rest in sharm el sheikh, and that certainly is not what they just heard. >> and we know that president mubarak has already left cairo, that he is in sharm el sheikh. and we understand there's -- the statement continues. let's listen in here. >> translator: i, president mohammed hosni mubarak, has decided to step down as president of egypt and has assigned the higher council of the armed forces to run the affairs of the country. >> and that was yet hosni