This is what was supposed to have happened 24 hours ago - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has finally stepped down.

Everything that should have happened yesterday has happened now.

It's like a re-run of yesterday but with the outcome of what we had been expecting for some time.

Vice president Omar Suleiman has named a military council to run the country's affairs, so now Egypt is in the hands of the army.

This is essentially a military coup which has been going on behind the scenes for some time since the protests began.

The army waited for an opportunity and the protesters gave them that chance to manoeuvre Mr Mubarak out.

The protesters have done it themselves but the military are the ones who allowed this to happen - remember they never opened fire on the people.

Next comes the pressure from the world - for the military to make good on their promises of freedom.

It will take them at least three months to get the legal work done to prepare for new elections due in September.

By that time, the army will have to relinquish control and hand over to whoever is Egypt's new president.

They will also have to work out how to get the parliament working again and whether to hold parliamentary elections at the same time.

About a year from now we will be able to see how all these things have played out and whether people really will have power through representation.

Arab leaders across the region will be looking very closely at what is happening in Egypt - some with more trepidation than others.

In Algiers, the capital of Algeria, there is a state of emergency and there is supposed to be a 'day of rage' tomorrow with the authorities drafting in 30,000 riot police to deal with it.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan - all countries with different dynamics and political situations - will also be watching nervously.

Source - Yahoo.