(Newser)
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Egypt's powerful military says it is supporting Mubarak's plan to hand over most of his powers to vice president Omar Suleiman instead of resigning, striking a heavy blow to protesters who called on the military to take action to push Mubarak out after yesterday's announcement. The news enraged hundreds of thousands of protesters, who deluged squares in at least three major cities today and marched on presidential palaces. More than 10,000 tore apart military barricades in front of the State Television and Radio building, a pro-Mubarak bastion that has aired constant commentary supporting him and dismissing the protests. They blocked employees from entering, vowing to silence the broadcast, the AP reports.
The military did, however, promise to lift Egypt's emergency law once protests died down, the New York Times reports. Protesters—and President Obama—say the plan doesn't go far enough. The country's leadership "must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy," Obama said. Meanwhile, the AFP is reporting that Mubarak and his family have left Cairo, destination unknown.
