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| Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika 'resigns' | Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika 'resigns' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is resigning after weeks of mass protests, state media report. | Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is resigning after weeks of mass protests, state media report. |
| Mr Bouteflika, who had been in power for 20 years, had already dropped plans to seek a fifth term as opposition to his rule grew. | Mr Bouteflika, who had been in power for 20 years, had already dropped plans to seek a fifth term as opposition to his rule grew. |
| The powerful Algerian army had called for the 82-year-old to be declared incapable of carrying out his duties. | The powerful Algerian army had called for the 82-year-old to be declared incapable of carrying out his duties. |
| The ailing leader suffered a stroke six years ago and has rarely appeared in public since. | |
| State TV reported that he had officially notified the Constitutional Council that he would end his term as president from Tuesday. | |
| Military head Lt Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah was quoted by the official APS news agency earlier as saying: "There is no more room to waste time." | |
| Leaders of the protests had rejected Mr Bouteflika's offer to go by the end of his current term - 28 April - as not enough. | Leaders of the protests had rejected Mr Bouteflika's offer to go by the end of his current term - 28 April - as not enough. |
| The demonstrations have also led to calls for the whole political system, in which the military plays a significant role, to be overhauled. | The demonstrations have also led to calls for the whole political system, in which the military plays a significant role, to be overhauled. |
| Many of the protesters are young and say they want a new system of government. | Many of the protesters are young and say they want a new system of government. |
| There have been accusations that Mr Bouteflika is being used as a front by "le pouvoir" - a group of businessmen, politicians and military officials - to retain their power. | There have been accusations that Mr Bouteflika is being used as a front by "le pouvoir" - a group of businessmen, politicians and military officials - to retain their power. |
| The governing National Liberation Front (FLN), which postponed elections originally scheduled for 18 April, had vowed to organise a national conference on reforms. | |
| The FLN has ruled Algeria since the country won independence from France in 1962 after seven years of conflict. | |
| Mr Bouteflika, who came to power in 1999, strengthened his grip after a bloody civil war against Islamist insurgents which left 150,000 dead. | |
| Reports say car horns could be heard in the streets of the capital, Algiers, following the announcement that Mr Bouteflika had submitted his resignation. | |
| The chairman of the upper house of parliament, Abdelkader Bensalah, is expected to become caretaker president for three months until elections. |