Mubarak to stay on till election

Mubarak's televised announcement came after eight days of unprecedented nationwide protests [EPA] CAIRO, EGYPT - Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has announced in a televised address that he will not run for re-election but refused to step down from office - the central demand of millions of protesters who have demonstrated across Egypt over the past week. He seemed largely unfazed by the protests during his recorded address, which aired at 11pm local time on Tuesday. Mubarak mentioned them at the beginning of his speech, and said that "the young people" have the right to peaceful demonstrations. But his tone quickly turned accusatory, saying the protesters had been "taken advantage of" by people trying to "undermine the government".   Update: Egypt protests   Unrest in social media   Debate: First Tunisia, now Egypt?   Can Egyptians revolt?   Egypt’s protests on Twitter   Pictures: Anger in Egypt Until now, officials had indicated Mubarak, 82, was likely to run for a sixth six-year term of office. Shortly after Mubarak's speech clashes broke out between pro and anti-government protesters in Mahatit Masr square in the port city of Alexandria, Al Jazeera's correspondent there reported. His announcement follows a week of protests, in which millions of people have taken to the streets in Cairo and elsewhere. In his address Mubarak said he never intended to run for re-election. "I will use the remaining months of my term in office to fill the peoples' demands," he said. That would leave Mubarak in charge of overseeing a transitional government until the next presidential election, currently scheduled for September. He promised reforms to the constitution, particularly article 76, which makes it virtually impossible for independent candidates to run for office. And he said his government would focus on improving the economy and providing jobs. "My new government will be responsive to the needs of young people," he said. "It will fulfil those legitimate demands and help the return of stability and security." Mubarak also made a point of saying that he would "die in this land" - a message to protesters that he did not plan to flee into exile like recently deposed Tunisian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. People power View: Mapping Egypt's uprising   Cairo: More than a million people gathered in and around Tahrir Square   Alexandria: Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in the city   Sinai: Around 250,000 protesters rallied   El-Mahalla el-Kubra: Up to 250,000 people demonstrated   Hundreds of thousands also marched in Port Said,Suez, and Menya But his speech will not carry much weight with protesters: they resumed their "Leave, Mubarak!" chant shortly after his speech, and added a few new slogans, like "we won't leave tomorrow, we won't leave Thursday ..." None of the protesters interviewed earlier today said they would accept Mubarak finishing his term in office. "He needs to leave now," Hassan Moussa said in Tahrir Square hours before Mubarak's announcement. "We won't accept him leaving in September, or handing power to [newly-installed vice president] Omar Suleiman. He needs to leave now." So the protests continue to feel like a waiting game – as if Mubarak is hoping to simply outlast the crowds amassed downtown. "When the people of a nation decide something, then it will happen," said Abdullah Said Ahmed, a student from Al-Azhar University. "The United States chooses its leaders. We're going to choose ours. Our patience can do anything." "I'll stay here until I die or until the system changes," said Saber Shanan. Mubarak's announcement comes after pressure from the US, which urged him not to seek re-election. Frank Wisner, a former ambassador to Egypt, met Mubarak on Monday and reportedly told him not to extend his time in office.