There is an old joke in the Middle East that goes like this: One of Hosni Mubarak's advisers finally gets the courage to say, "Mr. President, maybe it's time to think about your farewell address to the Egyptian people." Mubarak looks at the adviser and asks, "Why? Where are they going?" In reality, Mubarak got the message loud and clear.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Wednesday for "bolstering Israel's might" in response to the turmoil unfolding in Egypt, while at the same time seeking to pursue peace efforts with the Palestinians.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, moving to head off the kind of unrest roiling Egypt and Tunisia, announced Wednesday that he would not run for office when his term ends in 2013 or anoint his son as his successor.

In Egypt - as well as Tunisia, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere - change is unfolding very rapidly. The reactions of the USA, EU, UN, and have positioned the international community well behind the curve. Developments on the ground have outpaced responses by a wide margin.

As darkness fell on Tahrir Square the night of Feb. 1, a giant makeshift TV screen broadcast Al Jazeera's live coverage of the Egyptian uprising to the enthusiastic crowd.

This is one of those rare, defining moments in world history. In Egypt - as well as Tunisia, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere - change is unfolding at almost blinding speed. The reactions of the USA, EU, and UN so far have succeeded mainly in positioning the international community well behind the curve, scrambling to catch up. Developments on the ground continue to outpace responses by a wide margin.

King Abdullah II of Jordan instructs new Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit to 'correct the mistakes of the past.' In Syria, recent popular revolts in the Arab world spur calls for anti-government protests.

Wellbeing in Egypt and Tunisia decreased significantly over the past few years, even as GDP increased. In Egypt, where demonstrations have prompted President Hosni Mubarak to give up power after elections this fall, the percentage of people "thriving" fell by 18 percentage points since 2005.