CAIRO - Egypt's cabinet officially resigns during a meeting on Saturday following President Hosni Mubarak's demand early in the day, Nile television station reported.

In a speech early Saturday, Mubarak said he had asked the government to step down and the new cabinet would bring more democracy to the country, in response to nationwide protests.

But Mubarak, who has been in office as president for 30 years, refused to step down.

Also on Saturday, hundreds of protestors resumed their gathering in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, where anti-government demonstrations started peacefully on Tuesday afternoon before turning violent in the following days.

Witnesses said several tanks were parked near the square, but no intervention in the protest was seen so far.

At least several deaths were reported during recent clashes across the country, but no confirmation had been available so far.