Ben Ali gone

Ben Ali's gone (for now, see below); the plane is over Libyan airspace en route to Malta.
A number of sources reporting that PM Mohamed Ghannouchi has been sworn in as the new president. In a statement, Ghannouchi is (as best I can translate) promising to continue the reforms.

(updates, 2:06 p.m.)
• Ben Ali's destination is up for debate. Some are claiming that France took him in, AJE is still reporting that he's in Malta. AJE now reporting Paris.
• There is a LOT of debate about Ben Ali's departure. Multiple FB groups reporting that Ghannouchi's rise to power, under Article 56 of the Constitution, is only delegated UNTIL Ben Ali's return!
• Furthermore, Ghannouchi's leap-frogging of
• Fitch is downgrading the dinar
• VERY interesting report from our friends: The cargo planes that evac'd Ben Ali were French military.

(updates, 2:32 p.m. ET)
• Multiple sources now reporting Paris is Ben Ali's destination.
• Sky News: "The people pulling the strings in the short term and probably the medium term will be the army and at the moment this is not a revolution, this is a coup"
• International media are GROSSLY underestimating the numbers of people protesting in Tunis. They have been claiming "hundreds" or "thousands." Just saw CNN footage of Ave. Habib Bourguiba absolutely FILLED with people. Between the traffic lanes, the neutral ground, and the sidewalks - and filled for at least 10 blocks - that crowd easily numbered in the tens of thousands.
• US State Dept: Tunisians have a right to choose their own government. Wow, that's not what we were saying earlier this week!
• French are insisting 'all Tunisians must cooperate with the new government.' Way to misplay ANOTHER card, Sarkozy.
• al Arabiya reporting on a pilot who refused to fly the Hairdresser and her family out. Still unclear if they actually got out with Ben Ali on the military aircraft or not.


(updates, 4:30 p.m.)
• Multiple SM reports say that Imed Trabelsi, the Hairdresser's nephew who was implicated in the yacht theft made famous in the Wikileaks documents, has died of a stab wound. He was supposedly one of the Trabelsi clan that tried to get out of Dodge earlier today.
• Latest rumors have Ben Ali headed for Jeddah.
• There is substantial worry in the cities that the near-anarchy is creating a Ben Ali-sized vacuum for looting. Many of our friends are expressing worries this evening about armed gangs running the streets.