Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

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Egypt's Morsi Cans Top Brass, Appoints VP

Orders top officials to retire, revokes military powers

(Newser) - Egypt's president has ordered the defense minister and chief of staff to retire and has canceled the military-declared constitutional amendments that gave top generals wide powers. President Mohammed Morsi also appointed a senior judge, Mahmoud Mekki, as vice president. The decisions announced today are effective immediately. A spokesman said...

Egyptian Parliament Defies Court, Convenes

Court insists its rulings are absolute

(Newser) - Egypt's parliament answered President Mohamed Morsi's call and convened a brief session today, ignoring the Supreme Constitutional Court ruling that dissolved the entire legislature. Security forces didn't attempt to stop the gathering, but the court did issue a statement yesterday insisting that its decisions "are final...

Military Apologizes as Egypt Clashes Ease

Truce declared after dozens killed in Cairo

(Newser) - Egypt's military rulers apologized today for the deaths of dozens of pro-democracy protesters and vowed to prosecute those responsible in its latest attempt to appease the tens of thousands who have taken to the streets demanding that the generals immediately step down . Police and protesters also agreed to a...

1K Injured in Egypt as Rocks, Molotov Cocktails Fly

Protesters say they want to break into, burn Interior Ministry

(Newser) - Protests raged for a second day in Cairo yesterday, leaving more than 1,000 people injured—though most only lightly, according to the Egyptian health ministry. Protesters gathered outside the Interior Ministry, hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails as police shot tear gas from behind barricades, the LA Times reports. “...

Egypt Disbands Feared State Security Agency

Move comes as Hillary Clinton arrives for official visit

(Newser) - Egypt's military leaders today dissolved the nation's reviled state security agency, which had long been accused of torturing dissenters during Hosni Mubarak's long rule, reports AP . The move had been a major demand of protesters, who stormed agency headquarters earlier this month. It comes as Hillary Clinton arrives in the...

Egypt's Fate Rests in Hands of Two Military Figures

Tantawi, Enan must figure out a way to share power with the people

(Newser) - The fate of Egypt's transition to a civilian government largely rests in the hands of two leading military figures: Defense Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Enan, chief of staff of the armed forces. Both raised their standing with protesters by meeting with them during the unrest...

6 Stories