Egypt: President Morsi 'Annuls Decree'

[HEPZIBAH]

(I think this is just breaking...)

Egypt: President Morsi 'Annuls Decree'
Sky News – 6 minutes ago

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has annulled a decree he issued last month expanding his powers, an official has said.
But a referendum on a draft constitution would still go ahead as planned on December 15, Islamist politician Selim al Awa added.
He explained that constitutionally Mr Morsi was unable to change the date, as Mr al Awa spoke to reporters after talks between the president and political leaders.
The decree and referendum were at the heart of anti-Morsi protests that have rocked Egypt in the past two weeks.
The controversial decree issued on November 22 had put the president's decisions beyond judicial review - a measure fiercely denounced as dictatorial by the opposition.
Opposition leaders demanded it be rescinded and the referendum be scrapped before they entered into any dialogue with Mr Morsi to calm a crisis which led to street clashes this week that left seven people dead and hundreds injured.
Egypt's powerful military warned Mr Morsi and the opposition to sit down for talks, otherwise it would take steps to prevent a "disastrous" degradation of the situation.
More follows...

[TonyC]

That's about the gist of it, according to the updated news this morning. In a way, the annulment is symbolic – President Morsi said he took the powers to push the constitution referendum forward, and that is still going ahead, the reports say. He doesn't need the "dictatorial" powers in that case.

Now, after the Army warning and reports that opposition leaders are telling supporters to call off protests, we await today's developments...

[Hafiz]

Re further protests/riots. Both sides are planning a set-to in Cairo next Tuesday. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... c6ddc57.41

[Who2]

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinio ... 68495.html