YALIYOJIRI BAADA YA RAIS MORSI WA MISRI KUPINDULIWA-The bloodletting begins: Egyptian army arrest deposed president Morsi and issue warrants for THREE HUNDRED of his Muslim Brotherhood men
- Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi being held at Presidential Guard facility
- Judge in Egypt's supreme court sworn in as interim president in Cairo
- Arrest warrants issued for 300 members of his Muslim Brotherhood party
- Military suspends Islamist-drafted constitution and calls for new elections
- At least 14 people have been killed in violent clashes after declaration
- Troops had been deployed near protest sites and key military sites
- President Obama expresses concern, but stops short of calling it a coup
- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also appealed for calm and restraint
Celebrations took place across Egypt all last night after the head of Egypt's armed forces issued a declaration suspending the constitution and appointing the head of the constitutional court as interim head of state.
Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood party, said Morsi was under house arrest at a Presidential Guard facility where he had been residing, while 12 of his aides were also being held.
Arrest warrants have also been issued for 300 members of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.
Ecstatic: Opponents of Mohamed Morsi celebrate near the presidential palace after he was ousted from power by Egypt's military
Lighting the way ahead: Protesters out in force in Cairo's Tahrir Square as the country's armed forces move in to depose Morsi following days of unrest
Fireworks light the sky as opponents of President Mohammed Morsi celebrate in Tahrir Square
Egyptian Armed Forces Commander in Chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi called for presidential and parliamentary elections along with a panel to review the constitution
EGYPT IN TURMOIL AGAIN... SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
The Egyptian military is not hanging around in implementing its 'roadmap' for the country.
It has already overseen the appointment of the senior judge in Egypt's supreme constitutional court, Adly Mansour, who was sworn in as interim president today.
He will be responsible for overseeing a revision of the constitution which will be followed by new parliamentary and presidential elections.
The hope is they will far simpler than the ones that brought Mohamed Morsi to power last year which took place over several weeks.
What isn't certain, however, is whether Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood will take part or whether they will even want to.
Morsi won 5.7million votes in the first round of his elections and 13.2million in the second, while the Brotherhood secured more than 10million in the parliamentary elections.
So they may argue why they should bother being involved in the process if they cannot win by democratic means.
It has already overseen the appointment of the senior judge in Egypt's supreme constitutional court, Adly Mansour, who was sworn in as interim president today.
He will be responsible for overseeing a revision of the constitution which will be followed by new parliamentary and presidential elections.
The hope is they will far simpler than the ones that brought Mohamed Morsi to power last year which took place over several weeks.
What isn't certain, however, is whether Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood will take part or whether they will even want to.
Morsi won 5.7million votes in the first round of his elections and 13.2million in the second, while the Brotherhood secured more than 10million in the parliamentary elections.
So they may argue why they should bother being involved in the process if they cannot win by democratic means.
The senior judge in Egypt's supreme constitutional court, Adly Mansour, was sworn in as interim president in Cairo today.
In a televised broadcast, flanked by military leaders, religious authorities and political figures, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the 'roadmap' had been agreed by a range of political groups.
Millions of anti-Morsi protesters around the country erupted in celebrations after the televised announcement by the army chief on Wednesday evening.
Fireworks burst over crowds in Cairo's Tahrir Square, where men and women danced, shouting 'God is great' and 'Long live Egypt.'
Fearing a violent reaction by Morsi's Islamist supporters, troops and armoured vehicles deployed in the streets of Cairo and elsewhere, surrounding Islamist rallies.
Clashes erupted in several provincial cities when Islamists opened fire on police, with at least 14 people killed, security officials said.
The army took control of state media and blacked out TV stations operated by the Muslim Brotherhood, while the head of the Brotherhood's political wing was also arrested.
Social media continued to function normally, however, with both the former president's aides and the opposition using Twitter and Facebook to provide updates.
Elated: Egyptian cheer and wave after the announcement by the head of the armed forces, General Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi of the coup
Overjoyed: Millions of anti-Morsi protesters around the country erupted in celebrations after the televised announcement by the army chief on Wednesday evening
Taking to the streets: Opponents of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi celebrate near the Presidential palace
Up in arms: Thousands of Pro-Morsi protesters take part in a protest in Raba'a Al-Adaweya square. Morsi said he is still the legitimate president of Egypt in a statement broadcast by pan-Arab Al Jazeera news channel
Still has their backing: Thousands of Pro-Morsi protesters take part in a demonstration in Raba'a Al-Adaweya square in Cairo, Egypt
Containment strategy: Egyptian soldiers build a roadblock in Nasr City where supporters of President Morsi supporters were protesting
At the ready: Fearing a violent reaction by Morsi's Islamist supporters, troops and armoured vehicles deployed in the streets of Cairo and elsewhere
Protestors cheered: 'The people and the army are one hand', according to reports
Celebrations broke out after the head of Egypt's armed forces issued a declaration suspending the constitution
WHY WAS ELECTED MORSI THROWN OUT AFTER JUST ONE YEAR?
When Mohamed Morsi became Egypt's first freely elected president in June 2012 after the removal of Hosni Mubarak, he promised to lead a government 'for all Egyptians'.
But critics argue he has failed to deliver during a turbulent year in office which has seen increasing polarisation in the country.
They accuse him of allowing Islamists to dominate the political scene by concentrating too much power in the hands of his Muslim Brotherhood movement.
He is also accused of mishandling the economy and going back on his pledge to protect rights and social justice.
His opponents say the mass turnout on the streets over the past few days showed the nation had now truly turned against him.
The protests prompted the military to impose an ultimatum on July 1 ordering him to satisfy the public's demands for fresh elections or it would impose its own 'roadmap' within 48 hours to end the crisis.
Last night, it carried out that threat.
But critics argue he has failed to deliver during a turbulent year in office which has seen increasing polarisation in the country.
They accuse him of allowing Islamists to dominate the political scene by concentrating too much power in the hands of his Muslim Brotherhood movement.
He is also accused of mishandling the economy and going back on his pledge to protect rights and social justice.
His opponents say the mass turnout on the streets over the past few days showed the nation had now truly turned against him.
The protests prompted the military to impose an ultimatum on July 1 ordering him to satisfy the public's demands for fresh elections or it would impose its own 'roadmap' within 48 hours to end the crisis.
Last night, it carried out that threat.
It was a far cry from the upheaval in Jaunary 2011 when president Hosni Mubarak ordered service providers to shut down all international connections to the internet.
'The people and the army are one hand,' protestors cheered in the square, amid the roar of horns and chanting.
William Hague has called for restraint, as he said the UK does not support military intervention and warned British citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to the country - apart from the Red Sea resorts - as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets all over the North African state.
It comes as President Barack Obama urged Egypt's military to hand back control to a democratic, civilian government without delay, but stopped short of calling the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi a coup.
Obama said he was 'deeply concerned' by the military's move to topple Morsi's government and suspend Egypt's constitution. He said he was ordering the U.S. government to assess what the military's actions meant for U.S. foreign aid to Egypt.
Under U.S. law, the government must suspend foreign aid to any nation whose elected leader is ousted in a coup d'etat.
The U.S. provides $1.5 billion a year to Egypt in military and economic assistance that is considered a critical U.S. national security priority.
The president's aide has said the Egyptian leader Morsi has been moved to an undisclosed location
Laser lights are flashed as protestors gather in Tahrir Square to celebrate the removal of President Morsi this evening
A statement on the Egyptian president's office's Twitter account has quoted Mohammed Morsi as calling the military measures 'a full coup'
OBAMA TREADS CAREFULLY OVER EGYPT
President Barack Obama has found himself in an delicate position over his response to the crisis in Egypt.
In a carefully worded statement yesterday, he said he was 'deeply concerned' by the military's move to topple the government and suspend Egypt's constitution.
He also urged Egypt's military to hand back control to a democratic, civilian government without delay.
But he stopped short of calling the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi a coup.
The classification is an important one as his administration will be forced to decide whether it must suspend the $1.5 billion a year it provides to Egypt in military and economic assistance that is considered a critical U.S. national security priority.
Under U.S. law, the government must stop foreign aid to any nation whose elected leader is ousted in a coup d'etat, opening the door to the possibility of yet more unrest.
According to the IPS news agency, U.S. officials are also very concerned about the possibility of a violent protest against the coup by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which remains Egypt's most organised institution after the military.
The Obama administration may also now have to fend off further accusations from Republicans who argue that the president's handling of the Arab Spring has been a failure.
In a carefully worded statement yesterday, he said he was 'deeply concerned' by the military's move to topple the government and suspend Egypt's constitution.
He also urged Egypt's military to hand back control to a democratic, civilian government without delay.
But he stopped short of calling the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi a coup.
The classification is an important one as his administration will be forced to decide whether it must suspend the $1.5 billion a year it provides to Egypt in military and economic assistance that is considered a critical U.S. national security priority.
Under U.S. law, the government must stop foreign aid to any nation whose elected leader is ousted in a coup d'etat, opening the door to the possibility of yet more unrest.
According to the IPS news agency, U.S. officials are also very concerned about the possibility of a violent protest against the coup by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which remains Egypt's most organised institution after the military.
The Obama administration may also now have to fend off further accusations from Republicans who argue that the president's handling of the Arab Spring has been a failure.
And U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also appealed for calm and restraint in Egypt, as well as the preservation of rights such as freedom of expression and assembly.
'Many Egyptians in their protests have voiced deep frustrations and legitimate concerns,' he said in a statement that did not condemn the Egyptian armed forces' ouster of Mursi.
'At the same time, military interference in the affairs of any state is of concern," he said. "Therefore, it will be crucial to quickly reinforce civilian rule in accordance with principles of democracy.'
Two U.S. officials have said Egyptian defence leaders, who ousted the president, have assured the U.S. that they are not interested in a long-term rule.
The official says the leaders, in calls with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pledged to put a civilian government in place quickly.
U.S. officials also say the Egyptian military has said it will take steps to ensure the safety of Americans in Egypt, including the diplomatic mission.
'During this uncertain period, we expect the military to ensure that the rights of all Egyptian men and women are protected, including the right to peaceful assembly, due process, and free and fair trials in civilian courts,' he said.
In a televised broadcast General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi effectively declared the removal of elected President Mohamed Morsi
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has been overthrown by the military and has been moved to an undisclosed location
An army soldier (centre) cheers with protesters as they dance and react in front of the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo
An Egyptian military helicopter flies over Tahrir Square after a broadcast by the head of the military confirming they will temporarily be taking over
Army soldiers stand guard in front of protesters near the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo
Army soldiers take their positions in front of anti-Morsi protestors near the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo
An Egyptian army helicopter flies over protestors in Cairo's landmark Tahrir Square
Egyptian protestors demonstrating against President Mohamed Morsi, in Tahrir Square, Cairo today
UNREST PUSHES OIL ABOVE $101
The price of oil stayed above $101 a barrel today after being jerked higher by the unrest in Egypt and a fall in U.S. energy stockpiles that suggests a recovery in demand.
Benchmark crude for August delivery was up 16 cents to $101.40 at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The contract gained $1.64 to $101.24, its highest close since May 3, 2012, on Wednesday. Nymex floor trading is closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday.
Traders were worried that political upheaval in Egypt could slow the flow of oil from the Middle East to world markets.
Egypt is not an oil producer but its control of one of the world's busiest shipping lanes gives it a crucial role in maintaining global energy supplies.
The Middle East accounts for about a quarter of the world's crude oil output, or 23 million barrels per day.
About 2 million barrels of that, or 2.2 percent of world demand, are transported daily through the Suez Canal, which links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea.
Benchmark crude for August delivery was up 16 cents to $101.40 at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The contract gained $1.64 to $101.24, its highest close since May 3, 2012, on Wednesday. Nymex floor trading is closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday.
Traders were worried that political upheaval in Egypt could slow the flow of oil from the Middle East to world markets.
Egypt is not an oil producer but its control of one of the world's busiest shipping lanes gives it a crucial role in maintaining global energy supplies.
The Middle East accounts for about a quarter of the world's crude oil output, or 23 million barrels per day.
About 2 million barrels of that, or 2.2 percent of world demand, are transported daily through the Suez Canal, which links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, a statement on the Egyptian president's office's Twitter account has quoted Mohammed Morsi as calling military measures 'a full coup'.
And it has been reported Egypt's descent into even deeper political turmoil will almost certainly put a multi-billion dollar international bailout on hold and lead to an even more painful economic crisis with worsening fuel shortages and higher prices on basic goods.
The Egyptian president’s national security adviser had warned earlier today that a military coup was underway and there would be ‘considerable bloodshed’ as millions of thousands of people took to the streets.
With troops and tanks taking up positions in keys part of major Egyptian cities and tensions high, there were unconfirmed reports that President Mohammed Morsi was under house arrest after the deadline set by the army for him to reach an agreement with opposition protestors expired.
His security advisor Essam El-Haddad said Mr Morsi was calling for peaceful resistance to the army’s ‘unlawful’ move against the democratically elected leader but stressed his supporters should not use violence.
A coup would mean ousting a democratically elected president, the first in Egypt's history
Just before the military's deadline expired, Morsi repeated a vow not to step down
COUP COULD PUT MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT ON HOLD
Egypt's descent into even deeper political turmoil will almost certainly put a multi-billion dollar international bailout on hold and lead to an even more painful economic crisis with worsening fuel shortages and higher prices on basic goods, it has been reported.
After protracted negotiations that have stretched for more than a year, Egypt had been inching closer to securing a critical $4.8 billion International Monetary Fund loan.
The military's overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi will likely put the implementation of austerity measures needed to secure that loan into a dangerous limbo.
Much of the anger of the demonstrations grew from the country's dismal economic situation and the ever-growing burden it projects on already strapped Egyptians.
Analysts said Egypt could be moving toward a worst-case scenario economically - from increasing fuel shortages and blackouts, a sudden and sharp depreciation of the currency that will make everything more expensive, and a depletion of foreign currency reserves so severe it could make importing critical oil and food items difficult.
'I think they are sort of entering uncharted territory,' said Caroline Freund, an analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
'Without political stability and policy predictability, investors and tourists are not going to come back,' Freund said.
After protracted negotiations that have stretched for more than a year, Egypt had been inching closer to securing a critical $4.8 billion International Monetary Fund loan.
The military's overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi will likely put the implementation of austerity measures needed to secure that loan into a dangerous limbo.
Much of the anger of the demonstrations grew from the country's dismal economic situation and the ever-growing burden it projects on already strapped Egyptians.
Analysts said Egypt could be moving toward a worst-case scenario economically - from increasing fuel shortages and blackouts, a sudden and sharp depreciation of the currency that will make everything more expensive, and a depletion of foreign currency reserves so severe it could make importing critical oil and food items difficult.
'I think they are sort of entering uncharted territory,' said Caroline Freund, an analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
'Without political stability and policy predictability, investors and tourists are not going to come back,' Freund said.
‘There are still people in Egypt who believe in their right to make a democratic choice. Hundreds of thousands of them have gathered in support of democracy and the presidency. And they will not leave in the face of this attack. To move them, there will have to be violence.’
Nearly 40 people have died so far since the unprecedented protests began in Sunday and last night there were reports of bloody clashes between Islamist supporters of Mr Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood and troops in the capital Cairo.
With millions of anti-Morsi protestors on the streets of dozens of cities and towns celebrating in the belief the military is on their side and facing the president’s supporters, there were fears the death toll would rise significantly.
Mr Morsi had spent today working normally at a regular presidential office in a compound of the Republican Guard in suburban Cairo, officials said, while senior military figures held a series of meetings with opposition leaders aimed at ending the crisis.
There had been no official word from the military, who had said repeatedly there would not be a coup, but soldiers were seen erecting barbed wire around the compound.
A military source said he expected the army to first call political, social and economic figures and youth activists for talks on its draft roadmap for the country’s future.
But observers said it certainly appeared to be a coup just one year after Mr Morsi was elected at the ballot box.
In a further sign of the extent of the military control, airport officials said a travel ban had been issued against Mr Morsi and Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie as well as his deputy Khairat el-Shater.
Officials said the travel ban is linked to Mr Morsi’s escape from prison with more than 30 other Muslim Brotherhood figures during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising against autocrat ex-president Hosni Mubarak.
As the afternoon ultimatum set by the army approached, the military had moved to tighten its control on key institutions, even putting officers in the newsroom of state TV with neither side prepared to compromise.
Crack troops were deployed in news-production areas. Officers from the army’s media department moved inside the newsroom and were monitoring output, though not yet interfering, staffers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk about the arrangements.
Military chiefs, vowing to restore order in a country racked by demonstrations against Mr Morsi’s Islamist policies, issued a call to battle in a statement headlined ‘The Final Hours’. They said they were willing to shed blood against ‘terrorists and fools’ after Mr Morsi refused to give up his elected office.
The president’s spokesman countered that it was better that he die in defence of democracy than be blamed by history.
In an emotional, rambling midnight television address, Mr Morsi insisted he was democratically elected and would stay in office to uphold the constitutional order, declaring: ‘The price of preserving legitimacy is my life.’
‘There is only one thing we can do: we will stand in between the tanks and the president,’ Mr El-Haddad said at the movement’s protest encampment in a Cairo suburb that houses many military installations and is near the presidential palace.
‘We will not allow the will of the Egyptian people to be bullied again by the military machine.’
Thousands of Egyptian protesters gathered gin Tahrir Square as the deadline given by the military to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi passed today
The president gave a defiant speech last night and vowed to stay in power despite the military threats
Mr Cameron said Mr Morsi must show he is responsive to the concerns of its citizens, adding : ‘These are deeply disturbing scenes, the level of violence is appalling. We should appeal to all sides to calm and stop the levels of violence, and particularly sexual assaults.'
Mr Cameron continued : ‘It is not for this country to support any single group or party. What we should support is proper democratic processes and proper government by consent.
‘Very clear messages have been sent to president Morsi - including by President Obama who spoke to him directly, and we have also been communicating through our ambassadors - that, yes, he has a democratic mandate and we respect that, but democracy also means ensuring that everyone has a voice and that leaders have a responsibility to represent all Egyptians and show they are responsive to their concerns.
‘That’s what the government needs to do in order to bring about peace and stability in that country.’
Meanwhile, the FCO is advising against travel to all regions of Egypt except resorts on the Red Sea in South Sinai and in the Red Sea Governorate on the Egyptian mainland.
There are no travel restriction warnings for destinations in the region of Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba and Dahab which are popular with sun-seeking British tourists.
Defiance: Protesters hold up their shoes following a defiant speech by President Morsi last night. At least 23 people are thought to have been killed in clashes in the capital last night
Out in force: Tens of thousands of protestors gathered again on the streets of Cairo last night in the worst night of violence in the city yet
Trying to keep control: Plain-clothes policemen walk with protestors opposed to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi at the site of clashes with opposing protestors in the Kit Kat neighborhood of Giza, Egypt
TWO YEARS OF TURMOIL AND TRANSITION: TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Key events from when the Arab Spring began to the current protests:
Jan. 25-Feb. 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against the rule of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, who led the country for nearly three decades.
The 18-day 'revolution,' launched by secular and leftist youth, draws in a wide spectrum, including the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.
Feb. 11 - Mubarak steps down and turns power over to the military. Two days later, the body of top generals, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.
June 16-17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential runoff between Morsi and Shafiq. The generals issue a 'constitutional declaration' giving themselves sweeping authorities and limiting the powers of the next president. Morsi emerges as the victor, with 51.7 percent of the vote.
June 30 - Morsi takes his formal oath of office before the Supreme Constitutional Court, a day after reading a symbolic oath in Cairo's Tahrir Square, birthplace of the revolution.
Aug. 12 - In a bold move, Morsi orders the retirement of the top Mubarak-era leadership of the military and cancels the military's last constitutional decree, taking back the powers that the generals gave themselves. The move was seen as way to curb the military's role in political affairs but it also gave Morsi the power to legislate in the absence of parliament.
Nov. 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater authorities for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move came just ahead of court decisions that could have dissolved the bodies. The move sparks days of protests, with clashes between Morsi's supporters and opponents. At one point, some 200,000 people rally in Tahrir Square, with some of the first chants for Morsi to 'leave.'
Dec. 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack a peaceful anti-Morsi sit-in outside the palace, sparking all-out street battles that leave at least 10 dead. Days later, Morsi rescinds his initial decrees, but maintains the date of the referendum.
Jan. 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests in Tahrir Square and nationwide against Morsi on the 2-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.
Jan. 26 - Residents of the city of Port Said stage protests, angered by a court ruling convicting and sentencing to death a group of local soccer fans for a 2012 stadium riot. Police crack down hard in Port Said, killing more than 40 protesters, and in outrage the city and others nearby go into near revolt. Much of the anger is focused at Morsi, who praised the police for their crackdown.
Feb.-March - Protests continue in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes, and some police units around the country go on strike. Brotherhood youth and their opponents fight in the streets outside the group's main Cairo headquarters.
June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shiites in their home in a village on the edge of Cairo. Morsi condemns the attack, but critics blame virulent anti-Shiite rhetoric by his hard-line Islamist allies, fueled by Syria's civil war. A week earlier, Morsi shared a stage with hard-line clerics at a rally, sitting silently as they denounced Shiites as 'filthy.'
June 30 -- Millions of Egyptians take to the streets in Cairo and other cities calling for Morsi to step down in a massive display of anger and frustration with the Islamist leader. The demonstrations are largely peaceful, although 16 people, half of them in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters, are killed in protest-related violence nationwide. Organisers vow to keep up the protests until Morsi resigns.
July 1 - Demonstrations continue and Egypt's military issues an ultimatum for the two sides to come to a resolution within 48 hours or it will impose its own solution.#
July 2 - A night of clashes outside Cairo University sees at least 16 people killed, with unofficial sources saying that more than 23 people died.
July 3 - Egyptian media reports that President Morsi will either be sacked or forced to stand down as the army's deadline for a resolution approaches.
Jan. 25-Feb. 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against the rule of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, who led the country for nearly three decades.
The 18-day 'revolution,' launched by secular and leftist youth, draws in a wide spectrum, including the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.
Feb. 11 - Mubarak steps down and turns power over to the military. Two days later, the body of top generals, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.
June 16-17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential runoff between Morsi and Shafiq. The generals issue a 'constitutional declaration' giving themselves sweeping authorities and limiting the powers of the next president. Morsi emerges as the victor, with 51.7 percent of the vote.
June 30 - Morsi takes his formal oath of office before the Supreme Constitutional Court, a day after reading a symbolic oath in Cairo's Tahrir Square, birthplace of the revolution.
Aug. 12 - In a bold move, Morsi orders the retirement of the top Mubarak-era leadership of the military and cancels the military's last constitutional decree, taking back the powers that the generals gave themselves. The move was seen as way to curb the military's role in political affairs but it also gave Morsi the power to legislate in the absence of parliament.
Nov. 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater authorities for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move came just ahead of court decisions that could have dissolved the bodies. The move sparks days of protests, with clashes between Morsi's supporters and opponents. At one point, some 200,000 people rally in Tahrir Square, with some of the first chants for Morsi to 'leave.'
Dec. 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack a peaceful anti-Morsi sit-in outside the palace, sparking all-out street battles that leave at least 10 dead. Days later, Morsi rescinds his initial decrees, but maintains the date of the referendum.
Jan. 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests in Tahrir Square and nationwide against Morsi on the 2-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.
Jan. 26 - Residents of the city of Port Said stage protests, angered by a court ruling convicting and sentencing to death a group of local soccer fans for a 2012 stadium riot. Police crack down hard in Port Said, killing more than 40 protesters, and in outrage the city and others nearby go into near revolt. Much of the anger is focused at Morsi, who praised the police for their crackdown.
Feb.-March - Protests continue in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes, and some police units around the country go on strike. Brotherhood youth and their opponents fight in the streets outside the group's main Cairo headquarters.
June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shiites in their home in a village on the edge of Cairo. Morsi condemns the attack, but critics blame virulent anti-Shiite rhetoric by his hard-line Islamist allies, fueled by Syria's civil war. A week earlier, Morsi shared a stage with hard-line clerics at a rally, sitting silently as they denounced Shiites as 'filthy.'
June 30 -- Millions of Egyptians take to the streets in Cairo and other cities calling for Morsi to step down in a massive display of anger and frustration with the Islamist leader. The demonstrations are largely peaceful, although 16 people, half of them in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters, are killed in protest-related violence nationwide. Organisers vow to keep up the protests until Morsi resigns.
July 1 - Demonstrations continue and Egypt's military issues an ultimatum for the two sides to come to a resolution within 48 hours or it will impose its own solution.#
July 2 - A night of clashes outside Cairo University sees at least 16 people killed, with unofficial sources saying that more than 23 people died.
July 3 - Egyptian media reports that President Morsi will either be sacked or forced to stand down as the army's deadline for a resolution approaches.
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