Egypt: Court ruling compounds Morsi's woes

7/2/2013

Fireworks light the sky as opponents of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi protest outside the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 1, 2013. Egypt's powerful military warned on Monday it will intervene if the Islamist president doesn't "meet the people's demands," giving him and his opponents two days to reach an agreement in what it called a last chance. Hundreds of thousands of protesters massed for a second day calling on Mohammed Morsi to step down. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAIRO — An Egyptian court says besieged President Mohammed Morsi must reinstate an attorney general fired last year in another blow to his authority.

Today's ruling by the Court of Cassation further chips at Morsi’s administration as he faces massive protests calling for his ouster and a 48-hour ultimatum by his army chief to work out his differences with the opposition.

If not, the military vows to enforce a political road map of its own. The ultimatum expires Wednesday, but Morsi has rejected stepping down.

Morsi’s dismissal of Mahmoud Abdel-Meguid, who was appointed by ousted leader Hosni Mubarak, was seen by the judiciary as an encroachment on its independence.

The opposition has long demanded the removal of Abdel-Meguid’s successor, Talaat Abdullah.