Protests Rock Egypt; Military Promises to Reshuffle Cabinet

One protester dead as cops, soldiers ignore street battle
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 29, 2012 2:40 PM CDT
Protests Rock Egypt; Military Promises to Reshuffle Cabinet
Egyptians clash early Sunday, April 29, 2012 in Cairo, Egypt.   (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali)

Egypt's military leaders are promising to reshuffle their Cabinet after an angry parliament suspended sessions today, calling for the government to be sacked entirely, the AP reports. Despite the standoff, parliament Speaker Saad el-Katatni said the military council's concession restored "dignity" to the nation's Islamist-dominated, 3-month old assembly, which has repeatedly accused the Cabinet of inefficiency.

The move helps define the powers of Egypt's parliament, which have remained ambiguous under military rule, and may diminish the power of Cabinet leader Kamal el-Ganzouri, a holdover from Hosni Mubarak's rule. Public reaction is helping to force the military's hand, after a demonstrator opposing military rule was killed yesterday during protests against pro-government forces. Police and army troops did nothing to quell the street fighting, despite reports of gunshots, firebombs, and flying rocks. (More Egypt stories.)

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