Egypt news: A "temp" dictator, market plummets, riots continue, women attacked

Some stories from the new, improved Egypt:

The Egyptian president's office said on Sunday it was committed to engaging "all political forces" to reach common ground on the constitution and stressed the "temporary nature" of a decree expanding President Mohamed Morsy's powers.

"This declaration is deemed necessary in order to hold accountable those responsible for the corruption as well as other crimes during the previous regime and the transitional period," the president’s office said in a statement.

That was a reference to the regime of long-time president Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted by a popular uprising early last year. Some 850 protesters were killed during the revolt, and hundreds more since.

That sounds suspiciously like the "temporary" Law No. 162 of 1958, which was used virtually continuously from 1967 until 2012:

Over the law, police powers are extended, constitutional rights are suspended, and censorship is legalized.

Meet the new boss...

The Egyptian Stock Market continued its downturn during the Sunday session with the main EGX30 index recording a 9.5 percent drop, losing 517 points. Market capitalization recorded losses of more than LE24 billion.

The market suspended trading for half an hour after the main index exceeded the maximum rate of decline allowed under exchange rules.

Stock traders attributed the massive decline, which occurred in the first 10 minutes the exchange was open, to unrest after President Mohamed Morsy dismissed the prosecutor general and issued a constitutional declaration on Thursday stipulating that his decisions are immune from judicial challenges. Protests and clashes around Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo are ongoing.

...maybe worse than the old boss.

Meanwhile, rioting continues:

Fierce clashes between anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters and members of the Islamist group have erupted in Saea Square in the Nile Delta city of Damanhour, less than a day after bloody confrontations left 26 injured.

The two sides hurled rocks at one at one another amid complete absence of security forces.

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) said on Sunday one of the Muslim Brotherhood youth was killed in clashes against the Islamist group’s foes in the Nile Delta city of Damanhour.

“Islam Fathi Masoud was martyred and 60 were injured in an attack on the Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters with no presence from police forces,” the FJP said on its official Facebook page.

And when there are crowds in Egypt, the gropers are right with them:

A crowd of 300 young people on Sunday sexually assaulted three women near Tahrir Square, according to a report on the website of Egypt’s flagship paper Al-Ahram.

Oh, and another Christian teacher was arrested on charges of insulting Islam.

Springtime, going exactly as expected. At least as some of use expected.