Egypt Research-In a written response ( not point form ) address the following issues that have been creating

turmoil in Egypt. What kind of government did Egypt have up until last year? What happened to that government?
Egypt under the rule of Hosni Mubarak, the last president, was techically a semi-presidential republic however, it had been under indefinite emergency law since 1967. This meant constitutional rights were suspended, police powers were extended, and censorship was legalized. There were no elections Mubarak came into power after his predecessor was assassinated. In January 2011, the Arab Spring inspired citizens of Egypt to finally revolt against Mubarak's rule. He resigned, and soon after, the Egyptian government was dissolved.

Mohamed Morsi is the current President of Egypt. How did he get into power? When? What political party does he represent?
There was much political turmoil in Egypt after their government dissolved. A year later, in March 2012, a new provisional constitution was drafted, forming a new democratic semi-presidential government. Elections were held, and Morsi won with 51.7% of the popular vote (Shafik received 48.3). On June 30th, he assumed office. Morsi belongs to the FJP, or Freedom and Justice Party, which was founded by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Morsi made some changes to the Egyptian constitution and laws last week-what were those changes? Why is this significant?
Morsi recently issued a declaration immunizing his decisions from any judicial challenge until a new constitution is ratified. He is now above the law of Egypt's new democracy, essentially giving him the powers of a dictator.

 How have the Egyptian people reacted?

This has caused massive outrage from the citizens of Egypt and human rights groups who have been watching the evolution of the Arab Spring. Violent protests have resumed in Tahrir Square. Other members of the government, specifically the judiciary, are outraged as well.

Weekend Update- What is the current political climate (situation) in Egypt this weekend-I am looking for a current event update hereyou will need to look at the news to answer this.
The protests are still going strong, and it is not just those who are angered at Morsi; others are taking his side, and recently a protest forced the judges of the Supreme Constitutional Court to leave work indefinitely, due to extreme psychological and material pressure. Meanwhile, Mursi aims to pass a new constitution by December 15th.

Why is Middle East stability a concern for the rest of the world?
The Middle East is a proverbial goldmine for oil, with 70% of the world's oil and natural gas reserves stretching from the Middle East to Siberia. This means that the rest of the developed world stands to, and does, make huge profits from having trade relations with Middle Eastern countries.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_presidential_election,_2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Morsi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Egypt http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABRE8B004X20121203

http://www.pipelineconference.com/sites/default/files/papers/1%20Rempel.pdf http://www.chomsky.info/books/fateful02.htm