Egypt political parties threaten to boycott polls

The political wing of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and 59 other parties and groups threatened to boycott forthcoming elections unless the country's military rulers agreed to amend election laws by Sunday, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

The joint statement said the parties wanted the military council to change an article in the election law that bars political parties from fielding candidates for seats allocated to individuals, and to activate a law which criminalises profiteering from political office.  (Reuters)