The head of an Egyptian party that backs president Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said on Monday that he will contest the presidential election.
Mussa Mustapha Mussa, leader of the liberal Al Ghad party, told Agence France-Presse that he had gathered more than the necessary endorsements to stand.
The last-minute surprise candidacy comes with Mr Sisi, who has led an authoritarian regime since 2014, set to romp home to victory and another four-year term in the March 26-28 polls.
The run-up to the close of nominations has seen any potential opposition sidelined, and many members of Al Ghad who were once seen as opponents of ousted president Hosni Mubarak are now considered supporters of Mr Sisi.
"I am finishing up with some remaining matters and will then go to the National Election Authority to present my candidacy," Mr Mussa said. Under Egyptian law, presidential hopefuls must collect endorsements from at least 20 lawmakers, or at least 25,000 registered voters, with a minimum of 1,000 signatures from each of at least 15 provinces.
Mr Mussa would be the only other candidate to run against Mr Sisi after all other possible challengers either ruled themselves out or were subjected to legal proceedings.
Last week, media reports said Sayed El Badawi, leader of the old liberal Al Wafd party, was a potential candidate.
But he withdrew on Saturday and announced his backing for Mr Sisi.
In the 2014 election, the official results showed that president Sisi had secured 96.9 per cent of the votes.
On Sunday, he and his regime were accused by five public figures of quashing any opposition. They called on voters to boycott the election.
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Read more:
Egypt's El Sisi looks set for re-election as two more opponents drop out
Egyptians resigned to Sisi's re-election as another candidate falls
Another potential candidate pulls out of Egyptian presidential race
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Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:
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NBA Finals so far
(Toronto lead 3-1 in best-of-seven series_
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
