The head of Egypt's ruling military council decided to hold elections for the Shura Council, the upper house of parliament, in two phases instead of three. The Shura Council elections will start 29 January and end 22 February. Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi's decision came in response a proposal by the advisory council to phase out the interim period so that parliamentary elections finish at the end of February instead of mid-March. This would give MPs a chance to choose the members of the consituent assembly that will draft the constitution. Presidential elections will then take place by the end of June, following a public referendum on the new constitution. The elections for the People's Assembly, Egypt's lower house of parliament, will conclude by mid-January. The first phase of Shura Council elections will take place 29-30 January, and the second will take place 14-15 February. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
