Egyptian rights group says 73 supporters of a presidential challenger have been arrested

CAIRO (AP) — A rights group says Egyptian authorities have detained at least 73 people campaigning for a challenger to incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in the December election. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights said the detainees were volunteers working for presidential hopeful and critic Ahmed Altantawy. They face a variety of charges including joining a terrorist group — government parlance for the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood — and spreading false news. On Monday, Egypt’s chairman of the National Election Authority, Waleed Hamza, announced that the country will hold a presidential election over three days in December, with the outcome widely anticipated to be a foregone conclusion in favor of the incumbent el-Sissi.