Women, Christians named to Egypt president team

CAIRO — Egypt's president has named a team of 21 advisers and aides that includes three women and two Christians.

The appointments, announced Monday by President Mohammed Morsi's spokesman, fall short of Morsi's promises during his election campaign to name a woman and a Christian as vice presidents.

Instead, Morsi appointed four senior aides and a 17-member council of advisers that includes writers, economists, legal experts and politicians representing a spectrum from Islamists to liberals.

Among the four aides are one woman and a Christian, along with a member of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and a figure from the ultraconservative Islamist Salafi movement.

The 17-member council includes two women and a Christian, who is also a longtime member of the Brotherhood.

Ali didn't elaborate on the role of the aides and the advisers.