BREAKING NEWS

Egypt announces constitutional referendum will take place in January

Egypt's interim Prime MinisterHazem el-Beblawi said on Monday he expects a referendum on theconstitution, currently being drafted, will take place in thesecond half of January.

"I believe that it will take place in the second half ofJanuary," Beblawi told reporters. The referendum had beenexpected in mid-December.

Egypt's interim government, installed after the army oustedthe country's first democratically elected leader Mohamed Mursion July 3, is pushing through with a roadmap that could lead topresidential and parliamentary elections next year.