Elections Chief Says Egyptian Constitutional Changes Are Approved, The A.P. Reports

The chief of Egypt's elections commission said that a package
of constitutional amendments was approved with 77 percent of
the vote in favor, The Associated Press reported.

The changes eliminate restrictions on political rights and
open the way for parliamentary and presidential elections
within months. Opponents argued that the timeframe was too
quick for political parties to organize. Egypt's best
organized political forces -- the Muslim Brotherhood and
members of the former ruling party -- campaigned for passage.

The commission chief, Ahmed Attiya, said 41 percent of 45
million eligible voters cast ballots in Saturday's
referendum. More than 14 million -- 77.2 percent -- voted in
favor, with around 4 million -- 22.8 percent -- opposed.

Stocks Fall Sharply on Oil Jitters; Dow Drops 228 Points to Close Below 12,000

The Dow closed below 12,000 on Thursday, slipping back under
the psychological barrier that it passed in late January.

Jitters about the oil market and the conflict in Libya, as
well as some disappointing economic news, served as a
reminder of the fragile nature of the global recovery.

At the close, the Dow Jones industrial average was down
228.48 points, or 1.87 percent, to 11,984.61. The Standard &
Poor's 500-stock index fell 24.91 points, or 1.89 percent, to
1,295.11. The Nasdaq fell 50.70, or 1.84 percent, to
2,701.02.