CAIRO - Islamists backing a new constitution for Egypt claimed victory yesterday in an initial phase of a referendum, but the opposition alleged polling violations and said it would await the final results. A small majority of 56.5 per cent voted for the draft charter put to half of Egypt's 51 million voters on Saturday, according to the Freedom and Justice Party, the political branch of President Mohammed Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood. But the opposition said it would wait for the formal tally after next Saturday's second round of voting. AFP
LAGOS - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan ordered an investigation into the crash of a military helicopter on Saturday that killed the governor of the northern state of Kaduna and the country's former national security adviser. The crash in the Nembe area of Bayelsa state killed Governor Patrick Yakowa, ex-security adviser Owoye Azazi and four others, presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said. Bloomberg