Hisham Kassem to serve 6 months in prison, pay $650 fine for alleged slander of ex-minister; sole presidential election campaigner Ahmed al-Tantawi says phone bugged by authorities

Vote bucks trend as veteran leaders of neighboring Algeria and Sudan forced to step down; Egyptians seek stability and see no alternative to current president, expert says

Human Rights Watch says constitutional referendum 'marred by serious flaws,' including reports of citizens being forced or bribed to vote

Constitutional amendment seen as another step toward authoritarian rule eight years after pro-democracy uprising, is nearly guaranteed to pass

Proposed changes are seen by critics as another step back toward authoritarianism