Football: Avramovic mindful that it's only 'half-time'

SINGAPORE: National coach Radojko Avramovic broke with form on Wednesday night at the post-match press conference.

Best known for his surly and serious demeanour, the 63-year-old Serbian could not stop himself from smiling as he addressed the media in the wake of his Lions' resounding 3-1 win over Thailand in the first-leg of the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, admitting "it felt good".

The feel-good factor, however, was due more to the way everything went to plan on Wednesday night.

"You know you have worked hard in wanting to achieve something, plan everything in detail and finally you see the result. That was what happened tonight," said Avramovic.

"But of course, we also put in our share of hard work, showed tremendous team spirit, which was crucial in a match like this."

Nonetheless, Avramovic did not allow himself nor his players to get carried away with the result, which means Thailand must chalk up a 2-0 result in the second leg on Saturday in Bangkok in order to win on the away goals rule.

"The Thais are an exceptionally gifted team and there is still another 90 minutes to be played in Bangkok on Saturday," warned Avramovic.

That was also why Thailand coach Winfried Schafer declared that his team's quest for a record fourth AFF title is not over yet.

"I know my players. I trust them and I have confidence in them," said the German. "And we still have time to work things out for the return match. I am sure Singapore will have a match on their hands come Saturday."

Meanwhile, it looks like the head injury that left-back Shaiful Esah had picked up in the final moments of the game is not as serious as had been initially feared. The 26-year-old, whose cross led to Baihakki Khaizan's goal in stoppage time, landed on the back of his head during an aerial challenge with a Thai player. Grimacing in pain as medical staff huddled over him, he was put in a neck brace and stretched off the pitch as his team-mates watched on anxiously.

However, team manager Eugene Loo later told the media that the defender was "all right".

"But we are not taking any chances. We are sending him to the hospital for further checks," said Loo. - TODAY

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How to find a good iPad Mini case or bag

iPads don't come with their own protection. In fact, these sleek metal and glass beauties ship naked. That just won't do: you need a case. But when it comes to the iPad Mini, I quickly discovered, what makes a good case or bag is a very different proposition than on the larger
iPad.

To help you pick out something good, here's what I've observed so far over the last couple of months of
iPad Mini hardcore use. Let's take a look, shall we?

Sleeves galore.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

Sleeves: the Mini is extremely thin, and feels as slight as a regular
Kindle. The larger iPad, comparatively, feels like a very thin laptop. I usually treated my large iPad like a laptop in terms of carrying it in a bag, picking some sort of padded sleeve. On a Mini, some sleeves feel like overkill- and some don't fit well if the Mini's already in a case.

Some of you may be more tempted to carry around your Mini nearly-naked and simply use a sleeve for travel in-between. Sensible, considering it de-bulks your iPad Mini for everyday use. However, you'll very likely baby your Mini in public for fear of dropping it, unless you simply aren't like me. Nevertheless, if you go with a sleeve, go simple...and consider whether you'd like that sleeve to have a pocket or not.

Waterfield makes several decent solutions: the attractive and thickly-padded Outback Sleeve ($39, top right) fits the Mini very snugly, which means you'll need to travel with a naked iPad Mini (or with Smart Cover, just barely). It also exposes one side of the Mini, potentially to scratches in a gear-filled bag, but the sleeve's worn leather and canvas design is the best-looking I've seen.

The Waterfield Travel Express has lots of room inside.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

The iPad Mini Travel Express ($59-$69, bottom right), on the other hand, goes big and offers plenty of space for an iPad Mini in any case. It also has some extra stretchable pockets inside for charge cables and other gear. For a messenger bag that lacks extra compartments, this is a perfect insert.

Something like the X-Doria SleeveStand ($29, bottom left) is a tidy, snug little plush pocket with one small side sleeve, converting into a stand for viewing the Mini by stretching its unzippered jaws wide and gripping the iPad with rubber clips. Stand mode wasn't ideal, but this type of bag is perfect for in-flight front-pocket use.

Or, go even simpler: a bare-bones foam sleeve like the one Tom Bihn Cache ($25, top left) is made for inserting into its bags. It's simply an iPad Cozy.

Bottom line: keep the sleeve simple, and you don't need one if you prefer a standard case...but it's essential if you prefer an unclothed Mini.

Left to right: cases by Marware, Pad & Quill, and Griffin.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

Cases: The iPad Mini has a completely different proportion compared to the large iPad. The side bezels are extremely narrow, and that means cases have to be smarter. The Mini feels like a Kindle or other e-reader, and so I feel it's ideal for a folio-like case with a flip cover, a solution that's not always perfect for a large iPad. As you can see from the photos, it's my favorite way to clothe a Mini (or any 7-inch tablet, really).

That doesn't mean all iPad cases are made alike, even folio ones.

The Marware C.E.O. Hybrid. Good protection, exposed edges.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

I started out using the Marware C.E.O Hybrid ($43), a case that grew on me. The leather exterior offers an excellent hard shell and padding, and the case flips out to become a video and FaceTime-ready stand, but the design of the case leaves good chunks of the Mini's side edges exposed to potential scratching in a bag. The Hybrid only has a few prongs that make contact with the Mini, so access to much of the display is unfettered. That's a susprisingly key consideration, since the Mini's bezels are so thin: many apps require use of touch areas even at the far edges of the iPad's display.

The Griffin Slim Folio.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

On the flip side, the Griffin Slim Folio ($39) has microsuede inner lining for a snug fit, but the case uses a leather-like covering around all side bezels. That's nice for general protection, but as you can see, it makes access to the edge of the Mini's screen difficult. That doesn't matter for e-reading or video playback, but for many games or sketch/photo editing apps it's not ideal at all.

The Pad & Quill Graduate Artist Series case.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

My favorite might be Pen & Quill's Graduate Artist Series case ($69), which uses bookbinding techniques for its handmade silk screen design. Book-style cases have been around since the original iPad, but with the Mini it's a perfect fit. The smaller side bezels mean the case width isn't that big, and the whole package matches the size of a softcover book. Most importantly, the case offers full access to the front of the iPad, so edge-to-edge touch won't be a problem.

Smart Cover: more accessory than case.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

There's also Apple's own Smart Cover ($39), an excellent and minimal solution for the bare-bones Mini user (see sleeves, above), but the back of the iPad isn't protected. Does that bother you? The Smart Cover's easy-to-use stand mode and virtual-keyboard elevation make it a pretty useful tool...but it's not a case. It's really an accessory. At least it's small enough to tuck away in your bag in case you think you'll need it later. I use it when typing.

Bottom line: get a folio case, and make sure it doesn't restrict edge access. For more, browse through our list of the top iPad Mini cases.

The Tom Bihn Cadet (left) and Ristretto (right).

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

Bags: I've faced this challenge before: is there such a thing as a good iPad bag? Perhaps you're best off tucking the Mini into a regular backpack or messenger bag and calling it a day. That's a perfect solution if the Mini is just one more gadget in your life, but what if the iPad Mini changes the way you travel...what if it means you don't need a bag that's quite so big?

I prefer bags that have plenty of room for other small essentials, random cards and cords and loose change. Tom Bihn happens to make two of my favorites: the Ristretto and the Cadet. They're both expensive. Other bag makers that offer similar concepts, but here's what I like in particular about both of these.

Messenger bag: The Tom Bihn Ristretto ($135) is made for any sized iPad, and even fits many Netbooks. A padded back compartment holds the iPad, while a larger front area plus a second zippered compartment offer lots of extra space. This is the model for the perfect iPad messenger bag: restrained but roomy, with no sacrifice of pockets. This is the cafe bag or vacation bag done perfectly.

Laptop-style brief: The Tom Bihn Cadet ($170) fits more of the mold of a ruggedized laptop briefcase, outfitted with extra space. The 11-inch Cadet feels tiny, yet it's able to just swallow up a 13-inch MacBook Air even though Tom Bihn's website doesn't even claim it can. A padded inner sleeve clips into the case for extra security, and two zippered outer pockets hold cables, loose bits of gear, and your phone. Many laptop briefcases skimp on extra pockets as well, but the Cadet is perfect for carrying on a plane or taking for a weekend...or even daily commuting.

The ECBC Harpoon.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)

Backpack: one of my recent favorites is the ECBC Harpoon Daypack. This bag holds a thick 15-inch laptop with ease, but it's slim enough to not weigh you down...and it has plenty of sub-pockets that are perfectly sized for an iPad Mini.

Bottom line: I treat 7-inch tablets like a super-powered portable e-reader. It's not a laptop replacement, but it'll do the job for commuting. Pick a bag that doesn't cater too much to the tiny Mini, but takes advantage of the reduced space requirements. In other words, split the difference, and make sure the bag has tinier sleeves and compartments for tablet storage.

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ATF agent's gun found at Mexican crime scene

Mexican beauty queen Susana Flores Maria Gamez and four others died in a brutal gun battle between Sinaloa cartel members and the Mexican military in November. CBS News has learned that one weapon recovered from the area of the crime scene was originally purchased by federal agent George Gillett, an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) manager who was faulted by the Inspector General in Operation Fast and Furious.

Gillett was the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ATF Phoenix when Fast and Furious started. The recovered weapon is a so-called FN Herstal pistol nicknamed a "cop-killer" because of its designation as a "weapon of choice" for Mexican drug cartels.

10 Photos

Mexican beauty queen killed in shootout

CBS News has learned the Inspector General is questioning Gillett today after hastily opening an inquiry to determine how this agent's personal weapon got into the hands of suspected cartel members.

Gillett has acknowledged to CBS News that it was likely his weapon, but says he sold it sometime in 2011 to someone through the Internet.

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Inside One School's Extraordinary Security Measures

While schools across America reassess their security measures in the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., one school outside of Chicago takes safety to a whole new level.

The security measures at Middleton Elementary School start the moment you set foot on campus, with a camera-equipped doorbell. When you ring the doorbell, school employees inside are immediately able to see you, both through a window and on a security camera.

“They can assess your demeanor,” Kate Donegan, the superintendent of Skokie School District 73 ½, said in an interview with ABC News.

Once the employees let you through the first set of doors, you are only able to go as far as a vestibule. There you hand over your ID so the school can run a quick background check using a visitor management system devised by Raptor Technologies. According to the company’s CEO, Jim Vesterman, only 8,000 schools in the country are using that system, while more than 100,000 continue to use the old-fashioned pen-and-paper system, which do not do as much to drive away unwanted intruders.

“Each element that you add is a deterrent,” Vesterman said.

In the wake of the Newtown shooting, Vesterman told ABC News his company has been “flooded” with calls to put in place the new system. Back at Middleton, if you pass the background check, you are given a new photo ID — attached to a bright orange lanyard — to wear the entire time you are inside the school. Even parents who come to the school on a daily basis still have to wear the lanyard.

“The rules apply to everyone,” Donegan said.

The security measures don’t end there. Once you don your lanyard and pass through a second set of locked doors, you enter the school’s main hallway, while security cameras continue to feed live video back into the front office.

It all comes at a cost. Donegan’s school district — with the help of security consultant Paul Timm of RETA Security — has spent more than $175,000 on the system in the last two years. For a district of only three schools and 1100 students, that is a lot of money, but it is all worth it, she said.

“I don’t know that there’s too big a pricetag to put on kids being as safe as they can be,” Donegan said.

“So often we hear we can’t afford it, but what we can’t afford is another terrible incident,” Timm said.

Classroom doors open inward — not outward — and lock from the inside, providing teachers and students security if an intruder is in the hallway. Some employees carry digital two-way radios, enabling them to communicate at all times with the push of a button. Administrators such as Donegan are able to watch the school’s security video on their mobile devices. Barricades line the edge of the school’s parking lot, keeping cars from pulling up close to the entrance.

Teachers say all the security makes them feel safe inside the school.

“I think the most important thing is just keeping the kids safe,” fourth-grade teacher Dara Sacher said.

Parents like Charlene Abraham, whose son Matthew attends Middleton, say they feel better about dropping off their kids knowing the school has such substantial security measures in place.

“We’re sending our kids to school to learn, not to worry about whether they’re going to come home or not,” she said.

In the wake of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook last Friday, Donegan’s district is now even looking into installing bullet-resistant glass for the school building. While Middleton’s security measures continue to put administrators, teachers, parents and students at ease, Sacher said she thinks that more extreme measures — such as arming teachers, an idea pushed by Oregon state Rep. Dennis Richardson — are a step too far.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable being armed,” Sacher said. “Even if you trained people, I think it’d be better to keep the guns out of school rather than arm teachers.”

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U.S. soldier referred to court martial over Afghan slayings

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan villagers in two forays from his remote military camp has been referred to a court martial over the slayings and could face the death penalty, the military said on Wednesday.

The trial of Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales is scheduled to take place at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, but no date has been set, military officials said in a statement.

Military prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Bales. They accuse him of gunning down the villagers - mostly women and children - over a five-hour period in March.

His lawyers have not set out an alternative theory to the prosecution's case, but have pointed out inconsistencies in pretrial testimony and highlighted incidents before the shooting where Bales lost his temper easily, possibly setting up an argument that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The shootings in Afghanistan's Kandahar province mark one of the deadliest civilian slaughters that the military has blamed on an individual U.S. soldier since the Vietnam War. The killings damaged already strained U.S.-Afghan relations.

The charges against Bales include 16 specifications of premeditated murder, six specifications of attempted murder and seven specifications of assault, the military said.

Bales is being held at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

(Reporting by Laura L. Myers; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Cynthia Johnston, Gary Hill)

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Motor Racing: Stupid errors must stop, says Grosjean

PARIS: French Formula One driver Romain Grosjean said on Tuesday he would repay the Lotus team's faith in him by cutting out the reckless mistakes that cast a shadow over a largely successful season for him in 2012.

Lotus, who finished an impressive fourth in the constructors championship as the duo of former world champion Kimi Raikkonen racked up some impressive performances, signed up the 26-year-old Swiss born driver for the 2013 campaign on Monday.

However, as Grosjean revealed he had had some sleepless nights after the curtain came down on the season in Brazil last month and talks went on over his future to the extent he feared that the race had been his last in Formula One.

"There were some tough moments, some sleepless nights," said Grosjean, who made his Formula One debut in 2009 when he raced seven times for Renault before a three year hiatus prior to driving for Lotus last term.

"I had a lot of discussions with the team's owners, which were constructive and allowed us to make progress. Today I am happy to have their confidence, to be able to carry on with them, and I am really going to try and create something special."

Grosjean, who recorded three podium finishes last season to finish a respectable eighth in the championship with 96 points, accepted, though, that he had to erase the wild charges he made from the grid and which earned him not only a suspension but also angered several of his rivals.

The most notable and perhaps costly one was at the beginning of the Belgian Grand Prix which claimed among its victims Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who was to go on and finish second in the world title race, just three points behind Sebastian Vettel.

Grosjean's recklessness in that collision resulted in a one race suspension - however, he was to go on and take Australian Mark Webber out of the Japanese Grand Prix at the start although this time he escaped censure.

"We have been working together since September in order to make progess because I did not want to wait till the end of the season," he said.

"There are lots of things that I am trying to improve on, because I am no longer a rookie, I no longer have the right to make clearly stupid mistakes, which were 100% my fault.

"I want to be more consistent, while remaining as quick as before."

Grosjean, who was unable to match Raikkonen's Grand Prix victory in Abu Dhabi, said that his ambitions matched those of Lotus.

"My ability to drive fast weighed in my favour for being retained, the talks as well, and the fact that we (he and Lotus) both are hungry to be world champions together.

"If we sort out some concerns, we will succeed."

Grosjean, though, was delighted that being re-signed by Lotus he could put off to another time his other favoured ambition which is to open a restaurant.

"I do not know whether I would have, if I had been let go, thrown myself immediately into opening a restaurant," he said.

"I had already looked elsewhere, in order to continue what I do best, to drive a car, but the idea is still in my head."

- AFP/fa

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Shoot and share videos with YouTube Capture for iOS

Google just made it easier to capture and upload videos to YouTube from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Its new YouTube Capture app lets you share a video with as little as two taps (including the tap to launch the app). Here's how it works.

When you first launch the app, it'll ask you to sign into your Google account. You can skip this step and sign into your account later, and instead swipe through a brief, four-slide tutorial.

After the tutorial, you'll be taken to the capture screen, which, when held in landscape mode, features two buttons on the left and three on the right. The buttons on the left turn on the flash and switch between the rear- and front-facing cameras. The buttons on the right let you access the videos on your Camera Roll, start recording, and open settings.

In settings, you can sign into the three sharing options -- Google+, Facebook, and Twitter -- and you can adjust two recording settings. "Landscape lock" disables the record button when your phone is in portrait mode, reminding you rotate into landscape mode. "Rotate to begin recording" is the other setting; with it enabled, you'll start recording as soon as you rotate your phone into landscape mode when the app is open. Lastly, you can choose from two quality settings for your uploads: 480p or 720p.

When you tap or rotate to start recording, the record button turns into a timer, conveniently displaying a running time of your recording. Tap the timer to stop a recording, and you'll be taken to the upload screen. Here, you can add title and location information, set privacy and sharing options, and use four editing tools. Or you can simply tap the blue Share button to upload the video as is.

The four editing tools feature two buttons to add color correction and stabilize a potentially shaky video. The third tool gives you a slider to trim the starting and ending points of your video, while the fourth lets you choose from among 21 YouTube soundtracks. Choose a soundtrack such as Electronic, Pop, or Wedding, and you can then adjust its volume via a slider. If you turn the slider all the way to the right, the soundtrack will replace the audio in your recording.

Videos captured with the app are saved to your Camera Roll. When viewing your videos using the app, swiping on a video brings forth a Hide Video button, which removes the video from the app but not from your Camera Roll. Tapping on a video thumbnail from this list plays it, while tapping on the area to the right of the thumbnail takes you to the app's upload screen where you can tweak its settings and appearance before uploading it. Videos already uploaded to YouTube on this list display their title on a white background (as opposed to "Upload to YouTube" on a gray background); for these videos, you can tap a thumbnail to play a video or tap its title to the right of the thumbnail to tweak its settings or delete it from YouTube. Settings for an uploaded video let you e-mail or copy the link for the video, adjust the privacy settings, add tags, and choose a category and license (standard or creative commons). At the bottom of this screen is a large red button to delete the video from YouTube.

Mileage may vary, but I should close by stating that my phone experienced a rather severe hit to its battery life when uploading a handful of short videos.

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Cops: 2 inmates escape from Ill. federal prison

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 18: Crime scene tape surrounds the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in the Loop after two convicted bank robbers escaped on December 18, 2012. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

/

Scott Olson

(AP) CHICAGO - Authorities say two men being held on bank robbery charges have escaped from a downtown Chicago federal prison.

PICTURES: Inmates escape Chicago prison

Chicago Police Sgt. Michael Lazarro says their disappearance was discovered at about 8:45 Tuesday morning, a little less than four hours after they were last checked.

Lazarro says they used rope or bed sheets to climb from the building.

He says one was spotted downtown and the other was seen elsewhere. The FBI says in a release they were both seen in Tinley Park, a southwestern Chicago suburb.

Lazarro says the two were wearing orange jump suits when they escaped but that they may now be wearing white t-shirts, gray sweat pants and white gym shoes.

One of the escapees had been convicted and the other had recently pleaded guilty.

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Threat Closes Newtown Elementary School

Local officials closed a Newtown, Conn., elementary school following a threat on what would have been the first day of classes since a shooting rampage at nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Classes at Head O'Meadow Elementary School were scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET, but as parents and students arrived at the school they encountered police who turned them away.

Principal Barbara Gasparine sent an email to parents telling them that school would be closed rather than locked down due to the threats, the nature of which was not specified.

CLICK HERE FOR A TRIBUTE TO THE SHOOTING VICTIMS

"As was predicted by the police that there would be some threats, the police were prepared and have us in lockdown, which is our normal procedure. Due to the situation, students will not come to school today. Please make arrangements to keep them home," Gasparine wrote parents in an email obtained by ABC News.

Newtown police would not specify the type of threat, calling the school closure a "precautionary measure" in the wake of last week's shooting that left 20 children and six adults of Sandy Hook dead.

Reporters at the school to cover the arrival of Newtown students on the first day since the massacre were pushed back by police a quarter of mile away from the school.

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting: Victims Laid to Rest Watch Video

Gun Control Debate Resurfaces After Sandy Hook Shooting Watch Video

Sandy Hook Shooting: What Was Wrong with Adam Lanza? Watch Video

Sandy Hook Elementary and Head O'Meadow are 4.5 miles away from each other, and in the same district.

Sandy Hook is classified an active crime scene and will remain closed "indefinitely," according to authorities.

Officials are moving furniture and supplies from Sandy Hook classrooms to a former middle school in nearby Monroe, Conn. A start date for those students has yet to be determined.

Teachers photographed their classrooms at Sandy Hook and are recreating them -- down to the crayons left on students desks -- at the new site in Monroe, in an attempt to make incoming students feel as comfortable as possible.

New security systems are being installed at Chalk Hill school, and Newtown councilman Steve Vavrek said when the schools opens it will be "the safest school in America."

It was a somber day for many parents who sent their students back to school. Green and white ribbons adorned the grilles of Newtown school buses this morning.

There was a heavy police presence atthe schools-- 15 police departments had been called in to help with security and there were several units at each school, an officer said.

At Hawley Elementary, families walked their children to school. One tearful mother told ABC that the time is right to go back to school for her fourth grader. Another father told us that this is "a day of great sadness" but that "it will be good to get back into a routine." He addressed concerns of a premature return, saying that "There's no rulebook for this...is there ever a right day?"

At Newtown Middle School, lines of parents waited to drop off their kids. One teacher hugged a student as he exited the car. Children in school buses waved at reporters as they drove by.

And at Reed Intermediate, a memorial has been set up in the center island. Encircling the flag pole are three wreaths, bouquets of flowers, a host of green and white balloons, and what appears to be notes.

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Egypt opposition protests against constitution

CAIRO (Reuters) - Opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi staged protests in Cairo on Tuesday against an Islamist-backed draft constitution that has divided Egypt but looks set to be approved in the second half of a referendum this weekend.

Several hundred protesters outside the presidential palace chanted "Revolution, revolution, for the sake of the constitution" and called on Mursi to "Leave, leave, you coward!". While the protest was noisy, numbers were down on previous demonstrations.

Mursi obtained a 57 percent "yes" vote for the constitution in the first part of the referendum last weekend, state media said, less than he had hoped for.

The opposition, which says the law is too Islamist, will be encouraged by the result but is unlikely to win the second part this Saturday, which is to be held in districts seen as even more sympathetic towards Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood.

The National Salvation Front opposition coalition said there were widespread voting violations last Saturday and called for protests to "bring down the invalid draft constitution".

The Ministry of Justice said it was appointing judges to investigate complaints of voting irregularities.

Opposition marchers converged on Tahrir Square, cradle of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak almost two years ago, and Mursi's presidential palace, still ringed with tanks after earlier protests.

A protester at the presidential palace, Mohamed Adel, 30, said: "I have been camping here for weeks and will continue to do so until the constitution that divided the nation, and for which people died, gets scrapped."

The build up to the first day of voting saw clashes between supporters and opponents of Mursi in which eight people died. Recent demonstrations in Cairo have been more peaceful, although rival factions clashed on Friday in Alexandria, Egypt's second biggest city.

RESIGNATION

Egypt's public prosecutor resigned under pressure from his opponents in the judiciary, dealing a blow to Mursi and drawing an angry response from his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the Islamist group that propelled Mursi to power in an election in June, said the enforced departure of public prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim was a "crime" and authorities should not accept the resignation.

Further signs of opposition to Mursi emerged when a judges' club urged its members not to supervise Saturday's vote. But the call is not binding and balloting is expected to go ahead.

If the constitution is passed, national elections can take place early next year, something many hope will help end the turmoil that has gripped Egypt since the fall of Mubarak.

The closeness of the first referendum vote and low turnout give Mursi scant comfort as he seeks to assemble support for difficult economic reforms.

"This percentage ... will strengthen the hand of the National Salvation Front and the leaders of this Front have declared they are going to continue this fight to discredit the constitution," said Mustapha Kamal Al-Sayyid, a professor of political science at Cairo University.

Mursi is likely to become more unpopular with the introduction of planned austerity measures, Sayyid told Reuters.

To tackle the budget deficit, the government needs to raise taxes and cut fuel subsidies. Uncertainty surrounding economic reform plans has already forced the postponement of a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. The Egyptian pound has fallen to eight-year lows against the dollar.

Mursi and his backers say the constitution is needed to move Egypt's democratic transition forward. Opponents say the document is too Islamist and ignores the rights of women and of minorities, including Christians who make up 10 percent of the population.

Demonstrations erupted when Mursi awarded himself extra powers on November 22 and then fast-tracked the constitution through an assembly dominated by his Islamist allies and boycotted by many liberals.

The referendum has had to be held over two days because many of the judges needed to oversee polling staged a boycott in protest. In order to pass, the constitution must be approved by more than 50 percent of those voting.

(Additional reporting by Tamim Elyan and Edmund Blair; Writing by Giles Elgood; Editing by Alison Williams)

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