The referendum on constitutional change dominated the conversation on on Egypt in the foreign press as voters headed to the polls yesterday for a third and final day. Pickups of wire stories from the Associated Press and AFP are getting wide play (see: News 24, Fox News, Washington Post and France 24. AFP cites criticism from Human Rights Watch about the fairness of the voting process, while maintaining that pro-government volunteers distributed food to voters at the polling stations. The Wall Street Journal also claims that people were handed coupons outside polling stations to exchange for food. AP is also less-than-complimentary about the referendum, which it terms “virtually guaranteed to be approved.” Meanwhile, opponents of the amendments called on voters to say ‘No’ yesterday, Reutersv adds. ABC News also has coverage.

SIS, Gulf News hammer foreign press: Egypt’s State Information Service issued a statement on Sunday evening refuting reports that votes were being bought with food handouts. In a strongly-worded echo of this sentiment, claims of “glaring” bias by the Western media are at the core of this Gulf News opinion piece.

Meanwhile: Egypt may have a leading role to play in Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan, according to YNet News. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will likely be solicited for his input on the plan and secure a sizeable aid package from Washington in exchange for encouraging Arabs to back an Israeli-endorsed two-state solution.

Other headlines worth a glance:

• State budget: Reuters has seen a copy of the draft FY2019-20 budget and reports that Egypt’s financing needs will hit USD 48 bn in the coming fiscal year. The figures square with what a senior government official told us last week.
• Analyzing fungi in Egyptian artifacts: A Minnesotan wood pathologist has earned acclaim as the ‘Indiana Jones’ of fungi thanks to his uncanny ability to assess the biodegradation of wood in ancient objects, including valuable Egyptian artifacts, Minnesota Daily reports.
• Over 23k Israelis are estimated to have crossed the Egyptian border this week to celebrate Passover in Taba, according to Israeli media outlet i24 News.