BRKG: USA Embasssy in Cairo closed.

CAIRO -- An Islamist-dominated committee said it would vote Thursday on a controversial draft of a new Egyptian constitution despite growing protests against it and other power-grabs by President Mohammed Morsi.

The U.S. Embassy in Cairo said it closed public services early on Thursday because of protests that are blocking streets in Cairo, and "strongly urged" U.S. citizens to avoid the area. "Access into and from the embassy is currently blocked by protesters," said a statement on the embassy website. "The Regional Security Office has instructed that no departures or arrivals from the embassy will be permitted."

The Islamist-dominated government is apparently fast-tracking the approval of a new constitution, one that is to be based on Islamic law, to head off a possible ruling on Sunday by the Supreme Constitutional Court to dissolve the constitutional assembly.

[link to www.usatoday.com]