Lastnight World

Nigerians out in force for presidential elections

ABUJA: Nigerians voted in masses on Saturday in their first credible presidential election for decades and could set an example across Africa. Queues formed early across Nigeria,including the village of tin-roofed shacks in the Niger Delta where front-runner President Goodluck Jonathan voted and the dusty alleyway in the northern village of Daura where his main rival,former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari,cast his ballot. Across most of the country of 150 million there was no sign of the chaos and violence that has dogged past elections.

Egypt dissolves Mubaraks party

CAIRO: An Egyptian court ordered the dissolving of the countrys former ruling party and the confiscation of its assets on Saturday,meeting a major demand of the protest movement that ousted Hosni Mubarak. Activists have been pressing Egypts ruling military to abolish the National Democratic Party,fearing that even after the fall of Mubarak on February 11,remnants of the party could still try to hold power in the country. The verdict appeared to signal that the military was moving more quickly to meet demands.

NY mom distraught before fatal plunge

NEWBURGH: A neighbour said that Lashanda Armstrong,the New York woman who drowned herself and her three children in the Hudson River,had been in a loud fight with the kids father in the hour before the fatal plunge. Latoya James said the distraught mom hid in her apartment Tuesday while her estranged boyfriend,Jean Pierre,pounded on the locked door for 30 minutes. The fight came the same day a court barred Pierre from having any contact with his children,following a previous arrest for neglecting their 2-year-old son.

UK may change royal succession rule

LONDON: Britains government said Saturday it is taking steps to change the rules of royal succession so that if William and Kates first child is a girl she would go on to be queen. Deputy PM Nick Clegg said the current rule that puts boys ahead of their sisters would strike most people as a little old-fashioned. Clegg said the government is considering changing the rules.

Syrian dies of wounds

AMMAN: Osama al-Sheikha,40,who was shot by gunmen loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week died of his wounds on Saturday,a rights group said,adding to tension in the coastal city of Banias where the army was deployed to contain protests.

Yemeni women protest

SANAA: Thousands of Yemeni women protested in Sanaa and other cities on Saturday,enraged by President Salehs remarks it was against Islam for women to join men in the demonstrations. The women,many burqa-clad,said their role in protests was religiously sound.