Egypt hails election as successful democracy test

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CAIRO, Nov 29, (agencies): Egypt's first post-revolution election entered its second day Tuesday amid pride and triumphalism over the high turn-out and the orderly start to the country's complex transition to democracy. "The birth of the new Egypt," declared the state-owned Al-Akhbar newspaper Tuesday, hailing the "huge turnout, free voting in a secure atmosphere" witnessed on Monday. "The people have passed the democracy test," headlined the independent daily newspaper al-Shorouk on Tuesday. "On the road to democracy," said English-language Egyptian Mail. Egyptians in Cairo and the port city Alexandria waited in long queues on Monday to cast ballots for a new parliament-the start of multi-stage elections that are the first since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in February. On Tuesday, polls opened again, but the volume of people was a trickle rather than the deluge seen the day before. "I decided to come today to avoid the crowds," 30-year-old Rafik told AFP in the Heliopolis area of Cairo. "It was important for me to vote because I feel it's the first time that my opinion is taken into account." The formerly banned Muslim Brotherhood, a moderate Islamist group, is widely expected to emerge as the largest power, but without an outright majority, when results for the election are published on January 13. The backdrop to the vote was ominous after a week of protests calling for the resignation of the interim military rulers who stepped in at the end of Mubarak's 30-year rule. Forty-two were killed and more than 3,000 injured. The largely successful first day will be seen by the interim military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi as vindicating his insistence that voting should go ahead on schedule despite calls for a delay. Former Libyan rebels still holding 7,000 prisoners Former Libyan rebels are still holding about 7,000 prisoners, the United Nations says. The detainees are being held without access to legal process because the police and courts are not functioning, and some may have been tortured. Many are sub-Saharan Africans suspected of being mercenaries hired by the Gaddafi regime. The UN said the new Libyan government had responded positively when pressed to deal with the issue. The BBC's Barbara Plett in New York says this was the first UN assessment of the situation in Libya since the end of the eight-month civil war. The report, by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, estimates that 7,000 prisoners in Libya are currently held in prisons and makeshift detention centres, most under the control of revolutionary brigades. "While the (National Transitional Council) has taken some steps toward transferring responsibility for the detainees from brigades to proper state authorities, much remains to be done to regularize detention, prevent abuse and bring about the release of those whose detention should not be prolonged," the report says. Mr Ban said: "I believe that the leaders of the new Libya are indeed committed to building a society based on the respect for human rights." "Achieving this requires the earliest possible action, however difficult the circumstances, to end arbitrary detention and prevent abuses and discrimination, against third country nationals as well as against any group of Libya's own citizens," he added. The UN's Libya envoy Ian Martin welcomed last week's appointment of an interim government in Tripoli. Morocco's Islamist poll winner meets king for govt talks The head of Morocco's Islamist party was summoned Tuesday by King Mohammed VI for talks over forming a new government following its victory in weekend elections, the party announced. Abdelilah Benkirane, head of the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party, was to meet the king later Tuesday after receiving a royal summons to the central town of Midelt, party official Mustapha Khelfi told AFP. Lebanese army confirms rocket fired toward Israel A Lebanese army spokesman confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that a rocket was fired overnight from southern Lebanon toward Israel, adding it was still unclear who was behind the incident. "We know that a rocket was fired from the (border) region of Rmaish and we are investigating," said the spokesman, who did not wish to be identified. He said Israel had retaliated by firing four rockets. The Israeli army said earlier that several rockets fired from southern Lebanon had landed in its territory and warned the Lebanese government against any further such attacks. Kuwait's prime minister resigns after protests Kuwait's prime minister has resigned along with his government, following a growing row with his parliamentary opponents about alleged corruption. Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah had been under pressure over allegations that 15 MPs were paid bribes to support the government.Opposition lawmakers and protesters stormed parliament earlier this month to demand his resignation. Sheikh Nasser will remain in charge until a new government is formed. State television in Kuwait said the country's emir, who appoints prime ministers, had accepted the resignation. It quoted Sheikh Nasser as saying the decision of the government to step down was "to comply with the national interest and due to the danger the situation had reached".