Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has been announced the winner of the nation's first multi-party vote in 24 years.

Opposition parties have rejected the results, which they say were rigged, but all eyes likely now focus on a southern independence referendum eight months away. Sudan's election commission says Mr.

Bashir won 68 percent of the nation's votes.

Under electoral law, he needed to surpass 50 percent in order to avoid a run-off vote against his nearest competitor.
Yasir Arman, the northern secular Muslim slated by the southern-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement to challenge Mr. Bashir, came in second with 22 percent, most of which came from the southern states.

His strong showing was made despite announcing his withdrawal from the race days before polling began, citing electoral fraud.

In Southern Sudan, the president of the semi-autonomous region and head of the SPLM, Salva Kiir, retained his seat with 92 percent of the votes from the region. Some international observers, such as the Atlanta-based The Carter Center, have said the election will fall short of international standards.

Northern opposition groups widely boycotted the elections, citing what they called an unfair campaign environment and allegations of vote rigging.

Following the five days of chaotic polling, the charges of vote rigging have only escalated from the opposition forces. But with the results final, the international community has indicated its efforts will be focused on securing the final implementation of a 2005 peace deal signed between Bashir's government and the southern SPLM rebels.

The accord includes a January referendum in the South on whether to remain part of the country or to secede and form its own state. The lead-up to the referendum is contentious, with a number of outstanding issues analysts warn could derail the peace process.

With no major change in the leadership of either of the two peace parties, these negotiations are expected to begin hitting their final sprint, and logistical planning for the referendum starts almost immediately.

Somali pirates based in the central coastal town of Harardhere are reported to be fleeing with hijacked ships and crews to another neighboring pirate stronghold, before a possible Islamist attack on Harardhere.

VOA sources in Somalia say hundreds of al-Shabab militants left the town of Eldhere in the Galgadud region late Saturday and began heading east toward Harardhere in south Mudug.

Harardhere is home to hundreds of pirates, who are holding at least six vessels and more than 90 people hostage. The pirates began retreating with the hijacked vessels and crew to Hobyo, another pirate stronghold about 108 kilometers to the north.

Al-Shabab, which has proclaimed allegiance to al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist group by the United States and several other Western nations, controls most of southern Somalia and has been fighting for several years to topple the U.N.-backed, African Union-protected government in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

In recent days, al-Shabab said it had taken over control of three towns in the Galgadud region from the rival, pro-government Ahlu-Sunna Wal-Jama'a militia. The three towns, including Eldhere, are on the main road that leads to the capital.

But observers say in targeting Harardhere, al-Shabab's motive may be revenge-driven. The Program Coordinator for the Nairobi-based East Africa Seafarers' Association, Andrew Mwangura, says he believes al-Shabab could be threatening to take Harardhere from pirates as punishment for the recent hijacking of a ship from Yemen, which was allegedly carrying arms for the extremist group.

He says al-Shabab is also fuming over last month's hijacking of nine Indian-owned vessels off the coast of Somalia. The pirates seized the small ships, called dhows, after they left the southern port of Kismayo with cargo destined for the United Arab Emirates.

The extremist group controls several key sea ports in southern Somalia, including Kismayo. The port is believed to generate millions of dollars in revenue for al-Shabab. "These nine Indian dhows were laden with charcoal," said Andrew Mwangura. "And you know, charcoal export is part of money-making for al-Shabab. It is part of their revenue. You cannot operate out of the port of Kismayo without paying al-Shabab," he explained.

Most of the dhows have since been freed, but the hijackings prompted the Indian government to ban Indian-flagged vessels from sailing anywhere near Somalia. Mwangura says it is possible al-Shabab is angry about the loss of potential revenue caused by the ban.

This is not the first time al-Shabab has moved against pirates in Harardhere. In May, 2008, al-Shabab briefly seized Harardhere and declared piracy illegal before retreating.

Five months later, several carloads of al-Shabab fighters entered Harardhere to demand the release of a hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker, Sirius Star.

Western counter-terrorism officials have long worried that some of the money from piracy is making its way into the hands of extremists to fund violence in Somalia.

But complex clan structures, shifting alliances, and an ungoverned black market have thwarted efforts to establish a solid connection.

Pakistani officials say missiles fired from a U.S. drone aircraft have killed at least five suspected militants in the northwest tribal region near the Afghan border. Authorities say three missiles struck a compound Monday about 25 kilometers east of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, a known insurgent stronghold. In recent months, the United States has increased missile attacks by pilot-less drones against suspected al-Qaida and Taliban hide-outs in Pakistan's northwest. Elsewhere in the tribal region, officials said Monday that Taliban militants kidnapped and killed a pro-government tribal elder, Maulana Abdul Haleem, and dumped his body in Bajaur

The British ambassador to Yemen escaped an attack by a suicide bomber Monday in Sana'a. Britain closed its mission temporarily and advised its citizens to maintain a low profile.

Ambassador Timothy Torlot was in a convoy driving through an eastern part of the capital when the blast went off outside his car. Yemeni officials said the would-be assassin was killed in the attack.

There was no claim of responsibility, but authorities said the attack resembles others by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the local offshoot of the terror network.

It was not immediately clear how the bomber knew the ambassador's route, as foreign officials are careful to conceal details of their movements. Stephen Steinbeiser, resident director of the American Institute for Yemeni Studies in Sana'a, said the fact there was some precision and access involved is “disturbing.”

Security is already tight around foreign missions, after an attack outside the U.S. embassy in 2008 and the threat of attacks against it and several others earlier this year. Al-Qaida militants have launched previous attacks on foreign commercial and military interests around the country, as well as foreign tourists.

The government has been fighting al-Qaida mainly in their bases in the eastern part of the country. Foreign countries have been pouring money into Yemen to help with its counter-insurgency measures. The aid took on added urgency after a Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a U.S. airliner last year was said to have received training in Yemen.

Some Western diplomats have raised concerns the country is on the verge of becoming a failed state. It suffers from two insurgent movements, one in the south, the other in the north, although a ceasefire there appears to be holding. Yemen is also the poorest country in the Arab world and much of the international aid has been focussed on improving conditions, with the aim of making terrorism less appealing.

Political analyst Steinbeiser said that may help with some anti-government groups, "but when it comes to terrorism, I think the terrorists are after something different.” He argued that “they want the destabilization of Yemen and I think that the only way for the government to do that [counter them] is militarily."

Earlier this month, the United States was reported to have taken the highly unusual step of authorizing the killing of an American citizen abroad, the Yemen-based radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki who is believed to be involved in terrorist attacks.

NATO says a senior Taliban commander and two advisers in northern Afghanistan were killed in an air strike Monday. The insurgents were driving through the desert northeast of Kunduz City when they were hit by precision air fire.

NATO says the Taliban commander was responsible for all aspects of military operations in Kunduz province.

In southern Afghanistan, police say two civilians have been killed by two explosions that went off within a minute of each other as a police convoy passed by.

Kandahar's deputy provincial police chief Fazel Ahmad Sherzad said his car was the target of Monday's blasts, but he was not in the vehicle at the time. He said the blasts were caused by a roadside bomb and a motorbike packed with explosives.

Kandahar is the largest city in southern Afghanistan, and is a militant stronghold. A U.S.-led operation planned for later this year aims to clear Kandahar of Taliban fighters. U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, in part to back up the Kandahar offensive.

The operation will be a critical test of the Obama administration's Afghan strategy.

An Israeli official says an Iranian academic with ties to Iran's nuclear program has requested asylum in Israel. Israeli Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara said Saturday the Iranian academic is awaiting a decision on the asylum request in a country "friendly" to Israel. Kara did not identify the academic or the country. He said Israel will do all it can to help people who want to remove what he called the strategic and nuclear threat posed by Iran. Israel, the United States and other Western nations accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful. The Washington Post quotes U.S. officials as saying a growing number of Iranian nuclear experts are defecting or leaking information to the West about Iran's nuclear program. In a report published Sunday, the newspaper quotes current and former officials in the United States and Europe as saying some of the most significant new material has come from scientists and others with access to Iran's military programs. The Washington Post says U.S. officials have acknowledged that Iranian nuclear physicist Shahram Amiri defected to the West after disappearing on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last June. Israel says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence because Iranian leaders have called for Israel's destruction. Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed nation in the region, but it refuses to confirm or deny possession of a nuclear arsenal. Former Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu appealed to President Barack Obama to set him free from an Israeli jail since he wants to rid the world of nuclear weapons. The nuclear whistleblower has completed his full 18-year prison sentence for leaking classified information about Israel's nuclear capacity to the London-based Sunday Times in 1986. Israel still bans Vanunu from speaking to the foreign press and others as a condition for his release from jail.

The World Bank announced its passage on Sunday of what it calls a "historic" package of reforms at the end of key meetings of global finance leaders. The package includes a massive increase in capital for the institution, its first in 20 years, and an increase in voting rights of China and other developing and emerging nations. Greece's debt crisis was also discussed at the World Bank and at the International Monetary Fund, or IMF.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick said the package that was approved during the past few days dynamically changes the group. He said it was a first time in the history of the now-186 nation lending institution that voting power was adjusted, while asking for a capital increase.

"It was an ambitious combination - some said too ambitious. But we worked hard with our member states to demonstrate our value added to forge a deal that meets mutual interests," he said. "This is modern multilateralism at work."

The World Bank agreed to raise its lending resources by more than $86 billion at a time when the world is still recovering from an economic downturn. Zoellick said that more than half of the increase will come from developing countries.

"The additional capital means that we will no longer face the possibility that we would have to cut back our lending later this year," said Zoellick. "We came into this crisis well capitalized. We have provided a record $105 billion in financial support since the crisis began to bite in 2008."

Speaking after a meeting of the bank's policy-setting Development Committee, Zoellick said the World Bank also took a significant step by increasing the voting rights of developing countries to more than 47 percent.

"The endorsement of the shift in voting power is crucial for the Bank's legitimacy. It recognizes that we need to consign outdated concepts like 'Third World' to the history books," he said. "Today, the world is moving towards a fast new evolving, multipolar world economy."

The move puts China's influence at the bank above several Western powers, making it third - behind the United States and Japan.

The dominance of the United States and the major European nations in the bank's decisions has long been a source of criticism from countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China.

Political scientist Martin Edwards at Seton Hall University in New Jersey says the shift in voting rights reflects the changing distribution of economic power in the world.

"Obviously, China's rise has been something that people are talking about," he said. "China gave $50 billion to the IMF this year. It is tough to think about China as a developing country. They are increasingly becoming a part of global governance."

But Edwards says it is unclear what China might seek to achieve with its influence.

"Their priorities for World Bank operations are going to be reflective more of how their society is made up. So that is to say that the Chinese would favor loans and loan programs to countries that were a little more statist," he said.

The World Bank's effort to boost the influence of developing countries in its operations was a key goal set forth by leaders of the Group of 20 nations last September. Analysts say the World Bank move could set a precedent for changes at the International Monetary Fund. The IMF was unable to reach an agreement on voting rights changes during its meetings on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Greek debt crisis remained a key topic on the sidelines of talks at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund here in Washington.

Speaking at a news conference at IMF headquarters on Sunday, Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou expressed confidence that Athens will receive international financial aid in time to avoid defaulting on its debt next month.

"I think early May is a good ball-park figure. I do not want to give a particular date," he said. "We all know that these negotiations take weeks. We are working very fast."

Papaconstantinou said the loan package framework has strong conditions to help reassure European and IMF lenders, as well as fiscal measures to reassure Greek citizens that efforts are being made to end the country's financial crisis.

The Greek finance minister downplayed concerns that some European Union members were not fully supportive of the loan package and quickly responded to a question about what Greece might do if the loan is not approved.

"There is no if. The support mechanism will be ready during the month of May. And there is absolutely no one in Europe or outside it that has a different opinion to this," said Papaconstantinou.

Greece has accumulated more than $400 billion in public debt. The country is seeking emergency loans of about $40 billion from European countries and more than $13 billion from the IMF.

IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn says everyone trying to help Greece understands the "need for speed."

Officials in Europe and at the International Monetary Fund have made it clear to Greece that their support is contingent on Athens' efforts to put its fiscal house in order.

Greece has agreed to begin an austerity program that cuts salaries and freezes pensions for civil servants, and raises taxes. That program has triggered massive street protests and labor strikes in Greece.

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has ruled out a compromise offer by anti-government protest leaders for parliament to be dissolved with elections to be held in 90 days. In a televised address Sunday, with army chief General Anupong Paochinda at his side, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dismissed an offer by the anti-government protesters for parliament to be dissolved in 30 days. He said such issues could not be resolved in such a short period of time. Mr. Abhisit said the government stood by an offer made during earlier talks with the anti-government United Democratic Front against Dictatorship for the house to be dissolved within the next nine months. In reaction, the UDD maintained an earlier call for parliament to be dissolved immediately. The UDD also withdrew from any further negotiations with the government. UDD leaders have repeatedly warned supporters rallying in central Bangkok's retail and business area of the threat of a new government crackdown. General Anupong said a crackdown was not expected to solve the current problems, which, he said, called for a political solution. A Thai Army spokesman dismissed reports the use of force had been ruled out as an option to end rallies that have slowly paralyzed key business areas of the city. The on-going crisis has led to growing numbers of pro-government rallies. Amnat Ngamturiodo, a governments supporter, said both sides needed to step back to ease rising tensions. "Right now our Thai (nation is) breaking into groups and they have a lot of different ideas and they did not listen to each other so it takes time for us to calm down and set up the (new) parliament," Amnat said. The UDD-led protests are largely supporting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup and fled overseas to avoid a two year jail term for corruption. Thailand is facing its most severe political crisis in almost 20 years with the anti-government rallies stoking deep social and political divisions. The UDD claims Mr. Abhisit's government is without legitimacy after two pro-Thaksin administrations were ruled out by court decisions. Mr. Abhisit said he will step aside if he is unable to find a solution.

South Korea's defense minister says a torpedo was the likely cause of an explosion that sank a warship near the tense border with North Korea last month.

Defense Minister Kim Tae-young told reporters Sunday that he believes a bubble jet effect caused by a heavy torpedo is the most likely cause of the disaster.

A bubble jet is a powerful shock wave and high-pressure gas bubble resulting from an explosive device detonating beneath a vessel.

Kim was also quoted by the French news agency as saying "various other possibilities are also under review."

Investigators say there is evidence that the 1,200-ton Cheonan patrol ship exploded because of a strong impact from the outside. Seoul has refrained from blaming Pyongyang for the incident until its experts carry out a thorough investigation. Pyongyang has denied any involvement.

South Korea raised the front section of the warship with a large crane Saturday.

A body was found inside the recovered section, bringing the official death toll to 40. Six sailors remain missing and are believed dead. The coast guard rescued 58 crew members from waters near the blast site.

There were 104 sailors on board the ship when it exploded and sank March 26 during a regular patrol in the waters near the disputed border with North Korea.

North Korea Saturday warned the United States and South Korea that it will employ "all means, including the nuclear deterrent" if they intrude into its territory. The state-run Korean Central News Agency quotes army chief Ri Yong-Ho as saying North Korea's armed forces are "fully ready to frustrate any provocation of the aggressors at a single blow."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday urged Pyongyang not to "engage in provocative actions," and said she hopes there is no "miscalculation" or action that could lead to conflict.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.