World in brief

S. African government win foreseen

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - South Africans lined up at schools, churches and community centers to vote Wednesday in an election that opinion polls showed would give the ruling African National Congress a landslide victory and President Thabo Mbeki five more years to deliver the prosperity many had hoped would come with freedom.

Official results were due today in the nation's third democratic election. But anxiety about the nation's tepid economic progress took some of the celebratory edge off the ANC's projected third consecutive win. Mbeki and most of his rivals have promised to improve prospects for the millions of unemployed.

Long, snaking lines formed outside polling stations around the country, as people of all races voted together for a 400-member national assembly, which meets next week to select the president. Nine provincial assemblies also were being elected.

S. KOREA GOES TO POLLS: South Koreans voted today in tightly contested parliamentary elections that could determine the future of impeached President Roh Moo Hyun and reshape relations with the United States over policies on Iraq and North Korea.

The nationwide poll has been largely driven by last month's impeachment of Roh, the country's first since its founding in 1948. Roh is not vying for a seat, but the results are seen as a public referendum on the suspended leader's rule. Roh has pledged to resign if the progovernment Uri Party fares poorly.

RUNOFF AHEAD IN MACEDONIA: Macedonia's prime minister and a political rival garnered the most votes in presidential elections Wednesday, setting up a runoff in two weeks, according to unofficial results. The winner of the runoff will replace the late President Boris Trajkovski, who died in a plane crash.

With all of the votes tallied by the parties, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski had about 47 percent and Sasko Kedev of the opposition VMRO party was next with 38 percent.

ROME - One of nine members of the Afghan national soccer team who disappeared this week in an apparent bid for European asylum was found Wednesday on a train headed for Germany, a local news agency reported.

The 25-year-old player was handed over to Italian border police in Pontechiasso, on the Swiss border, the ANSA news agency reported. The agency did not give the player's name.

A team official notified police Monday morning that nine players were missing from their hotel in Peschiera, just outside Verona in northeastern Italy.

MUSHARRAF MAY BREAK PROMISE: President Pervez Musharraf said in an interview broadcast on Wednesday that he may break an agreement he made with opposition parties that requires him to resign as army chief by the end of the year. The plan had been praised as a step toward the restoration of full democracy in Pakistan. Musharraf accused Islamists of reneging on the agreement he reached with them.

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