World briefs 11/21/05

Widespread violence mars Egyptian elections

DAMANHUR, Egypt-- Widespread violence marred the second round of Egypt's parliamentary vote Sunday as opposition supporters and police clashed with knives, metal chains and Molotov cocktails, officials said. At least one person was killed and scores were wounded. The violence was in sharp contrast to the Nov. 9 first round of voting, which passed in relative peace and saw the banned opposition Muslim Brotherhood party double its representation in parliament. There are 1,706 candidates competing in 72 constituencies in this round of elections.

Tropical Storm Gamma weakens into depression

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Tropical Storm Gamma weakened into a tropical depression Sunday and drifted off Honduras after torrential downpours lashed the Central American coast, killing 14 people -- including a young family of four. Gamma, the 24th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to dissipate over the next day and was likely to miss Florida altogether. But the storm was expected to bring steady rain to northern Honduras and central Cuba as it becomes less organized, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Forecasters said Gamma's projected path would carry it south of Jamaica by Wednesday, but it might not even be a tropical cyclone by then.

Somali pirates release hijacked oil tanker

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Somali pirates have released an oil tanker that they hijacked a month ago on its way from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa, a maritime official said Sunday. The MT San Carlo is now on its way to South Africa, said Andrew Mwangura, head of the Kenyan chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program. It was not immediately clear whether a ransom was paid for the release of the Malta-registered vessel and its crew of 24, Mwangura said. Several pirate groups operate along Somalia's 1,880-mile coastline, Africa's longest.

Morocco arrests 17 in dismantled terror network

RABAT, Morocco -- Moroccan police have dismantled a terrorist network, arresting 17 people, including two former prisoners at the U.S. base in Guantanamo, Cuba, the official MAP news agency reported Sunday. At least some of the suspects were linked to al-Qaida in Iraq. Brahim Benchekroun and Mohammed Mazouz -- among five Moroccans freed from Guantanamo in August 2004 -- were among the suspects.

-- From wire reports