World briefs 5/4/06

Chad president expected to win re-election

N'DJAMENA, Chad -- Chadians voted for president Wednesday despite no real alternatives to incumbent Idriss Deby, who rebuffed calls to delay the election in this emerging African oil exporter in favor of peace talks with rebels. Those rebels, based on the country's chaotic border with the Darfur region of Sudan, attacked the capital less than a month ago. Turnout was low in the morning, with only a handful of voters visible at polling stations. Some of the people gathered nearby said they were heeding an opposition call to boycott the vote. Deby needs a substantial turnout if his victory is to be seen as legitimate. Still, there was little doubt Deby would retain power in one of the world's poorest countries. With the opposition boycotting the polls, the only other names on the ballot were three of Deby's cronies and a minor opposition leader. Deby, who needs a massive turnout to give his re-election legitimacy, was among the first to place his vote into a clear plastic ballot box.

113 people killed in Armenian airliner crash

SOCHI, Russia -- Boats laden with bodies sailed into the palm-fringed harbor of this Russian resort Wednesday, carrying an Armenian airliner's orange tail section and the remains of some of the 113 people who died when the plane tumbled into the Black Sea. The plane went down about 2:15 a.m. in heavy rain and poor visibility as it was approaching the airport in Adler, about 12 miles south of this city wedged between the sea and soaring snowcapped mountains. Most of the dead were Armenians. Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash as divers attempted to retrieve the Airbus A-320's recorders from the deep, wave-chopped site about 3 1/2 miles offshore. A spokeswoman for the Prosecutor General's office, Nataliya Vishnyakova, dismissed the possibility of terrorism. Other officials pointed to the rough weather or pilot error as the likely cause. It is difficult even under normal conditions to land at the airport.

Nepal declares cease-fire with communist rebels

KATMANDU, Nepal -- Nepal's Cabinet declared a cease-fire with communist rebels Wednesday and will no longer designate them as a terrorist group, the deputy prime minister said. All terrorism-related charges will be dropped against the insurgents, Deputy Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli added, and he urged the rebels to open peace talks with the government. The moves came in response to a unilateral truce recently declared by the rebels after three weeks of violent protests forced King Gyanendra to yield control of the government. The Maoist rebels played a key role in the protests and appear headed for a role in the political mainstream.

Released hostages return from Iraq

BERLIN -- Two German engineers returned to Berlin on Wednesday a day after they were released unharmed following 99 days in captivity in Iraq -- a result one said "we don't take for granted." Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke stepped down from a plane at Tegel military airport. The pair appeared in good health but visibly tired, with dark circles ringing their eyes. They each spoke briefly to the news media, thanking the government for its efforts to free them, the thousands of people who held candlelight vigils for them, and their families. After their statements, they boarded a van that government officials said would take them to a private reunion with their families.

Serbian prime minister urges Mladic's surrender

BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro -- Serbia's prime minister said Wednesday a crackdown on the support network of war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic has left him "hiding all alone," and he urged the former army general to surrender. But the chief U.N. war crimes prosecutor in The Hague, Netherlands, accused Serbia of misleading her by insisting two months ago that Mladic's arrest was imminent. She said the ex-army commander is in the Belgrade region, changing apartments daily. In response to the failure to deliver Mladic to the U.N. tribunal by an April 30 deadline, the European Union said it has suspended pre-membership talks with Serbia-Montenegro.

-- From wire reports