Malawi ex-leader fights poll ban

Bakili Muluzi is also battling $12m corruption allegations

Malawi's former President Bakili Muluzi has mounted a legal challenge to the electoral commission's decision to bar him from running again in May's polls.

The commission said on Friday Mr Muluzi - who headed the southern African nation from 1994 to 2004 - had already had his limit of two terms.

But Mr Muluzi's lawyers say it is for the courts to rule whether he can stand again, not the electoral commission.

They argue that he can stand again, after a period out of office.

The former president says the decision is a "breach of political rights".

Fergus Lipenga, of the Malawi Electoral Commission, told the BBC News website they had received a high court summons on Monday from Mr Muluzi's legal team to explain their decision.

Malawian commentators say the constitution is not clear as to whether a citizen who has had two terms as president can, after a gap, run again.

Bingu wa Mutharika fell out with Mr Muluzi after becoming president

In an affidavit seen by AFP news agency, Mr Muluzi wrote: "I am eligible to stand as a presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections, after a lapse of one term in office when another person occupied the office of the president."

He was succeeded by the incumbent, President Bingu wa Mutharika, who is seeking re-election.

Mr Muluzi is also battling a corruption case after he was charged in February with a number of counts of graft over the alleged theft of $12m in aid money.

In the country's first multi-party poll in 1994, Mr Muluzi defeated Kamuzu Banda, who had ruled Malawi with an iron fist for three decades.

After serving two terms, Mr Muluzi handpicked Mr Mutharika to succeed him in 2004.

But the pair fell out soon afterwards and the president formed his own party.

Mr Mutharika said his former political associates were opposed to his anti-corruption drive.

Palestinian dies in Lebanon blast

A senior representative of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon has been killed in a bombing, security officials say.

Officials say Kamal Medhat of the Fatah faction was killed in a bombing outside Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Lebanon's southern port city of Sidon.

Lebanon's crowded and poorly-developed camps, housing families expelled from what became Israel in 1948, are prone to violent unrest and insecurity.

Two people were killed in a gun battle in Mieh Mieh camp on Saturday.

Details of Monday's incident are still coming in.

Conservative leads Macedonia poll

Gjorgje Ivanov will contest a run-off on 5 April

The candidate for Macedonia's ruling conservative party has taken the lead in presidential elections praised for their lack of violence.

But partial results showed Gjorgje Ivanov, of the governing VMRO-DPMNE party, had not win enough votes to avoid a 5 April run-off.

The presidential and local polls were seen as crucial to Macedonia's hopes for joining the EU and Nato.

There was tight security, with thousands of extra police deployed.

The electoral commission said voting went well during the day.

There were no reports of the kind of violence between rival ethnic Albanian parties that marred last June's parliamentary election.

"It seems that everything was in order," said EU envoy Erwan Fouere. "It was a calm and positive atmosphere."

A dispute with Greece over its name has also threatened its EU and Nato bids.

Snow

Partial results showed Mr Ivanov - the candidate of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE party - to be ahead with more than 35% of the vote.

The race for second place was between Ljubomir Frckoski, who is backed by the Social Democratic SDSM, and former Interior Minister Ljube Boskoski, who was acquitted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague last year.

This is probably the last opportunity for quite some time for the country to show that it has not only the capacity, but also the political will, to organise elections in line with international standards Erwan FouereEU envoy to Macedonia

Five other candidates are also running for the largely ceremonial presidency.

Final results were expected later on Monday.

Current President Branko Crvenkovski is not running for a second term.

Heavy snowfall prevented 134 of almost 3,000 polling stations from opening.

But Aleksandar Novakovski, head of the state electoral commission, said the affected polling stations had 12,556 voters registered - less than 1% of the total 1.8 million eligible voters.

It is expected that voting there will be repeated in two weeks.

Local polls were also being held simultaneously to elect mayors for 85 communities.

Name squabble

The three weeks of campaigning passed off mostly peacefully, with a few claims of voter intimidation.

One person was killed and several injured in ethnic Albanian areas of Macedonia during parliamentary elections in June 2008 that monitors said fell short of international standards.

More than 500 international and around 7,000 local observers have been on hand to monitor Sunday's vote.

"So far so good," US Ambassador Philip Reeker said in an initial assessment of the poll.

Mr Fouere said the vote was "the last chance not to miss the train again to EU" membership.

"This is probably the last opportunity for quite some time for the country to show that it has not only the capacity, but also the political will, to organise elections in line with international standards," he said.

Last year, Greece said it would block Macedonia from joining Nato and the EU unless it compromises over its official name.

Macedonia is also the name of a northern region of Greece.

In December 2008, Macedonia decided to take the issue of its name to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

Liverpool 5-0 Aston Villa

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer at Anfield

Gerrard was in inspirational form for Liverpool

Liverpool turned up the pressure on faltering Premier League leaders Manchester United as they swept Aston Villa aside with another goal spree at Anfield.

Steven Gerrard inevitably provided the inspiration with a hat-trick - two from the spot - as Liverpool sent out another emphatic statement of intent about their renewed title ambitions.

Rafael Benitez celebrated signing a new five-year contract by watching his side seal victory by half-time as they established a three-goal lead - building the platform for a win that leaves Liverpool in second place and just a point behind United after their shock defeat at Fulham.

Liverpool then racked up two more crucial strikes after the interval to extend their goal difference beyond United's, a factor that could become decisive in the coming weeks.

United may still have that crucial game in hand, but the huge shift in momentum since Liverpool's crushing victory at Old Trafford has all at Anfield seriously believing they can overhaul their fierce rivals in the run-in.

Dirk Kuyt started the rout early on with a close-range finish after Gerrard's free-kick was headed on to the crossbar by Xabi Alonso.

606: DEBATE What are your thoughts on the game?

Albert Riera half-volleyed home the second from keeper Pepe Reina's long clearance and Gerrard added the third before the interval.

He beat Brad Friedel with ease from the spot after Nigel Reo-Coker had fouled Riera.

With Villa despondent, Gerrard struck again from a well-worked free-kick five minutes after half-time and he sealed his treble on 65 minutes.

It was again a penalty, awarded after Friedel brought down Fernando Torres, an offence that earned Villa's unfortunate keeper a red card.

Defeats for United and Chelsea opened the door for Liverpool to really start breathing down the necks of the pace-setters, and this display was exactly what Benitez would have demanded.

Liverpool's title race looked all-but run after defeat at Middlesbrough at the end of last month, but a series of blistering displays have sent confidence surging through the ranks and re-ignited their hopes of claiming the Premier League and the Champions League.

Real Madrid and United were on the end of four-goal beatings - and here they went one better against a Villa side whose main aim of qualifying for the Champions League appears to be receding on a weekly basis.

Kuyt's goal set Liverpool on the way to victory

Liverpool, in contrast, have found a high tempo to their game that has eluded them too often this season, and despite a good Villa spell midway through the first half that saw Reina twice save well from John Carew, they were always in command.

And it was a victory that did not even require any real flashes of trademark brilliance from Torres, who was kept relatively quiet, such was Liverpool's dominance in all parts of the pitch.

Buoyed by United's setback at Craven Cottage on Saturday, Liverpool opened in the manner of a team who had seen the title come back into their sights in dramatic fashion.

It took only seven minutes for Liverpool to take the lead - and inevitably captain Gerrard was heavily involved.

Alonso glanced his swerving free-kick against the bar and Kuyt was on hand to slam the rebound past Friedel.

Villa needed to survive the predictable early assault from Liverpool, and once they did they had success with their attempts to give Carew the ammunition to cause havoc in the penalty area.

He was twice denied by important saves from Reina, first from a shot at the near post as he got on the end of Ashley Young's cross and then with a header that was turned away superbly by Liverpool's keeper.

Reina was then instrumental in Liverpool's second goal after 33 minutes that broke Villa's resolve and effectively sealed the points.

He launched a long clearance that was allowed to make its way into the Villa penalty area, where Riera lashed a half-volley high past Friedel.

And if Villa harboured any hopes of a revival they were snuffed out six minutes before the interval when Gerrard added Liverpool's third from the penalty spot.

Reo-Coker, pressed into service as an emergency right-back, was having a miserable time and he was lured into a challenge on Riera in the area that was never going to end in anything other than a spot-kick, which Gerrard duly dispatched.

Gerrard scored his second, and Liverpool's fourth, after 50 minutes when he slid a wonderfully-precise low finish beyond Friedel from Xabi Alonso's tapped free-kick.

With goal difference emerging as a real factor, The Kop urged Liverpool forward and their rampant side obliged.

Liverpool made it five after 65 minutes in a moment that summed up Villa's afternoon.

Torres raced clear and was hauled down by Friedel - although there seemed little malice in the keeper's challenge.

Referee Martin Atkinson produced the red card and substitute keeper Brad Guzan's first task was to pick Gerrard's penalty out of the net as the Liverpool captain completed his hat-trick.

Liverpool then played out time and conserved energy for battles ahead - safe in the knowledge that they had sent out another warning signal to United.

---

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa (Agger 76), Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso (Lucas 66), Gerrard (Ngog 80), Kuyt, Riera, Torres. Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Dossena, Hyypia, El Zhar.

Booked: Gerrard.

Goals: Kuyt 8, Riera 33, Gerrard 39 pen, 50, 65 pen.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Reo-Coker (Guzan 64), Cuellar, Davies, Luke Young, Milner, Petrov, Barry, Ashley Young, Heskey (Agbonlahor 58), Carew (Gardner 88). Subs Not Used: Delfouneso, Knight, Salifou, Shorey.

Sent Off: Friedel (64).

Booked: Luke Young, Gardner.

Att: 44,131

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Tibetan monks 'held after riot'

Some 93 monks have been held by Chinese police after a riot in an ethnically Tibetan town, state-run media report.

The monks were held after a crowd of at least 100 attacked a police station in Gyala township in Qinghai province on Saturday, Xinhua news agency said.

The agency quoted officials as saying policemen and government staff had been assaulted and "slightly injured".

The protest was apparently sparked after a monk detained for advocating Tibetan independence escaped from jail.

Chinese authorities said the monk fled on Saturday and was still missing.

But a Tibetan website said the monk had killed himself by jumping into a river.

Security tight for Macedonia vote

Heavy snowfall in parts of the country could disrupt the vote

Security has been tightened in Macedonia ahead of presidential and local polls seen as critical to the country's EU and Nato membership bids.

About 8,500 extra police are being deployed to avoid a repeat of violence that marred elections last year.

The EU's envoy to Macedonia said the vote was the last chance in a long time for the country to prove it could hold elections to international standards.

A dispute with Greece over its name has also threatened its EU and Nato bids.

Heavy snowfall over the weekend, especially in the north and west of the country, could disrupt the voting.

Run-off expected

According to opinion polls, Gjorgje Ivanov, of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's governing conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, has about a 10-point lead over Ljubomir Frckoski, who is backed by the Social Democratic SDSM.

Five other candidates are also running for the largely ceremonial presidency, including former Interior Minister Ljube Boskoski, who was acquitted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague last year.

This is probably the last opportunity for quite some time for the country to show that it has not only the capacity, but also the political will, to organise elections in line with international standards Erwan FouereEU envoy to Macedonia

Current President Branko Crvenkovski is not running for a second term.

Neither of the frontrunners is expected to gain the absolute majority needed to avoid a run-off vote on 5 April.

The 1.8 million eligible voters in the former Yugoslav republic will also elect the mayors of 85 communities.

The three weeks of campaigning passed off mostly peacefully, with a few claims of voter intimidation.

One person was killed and several injured in ethnic Albanian areas of Macedonia during parliamentary elections in June 2008 that monitors said fell short of international standards.

More than 500 international and around 7,000 local observers are on hand to monitor Sunday's vote.

Macedonian and European officials urged voters to carry off a peaceful election.

"We will do everything in our power in line with the law and police authority to enable the citizens to vote peacefully and without pressure," Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska said.

The EU's envoy in Skopje, Erwan Fouere, said the vote was "the last chance not to miss the train again to EU" membership.

"This is probably the last opportunity for quite some time for the country to show that it has not only the capacity, but also the political will, to organise elections in line with international standards," he said.

Last year, Greece said it would block Macedonia from joining Nato and the EU unless it compromises over its official name.

Macedonia is also the name of a northern region of Greece.

In December 2008, Macedonia decided to take the issue of its name to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

Iran demands change in US policy

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would 'observe and judge' the US

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has demanded concrete policy changes from the US as the price for new relations between the two states.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he had seen no change in America's attitude or policy, singling out US support for Israel and sanctions against Iran.

But he also said that if President Barack Obama altered the US position, Iran was prepared to follow suit.

President Obama on Thursday offered "a new beginning" in relations with Iran.

He made the offer in a video message to Iran's leaders and people seen as a dramatic break with the approach of George W Bush's administration.

Relations between Iran and the US have been strained over Tehran's nuclear activities.

BBC Iranian affairs analyst Sadeq Saba says that a minimum requirement for Iran would be a move by Washington to ease US sanctions.

'Words not enough'

Speaking to a large crowd in the holy city of Mashhad, Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran had "no experience with the new American government and the new American president".

One gesture the US administration could make would be to ease some of the sanctions on passenger aeroplanes and spare parts Cyrus, Tehran Iran views: Obama message

"We will observe them and we will judge," he said.

"If you change your attitude, we will change our attitude."

In the speech, which was carried live by Iranian television, he said Iran was yet to see such a change.

"What is the change in your policy?" he asked.

"Did you remove the sanctions? Did you stop supporting the Zionist regime? Tell us what you have changed. Change only in words is not enough."

The BBC's Sadeq Saba says the Iranian supreme leader may be acting to prevent any internal division between moderates and hardliners over how to react to President Obama's offer.

The demand for the US to withdraw support for Israel is clearly unrealistic, he says.

But any easing of bilateral sanctions or a freeze on Iranian assets could signal to Iran that the US is serious, he adds.

'Mutual respect'

Mr Obama's offer came in a direct video address to mark the Iranian New Year.

In the message, Mr Obama said he was seeking engagement with Iran that was "honest and based on mutual respect".

"My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us," he said.

The address was distributed to news outlets in Iran with subtitles in Farsi, and posted on the White House website.

Mr Obama's approach - prefigured in his inauguration speech - was seen as a clear departure from the approach of the Bush administration, which described Iran as part of the "axis of evil".

In another possible move towards engagement, the state department is said to be considering an overture in the form of a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei before the Iranian elections this summer.

Even so, a week ago Mr Obama extended sanctions against Iran for one year, saying it continued to pose a threat to US national security.

The US fears Iran's uranium enrichment programme is a cover to build atomic weapons, a charge Iranian officials deny.