The major organizations monitoring the referendum on independence in Southern Sudan are releasing their findings on the voting process. Despite a few concerns, they say the voting has been a success.

The Carter Center, European Union and African Union, have all called voting in the referendum peaceful, fair and transparent. Each organization’s preliminary results were released within two days of the end of voting and do not include any observations from the ongoing counting process.

An official from north Sudan's ruling National Congress Party says the south's referendum vote on secession has been "broadly fair."

In an interview with Reuters news agency, the NPC's Ibrahim Ghandour said his party will accept the outcome of the vote, which he said will likely be for the south becoming independent.

He said the weeklong vote seems to be going smoothly and peacefully.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says southern Sudan's independence referendum will likely meet international standards on fairness of the vote.

A political drama continues to unfold in Tunisia, where thousands of demonstrators marched through the capital, Tunis, Friday demanding President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's resignation. The street protests come a day after the president sought to tamp-down the political unrest by pledging not to seek another term in office and to push through political and media reforms.

President Ben Ali's concessions appear to be a dramatic reversal of a long-standing policy of repression.

Russia's foreign minister said Thursday it is too early to begin discussions with the U.S. on further reductions in nuclear weapons.

Speaking in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) must first be ratified and fully implemented before additional weapons cuts can be discussed.

The Russian parliament is expected to hold a vote on ratifying START at the end of the month. The U.S. Senate approved the treaty in December.

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Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri says formal consultations on forming a new government are expected to begin Monday.

He commented Thursday after President Michel Suleiman asked Prime Minister Saad Hariri to lead a caretaker government, following Wednesday's collapse of the country's coalition cabinet. President Suleiman's office asked Mr. Hariri to remain in a caretaker capacity until a new cabinet is formed.

Southern Sudanese officials say they have received the 60 percent voter turnout needed to validate the region's landmark independence referendum.

Anne Itto, a senior official for the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement, made the announcement Wednesday as the fourth day of voting got underway.

Official turnout figures are the responsibility of the South Sudan Referendum Commission, which has not confirmed that the threshold has been reached.

Ivory Coast's disputed election has produced two rival presidents who head two competing governments. But only one of those leaders occupies the presidential palace. The other is in a resort hotel protected by U.N. peacekeepers. Most of the world leaders now recognize the Abidjan hotel as the country's seat of power.

With government troops surrounding the Golf Hotel, the only way civilians get in or out is by helicopter.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his group plans to accelerate its publication of secret U.S. diplomatic cables and other documents.

Assange said WikiLeak's work will continue "unabated."

He spoke to reporters outside a London court where he appeared Tuesday as part of his fight to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning on allegations of sexual misconduct.

Tuesday's hearing was mostly procedural. A full extradition hearing will take place in February.