Bahrainis vote as women given more freedom

BAHRAINIS turned out in large numbers yesterday for the first national elections in a Gulf Arab state allowing women to vote and run for office.

Election officials said voting was brisk in the first legislative elections in Bahrain in nearly 30 years, despite a boycott by some Shiite Muslims who said the step toward democracy did not go far enough.

Men and women entered polling stations separately to conform with Islamic rules against mixing between the sexes.