Monday, January 26, 2009
Violent protest near Zimbabwe summit venue
Police in South Africa fired rubber bullets at hundreds of people protesting outside government buildings over the crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe, injuring at least one. The protest took place around a kilometre from where Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was meeting with his southern African counterparts and his arch-rival Morgan Tsvangirai about the political impasse in his country.
MoreRegional leaders meet to tackle Zimbabwe crisis
Regional leaders will push Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and the opposition at a summit on Monday to implement a power-sharing deal and save the country from economic collapse. Mugabe will seek approval at the meeting in South Africa to form a government with or without his rivals. The veteran leader and Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), signed the agreement in September but have failed to agree on control of cabinet posts, with neither side showing any sign of compromise.
MoreZimbabwe police block rally
Zimbabwean police called off an opposition rally in their capital yesterday, prompting accusations of political interference on the eve of a regional summit on the southern African nation’s political crisis.Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa said leaders of his Movement for Democratic Change had organized the rally in Harare to update members on their position headed into the talks, set to take place in South Africa.
MoreEU tightens sanctions on Zimbabwe
The European Union has tightened its sanctions against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, EU officials have said. More than 60 individuals and firms with links to Mr Mugabe have been added to a list of those banned from travelling to the EU or doing business there. Those on the sanctions list are suspected of having links to human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
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