'Mugabe will not transfer power to the winner'

Civil and human rights groups predicted more chaos after Zimbabwe's presidential run-off takes place, saying on Tuesday they do not believe President Robert Mugabe will step down if he loses. However, it is "critical" for the election to go ahead so a winner can emerge, said Gorden Moyo, from Bulawayo Agenda.

Zim police arrest opposition supporters

Zimbabwean police have arrested 12 opposition supporters in the eastern border town of Mutare on public-violence charges, a state-run daily reported on Friday. The Herald quoted police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka as saying the activists were arrested following a tip-off from members of the public.

'We are going to liberate Somalia'

The senior leader of Somalia's Islamist opposition vowed on Wednesday to expel United States-backed Ethiopian troops by force and create an Islamic republic in the war-torn country. Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who led Somalia's Islamic Courts movement, said Mogadishu's Western-backed Transitional Federal Government was run by "traitors".

Conflicts using child soldiers drop sharply

The number of conflicts in which child soldiers were involved dropped sharply from 27 in 2004 to 17 at the end of 2007, according to a report on Tuesday by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. But despite the decline, the report said tens of thousands of children remain in the ranks of militias and other armed groups in at least 24 countries.

Egypt police shoot Sudanese migrant at Israel border

Egyptian police shot and wounded a Sudanese man to prevent him from crossing the border illegally to Israel from the Sinai peninsula on Monday, a security official said. The official, who asked not to be named, said police opened fire on the 24-year-old after he refused to comply with orders to stop.

MDC leader fears assassination, cancels return

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai will not return to Zimbabwe on Saturday, fearing an assassination attempt, an MDC spokesperson said. Tsvangirai had been expected to return home on Saturday ahead of a run-off election scheduled for June 27.

Tsvangirai to begin showdown with Mugabe

Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was to return home on Saturday bidding to deliver a knockout blow to weakened President Robert Mugabe in a run-off election scheduled for June 27. Mugabe acknowledged on Friday that he had suffered an electoral disaster in losing a first-round poll against Tsvangirai on March 29.

Tsvangirai vows to end Zim 'darkness'

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai vowed on Friday to lift his country out of the "darkness" under President Robert Mugabe and voiced confidence he will win a run-off presidential poll. The comments came shortly after his party said Tsvangirai would go home on Saturday after more than a month away following disputed elections.

Somali refugees speak of horrific war crimes

Soldiers, insurgents and bandits are routinely attacking Somalian civilians, carrying out murder, rape, and robbery on villagers, and destroying entire districts, Amnesty International said on Tuesday. Gang rape and throat cutting -- referred to locally as "killing like goats" -- is prevalent.

Amnesty: Civilians targeted in Somalia conflict

All parties in Somalia's conflict have carried out rights abuses including executions, rape and torture, Amnesty International said on Tuesday, adding there were reports Ethiopian soldiers had slit civilians' throats. Mogadishu's whole population is scarred from witnessing or suffering such abuses, it said in its 32-page report.

Mozambique cops deny 'mandate to kill' approach

Mozambican police on Wednesday denied recent accusations by Amnesty International of having a "mandate to kill" in regard to policing the country. Police spokesperson First Deputy Police Commissioner Carlos Rungo said that accusations of the police killing and torturing citizens with near total impunity were completely untrue.

Amnesty: Mozambique cops killing with impunity

Police in Mozambique are killing and torturing people with near total impunity, according to a report by Amnesty International released on Tuesday. "Police in Mozambique seem to think they have a licence to kill, and the weak police accountability system allows for this," Michelle Kagari, deputy director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme, said.

Torch supporters, protesters mark Japan relay

Crowds of Chinese students waving red flags and signs such as "One World, One Dream, One China" scuffled with pro-Tibet protesters in the latest leg of the Olympic torch relay in Japan on Saturday. Commenting on the turmoil that has bedevilled the global relay, International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge urged the West to stop hectoring China over human rights.

Ethiopia denies Amnesty mosque-killing accusations

Ethiopia criticised Amnesty International on Thursday and said the group's accusations that Ethiopian soldiers killed 21 people at a Mogadishu mosque were "lies" and "propaganda". Amnesty said on Wednesday the soldiers, who are stationed in Somalia to bolster the interim government, had also captured dozens of children.

Amnesty: Ethiopia army slit throats in Somali mosque

Amnesty International accused Ethiopian soldiers on Wednesday of killing 21 people, including an imam and several Islamic scholars, at a Mogadishu mosque and said seven of the victims had their throats slit. The rights group said the soldiers had also captured dozens of children during the raid on the al-Hidaaya mosque.

Muslim Brotherhood members jailed in Egypt

An Egyptian military court notorious for its harsh verdicts convicted on Tuesday 25 key members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood and sentenced them to up to 10 years in jail, a security official said. The charges against members of Egypt's largest opposition group included money laundering and terrorism.

Mbeki meets Mugabe ahead of summit

South African President Thabo Mbeki was to hold talks on Saturday with Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe in Harare before heading on to Lusaka for a summit on Zimbabwe's post-election crisis, an official said. Mugabe has chosen not to attend the gathering of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community.

Zim police ban rallies as summit draws close

Police have banned political rallies and the opposition has accused the authorities of waging a violent crackdown as Zimbabwe's political crisis deepens nearly two weeks after a presidential election that produced no official winner. Zimbabwe's neighbours hope to find a resolution on Saturday at an emergency summit in Zambia.

Doubts over Mugabe's summit attendance

Zimbabwe raised doubts on Friday over whether President Robert Mugabe would attend an emergency regional summit on the weekend to discuss deepening concern over a post-election deadlock in the country. Officials had earlier said Mugabe was expected to attend the Lusaka summit on Saturday of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community.

IFP takes Mbeki complaint to Amnesty International

President Thabo Mbeki is blatantly violating human rights, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) claimed in a document handed to Amnesty International on Friday. The party's chief whip, Koos van der Merwe, handed a written complaint against Mbeki to a representative of Amnesty International in Pretoria.

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