Morning News Wrap

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:11



ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has blamed the opposition for disturbances in the country, ahead of next week's run-off elections. The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been repeatedly detained during his campaign, but faced no charges. His Movement for Democratic Change party says 66 people have been killed in the election violence by ruling ZANU-PF supporters. The party has in turn called on Mugabe to be arrested, saying he is guilty of treason. Mugabe is battling to keep his 28-year hold on power in a country suffering economic collapse. Analysts say the economy has been ruined by Mugabe's policies with inflation in Zimbabwe running at 165,000%, unemployment at around 80% and food, as well as fuel, is in short supply.

Branding Zimbabwe's government a "criminal regime", British Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined U.S. President George W. Bush in urging Mugabe to allow international monitors to ensure free and fair election. They've described Mugabe as an "increasingly desperate and criminal regime" and accused him of orchestrating the violence. Observers from Western countries were barred from the first round ballot in March and are not being allowed into Zimbabwe for the run-off. The African Union and Southern African Development Community will however send teams.

MANN

British mercenary Simon Mann will go on trial in Equatorial Guinea today, over an alleged coup plot. Mann was arrested in Zimbabwe in 2004 with 70 other mercenaries and if convicted he could face the death penalty. Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema told British, Channel four that his government believes Mann was used by those who financed the operation. Mann reportedly revealed important information, something the judges might take into account when they reach sentencing.

Authorities say the British national testified that Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, knew all about the scheme to topple the Equatorial Guinea government. In November 2004, the country convicted 11 foreigners and two local men on charges of plotting. Nick Du Toit, a South African national, received the stiffest sentence of 34 years in jail.

KENYA FOOD

Soaring food prices has topped the agenda at a summit of African agricultural ministers and experts in Kenya. Representatives from over 50 member states of the African Union are attending the five-day conference organised by the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organisation. Also on the agenda is a push to improve irrigation practices as governments and experts try to ensure that farmers on the continent are less reliant on increasingly erratic rainfall. The conference is held every two years. But this time it's expected to follow up on resolutions made at last week's global summit in Rome. It discussed the impact of poor harvests and high fuel costs. Delegates say Africa could raise food production by up to 400% in two seasons if there is more investment and a change in farming practices.

MALI

Mali has introduced new methods to improve its milk production in an effort to turn around the country's dairy industry. Cow's milk has long been recognised as an important source of calcium and protein, both essential components in a healthy diet. But in Mali, cow's milk is actually difficult to find. The country has about seven million beef cattle with cows producing an average of only one litre of milk daily. That compares with up to 100 litres of milk a day, per cow, in the developed world. Mali imports some US$44 million worth of milk every year.

CHAD

Chad President Idriss Deby has accused the European Union military force EUFOR of ignoring rebel attacks against his soldiers. Deby's sharp criticism follows a statement from the rebels saying they seized the eastern town of Biltine. EUFOR has a United Nations mandate to protect nearly half a million civilian refugees in Chad. The town is the third to be attacked in three days. Deby has long accused eastern neighbour Sudan of backing his rebel foes. Sudan denies this, but has accused Chad of supporting Sudanese rebels who attacked Khartoum last month. In a broadcast to the nation, the Chad leader said his government had requested protection from the international community and had been happy to receive the EU military contingent when it deployed earlier this year.