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| Zimbabwe activists' bodies found | Zimbabwe activists' bodies found |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The bodies of four opposition activists have been found near the Zimbabwe capital, after being abducted, the Movement for Democratic Change says. | The bodies of four opposition activists have been found near the Zimbabwe capital, after being abducted, the Movement for Democratic Change says. |
| An MDC spokesman accused supporters of President Robert Mugabe of being behind the deaths, ahead of next week's poll. | An MDC spokesman accused supporters of President Robert Mugabe of being behind the deaths, ahead of next week's poll. |
| The body of Harare's recently elected opposition mayor's wife has also reportedly been found, badly burnt. | The body of Harare's recently elected opposition mayor's wife has also reportedly been found, badly burnt. |
| International leaders have condemned the violence but Mr Mugabe's allies have denied any responsibility. | International leaders have condemned the violence but Mr Mugabe's allies have denied any responsibility. |
| The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have now been killed and 25,000 forced from their homes in a state-sponsored campaign of violence ahead of the 27 June presidential run-off. | The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have now been killed and 25,000 forced from their homes in a state-sponsored campaign of violence ahead of the 27 June presidential run-off. |
| For me the question that it raises is why do you even call for elections? Rwandan President Paul Kagame href="/1/hi/world/africa/7460776.stm">Diary: Militias reach town | |
| Earlier, Zimbabwe's public broadcaster ZBC said it would no longer carry campaign adverts from the MDC - a decision the opposition said it would challenge. | |
| Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa defended the move, saying international coverage favoured the MDC and never reported the ruling Zanu-PF's position. | Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa defended the move, saying international coverage favoured the MDC and never reported the ruling Zanu-PF's position. |
| Correspondents say the ban on adverts will not make a great deal of difference, as news bulletins at the state-run ZBC have always favoured Mr Mugabe, only mentioning the opposition in negative terms. | |
| There are no privately controlled radio or TV stations in Zimbabwe and only a few weekly newspapers, which most people cannot afford. | |
| Leg irons | Leg irons |
| MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti is expected in court shortly to face treason charges. | MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti is expected in court shortly to face treason charges. |
| He was arrested last week after returning from South Africa. | He was arrested last week after returning from South Africa. |
| Mr Mugabe has been campaigning across the country | |
| The MDC says his arrest is political and is seeking his release on bail. | The MDC says his arrest is political and is seeking his release on bail. |
| His court appearance on Wednesday, when he was wearing leg irons, was cut short because of a power cut in the magistrates' court. | His court appearance on Wednesday, when he was wearing leg irons, was cut short because of a power cut in the magistrates' court. |
| On Thursday, US Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice is to chair an informal UN Security Council meeting on Zimbabwe, in an attempt to maintain international political pressure. | |
| "I think that it is time for the leaders of Africa to say to President Mugabe that the people of Zimbabwe deserve a free and fair election," Ms Rice told reporters in Washington. | |
| "You cannot intimidate opponents, you cannot put opponents in jail, you cannot threaten them with charges of treason, and be respected in the international community." | |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed concern over the level of violence. | |
| But South Africa, Zimbabwe's neighbour, has been leading diplomatic attempts to resolve the situation and is opposed to the council having too much involvement. | |
| Peacekeepers | |
| South African President Thabo Mbeki met both Mr Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai separately on Wednesday. | |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | |
| South Africa says it is not for the council to resolve disputed elections. | |
| Many African leaders still see Mr Mugabe as a hero of the fight against colonialism and have been reluctant to criticise him in public. | |
| Mr Mugabe says he is still fighting Western imperialism but some African leaders have started to break ranks. | |
| "For me the question that it raises is why do you even call for elections?" Rwanda's President Paul Kagame told reporters in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, Reuters news agency reports. | |
| While Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga called for the international community to act in the way it did in Bosnia in the 1990s. | |
| "I do not think that we are going to get free and fair elections in Zimbabwe," he said. | |
| "What you need in Zimbabwe is an international peacekeeping force so that eventually proper elections can be held," he said. |