Political news briefs

Posted by admin on Mar 21, 2007 in Volume 14 Issue 1 | 0 comments

ZIMBABWEAN OPPOSITION LEADER BEATEN BY POLICE
Zimbabwean opposition leader and head of the Movement for Democratic Change Morgan Tsvangirai and 12 others were allegedly beaten while in police custody following an anti-government protest in Zimbabwe last week. The arrest and beating of Tsvangirai drew massive international criticism. United States’ secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, and European and South African officials all condemned the continuing lack of human rights under Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe.

POLICE CLASH WITH ECUADORIAN MPs
Twenty former Ecaudorian MPs forced their way into congress last week, where they clashed with police. Tear gas was shot at them, and two of their supporters were shot and wounded. The former MPs were dismissed by the government after 57 of them tried to block a referendum proposed by President Rafael Correa, who stated that the planned referendum will go ahead on schedule. Turmoil is no stranger to Ecuador, which has seen eight presidents in the last ten years.

PUTIN AND POPE MEET FOR FIRST TIME
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin met Pope Benedict XVI for the first time during a trip to Rome. The two men discussed ways to improve the relationship between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Although the atmosphere was said to be positive, a meeting between the Pope and Patriarch Alexi II, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, is not on the agenda. However, Pope Benedict said he places great emphasis on healing rifts with the Orthodox Church.