News Headlines at ALWAYSHOTNEWS.com

11/17/2008		Games v soapies
Gender bias ... whether the ultimate challenge for you comes at the end of every video game or the greatest drama is in a soapie cafe, nothing beats it when they go head to head in the home. Click here for this Ask Bossy special

11/17/2008		Agence France-Presse photos of the year
GLOBAL press agency Agence France-Presse has selected its best pictures of the year from around the world

11/17/2008		Selling sex as the new political force
THE new Sex Party vows to rid the corridors of power of wowserism, religion and prudish politicians

11/17/2008		Singer`s breakdown ends The Vines tour
THE Vines have cancelled all their upcoming shows after the deterioration of singer Craig Nicholls` mental condition

11/17/2008		Lion Nathan in $7.6bn Coke takeover bid
BREWER Lion Nathan has made an offer for Coca Cola Amatil (CCA) that values the drinks maker at around $7.61 billion

11/17/2008		Bank boss gives up multi-million bonus
US investment bank leaders give up bonuses amid anger over excessive boardroom salaries

11/17/2008		Helen Mirren sparks rape case fury
BRITISH actress Helen Mirren has sparked anger by saying female jurors are more likely to think rape victims had "asked for it", because they are sexually jealous

11/17/2008		Dictionary`s latest word is pretty `meh`
"Meh" - the expression people use when they`re bored or indifferent has earned a place in the Collins English Dictionary

11/17/2008		`Perfect storm` of wildfires still rages
HUNDREDS of homes are destroyed, thousands evacuated and cadaver dogs are searching for victims of California`s inferno

11/17/2008		Tourists stranded after Alice Springs flood
HUNDREDS of tourists have been stranded in Alice Springs after the desert town was deluged with rain

[41]

Today`s Top Picks

First photos of HMAS Sydney

FIRST pictures have been released of the wreck of HMAS Sydney which sank in 1941, with the loss of 645 lives.
Police round up foreign journalists In pictures: Wreck of the Sydney

Have Your Say

Latest Comments:

Of course the requirement for journalists to to obtain accreditation in Zimbabwe is ssooo much different from the requirement for journalists to obtain permission from the local council to cover stories in Aboriginal townships in Australia.We should be outraged about what is happening in Zimbabwe but we also need to clean up our own act.
Posted by: Nigel of NSW 9:17am today

On reading through this report; when is the international community and more-so, the Sth African government go to intervene?
Posted by: Canberra Observer of Brisbane 9:01am today

Big deal, Journalists from foreign countries trying to be law missionaries in another.
Posted by: Geoff of Sydney 8:56am today

Read all 4 comments

We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Please provide your full name. We also require a working email address - not for publication, but for verification. The location field is optional.Read our publication guidelines.

Submit your feedback here:

Search for more stories on this topic on Newstext, our news archive service. Click here

Video

Watch this Video NOW!

Behind the scenes at V Festival

NEWS.com.au chats to Duran Duran, The Presets and Queens of The Stone Age in Sydney.

Latest videos

Tools

Zimbabwe police arrest foreign journalists
Opposition offices raided, ransacked
Fears Mugabe will fight to stay in power

PARAMILITARY police in riot gear surrounded a Harare hotel early this morning arresting two foreign journalists in what is feared to be the start of a crackdown on opposition to Robert Mugabe.

Up to four journalists were removed from the building, according to a man who answered the phone at the hotel.

The Zimbabwean authorities, which barred most foreign media from covering last weekend`s polls, warned a week ago they would deal severely with any journalists who sneaked into the country and were caught operating illegally.

"I can only confirm that we have arrested two foreign journalists at York Lodge,`` national police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told Agence France-Presse.

"They are being investigated for practicing without accreditation. They were picked up early this evening and taken to police custody.``

Mr Bvudzijena gave no details on either the names or the nationality of those arrested.

New York Times correspondent Barry Bearak was one of the reporters arrested, his newspaper said.

"We do not know where he is being held, or what, if any, charges have been made against him,`` the paper`s executive editor, Bill Keller, said in a statement.

"We are making every effort to ascertain his status, to assure that he is safe and being well treated, and to secure his prompt release.``

It described Bearak as "an experienced and respected professional who has reported from many places. He won a Pulitzer prize in 2002 for his deeply affecting coverage of daily life in war-torn Afghanistan.``

Joel Simon, the executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said his organisation was alarmed that journalists had been detained.

"In light of the political situation, it is imperative that all journalists, foreign and domestic, be allowed to work freely."

"We call on authorities to immediately release all journalists currently being held.``

Opposition offices raided

Meanwhile, a top opposition official said police had raided their offices at a Harare hotel in what he called the start of a "crackdown``.

Opposition party secretary-general Tendai Biti told The Associated Press that police raided and ransacked several rooms used by the party at the downtown Meikles hotel. No one was arrested.

"Mugabe has started a crackdown,`` Mr Biti said. "It is quite clear he has unleashed a war.``

Mr Biti said the raid at the Meikles Hotel targeted "certain people ... including myself.``

Opposition Leader Morgan Tsvangirai was "safe`` but had cancelled plans for a news conference, Mr Biti said.

He said the clampdown was a sign of worse to follow, but that the opposition would not go into hiding.

"You can`t hide away from fascism. Zimbabwe is a small country. So we are not going into hiding. We are just going to have to be extra cautious,`` he said.

Election fallout

The situation is tense in the capital as Zimbabweans await to see if President Robert Mugabe has been defeated in his quest for a sixth term.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won Saturday`s presidential poll outright.

There has still been no official word on the outcome five days after the ballot, but the election commission announced overnight that the MDC had won control of parliament.

Mugabe`s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front has indicated it is gearing for a second round run-off and has called a meeting of its politburo on Friday to discuss the election outcome.

With AFP / Reuters

NEWS.com.au is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Today`s Top Picks

First photos of HMAS Sydney

FIRST pictures have been released of the wreck of HMAS Sydney which sank in 1941, with the loss of 645 lives.
Gallery In pictures: Wreck of the Sydney