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WORLD NEWS Saturday 11 auguSt 2018

Zimbabwe's opposition challenges election results in court

By FARAI MUTSAKA ceiving 44.3 percent.
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) "We have managed to
— Zimbabwe's main op- place before the courts all
position party on Friday the mathematical and sta-
filed a legal challenge to tistical irregularities," lawyer
the results of the country's Thabani Mpofu told journal-
first election without Rob- ists as they emerged from
ert Mugabe on the ballot, the courthouse.
alleging "gross mathemati- A copy of the filing, ob-
cal errors" and calling for a tained by The Associated
fresh vote or a declaration Press, makes several claims
that their candidate Nelson of electoral wrongdoing
Chamisa was the winner. and bias, including an in-
The filing brings more un- stance in which the elector-
certainty to a country that al commission chairwoman
had hoped the peaceful was photographed wear-
vote would begin a new ing a scarf that had be-
era but has been rocked come symbolic of Mnan-
since then by scenes of gagwa's campaign.
military in the streets and The filing says opposition
opposition supporters ha- In this Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018 file photo, Zimbabwean's main opposition candidate Nelson Chami- agents were not given the
rassed and beaten. sa speaks at a news conference in Harare, Zimbabwe. chance to sign off on elec-
The court now has 14 days Associated Press tion results as required be-
to rule, and Justice Minister fore they were announced,
Ziyambi Ziyambi said the in- Lawyers for the Movement "We have a good case gagwa and the ruling ZA- and that "the entire process
auguration, once planned for Democratic Change and cause!" Chamisa said NU-PF party won the July 30 of collating, verifying and
for Sunday for President party arrived at court less on Twitter. election, with the president counting the presidential
Emmerson Mnangagwa, is than an hour before the The Zimbabwe Electoral receiving 50.8 percent of ballots was done under a
"on hold' until then. deadline to submit papers. Commission has said Mnan- the vote and Chamisa re- cloud of secrecy."q

Russian PM strongly warns US against ramping up sanctions

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV in March to poison an ex- amount to a declaration of
Associated Press Russian spy in England. economic war," the Russian
MOSCOW (AP) — Rus- Russia has strongly denied prime minister said. "And it
sia's prime minister sternly involvement in the poison- will warrant a response with
warned the United States ings of Sergei Skripal and his economic means, political
against ramping up sanc- adult daughter. means and, if necessary,
tions, saying Friday that According to the State De- other means. Our American
Moscow would retaliate partment, the sanctions will friends should understand
with economic, political include the presumed de- that." Foreign Minister Ser-
and unspecified "other" nial of export licenses for gey Lavrov told U.S. Secre-
means. Russia to purchase many tary of State Mike Pompeo
The tough message from items with national security during a telephone call
Prime Minister Dmitry Med- implications. Friday that the new sanc-
vedev marked what the New sanctions proposals in tions were "categorically
Kremlin sees as a red line, the U.S. Congress include objectionable," according
reflecting growing dismay legislation targeting Russia's to a Russian Foreign Ministry Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev speaks during a
with announced U.S. sanc- state-controlled banks and statement. meeting in Kamchatka Peninsula region, Russian Far East,
tions that have sent the Rus- freezing their operations Medvedev's tone differed Russia, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018.
sian ruble plummeting to its in dollars — a move that considerably from the non- Associated Press
lowest level in two years. would deal a heavy blow chalant ones President
The U.S. State Depart- to the Russian economy. Vladimir Putin and his lieu- has rattled the Russian cur- sunk to their lowest level
ment said Wednesday that Medvedev warned the U.S. tenants have used when rency and stock markets. since Cold War times amid
Washington would impose that such a move would talking about Western The ruble dropped about tensions over Ukraine, the
new sanctions this month cross a red line. sanctions and downplay- 1.5 percent in Friday trad- war in Syria and the allega-
after determining this week "If something like a ban on ing their impact on the Rus- ing to 67.78 to the dollar, tions of Russian meddling
that Moscow used a mili- bank operations or cur- sian economy. its lowest level since August in the 2016 U.S. presidential
tary grade nerve agent rency use follows, it will Word of more U.S. sanctions 2016. Russia-U.S. ties have election.q