Opposition leader pulls out of Zimbabwe election

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is pulling out of Friday’s presidential run-off election against President Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe because of mounting violence and intimidation against his party.

Mr Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), announced his decision at a news conference in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, today after thousands of ruling party militants blockaded the site of the opposition party’s main campaign rally.