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A crackdown on the political opposition in Zimbabwe is intensifying. The leader of the movement for democratic change was severely assaulted by police officers as he was arrested yesterday. According to activists from his party. Morgan tsvangirai and other M.D.C. Leaders were detained as they tried to get to a prayer meeting attend by tens of thousands of people opposed to president Robert Mugabe. The united states has condemned the action as brutal and unwarranted.

>> It was after violence broke out at an opposition rally last month that a government in Zimbabwe imposed a three-month ban on political meetings. Despite the threat hang over there, the opposition called a rally attended by hundreds of thousands of people. Riot police were called in and one man was shot dead. Among those being held now is Morgan tsvangiraI, leader of the movement for democratic change, along with other leading opponents of the government. It was only last month that celebrations for his 83rd birthday for Robert Mugabe, who led Zimbabwe since 1980, said he had no intentions of standing down. Last Friday Mr. TsvangiraI said Zimbabwe's economic collapse was reverberating across southern Africa. There's no doubt the country is suffering, food, including staples like bread, is in short supply. Inflation is running at 1,700% and unemployment is chronic. Mr. Mugabe's critics say the answer to the country's problems has to come from within.

>> The united states, the I.M.F., The world bank, we've all worked hard to try to create a better life for Zimbabwe people. We've all failed. Now, short of launching battalions, which I'm not sure the world is ready for, I don't see an easy change to what is happening.

>> But so far there's little sign of concerted agitation for change. Government policies, including the clearing of shantytowns leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless and the taking over of white-owned farms have left an economy straining at the seems but Mr. Mugabe still in power.

>> And later in the programme, we'll hear more about events in Zimbabwe from the commonwealth secretary-general. Now, let's take a look at the rest of this hour's main news. The united states cares deeply about the human condition. That's the message British -- president bush is carrying to got ma lA. He's had a warm welcome political leaders. He flew into Guatemala fro

thankedisombian countert uribr to drug production and it trafficking to T. Colombia wasdent bush was guarae a warm welcome from the govnome isolated quickly massive presence ests mm with violence, so 22, flooded the capital, guarding the route we and establishing random vehicle checkpoints. Relations between the two presidents couldn't be better with a great deal of mutual praise and back-slapping.

>> The Colombia government continues to make progress. It's going to earn greater confidence from all its citizens and greater respect in the international community. You've set high expectations for your nation. I appreciate your determination, and I'm proud to call you a personal friend and to call your country a strategic partner of the united states.>> Bush and uribe have a great deal in common, more than just their shared aim of fighting the drug scourge and terrorism. President bush was unequivocal in his support of Mr. Uribe who's cking his government with right-wing paramilitaries. Mr. Bush pledged to support to continue Colombia which currently receives over $600 million in aid. It remains to be seen whether the democrat-controlled congress shares president bush's enthusea. However, shadowing Mr. Bush was his regional isenezuela. While Mr. Bush was in Uruguay, Mr. Chavez was in neighbouring Argentina, calling the American president a political corpse. Then the Venezuelan premier turned up in Bolivia, insisting the U.S. Government was planning assassinations of Latin leaders and fomenting coups. It's not over yet. As president bush leaves Colombia for Guatemala, Mr. Chavez arrives inragua and is no doubt preparing a parting shot. Jeremy mcdermoH.

>> Moroccan officials say a suicide bomber has killed himself and injured three others at an internet café. The man detonated explosives hidden under his clothes. International observers have declared the presidential election in Mauritania was generally free and fair. About 70% of the electorate, approximately one million people are thought to have voted. It's the first fully democratic poll since Mauritania gained independence in 1960. A team of British diplomats has visited the site where five European tourists were kidnapped ten days ago. They went to the village in the desert afar region to the Ethiopian indirect contact with the kidnappers but hasn't commented further on their whereabouts. A 57-year-old Swiss man faces in ty charges of insulting the king. Oliver jufer was arrested after defacing 70 years in prisoners of mono,, king bhumibol adulyadej. There's no greater insult in than insulting the king.

>> Even if you were drunk attime, youce charges that could carry a total of 75 even his defence lawyer said technically under the law he cannot go to jail for less than 7.5 years for this offence. It's something Thai's take very seriously indeed. It's hard to water things down.

>> Why does the king enjoy such protctelted for a long time. It is interesting. 60 years ago when this monarch first came to the throne as aer jowng man, the monarchy didn't enjoy anything like this much even ration. The image has been very carefully cultivated over the decades. His own dedication to hard work counderside has certainly helped a great deal. The affection felt for him is genuine, but the image is also carefully managed and protected. Those Thais who perhaps do in their own minds question the future of the monarchy or whether it should be so high-profile don't dare to speak out. It's hard to know really what people think, although generally speaking the respect felt for him is strong and appears tors have released a report on the situation in the Sudanese province of Darfur. The report concludes the human rights situation in Darfur remains grave and it's highly critical of theas orchestrated large-scale violations. The report calls on the international community to act without delay to protect the people of Darfur. Dubai international hours after 14 people were slightly injured in an aircraft accident. The details are sketchy, but the Dubai civil aviation authority said the plane involved belongedsh bound for Dakar with 236 passengers and crew on board.

>> Soldieries from the 82nd airborne division of west Baghdad, one of the oldest parts

market area famous for its shrine. Just over here you have Iraqi police searching people going up towards it's a particularly sensitive site. Now, the hope is that policemen like this will eventually take over full security across Baghdad. What the Americans are doing at the moment is doing a foot very ltl but under the Baghdad security plan, they're trying t eetyoal is p army over they hope then push out the Shia militias who have essentially been running things here for several years.

>> That was Andrew north in Baghdad. He's been out and about, of course, with American soldiers as they enforce that joint u.S. And Iraqi plan to secure the capital, Baghdad, on a day when there's been yet more violence. California Ian firefighters are battling a rapidly burning bushfire that's already burned 1,000 acres on the outskirts of los angels. More than 500 homes have been evacuated. The authorities say the blaze may have been started bay vehicle fire. They're investigating whether the car was stolen and then set alight to destroy evidence.

>> Dense smoke fills the sky as the fire spreads out of control. Strong winds are fanning the flames, making the lives of firefighters all the more difficult. Errain in with hardly anyi during the winter, the brush is tinder-dry, and with temperatures soaring wellbo Celsius, hecore to wreak havoc. A wildfire on this scale in march is highly unusual. It's normally one of the wettest months o under a red flag alert, which means the risk of fires is high due to the dry conditions. Firefighters are tackling the blaze from the ground and the air. Helicopters circle overhead,ieve it all began with a vehicle fire. More thanultimillio local people are sheltering in community centres, praying they'll have homes to return to. With no end in sight to the hot weather, it could be several dayso fire is brought under control. Peter Bose, bbc news, los angels.

>> Now to the news about aston martin.

>> Interestingly, we associate with it bond, but t 1915.

>> My car.

>> Not bad, are they?

>> The bbc has learned the U.S. Carmaker Ford will announce who has won the race to take over Aston martin. The deal with will put Aston martin back into U.K. Hands after being wholly owned by ford expected to keep a 15% share in the company. The front-runner is thought to be a British motor sports from. The company said it hopes to move to the united Arab emirates to expand its business in the middle east. It has extensive operations in Saudi Arabia. Speaking of which, members of what is widely regarded as theng watchdog according to the U.K. Government this week says its decision to drop a bribery charge. Fellow mention at the organisation for economic recovery want to know why it stopped an enquiry into b.A.E. Systems, an investigation that could have affected a multibillion dollar defence contract. On that note I hand back to you.

>> Thank you very much, on thea. Stay with us here on bbc world. This programme, international condemnation afterest po commonwealth secretary-general. A Tibetan community in the mountains of southern China has pledged its loyalty to the pope, despite the overwhelming Buddhist surroundings and the Communist government's tight control of religions. James Reynolds now reports.

>> Deep inside the most populated country on earth, you can find one of the most isolated religious minorities in the world. In a village in the mountains, there is a congregation of Tibetan Catholics. They worship in their own church. Most Tibetans are Buddists, but Christian missionaries made it here in the nineteenth century.

>> They're determined to hold on to their faith. (Translated)  We would never abandon my religion no matter what. There is no conflict between us and other religions. Our religion was passed on to me by old generation, and it will be passed on next generation. It is never going to change. I hope that the younger generation can follow Catholicism as I do.  Worshippers here survived some difficult times between persecution during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960's. They still don't trust Beijing. They look instead to Rome and the Vatican.

>> ( Catholic church is home to our souls. It's our saviour and the leader of our souls. From dawn to dark, we the Catholics must help the Roman catholic church.

>> The words of one small community alot in china, Christianity is growing quickly. There may be more than 40 million worshippers. The government is suspicious of any group, any minority, which professes allegiance to anything other than the Communist party. James Reynolds, bbc news, Beijing.

>> This is bbc world. The main news thisou violence in Zimbabwe after police break up a massive opposition rally. I've been speaking to the quick secretary-general about that. Zimbabwe was thrown out of the commonwealth five years ago. He joi condemning the actions it' ironic, today being commonwealth day, when 53 countries go out and celebrate today that one of our former members should be engaged in this, but I suppose in many ways it's not unpredictable. These things have been happening for some time, and it is, obviously as you snd presumably in your eyes increasing, intensifying, getting worse.

>> Well, the intensity of these rallies has been building up recent some members of the governing party are beginning to think they canheno ic on even whatgi this has been going on for some time.

>> As you say, Zimbabwe is a former member of the commonwealth. Perhaps it would have b organisation more leverage.

>> We had leverage for a number of years, and I'm afraid we weren't able to achieve anything decide to continue the suspension, it was Mr. Mugabe who said he didn't believe the commonwealth had E. Ngnternational community can now do to put pressure on president Mugabe?

>> Well, you've seen all of them try. That's the sad thing. You know, the united states, the I.M.F., The united kingdom, the world bank, ourselves, we've all worked very hard to try and create a better life for Zimbabwe's people. We've all failed. Now, short of launching battalions, which I'm not sure the world is ready for, I don't happening.

>> Where do you believe any solution comes from? Is it internally?

>> It has to be internally. Ople are the only ones who can affect change.

>> In just und oar to Vladimir putin. Since he became president seven years ago, Moscow has become increasingly if's criticised in the death of several journalists. Let'gopondent Richard Galpin.

>> Thanks very much. Welcome to Moscow. Certainly one of the biggest criticisms of president putin and his government is they have persistently undermined democracy in the country, and the government has become increasingly authoritarian. One of the prime examples of that is a pretty serious clampdown on the country's media. With me now are two prominent journalists. We have the editor-in-chief of a tabloid newspaper and a journalist from the Russian edition of "Newsweek." Welcome to bbc world. First of all, Mikhail, do you think media freedom does still exist in Russia Y. Exist. I'm a journalist and political reporter and I write whatever I. But I would add that vayt t no influence or receive no direct orders from the Kremlin on what they do or what they do real imp what is important is that national TV operates under huge political power in Russia and I would say is the instrument, one of the main instruments of personal power of Vladimir putin.

>> Can we say the national TV channels here receive direct orders from the Kremlin about what to say?

>> We never... I think yes. I think yes. Yes. Definitely.

>> How important is television in terms of informing the public, particularly are in area?

>> You know, public interest, political interest, what people think about what is going arnd they are... they do not have shape. They are indeterminant. What national TV does, it gives that shape to political interests of people. It forms political interests.

>> So it's very important.

>> Timor, what about you. You run a daily tabloid. Do you feel under pressure from the government?

>> I don't feel any pressure. I am convinced that freedom of

exists, and I don't feel any preurrom Kremlin or from the government. In our paper we write a lot of articles...

>> Tell me this. In an election year, would you write anything seriously critical of president putin?

>> Well, we two main principles. We don't criticize residents and we don't criticise religion.

>> So you will not criticise hear interesting information, we'll check it and think about it. I can't say what we'll do the next day because the paper we decide every day immediately what to publish in our paper, but I can say president putin was elected by 70% of the Russian population. People like him, and for us, for the tabloid, it's not good to criticise a person who everybody loves. It's our position and it's what with do.

>> It's a fascinating debate. We could continue for a long time.Uch indeed for joining us here on bbc world. Back to you in London.

>> Thank you very much indeed. Stay with us here on bbc world.Ing back to brita. A controversial television drama about the treatment of German civilians at the end of the bermany. 11onleerma fled eastern Europe as victims.

>> This new TV drama breaks a long-held taboo. It deals with the plight of mill t invan e war. In the film, there are graphic scenes as women are raped by soviet soldiers and homes are destroyed.

>> The time is right for this film to be made. One cannot deny there was sure>> Csh the Nazi officers and falls in love with a French prisoner of war.

>> ( Translated ): In a film one cannot string together all the awful things that happened during the escape of people. There were rapes, children dying of hunger,. It's too much if it's

crama is an attempt to rewrite the history of the second world war. Today issg many people have demand back former property, which hasand Poland. Th berlin0easu o display in Britain. The last time they were shown in London, record numbers of people paid to see the ancient Egyptian artifacts.

>> Launched with a fan tare in 1972, the tutankhamen treasure trove arrived in London amidst almost feverish anticipation.

>> It's unquestionably the most fabulous exhibition ever mounted at a British museum.

>> And it lived g ,eckllion people eagerly of the pharaohs. It remains the most popular exhibition in the history of the British museum. There was just one thing the hordes wanted tomtufamoa ok at the other tile aio also w then weinkio noe withoutos artefact, those organisers are hoping that won't stop crowds flocking to the 02 dome to see the treasures. Is v it to England or America, it could be destroyed. It's something we cannot repeat. But the exhibit is

>> It's likely to be the last time the secrets of Tutankhamen's tomb are displayed on British soil. They're heading home to Cairo where they're expected to stay. <
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