ZIMBABWE: Defiant President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe turned 78 yesterday, vowing to resist sanctions against him and his closest aides as he lurched towards next month's presidential election, which he hopes will extend his 22-year rule.
Mr Mugabe scoffed at EU "smart sanctions" imposed this week that include a freeze on overseas assets held by him and his associates, and a travel ban to EU member states.
"They are saying that they are placing sanctions on leaders so that they don't come to Europe? What is Europe?" Mr Mugabe was quoted as saying by the state-run daily the Herald Thursday.
"What will I be wanting in Europe? We can visit other countries in Asia and Africa," Mr Mugabe told a rally in the remote district of Nkayi, 600 km west of the capital.
Mr Mugabe denies he has any assets abroad.
The sanctions were imposed on Monday after Mr Mugabe and the EU clashed over the deployment of election observers.
Mr Mugabe, who last year held a big birthday party in Victoria Falls, this year deferred celebrations until after the polls, just two-and-a-half weeks away.
"My birthday must have some subdued celebrations because of the campaigning," he said as he received a birthday cake from consumer products giant Lever Brothers at State House.
Two state-run daily newspapers, the Herald and the Chronicle, marked his birthday with special colour supplements containing feature articles and advertisements about him.
The papers ran advertisements from groups including banks, towns, the police, the air force, army and a few private firms, all congratulating Mr Mugabe. But one was from a senior opposition official, the mayor of Bulawayo.
Mr Mugabe's most serious election challenger is the Movement for Democratic Change leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, who will turn 50 on March 10th, the second and last day of the presidential polls.