Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE'S much hyped sale of alluvial diamonds has become a damp squib for locals who were hoping for a windfall that would contribute significantly to the revival of the country's economy, which has been in the doldrums for over a decade.

A ROW is brewing within the inclusive government over the timing of the next elections and the level of Sadc's involvement in any such polls as regional leaders increasingly view fresh free and fair polls as the way out of Zimbabwe's decade-long political stalemate.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's sister, Bridgette, is critically ill and is admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), officials at the hospital confirmed on Saturday.

GOVERNMENT ministers who disclose information to the media on cabinet meetings and proceedings will be arrested together with offending journalists in a move calculated to stem "damaging leaks", the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has lashed out at churches that allow same-sex marriages, and said gay rights would not be included in a new constitution being written for the southern African country.

Zimbabwe has threatened to close 9,000 foreign owned firms after they ignored a deadline to submit plans on how they intend to release some of their shareholding to locals.

President Robert Mugabe's government wants the foreign owned companies with a value of over $500,000 to transfer 51 per cent of their shareholding to locals.

PRIME Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai has given up on moving into Zimbabwe House and has accepted a "lesser" house in Highlands, as President Robert Mugabe continues to hold onto both the property reserved for the head of government and State House, his official residence.

Zimbabwe House is ceremonially reserved for the prime minister, while State House is the president's residence.

The Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti, presented the Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review to Parliament yesterday.

Although the nation expected a lot from the Minister especially with respect to the debilitating liquidity challenges, it was clear that he had limited fiscal space due to the non-performance of the vote of credit (donor funds) and the inability to sell Chiadzwa diamonds.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) report that 5 independent monitors of the constitutional outreach programme were arrested Thursday evening in Chirumanzi and detained at Charandura Police Station.

A fresh turf war has emerged between Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai after the veteran ruler reversed a bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (BIPPA) signed by his former rival.

Any pretence that the coalition is working smoothly was buried this week when Robert Mugabe appointed a new Supreme Court judge and four High Court judges, without the knowledge of his MDC partners in government.

THE inclusive government is headed for another clash over an impending reshuffle in the judiciary and the re-assigning of ambassadors by President Robert Mugabe.

MDC-T, which together with MDC-M and Zanu PF formed an inclusive government last year is reportedly alarmed that Mugabe is planning another round of unilateral appointments.

A new threat has emerged to the immediate resumption of Zimbabwe-European Union re-engagement talks and this time it is not disagreements among the parties involved, but a force of nature.

A cloud of volcanic ash following the eruption of Mt Eyjafjoell in Iceland last week has covered Northern European skies and grounded airlines, scuppering the inter-ministerial team's travel plans.

NEGOTIATORS from the three political parties in the inclusive government yesterday finished the current round of talks with a mixed bag of outstanding contentious issues and agreement on a swathe of items on the agenda.

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma held brief talks last night with his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe soon after his arrival in Harare on an official visit during which he will hold critical talks with the country's bickering political leadership.