Zimbabwe, shunned by the West, is trawling ever wider for business partners, but analysts say new deals are unlikely to yield meaningful benefits for the country. The Zimbabwe Central Bank summoned reporters to a press conference last week to attend the signing of a series of memorandums of understanding with Russian conglomerate Rusaviatrade said to be worth $300-million.

Zimbabwe's rival leaders faced fresh pressure on Thursday to mend their differences and push toward new elections.

Negotiators from Zimbabwe's opposition and ruling party are expected in SA on Tuesday for talks aimed at ending the country's political crisis.

Zimbabwe's junior information minister, Bright Matonga, and a co-accused were granted bail of Z$150-million ($148) on Wednesday following their arrest for corruption. Police detained Matonga as well as Charles Nherera, chairperson of the state-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company, late on Tuesday in the capital.

Hundreds of bodies exhumed from a disused mine in Zimbabwe have turned into fodder for President Robert Mugabe's propaganda.

Zimbabwe, shunned by the West, is trawling ever wider for business partners, but analysts say new deals are unlikely to yield meaningful benefits for the country. The Zimbabwe Central Bank summoned reporters to a press conference last week to attend the signing of a series of memorandums of understanding with Russian conglomerate Rusaviatrade said to be worth $300-million.

Zimbabwe's rival leaders faced fresh pressure on Thursday to mend their differences and push toward new elections.

Negotiators from Zimbabwe's opposition and ruling party are expected in SA on Tuesday for talks aimed at ending the country's political crisis.