Photo of the Day: Zimbabwe Money Laundering

It took the adoption of U.S. currency to "stabilize" Zimbabwe's collapsed economy and the locals have taken a unique approach to keeping their greenbacks clean.

The washing machine cycle takes about 45 minutes -- and George Washington comes out much cleaner in the Zimbabwe-style laundering of dirty money.

Low-denomination U.S bank notes change hands until they fall apart here in Africa, and the bills are routinely carried in underwear and shoes through crime-ridden slums.

Some have become almost too smelly to handle, so Zimbabweans have taken to putting their $1 bills through the spin cycle and hanging them up to dry with clothes pins alongside sheets and items of clothing.

It's the best solution -- apart from rubber gloves or disinfectant wipes -- in a continent where the U.S. dollar has long been the currency of choice and where the lifespan of a dollar far exceeds what the U.S. Federal Reserve intends.

Zimbabwe's coalition government officially declared the U.S. dollar legal tender last year to eradicate world record inflation of billions of percent in the local Zimbabwe dollar as the economy collapsed.

The U.S. Federal Reserve destroys about 7,000 tons of worn-out money every year. It says the average $1 bill circulates in the United States for about 20 months -- nowhere near its African life span of many years.

Larger denominations coming in through banks and formal import and export trade are less soiled.

But among Africa's poor, the $1, $2, $5 and $10 bills are the most sought after. Dirty $1 bills can remain in circulation at rural markets, bus parks and beer halls almost indefinitely, or at least until they finally disintegrate.

Still, banks and most businesses in Zimbabwe do not accept torn, Scotch-taped, scorched, defaced, exceptionally dirty or otherwise damaged U.S. notes.

Zimbabweans say the U.S. notes do best with gentle hand-washing in warm water. But at a laundry and dry cleaner in eastern Harare, a machine cycle does little harm either to the cotton-weave type of paper. Locals say chemical "dry cleaning" is not recommended -- it fades the color of the famed greenback.

Laundry worker Alex Mupondi said customers asked him to try machine-washing a selection of bills and the result impressed him.

Irony: Mugabe Urges End to Violence He Promoted

This racist goon obviously doesn't see the irony in urging people to stop the act of political violence which have been a cornerstone of his regime of terror.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe made an unprecedented appeal for an end to politically and racially driven violence in Zimbabwe, as the nation marked 30 years of independence.

"The leadership of the inclusive government urges you to desist from any acts of violence that will cause harm to others and become a blight on our society," he told a ceremony in Harare marking the anniversary.

"As Zimbabweans, we need to foster an environment of tolerance and treating each other with dignity and respect irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, tribe, political or religious affiliation."

Yeah, except for all you white farmers whose land we've stolen.

It was the first time Mr Mugabe had ever issued such a call for non-violence, in a nation that has been wracked by political turmoil through much of its recent history.

I think it's a bit late for that, Bob.

Seven years ago, after he started seizing his country's white-owned farms, the former school teacher eagerly compared himself to Adolf Hitler.

Speaking at the funeral of Chenjerai Hunzvi, a thuggish Cabinet minister who led the "war veterans" group that spearheaded violent seizures of white-owned farms, Mr. Mugabe noted Mr. Hunzvi had adopted the nickname "Hitler" because he admired the Nazi dictator's use of force and despised the British.

"I am still the Hitler of the time," Mr. Mugabe boasted.

"This Hitler has only one objective: justice for his people, sovereignty for his people, recognition of the independence of his people and their rights over their resources."

"If that is Hitler, then let me be Hitler tenfold," he went on. "Ten times, that is what we stand for."

In fact, after 30 years in power, Mr. Mugabe has presided over the most dramatic collapse of any country in history since Weimar Germany.

He has turned one of the most beautiful and bountiful lands in Africa into a disaster zone that mixes corruption, mismanagement, violence and human rights violations on a scale that almost ranks alongside the genocides in Rwanda and Darfur.

Nice legacy.

Great News: We're On the Road to Becoming Zimbabwe

Such a comforting thought.

The U.S. economy will enter “hyperinflation” approaching the levels in Zimbabwe because the Federal Reserve will be reluctant to raise interest rates, investor Marc Faber said.

Prices may increase at rates “close to” Zimbabwe’s gains, Faber said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Hong Kong. Zimbabwe’s inflation rate reached 231 million percent in July, the last annual rate published by the statistics office.

“I am 100 percent sure that the U.S. will go into hyperinflation,” Faber said. “The problem with government debt growing so much is that when the time will come and the Fed should increase interest rates, they will be very reluctant to do so and so inflation will start to accelerate.”

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Charles Plosser said on May 21 inflation may rise to 2.5 percent in 2011. That exceeds the central bank officials’ long-run preferred range of 1.7 percent to 2 percent and contrasts with the concerns of some officials and economists that the economic slump may provoke a broad decline in prices.

Next thing you know, thugs will be taking over people's property. Oh wait, that's already happening.

The thug-in-chief last night told the beautiful people "you ain't seen nothing yet."

Wonderful.

"It won't be easy. There will be setbacks. It will take time."

The president conceded that his administration "had our fits and starts."

"I've made some mistakes, and I guarantee you I'll make some more," he said.

But Obama said in promising to continue to work hard, "Los Angeles, you ain't seen nothing yet."

Destroying our economy seems to be his primary goal. Of course, hoping he fails at this draws the ire of the weak-kneed among us.

Well, some of us are still willing to oppose this.

Update: Pat Dollard sends this via Twitter. It's all too real.

Simpleton Actor Discovers Plight of Zimbabwe Refugees

As another more intelligent actor once said, "Welcome to the party, pal!"

Here we have the brilliant Matt Damon finally waking from his far-left stupor and discovering that there's a little problem with Zimbabwe. Of course, there's not a peep about the racist Communist that has run the country into the ground. I'm sure if given enough time Damon would blame this on capitalism, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan or Sarah Palin, in no particular order.

The Hollywood actor visited refugee centers in Musina on the South African border with Zimbabwe as part of his work with the human rights organization he started with a number of other celebrities.

An estimated 3 million Zimbabweans have fled the economic collapse and dire humanitarian conditions in their country for South Africa.

Damon said in an exclusive interview with the AP Tuesday that he was "shocked and saddened" by the plight of the people he had spoken to. He said conditions were "untenable" and called on international and regional leaders to take action.

He's clearly unaware "international and regional leaders" have been trying to do something about Zimbabwe for many years, to no avail.

But hey, let's give the imbecile credit for properly using untenable in a sentence. That's what we call progress. Maybe some day he'll find out white farmers have been driven from their land by black racists. Imagine his shock when someone teaches him about that. Maybe he'll read about it in a book some day.

Meanwhile, some idiot is so moved by Damon's sudden awareness, there's already a call on him to run for public office.

Seriously.

We always thought it would be Ben Affleck who’d run for public office…but will BFF Matt Damon beat him to it? If Florida Progressive Coalition blogger and Internet radio host Mark Weaver could wave his liberal magic wand, the answer would be yes.

Weaver argues Damon’s voice would be welcome on foreign policy, particularly in the debate over how America should handle conflicts in the Middle East. The actor is also electable, he says. “He’s smarter (Harvard) than Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger (and to my knowledge does not have a naked picture published in a body building magazine with his body all oiled up) and has been involved in numerous humanitarian civic causes,” Weaver writes.

He's smarter than Ronald Reagan.

OK.

'It’s Shocking and Obscene'

It seems Robert Mugabe is doing his best impersonation of an American Democrat: Living large on the public dime. The only difference is he's skipping the pork and going straight for the lobster, shrimp and caviar.

What a world.

It is the 85th birthday of President Mugabe this month and the zealots of his Zanu (PF) party are determined that it should be an occasion that their great leader will never forget.

In recent days they have been out soliciting “donations” from corporate Zimbabwe and have drawn up a wish list that is scarcely credible in a land where seven million citizens survive on international food aid, 94 per cent are jobless and cholera rampages through a population debilitated by hunger.

The list includes 2,000 bottles of champagne (Moët & Chandon or ’61 Bollinger preferred); 8,000 lobsters; 100kg of prawns; 4,000 portions of caviar; 8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates; 3,000 ducks; and much else besides. A postscript adds: “No mealie meal” — the ground corn staple on which the vast majority of Zimbabweans survived until the country’s collapse rendered even that a luxury.

Those who prefer to give in cash, not kind, are invited to send “donations” of between $45,000 and $55,000 to a US dollar bank account in the name of the 21st February Movement, a youth organisation controlled by Zanu (PF) and named after the date of the President’s birthday.

Western diplomats and aid workers were stunned when shown the list. “It’s just appalling. It’s like they are either completely oblivious to what’s happening in their country, or completely impervious and just don’t care,” said one. “It’s shocking and obscene,” said another, who noted that lobsters were unobtainable in Zimbabwe and would have to be flown in.

Grace Under Fire

Grace Mugabe that is, the wife of Zimbabwe's brutal dictator Robert Mugabe. While his country continues it's downward spiral into abject poverty and lawlessness she has managed to earn the title of First Shopper of Zimbabwe.

The picture above was taken while she was on a shopping spree in Paris.

Ever the world traveler she has now run into trouble in Hong Kong.

A Sunday Times photographer has been beaten up and punched repeatedly in the face by the wife of President Robert Mugabe.

Grace Mugabe, 43, known as the First Shopper of Zimbabwe, flew into a rage when she was spotted last week leaving the exclusive Shangri-La hotel in Hong Kong. She has been staying there with her entourage while her country endures poverty, hunger and disease.

What is the exchange rate on a Zimbabwe dollar? Her checked luggage must be quite a load.

I wonder if she shares notes with Michelle Obama.

Zimbabwe Unveils $100 Trillion Note

For all our economic woes, things could be a lot worse. Just check out the calamity that is Zimbabwe. Racist communists really know how to screw things up.

Zimbabwe's central bank says it will soon introduce a 100 trillion dollar note as the once prosperous country battles to keep pace with hyperinflation that has caused many to abandon the country's currency.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe said the new notes that includes 50 trillion, 20 trillion and 10 trillion would be released for the "convenience of the public," according to statement released Thursday.

"In a move meant to ensure that the public has access to their money from banks, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has introduced a new family of bank notes which will gradually come into circulation, starting with the 10 trillion Zimbabwe dollar," the bank said in its announcement.

The new 100 trillion dollar bill would be worth about $300 in U.S. currency. A loaf of bread in Zimbabwe now costs about 300 billion Zimbabwean dollars -- and like most commodities, the price increases every day.

Earlier this month, Zimbabwe introduced a 50 billion dollar bill as the country battles to fight cash shortages stemming from the world's highest inflation rate. The official rate was 231 million percent as of July.

The currency is in free fall, forcing traders to peg their prices to international currency to hedge against losses. The Zimbabwean dollar is facing extinction, with most traders now accepting other countries' notes, claiming that they import their products.

Amazingly, nobody has blamed Bush for this.

Zimbabwe Earns Another Dubious Record: Inflation Rate at Least 231,000,000%

Congratulations are in order for Robert Mugabe. The racist tyrant may have won his country a place in the Guinness Book of World Records by reaching an inflation rate of a staggering 231,000,000%.

Inflation reached 231 million percent a year in July, the latest month for which a figure has been announced. Economists think it is now much higher and say prices are doubling daily.

And you think we've got problems?

Per capita GDP was estimated at $200 in 2007, from nearer $900 in 1990. Zimbabwe has the world's fastest shrinking economy for a country not at war, according to the World Bank.

That $200 just doesn't buy what it used to.

ZIMBABWE’S central bank announced it was introducing $1 billion, $5 billion and $10 billion notes on Friday as the country struggles to cope with the world’s highest inflation and crippling currency shortages.

Only last Friday, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe put in circulation a $500 000 note, together with a 200 million dollar bill “for the convenience of the public”.

A week before that, the RBZ introduced a 100 million dollar bill that at the time was worth US$14. Three weeks later, it's worth less than 50 cents.

Good News: Zimbabwe Inflation Now 2.2 Million Percent

Now here are some folks who really need change. As in, do you have change for a $500,000,000 bill?

The annual rate of inflation in Zimbabwe, already the highest in the world, has hit a new record level of 2.2 million percent, the central bank's governor revealed on Wednesday.

"Statistics provided by the CSO (central statistical office) indicate that it is now at 2.2 (million percent)," Gideon Gono said in a brief address in Harare ahead of a speech by veteran President Robert Mugabe.

The figure is the first from the authorities in Zimbabwe since the announcement of the rate for February, when it was put at around 165,000 percent.

The head of the CSO, Moffat Nyoni, confirmed the figure but said it was only a rough barometer as it was based on limited data.

"We can confirm that that is the figure we have given to... users, but that is not the sort of data we would normally publish with confidence because it was not based on the sort of information we would normally use," Nyoni told AFP.

"The information was based on fewer observations than we would be confident with due to scarcities.

"However, with the information we have managed to obtain, this is the rate of inflation."

Mugabe, who was controversially re-elected for a sixth term in office last month in a ballot boycotted by the opposition, said that increasing levels of production was key to efforts to tame inflation.

"As a country our declared battle against the scourge of high inflation must be accomplished," he said.

"The more goods we have, the less demand there will be.... Once demand is satisfied, then prices will begin to fall."

The 84-year-old president, who has frequently blamed the country's economic woes on a package of targeted sanctions imposed by the West, reiterated his attack on the "illegal" measures.

Yes, always someone else' fault.

Must be racist.

Shocker: Mugabe Rigged Zimbabwe Vote

The Guardian has the video evidence. When you think about it, Mugabe really has nothing on those Chicago Democrats.

A film that graphically shows how Robert Mugabe's supporters rigged Zimbabwe's election has been smuggled out of the country by a prison officer. It is believed to be the first footage of actual ballot-rigging and comes as Zimbabwe's president faces growing international pressure.

Shepherd Yuda, 36, fled the country this week with his wife and children. He said that he hoped the film, which was made for the Guardian, would help draw further attention to the violence and corruption in Zimbabwe.

Much of the footage was shot inside the country's notorious jail system. Yuda, who has worked in the prison service for 13 years, was motivated by the intensifying violence directed towards the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the murder, two months ago, of his uncle, a MDC activist.

Initially he intended to chronicle secretly what life was like inside Zimbabwe's jails but he found himself present when a war veteran and Mugabe supporter organised the vote-rigging by getting prison officers to fill in their postal ballots in his presence.

Using a hidden camera, Yuda filmed for six days prior to last Friday's run-off election in which Mugabe claimed victory with 90% of the vote. Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader, had earlier said his party would not be participating in the run-off because of intimidation.

"I had never seen that kind of violence before," said Yuda, of the run-up to the election. "How can a government that claimed to be democratically elected kill its people, murder its people, torture its people?"

Zimbabwe Inflation Now At Least 2,000,000%

Inevitably, someone will blame this on Bush. The situation is so bad in Zimbabwe, the German company that prints paper for their bank notes agreed to stop supplying them.

A German company, facing international criticism, agreed to stop delivering bank note paper to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Critics claim the money helped prop up the government of President Robert Mugabe.

Giesecke & Devrient announced that it will stop supplying Zimbabwe with paper used to print money. The Munich company said its decision was made in response to an official request from the German government and calls for international sanctions on Zimbabwe by the European Union and United Nations.

"Our decision takes account of concerns about the worsening political situation in Zimbabwe which we had expected to improve," Karsten Ottenberg, managing director of Giesecke & Devrient said in a statement released Tuesday, July 1. "It also reflects the critical views from the international community, the government and general public."

Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic meltdown and economists say the inflation rate is at least 2 million percent.

Mugabe, under criticism for the violence leading up to last week's run-off elections, is said to be keeping himself in power by printing money to pay his ministers and supporters.

The Marxist madman has reduce their economy to a heaping bowl of mush.

They really need change.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said all the right things on the subject, but the United States cannot persuade the Africans to act against what they perceive to be their self-interest, and there is no prospect whatsoever of American--or European or any variety of multilateral-- intervention. Even America's senior Nobel Peace laureate, Jimmy Carter, has been uncharacteristically silent--and with good reason, since it was the Carter State Department, in 1978, that turned its back on the moderate Methodist bishop Abel Muzorewa, who had sought accommodation with Rhodesia's white settlers, in favor of the charismatic gunman Mugabe.

Good job, Jimmy.

A left-wing crazy actually does compare Bush with Mugabe.

Is George Bush so far removed from reality that he fails to see how vulnerable he is when he calls the ruthless and undemocratic government of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe “illegitimate”?

Mugabe has something in common with George Bush in that he has legitimacy problems on his own behalf and achieved “victories” in 2000 and 2004 amid ruthless and undemocratic practices that were aimed at African Americans.

Don't worry, my friend, the men in white jackets are coming.

Zimbabwe Stunner: Mugabe 'Wins' With 85.51% of the Vote

Oddly enough, the Newsweek and Los Angeles Times polls forecast a 100% win, but they obviously undersampled the Tsvangirai vote.

So the goon Mugabe squeezes one out.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was on Sunday declared winner of a widely condemned election in which he was the only candidate and which African observers said was scarred by violence and intimidation.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew a week ago saying a systematic campaign of violence, which killed nearly 90 of his followers, made a free and fair vote impossible. The ballot was held in defiance of world opinion.

The electoral commission said turnout was 42.37 percent, almost exactly the same as a March 29 election won by Tsvangirai. The commission had said Tsvangirai fell short of the majority needed for a first round victory.

The commission released the result of Friday's vote in less than 48 hours, compared to five weeks for the March poll.

Amazing how fast they got the tally out this time.

Sick: Mugabe Goons Break the Legs of an 11-Month-Old Baby

For all the horror stories we've been reading coming out of Zimbabwe, this is one of such unspeakable cruelty and barbarism.

These are absolutely soulless monsters.

A baby boy had both legs broken by supporters of President Robert Mugabe to punish his father for being an opposition councillor in Zimbabwe.

Blessing Mabhena, aged 11 months, was seized from a bed and flung down with force as his mother, Agnes, hid from the thugs, convinced that they were about to murder her.

She heard one of them say, “Let’s kill the baby”, before Blessing was hurled on to a bare concrete floor.

Blessing, who may never be able to walk properly, was one of the youngest victims of atrocities against the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change in the run-up to last Friday’s sham presidential election.

Nobody is safe any longer.

Obama Boldly Wades Into Zimbabwe Mess, Expresses 'Deep Concern'

A real political masterstroke here. Watch as Zimbabwe descends into such utter madness that even the UN finally condemns Robert Mugabe, then boldly step out on a limb and call for the U.S. to urge postponement of an election scheduled for Friday.

This is what we need. Clear, decisive leadership.

Welcome to the party, Senator Obama.

He even claims to have contacted Morgan Tsvangirai to express his deep concern.

Robert Mugabe obviously takes him seriously.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has vowed to press ahead with Friday's run-off presidential election despite growing international condemnation.

Speaking to supporters, he said London and Washington could "shout as loud as they like" but the vote would be held.

For what it's worth, John McCain hasn't exactly shown leadership said much himself about Zimbabwe, probably because he would have been told to stay out of their business.

The sad fact is, the entire world community has done pretty much nothing for years, and anything said now rings hollow.

Mugabe Wins!

Apparently it helps if you murder opposition supporters before a run-off.

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of a run-off election against President Robert Mugabe on Sunday, saying a free and fair poll was impossible in the current climate of violence.

Speaking only hours after his opposition Movement for Democratic Change reported its rally had been broken up by pro-Mugabe youth militia, Tsvangirai called on the United Nations and the African Union to intervene to stop "genocide" in the former British colony.

"We in the MDC have resolved that we will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process," he told reporters in Harare.

The MDC and Tsvangirai, who beat Mugabe in a March 29 vote but failed to win the absolute majority needed to avoid a second ballot, have repeatedly accused government security forces and militia of intimidation and strong-arm tactics to ensure a Mugabe victory in the June 27 poll.

Tsvangirai repeated this on Sunday, saying there was a state-sponsored plot to keep the 84-year-old Mugabe in power.

"We in the MDC cannot ask them (the voters) to cast their vote on June 27, when that vote could cost them their lives," he said.

International poll monitor James Earl Carter was unavailable for comment.

Seriously, this is an abomination. The world sits idly by while Mugabe's goons rape and murder opponents, all while Zimbabwe is in virtual economic collapse. What once was the breadbasket of Africa is now the basket-case of the world.

Leftist economic policies and brutal Communist thuggery in action.

Mugabe's Runoff Strategy: Murder All The Opposition

The world stands idly by as Communist goon Robert Mugabe unleashes his thugs against the opposition, with the latest report noting four activists have been found murdered.

FOUR Zimbabwe opposition activists have been found dead near Harare ahead of next week's presidential election, the Opposition Movement for Democratic Change said, blaming the deaths on the ruling party.

The four MDC youth members were abducted on Tuesday and their bodies were discovered in various locations in Chitungwiza, southeast of Harare, party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said.

Mr Chamisa said the MDC suspected they had been beaten after being attacked at a local councillor's residence by ZANU-PF youth supporters armed with clubs and whips.

"Now it's about 70 we've lost," Mr Chamisa said, referring to the number of opposition supporters they say have been killed since the first round of the election on March 29.

"The situation in the country is getting worse. A free and fair election is impossible."

President Robert Mugabe has blamed the MDC for mounting violence ahead of the June 27 run-off election and threatened to arrest opposition leaders over it.

Previously.

Mugabe Goons ‘Chopped up Wife' of Opponent

Lovely. The silence you hear are the world's leftists, American Democrats and the UN.

They don't care. If they do, they sure have a funny way of showing it.

Campaigners in Zimbabwe have spoken of the 'horrendous' violence used against them by supporters of the Robert Mugabe regime.

One report claimed the wife of an opposition leader had been 'chopped up' and buried after fighting the 84-year-old president's rule.

Election observers from across Africa are investigating reports of beatings and intimidation in the run-up to the 27 June election.

Marwick Khumalo, head of a 64-member Pan-African Parliament observer mission, said: 'We have heard so many horrendous stories. Now violence is at the top of the agenda of this electoral process, and that is regrettable.'

He added that independent observers had been taken to see the grave of a woman who was cut up, apparently by Mugabe supporters.

'Certain elements are indicating that there will be war,' he said. 'Beating the drums of war is not acceptable in any situation.'

Zimbabwe is going to the polls for a second time after the March presidential-election results were contested.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), led by Morgan Tsvangirai, claimed it had won more than 50 per cent of the vote against Mugabe's 43.8 per cent. But the regime authorities said that was not enough to secure a majority and called for the run-off.

Wife of Mugabe Opponent Brutally Murdered

Maybe the UN will issue a strongly worded letter after reading about this. Though I doubt such an atrocity will wake them from their permanent slumber. Besides, they have more pressing issues they're concerned with, like investigating bogus allegations of "racism" here in the United States.

Anyway, if you haven't eaten breakfast yet, be forewarned.

The wife of a Zimbabwean opposition party member has been brutally murdered in what is being labelled as one the most grotesque atrocities yet committed by Robert Mugabe’s regime.

Dadirai Chipiro, wife of Patson Chipiro who heads the Zimbabwean opposition party in Mhondoro district, had a hand cut off as well as both of her feet before a petrol bomb was thrown through her window.

The three men who pulled up outside her house were looking for her husband, who was in Harare, and left before coming back an hour later to kill her.

Her body was so badly burnt that she was not able to be properly placed in a coffin as her arm was burnt rigid.

Last Friday's killing was carried out as violence worsens in the run-off presidential elections in two weeks time.

It also follows the chilling brutality methods of Sirrra Leone rebel leader Foday Sankoh, whose trade-mark was to chop off hands and feet.

According to The Times, Mrs Chipiro, 45, a former pre-school teacher, was the second wife of a junior official of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) burnt alive by Zanu (PF) militiamen.

Pamela Pasvani, the 21-year-old pregnant wife of a local councillor in Harare was killed in a similar attack, which also claimed the life of the councillor six-year-old son.

Meanwhile local MDC supporters gathered around Mr Chipiro’s in a bid to protect him.

Mr Chipiro, 51, arrived back from Harare to find his three brick huts on fire.

“I was trying to put the fire out,” he said. “I thought my wife was hiding in the bushes.”

The Times said his four-year-old nephew, Admire, heard him calling her. “He ran to me. He said, ‘Auntie has been beaten and they threw her in the fire’.”

Just sickening.

Where are the alleged black leaders around the world to condemn this?

Al Sharpton? Silent.

Jesse Jackson? Silent.

Nelson Mandela? Silent.

Kofi Annan? Silent.

Barack Obama? Uhhh, um, silent.

Meanwhile, the Mugabe goon-squad today arrested the MDC secretary general.

Will Jimmy Carter be monitoring the sham run-off election June 27?

No Hope For Change in Zimbabwe

Perhaps Barack 'Icarus' Obama can have some dialogue with his fellow traveler and ask him why he's arresting political opponents. After all, it's the candidate of change who's been arrested.

And isn't it all about change?

ZIMBABWE'S opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been detained by police at a roadblock while campaigning in a run-off presidential vote, according to his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

"We are currently held up. They are saying there's a commanding officer whom we should wait for," Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, said.

"They are not saying why they are holding us up. It's not an arrest but illegal detention. It appears they want to disrupt our campaign program."

Mr Tsvangirai was detained at 1000 GMT (2000 AEST). Police searched all vehicles and inspected documents.

The MDC says 50 people have been killed by President Robert Mugabe's supporters since the first round vote. Today, it said soldiers and ZANU-PF activists had beaten and threatened to shoot Zimbabweans who wanted to meet and support Mr Tsvangirai.

More from Ed Morrissey.

With Inflation at 355,000%, Ghoulish Mugabe Attends Food Summit

I'm not the only one who finds this obscene. A man who has presided over the systematic starvation of his people attends a food summit?

Hey, why not just hold the meeting in North Korea?

IT is obscene for Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to be attending a food crisis summit in Rome, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said.

Mr Mugabe has flown to Rome for the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation food security summit starting this week.

It is the first time the 84-year-old has left Zimbabwe, which was once regarded as the bread basket of Africa, since losing the first round of a presidential election in March.

He is banned from all travel to the European Union, except for UN forums.

Mr Smith said it was not right for Mr Mugabe to be at the summit.

"Frankly I regard that as obscene," he told reporters in perth.

"This is the person who has presided over the starvation of his people.

"This is the person who has used food aid in a politically motivated way.

"So Robert Mugabe turning up to a conference dealing with food security or food issues is in my view, frankly obscene."

Meanwhile, inflation in the devastated Zimbabwe is now at 355,000%. That is not a typo.

Zimbabwe is battling the world's highest inflation rate, currently at 355,000 percent. The high inflation rate has ravaged the value of any new notes within just a few weeks, a trend that has caused frequent cash shortages. The Zimbabwean dollar is currently trading at Z$650 million to the $1 USD; barely two weeks ago, it was at Z$250 million to $1 USD.

The new Z$500 million note can hardly buy a meal at the cheapest food outlet as prices start at Z$700 million and yet a farmer can buy a second-hand refrigerator with a Z$50 billion Agro Cheque.