South Africa's state-owned electricity company has stopped supplying power to neighbouring countries, triggering a major energy crisis.

Britain supposes that Thabo Mbeki, South African President, is making good progress toward hammering out a deal to hold fair elections in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has been invited to an upcoming summit between the European Union and Africa, but Portugal does not want him to attend the summit.

Demonstrators in London have held a protest against Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and urged other African countries to condemn him. The protest marks the fifth anniversary of the first rally, called the Zimbabwe Vigil. It has been held outside the Zimbabwean embassy in London every Saturday since October 2002.

The impact of HIV in Zimbabwe since the early 1980s is explored in new research published this week in the journal PNAS.

Zimbabwe has been selected to head a United Nations panel focused on sustainable development, despite strong objections from some Western nations. The Commission on Sustainable Development voted by secret ballot on Friday to approve the nomination of Francis Nhema, Harare's minster of environment and tourism, to head the panel. The vote was 26-21, with three abstentions.

The Australian government is considering legal action to stop the country's national cricket team from playing in Zimbabwe later this year. Officials are determined to stop the cricket world champions from appearing to give support to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

But international observers said that even Zimbabwe had better elections than Nigeria. So, the international community will be on tenterhooks as Nigerian masses march out Tuesday, to protest against the massively rigged elections of last April.

Roman Catholic bishops in Zimbabwe have warned President Robert Mugabe's Government there will be a revolt unless it agrees to democratic reforms. In an open letter, the bishops say the confrontation in Zimbabwe has reached a flashpoint.

Britain is asking the United Nations and African leaders to reprimand Zimbabwe for its human rights failures. Correspondent Peter Heinlein reports from U.N. headquarters in New York.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is calling on the European Union to impose tougher sanctions on Zimbabwe. Mr. Blair told parliament Wednesday that Britain plans to push the EU to widen sanctions introduced in 2002, and extend an asset freeze and travel ban on top Zimbabwean officials.