Harare - Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper on Saturday blamed the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai for the stalemate in negotiations for a power-sharing deal and called on President Robert Mugabe to go ahead and appoint a new cabinet.

Tsvangirai and Mugabe signed a power-sharing deal in mid-September but have failed to agree on the distribution of ministries. The MDC accuses Mugabe of grabbing all the key portfolios such as home affairs, finance, foreign affairs, information, local government and justice.

Johannesburg - Zimbabwe's prime minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai was shuttling between African capitals Friday in an attempt at winning the hearts and minds of regional leaders ahead of a crisis summit on Zimbabwe that finally promises some tough talking.

Harare, Johannesburg  - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has congratulated US president-elect Barack Obama on his election, saying he is prepared to work with the new US government to improve relations between Washington and Harare, the state-owned Herald reported Friday.

Relations between Zimbabwe and US have been strained over the past eight years as Washington and other Western powers accuse Mugabe of being responsible for Zimbabwe's political and economic meltdown.

Harare - Two leading Zimbabwean pro-democracy activists were released Thursday on bail after 21 days in prison.

Jenni Williams (46) and Magodonga Mahlangu (35), leaders of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise group, have been held in a prison in the western city of Bulawayo since October 16, when they were arrested for protesting restrictions by President Robert Mugabe on the distribution of food relief by some agencies.

Harare  - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's government promised it would repay an international donor organisation 6.5 million US dollars that was meant for the country's anti-malaria campaign but disappeared, a local newspaper reported Thursday.

The money was part of a 103-million-dollar grant from the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 28.5 million dollars of which was destined for the health ministry for prevention and treatment of malaria.

Harare- President Robert Mugabe's regime has promised it will repay an international donor organization 6.5 million US dollars that was meant for the country's anti-malaria campaign but which has mysteriously disappeared.

The money was part of a 103-million-dollar grant from the Geneva- based Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 28.5 million dollars of which was destined to the Health Ministry for prevention and treatment of malaria, the often fatal mosquito-borne disease that affects nearly 3 million Zimbabweans.