Harare 12 Sep (ANA) - Once the beacon of the African continent, Zimbabwe is facing its worst financial crisis in seven years, reports ALjAZEERA. The economy is shrinking, unemployment is rising and the country is running out of cash. It's struggling to pay public sector workers. The worsening economy has led to political tensions and anti-government protests. Demonstrators accuse the government of mismanagement and corruption. Some are calling for President Robert Mugabe to step down.

But the 92-year-old, who has led the country since its independence from Britain in 1980, remains defiant. He says the protests are distracting the government from improving the economy, warning that those trying to destabilise the country will face harsh consequences.(ANA)

FA/ANA/12 September 2016------