Australia's central bank chief said the country has followed the rest of the world into a recession.

Zimbabwe’s top bank official today admitted secretly raiding private accounts for hard cash to keep the country running.

Fiji’s military ruler said today the country’s president had overthrown the constitution because appeal court judges tried to “force” the nation into elections under the old race-based voting system.

Zimbabwe’s central bank chief said today that ordinary Zimbabweans were to blame for the country’s crippling inflation.

Desperate Zimbabweans are switching to petrol coupons as a currency after hyper-inflation made a mockery of their currency.

Inflation-hit Zimbabwe has had to introduce a new bank note ten times greater than its previous largest denomination in an effort to end chronic cash shortages.

Inflation-hit Zimbabwe today unveiled new high denomination banknotes it hopes will ease chronic cash shortages.

The Zimbabwe central bank unveiled a new bank note today that doubled the value of the highest existing denomination in the fast weakening currency.

The head of the Zimbabwe state central bank acknowledged his nation is broke and said foreign currency desperately needed for fuel and spare parts was going on food imports, according to reports today.

Police in Zimbabwe today banned rallies and demonstrations across large areas of the capital Harare, citing looting and destruction of property at the weekend.

ZIMBABWE’S central bank unveiled a new bank note yesterday, double the value of the inflation-wracked nation’s largest note at 100,000 Zimbabwe dollars – worth around €0.75.

Zimbabwe’s central bank today unveiled a new bank note that was double the face value of the inflation-wracked nation’s largest note at 100,000 Zimbabwe dollars – and worth less than 75c.

South Africa’s government today said no decision had been made on a possible loan to Zimbabwe to help that country purchase electricity, food and fuel.

Paramilitary units armed with batons and tear gas patrolled Harare’s main roads today as police said they would tolerate no more protests against their crackdown on street trading – the only livelihood for thousands in Zimbabwe’s shattered economy.

Financial authorities in Zimbabwe closed down a private bank today – the seventh bank to be shut in the country’s troubled financial sector this year.

Zimbabwe’s official inflation rate dropped to 149.3% last month, down from 209% in October, the state Central Statistical Office said today.

Having been here now for two weeks, I have been able to form a good idea of the Australian way of life.

President Robert Mugabe has by-passed Zimbabwe’s parliament to ban money “hoarding” to relieve the country’s cash crisis, the state-run newspaper reported today.