SOUTH AFRICAN President Thabo Mbeki has told United States President George W Bush that Robert Mugabe will relinquish his leadership of Zimbabwe’s ruling party by December.

The leader of the Zimbabwe journalists union - the first prominent government critic arrested under new security laws - was freed today after the state withdrew charges against him, his lawyer said.

Zimbabwe police have arrested a correspondent for UK newspaper The Independent under new security laws.

Police today questioned a journalist who reported that President Robert Mugabe’s Government has a death list for reporters and editors it believes support Zimbabwe’s political opposition.