Zimbabwe remains out in the cold

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair's call for Zimbabwe to remain suspended from the Commonwealth was finally heeded by fellow leaders last night after days of wrangling.

An 11th-hour deal left Robert Mugabe suspended from the 54-nation group indefinitely after it was adopted at the summit in Nigeria.

It came in time to save the blushes of the prime minister who was leaving early for personal reasons despite leading the push for a hardline stance. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon will keep Zimbabwe's status under review.