Zimbabwe: Mugabe goes east and told to go home

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe failed to win the $1-billion loan he desperately needed from the Chinese government this week to buy essential imports such as food, fuel, electricity and drugs. While visiting China, he won diplomatic points against the West with a pledge from Beijing to veto any tough United Nations security council resolutions on Zimbabwe. However, China failed to prevent the council debating Mugabe's controversial campaign to "clean up" shacks and hawkers. But in cash terms, Mugabe returned largely empty-handed.