Wishful thoughts but ...No deal

Zimbabwe's opposition leader and a government minister have denied reports that a deal have been reached for President Robert Mugabe to step down.

Morgan Tsvangirai said he believed his Movement for Democratic Change had won Saturday's election but declined to declare himself the winner. He said his party would reveal their tally of results on Wednesday.

Bright Matonga, Zanu-PF's Deputy Information Minister, also rejected reports of a deal. Parliamentary results released so far show that the MDC has 82 seats, including five for a breakaway faction of the party, against 78 for Zanu-PF, with 55 still to come.

In his first public appearance since the election, Mr. Tsvangirai told a news conference on Tuesday evening: "Let's not be influenced by speculation. There is no discussion, and therefore this is just a speculative story.

Too many hopes!