Trucks of riot police drove through Zimbabwe's capital and military helicopters flew overhead Tuesday on the first day of a national strike to protest deepening economic hardships blamed on the government of President Robert Mugabe. Soldiers armed with automatic rifles stood at intersections in Harare's main industrial district where some factory gates were closed, along with several banks, shops and fast food stands. Most downtown shops were open, and commuter buses were full of passengers. Zimbabwe's main trade unions called the two-day strike to protest an economic crisis that has brought 80 percent unemployment, the world's highest inflation rate ? 1,700 percent ? and acute shortages of food, hard currency and gasoline.
See "Zimbabwe Strike Starts, Security Heavy", Agnus Shaw, San Francisco Chronicle, April 2, 2007