Zimbabwe handed over $120 million to the International Monetary Fund to settle some of its arrears that now amount to $300 million. The government said the money came from its own resources, an indication that, according to Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa, proved the country can still manage on its own. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, however, maintained that the repayment "does not nullify or close present negotiations with South Africa" concerning a loan that seeks to save the crisis-torn nation from getting expelled from the IMF. (Source: Zimbabwe pays IMF 120 million dollars of debt backlog/Agence France-Presse)