Zimbabwe protests signal growing risks for Mugabe

Street protests, national work boycotts and internet activism are on the rise in Zimbabwe -- offering hints that opposition to ageing President Robert Mugabe could be building towards a boiling point. Public shows of dissent have been rare under Mugabe's decades-long oppressive rule, but they have erupted regularly in recent months as the battered economy has ground to a virtual halt. With the 92-year-old president's health increasingly uncertain and the ruling ZANU-PF party riven by a succession battle, Zimbabwe could be heading for a period of turmoil -- and perhaps a long-awaited new chapter.

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