Zim collapse in six months says BBC

Zimbabwe will collapse within six months, possibly leading to a state of emergency, says a leaked briefing report for aid workers in the country.

Rampant inflation will mean shops and services can no longer function and people would resort to barter, it said,,,

Some firms were already partly paying their workers in food, rather than money, it said.

ZIMBABWE CRISIS Inflation: 3,714% Unemployment: 80% 4m need food aid Life expectancy: 37 (men), 34 (women) Mobiles to beat fuel queues

Shops were doubling their prices twice a month, so they could purchase replacement goods.

If this continues, "doubling the current inflation for each of the seven remaining months of 2007 gives 512,000% thus the economic collapse is expected before the end of 2007," said the report, according to the AP news agency.

The security forces who have remained loyal to President Robert Mugabe were also feeling the effects.

The report said an ordinary police officer earned less than aid workers paid their domestic staff...