Pressure continues to mount on President Robert Mugabe as the United States of America has revealed that it will soon be imposing more sanctions against the ZANU PF regime while Zambia has once again called for tougher action against the Zimbabwean government.

On the other hand German chancellor Angelina Merkel has described the situation in Zimbabwe as disastrous and vowed to make sure that the Southern African country’s problems be discussed at the forthcoming EU – Africa summit in Lisbon, Portugal next week.

On Tuesday sources at the US embassy in Harare told The Zimbabwe Gazette that plans to broaden the sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies has reached an advanced stage.

“Like former ambassador Christopher Dell alluded to before he left we are turning up the heat on the Zimbabwean government in response to the ever escalating human rights abuses being perpetrated by Mugabe."

“There will be an expansion in the number of people on the travel ban while students who are linked to Zanu PF chefs will be deported,” said the sources.

The latest stance by the US government will most certainly be greeted with loud cheers from ordinary Zimbabweans who accuse government ministers of running down the country’s education system while paying billions to send their children to study abroad.

Speaking after a meeting with Brown the Zambian leader urged the British premier not to get tired.

“I have said the nation (Zimbabwe) faces a lot of challenges. Now, he (Brown) shouldn't get tired of speaking and he must continue until the harvest (of his efforts)."

“I appeal to Brown and the entire British nation that they should continue with their efforts until the situation in Zimbabwe has been resolved,” Mwanawasa was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, German chancellor Merkel hinted that she would bring the issue of Zimbabwe onto the table during the Lisbon summit.

We will raise criticism as may be but we will do so in the presence of everyone and everyone has the right to attend," she said soon after emerging out of a close door meeting with South Africa president Thabo Mbeki.

Although being diplomatic by publicly praising on going mediation efforts Merkel is reported to have urged the South African president whom she reportedly urged to toughen his stance on Zimbabwe.

I thank South Africa for trying to overcome a very unsatisfactory situation in Zimbabwe ... the situation is very difficult. Not to say a disastrous one which I very clearly said in our conversations," said Merkel.

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