Inflation accelerated to 42.1 percent, from 31 percent in the previous month, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency said in a statement emailed Thursday. While that’s well below the 500 billion percent the International Monetary Fund estimated it reached in 2008, there are big price discrepancies depending on whether goods are paid for electronically or with banknotes, casting doubt on the official figure.

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The southern African nation was rocked by protests this week as labor unions went on strike and people marched against massive fuel-price increases announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. DM