Israeli Mossad agents operating in Ethiopia in 1962 unwittingly trained Nelson Mandela in hand-to-hand combat, weaponry and sabotage, according to a document released by Israel's state archives.

A letter from a Mossad official to the foreign ministry, dated October 11, 1962 titled "THE BLACK PIMPERNEL" and released to the public on Sunday, recalls a conversation in which "we discussed a trainee in Ethiopia named David Mobasari, from Rhodesia".

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has left for an Arab-African summit in Kuwait, state media said Thursday, adding that he will also stop over in Singapore where he normally goes for medical treatment.

He flew out of the country Wednesday heading to Singapore ahead of the summit scheduled for next week.

Zimbabwe's top court has rebuked state prosecutors for abusing the country's controversial insult laws by bringing frivolous cases against critics of veteran leader Robert Mugabe, rights lawyers said Thursday.

The Constitutional Court judge Luke Malaba "admonished" the prosecution authority against "prosecuting matters in which statements were uttered in drinking halls and other social places".

More than 300 elephants and other animals have died of cyanide poisoning by poachers in Zimbabwe's largest game park, a wildlife conservation group said Monday.

"In July, around 300 elephants had died from cyanide poisoning in Hwange and were discovered by a group of hunters who flew over the area," Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force told Agence France Presse.

Zimbabwe supports calls for African states to cut ties with the International Criminal Court amid claims that the tribunal targets leaders from the continent, a government official said Friday.

"We are not for it (ICC), we do not agree with the statute," Joey Bimha, Zimbabwe's secretary for foreign affairs, told Agence France Presse.

Zimbabwe said Tuesday it had summoned the U.S. ambassador in Harare over the frisking of its foreign minister on a recent trip to the United States.

Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi was asked to go through security checks at New York's JFK airport, in an apparent denial of diplomatic privilege.

Zimbabwe's high court on Thursday ordered the release of 21 opposition activists detained for over two years in connection with the death of a police officer, their lawyer said.

"Twenty-one of the opposition activists have been acquitted by the high court for lack of evidence while seven have been put to trial," lawyer Charles Kwaramba told Agence France Presse.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe appointed a new cabinet Tuesday, retaining long-time allies and naming hardliner Emmerson Mnangagwa as justice minister.

Mnangagwa a key member of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and long-time defense minister replaced Patrick Chinamasa at the justice ministry. Chinamasa becomes finance minister.

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday urged Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to prioritize the protection of rights, following his re-election in a disputed vote.

"President Mugabe should seize this opportunity to set Zimbabwe on a path that respects rights and the democratic process," HRW's director for southern Africa Tiseke Kasambala said in a statement.

Veteran leader Robert Mugabe was sworn in as Zimbabwe's president for another five-year term Thursday before a stadium packed with tens of thousands of jubilant supporters.

Mugabe, 89, pledged "to observe, uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe" in an oath administered by Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, extending his 33-year rule.