US President George Bush labelled Zimbabwe’s election a sham today as G8 leaders kicked off their annual summit.

Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe joined an African summit today looking for some political legitimacy after his presidential re-election was condemned around the world.

Talks to end Kenya’s post-election crisis have reached a crucial stage amid fears of renewed violence if the two sides cannot agree soon to share power, a leading diplomat said tonight.

A political deal is expected in Kenya today after the government tentatively agreed to form a prime minister’s post for the opposition, moving the East African country a step closer to ending the deadly post-election crisis.

European and African leaders were seeking to open a new era of closer relations, but their summit closed today with squabbling over trade and human rights.

LEADERS of the African Union (AU) began mapping out plans to forge a closer federation of states at a summit in Ghana yesterday, acknowledging that the continent’s current system of governance had to improve.

The European Union presented a new development aid strategy today focused primarily on alleviating poverty in Africa, and on keeping EU member states committed to promises made to double aid to the continent.

Arab countries say that the Sudanese government needs more time to end the crisis in its troubled western Darfur region, where purportedly state-backed Arab militias are accused of killing thousands of African villagers.

THE Arab League chief pledged support for Sudan's government before an emergency meeting on the violence that has killed thousands in that country's Darfur region.