Zimbabwe's former finance minister has testified that armed, masked men in uniform abducted him from his home during the military operation leading to the ousting of Robert Mugabe and held him for a week in an unidentified location.

Madonna has been given a boost in her bid to adopt a second child from Malawi - the country's Human Rights Commission has launched an investigation of the child's wellbeing at an African orphanage.

A judge today rejected Madonna’s request to adopt a second child from Malawi and said it would set a dangerous precedent to bend rules requiring that prospective parents live in the country for some period.

Zimbabwean officials threatened strong action against hundreds of white farmers defying a government order evicting them from their land, according to state media reports today.