Hundreds of rebels penetrated the capital of Chad today, clashing with government troops and moving on the presidential palace after a three-day advance across the Central African nation, officials and witnesses said. Looting, gunfire and explosions were reported.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today met political leaders in Tanzania and pledged €170m in direct aid for the country up to 2010.

Nine opposition activists who were to be arraigned today on charges of attempted murder and illegal weapons possession all required medical attention for injuries sustained since their arrests, doctors said.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe held a crucial party meeting today on the next presidential elections, bolstered by what his media declared a diplomatic victory – persuading southern African leaders to urge the West to ease sanctions and engage in dialogue with him.

Zimbabwe’s presidential spokesman called on African leaders not to punish him for the country’s troubles, repeating Robert Mugabe’s charges that the West was to blame.

Southern African leaders will begin emergency talks in Tanzania today on the political turmoil in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s political turmoil is to top the agenda at an emergency meeting of southern Africa leaders in Tanzania.

Government opponents in Zimbabwe, bloodied and defiant after police brutally crushed fresh dissent, today vowed to drive President Robert Mugabe from office in a campaign of protest they described as “war” against the nation’s rulers.

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe said today he took “great exception” to the support given by Western nations to what he called violent opposition politics in his southern African nation.

More than 650 leaders from business, government, civil society and academia gathered in Cape Town today for the World Economic Forum on Africa.

KENYAN President Mwai Kibaki has declared food shortages ravaging parts of the east African country a "national disaster" and for the first time used the word "famine" to describe the crisis.

Jakaya Kikwete, presidential candidate for the ruling Revolutionary Party, took an early lead today in Tanzania’s third elections since multi-party politics were reintroduced in 1992.

The man widely expected to win tomorrow’s presidential elections in Tanzania collapsed while addressing thousands of supporters on the last day of campaigning today.