The leaders of Zimbabwe and Venezuela today denounced US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair as “unholy men”, and blamed the US and other developed countries for world hunger, pollution and war.

US Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill’s surprise resignation today caused a short-term shake on the markets, with the dollar sliding and equities wobbling - but the FTSE 100 Index managed to close off its lows with its head above the 4,000 mark.