The Group of Eight (G-8) major industrialized nations have outlined a series of measures to help reduce world poverty, particularly in Africa, and have pledged to continue discussions on how to address climate change and other global environmental issues.

Post editor Fred M'membe yesterday refused to "co-operate" with the police in their "probe" of Edith Nawakwi's charges that "Chiluba is a thief". Two plain clothes police officers from Woodlands police station yesterday visited The Post offices to ask M'membe, deputy news editor Amos Malupenga and reporter Bivan Saluseki to report to the police station. "I have come to a point where I feel I have had enough of police harassment and abuse," M'membe said.

With a ban on diamond mining in Sierra Leone, announced 18 July, hopes abound that there will now be an end to violence. But the diamond trade is deeply entrenched and some doubt that the ban will work. A Gemini New Service correspondent reports from Kenema - in the heart of Sierra Leone's 'blood diamond' mining region.

In light of the effects of three years of drought in Kenya, the European Commission (EC) has decided to provide 3.1 million euros (about US $2.7 million) through its humanitarian aid office to support a range of actions for the drought-affected population.

Erosion along much of the Togolese coast has caused former beaches to be cemented by calcite into a crest of sedimentary rock called beachrock, Adote Blivi of Togo's Centre de Gestion Integree du Littoral et de l'Environnement (Centre for the Integrated Management of the Coast and the Environment) told IRIN.