African goals first at G-8 summit

The Group of Eight summit has begun on the Japanese island Hokkaido. Global warming and soaring commodity prices are top agenda items at the three-day summit. But on Monday, leaders from the world's seven leading industrial nations and Russia are to begin with an outreach session with seven African rulers. At its 2005 summit in Scotland, the G-8 agreed to double aid to Africa by the year 2010. But UN and African Union figures indicate that only less than a quarter of that pledge has been transferred so far. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that the EU would channel one billion euros in unused agricultural subsidies to help African... [read full story]