Mining group Anglo American has held secret talks with Zimbabwe's opposition, that could see Anglo Platinum, its majority-owned subsidiary, regain lucrative concessions recently ceded to the regime of Robert Mugabe, the president.

In a sign of how the convulsions in Zimbabwe could affect some of the world's most coveted resources, two senior figures in the Movement for Democratic Change told the Financial Times that the party had held discussions with the mining company, which has a 76 per cent stake in Anglo Platinum.

MILLIONS of Zimbabweans face starvation after the widespread failure of the latest harvest brought on by the Government's mishandling of land redistribution, and shortages in the shops caused by hyperinflation.

The United Nations said hundreds of thousands of people required food aid immediately because they had harvested little or nothing in recent weeks.

It has warned that up to 5 million will need help in coming months

In a move that potentially puts India's elephants at risk, China was on Tuesday approved as trading partner for stockpiles of ivory from Africa by the 57th Standing Committee meeting of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) in Geneva. A decision was taken to allow 108 tonnes of ivory, from Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe to be sold to China as a possible partner; before this, Japan was approved as a trading partner, which means an auction will be held to decide which country purchases the ivory.

RUSUTSU: The leaders of top industrialised countries focused on two of the world's main concerns on Tuesday

In the face of an economic meltdown, Zimbabwe has suspended import duty on basic commodities for 90 days, with effect from May 12. The cost of imported basic commodities has sky-rocketed since

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe defended land policies blamed for devastating his country's agricultural sector, asserting at a U.N. food summit Tuesday that the West was trying to cripple the nation's economy. Mugabe's presence at a summit addressing high global food prices sparked protests from some world leaders. He is blamed for the economic collapse of a country once considered a regional breadbasket and Zimbabweans increasingly are unable to afford food and other essentials. MUGABE SLAMMED: Critics attack Zimbabwean for attending summit