This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7492451.stm
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 10 | Version 11 |
|---|---|
| Rising costs to dominate G8 talks | Rising costs to dominate G8 talks |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Rising food and fuel prices are to top the agenda for leaders of the world's most industrialised nations who are beginning a key summit in Japan. | Rising food and fuel prices are to top the agenda for leaders of the world's most industrialised nations who are beginning a key summit in Japan. |
| The hosts had hoped climate change would be a key issue at the meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) nations but the global economy is sure to dominate. | The hosts had hoped climate change would be a key issue at the meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) nations but the global economy is sure to dominate. |
| At the opening lunch, African leaders will set out the effect price rises are having on the world's poorest people. | At the opening lunch, African leaders will set out the effect price rises are having on the world's poorest people. |
| The summit is also expected to tackle the difficult issue of Zimbabwe. | The summit is also expected to tackle the difficult issue of Zimbabwe. |
| Food focus | Food focus |
| The G8 summit is being held at a resort on the northern island of Hokkaido. | The G8 summit is being held at a resort on the northern island of Hokkaido. |
| Japan has spent a record sum of money and deployed about 20,000 police to seal off the remote lakeside town of Toyako for the three-day talks. class="" href="/1/hi/business/7489312.stm">Focus on food, fuel and finance class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7492089.stm">Japanese island locks down class="" href="/1/hi/world/7492576.stm">Charity in sanitation plea | |
| The impact on the global economy of price rises and other shocks such as the credit crunch have eclipsed other concerns, correspondents says. | |
| The BBC's political editor, Nick Robinson, who is travelling to the summit with the UK prime minister, says Gordon Brown will join other leaders in calling for the doubling of food production in Africa. | The BBC's political editor, Nick Robinson, who is travelling to the summit with the UK prime minister, says Gordon Brown will join other leaders in calling for the doubling of food production in Africa. |
| Our correspondent says the G8 may call for the creation of a panel of international experts to advise on how to predict and hopefully avoid another crisis like this. | Our correspondent says the G8 may call for the creation of a panel of international experts to advise on how to predict and hopefully avoid another crisis like this. |
| The EU has already been spelling out plans to alleviate the food crisis. | The EU has already been spelling out plans to alleviate the food crisis. |
| European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters on the sidelines of the summit the proposed 1bn euro ($1.6bn, $800m) fund to help poor farmers in developing countries would come from unused EU subsidies. The best way to help the impoverished around the world is through trade US President George W Bush class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7489993.stm">G8 summit: The key issues class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7490775.stm">Action urged on childbirth deaths | |
| The Group of Eight consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. | The Group of Eight consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. |
| They will be joined by leaders from some 15 other countries, including eight African states. | They will be joined by leaders from some 15 other countries, including eight African states. |
| As well as discussing development issues in Africa, the G8 leaders are widely expected to condemn Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election in Zimbabwe last month. | As well as discussing development issues in Africa, the G8 leaders are widely expected to condemn Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election in Zimbabwe last month. |
| As he headed to the summit, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he would discuss the crisis with African leaders there. | As he headed to the summit, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he would discuss the crisis with African leaders there. |
| Zimbabwe's political parties should "work out an arrangement so that they can really bring back democratic rules, the rule of law and peace and stability in their country", he told the French news agency AFP. | Zimbabwe's political parties should "work out an arrangement so that they can really bring back democratic rules, the rule of law and peace and stability in their country", he told the French news agency AFP. |
| Malaysia summit | Malaysia summit |
| A number of other bilateral meetings are taking place on the sidelines of the summit. | A number of other bilateral meetings are taking place on the sidelines of the summit. |
| Mr Bush, attending his last G8 summit, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, attending his first, are expected to discuss the US plan for missile defence installations in the Czech Republic and Poland. | Mr Bush, attending his last G8 summit, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, attending his first, are expected to discuss the US plan for missile defence installations in the Czech Republic and Poland. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Why not talk about stopping the wars in the world, as most of the G8 countries manufacture and supply the weapons Geoff Berry, Bolton, UKSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Why not talk about stopping the wars in the world, as most of the G8 countries manufacture and supply the weapons Geoff Berry, Bolton, UKSend us your comments |
| Mr Brown will also have talks with Mr Medvedev. Relations between the two countries have been uneasy since the Russian agent turned dissident Alexander Litvinenko was murdered in London two years ago. | Mr Brown will also have talks with Mr Medvedev. Relations between the two countries have been uneasy since the Russian agent turned dissident Alexander Litvinenko was murdered in London two years ago. |
| Meanwhile, the charity Water Aid has told the G8 that the single most effective measure it could take to prevent the deaths of millions of children in poor countries would be to build toilets and provide clean water. | Meanwhile, the charity Water Aid has told the G8 that the single most effective measure it could take to prevent the deaths of millions of children in poor countries would be to build toilets and provide clean water. |
| Hundreds of protesters again marched through Sapporo on Sunday, the city closest to the venue, on the eve of the talks to demand G8 leaders take action on global warming, poverty and rising food prices. | Hundreds of protesters again marched through Sapporo on Sunday, the city closest to the venue, on the eve of the talks to demand G8 leaders take action on global warming, poverty and rising food prices. |
| The demonstration, which followed a similar protest on Saturday, was heavily policed and ended peacefully. | The demonstration, which followed a similar protest on Saturday, was heavily policed and ended peacefully. |
| Violent anti-globalisation marches have marred past G8 meetings. | Violent anti-globalisation marches have marred past G8 meetings. |
| As the G8 got under way in Japan, leaders of the world's largest Islamic nations assembled for what is being billed as the D8 summit in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, with the issue of inflation high on the agenda there. | As the G8 got under way in Japan, leaders of the world's largest Islamic nations assembled for what is being billed as the D8 summit in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, with the issue of inflation high on the agenda there. |