South African Japan vows to double aid to Africa ...
Japan boosts aid to Africa ...
AU tells Zimbabwe, release results ... President Thabo Mbeki is in Zimbabwe for talks with Robert Mugabe, amid growing concern over violence ahead of next week's poll.

Mr Mbeki has mediated between Mr Mugabe and the opposition MDC, which said it expected little from the talks.

President Mugabe will face MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in a second round presidential election on 27 June.

But an African poll observer has warned he will not endorse the vote if current violence levels continued.

Marwick Khumalo, head of the Pan-African Parliamentary observers, told the BBC his team had received horrendous reports of attacks and the political environment was not conducive to a free poll.

South Africa's foreign affairs ministry said Mr Mbeki's trip on Wednesday to see Mr Mugabe in Bulawayo was part of his efforts to mediate between Zimbabwe's veteran president and Mr Tsvangirai.

The BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says this is the third time in as many months that Mr Mbeki has been to Zimbabwe, but with the presidential vote just days away, there is a growing sense of urgency with political violence has beginning to spread from the countryside to the towns.

The opposition's second in command, Tendai Biti, remains in police custody, after being arrested last Thursday.

(BBC)

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