Windhoek  - Jacob Zuma, the leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress party, on Monday reiterated his calls for a speedy solution to the political crisis in Zimbabwe as he started a two-day visit to Namibia.

Zuma is in Namibia to boost relations between the ANC and its Namibian counterpart, the former liberation-movement-turned-ruling party, SWAPO.

"We need some swift action to deal with the situation in Zimbabwe," Zuma told Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba during official talks between the ANC and SWAPO at State House in the capital Windhoek.

London  - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown held a meeting on further measures to stimulate the sluggish world economy with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in London Monday.

The so-called European Union (EU) "mini summit" followed criticism in London and Paris of the Germany's reluctance to follow up a recent massive economic bail-out package with tax-cutting measures.

But speaking before the meeting, which was to be joined by major British business leaders, Brown dismissed media reports that he had "snubbed" German Chancellor Angela Merkel by not including her in the talks.

Beirut  - A farmer in southern Lebanon displayed Monday what might be the heaviest potato in the world, local television channels reported Monay.

Khalil Semhat, from an area near the southern port city of Tyre, 85 kilometres south of Beirut, displayed the giant potato weighing 11.3 kilograms.

"I had to get help from a friend to pull it out from the ground," Semhat said.

Asked if used any fertilizer or any other chemical to produce the vegetable, Semhat said: "No."

Semhat hoped that his potato would gain an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

Beirut  - One person was killed and another wounded in a clash Monday which erupted between family members inside a Palestinian camp in southern Lebanon, Palestinian sources said.

The clash escalated into a deadly gunbattle between supporters of the opposing Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah in the small Miyeh Miyeh Palestinian camp near the southern port city of Sidon, the sources said.

During the clash, heavy machineguns, such as automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, were used, Palestinian officials said.

Brussels  - European Union foreign ministers Monday dashed Turkey's hopes of joining their club any time soon, saying Ankara had not yet approved the reforms needed to become a member.

While recalling Turkey's "strategic importance" and its success in averting a potential political crisis stemming from calls for the ruling Justice and Development Party to be banned, EU ministers expressed "regret" at Ankara's slow pace of political reform.

"The council (of ministers) recalls that the rhythm of negotiations (with the EU) continues to depend on the progress achieved by Turkey in fulfilling the required conditions," foreign ministers said in a statement.

Kiev  - A spokesman for Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Monday said a parliamentary election set for mid-December was "on hold," marking the govermnent's first official admission the vote would not be as scheduled.

"The order on the new elections has been placed on hold, but (the vote) has not been cancelled," said Iryna Bannikova, at a Kiev press conference.

Yushchenko dissolved a hung parliament in October, ordering new elections for December 15. Opponents within the administration and the legislature torpedoed the Ukrainian leader's initiative by refusing to authorize government financing for the polling, or prepare voter lists.