Also from the Times UK, a story about the divisions of the Anglican Church in..Zimbawe. Over slightly different issues than divide their brothers and sisters here.

HE has used a combination of threats and patronage to keep military, police and party officials on his side as Zimbabwe descends into economic chaos. Now President Robert Mugabe seems intent on co-opting the church, leaving Anglicans bitterly divided.

More than half the Anglican priests from Harare, the largest diocese, have fled the country, protesting that the church has become an extension of the regime. At least 10 have sought sanctuary in Britain.

The controversy revolves around Nolbert Kunonga, the Bishop of Harare, who last year became the first Anglican priest in Africa in more than 100 years to face prosecution by his peers. The charges included preaching racial hatred.

Since his appointment in 2001 Kunonga has consistently used his pulpit at St Mary’s Cathedral to praise Mugabe and decry critics of the regime. As a reward he was given a farm and a seven-bedroomed house overlooking a lake.

Now the 56-year-old bishop has started ordaining government ministers and party officials with no theological training, including Joseph Msika, the vice-president.

Any priest who dares to speak out finds himself transferred to a remote parish and intimidated.

“Kunonga has terrorised Christians and turned the diocese into a religious branch of [the ruling] Zanu-PF,” said a priest now living in England. He asked to remain anonymous as his family is still in Harare.

So serious is the situation that Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has intervened with the Home Office to help some priests to enter Britain. “The Church of England has received and assisted clerical refugees from the diocese of Harare,” said Lambeth Palace.

Williams has broken a long silence on the matter with a statement to The Sunday Times in effect calling for the Bishop of Harare to be suspended.