UK: Ministers axe foreign aid to half the current countries

Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, will announce next week he is axing multi-million pound schemes in almost 20 countries, including some of the poorest nations in Africa. The move follows a lengthy review of spending by the Department for International Development, that was in turn prompted by reports that huge sums of money had been wasted or simply been stolen on the ground. In response, Mr Mitchell will unveil a new system to introduce a 'cash on delivery' payments scheme when giving aid to poor countries. In one pilot scheme, schools in Ethiopia will receive £95 for every 16-...