Nation Decides to Quit the Commonwealth

Zimbabwe announced it had quit the Commonwealth after the group's leaders extended a suspension imposed following a questionable election last year.

The group's 54 member nations, most of which are former British colonies, decided at a summit in Nigeria not to readmit Zimbabwe after suspending it last year on grounds that Mugabe had rigged his reelection and persecuted opponents.

Mugabe insists he won fairly, and says Western governments want to punish Zimbabwe for seizing white-owned farms and distributing them to landless blacks.