MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Leaders fly in for G8 summit

Prime Minister Tony Blair flew into Edinburgh to be whisked by helicopter to host the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

But before greeting fellow world leaders, Mr Blair will be glued to a TV screen at 12.46pm to watch the International Olympic Committee in Singapore announce the host city for the 2012 Olympics.

The Prime Minister flew overnight from there, having spent a frantic 48 hours on a charm offensive to boost London's chances.

Now he must focus on his twin goals of securing a summit agreement on lifting Africa out of poverty and tackling climate change.

No 10 officials said they believed a deal on Africa was definitely within reach but acknowledged talks on global warming would go "down to the wire".

This afternoon "Make Poverty History" campaigners Bob Geldof and Bono, with the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, will meet Mr Blair and other leaders to make their case in a series of face-to-face meetings.

No 10 said US President George Bush and heads of state and government from Canada, Russia, Japan, Germany, Italy and France were expected to begin arriving for the talks from lunchtime today.

Also at Gleneagles will be the leaders of five "emerging economies" - China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.

French President Jacques Chirac is also flying in from Singapore, but will not arrive at Gleneagles before the formal opening banquet hosted by the Queen.

He was leading the Paris pitch for the Olympics in Singapore before coming to the summit.