The Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations intends to help create a global peacekeeping force of more than 50,000 people over the next five to six years, senior US officials have said. Officials said the initiative grew out of African requests for assistance in ending the wars that plague the continent. "The centerpiece of this initiative will be a pledge by the G8 countries to train a certain number, we hope well in excess of 50,000 peacekeepers around the world, but beginning in Africa, over the next five or six years," said one of the officials, who spoke on condition...