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/ 6 November 2003

Building a lasting peace in Liberia

Liberia has developed a programme to disarm some 40 000 combatants whose future seems uncertain after 14 years of a brutal war. Analysts say the move seeks to help Liberia to put the war — that forced virtually all of the country’s 3,5-million people to flee for their lives — behind it and build a lasting peace.

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/ 6 November 2003

Eye on the ball? Or: ayes on the brands?

South Africa was very nice to five white men this week. And for good reason: they came from world soccer group Fifa. The group was fêted and fanfared during their seven-day tour of South African cities. On their agenda was time with Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Archbishop Tutu, Credo Mutwa, Prof Phillip Tobias and King Goodwill Zwelithini.

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/ 6 November 2003

Spacecraft at last outpost of the sun

After 26 years speeding through the void at 16km a second, the spacecraft Voyager 1 has boldly gone where no spacecraft has gone before — to the edge of the solar system. Nasa scientists report today that the craft has buffeted into a region known as the termination shock, where the sun’s wind slams into the radiation from distant stars.

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/ 6 November 2003

Police recover costliest art haul

Police have recovered 258 artworks, some by Dufy, Picasso, Buffet, Van Dongen and Cézanne, stolen in the most expensive art robbery ever in France. The police seized the works in a small van on the Avenue Georges V in central Paris on Monday, a spokesperson said yesterday.

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/ 6 November 2003

Killer spared after admitting 48 murders

The most profilic serial killer in American history yesterday confessed to 48 murders in order to save himself from execution. Relatives of some of the victims wept in the courtroom as the confession by Gary Ridgway (54) was read aloud by prosecutors. ”I killed so many women I have a hard time keeping them straight,” he said.

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/ 6 November 2003

US agrees to Iraqi-run security force

United States officials have agreed ”in principle” to give Iraqis responsibility for a new security force that would tackle the growing insurgency, the head of Iraq’s governing council said on Wednesday. The concession by the US authorities comes at a time when deadly attacks are becoming more frequent.

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/ 6 November 2003

People with a passion

If you are feeling depressed or cynical about life, get hold of a copy of Old Mutual’s annual brochure on its Staff Community Builder Programme, writes <i>Fiona Macleod</i>. Titled <i>People with a passion … to give, to care, to share</i>, it is an uplifting glimpse into how ordinary people can make a big difference.