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/ 19 February 2007

Twins perish in Durban blaze

A twin boy and girl burnt to death in a blaze that gutted their home in Sea View, Durban, on Monday afternoon, emergency services said. Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said the seven-year-old siblings had tried to escape, but could not because of burglar bars. Paramedics declared them dead on scene.

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/ 19 February 2007

Quake shakes Uganda and DRC, no injuries reported

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5,7 struck the Lake Albert region of western Uganda and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday, officials said, but there was no immediate word of casualties or damage. ”An earthquake passed here but it did not hurt anyone or destroy any property,” Andrew Diboi, police chief for western Uganda, told Reuters by telephone.

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/ 19 February 2007

Bus collision kills 17, injures 45

Two buses collided head-on, killing 17 people, in South Africa on Monday, after one swerved to avoid a donkey in the road, police said. At least 45 others were injured in what police called the worst road accident this year in the northern Limpopo province. ”The donkey was just passing by. Animals roam around here,” said Limpopo police Superintendent Mohale Ramatseba.

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/ 19 February 2007

Disease, hunger risk in Mozambique floods

Mozambique’s national disaster agency, already struggling to get food and clean water to thousands of victims of flooding, warned on Monday the worst could be yet to come as the rainy season gets under way. Paulo Zucula, the country’s top disaster official, said there was only one helicopter working to bring relief supplies to people stranded in isolated evacuation centres.

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/ 19 February 2007

Thousands of Liberians applaud mega-debt relief

Thousands of Liberians on Monday lined the road from airport to the seaside capital, Monrovia, to welcome their leader back from a donors’ conference where she secured a massive debt-relief deal. Villagers and residents of small towns along the 50km road from Roberts International Airport came out to praise President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for a "job well done".