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/ 18 January 2007

PM calls for more US arms for Iraqi army

The United States could dramatically and quickly cut its troop presence in Iraq if it provided enough weapons to the country’s security forces, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said. Maliki called for greater US support for Iraqi troops in an interview with a group of foreign correspondents in Baghdad. Several newspapers reported his comments on Thursday.

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/ 18 January 2007

UN envoy visits Mogadishu, discusses peacekeepers

A top United Nations envoy flew to Somalia’s capital on Thursday to discuss deploying African peacekeepers in order to avoid a security vacuum after the defeat of Islamist fighters over the New Year. It was the first visit by a senior UN representative since thousands of Ethiopian and Somali government troops last month ousted the Islamists.

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/ 18 January 2007

Security guard strike: Find solution, says minister

Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana urged striking USB security guards and their employers on Thursday to settle their differences as they entered the second day of a strike. The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) — to which the guards are affiliated — said while ”things were looking up”, it was not calling off the strike.

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/ 18 January 2007

Zimbabwe targets illegal miners

The Zimbabwe government regrets the killing of a gold miner by police last week, but will continue to arrest people suspected of illegal mining and dealing in precious minerals, the country’s home affairs minister was quoted as saying on Thursday. A total of 24 890 people have been arrested since November 21.

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/ 18 January 2007

Leon lauds ID’s Cape Town move

Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon has lauded the Independent Democrats’ decision to join Cape Town’s multiparty government. ”The widening of the coalition will enable Cape Town to have a more meaningful system of delivery, free of the inefficiency and corruption that is all too typical of ANC rule elsewhere,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

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/ 18 January 2007

Magpies get the Blues

Birmingham upset Newcastle 5-1 to advance to the fourth round of the English FA Cup on Wednesday, while in other third-round replays Fulham rallied to beat Leicester and Tottenham downed Cardiff. League Championship club Birmingham beat 10-man Newcastle, with five different players scoring.

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/ 18 January 2007

Open-heat policy to be reviewed at Australian Open

Australian Open organisers will review their heat policy after scathing criticism by top players and concern from Women’s Tennis Association boss Larry Scott. It follows disturbing scenes on Tuesday when top seed Maria Sharapova wilted in the 40 degrees Celsius temperatures and said afterwards she was ”delusional” in her match against Camille Pin of France.

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/ 18 January 2007

Freak storm causes chaos at PSL game

A freak storm, accompanied by gale-force winds, sent the entire row of wooden billboards on the east side of the Ellis Park pitch hurtling crazily through the air during the opening minutes of a Premier Soccer League (PSL) game between Orlando Pirates and Black Leopards on Wednesday.

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/ 18 January 2007

Ajax too strong for Arrows

The 2-0 defeat of Lamontville Golden Arrows by Ajax Cape Town in their Premier Soccer League encounter on Wednesday at Chatsworth Stadium has not dampened the team spirit. In fact, it has steered them to reinforce the squad if they are to avoid relegation at the end of the season.