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/ 7 February 2008
American forces in Baghdad on Wednesday warned of a ”disturbing trend in the use and exploitation of children by al-Qaeda in Iraq”, after discovering videos showing young boys being trained in kidnapping and assassination. In one of the videos about 20 boys are seen bristling with pistols, assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
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/ 7 February 2008
The Spring Festival is traditionally the time for China to put up its feet and relax. That has rarely been more necessary. With food prices rising, Olympic expectations growing and much of the country snarled up in snow and ice, China enters the Year of the Rat under more pressure than at any time in more than a decade.
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/ 7 February 2008
John McCain, the irrepressible Senator from Arizona, stood on the brink of winning the Republican party’s nomination for United States president this week with almost half of the magic number of 1Â 191 delegates needed to win the race in the bag. McCain emerged as the clear front-runner from Super Tuesday.
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/ 7 February 2008
The death toll from a series of tornadoes that swept the southern United States was rising on Wednesday night while rescuers continued to sift the rubble of flattened buildings. At least 54 people were killed and hundreds more injured, many critically, as the deadliest twisters for more than 20 years struck before dawn.
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/ 7 February 2008
The British high commission has confirmed that it is conducting a global review of its visit visa requirements. High commissioner Paul Boateng said on Wednesday that Britain is in regular contact with the South African government regarding the process and that no decision has been taken.
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/ 7 February 2008
Three South Africans who had initially stayed in their homes in Ndjamena, Chad, arrived at a local French school on Wednesday and were ready for evacuation, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. ”They will be transported to the French military for evacuation,” said departmental spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
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/ 7 February 2008
BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest mining company, sweetened its takeover bid for rival Rio Tinto on Wednesday to ,4-billion, but its proposal was again rebuffed. Amid reports that Rio Tinto could become the centre of a bidding battle, the company’s management rejected the BHP offer as ”not being in the best interests of shareholders”.
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/ 7 February 2008
Diamond giant De Beers spends $100-million a year on exploration activities in the regions where the company expects to have the most impact, and has invested more than this in the past few years to establish a greater presence and activity rate in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, its group MD said on Wednesday.
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/ 7 February 2008
The Namibian government, frequently accused of making water unaffordable to the poor, is finally taking steps to address this countrywide problem that threatens to hamper the country’s efforts to meet the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by world leaders at a special United Nations General Assembly meeting in 2000.
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/ 7 February 2008
Due to the country’s power supply crisis, AngloGold Ashanti expected a reduction of approximately 400Â 000 ounces of gold in 2008. Diamond, gold and platinum mines in South Africa shut down production for just under a week in late January because of safety considerations.