Staff Reporter
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/ 14 November 2007

German vice-chancellor resigns

A leading centre-left figure in the government of Angela Merkel resigned on Tuesday, depriving the German leader of one of the linchpins of her fractious grand coalition. Franz Münterfering, a Social Democrat, stepped down as labour minister and vice-chancellor, citing personal reasons.

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/ 14 November 2007

One dead, one injured in pet rescue

One man was killed and another was then seriously injured when they tried to climb a tree at night to recapture a pet cockatoo in Australia. The bird’s 72-year-old owner fell as he tried to recover the pet in the country town of Bendigo in southern Victoria state. He was taken to hospital for treatment, police said.

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/ 14 November 2007

September retail sales growth slows to 2%

South Africa’s retail sales growth slowed to 2% year-on-year in September at constant prices, data showed, but analysts said this was likely not enough to hold off another interest rate hike in December. Retail sales growth slowed from a downwardly revised 6,6% in August, Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday.

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/ 14 November 2007

Union to strike at all 2010 sites

The ongoing strike that has seen construction workers down tools at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium could spread to other 2010 Soccer World Cup stadiums that are under construction, as well as the high-speed Gautrain. Meanwhile, about 600 striking construction workers marched to Durban’s City Hall on Wednesday.