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/ 18 October 2006
Iran’s Islamic government has opened a new front in its drive to stifle domestic political dissent and combat the influence of Western culture — by banning high-speed internet links. In a blow to the country’s estimated five million internet users, service providers have been told to restrict online speeds to 128 kilobytes a second.
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/ 18 October 2006
Doctors in Gaza have reported previously unseen injuries from Israeli weapons that cause severe burning and leave deep internal wounds, often resulting in amputations or death. The injuries were first seen in July, when Israel launched operations in Gaza following the capture of an Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants.
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/ 18 October 2006
The invasion of Iraq prevented British forces from helping to secure Afghanistan sooner and has left a vacuum in the country for four years, the commander who has led the attack against the Taliban said. The delay in deploying Nato troops after the overthrow of the Taliban meant British soldiers faced a much tougher task now.
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/ 18 October 2006
Blind people will for the first time be able to ”see” animals at the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria, thanks to a new exhibition that opened on Wednesday. The exhibition allows visually handicapped people to touch animal trophies while a guide explains the animals’ features and habitat. The visitors are also able to hear the sound that the animal makes.
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/ 17 October 2006
Rival taxi operators in Boksburg turned violent over taxi routes on Tuesday, Ekurhuleni metro police said. Six taxis were burnt and 40 impounded in the incident, which happened in the Holomisa informal settlement, Inspector Johnny Nhlapo said. Three people were arrested.
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/ 17 October 2006
Britain, one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, said on Tuesday it was looking forward to working with South Africa on the council. Congratulating South Africa on its election to the council on Monday, Britain’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Paul Boateng, said the election was ”well-deserved” in light of the country’s efforts to bring peace to Africa.
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/ 17 October 2006
A Malawian court agreed on Tuesday to hear arguments by a coalition of local rights groups seeking to block ”Queen of Pop” Madonna’s fast-track adoption of a 13-month boy from the poor African country. ”The court wants to hear our locus standi and why we should be appointed guardians of the child,” Justin Dzodzi, chairperson of the Human Rights Consultative Committee, said.
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/ 17 October 2006
Cape Town mayor Helen Zille and Western Cape provincial minister of local government Richard Dyantyi will meet face to face on Wednesday to discuss Dyanti’s plan to strip Zille of her power. The meeting has been arranged by Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi, who will also attend.
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/ 17 October 2006
Leaders from 24 churches are to approach President Thabo Mbeki to discuss how they could help to fight crime in South Africa, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. ”Leaders of some of the country’s major Christian denominations met last week for a special consultation aimed at getting involved in lessening violence and crime in the nation,” said spokesperson Dr Coenie Burger.
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/ 17 October 2006
Two Boland rugby players appeared in the Rawsonville Circuit Court on Tuesday charged with killing a Rawsonville player earlier in the year. A court official said the matter was transferred to Worcester where the pair would appear again on November 21. Ben Zimri, eighth man of the Delicious Club, and centre Wayne Matthee, were again released on a warning.