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/ 7 February 2008

Video conferencing launched in Parliament

While it was designed to cut costs and reduce bureaucracy, a new video-conference facility launched in Parliament on Thursday gave MPs the chance to see what their colleagues in the provinces look like. National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete hoped the project would one day link the government to rural areas.

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/ 7 February 2008

Power, politics keep rand on the slide

The rand is back to being one of the world’s worst-performing currencies in 2008 after a brief respite last year, and there appears nothing, for now, to halt its slide. A chronic energy crisis that is likely to slice into economic growth, political uncertainty and a gaping current-account deficit paint a gloomy picture for a currency prone to volatility.

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/ 7 February 2008

Thousands mark end of Bhutto mourning period

Tens of thousands of people beat their chests in anguish at Benazir Bhutto’s tomb on Thursday as they marked the end of 40 days of mourning for the slain opposition leader. The solemn Muslim ceremonies at the family mausoleum in southern Pakistan marked the start of campaigning by her Pakistan People’s Party for elections on February 18.

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/ 7 February 2008

Platinum-share rally fails to prop up JSE

Platinum-mining stocks continued to shine brightly on the JSE by midday on Thursday, but even this dose of positive news failed to keep the bourse in the black as a slow European market weighed. By noon, the broader all-share index had slipped 0,02% into the red. Banks dropped 1,07% and financials gave up 0,47%, while industrials pulled back 0,83%.

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/ 7 February 2008

Bush visit to Africa to centre on Tanzania

United States President George Bush will spend most of his time during a five-nation tour of Africa later this month in Tanzania, to spotlight development gains in the East African nation. "This is a success story," said US embassy public affairs officer Jeffery Salaiz of Tanzania, during a press conference held in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.