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/ 27 November 2007

Zuma thrives on Mbeki blunders

It would have seemed all but unthinkable two years ago, but Jacob Zuma appears set to become leader of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC). Despite being dogged by graft allegations, analysts say he has patiently capitalised on the political blunders of his rival, President Thabo Mbeki, to win overwhelming support.

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/ 27 November 2007

Mozambique formally takes control of Cahora Bassa

Mozambique on Tuesday formally took over from Portugal the control of Cahora Bassa hydroelectric dam, Africa’s second most important after that of Aswan in Egypt. ”The control of the dam signifies for us the elimination of the last vestiges of European colonialism in Africa,” Mozambican President Armando Guebuza said before a crowd of 10 000 people.

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/ 27 November 2007

Rasool apologises to provincial legislature

Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool has apologised to the provincial legislature for ”incorrect” statements made before it on overspending. ”To bring finality and closure to an unfortunate episode, I apologise for anything I said that led to the conclusion of the ad-hoc committee,” he said in Cape Town on Tuesday.

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/ 27 November 2007

Time is right for Middle East peace, says Bush

United States President George Bush said on Tuesday it was the ”right time” for peace between Israel and the Palestinians before launching his biggest initiative to negotiate an end to the conflict. But he warned ”achieving this goal will not be easy”, according to remarks prepared for delivery at the opening later of the Annapolis peace conference.

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/ 27 November 2007

Cosatu: NPA must not be used to bring down Zuma

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) must not be used to bring down Jacob Zuma ahead of the African National Congress conference to elect its next president, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday. Zuma, the current ANC deputy president, is the frontrunner to become the party’s next president.

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/ 27 November 2007

Robot with soft hands chats, serves meal

A pearly white robot that looks a little like ET boosted a man out of bed, chatted and helped prepare his breakfast with its deft hands in Tokyo on Tuesday, in a further sign robots are becoming more like their human inventors. Twendy-One, named as a 21st-century edition of a previous robot, Wendy, has soft hands and fingers that gently grip.

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/ 27 November 2007

Deadlock in Kosovo talks

Internationally sponsored talks over the future status of the Serbian province of Kosovo were deadlocked on Tuesday, after Kosovo Albanian leaders rejected Serbia’s proposal for self-governance. Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanian population wants to break all ties with Serbia.

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/ 27 November 2007

Accused’s illness delays nuclear trial

The trial of the Swiss design engineer Daniel Geiges, who was allegedly part of an international nuclear smuggling ring, was postponed on Tuesday because he was too ill to stand trial. The Pretoria High Court was earlier told that Geiges (69) had been diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and was undergoing ”severe treatment”.