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/ 8 November 2007
The Burundian first vice-president has resigned, the latest sign of escalating political tensions in the tiny Central African nation struggling to recover from a brutal civil war. The resignation comes at a delicate time for the government, which is struggling to move forward stalled peace talks with the country’s last rebel group.
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/ 8 November 2007
Civilians dragged the body of an Ethiopian soldier through the streets of Somalia’s capital on Thursday after fighting with insurgents killed a second soldier and civilian, witnesses said. In the grisly incident, more than 100 civilians stepped and spat on the scarred body as they dragged it for several kilometres on a pot-holed asphalt road.
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/ 8 November 2007
Chad will investigate reports that at least 74 Chadian children were flown to France more than a month-and-a-half ago without their parents’ knowledge, a senior judicial official said on Thursday. A network of local human rights groups wrote to the public prosecutor’s department with details about the 74 children.
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/ 8 November 2007
Nigeria’s President Umaru Yar’Adua has ratified revocation of Abuja plots allocated to him and other top citizens by former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, newspapers said here on Thursday. The country’s highest ruling body cited ”overriding public interests” for the revocation of the choice plots in the federal capital city.
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/ 8 November 2007
While replying to questions in the National Assembly, President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday again dismissed suggestions that the government participate in a class action in the United States against 23 multinational corporations that did not disinvest during apartheid.
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/ 8 November 2007
Oil recouped early losses to resume its march towards the -milestone on Thursday as resurfacing worries of tight winter supplies and continuing dollar weakness put the brakes on some early profit-taking. By 12.57pm GMT, United States crude for December delivery stood 57 cents up at ,94.
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/ 8 November 2007
The United States and French presidents forged a common front against Iran’s nuclear ambitions on Wednesday, signalling a further warming of once-chilly relations between Washington and Paris. US President George Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed to keep the pressure on Tehran, which has defied demands to halt uranium enrichment.
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/ 8 November 2007
Pakistani national elections will take place before February 15, President Pervez Musharraf said on Thursday, after Western allies and opponents had demanded polls be held on time and emergency rule scrapped. Pakistan had been scheduled to hold elections by mid-January until the general imposed emergency powers on Saturday.
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/ 8 November 2007
BHP Billiton has made a long-awaited bid approach to Rio Tinto in a move aimed at creating a $350-billion-plus mining giant, but Rio rejected the all-share proposal as too low. Rio shares leapt as much as 30% in London to a record high on Thursday after it said BHP had proposed offering three of its shares for every one Rio share.
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/ 8 November 2007
Gauteng police communications have not been jeopardised by the introduction of the 10111 digital radio network, Superintendent Eugene Opperman said on Thursday. He was responding to media reports that the R600-million system had crippled communications at police stations across Johannesburg.