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/ 18 October 2007

Bhutto sets off for Pakistan

Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto set out on Thursday on a journey home to end eight years of self-exile, under threat of assassination from militants linked to al-Qaeda once she reaches Karachi. For years Bhutto had promised to return to Pakistan to end military dictatorship, yet she is coming back as a potential ally for President Pervez Musharraf.

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/ 18 October 2007

Bush urges China to meet with the Dalai Lama

President George Bush gave the Dalai Lama one of the highest United States honours on Wednesday and called on China to open talks with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader whom Beijing reviles as a separatist. The Dalai Lama, accepting the Congressional Gold Medal from Bush and leaders of Congress, told a packed audience in the US Capitol that he had ”no hidden agenda”.

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/ 18 October 2007

Sexwale: Freedom of expression is a right

Freedom of expression is a right South Africans should not have to ask for, businessman Tokyo Sexwale told a gathering at the Star’s 120th anniversary celebrations in Johannesburg on Wednesday. ”You have the right, you don’t have to ask for that right … you have won that right by being citizens of this country,” said Sexwale.

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/ 18 October 2007

Bafana eat humble pie in Italy

In the land renowned for its scrumptious pizza and ravioli, Bafana Bafana were forced to eat humble pie in Siena on Wednesday night while losing 2-0 to what was
effectively the Italian B team. While the two headed goals from 32-year-old Ukraine-based Cristiano Lucarelli were a long time in coming, the scoreline, if anything, flattered South Africa.

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/ 18 October 2007

Agreement on Doha ‘extremely close’

World trade talks appeared to be making progress on Wednesday as the leaders of Brazil, India and South Africa said they were committed to reaching a deal. The leaders said differences with rich countries were still blocking agreement in the Doha round, launched nearly six years ago to help developing countries grow out of poverty and boost the world economy by opening up global trade.

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/ 18 October 2007

Despite sewage progress, Swazis still use septic tanks

Located on the outskirts of Swaziland’s commercial hub, the state-of-the-art Manzini Waste Treatment Centre was built to end the city’s sewage disposal problems. A World Bank loan was secured by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to construct the $16-million facility: a spotless, landscaped plant that has a lifespan of 25 years.

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/ 18 October 2007

Media24 comes clean

Media24 confirmed on Wednesday that five Touchline Media magazines inflated their circulation figures between July 2005 and June 2007 and that three senior managers including managing director Marc Blachowitz resigned in connection with the irregularities.

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/ 18 October 2007

A dirty war

The arrest or otherwise of <i>Sunday Times</i> editor Mondli Makhanya on charges of breaching the Health Act is not the key media freedom issue. The newspaper denies stealing or paying for Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s hospital file and argues that its publication of details contained in it was justified on public interest grounds.