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/ 30 October 2007
The United Nations on Monday demanded that the Taliban stop killing aid workers and looting aid convoys so that emergency supplies can reach vulnerable Afghans. Tom Koenigs, head of the UN mission to Afghanistan, said 34 aid workers had been killed by the Taliban and criminal gangs and 76 abducted so far this year.
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/ 30 October 2007
United States State Department investigators looking into the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqis in Baghdad last month offered immunity deals to Blackwater security guards. The investigators from the agency’s investigative arm did not, however, have the authority to offer such immunity grants.
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/ 30 October 2007
French President Nicolas Sarkozy showed flashes of temper and abruptly terminated a television interview aimed at introducing him to United States audiences. In the interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, Sarkozy sparred with the correspondent, called his press secretary an imbecile, said he was too busy to make time for a ”stupid” interview.
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/ 30 October 2007
Germany’s civil servants have been drawn into an investigation into how much toilet paper they use — and are being encouraged to calculate the amount by the sheet. The inventory follows a parliamentary question by a Green party MP, Alexander Bonde, after it was erroneously reported that defence ministry civil servants and soldiers used 800-million rolls of paper a year.
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/ 30 October 2007
Africa’s biggest cement maker PPC on Tuesday posted a 16% rise in full-year headline earnings per share and forecast a healthy performance this fiscal year, as demand for building materials booms. PPC reported headline EPS of 263 cents and a 19% rise in revenue to R5,6-billion.
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/ 30 October 2007
Nigerian kidnappers have released six hostages seized on October 26 from an Italian offshore oil production facility. Rebel group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) had claimed responsibility for the attack on the Mystras vessel, located 85km offshore.
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/ 30 October 2007
It has been described as being as sacred to the Germans as sumo wrestling is to the Japanese or saunas to the Swedish. But the tradition of having no speed limit on Germany’s autobahns is under threat. The Social Democrats say the introduction of a speed limit would reduce both CO2 emissions and the accident rate.
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/ 30 October 2007
South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Jake White looks set to end his stint in charge of the Springboks after declining to re-apply for his job. The South African Rugby Union (Saru) said on Monday a four-man shortlist for the position of Springbok coach did not include him.
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/ 30 October 2007
A Durban teacher was stabbed and robbed of her vehicle by five men on Monday, police said on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Superintendent Daniela Veldhuizen said the teacher was leaving Mariann Park Primary School in Mariannhill when the incident took place.
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/ 30 October 2007
Australia are likely to bid to host the 2018 World Cup following Fifa’s decision to scrap its rotation policy. Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley said Australia was ”very serious” about bidding for the 2018 World Cup now that it was open to countries outside of North America.