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/ 4 September 2006

US handover to Iraq makes progress

The United States and Iraq hope to sign an agreement by next week to hand operational command of Iraq’s new army to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, an aide said on Monday, after wrangles on wording had held up the accord. Transferring security from US-led forces to the Iraqi army it is training is key to Washington’s plans to withdraw its 140 000 troops.

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/ 4 September 2006

Bok forwards key, say Australia

Australia’s coach John Connolly on Monday singled out the South African pack as the most impressive aspect of the Springboks’ revival against New Zealand in the Tri-Nations on the weekend. ”I thought it was a pretty solid performance by the Springboks,” Connolly said of Saturday’s match in Rustenburg, where the All Blacks were beaten 21-20.

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/ 4 September 2006

SA debates atonement after Vlok apology

The thorny issue of white atonement for apartheid has been thrown under the South African spotlight after a former white hard-line minister washed the feet of a black preacher his forces once tried to kill. The furore erupted last month when it emerged that Adriaan Vlok, a minister of law and order under apartheid, had apologised to Reverend Frank Chikane, a prominent anti-apartheid activist.

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/ 4 September 2006

Shoprite strike continues

A countrywide Shoprite Checkers strike on Monday continued into its 48th day with no settlement to the workers’ disputes in sight, the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) said. ”There’s nothing much happening at the moment,” Michael Pau, Saccawu’s national chairperson, said.

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/ 4 September 2006

ICC issues stern warning to Pakistan

Pakistan have been told off by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for repeatedly making public comments about the events surrounding the final Test against England. Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive, has issued a final warning to the Pakistan team and management to stop issuing comments related to the controversial events.

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/ 4 September 2006

Jordan-Leigh Norton murder trial postponed

After angry exchanges on Monday between the judge and the defence teams in the baby Jordan-Leigh Norton murder trial, the case was postponed to Thursday, when it is likely to be postponed again for some months. Dina Rodrigues and four accomplices, including a juvenile who may not be named, are in the dock.

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/ 4 September 2006

UN says Israeli pull-out of Lebanon on track

The commander of United Nations peacekeepers said a joint meeting with Lebanese and Israeli officers on Monday had brought closer a full Israeli troop withdrawal from south Lebanon, in line with a UN resolution. Major General Alain Pelligrini met representatives of the Lebanese and Israeli armies at his headquarters in the southern Lebanese port of Naquora.

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/ 4 September 2006

Eight UK bomb-plot suspects appear in court

Eight British Muslims were remanded in custody on Monday after appearing in court in connection with a suspected plot to blow up transatlantic airliners. The men, aged between 19 and 28, appeared at London’s Old Bailey central criminal court via video link from Belmarsh maximum security prison in south-east London.