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/ 26 September 2005
Food shortages as a result of ongoing drought and crop failures have claimed the lives of at least 29 children in Malawi since January, according to reports published on Monday. The severely malnourished children were being kept at a United Nations World Food Programme rehabilitation centre at the time of their deaths.
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/ 26 September 2005
Rwanda on Monday accused unnamed states of harbouring suspects in the country’s 1994 genocide and called for international pressure on those nations to hand over indictees to a United Nations-backed tribunal. Most of these suspects are thought to be hiding in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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/ 26 September 2005
Labour union Solidarity has made public its plans for improving employment conditions at Nationwide Airlines. The plan, released on Monday, the apparent last day of a strike at the airline, includes proposals for alternative pension provision, growing market share and improved profitability.
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/ 26 September 2005
Sri Lankan election chief Dayananda Dissanayake will be running November presidential elections but won’t be voting — he doesn’t trust politicians. Dissanayake (64) wants to retire, but a constitutional quirk is forcing him, against his will, to lead a team of 100 000 officials in staging the November 17 vote.
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/ 26 September 2005
A New Zealand politician who promised to run naked through the streets if he lost an election bet attempted to honour his pledge on Sunday, but in the nature of politicians he wasn’t prepared to expose himself fully to the naked truth. Keith Locke from the Green Party instead wore a G-string on his 500m jaunt.
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/ 26 September 2005
Historic Russian admiral Fyodor Ushakov — a hero of Russia’s wars against Turkey and Napoleon Bonaparte — was designated the patron saint of nuclear-armed, long-distance Russian bombers by the Orthodox Church on Monday. "His strong faith helped Saint Fyodor Ushakov in all his battles," the church said.
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/ 26 September 2005
The five Democratic Alliance MPs who defected to other parties during the 15-day floor-crossing period earlier this month actually lost their seats, the Cape High Court heard on Monday. DA counsel Jan Heunis said the floor-crossing legislation requires a minimum of 10% of a party’s MPs should leave their party ”in a bloc”.
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/ 26 September 2005
The troubled German department store chain KarstadtQuelle began giving away free flights to New York with the purchase of a special-edition winter coat on Monday in a bid to revive sales. The store is in the midst of a drastic restructuring after narrowly escaping bankruptcy last year.
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/ 26 September 2005
The health ministry has responded angrily to Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi’s criticism of its Aids policies, labelling remarks by the trade union leader at the weekend as ”irresponsible” and saying he needs to get his facts straight. Vavi accused the government of a ”lack of leadership” when it comes to managing HIV.
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/ 26 September 2005
Zambia’s former vice-president Nevers Mumba has formed a political party as part of his bid to challenge President Levy Mwanawasa in next year’s elections, an aide said on Monday. ”He will be a national coordinator of the newly formed Reformed Party,” said John Ziba, Mumba’s spokesperson.