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/ 4 April 2005

US refuses to issue visa to Mark Thatcher

Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, said on Sunday he has been denied a visa to rejoin his family in the United States, calling it a result of his guilty plea involving a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. He said the rejection by US visa authorities means that his family will instead relocate to Europe.

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/ 4 April 2005

Marburg toll rises to 150 in Angola

The death toll from an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in Angola has reached 150, media reports quoted health authorities in the south-west African country as saying on Sunday. About 163 cases have been recorded of the virus that, like the Ebola virus, causes massive internal bleeding that results in death.

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/ 4 April 2005

Have a whale of a time at elephant park

Visitors to the Addo Elephant National Park will be able to see the big five as well as whales and great white sharks, due to the addition of the St Croix and Bird Islands to the sanctuary. The new marine area also cements the park’s eastern boundary in Algoa Bay, providing protection to populations of Cape gannet and African penguins.

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/ 4 April 2005

Manuel meets Absa, Barclays on bid

The finance minister and the reserve bank governor met representatives of banking groups Absa and Barclays plc on Sunday to discuss the bid by the United Kingdom-based group to acquire a stake in Absa. Barclays has applied for regulatory approval to acquire a majority shareholding of Absa and such a transaction requires the consent of the Finance Minister.

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/ 4 April 2005

Syria to meet US deadline for troop pull-out

Syria will withdraw all its troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon by April 30, it was announced on Sunday. This means that Damascus intends to meet the unofficial deadline for withdrawal set by Washington. The move was announced by United Nations envoy Terje Roed-Larsen after talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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/ 4 April 2005

Battle begins for soul of church

The conservative wing of the Roman Catholic hierarchy on Sunday launched a pre-emptive strike, aimed at blocking any swing towards a more progressive stance following the death of Pope John Paul II. The pope’s body will be moved to St Peter’s basilica on Monday to lie in state.

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/ 4 April 2005

Iraq crisis ends as speaker elected

Iraq broke its political deadlock on Sunday when Parliament finally elected a speaker and paved the way for forming a new government nine weeks after the country’s election. Deputies appeared relieved and buoyant after selecting Hajem al-Hassani, a Sunni Arab who is currently Industry Minister, to chair the 275-seat Assembly.