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/ 18 December 2006

Speak softly and carry a small stick

Kofi Annan finally steps down as from now after 10 years as secretary general of the United Nations. It is a peculiar departure, and makes you wonder how other imminent departures will be handled. It is a peculiar departure because it is one that in normal times and under normal circumstances, should have been accompanied by bells and whistles.

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/ 18 December 2006

Suspect arrested in UK serial-killer hunt

British police on Monday arrested a man on suspicion of the murder of five prostitutes in the port town of Ipswich in a major breakthrough in a case that has gripped the nation. The unnamed 37-year-old man was arrested early on Monday morning at his home at Trimley, near the port town of Felixstowe, Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull told reporters.

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/ 18 December 2006

JSE tad stronger after slow start

The JSE was in positive territory a few moments before noon on Monday, pushed by buying ahead of Thursday’s futures close-out. But dealers said the volumes remained thin as most players were already away on the Christmas break. At 11.55am, the all share index added 0,44% thanks to a 1,15% gain in industrials.

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/ 18 December 2006

Japan launches giant satellite for cellphones

Japan on Monday launched one of the world’s largest geostationary satellites in a bid to improve mobile telephone reception in remote areas. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the H-2A rocket at 3.32 pm local time as planned after a postponement on Saturday due to cloudy weather at the launch site at Tanegashima in southern Japan.

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/ 18 December 2006

Three killed after rally in Kenya turns violent

Three people have died in Kenya after clashes between police and residents of one of Africa’s largest slums on Sunday. Police were deployed to the sprawling Kibera slum, which houses an estimated 800 000 people, after a political rally became unruly, with opposing sides pelting each other with stones and some forcing a passing train to grind to a halt.

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/ 18 December 2006

Earthquake rocks Indonesia, causes death

A quake that struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed at least seven people, injured 150 and brought down hundreds of homes, local officials and police said on Monday. Three aftershocks sent residents rushing out of their homes in the region, where memories of the 2004 tsunami, which devastated Aceh further to the north, are still fresh.

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/ 18 December 2006

Shaik files appeal at Constitutional Court

Lawyers for Durban businessman Schabir Shaik lodged papers with the Constitutional Court on Monday appealing his corruption and fraud conviction and jail sentence. Senior registrars’ clerk Delano Louw confirmed that the papers filed included transcripts of the trial, the appeal and an application for condonation of late filing.

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/ 18 December 2006

North Korea demands new atomic plant

North Korea said on Monday it wanted all sanctions lifted before it would discuss implementing a nuclear disarmament deal. North Korea made the demand at the opening day of six-party talks in Beijing aimed at dismantling North Korea’s nuclear weapons, according to a source close to the talks.