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/ 3 March 2008

Canadian rocker Jeff Healey dies of cancer

Canadian blind rocker Jeff Healey, who uniquely played his guitar flat on his lap, died of cancer on March 2 on the eve of his latest album release, his publicist said in a statement. Healey (41) died in a Toronto hospital of a rare cancer, <i>retinoblastoma</i>, that he had fought since birth and which claimed his eyesight at the age of one.

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/ 3 March 2008

No second chance in Olympic IT race

A marathon contest longer and more complex than any race at the Olympic Games is unfolding behind the windowless facade of Digital Beijing. This secretive, slate-black tower complex that looks like a row of computer chips stands close by the two most famous Olympic venues — the National Aquatics Centre, known as the Water Cube, and the National Stadium, or Bird’s Nest.

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/ 3 March 2008

UN council set to approve new Iran sanctions

The United Nations Security Council is expected to adopt a third round of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear programme on Monday, but diplomats said this might be the first round that is not approved unanimously. Tehran denies Western charges it seeks nuclear weapons and has ignored three previous Security Council resolutions.

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/ 29 February 2008

Khutsong residents fume at ANC delegation

The issue of the Khutsong demarcation was not on the agenda of an African National Congress delegation visiting Carletonville, a media report said on Saturday. The eight-member team from the party’s national executive committee met other ANC members and community members behind closed doors in the troubled North West area.

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/ 29 February 2008

Man attempts to torch ANC headquarters

Luthuli House — headquarters of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) — was evacuated on Friday after a man tried to torch the building, the party said. ANC spokesperson Steyn Speed said that the man entered the door of the building at about 10.30am, poured petrol on the floor and set it alight.

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/ 29 February 2008

France to review Africa defence pacts

France will renegotiate all its defence accords with African countries, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday in a move that could scale back France’s military support for some of its closest allies. France has defence cooperation agreements with several former colonies under which its forces provide varying degrees of military assistance.

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/ 28 February 2008

France foots bill for SA power station

France is giving a R15,5-billion (â,¬1,4-billion) coal-fired power station to South Africa as a gesture of friendship. The agreement was signed on Thursday between Buyelwa Sonjica, the Minister of Minerals and Energy Affairs, and Jean-Marie Bockel, the French Deputy Minister for North-South cooperation.