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<B>DR CONGO. Leader issues ultimatum. </B>The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, has given the forces of his presidential rival 48 hours to leave Kinshasa. Mr Kabila has been declared the provisional winner of recent polls. However, his rival, Jean-Pierre Bemba, has complained of fraud. The Supreme Court is to rule on the claims shortly. Mr Bemba, a former rebel leader, has an armed guard of around 600 men, the UN says. Mr Kabila has threatened to use force, raising fears of clashes. Security forces loyal to the two men clashed in August, leaving at least 23 people dead in the capital, Kinshasa. Soldiers of the Congolese army are now deployed at strategic points and this has created fear of further fighting, he says. The armoured vehicles of the UN peacekeeping force and European troops are also patrolling the city, but a UN spokesman said disarming soldiers by force was not part of its mandate.
<B>NETHERLANDS. Dutch on course for split result.</B> With 97% of votes in the Dutch election counted, the governing Christian Democrats are ahead, having taken 41 seats, but remain short of a majority. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has claimed victory, saying his party is again the biggest group in parliament. If confirmed, Mr Balkenende will get the first chance to form a coalition, but the process could be lengthy. According to the partial results, the opposition Labour party remains the second biggest party with 32 seats. The Dutch are split between parties tough on immigration and pro-business, and left-leaning parties with a softer approach, correspondents say. Neither the right nor left blocs were on course to win the 76 seats needed to control the 150-seat parliament. The Christian Democrats? (CDA) current coalition partners, the Liberals (VVD), won 22 seats, meaning the CDA would need to include several more parties to reach a working majority. Nonetheless CDA members have been celebrating the result.
VIENNA. IAEA freezes Iran nuclear aid over plutonium risk.</B> The UN nuclear watchdog?s board of governors yesterday indefinitely blocked Iran?s bid for technical aid for a reactor project due to fears it could yield bomb-grade plutonium, a diplomat in the meeting said. But the decision, which the International Atomic Energy Agency?s board adopted by consensus after days of wrangling between industrialised and developing nations, left open the possibility of revisiting Iran?s request in future. In a compromise hammered out in negotiations ahead of the board meeting, Iranian requests for IAEA technical assistance on seven other nuclear energy projects judged not to pose a risk of being diverted to bomb-making were approved by the governors
<B>SIDOARJO. Indonesian pipeline blast kills 7. </B> Indonesia blamed an uncontrolled mud flow yesterday for a gas pipeline explosion that killed at least seven people and injured 12 on Java island. The late Wednesday blast ? which disrupted gas operations in the area ? occurred near the city of Surabaya in a part of the state-owned Pertamina East Java Gas Pipeline. The incident happened in the area where hot mud has been gushing from near the Banjar Panji exploratory gas well since the end of May following a drilling accident, inundating several villages and causing an unfolding environmental disaster.
<B>EU. No change for alcohol market.</B>The European Court has ruled against making it easier for European consumers to buy cigarettes and alcohol from countries where excise duties are low. High-duty countries like the UK had risked losing large amounts of revenue. It means that shoppers who want to take advantage of low duty and VAT in other states will still need to go there and bring back the goods themselves. Had the ruling gone the other way, consumers of alcohol and tobacco could have gone on an internet bargain hunt.Observers had predicted an end to Britons, Danes, Swedes and Finns going on ?booze cruises? to neighbouring countries to buy cheaper alcohol. The UK government already loses duty of more than £1bn (1.5bn euros) per year because of booze cruises, and would have stood to lose a lot more. Duty on a bottle of wine varies from nothing in 13 EU countries, to 2.1 euros in Ireland, and the price of cigarettes varies by a factor of 12.
<B>ELECTIONS. Opposition leads Mauritania race.</B> Opposition parties have won the largest share of seats in the first stage of landmark elections in Mauritania. Sunday?s parliamentary poll was the first since last year?s bloodless coup ended 20 years of authoritarian rule under the former president. However, more than half the seats need to be decided in a second round because nocandidate gained the 50% of votes needed for an outright victory. Military rule is due to end in March with presidential elections.
<B>SINGAPORE. opposition leader jailed. </B>A Singapore court jailed an opposition leader for five weeks yesterday over his failure to pay a fine for speaking in public without a permit. Chee Soon Juan, one of Singapore?s most vocal opposition politicians and leader of the tiny Singapore Democratic Party, committed the speaking offence on April 22, two weeks before the country?s general election.
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