In Brief

Moz cholera toll rises to 84

* MAPUTO – At least 13 people have died of cholera in Mozambique’s north-western Tete province, bringing to 84 the number of people in the country bordering Zimbabwe to have succumbed to the disease since October, state radio reported on Wednesday.
The deaths were recorded in the districts of Moatize, Changa and Tete town, where more than 1 000 people in total have been diagnosed with cholera.
Health authorities in Tete attribute the increase in infections to the heavy rains that are pounding the region and surrounding countries, namely Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Manica province, which also borders Zimbabwe, has recorded more that 50 deaths so far.

Madagascar cyclone destroys homes

* ANTANNANARIVO – The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar was yesterday picking up the pieces after tropical Cyclone Fanele whipped across its western half, destroying hundreds of homes and dousing the area with torrential rains, causing flooding.
The Western resort of Morondava, which has a population of about 80 000, and the surrounding towns were 80 per cent destroyed, the regional administrator, Mamy Elise Andriamasiarison, said.
Fanele slammed into Madagascar in the early hours of Wednesday morning at wind speeds of up to 260km/h.
In Morondava, one person was reported killed and 27 injured, the Midi Madagasikara newspaper reported.

Caroline Kennedy steps back

* ALBANY – Caroline Kennedy has ended her quest for the US Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, halting a campaign that began with popular support but withered quickly over criticism about her experience and her reluctance to answer questions about her finances.
Kennedy made the announcement in a terse statement released early yesterday, ending hours of uncertainty surrounding her intentions as she appeared to waver in her decision to seek the office.
‘I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate,’ she said in the one-sentence statement.

IRC restores water in Zim neighbourhood

* JOHANNESBURG – The International Red Cross restored clean water to the neighbourhood where Zimbabwe’s cholera epidemic began, an agency disaster management specialist said yesterday, but added such progress was threatened by lack of money.
Farid Abdulkadir of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies spoke by telephone yesterday as he headed to Chitungwiza, where the water system had been restored with Red Cross help. Earlier Thursday, he oversaw an emergency system for a Harare prison, whose staff and population of 10,000 was to be supplied with water taken from a nearby quarry and then purified.