German government denies Merkel-Lukashenko conversation took place

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BERLIN - A spokesman for the German government denied that any phone call had taken place between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko since the August 9 election, contradicting what Lukashenko had earlier said.

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Oscar Pistorius photographed training by high school students

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Oscar Pistorius was photographed on the athletics track at Pretoria University by a group of high school hockey players. Photograph: Lisa Smith/Barcroft Media Oscar Pistorius has been photographed back on the athletics track – by a group of school hockey players visiting a university campus. Charmaine Koekemoer, director of sport at Voortrekker high school, said there was excitement in the school bus on 24 March when the pupils spotted Pistorius at Pretoria University. "None of us are in any doubt. We saw Oscar training," Koekemoer told South Africa's Witness newspaper. "As we drove past on our way out on Sunday at 10.15, one of the kids screamed: 'There's Oscar!' As true as Bob, there he was." The pupils took pictures with their mobile phones and quickly distributed them on a mobile messaging app. On Thursday the Paralympian's agent, Peet van Zyl, confirmed that the photos were genuine, but told South African media it was not an "official t...
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Interest rate cap on credit union is raised

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Credit unions will go head-to-head with payday lenders after the Government announced it would raise the cap on interest charges so that unions do not make losses on short-term loans. The Treasury yesterday confirmed it will introduce legislation that from April 2014 would raise the interest rate ceiling on credit union loans from two per cent to three per cent a month following a consultation with lenders. Three per cent a month works out at APR of 42.6 per cent. Currently, restrictions on interest rates mean that while unions can make decent returns on long-term loans, loans of a similar length to those offered by payday lenders tend to operate at a loss. Helping hand: Short-term credit union loans will be more expensive, but more sustainable for unions and still well cheaper than payday loans. Raising the interest cap on the reducing balance of loans will make short-term loans from credit unions more expensive, but at a maximum APR of around 42.6 per cent they will still be si...
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Precious moments together...

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She was left devastated last year when a vicious custody battle with her ex-husband ended with the judge ruling that the pair's two children should live with their father in France. So when Kelly Rutherford gets an opportunity to spend time with daughter Helena and son Hermes, she certainly makes the most of the precious moments they have together. On Monday, the 44-year-old actress was seen keeping a tight grip of three-year-old Helena while six-year-old Hermes scooted along behind them as the group made the most oft he warm weather in New York.   Precious moments together: Kelly Rutherford spent the day with her children Hermes and Helena in New York on Monday The trio appeared to have coordinated their outfits for the outing, all wearing white shirts and jeans. Helena and Hermes currently live with their father, Kelly's former husband David Giersch, in Monaco, after judge Theresa Beaudet's ruling last year. The judge gave custody to the businessman as...
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