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ONE-MINUTE WORLD NEWS

News Front Page Page last updated at 15:49 GMT, Thursday, 19 March 2009

E-mail this to a friend Printable version leader axes land deal Africa

Americas Madagascar's new leader has Asia-Pacific cancelled a controversial deal Europe for a South Korean firm to MADAGASCAR POWER STRUGGLE Middle East lease a vast tract of land to grow food crops. South Asia LATEST NEWS UK Andry Rajoelina said he was axing Madagascar protesters tear-gassed Business the deal because the people should Madagascar leader abandons deal Health be consulted. Daewoo Logistics has reportedly expressed its frustration. FEATURES Science & Environment Cartoons rule? Andry Rajoelina had been highly critical Technology The plan had helped fuel popular of the land deal How Madagascar explains Entertainment anger against President Marc politics to the masses Ravalomanana, who was forced from office on Tuesday. Also in the news ------Mr Rajoelina has also suspended parliament and held a cabinet meeting. Video and Audio Pressure on for Madagascar leader ------The BBC's Christina Corbett in the capital says he is trying Turbulence scares off tourists Programmes to legitimise himself ahead of his inauguration as transitional leader on Conservationists seek happy ending Have Your Say Saturday. In pictures: Storming a palace In Pictures Land rights Madagascar views on power struggle Country Profiles Madagascar's young new leader After annulling parliament, he set up two transitional bodies to run the Special Reports Q&A: Madagascar in crisis country. Related BBC sites Sport There is no word on the FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE BACKGROUND Weather whereabouts of Mr Ravalomanana, Country profile On This Day who resigned on Tuesday when a Sorry, you need Flash to play Timeline Editors' Blog group within the army backed his this. BBC World Service rival. Languages Correspondents say Malagasy Enable it in your browser or RELATED INTERNET LINKS people have deep ties to their land download Flash Player here. and some had condemned the deal More from BBC World Service Southern African Development Community as "neo-colonialism". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet Widespread protests had already slowed down progress on the deal, sites which would have used about half of Madagascar's arable land.

The South Korean industrial giant had sought to produce corn and palm oil on 1.3m hectares (3.2m acres), in one of the biggest deals involving foreign firms seeking to secure African farmland since food prices soared TOP AFRICA STORIES last year. Nigeria state oil firm 'insolvent' France to help Africa veterans "In the constitution, it is stipulated that Madagascar's land is neither Churches call for Sudan to split for sale nor for rent, so the | News feeds agreement with Daewoo is cancelled," Mr Rajoelina told MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW reporters. SHARED READ WATCHED/LISTENED "We are not against the idea of working with investors, but if we BBC News want to sell or rent out land, we BBC News have to change the constitution, President 's BBC News you have to consult the people. So whereabouts are currently unknown at this hour the deal is cancelled." BBC News BBC News Daewoo's long-term aim was to replace more than half the corn that BBC News South Korea, the world's third-largest corn buyer, imports, mainly from BBC News the US and South America. BBC News Expressing frustration, Shin Dong-Hyun, who oversees the deal for BBC News Daewoo Logistics, told Yonhap news agency: "Already we have invested BBC News not a small amount in Madagascar.

"We are just waiting and watching this situation to see whether to Most popular now, in detail retreat."

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