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/ 2 December 2005

Activists arrested ahead of US’s 1 000th execution

Sixteen anti-death penalty activists were arrested late on Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina, outside a prison that is scheduled to carry out the 1 000th execution in the United States since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. The protesters were handcuffed by police and some were carried to an awaiting van and a bus as they were arrested.

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/ 2 December 2005

Era of citizen journalists dawns in Britain

An era of "citizen journalists" is dawning in Britain as media organisations turn increasingly to their viewers and readers to beef up news coverage, particularly with amateur photographs. The amateur photographer already has an agency — "Scoopt" — to disseminate reports or images, while the budding writer can replace professionals in <i>The Guardian</i> newspaper’s Saturday travel section.

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/ 2 December 2005

Pitso still hungry

Football connoisseurs may remember Good Friday of 1985 as the day one of South Africa’s best talents was unveiled. Pitso Mosimane, a youngster recently recruited from amateur team Rockville Hungry Lions, burst into the Vosloorus stadium wearing the colours of Jomo Cosmos to score a memorable hat-trick against Kaizer Chiefs.

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/ 2 December 2005

Fines are a rip-off

The problem is that the public in general don’t understand how things are supposed to work. Traffic authorities feed them half-truths, and the media unquestioningly run mindless stories about the "millions" owed to the authorities in "outstanding fines". What is happening now has nothing to do with road safety, and everything to do with raising revenue to fill municipal budgets’ shortfalls.

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/ 2 December 2005

Alarm over ‘schooling for the elite’

A school curriculum for the few, not the many — that’s one of the most serious concerns teacher unions and educationists are voicing about the new further education and training curriculum for grades 10, 11 and 12. The curriculum is due to be implemented in grade 10 next year, leading in 2008 to a new school-leaving exam called the National Senior Certificate, which will replace matric.

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/ 2 December 2005

Inside the Icasa chaos

The National Council of Provinces is at the centre of a parliamentary battle over the independence of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. The battle, revolving around amendments to the Icasa Act, comes against the background of turmoil inside the regulator.

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/ 2 December 2005

Dangers and opportunities

The South African Communist Party (SACP) and Cosatu have been very outspoken in support of Zuma. How has this affected the alliance? The Mail & Guardian spoke to SACP leader Blade Nzimande about the impact of the Jacob Zuma affair on the SACP and its relations with the ANC.

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/ 2 December 2005

Storm over Sun City BEE deal

A row is brewing over the sale of shares in Sun International worth R600-million to a black economic empowerment (BEE) consortium led by former North West premier Popo Molefe. Three sources close to the deal, one of whom is from the government, said there were serious disputes within the North West Gambling Board about granting the transaction the necessary regulatory approval.