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/ 25 November 2005

US faces fresh prison accusation

The United States ran a detention centre in Kosovo that resembled ”a smaller version of Guantánamo”, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner charged on Friday in an interview with France’s Le Monde newspaper. Alvaro Gil-Robles said he had inspected the centre in 2002 and he conditions there ”shocked” him.

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/ 25 November 2005

Court strikes Denel case off the roll

An urgent application by arms maker Denel seeking relief from paying a guarantee of R25-million to the State Bank of India was struck off the roll by the Johannesburg High Court, media reports said on Friday. The guarantee is part of a multimillion-rand arms deal between Denel and the Indian government.

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/ 25 November 2005

Airline fights for light in South Africa

Daylight saving time (DST) is a reality in more than 70 countries worldwide — but not in South Africa. Budget airline kulula.com, which started its ”Fight for Light” DST campaign on September 1 this year, now claims President Thabo Mbeki has asked one of his ministers to investigate whether South Africa can adopt DST.

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/ 25 November 2005

Confident Dumitru takes charge of Bafana

New Bafana Bafana interim coach Ted Dumitru is a rather confident man, but he failed to put his head on the block on Friday about his team’s chances of winning the African Cup of Nations. Dumitru will commence his duties from December 1 and his contract with the South African Football Association will run until the end of February.

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/ 25 November 2005

Pollock, Hall help SA bowl out India

Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall grabbed three wickets each to help South Africa bowl out India for 188 in the fourth one-dayer at the jam-packed Eden Gardens in Kolkota on Friday. Pollock struck thrice in his first four overs as India, sent in to bat on a seamer-friendly wicket, collapsed to 23-3 and later 71-5.

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/ 25 November 2005

Self-destructive Best dazzled a generation

The sublime skills of George Best, who died in a London hospital on Friday aged 59, dazzled a generation and made him one of the world’s first and foremost footballing superstars. But his exceptional talents — or genius, according to some — brought with it the self-destruction that often accompanies those blessed with a rare gift.

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/ 25 November 2005

George Best dies in London

Football legend George Best has died in intensive care at a west London hospital, a spokesperson said on Friday. The former Manchester United and Northern Ireland winger (59), whose battle with alcoholism led to a liver transplant in 2002, was taken to hospital on October 1. He had been making daily progress until last week when he suffered a severe setback.

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/ 25 November 2005

Gaza gateway to turn ‘borders into bridges’

The Rafah border, Gaza’s only link to the outside world that bypasses Israel, was declared open by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Friday after being shut for nearly three months. ”It is a dream come true for us to be here to celebrate the reopening of the Rafah terminal,” Abbas told Palestinian and foreign dignitaries.