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/ 15 November 2007

JSE remains negative on world markets

The JSE continued to follow the downward trend in international markets at midday on Thursday, remaining firmly in the red. By 11.58am, the JSE’s all-share index lost 0,7%. The gold mining index gave up 0,8% and resources fell 0,7%, but the platinum mining index added 0,57%.

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/ 15 November 2007

As good as theft

Big Food was scrambling for cover this week with the announcement that the Competition Commission has proposed fining Tiger Brands a whopping R98-million for its participation in cartel behaviour in the bread and milling industries. The custodians of some of South Africa’s most popular food brands have been colluding on a national level to set prices in an attempt to remove competition from their market.

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/ 15 November 2007

Kunene: ‘I must be killed’

The man at the centre of the so-called “hoax email” trial claims he will either be framed or assassinated before the start of the ANC’s national conference in December. Muzi Kunene spoke to the Mail & Guardian on Tuesday — a day before he was shot in the hand by a gunman on a street in Pretoria.

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/ 14 November 2007

Yesterday and today, but what of tomorrow?

The 2007 Community ­Survey conducted by Statistics South Africa gives an impressive account of our developmental progress, concluding that ”today is better than yesterday”. The survey also makes it clear that our society is undergoing massive changes. From the most intimate relations to the most abstract levels of social interaction, communities are in flux.

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/ 14 November 2007

Monkey business at the M&G

I’m taking a walk through Johannesburg Zoo in the late afternoon. It’s been a quiet day, I’m in a lazy mood and comfy clothes. Fog is rolling in from across the lake, light is draining out of the sky and the people out of the place. In the near distance around the darkening park, the tops of city blocks are lost in the soft, grey suckling of low rainclouds.

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/ 14 November 2007

Pakistan opposition aims to unite

Pakistani opposition parties tried to forge a united front on Wednesday against military President Pervez Musharraf who insisted a state of emergency was necessary for fair elections. United States ally Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup, declared emergency rule in nuclear-armed Pakistan on November 3.

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/ 14 November 2007

Chevron to pay $30m in oil-for-food settlement

Chevron, the number-two United States oil company, has agreed to pay -million to resolve criminal and civil liabilities related to procurement of oil under the United Nations oil-for-food programme, US prosecutors said on Wednesday. Chevron will not be prosecuted and will continue to cooperate with investigators, they said.

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/ 14 November 2007

France hit by transport chaos

France was plunged into travel chaos for the second time in a month on Wednesday as striking railway unions staged a show of strength against the economic reforms of President Nicolas Sarkozy. Nationwide fewer than one-quarter of trains were running normally — and only 90 out 700 TGV fast trains.