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/ 7 September 2006
At least 54 miners were feared dead in eastern India after the roof of a state-owned coal mine collapsed following an explosion, a mine official said on Thursday. The incident took place in the Dhanbad district of the eastern state of Jharkhand late on Wednesday.
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/ 7 September 2006
Burundi and its last remaining rebel group signed a full ceasefire on Thursday, a crucial step towards stabilising a nation trying to rise from the ashes of a 12-year civil war. President Pierre Nkurunziza and Forces for National Liberation chief Agathon Rwasa signed the deal in Dar es Salaam in the presence of South African mediators and African leaders.
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/ 7 September 2006
President Thabo Mbeki has not yet reacted to a letter from 81 scientists calling for the immediate removal of Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, his office confirmed on Thursday. It was not even certain whether he had seen the letter yet, according to presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga. ”I can’t speak definitively about it,” he said.
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/ 7 September 2006
The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) has accused the police of trying to murder one of its Gauteng officials by shooting him — possibly with rubber bullets — at close range in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Oupa Mbhele was wounded four times in his knees and lower legs and underwent surgery at the Garden City Clinic, where he was in a serious condition.
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/ 7 September 2006
Israel began on Thursday to lift a blockade of Lebanon imposed when it went to war with Hezbollah guerrillas eight weeks ago, and a Lebanese airliner landed at Beirut’s patched-up airport to mark the moment. The Middle East Airlines flight from Paris circled over Beirut to celebrate the demise of the air embargo after intense diplomacy led by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
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/ 7 September 2006
South Africa’s central bank warned on Thursday that interest rates may have to rise again to curb soaring consumption in the continent’s biggest economy and said the rand is adjusting to a widening current account gap. The Reserve Bank has already raised its key repo rate by a full percentage point to 8% in two moves since June.
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/ 7 September 2006
The general secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), Eddie Makue, has called for a single law governing all forms of marriage, including same-sex unions, rather than the dual legislation proposed by the government. He made the call in an open letter to Parliament’s home affairs and justice portfolio committees.
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/ 7 September 2006
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Jacob Zuma and the other major players in his corruption trial will have to wait until September 20 to hear whether or not the matter will be postponed. Judge Herbert Msimang on Thursday reserved judgement on the state’s request for a postponement of the trial of the former deputy president and his co-accused, French arms company Thint.
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/ 7 September 2006
South Africa has taken a ”huge slide” down the rankings of an international assessment of economic freedom, although the figures it contains, released on Thursday, are for 2004. According to the latest Economic Freedom of the World Annual Report, South Africa now ranks 53 of 130 countries measured.
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/ 7 September 2006
The commission of inquiry into allegations that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is blacklisting political commentators announced on Thursday that it had finished hearing evidence and hoped to present a report next month. Former SABC boss Zwelakhe Sisulu and advocate Gilbert Marcus said in a statement that they heard ”a final round of submissions” this week.