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/ 21 December 2005
This year’s matric exams were valid and credible, education quality assurance body Umalusi said on Wednesday in Pretoria. It found that the country’s matric, adult education and vocational examinations were conducted in line with policy and the results were valid, reliable, fair and credible, said Umalusi chairperson John Pampallis.
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/ 21 December 2005
Saddam Hussein was back in court on Wednesday on charges of crimes against humanity, calmly taking notes as a witness recounted how he and his family were tortured and beaten after an attempt on the ousted Iraqi dictator’s life. Saddam had defiantly boycotted the last hearing two weeks ago.
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/ 21 December 2005
A chemical spill from a zinc smelter has polluted the Beijiang River in southern China’s Guangdong province, forcing the suspension of water supplies in two cities, state media said on Wednesday. Cadmium levels reached 10 times the safety limit near Shaoguan city on the Beijiang.
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/ 21 December 2005
India were on the brink of a 2-0 series victory against Sri Lanka after rattling the tourists with spin for the second time in the third and final Test in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The hosts were four wickets away from a win as Sri Lanka tottered on 235-6 in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day.
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/ 21 December 2005
Britain’s most famous gay couple — Sir Elton John and Canadian filmmaker David Furnish — tied the knot on Wednesday in a star-studded event that capped the first week of civil-partnership ceremonies in the United Kingdom. Furnish, a Canadian-born filmmaker, and John have been together for 12 years.
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/ 21 December 2005
There were no jingle bells, just the clank of handcuffs as Hong Kong police on Wednesday took away a man dressed as Father Christmas who staged a political protest that brought the city centre to a near standstill. Demonstrator Matt Pearce was bundled into the back of a police van following his three-hour spectacle.
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/ 21 December 2005
Britain has suspended £5-million of aid to Uganda because of concerns about the country’s political transition leading up to next year’s multiparty elections. But the United Kingdom has also reallocated £15-million to provide humanitarian relief in the north of the country.
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/ 21 December 2005
Listed gaming and hotels group Peermont Global has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in the Tusk Casino Resorts and Hotels group for a total of between R440,3-million and R583-million in cash, the company announced on Wednesday. Peermont owns the Emperors Palace casino and hotel complex in Johannesburg, among others.
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/ 21 December 2005
As the wounds of Swedes, traumatised by the Asian tsunami that cost them more lives than any other Western nation, slowly heal, many feel they will have special links with Thailand for the rest of their lives. About 20Â 000 Swedes were holidaying in Thailand, a favourite destination for the citizens of the Scandinavian country.
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/ 21 December 2005
The good guys in the movies drive BMWs, product plugs are dubbed into films and unbranded sports programmes have become unimaginable: are credulous consumers being duped by criminal capitalism? Guy Berger assesses the rising tide of commerce within media content