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/ 21 December 2005

Religious parties deal blow to US hopes for Iraq

The Bush administration’s hopes for a government of national unity in Iraq, led by its favoured candidate, Ayad Allawi, the secular and pro-Western former prime minister, received a setback on Tuesday night. Preliminary results showed that most voters opted for Sunni and Shi’ite religious parties. Allawi’s camp, which includes liberals, communists and his own secular followers, cried foul on Tuesday.

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/ 21 December 2005

McGrath blames wicket for SA draw

Australian paceman Glenn McGrath on Wednesday defended his captain’s decision to delay declaring in the first Test against South Africa in Perth, saying an unusually flat wicket was to blame for South Africa escaping with a draw. The Australians had the Test by the throat going into the final day on Tuesday.

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/ 21 December 2005

Tsvangirai claims plot to eliminate him

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai claimed on Tuesday that President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party plans to eliminate him and blame his death on infighting within his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Tsvangirai said the ruling Zanu-PF is plotting a ”heinous crime blamed on intra-MDC conflict”.

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/ 21 December 2005

Beit Bridge ‘fraught with problems’

Beit Bridge border post is fraught with problems, an interdepartmental committee found in a visit to the port of entry from Zimbabwe on Tuesday. Apart from ”phenomenal” traffic congestion, there was little signage, too few toilets and immigration staff lacked commitment, dedication and discipline, found the committee.

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/ 21 December 2005

Aveng ceases operations at Aquarius mine

Construction and engineering company Aveng on Tuesday said it had ceased contractor mining operations at Aquarius Platinum’s Marikana platinum mine and would claim more than R200-million in payments from Aquarius. Earlier on Tuesday, Aquarius Platinum South Africa announced it had rescinded the Marikana mining contract with Moolman Mining.

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/ 21 December 2005

Bolivia’s future leader pledges to control coca

Bolivia’s future president Evo Morales, a coca producer under pressure to crack down on cocaine, has pledged to keep controls on coca but says he will study expanding the area where it can be legally grown. Morales on Tuesday also called on the United States to work with him to develop better ways of ending drug trafficking.