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/ 9 December 2005
South Africa is hoping that rich countries will move away from vague commitments to "precise figures" and deadlines for opening up markets to poorer nations, said its lead negotiator at next week’s WTO talks. Speaking ahead of the key World Trade Organisation meeting opening in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Xavier Carim also singled out the European Union for criticism, saying its stance on agriculture was holding back progress on a new trade deal.
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/ 9 December 2005
The Brazilian government, in the person of Don Alhambra Goebbels-Von Ribbentrop, Prefect of Amazonia and Archbishop of Ipanema, was adamant that the past year’s inferno had merely been catastrophic, and not, as the environmental lobby claimed, apocalyptic.
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/ 9 December 2005
Cape Town will soon get its first eco-suburb, with 600 homes, showcasing sustainable living — from its own on-site sewage treatment facility to environmentally friendly construction methods. Oude Molen, an 18ha site earmarked by the Western Cape government for the R80-million eco-development project, is already a platform for "alternative" living.
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/ 9 December 2005
The government has yet to decide how to handle the fallout from the United Nations inquiry into the world body’s controversial Iraqi "oil-for-food" programme.
The report of the UN Independent Inquiry Committee, released in October, points fingers at thousands of companies for having allegedly flouted provisions of UN sanctions against the government of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
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/ 9 December 2005
The African National Congress in Mpumalanga appears to have finally shown controversial Ehlanzeni, Nelspruit, mayor Jeri Ngomane the door. ANC sources said Ngomane, dubbed the "Romeo mayor" because of his numerous wives and girlfriends, was found guilty on three out of four corruption charges following allegations published in the <i>Mail & Guardian</i>.
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/ 9 December 2005
Trevor Ncube, the owner and publisher of the Mail & Guardian and Zimbabwe’s Standard and Independent had his passport impounded as he landed in Bulawayo on Wednesday. The confiscation of Ncube’s passport is based on a recent set of laws which limits citizenship of those who the Zimbabwe government alleges to be harming the interests of the country.
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/ 9 December 2005
The political disabling of Jacob Zuma has again thrown open the presidential succession race — and a powerful group of African National Congress members close to President Thabo Mbeki are said to be throwing their support behind Mbhazima Shilowa, Premier of Gauteng, as their favoured candidate.
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/ 9 December 2005
In her late fifties, softly spoken and immaculate in her yellow uniform, ”MaMofokeng” could easily pass for a school matron. But appearances are deceptive. Masechaba Mofokeng is the bishop of the Holy Jerusalem Church of Repentance in Jabulani, Soweto, and the first South African woman to build her own church.
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/ 9 December 2005
With a new front in the battle over transformation opening up, the General Council of the Bar is moving to limit the damage from civil action launched by a young black woman who alleges that her attempts to become an advocate are threatened by unjust treatment. Judges Dennis Davis and Basheer Wagley heard an application to review a decision by the National Bar Examination Board to refuse Makhosazana Mngomezulu an oral exam.
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/ 9 December 2005
Two members of the North West Gambling Board have resigned over alleged attempts to rush through approval of the proposed empowerment deal between Sun International and a consortium led by former North West premier Popo Molefe.
Khakhane Leballo and Medi Mokuena resigned last week, leaving the board with just four members and thus without a quorum to approve the deal.