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/ 16 January 2006

Plane crash death toll more than doubles in 2005

The number of people killed in air crashes around the world more than doubled in 2005, with 1 050 victims in 34 fatal accidents, according to statistics from trade magazine Flight International. The number of fatalities in both passenger and freight plane crashes is the highest since 2000 and compares with 466 in 28 accidents in 2004, the figures showed.

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/ 16 January 2006

Star French chef hits Asia’s streets

He’s among an elite coterie of chefs who command the sort of respect usually accorded royalty, but when Thierry Marx comes to Hong Kong there’s only one place you’ll find him searching for a meal. "I hit the street as soon as I come here," says an excited Marx. "There is nothing like street food, especially in Asia.

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/ 16 January 2006

Riemvasmaak: The land of wine and honey

There’s a new name in the grape industry that does not conjure images of luscious vineyards, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Sunday. It is called Riemvasmaak — best known as South Africa’s first successful land claim — and now maybe as the Northern Cape’s grape capital.

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/ 16 January 2006

Israel tries to quell ‘Jewish intifada’

Israel drafted hundreds of police reinforcements to the West Bank town of Hebron on Monday in a bid to quell what the press is calling a Jewish Intifada, sparked by plans to evacuate settlers. The build-up of border police and soldiers followed two consecutive days of clashes between hundreds of hardline settlers and Israeli security forces ahead of the enforcement of eviction orders to Jewish families.

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/ 16 January 2006

Old Mutual increases Skandia acceptances

London- and South Africa-listed financial-services group Old Mutual has received acceptances for 68,6% of Skandia shares under its R38-billion offer for the Swedish insurer, up from the 64,28% it had received under the first offer period, which closed on December 16, the company announced on Monday.

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/ 16 January 2006

Scion drops case against Bolivar takeover

South African gold-mining group Gold Fields and Toronto-listed Bolivar Gold on Monday announced that Scion Capital has delivered a notice of dissent in respect of its approximately 19% common share interest in Bolivar and that Gold Fields intends to waive the condition in section 7.2(e) of its arrangement agreement with Bolivar.

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/ 16 January 2006

‘It’s a fantastic feeling to win the Dakar’

France’s Luc Alphand, driving a Mitsubishi, improved on his runners-up spot last year to win the Dakar Rally following the 15th and final stage in Dakar on Sunday ahead of South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers and Nani Roma of Spain. Alphand, the 1997 overall World Cup skiing champion, said afterwards: ”This was definitely the most exciting Dakar Rally that I have been involved in.”