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/ 4 February 2005

Manuel takes on EU, US over aid

South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, accused the European Union on Friday of keeping African farmers poor. He also questioned the moral leadership of the United States as he backed a British-led initiative to boost aid for Africa, for which plans are being discussed at Group of Seven talks in London.

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/ 4 February 2005

Western Areas ushers in world’s deepest drop shaft

Western Areas, in partnership with Vancouver Placer Dome, on Friday commissioned the world’s deepest single drop shaft, South Deep, near Westonaria, 40km south-west of Johannesburg. The main shaft is the deepest in the world at 2 991,5m — nearly 3km. The shaft gives direct access to one of the world’s largest identified gold-ore reserves.

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/ 4 February 2005

It’s just a pickpocket, Mr President

Security guards and reporters trailing French President Jacques Chirac on his first visit to Senegal in a decade fell prey to the army of pickpockets operating in the capital, Dakar, members of the press corps said on Thursday. At least two members of the presidential security detail were relieved of personal effects.

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/ 4 February 2005

China’s golden read

The world’s first newspaper made of gold has been published in south China, selling for 69&nbsp;000 yuan (about R51&nbsp;000) a copy, state media reported on Thursday. The one-off publishing event was launched by the <i>China Economic Daily</i> in the boom city of Shenzhen, the Xinhua news agency said.

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/ 4 February 2005

Polish senators vote on lawmakers in jail

Polish lawmakers will be paid half their salary if they are "jailed temporarily" but won’t receive their daily parliamentary allowance, the Upper House Senate voted on Thursday. Senators voted 63 in favour and six against an amendment that made a distinction between temporary detention and fully-fledged imprisonment