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/ 18 December 2004
As latter-day Randlord Roger Kebble prepares finally to enter the dock in his much delayed fraud trial, allegations have emerged of a campaign, conducted by his family and associates, of financially inducing witnesses. Some evidence points to Willem Heath, the former judge who once headed the corruption-busting Special Investigating Unit, having played a less than proper role in the rough-and-tumble that followed Kebble’s arrest in November 2002.
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/ 18 December 2004
A controversial new Kenyan law, passed this month to allow sport hunting and killing of wildlife straying on to private land, has triggered complaints from conservationists, activists and local communities. ”Just a few words of legislation could spell doom for wildlife conservation,” Maasai wildlife activist Godfrey ole Ndopaiya said.
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/ 18 December 2004
Santa Claus is coming to town … and in these uncertain times, he’s being offered a jet-fighter escort. Canadian pilots seconded to the North American Aerospace Defence Command, who normally spend their nights scouring the skies for intruders, will scramble on Christmas Eve for a special mission.
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/ 18 December 2004
Six people died on Friday when hurricane-strength winds lashed Paris and large areas of northern and eastern France, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes and disrupting air, rail and road traffic. Gusts of up to 130kph blew through the region, prompting the national weather service to issue its second-highest alert.
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/ 18 December 2004
Modern Chinese couples spend 1 000 times more than their parents’ generation on lavish weddings and other expenses linked to starting a family, state media reported on Saturday. Twenty-five years ago, the shopping list of young couples planning to get married consisted of a wardrobe, bed and bedding, some candy and cigarettes.
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/ 18 December 2004
Mpumalanga police will thoroughly investigate a possible cover-up over a traffic official’s driving accident. The conduct of police who allegedly refused to provide a blood-testing kit to the Nelspruit Medi-Clinic will be investigated, said Captain Benjamin Bhembe, Lowveld police spokesperson.
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/ 18 December 2004
Two South African men detained in Pakistan on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organisation were deported to South Africa on Wednesday, the office of the South African national police commissioner said on Friday. Feroz Ganchi and Zubair Ismail were questioned by the South African Police Service upon their arrival in South Africa.
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/ 18 December 2004
The African National Congress published a stinging attack on Friday on top United States health officials, accusing them of treating Africans like guinea pigs and telling lies to promote the sales of a key Aids drug. The article reinforces the fears of doctors and activists that new questions about the testing of nevirapine could halt use of the drug.
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/ 18 December 2004
The Table Mountain rapist licked his victim’s private parts in the belief that she would enjoy it, the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday. Jeremia Lebogang Bhengi (25), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault, one of rape and one of attempted murder when he appeared in court.
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/ 18 December 2004
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Friday dropped three Cabinet ministers from his party’s highest decision-making body, including controversial Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, the state news agency reported. It was not clear if the trio’s fall from favour within the party presaged a possible fall from their Cabinet posts.