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/ 24 November 2004

‘I was right to shoot 13-year-old child’

An Israeli army officer who repeatedly shot a 13-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza dismissed a warning from another soldier that she was a child by saying he would have killed her even if she was three years old. The official account claimed that Iman al-Hams was shot as she walked towards an army post with her schoolbag because soldiers feared she was carrying a bomb.

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/ 24 November 2004

Ukraine crisis threatens rift

Ukraine’s political crisis deepened on Tuesday night after three days of street protests and political drama threatened to cause a diplomatic rift between Russia and the United States. The opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko, declared himself the winner of Sunday’s presidential run-off against the Kremlin-backed prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, by swearing himself in after an emergency parliamentary session.

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/ 24 November 2004

‘Ora’ points the way

A recent letter in the <i>M&G</i> requires a response. In it Steward Spencer asks: "How can it be that Orania has its own currency? Do the national police have access to and jurisdiction over this self-created land?" The important point is Orania’s local currency, the "ora". The ora could become a regional local currency to the great benefit of one of the poorest regions in South Africa, writes Norman Reynolds.

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/ 24 November 2004

A home of her own

Housing is a major issue on the social agenda, but policy and planning are often gender-blind and fail to acknowledge that men and women have different housing needs. This often forces women to live in unsafe places or stay in abusive relationships. Women’s participation in housing policy and design is necessary to break these patterns, say organisations working in the field.

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/ 24 November 2004

Guarding the guardians

The Eastern Cape High Court recently heard a matter in which the Attorneys Fidelity Fund and the minister of justice and constitutional development were sued by more than 100 clients for alleged theft. The fund won because a recently amended clause that determines that the fund cannot be held responsible for theft of money intended for investment by attorneys on behalf of clients. The clients argued that the amendment was invalid.

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/ 24 November 2004

Dreaming of you …

Last night I unexpectedly found myself in the company of my ex. Unexpected because, following a particularly protracted break-up, I’d asserted several months ago that I wanted no further contact with her. It seems that my subconscious had other ideas, though. Dreaming about your ex can bring back old feelings. But what do these subconscious encounters mean?

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/ 24 November 2004

Technicians work through the night to restore power

City Power technicians worked through the night to rebuild a transformer that was burnt on Monday night and said on Wednesday they had been able to restore power to about 15% of Johannesburg’s western suburbs. City Power Vice-President Silas Zimu said they had hoped to prioritise areas which had hospitals, but due to the severity of the fire damage at the Hurst Hill transformer, it had not been possible to be selective.

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/ 24 November 2004

First Test ends in tame draw

India’s spin bowlers rocked the South African top order and pace bowler Makhaya Ntini claimed three quick wickets on Wednesday before the series opener meandered to a tame draw. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik claimed two wickets each as South Africa compiled 169 for four before the umpires called an end to the fifth day’s play in the first Test of the two-match series.