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/ 15 December 2004
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it has been excluded from the investigation into the deaths of seven miners at the Hernic Ferrochrome mine at Brits on Tuesday. The company is unwilling to engage with the union on details of the disaster, NUM spokesperson Moferefere Lekorotsoana said in a statement on Wednesday.
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/ 15 December 2004
A large majority of European parliamentarians on Wednesday voted for Turkey’s entry into the European Union, setting the scene for the bloc’s expected decision on December 16 and 17 to fix a date for opening entry talks with Ankara. A total of 407 EU lawmakers voted in favour of Turkey’s membership of the union.
Turkey won’t join EU on conditions
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/ 15 December 2004
The government signed an aviation deal with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus in Pretoria on Wednesday, which could benefit the economy by between R6-billion and R15-billion. The deal, which sees local aviation companies become global partners in the building and design of the new A400M military aircraft, will also allow South Africa to purchase between eight and 14 craft at a later stage.
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/ 15 December 2004
Two celebrated red-tailed hawks whose eviction from their nest high atop a chic Manhattan building sparked protests from bird watchers will be allowed to rebuild their home in the same spot. But despite the agreement on Tuesday, all was not calm outside 927 Fifth Avenue.
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/ 15 December 2004
Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have agreed to reform some of that country’s electoral laws, but the opposition said it is ”dissatisfied” by the state’s attempts to portray absolute agreement. However, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said ”negations are over”.
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/ 15 December 2004
A species of dragonfly thought to be extinct has made a dramatic comeback following the removal of invasive alien trees by the Working for Water programme. The Ceres Stream damsel, or Metacnemis angusta, had not been spotted since 1920, the November/December issue of the Water Wheel reported.
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/ 15 December 2004
Two more hostages have been released by two men who hijacked a Greek bus with 25 passengers on board early on Wednesday, Greek television reported. The armed hijackers had earlier released two men and three women, one of whom told the private Greek radio station Skai that a ransom demand of one million euros had been made.
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/ 15 December 2004
The number of road deaths so far this December appears about the same as last year, the Department of Transport said in Pretoria on Wednesday. ”This is incredibly disappointing for us,” said the department’s chief director of land transportation regulation, Wendy Watson.
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/ 15 December 2004
It was the social ticket of the year, a star-studded charity gala where the glitterati ate gourmet food prepared by Britain’s top chef. But for one party-goer, the curry house across the road just looked more tempting. Ivan Massow was condemned as ”childish” for snubbing his £1 200-a-plate (about R13 200) meal in favour of a takeaway.
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/ 15 December 2004
Lawyers in South Africa for Mark Thatcher have appealed against a decision that would force the Briton to answer questions about his alleged role in a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, his legal counsel said. His lawyers have repeatedly denied his involvement in the alleged coup.