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/ 17 January 2004

Bird flu claims another victim

The World Health Organisation confirmed on Saturday that a fourth person has died from bird flu in Vietnam and warned that a growing number of people are falling sick with respiratory illnesses. The outbreak has sparked an Asia-wide health scare and Vietnam has ordered the slaughter of more chickens.

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/ 17 January 2004

‘SABC cannot be Mbeki’s broadcaster’

Democratic Alliance leaders expressed regret on Friday at communications authorities for granting the SABC more time to respond to complaints of the live coverage of an African National Congress rally last weekend — citing the fact that the Inkatha Freedom Party’s election campaign launch and rally takes place this Sunday.

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/ 17 January 2004

Ayatollah forces US rethink on Iraq poll

The United States signalled on Friday night that it was ready to revise its plans for gradually handing self-rule back to Iraqis, following strong criticism of the process by the country’s most influential Shia cleric. US President George Bush summoned his top official in Iraq, Paul Bremer, for urgent talks on salvaging the US plans.

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/ 17 January 2004

Fans party as Jackson pleads

In a barely audible voice, Michael Jackson on Friday pleaded not guilty to seven charges of lewd behaviour with a minor and two charges of supplying a minor with an intoxicating agent, in a densely packed courtroom in Santa Maria. Jackson was bailed until a hearing next month, but not before he had irritated the judge with his tardiness.

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/ 17 January 2004

Chillis prompt elephants to cool their heels

Elephants and humans have long found themselves at loggerheads in Africa, and Malawi is no exception to this trend. Now, villagers are also exploring a more innovative way of keeping the elephants at bay: the planting of chilli pepper plants. Once harvested and graded, the chillis are sold to European countries.