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/ 27 December 2003
The Democratic Alliance expressed relief on Friday that this year’s matric exams went off with fewer hitches, but it partly blamed the lack of job creation on the government’s restrictive labour legislation. It said the current curriculum does not prepare young people for the requirements of the workplace.
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/ 27 December 2003
A 23-year-old man sought for at least 44 counts of armed robbery and murder was arrested in Boksburg in the East Rand on Friday. Police received information about the man’s whereabouts and set out to apprehend him. A car chase ensued, but the man apparently lost control of the vehicle, crashing it into a tree.
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/ 27 December 2003
Michael Jackson said in an interview with the CBS television network that he still believes it’s acceptable to sleep with children and that he would ”slit my wrists” before he would hurt a child. Jackson, arrested on November 20 on suspicion of child molestation, denied the charges against him during the interview.
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/ 27 December 2003
Rescue workers searched roadsides and homes for bodies in south-west China on Friday after the worst gas disaster in the country’s history killed at least 198 people, many of whom died in their sleep as a deadly cloud passed through their villages. More than 9Â 000 residents have been treated for poisoning.
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/ 27 December 2003
The crash at Cotonou in West Africa of a Boeing 727 passenger plane belonging to a Guinea airline, piloted by a Libyan crew and without a proper flying licence, highlights problems of flying in Africa, experts say. The Christmas Day crash in the African state of Benin killed 113 people.
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/ 27 December 2003
The past 12 months have been the most dramatic year in the history of space exploration since the 1969 Apollo lunar landing, throwing up events whose importance will resound for decades to come, including the catastrophic loss of the United States shuttle Columbia.
Still no news from Beagle on Mars
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/ 27 December 2003
Seven people were killed and at least nine others, including several children, were missing late on Friday after walls of mud spawned by torrential rains overran two California campgrounds in the United States. Avalanches of mud carrying entire trees and huge boulders roared down hillsides that were stripped bare by wildfires.
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/ 27 December 2003
A third attempt to confirm the survival of the European Mars lander <i>Beagle 2</i> failed on Friday when a Nasa spacecraft swept over the planned touchdown site on the red planet without picking up a signal. "We are not in any way giving up yet," said Professor Colin Pillinger, chief <i>Beagle</i> scientist.
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/ 27 December 2003
Charlton’s highest home crowd at The Valley in more than a decade was given a Boxing Day treat as the Addicks threw a spanner into the works of Chelsea’s title challenge. Headers from Hermann Hreidarsson, Matt Holland, Jonatan Johansson and Jason Euell guided the home side to a thrilling and fully deserved 4-2 victory.
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/ 27 December 2003
Three headed goals eased the pressure on Gerard Houllier as Liverpool celebrated Christmas with a much-needed 3-1 win over Bolton at Anfield on Friday. Finnish international Sami Hyypia, Frenchman Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Vladimir Smicer were the men on target.