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/ 22 December 2004
A poor man in eastern India who fed a flame of hay for more than five decades to mark the 1947 independence of India from the British died in his thatched hut on Tuesday, relatives said. Paduram Mahanta (83) was cremated by one of his sons in their village, Dipila Kamargaon, 75km from Guwahati, the main city of Assam state.
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/ 22 December 2004
The corruption trial of former Central African president Ange Felix Patasse was postponed indefintely on Wednesday at the request of prosecutors. Patasse, in exile in Togo, is charged along with four co-defendants — all of them close aides during his presidency — with stealing 70-billion CFA francs (about R803-million) in public funds.
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/ 22 December 2004
The French press said on Wednesday that the release of journalists Christian Chesnot and George Malbrunot after four months of captivity in Iraq is surrounded by mystery and murky politics. But the sense of joy and relief that swept the country on the news of the release was reflected in bold headlines — ”Free!” and ”At last!”.
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/ 22 December 2004
The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday called the asset forfeiture unit’s reported intention to confiscate vehicles of drivers caught travelling at 30kph over the speed limit ”disproportionate”. ”The possibly unintended consequences of such confiscations should not punish innocent people, the DA said in a statement.
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/ 22 December 2004
Year-on-year consumer inflation less mortgage costs (CPIX) rose to 4,6% last month from 4,2% in October, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported on Wednesday. The headline inflation rate for November — the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the historical metropolitan area — was 3,7%.
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/ 22 December 2004
A team of international scientists has found new fish and insect species, including a monster cockroach, living in caves in Indonesia’s remote East Kalimantan province, the group announced on Wednesday. The team said the area where the new species were discovered is threatened by environmental degradation.
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/ 22 December 2004
Armando Guebuza, one of Mozambique’s richest businessmen and a stalwart of the ruling party and the country’s fight against Portuguese colonial rule, crowned his political career on Tuesday by being elected president in key polls. Guebuza inflicted a crushing defeat on main opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama in the polls.
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/ 22 December 2004
Minister of Home Affairs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Tuesday postponed the deportation of about 2 000 illegal immigrants over the festive period. Mapisa-Nqakula made the announcement during a visit to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp on the West Rand.
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/ 22 December 2004
After a trying year punctuated by calls for his resignation by United States lawmakers, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan says the US and the UN have to find a way to put their disputes behind them and move ahead with plans to reform the world body and meet poverty-reduction goals.
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/ 22 December 2004
Australian exploration company Hancock Prospecting is looking to start the development of the Aus$1,7-billion Hope Downs iron-ore project in Western Australia following the arbitration ruling in favour of the company, Hancock chairperson Gina Rinehart said in a statement.