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/ 3 February 2005
The Congress of South African Trade Unions’s eviction from Zimbabwe on Wednesday could be seen as a lighter moment in the dark drama that is the unravelling of democracy in our northern neighbour. The big manne of South Africa’s union movement are Harare-bound in the morning. By mid-afternoon, they’re back, unceremoniously dumped on the next flight to Jo’burg. In the boardrooms of high capital they are treated with far more respect.
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/ 3 February 2005
On September 4 1967 <i>The New York Times</i> published an upbeat story on presidential elections held by the South Vietnamese puppet regime at the height of the Vietnam war. The echoes of the propaganda about Iraq’s elections are so close as to be uncanny. No amount of spin can conceal Iraqis’ hostility to United States occupation.
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/ 3 February 2005
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change announced on Thursday it will take part in parliamentary elections scheduled for March 31, despite widespread fears of vote rigging and political violence. ”We participate under protest,” said MDC spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi. ”We participate to keep the flames of hope for change alive.”
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/ 3 February 2005
The chain saws that are beginning to rip through the primeval forests at the heart of Africa are not only depleting the region of trees that can never be replaced. They are also destroying the branches on which global biodiversity depends. The fate of the vast forest expanse will be discussed at a regional summit meeting in Brazzaville, the capital of the Congo Republic, this weekend.
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/ 3 February 2005
Germany’s higher education system was heading for its biggest shake up in decades late last month after the country’s high court overturned a ban on tuition fees.
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/ 3 February 2005
Having followed the sexploits of advocate Barbie with an interest bordering on inappropriateness, the manne were beside themselves with anticipation. ”Barbie will now be briefing herself”, read the Saturday Star headline, leaving the okes to jealous speculation. Who would be debriefing her? And would there be live streaming video of the event available on the internet?
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/ 2 February 2005
British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday defended his government’s efforts to tackle terrorism in Britain against criticism they threaten civil rights. Blair also said he is prepared to meet with opposition politicians to discuss new anti-terrorist proposals, including electronic tagging, curfews and house arrest of people who have not been convicted of crimes.
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/ 2 February 2005
SA Rugby president Brian van Rooyen on Wednesday emphatically quashed rumours of a rift with the government regarding the bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. A spokesperson SA Rugby has the full support of the sports minister ”on condition they come back and reach certain measurables”.
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/ 2 February 2005
More than a decade ago, Norta Ibrahim Mudey fled the violence and anarchy of Mogadishu to find sanctuary in a remote fishing village on the far north-eastern coast of Somalia. That peace was shattered the day giant waves raced across the ocean from south-east Asia and slammed into the eastern coast of Africa.