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/ 23 September 2004

Botswana anthrax outbreak spreads

An anthrax outbreak that has killed close to 200 buffaloes, elephants and a hippo in Botswana has spread to Namibia, where it is posing a serious threat to livestock, officials said on Thursday. ”We have received reports that the disease has crossed into Namibia,” said acting wildlife district coordinator Obert Gwapela.

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/ 23 September 2004

Liberian village picks up the pieces

With handpumps, latrines and the unimaginable luxury of electricity, the inhabitants of Cestos City in eastern Liberia are slowly rebuilding their ruined town under the shadow of epidemic illness. ”The war has destroyed everything we had,” said Emmet Kay, looking around him at the barren landscape that used to be a large village.

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/ 23 September 2004

Manuel: Rand’s fair value is a ‘holy grail’

Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel on Thursday said trying to determine the fair value of the rand is akin to searching for the "holy grail". The fair price of the rand, he told business students at Wits University, is "the price that’s just traded". He said the price of a currency is "merely a price reflecting the value of goods and services in the international markets".

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/ 23 September 2004

ANC, DA gleeful after by-elections

Victorious political parties reacted with glee on Thursday to 19 municipal by-elections held around the country the day before. In KwaZulu-Natal, the African National Congress was in a jubilant mood after gaining victories in three by-elections in rural areas, previously regarded as Inkatha Freedom Party strongholds.

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/ 23 September 2004

Major Botswana hospital faces crisis

A major hospital in Botswana is struggling to cope with the mounting pressure of staff and resource shortages, the HIV/Aids crisis and a high rate of road accidents. ”Sometimes we have 200% bed occupancy in the wards,” said Dr Howard Moffat, the hospital’s superintendent. The shortage of beds has resulted in patients sleeping on the floor.

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/ 23 September 2004

Cambodian police round up fake beggars

Panhandlers who fake disabilities to glean cash from kindly picnickers at the popular weekend getaway destination of Kien Svay, just outside the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, will have to outwit police and locals determined to end their charades. Last week, police said they rounded up five people faking disabilities.

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/ 23 September 2004

SABC under investigation after shocking footage

The South African Broadcasting Corporation was under investigation by a media commission on Thursday for airing footage of the beheading of a United States hostage in Iraq during its early-evening news programmes. "Everybody was shocked by the viewing," said Donna Mohamed of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-National&ao=122740">We didn’t show it, says e.tv</a>