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/ 1 November 2004

Media pessimism about Bush, Kerry

American voters may have shrugged off a surprise appearance by Osama bin Laden, but one day ahead of the United States presidential election, daily newspapers conveyed a general pessimism about the election, no matter who wins.
With final opinion polls searching for any late shift in voter sentiment, neither candidate was seen as breaking out of a suffocating deadlock ahead of Tuesday’s vote.

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/ 1 November 2004

Ten arrested for R4,5m mine pension fraud

Ten people were arrested on the West Rand and in the North West province on Monday, for allegedly defrauding the Mine Pension Fund of more than R4,5-million, police said. A spokesperson for the Johannesburg commercial crimes unit said several plots and houses of former mine employees were raided on Monday morning.

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/ 1 November 2004

Witness breaks down in Palazzolo hearing

A former elite police officer broke down on Monday in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, where he had been summoned to answer questions about alleged Mafia kingpin Roberto Palazzolo. Abraham Smith was called on the first day of a hearing in which questions drawn up by Italian prosecutors are being put to a series of witnesses.

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/ 1 November 2004

Switzerland wins Cheese Olympics

It’s official — Swiss cheese is the best in the world. Cheeses from Alpine Switzerland won 37 of 60 medals available at the third annual Mountain Cheese Olympics, including 13 gold medals, the organisers said. More than 400 mountain cheeses from around the world competed in the four-day event.

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/ 1 November 2004

Zim newsmen on trial for ‘defaming’ Mugabe

Four journalists will go on trial in Zimbabwe in January on charges of defaming President Robert Mugabe. A newspaper report that said he had used a plane from the national carrier for his holidays. Editors Iden Wetherell and Vincent Kahiya, and reporters Dumisani Muleya and Itai Dzamara from the privately owned Zimbabwe Independent are to return to court on January 10 for the start of the trial.

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/ 1 November 2004

Convergence Bill delayed until 2005

South Africa’s long-awaited Convergence Bill will be passed next year, Director General of Communications Lyndall Shope-Mafole said on Monday. Convergence means carrying all types of communication on one digital network — comprising voice, data, internet and other information and communications technology platforms.

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/ 1 November 2004

It’s not over till Bianca sings

I do have to admit that I feel a bit like Rip van Winkle, whoever he might have been. I have been out on the road for a month, which seems like a short space of time when you think about if from one perspective, but is really a lifetime when you look at it from another point of view. The world passes beneath your feet in real time while you’re out there. Meanwhile, back home, seismic changes are rumbling like there’s no tomorrow.