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/ 16 September 2004

Prisons to crack down on smoking

The Department of Correctional Services has promised to crack down on smoking at Cape Town’s Pollsmoor prison following a Labour Court challenge by a warder. The department and Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour have agreed to do ”whatever is required” to ensure that the law is ”strictly observed and complied with”.

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/ 16 September 2004

Hurricane Ivan slams into US coast

Hurricane Ivan tore through southern Alabama early on Thursday, slamming the United States coast from Mobile to Pensacola, Florida, with fierce winds and pounding surf and spawning tornadoes that killed at least seven people in Florida, according to local television reports. Meanwhile, Hurricane Jeanne hit Costa Rica, killing two.

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/ 16 September 2004

Amnesty claims 500 dead in Nigerian oil city

Amnesty International claimed on Thursday that up to 500 people were killed in clashes between rival armed gangs in the Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt in the past month. Port Harcourt is the hub of Nigeria’s oil industry. Several international oil giants and oilfield service companies have offices and workshops there.

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/ 16 September 2004

Forgery row threatens to derail Kerry

The problems dogging John Kerry’s presidential campaign deepened on Wednesday as a row over the authenticity of documents about George Bush’s National Guard service took centre stage. The Kerry campaign insists it had nothing to do with the documents, which contain derogatory remarks about Bush’s National Guard service, apparently written by a superior officer in the early 1970s.

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/ 16 September 2004

US, Europe make progress over Iran nuclear issue

The United States and Europe appeared to be closer toward agreement on Thursday on setting a deadline for Iran to clear up questions about its nuclear programme, diplomats said, although differences remained over what to do afterwards. Iran could face being taken before the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.

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/ 16 September 2004

Thousands stranded in Bangladesh flood

Half a million people in eastern Bangladesh were stranded by floodwaters on Thursday after a swollen river burst its banks and poured into more than 350 villages, officials said. An earth embankment along the Gomoti river in Comilla district gave way on Wednesday evening and sent flood water gushing towards nearby villages.

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/ 16 September 2004

‘Biggest strike’ in South African history

More than 700 000 public service workers were on strike on Thursday, making this the biggest strike in South Africa’s history, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union claimed. Schools appeared to have been the hardest hit. Health services were mostly functioning without disruptions.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Business&ao=122284">Strikers told to stay home next week</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Business&ao=122301">Jury out on strike impact in W Cape</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Business&ao=122277">Blow the vuvuzela: Strikers are ‘gatvol'</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Business&ao=122266">How strike will impact on economy</a>

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/ 16 September 2004

Don’t profit from caricature, rules court

It is illegal to caricature the Carling Black Label trademark for commercial gain, the Supreme Court of Appeal found on Thursday. Laugh It Off had been selling T-shirts emblazoned with the trademark but substituting the words ”Black Labour, White Guilt” for ”Black Label, Carling”. This was detrimental to the value of the trademark, the court held.