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/ 31 January 2008

Jeppestown case: Defence objects to ID procedure

Counsel for the defence in the Jeppestown murder and robbery trial on Thursday objected to what it termed a ”hybrid identification procedure” that it believed could prejudice the 13 accused. ”This is a hybrid procedure that buttresses the memory of the witness,” said Sidwell Ford in the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday.

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/ 14 January 2008

Republican candidates go for a spin in Detroit

It’s an exacting task campaigning for president — you have to be an expert on everything, including gas-electric hybrid propulsion systems for a new generation of sedan cars. Campaigning for Tuesday’s Michigan primary, the leading Republican candidates dropped in on the Detroit motor show to emphasise their dedication to helping the region’s shrinking car industry.

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/ 14 January 2008

‘Cars aren’t just for driving any more’

Advances in digital technology are set to transform the automotive world, making cars safer, more efficient and more fun to drive, says General Motors chairperson Rick Wagoner. His speech at last week’s Consumer Electronics World, the world’s largest technology fair, signified how fast cars are integrating electronic gadgets.

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/ 13 January 2008

US automakers face onslaught in 2008

After years of crisis, the big three United States automakers face another brutal year with demand expected to dip again due to an economic downturn threatening to snuff out 2007’s timid recovery. The world’s major automakers will exhibit upcoming models and the concept cars of the future from Sunday as media previews kick off for the Detroit motor show.

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/ 5 November 2007

Five arrested after robbery at Bryanston supermarket

Five robbers were arrested — four of them with gunshot wounds — after a shoot-out with the police after a robbery at the Checkers supermarket in Bryanston, north of Johannesburg, on Sunday. Johannesburg police spokesperson Captain Julia Claassen said the five-man gang robbed staff and customers of an undisclosed amount of money and cellphones.

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/ 31 October 2007

California fires: Boy with matches blamed

California officials have blamed a wildfire that consumed more than 15 300ha and destroyed 21 homes last week on a boy playing with matches, and said they will ask a prosecutor to consider the case. The boy, whose name and age were not released, admitted to sparking the fire on October 21, police said.

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/ 13 October 2007

US court gives nod to apartheid claims

A United States appellate court on Friday allowed claims brought by victims of apartheid against dozens of major companies to go forward, saying a lower court erred in ruling it did not have jurisdiction over the matter. The plaintiffs include South Africa’s non-profit Khulumani Support Group.

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/ 17 September 2007

Motor-strike talks to resume

Negotiations in a bid to resolve a crippling motor-industry strike will resume on Monday night, the Retail Motor Industry said on Monday. The four-day strike has seen several motoring-manufacturing plants temporarily closing their doors as parts became unavailable.

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/ 16 September 2007

Colin McRae, born to drive, dies alongside son

Colin McRae, who died in a tragic helicopter crash alongside his five-year-old son Johnny on September 15, was born with his foot firmly on the accelerator. Rallying, and indeed daredevil pursuits, was in the blood for McRae, who was born in Lanark in southern Scotland on August 5 1968. His father Jimmy was a five-time British rally champion. His brother Alister is also former champion.

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/ 10 September 2007

SA auto-parts workers to strike, says union

More than 50 000 South African vehicle-component workers are set to go on indefinite strike on Wednesday after a breakdown in wage talks, the main metalworkers’ union said on Monday. Mziwakhe Hlangani, spokesperson for the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, said in a statement the strike would affect automotive-component suppliers.