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/ 18 February 2007

UN urged to take action on asteroid threat

An asteroid may come uncomfortably close to Earth in 2036 and the United Nations should assume responsibility for a space mission to deflect it, a group of astronauts, engineers and scientists said on Saturday. Astronomers are monitoring an asteroid named Apophis, which has a one in 45 000 chance of striking Earth on April 13 2036.

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/ 18 February 2007

Hussey smashes 105 as Australia emerge from slump

Australia rebounded from their recent batting slump in spectacular fashion by smashing a record 336 for four in Sunday’s second Chappell-Hadlee series one-day match against New Zealand at Eden Park. Stand-in captain Mike Hussey led his team’s assault with a blazing 105 off 84 balls while Brad Hodge once again fell agonisingly short of his maiden one-day hundred,

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/ 18 February 2007

Stallone says customs seizure a misunderstanding

Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, attending the premier of his new Rocky movie on Saturday, said Australian customs’ seizure of several items from his luggage at Sydney Airport on Friday night was a misunderstanding. Customs officers are investigating the prohibited items, which were confiscated during a routine luggage check.

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/ 18 February 2007

Prisoner takes Balfour to court

A prisoner is taking Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour to court after an offer to reduce his sentence failed to materialise, media reports said on Sunday. Balfour allegedly offered Xolani Mahambehlala a sentence remission after he filmed acts of corruption by prison warders in the Eastern and Western Cape.

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/ 18 February 2007

A practical lesson in US democracy

It began as a classroom dare. In a lesson on early democracy in Greece, 11-year-old Heather Faanes raised her hand and said that, while it might have worked for the ancients, in modern America only millionaires got to be powerful politcians. Her teacher disagreed and set out to prove the little girl wrong — by running for the US Congress herself.

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/ 18 February 2007

Media mayhem makes film festival a scrum

Covering one of the world’s top film festivals may seem like an enviable assignment, filled with leisurely afternoons spent in plush cinemas and evenings at cocktail parties rubbing elbows with the stars. True, it’s hardly the world’s worst job — but no one believes a word when you explain it’s actually 11 days of hard work.

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/ 18 February 2007

Australia lose top one-day ranking to South Africa

Australia have lost their place at the top of the world one-day international rankings after New Zealand batted superbly to register a thrilling five-wicket victory over their rivals on Sunday. South Africa, who beat Pakistan 3-1 in a recent home series, have become the first team to replace Australia at the top of the rankings since they were introduced in October 2002.

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/ 18 February 2007

Sowetan reporter held hostage at school

A reporter and driver from the Sowetan newspaper were on Saturday afternoon held hostage for six hours by a group of people at the school of the embattled Jackie Maarohanye — the principal of the Ithutheng Trust school in Kliptown. Maarohanye handed herself over to the police in October last year for cases including public violence and malicious damage to property.