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/ 11 January 2007

McLardy takes lead in Jo’burg Open

European Tour journeyman Andrew McLardy of South Africa took the first-round lead in the inaugural, co-sanctioned Jo’burg Open on Thursday with an eight-under-par 63 on the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington club’s West course. The club has two fine courses, the long, tough par-71 East and the easier par-72 West.

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/ 11 January 2007

Strong quake hits in eastern Indonesia

A strong undersea earthquake of a magnitude 6,2 struck eastern Indonesia, about 70km south-west of the provincial capital of Ambon, an official at the country’s Meteorological and Geophysical agency said on Thursday. The official said by telephone the quake struck at 9.31pm local time and was at a depth of 57km.

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/ 11 January 2007

Woolworths gives warning on nut allergens

Food retailer Woolworths warned on Thursday that 17 000 packets of malted chocolate treats bought by shoppers could possibly contain nut allergens. The company destroyed 6 100 Chuckles Malted Puffs packets from a batch with an April 16 expiry date as the sweets may contain hazelnuts, said spokesperson Dorothy McLaren.

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/ 11 January 2007

Becks says goodbye to Real

Former England captain David Beckham will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season and sign a five-year deal for Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy, he told the media on Thursday. ”This week Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract for a further two seasons,” Beckham said.

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/ 11 January 2007

Top post for corruption-accused official

A senior Eastern Cape government official suspended in 2005 for alleged corruption and bribery has been hired to oversee all social-grant payments in the province, media reported on Thursday. The January 1 appointment of Khaliphile Mabhentsela as Eastern Cape acting regional executive manager of the South African Social Security Agency has been widely condemned.

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/ 11 January 2007

US: Somalia strike misses top al-Qaeda suspects

A United States air strike in Somalia missed its main target of three top al-Qaeda suspects but killed up to 10 of their allies, a senior American official said on Thursday. A US warplane on Monday attacked a village in southern Somalia in an attempt to destroy an al-Qaeda cell accused of bombing two US embassies and an Israeli-owned hotel in East Africa.

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/ 11 January 2007

Genocide charge laid against Achmat

A charge of genocide has been laid against Treatment Action Campaign head Zackie Achmat at the International Criminal Court, media reported on Thursday. In the 59-page criminal complaint in the court in The Hague in The Netherlands, Achmat is accused of promoting the provision and use of antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV.

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/ 11 January 2007

Zim urges end to hospital strike

Zimbabwe’s health minister on Thursday urged doctors to end a pay strike that has crippled public medical care, saying they should return to work to save the lives of suffering patients. Junior doctors at public hospitals began a work boycott three weeks ago to demand salary increases of more than 8 000% — leaving hospital waiting rooms jammed with patients needing treatment.