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/ 4 February 2008

Olmert survives, for now

Retired justice Eliyahu Winograd, who headed the panel investigating Israel’s 34-day war in Lebanon in 2006, said recently what everybody already knew. The ground offensive launched in the last 60 hours of the war ”did not achieve any military objective, nor did it fulfil its potential”.

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/ 4 February 2008

Beware the guardians

The ANC’s Polokwane conference resolved to investigate ”the establishment of a Media Appeals Tribunal”. It is gratifying that what is being suggested, at this stage anyway, is an ”investigation”. We can only hope that the inquiry will demonstrate that the statutory tribunal envisaged has been tried elsewhere in Africa and found wanting.

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/ 4 February 2008

Mugabe’s election ruse

His foes have called it ”an act of madness”, but Robert Mugabe’s move to call elections within two months might prove a masterstroke that will trip up his opponents. But it could also be a move that prolongs his stand-off with the opposition and a regional mediation process with which Mugabe looks increasingly impatient.

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/ 4 February 2008

Rasool summoned to Luthuli House

Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool, who campaigned strongly in favour of President Thabo Mbeki in the run up to the Polokwane conference, has been summoned to African National Congress headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Sunday.

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/ 3 February 2008

Els falls victim to Woods again

Tiger Woods watched his 25-foot putt race down the slope and bend toward the cup, then he skipped backward and punched the desert air in celebration when it disappeared into the cup for a final birdie. So ended his spectacular charge on Sunday to win the Dubai Desert Classic over Ernie Els, a familiar victim.

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/ 3 February 2008

Agogo sends Ghana into semifinals

Junior Agogo scored a late goal on Sunday to lead 10-man Ghana over Nigeria 2-1 and into the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals. Agogo met Sulley Muntari’s cross from the left and sent the ball into the roof of the net in the 83rd minute to send the Black Stars into a showdown with either Cameroon or Tunisia on Thursday.

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/ 3 February 2008

Pollock farewell match ends in victory

There were cheers and tears as Herschelle Gibbs hit a century and helped South Africa cruise to a eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the fifth MTN one-day international on Sunday, as thousands of fans flocked to the Wanderers to say goodbye to Shaun Pollock, who was playing his last match in green and gold.

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/ 3 February 2008

Floods worsen in Malawi

Malawi’s president flew over the flood-stricken Shire Valley on Sunday where nearly 50 000 people have lost their homes and crops to raging waters that have wreaked havoc in many parts of Southern Africa. Nationally, more than 70 000 have been displaced in Malawi.