Staff Reporter
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/ 31 January 2008

Britney Spears rushed to hospital again

Troubled pop icon Britney Spears was rushed to hospital in an ambulance early on Thursday morning for the second time this month for an involuntary mental health evaluation, United States media reported. Spears was taken to the UCLA Medical Centre at about 1.30am local time, celebrity website TMZ.com said.

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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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/ 31 January 2008

Senegal snub press after nightclub story

Senegal have imposed a media blackout after the publication of a story in the local press about skipper El-Hadji Diouf staying up late at a nightclub 48 hours before a crunch Africa Cup of Nations Group D tie against South Africa. ”We want to be focused on the match and do not want any distractions from the media,” said an official.

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/ 31 January 2008

SA hints at delay over Iran nuclear resolution

A one-month delay to consider a new United Nations Security Council draft resolution that would punish Iran for moving ahead with its nuclear programme would not be a disaster, a South African official said on Thursday. The Security Council’s five permanent members, along with Germany, have circulated a draft that would toughen existing sanctions on Iran.

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/ 31 January 2008

Zimbabwe’s Vermeulen cleared of arson

Former Test cricketer Mark Vermeulen has been cleared of arson attacks on the Zimbabwe Cricket Board’s headquarters after a court found he was suffering psychiatric problems, his lawyer said on Thursday. Eric Matinenga said Mishrod Guvamombe, the presiding magistrate at Wednesday’s hearing in Harare, had delivered a ”special verdict”.

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/ 31 January 2008

Chad claims rebels advance towards capital

A Sudanese-backed Chadian rebel column has advanced deep into Chad towards the capital, Ndjamena, in the west, the government said in a statement broadcast by state media on Thursday. A separate security source in Ndjamena said the column of about 300 vehicles had passed through the town of Ati and halted 250km east of Ndjamena.

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/ 31 January 2008

Rustenburg mayor under investigation

A multiparty committee has been set up to investigate allegations involving the mayor of Rustenburg, Matthew Wolmarans, the municipality said on Thursday. Municipal manager Andries Boschoff said a motion of no confidence was passed against the mayor on Tuesday during a council meeting.