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/ 10 January 2008

Obesity now a lifestyle choice in US, says author

As adult obesity balloons in the United States, being overweight has become less of a health hazard and more of a lifestyle choice, the author of a new book argues. ”Obesity is a natural extension of an advancing economy. As you become a First World economy and you get all these labour-saving devices and low-cost, easily accessible foods, people are going to eat more and exercise less,” health economist Eric Finkelstein says.

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/ 9 January 2008

2008: Media development or media distraction?

It’s going to be a year of media development for me. That is, if the political people don’t throw too many press-freedom threats into the works. December brought the news that I’ve been appointed to the board of the Media Development and Diversity Agency — the statutory body set up to promote grassroots media growth.

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/ 9 January 2008

De Villiers named as new Bok coach

Peter de Villiers made history on Wednesday by being named as the first black coach of the world-champion Springbok rugby team, before making clear he would pick his teams based on merit, not colour. De Villiers, currently coach of the Under-21 side, was the surprise choice of the South African Rugby Union to succeed Jake White.

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/ 9 January 2008

Nel arrest warrant ‘hazy’, says lawyer

Gerrie Nel, the head of the Directorate of Special Operations in Gauteng — also known as the Scorpions — who was released on bail on Wednesday following his dramatic arrest by police the night before, hopes to be back in his post on Thursday. Nel was arrested at his Pretoria home in front of his wife and children at about on Tuesday night.

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/ 9 January 2008

Sudan army denies attacking UN peacekeepers

Sudan on Wednesday strongly denied that its army had opened fire on a United Nations convoy that was attacked in Darfur days after peacekeepers began their new mission to the troubled western Sudanese region. A Sudanese driver was critically injured, a fuel tanker truck destroyed and an armoured personnel carrier damaged late on Monday.