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/ 31 January 2008

Report highlights safety threat to Durban rivers

Several Durban rivers are polluted with health-threatening levels of E. coli bacteria, sometimes at levels hundreds of times over the recommended safety limits for drinking, washing, swimming or canoeing, the Mercury reported on Thursday. The eThekwini municipality has been singled out as one of the ”most significant” polluters.

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/ 31 January 2008

Polish man struggles to return from the dead

Piotr Kucy (38) from the city of Polkowice in south-west Poland was wrongly identified by authorities last August as a drowned man, only to show up a few days after his own funeral. Despite pointing out the fact that he was alive to government officials, Kucy still remains dead in official records, stopping him from working and paying social insurance.

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/ 31 January 2008

Suicide bomber strikes in Kabul

A suicide bomber targeted an Afghan army bus in the centre of Kabul on Thursday, causing numerous casualties, officials said. One civilian was killed and four people were wounded, including an army officer, they said. A purported Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said one of the militant group’s suicide bombers was responsible for the blast.

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/ 31 January 2008

Margaret Truman, daughter of US president, dies

Margaret Truman Daniel, the only child of former United States president Harry S Truman who was known for her mystery novels and singing career, died on January 29 after a brief illness. Truman was in college when her father, who was serving as vice-president, became the president following the death of Franklin D Roosevelt in 1945.

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/ 31 January 2008

Tough task awaits Sevens Boks

An opening game against Australia clearly illustrates the massive task awaiting the Springbok Sevens team on Friday, when the third International Rugby Board Sevens tournament of the 2007/08 season kicks off in the Kiwi capital, Wellington. The South Africans are grouped together with the Aussies, France and Kenya in Pool C, by far the toughest of the four pools.

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/ 31 January 2008

Mugabe blows hole in quiet diplomacy

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe may have dealt a fatal blow to Pretoria’s "quiet diplomacy" by calling an election in the middle of mediation efforts by his South African counterpart, say analysts. President Mbeki was handed the poisoned chalice of mediating between Mugabe and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change last April.

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/ 31 January 2008

ICC admits blunder in Harbhajan case

International Cricket Council chief Malcolm Speed said on Thursday the organisation accepted the blame for the administrative blunder that enabled Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh to escape a stiffer penalty in his racial-abuse case. Harbhajan’s three-Test suspension for allegedly racially abusing Australian Andrew Symonds was overturned on Tuesday.

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/ 31 January 2008

Ronaldo double puts United back on top

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as champions Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League on goal difference from Arsenal after a 2-0 win at home to Portsmouth. The Gunners had briefly been at the head of the table after their 3-0 victory against Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

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/ 31 January 2008

Cameroon and Egypt fight on in Africa

Samuel Eto’o became the all-time record goal scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday when he fired Cameroon into the quarterfinals, where Egypt will also feature despite Zambia holding the defending champions to a 1-1 draw. In Tamale, Eto’o helped Cameroon to a 3-0 win to bag the Group C runners-up spot on six points.