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/ 23 February 2006
An Australian businessman who faked his own death nearly six years ago in an attempt to cash in a 3,5-million Australian dollar ($2,5-million) life insurance policy was jailed on Thursday for 15 months. Harry Gordon (56) who was declared officially dead after an apparent boating accident but never received the money, was also ordered to compensate police Aus$22 000 for the costs of searching for him.
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/ 23 February 2006
China warned outspoken Hong Kong Bishop Joseph Zen on Thursday not to mix politics and religion, after Pope Benedict XVI named him a cardinal. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao also said Beijing’s position on refraining from establishing diplomatic ties with Rome had not changed because of the appointment.
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/ 23 February 2006
A searing drought that has put at least 11-million people across East Africa on the brink of starvation risks turning into a catastrophe if donors fail to respond quickly to the situation, an aid agency warned on Thursday. With drought-related human deaths already reported in Kenya and Somalia, cattle, camels and donkeys are also dying at an alarming rate in some areas.
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/ 23 February 2006
South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on Thursday blocked the merger between Sasol — the country’s largest producer of refined white fuels and Engen, the country’s largest retailer of fuel products. The merged entity would have enjoyed a near monopoly of refinery capacity and a considerable retail market share in the inland market, the tribunal said.
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/ 23 February 2006
South African health insurer Discovery says it has adopted "rigorous" measures to reverse the losses by its United States operation Destiny Health and is "cautiously optimistic’ about a turnaround in the medium term. Discovery CEO Adrian Gore said on Thursday that a "rigorous, disciplined approach" to the measurement and evaluation of Destiny’s progress was being applied on a quarterly basis.
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/ 23 February 2006
Mamelodi Sundowns finally broke their four-year winless streak against Kaizer Chiefs when they beat them 3-1 in a pulsating Castle Premier Soccer League match played at Loftus on Wednesday evening. The win catapulted Sundowns back to the top of the premiership, keeping their championship aspirations alive.
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/ 23 February 2006
Anja Paerson had won plenty of races, at all levels. Alas, never at the Olympics. Each silver or bronze at the Winter Games made her crave gold that much more. Each disappointment added to the pressure, made her tight. She knew it. So did her biggest rival.
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/ 23 February 2006
England received a major scare on Thursday when captain Michael Vaughan was forced to miss a first-class match on the India tour due to a knee injury. Vaughan experienced pain and soreness in his right knee, which was operated on in December, and was rested for Thursday’s three-day match against the Indian Board President’s XI team.
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/ 23 February 2006
Defending champions Canada and 2002 runners-up United States were sent crashing out of the Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament on Wednesday. Their quarterfinal elimination set the stage for Russia and Finland to renew their long-time Olympic rivalry as they clash in the semifinals for the second time in three Winter Games.
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/ 23 February 2006
Four teams without a win after two rounds of rugby’s Super 14 have been drawn against each other in the third round starting on Friday, increasing pressure to lift their games. Australia’s Western Force play the Waikato Chiefs on Friday, and the Auckland Blues meet the Queensland Reds on Saturday in matches which may determine which of those teams remain competition contenders.