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/ 21 December 2005

Ponting condemns racial slurs in Test against SA

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has condemned spectators who made racist taunts to South African players during the first Test match in Perth. ”There’s no room in sport for racism whatsoever,” Ponting said. ”The players are all very aware of that, the crowd needs to be aware of that and enjoy the game for what it is.”

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/ 21 December 2005

Five-year-old wrecks family car

A five-year-old Australian clambered into the family car, released its handbrake and was at the wheel when it ended up in the front room of a neighbour’s house. Nathan Millar survived to tell the tale of how he’d ”just scratched” it, news reports said on Wednesday. The car was actually a write-off.

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/ 21 December 2005

Religious parties deal blow to US hopes for Iraq

The Bush administration’s hopes for a government of national unity in Iraq, led by its favoured candidate, Ayad Allawi, the secular and pro-Western former prime minister, received a setback on Tuesday night. Preliminary results showed that most voters opted for Sunni and Shi’ite religious parties. Allawi’s camp, which includes liberals, communists and his own secular followers, cried foul on Tuesday.

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/ 21 December 2005

McGrath blames wicket for SA draw

Australian paceman Glenn McGrath on Wednesday defended his captain’s decision to delay declaring in the first Test against South Africa in Perth, saying an unusually flat wicket was to blame for South Africa escaping with a draw. The Australians had the Test by the throat going into the final day on Tuesday.