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/ 24 January 2006

Durban gets ready for A1 grand prix

As the final preparations for the first of three A1 grand prix races were under way in South Africa on Tuesday, managers of host city Durban announced they have their sights set on building a reputation as a global motorsport centre. The A1 grand prix, a growing force on the world racing calendar, takes place on Sunday.

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/ 24 January 2006

South Africa beat Sri Lanka by nine runs

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan surpassed 400 wickets in one-day internationals on Tuesday but couldn’t prevent South Africa from beating Sri Lanka by nine runs to keep alive their chances of winning cricket’s limited-overs tri-series. Opener Boeta Dippenaar carried his bat for 125 to anchor South Africa’s innings of 263 for five.

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/ 24 January 2006

Malaysian motorcyclist shifts to pedal power

A 16-year-old who claims he was knocked off his motorbike by a road safety official in northern Malaysia has received a bicycle from the government — as a reminder that he should stick to pedal power until he gets a driving licence. Villagers allege that an officer hurled a chair at the young man, causing him to crash in a heap.

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/ 24 January 2006

Malaysia’s hi-tech search for sense of identity

In multi-ethnic, multi-faith, multilingual Malaysia, the new national ID card is a tie that binds. While Britain’s politicians wrangle over the issue, many Malaysians see their ”multi-application smart card” as a unifying sign of national progress. It is also a tool in a hi-tech fight for economic survival in a globalised world of encircling superpowers.

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/ 24 January 2006

Davenport ousted by Henin-Hardenne

Eighth-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne upset number one Lindsay Davenport 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Tuesday to advance to the Australian Open semifinals. The loss may cost Davenport, who lost the final here last year to Serena Williams, the top ranking that she has held since October 24.

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/ 24 January 2006

Halliburton accused over Iraq water supplies

Halliburton, the vast Texan oil and military services corporation, was accused by former employees on Monday of supplying contaminated water to American troops and Iraqi civilians at a marine base in Ramadi. The claims by former employees was backed up by internal Halliburton e-mails relating to the untreated water and the health problems it had caused in Camp Junction City.

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/ 24 January 2006

Eight killed in double bomb attack in Iran

Eight people were killed in a double bomb attack on Tuesday in the restive southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, where a scheduled visit by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been cancelled at the last minute. The media said a first bomb in Ahvaz exploded in front of a privately-run bank and a second in front of a government office for natural resources.

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/ 24 January 2006

Sri Lanka asks Norway to arrange early talks

Sri Lanka’s president on Tuesday asked Norway to arrange early talks with Tamil Tiger rebels and help stem the latest wave of violence that has killed at least 151 people. President Mahinda Rajapakse held closed-door talks with Norway’s top peace envoy, Erik Solheim, on salvaging the island’s Oslo-backed peace process, which has remained deadlocked since April 2003.

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/ 24 January 2006

Oilgate: DA loses patience with NPA

The spat between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) over the Oilgate scandal grew on Tuesday with the DA accusing the NPA of ”failing to do its mandated duty”. On Monday, NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said the NPA had yet to receive a complaint by the DA about its handling of the scandal.