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/ 12 January 2006
Norway is to build a ”doomsday vault” in a mountain close to the North Pole that will house a vast seed bank to ensure food supplies in the event of catastrophic climate change, nuclear war or rising sea levels. Built with Fort Knox-type security, the -million vault will be designed to hold around two-million seeds representing all known varieties of the world’s crops.
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/ 12 January 2006
Johannesburg’s emergency services urged caution near bridges and rivers on Thursday as another night of heavy rains raised flood fears. A tow-truck driver rescued a woman who was swept away in her car while crossing a bridge on Witkoppen Road in Sunninghill and two taxis were involved in a head-on collision on the Golden Highway.
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/ 12 January 2006
A Malaysian snake charmer announced on Thursday that he will attempt to kiss a poisonous snake 50 times in 10 minutes in an attempt to break a current world record. Shahimi Abdul Hamid (33) said he plans to attempt the feat in March this year at the hill resort of Genting Highlands.
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/ 12 January 2006
With Prime Minister Tony Blair entering his final years in power, the youthful David Cameron taking over the Conservatives and the recovering alcoholic Charles Kennedy toppled as Liberal Democrat leader, British politics is livening up after a long spell of apathy.
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/ 12 January 2006
Israeli politics resumed in earnest on Thursday as four Likud ministers were set to hand in letters of resignation while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remained "serious but stable" after a massive brain haemorrhage. A series of upbeat medical reports from the hospital where he is in intensive care have sunk a truce in electioneering for a March poll.
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/ 12 January 2006
It’s been said laughter is the best medicine, but no one has yet proved it. Now a Japanese scientist is unlocking the secrets of the funny bone, which he believes can cheer up people’s genes. Geneticist Kazuo Murakami has teamed up on the study with an unlikely research partner: stand-up comedians.
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/ 12 January 2006
A rebel group in eastern Sudan has accused the army of launching an attack on Wednesday on its camps in the Hamesh Koreb region, sparking clashes that left casualties. ”Troops backed by warplanes attacked our camps in Hamesh Koreb,” near the border with Eritrea, the secretary general of the Beja Congress said.
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/ 12 January 2006
England cricket captain Michael Vaughan is confident that Australian plans to limit the number of away fans at the next Ashes series in Australia will prove futile. England’s Barmy Army has been hit by the news that Cricket Australia will try to limit the number of tickets available to English support.
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/ 12 January 2006
The pride of the pharaohs is at stake — and coach Ted Dumitru expects a fierce onslaught from Egypt when Bafana Bafana face the African Nations Cup hosts in a final warm-up encounter at the International Stadium in Cairo on Saturday. ”Egypt are making a special effort to achieve success on home soil,” Dumitru said.
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/ 12 January 2006
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is poised to boost his defensive ranks once again with the capture of Denmark international Danny Agger. Benitez has already added Dutchman Jan Kromkamp from Spanish high-flyers Villarreal to his squad during the January transfer window.