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/ 6 February 2004

White House hampers terror investigation

An independent commission on the September 11 2001 terror attacks, established along similar lines to the intelligence inquiry announced by the United States White House this week, has been dogged by a constant struggle between the investigators and the Republican administration, which the commission regularly accuses of hampering its work.

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/ 6 February 2004

Spanish poll: Civil war talk infuriates candidates

Spain’s bruising general election campaign took another bitter turn this week when the parties began rowing over the civil war. Right-wing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar called on the Socialist Party leader, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, to order his campaign team to stop making references to the conflict that killed at least half a million people.

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/ 6 February 2004

Activists press for abortion debate

The contentious topic of abortion in Kenya was revisited this week during events to mark African Women’s Health and Rights Day. The procedure is currently banned in the East African country. However, women’s groups are urging the government to open a debate on this policy.

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/ 6 February 2004

SA rugby turns hard times into crisis

On Wednesday, Brian van Rooyen, president of the South African Rugby Football Union, announced a complete restructuring of the professional game while entrenching the power of amateur administrators. Let it never be said that South African rugby does not know how to turn hard times into a crisis.

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/ 6 February 2004

Norman: Playing women ‘a gimmick’

Greg Norman this week described women playing in men’s golf tournaments as a “gimmick” and has called for administrators to halt the practice. Norman said: “I personally don’t think it should happen. It’s becoming too much of a gimmick. Everyone is jumping on it and I think it has got to stop.”

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/ 6 February 2004

Australia one-up against India

A vintage innings from skipper Ricky Ponting helped Australia draw first blood in the tri-series one-day international finals with a comfortable seven-wicket win against India in Melbourne on Friday. India’s final tally was surprisingly flattering after their top-gun batsmen again foundered against Australia’s pace attack.

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/ 6 February 2004

Conservationists jump for joy over rabbits

A survey of a newly-discovered population of the endangered riverine rabbit at Touwsrivier in the Western Cape has left conservationists delighted with the results.
The rabbit, endemic to South Africa, is listed as critically endangered on the international Red Data List, which means that less than 250 adults are known to survive worldwide.

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/ 6 February 2004

Lennox Lewis leaves the ring

Lennox Lewis announced his retirement on Friday, becoming the first active world heavyweight champion to quit in nearly 50 years. The 38-year-old Lewis confirmed at a packed London news conference that he was leaving the sport after a 14-year career. ”It’s a special day in my life,” Lewis said.

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/ 6 February 2004

Rugby veteran to save Aussie soccer

The veteran chief of the powerful Australian Rugby Union (ARU), John O’Neill, was appointed on Friday to rebuild the country’s struggling national soccer organisation. O’Neill said his eight years of experience at the ARU prepared him well to rescue a sport that has languished in the shadow of the more popular football codes.