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/ 4 February 2004

Easy pickings

More red flags are going up over genetically modified (GM) foods flooding the African market without the necessary collective bio-safety precautions or technological capacity being in place. A genetically modified seed giant views developing countries as prime targets. South Africa is a net importer of wheat and had to import 1,2-million tonnes of the grain last year.

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/ 4 February 2004

‘A betrayal of rural people’

Despite last-minute amendments to the Communal Land Rights Bill, the legislation still discriminates against rural women, say land and women’ rights activists. Single women are particularly prejudiced by the Bill, whose latest incarnation was adopted by Parliament’s agriculture and land affairs committee last week.

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/ 4 February 2004

Fistula makes social outcasts of child brides

Meseret, from the Lalibela district in northern Ethiopia, was only 13 when she became pregnant. Married at 12, her underdeveloped body was not ready for the stress of giving birth. After six days of gruelling labour her child was finally born, but it was dead. As a result of the long labour, Meseret suffered crippling injuries – including the ripping of internal tissue.

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/ 4 February 2004

Adding up the Aids toll on ‘my traitor’s calculator’

The recent publication of a Kenyan government study that shows a lower infection rate than previously thought in that country (6,7% versus 9,4%) and misleading articles by Rian Malan in noseweek and The Spectator have caused some concern over the accuracy of South African HIV statistics. But the evidence is overwhelming that the HIV epidemic is immense.

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/ 4 February 2004

Major changes to South African rugby

South African Rugby Football Union president Brian van Rooyen announced several major changes to rugby in South Africa at a press conference on Wednesday. The changes are likely to invoke a mixed response from the rugby public and is another step in the ”cleansing” of the sport in South Africa.

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/ 4 February 2004

De la Hoya ready to fight again

Oscar de la Hoya has a date to fight again. Now all he needs is an opponent. De la Hoya said on Tuesday he will return to the ring June 5 for the first time since losing his 69.8kg title to Shane Mosley last September in Las Vegas. In a statement, De la Hoya said he has not yet decided on an opponent for the fight.

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/ 4 February 2004

‘Never looked better’ for Els in Melbourne

Ernie Els had just left the practice green, admitting he was a ”little bit off” with it last weekend in Bangkok. Els, bidding for his third Heineken Classic in a row at Royal Melbourne, finished tied for 10th at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand. He’s expecting much better things this week on one of his favourite golf courses.

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/ 4 February 2004

Beckham: Zidane is the greatest

David Beckham has described Zinedine Zidane as the greatest player in the world and nominated the French playmaker as the Real Madrid teammate with whom he links best. ”I get on well with him and he is the one who understands me best. He is the sort of player who makes special things happen on the field,” he said.