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/ 16 November 2006

Small waves hit Japan after quake sparks tsunami alert

Small tsunami waves hit Japan’s northernmost island late on Wednesday after a major quake in the north Pacific triggered a full-scale tsunami warning for areas of northern Japan and Russia’s sparsely populated Kurile islands. An initial tsunami of 40cm came ashore near Nemuro on the Pacific coast of Hokkaido island, just before 10pm (1pm GMT).

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/ 16 November 2006

SA youths risk death on ultimate thrill ride

One of his friends may have died in front of his eyes but 19-year-old Leepile is in no mood to listen to pleas to stop ”train surfing” through South Africa’s sprawling Soweto township. ”We feel like we are in another world when doing it, in heaven or something. It’s like we are floating, and don’t fear anything,” says the teenager.

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/ 16 November 2006

Third Tshwane city councillor shot

A third Tshwane city councillor has been shot, media reports said on Thursday. William Mahlangu (42) a member of the Tshwane mayoral committee responsible for finance, was the latest victim. He was returning from a committee meeting at about 9pm when he was shot in the right arm. The bullet lodged in his chest.

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/ 16 November 2006

US plans last big push in Iraq

United States President George Bush has told senior advisers that the US and its allies must make ”a last big push” to win the war in Iraq and that instead of beginning a troop withdrawal next year, he may increase US forces by up to 20 000 soldiers, according to sources familiar with the administration’s internal deliberations.

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/ 16 November 2006

Joke on Borat as Kazakhstan ‘makes benefit’ tourism

"Jagshemash!!!" Kazakhstan is belatedly turning the joke on Borat, using the blundering fictional reporter as an unlikely prop to "make benefit" its tourism industry. Embracing the maxim "if you can’t beat them, join them", a Kazakhstan-based tour company has pounced on Borat’s conquest of Hollywood to lure Americans keen to find out what the country is really like.

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/ 16 November 2006

Where the corruption lies

The misattribution of the phrase "a generally corrupt relationship" is neither a storm in a teacup nor a constitutional crisis. But it should not, under any circumstances, be used as a reason to build popular momentum for resistance against the possible laying of corruption charges against the African National Congress deputy president, Jacob Zuma.

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/ 16 November 2006

Show of unity #1

After Hurricane Hilary pointed out that he Hadn’t Said It, the ANC Youth League screamed that it was too little too late from a man who had ”served Rhodesia … and apartheid with distinction”. But quicker than you can say ”spineless”, the new version by the big ANC is out: it stands by the Prez, and supports his decision to fire Zuma. Evidence of a generally confused relationship?