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/ 15 January 2005
Allan Boesak, the former anti-apartheid activist, is overjoyed at the news that he has been granted a presidential pardon, it was reported on Saturday. President Thabo Mbeki announced on Saturday that he is expunging Boesak’s criminal record. The Democratic Alliance has questioned the pardon, saying Boesak stole money that belonged to the poor.
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/ 15 January 2005
Hundreds of people, including President Thabo Mbeki, converged on Qunu in the Eastern Cape on Saturday to support former president Nelson Mandela at the funeral of his son, Makgatho, who died of Aids. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Aids activist Zackie Achmat and businessman Patrice Motsepe were among those who went to bid farewell to Makgatho.
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/ 15 January 2005
An unidentified infant died on Saturday as runaway fires swept through several informal settlement zones in Langa outside Cape Town. Emergency services spokesperson Johann Minnie said 8 000 people were affected when flames ravaged zones 30, 24, 25, 26, 27, 18 and 32. Seven people, including two children, were seriously injured.
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/ 15 January 2005
It wasn’t a big knife. Serrated with a pointy top and black plastic handle, I kept one just like it in my kitchen drawer for slicing oranges. The difference was that this one belonged to a stranger who was holding it to my chest, and although he possibly adored oranges, he was keener on my bag. ”Give it,” he said.
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/ 15 January 2005
One million Rwandans — an eighth of the country’s population — are expected to be tried for alleged participation in the 1994 genocide, an official said on Friday. The trials, which will be conducted in traditional gacaca village courts, could start next month in a few areas but will not get under way throughout the country until 2006.
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/ 15 January 2005
Scientists on Friday night unveiled an aerial study of an alien world, across a distance of more than 1,2-billion kilometres. From an altitude of 16km, a little European robot equipped with camera and microphone took the first picture of the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan.
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/ 15 January 2005
The army reservist labelled the ”primary torturer” of Abu Ghraib was convicted by a military jury on Friday of abusing Iraqi prisoners after a trial the Pentagon hopes will cleanse the reputation of the US military. Specialist Charles Graner was found guilty on nine of 10 charges of maltreatment, assault and dereliction of duty.
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/ 15 January 2005
Six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has pulled out of the Tour of Qatar, citing family reasons. The Qatar race is scheduled for January 31 to February 4. ”This is quite unfortunate since we were looking forward to seeing him race here for the first time,” the president of the Qatar Cycling Federation said on Friday.
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/ 15 January 2005
Britain’s Tim Henman has said he will no longer play in the Davis Cup because of his ambition to win a Grand Slam crown. The news is a major blow to captain Jeremy Bates, with Greg Rusedski’s Davis Cup future also far from certain. Henman is yet to win a Grand Slam.
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/ 15 January 2005
Finland’s four-time champion Ari Vatanen made his mark on this year’s Dakar Rally with success in the 14th stage on Friday. This was Vatanen’s 51st career stage win, a record that is being challenged by Stephane Peterhansel, the favourite to take the 2005 title, who notched up his 48th special on Thursday.