REUTERS
A wave caused by a tsunami flows into the city of Miyako from the Heigawa estuary in Iwate Prefecture after the magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck the area March 11, 2011. Photo: Reuters
We pick the stories of 2011 that had the IOL newroom buzzing…
1 Japan’s devastating 9-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami it generated: Giant waves flattening entire communities along hundreds of kilometres of coastline of northern Japan, people caught unaware and then trying to outrun certain death, survivors standing in the wasteland where there homes once stood – the videos and images that emerged from Japan were heartbreaking.
2 The capture and killings of Osama and Gaddafi: Osama bin Laden, evil mastermind and the US’s arch-enemy, was tracked down to his compound in Pakistan by an elite squad and executed. Hours later his body was buried at sea. Libyans getting gatvol inspired by the Arab Spring. Muammar Gaddafi found hiding like a rat in a sewer and dying in a hail of bullets. Hollywood could not have done it better.
3 Would Malema be kicked out ANC… or not? After running off his mouth whole year, South Africans waited with bated breath to see whether Juju was really as untouchable as he claimed to be. While Derek Hanekom did his best to make reading the outcome of the ANC disciplinary hearing as exciting as watching paint dry, it was edge of the seat stuff as it seemed as if the country’s future depended on it.
4 Our Rugby World Cup dreams dashed: It was The Omen – Ard Matthews rendition of the national anthem together with the teeny-tiny caps on the head of our Springbok giants made for a humiliating night. And then there was Bryce Lawrence… his name still makes us want to throw up after he cost the Bokke the World Cup. Yes, we’re sticking to that story.
5 Royal wedding: Prince William and his Kate married in grand style. And the dress and the ceremony and the balcony kiss were fit for a princess… and for us sitting at home. – IOL
* Use our comments field to let us know what your news stories of the year
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Top 5 stories that had us gripped