In Brief

Oldest man sorry he’s still alive TOKYO – A 111-year-old Japanese engineer born at the end of the century before last was awarded official recognition yesterday as the world’s newest oldest man, and joked he was sorry for still being alive.

Tomoji Tanabe, a teetotaller who has repeatedly said that avoiding alcohol was a secret of his longevity, was given a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records by the mayor of his local municipality. Tanabe, from Miyazaki prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, was born on September 18, 1895 – before Japan became a world player, Australia became independent or the Wright Brothers created the first plane.* Genocide court to send back cases NAIROBI – A Tanzanian-based international court trying the masterminds of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide for the last decade wants to send about 17 cases back to their homeland as it prepares to wind down next year.”Can Rwanda conduct adequate genocide trials? The answer is an overwhelming yes,” International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) prosecution spokesman Tim Gallimore said yesterday.Since 1997, the UN court in the highland town of Arusha has heard 33 cases, bringing 28 convictions and five acquittals.One of the 20th century’s darkest episodes, the 100-day slaughter of 800 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus devastated tiny Rwanda’s economy and population, exposed the inadequacy of international responses, and destabilised the region.Nampa-AFP-ReutersTanabe, from Miyazaki prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, was born on September 18, 1895 – before Japan became a world player, Australia became independent or the Wright Brothers created the first plane.* Genocide court to send back cases NAIROBI – A Tanzanian-based international court trying the masterminds of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide for the last decade wants to send about 17 cases back to their homeland as it prepares to wind down next year.”Can Rwanda conduct adequate genocide trials? The answer is an overwhelming yes,” International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) prosecution spokesman Tim Gallimore said yesterday.Since 1997, the UN court in the highland town of Arusha has heard 33 cases, bringing 28 convictions and five acquittals.One of the 20th century’s darkest episodes, the 100-day slaughter of 800 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus devastated tiny Rwanda’s economy and population, exposed the inadequacy of international responses, and destabilised the region.Nampa-AFP-Reuters