From our archives 25 years ago

5 years ago

A Scottish adventurer has become the first Muslim to ski to the South Pole after completing a gruelling endurance trek across the frozen wastes of Antarctica. Mostafa Salameh spent 38 days crossing the ice-bound continent with two team-mates, pulling up to 90 kilos of supplies behind them on sleds. He set off in November, but was trapped at the Union Glacier base camp by fierce storms for 13 days before setting off across one of the harshest landscapes on earth.

10 years ago

Labour’s high command last night insisted that Ed Balls, pictured, would toe the party line after he was appointed Shadow Chancellor following the shock resignation of Alan Johnson. An emergency reshuffle was triggered after Mr Johnson announced his plan to step down, blaming personal reasons. The appointment of Mr Balls, seen as a bruiser within the party with a strong grasp of his brief, is expected to intensify the economic debate.

A new expedition to the ocean bed to recover part of the hull of the Titanic is being planned. The man who has recovered thousands of items from the wreck hopes to recover a 30 ft section of the hull to form the centrepiece of an exhibition about the ill-fated

White Star line. Mr George Tulloch, of RMS Titanic, in New York, said “This would be the largest section of the hull which could be recovered. The Titanic is of huge interest around the world.”

50 years ago

A fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of 66 persons in the Ibrox Stadium disaster on January 2 will be held in the Pollokshaws Burgh Hall, Glasgow, beginning on Monday, February 15. Sir Allan G. Walker, Q.C., Sheriff of Lanarkshire, will preside over the inquiry along with a jury of seven. The inquiry is expected to last for a week.

Police have interviewed more than 1000 witnesses during their investigations.

100 years ago

As a result of the stormy weather this week the memorial erected by Overtown and Castlehill War Memorial Committee has been considerably damaged. The memorial is of Auchenheath stone and the pedestal base was surmounted by a cross which rose to a height of about 24 feet. Almost the entire column has fallen and the ornamental gateway and railings have been damaged. It is only some six weeks since the memorial was unveiled.