It happened overnight

iPHONE 4S ADDS BETTER CAMERA, VOICE COMMANDS, MANY OTHER SWEETENERS

Apple kicked off its annual iPhone refresh on Tuesday, introducing the iPhone 4S. This newest handset sprinkles in many powerful features, including voice commands, a better camera and “world phone” antennae – things that will keep the iPhone line chugging along at full speed. By CHRIS GAYLORD.

South Africa

THE DAY OF THE ARCHIBISHOP’S IRE

Once again, a diplomatic storm has broken out over a visa application for the Dalai Lama’s planned visit to South Africa. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu did not mince his words when he dressed down the government for its handling of the matter. But Tutu’s harsh words and the Dalai Lama calling off the trip will be the stuff spin dreams are made of for an ANC-led government that seems to have escaped from being painted into a tight diplomatic corner. By OSIAME MOLEFE.

SOUTH AFRICA, HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME OVER DALAI LAMA, LOST IDEALS, AND DREAMS FOREVER DEFERRED

Once again, the His Holiness the Dalai Lama has the South African doors slammed shut in his face. This time, there is nowhere for the government to hide. By RICHARD POPLAK.

ANALYSIS: SA FINDS LOVE & MONEY FROM EMERGYING ECONOMIES

It is becoming increasingly evident why South Africa was invited to join the Bric formation. Africa’s largest economy is serving more and more as a stepping stone for the most vibrant developing economies of the world to get into the continent. In turn, South Africa’s foreign focus is shifting away from Sick Man Europe (and the US), towards the East. Welcome to the new world of ever-stronger and ever-more important growing powers’ relations. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

TADDY BLECHER ON THE DALAI LAMA

As news of the Dalai Lama’s cancelled visit continues to break around the world, and people ask why, iMaverick asked free education pioneer Taddy Blecher to reflect on the Tibetan spiritual leader’s last visit to South Africa. Blecher together with Richard Branson first met the Dalai Lama in 2004 when he visited one of the free universities the education innovator helped found. By MANDY DE WAAL.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: RONNIE KASRILS, THE MAN

I’m a political reporter. But my life story and background are very different from most of our political class – the whites-only school (until very late), the comfortable background in the then white suburbs etc. You probably know this about me. So it’s not very often I get to do a political interview with someone who went to the same school as I did, who has the same in-jokes, and considers the First XV Rugby Field as a piece of hallowed turf. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

PARLIAMENT AND MEDIA AT EACH OTHERS’ THROATS AGAIN

Relations between Parliament’s management and the media are tense again, and once more threats by management to gag a reporter – ironically over the Protection of State Information Bill – have led to the two sides seeking talks. After all, they need each other. CARIEN DU PLESSIS reports.

Opinionistas

JACQUES ROUSSEAU: WHAT ARE YOU?

The 2011 Census will ask you to self-report on the question of race – but what does your answer mean? And perhaps those who want to move towards non-racialism – if such a thing in fact exists at all – should follow the lead of the New Zealanders and respond by saying “I’m South Africa”.

SIMON ALLISON: THE DALAI LAMA: AN ALTERNATIVE OPINION

Now that the Dalai Lama’s not coming to South Africa, let’s take a second to peer under his enormous halo and see what the living icon actually thinks about some of life’s most important issues: homosexuality, prostitution, democracy and Steven Seagal. You might be surprised.

MABINE SEABE: THE DALAI LAMA DOESN’T PAY THE BILLS

South Africans have made a lot of noise regarding the Dalai Lama’s visa application being stalled and His Holiness subsequently cancelling his visit to sunny South Africa. We should also consider the investment implications, whether significant or not.

Africa

SATA’S FIRST MOVE AS ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT: PICK A FIGHT WITH SA

We knew he didn’t like China much, but no one thought Michael Sata’s first major decision as Zambia’s president would be a slap in the face of South Africa. But effectively nationalising a Zambian bank that had just been bought by FirstRand is just that. It’s not too late to change your mind, President Sata, and keep on the good side of your most powerful neighbour. By SIMON ALLISON.

PAUL BIYA’S CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION

It’s only a week until Cameroonians head to the polls to give Paul Biya another term in office. To make sure that’s what happens, Cameroon’s opposition is being subjected to arbitrary arrests and kidnaps, while Biya pulls all the strings to his advantage. By SIMON ALLISON.

MASSACRE IN MOGADISHU: STATEMENT OF INTENT OR AL-SHABAAB’S STING IN THE TAIL?

Al-Shabaab claimed credit for a suicide bombing in Mogadishu on Tuesday which killed 70, the group’s largest attack in the Somali capital for years. They still have the power to devastate, clearly; but is this latest attack a confirmation of their strength or a sign that they’re under pressure? By SIMON ALLISON.

World

‘SHE’ GUEVARA – CHILE’S FEMALE REVOLUTIONARY

A 23-year-old geography student has turned Chile’s political landscape on its head. Camila Vallejo is credited with leading a “Chilean Spring” that’s captured the imagination of a nation. By REBECCA DAVIS.

AN END TO BRITAIN’S HUMAN RIGHTS ACT?

David Cameron first called for the UK’s Human Rights Act to be scrapped four years ago. At the Conservative Party’s conference last weekend the British home secretary repeated the call and reignited the debate between activists and the Conservatives. By REBECCA DAVIS.

MAYANS MAY NOT BE QUITE RIGHT, BUT 2012 WILL STILL BE SPECIAL

After all the bizarre hullabaloo about a dark secret embedded in the Mayan calendar that predicts the imminent end of our world next year, it turns out that there really is something special about 2012. Not quite a cosmic connection, nevertheless in this coming year a majority of the world’s people will have their leadership elected – or selected. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

Business

SA FACES CRUSHING MEAT BAN OVER FOOT-AND-MOUTH SCARE

South African red meat could be banned, costing the industry billions of rands, because of a foot- and-mouth outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal that wasn’t controlled properly, according to industry insiders. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

APPLE SLAMS DOOR ON SAMSUNG IN DEAL DOWN-UNDER

Is this a crack in the Samsung wall? In Australia, the Korean company tried to strike a deal with Apple which would have allowed its Galaxy tablet to go on sale Down-Under in time for Christmas. Apple said no. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

SA CEMENT COMPANIES EYE AFRICAN EXPANSION

Following fresh in the footsteps of retailers and banks, South Africa’s cement companies are making moves to enter the rest of the African continent in a big way. PPC has made a quarry acquisition in Botswana, and former MTN Group CEO Phuthuma Nhleko wants to buy AfriSam and expand into Africa. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

Life, etc

NOBEL GOES TO THREE PHYSICISTS WHO SHOW UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING FASTER, NOT SLOWER

The Nobel Prizes are coming in threes this year – three joint winners were announced in chemistry the other day and now a trio of American-born astronomers has captured the prize in physics. Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess, working separately in the late 1990s, overturned one of astronomy and physics’ fundamental assumptions about the universe, showing that the universe was expanding at a constantly accelerating – and not decelerating – rate. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

KNOX WALKS FREE, BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN

It was touted as the “trial of the decade”, because it seemed to have what the media salivates over: sex, race and three attractive, wealthy, young white protagonists. But will we ever know the truth about the murder of Meredith Kercher? By REBECCA DAVIS.

KNOX MAY BE INNOCENT, BUT THE “DAILY FAIL” IS GUILTY

On Monday night Amanda Knox and her boyfriend Rafaello Sollecito successfully appealed their convictions for murdering Knox’s flatmate, Meredith Kercher. Not according to the UK’s Daily Mail website though, which ran an in-depth story on Knox’s reaction to a supposedly “guilty” verdict. By THERESA MALLINSON.

Sport

TONGA CLIMB THE RANKINGS, BOKS IN SECOND PLACE

Tonga have climbed four places to ninth in the official IRB rankings after their shock victory over France on Saturday. By PLANETRUGBY.COM