One planet, 15 minutes

BRIEFS

It happened overnight; South Africa; Africa; World, Business, Life, etc, and Sport.

CAPE TOWN HAS DESIGNS ON 2014

Social media were abuzz on Wednesday with the early morning announcement that Cape Town is to be 2014’s World Design Capital. The bid committee says this will guarantee economic growth, jobs and a place in the international spotlight in two years’ time. And an influx of tourists who not here to watch football, of course. By REBECCA DAVIS.

A LETTER TO A FELLOW ALMOST- REVOLUTIONARY

As ANC Youth League President Julius Malema leads a revolutionary march from Johannesburg to Pretoria, not everyone is enthusiastic to make the long journey – at least not without a few questions answered.

10 more minutes

SOCIAL MEDIA GOES MAINSTREAM – WORLD WIDE WORX REPORT

According to a new report on social media in South Africa, published by World Wide Worx and Fuseware, platforms like Mxit, Twitter and BlackBerry Messenger are seeing growth in numbers, while social media in general is also growing. Absolutely no surprises there. Still, it appears that the Facebook novelty is beginning to wear off. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

SOUTH SUDAN’S SECESSION COSTS KHARTOUM $32 MILLION A DAY

The secession of the south is costing Sudan billions of dollars in lost oil revenues, debilitating the economy and causing cracks in the previously impenetrable fac?ade of the Khartoum regime. By SIMON ALLISON.

MASS KILLINGS IN LIBYA, BUT THIS TIME GADDAFI’S NOT TO BLAME

A damning Human Rights Watch report into mass extrajudicial killings is sullying the good name of Libya’s revolutionaries, who, in their quest for revenge, seem to be committing one of Brother Leader’s favourite crimes. By SIMON ALLISON.

GEORGIA WANTS VOTING RIGHTS ACT DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL

The state of Georgia is seeking to repeal a law designed to erase the effects of Jim Crow legislation. Its argument: racism is no more. No prizes for guessing on which sides of the argument the dominant US political parties have fallen. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

COULD WE SEE OIL EXECS IN THE DOCK?

A campaign is under way to have “ecocide” declared a crime on a par with genocide. Ecocide refers to the destruction of ecosystems and, if the campaign succeeds, oil companies like BP could be called to The Hague and face prosecution. By REBECCA DAVIS.

PETROSA TO SEARCH FOR MORE GAS OFF MOSSEL BAY

PetroSA has managed to turn around last year’s bad financial results to post a profit for this financial year. The company announced that it is on the brink of expanding its gas facility off the shore of Mossel Bay. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

11% OF AMERICANS OWN TABLETS, BUT WHERE’S THE NEWS-CONTENT REVENUE?

According to the Pew Research Centre, an astounding 11% of Americans now own a tablet device of some sort. The research also indicates that people are spending up to 90 minutes a day on their devices. Which begs the question: where’s the news-content revenue? By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

IBM’S FIRST FEMALE CEO

IBM recently appointed its first-ever female CEO. Virginia “Ginni” Rometty will take over from 1 January 2012. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

MITCHELL KEEPS THE FAITH FOR CURRIE CUP FINAL

Lions coach John Mitchell has retained the side that beat Western Province last weekend for Saturday’s Currie Cup final. By PLANETRUGBY.COM.

TEVEZ CONSIDERS LEGAL ACTION

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez denies he premeditated his reported refusal to play at Bayern Munich because of a loss of loyalty earnings. By FOOTBALL365.COM.

POSTERBOY TIGER IS BACK ON THE GAME

Tiger Woods is set to make a return appearance on the cover of the videogame that carries his name – though he will share the spotlight. By GOLF365.COM.

LUKE DONALD SURPRISED BY DELAYED VOTE

World number one Luke Donald reacted with puzzlement to the decision to delay voting for the PGA Tour Player of the Year award. By GOLF365.COM.

In depth

ANC COMES TO TERMS WITH MALEMA’S MARCH

The Day of the Big Cheese is finally upon us, and after maintaining a confused silence, the ANC has finally decided to try to give some direction to it, while others in the alliance had arranged better things to do. CARIEN DU PLESSIS reports.

JULIUS MALEMA AND THE EVER-VANISHING FOCAL POINT

It’s often been a mistake to apply the normal rules of physics to Julius Malema. They just don’t seem to apply. Take gravity. Normally, high office pulls you down. Not with him. Try the law of entropy; you’d expect a politician to get weaker over time. Not with him. But there is a political physical law that he has a fine appreciation of. It’s that to make things happen, you need a focal point. There is a reason why Malema”s planning his “Economic Freedom Marches”, despite the massive risks. It’s because President Jacob Zuma and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe are winning the war of political attrition. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

SOMALIA FOR DUMMIES

Between pirates, terrorists, kidnappings, a failed state and now a Kenyan invasion, it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on in Somalia, and why it’s going on. To help you distinguish your sea rats from your Al Shabaab, here’s an introduction to the wild world of Somali politics. By SIMON ALLISON.

WE’RE TALKING OVERPOPULATION AGAIN – BUT WHY DID WE EVER STOP?

From the 1960s to the early 90s, the biggest issue seemed to be overpopulation. Then fears about HIV/Aids and climate change, and women’s reproductive rights, seemed to drown out those who warned that there were simply too many of us on the planet. The “official” statement by the UN that the 7 billionth human will be born this month has brought overpopulation back onto Page One again. By REBECCA DAVIS.
     
ANALYSIS – CHINA EXPECTED TO SPURN EUROPE’S BAILOUT FUND

China is expected to steer clear of Europe’s bailout fund and its investment vehicles as regulators and politicians scramble to pull together a plan aimed at expanding the debt clean-up. By Michael Flaherty and Clare Bladwin (Reuters).   

ANALYSIS: NIGHTMARE SCENARIO: US DEFLATION RISKS RISING

Blurb: Risks are rising that a moribund job market and potentially steep drop in inflation could push the United States into a downward spiral of falling wages and prices. By JASON LANGE (Reuters).

MYLO XYLOTO? WE HAVE NO IDEA EITHER. BUT COLDPLAY IS BACK

It’s Coldplay time again. Yes – the best band in the world, as far as weepy drunk people are concerned, is ready for download with an unpronounceable album and a South Africa shot video clip. Rejoice – your karaoke selection just broadened. By RICHARD POPLAK.

THIS PARROT IS DEFINITELY NOT DEAD – IT’S ON ALIMONY

Decades after Monty Python’s Flying Circus and the marvellously stupid Fawlty Towers, actor and writer John Cleese still commands a cult following. Although he tells us “cult” is a code word for “small”, his South African shows are a sell-out. The man himself is no sell out, still revelling in sharp, warped black human that even at 72 hasn’t wanted a jot. By LESLEY STONES.

BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD RETURNS: WHY THE US NEEDS ALL THE ‘STUPID’ IT CAN GET

After a 14-year hiatus, Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-head return to American television on Thursday night. The comeback was initiated by MTV president Van Toffler, who noticed that US media now offers a lot more to comment on than music videos – like reality TV and viral Youtube clips. How stupid is the mainstream landscape at the moment? The boys could be the ones to tell us. By KEVIN BLOOM.

MORKEL TOPS ODI RANKINGS

South Africa’s Morne Morkel has taken over as the number-one ranked bowler from England’s Graeme Swann in the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers. By CRICKET365.COM.

STARS COME OUT TO PLAY IN SINGAPORE

The Barclays Singapore Open will once again be graced by the presence of many giants of the game as South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson from the United States have all confirmed their participation. By GOLF365.COM.