One planet, 15 minutes

BRIEFS

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

JACQUES ROUSSEAU: M&M & THE MEDIA – PLAYING THE BALL OR THE MEN?

There is a difference between exposing hypocrisy for the sake of satisfying the public’s desire for scandal, and doing so in a way that makes the hypocrisy part of a larger story. Much of the weekend coverage of Malema and Mbalula’s various indiscretions seemed to prefer the former, leaving at least this reader with the question: Why should I care?

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UN UP IN ARMS OVER LOOSE LIBYAN WEAPONS

The UN Security Council has passed a resolution expressing its “concern” over the number unaccounted weapons floating around Libya. And they should be concerned. There are little to no restrictions on arms movements within and out of Libya, and plenty of people who want weapons and know how to use them. By SIMON ALLISON.

ALGIERS’ METRO INAUGURATED: THE LIGHT AT THE END OF ALGERIA’S LONG, DARK TUNNEL

Twenty-eight years later, the Algiers Metro is finally taking passengers, and is a moving symbol of how far Algeria has come since the dark days of its long civil war. By SIMON ALLISON.

ISRAEL REACTS TO PALESTINE UNESCO MEMBERSHIP WITH PUNITIVE MEASURES AGAINST PALESTINIANS

One day after Palestine was granted membership to the United Nation’s cultural body Unesco – angering Israel and the US, who said the move threatened peace talks – there are rumblings in Tel Aviv of a new ground operation in Gaza. By KHADIJA PATEL.

SABMILLER LAUNCHES ‘ENTRY-LEVEL’ CASSAVA BEER

SABMiller is hoping to attract aspirant consumers, with its new cassava beer, Impala Cervejas. It’s brewed in Mozambique, and currently available only in the north of that country, but will potentially be rolled out elsewhere on the continent if it proves a success. By THERESA MALLINSON.

AUSTRALIA: SAMSUNG DEMANDS APPLE SOURCE CODE AND CARRIER AGREEMENTS

Keen readers of iMaverick will know that the most exciting bit of the Samsung vs Apple battle is currently happening in Australia. In the latest round, Samsung is trying to get the iPhone 4S banned Down Under for infringing on antenna patents, and has now asked the court to tell Apple to hand over its source code so that the South Korean corporation can prove that it has a case. Also, it would like to have a squizz at the agreements that Apple signs with network carriers. Apparently those are unfair too. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

THE LEBEDEVS PRESENT STANDARD (& INDEPENDENT) BUSINESS & SPORTS COVERAGE

Ever since the father-and-son team of Alexander and Evgeny Lebedev bought the UK’s Independent in March last year, there’s been speculation about how operations across the growing media stable (the Lebedev’s also own the Evening Standard) will be merged. Now it’s happening, at least partially. By THERESA MALLINSON.

GEEKS VS GANGSTERS

Hacking group Anonymous is best known for disrupting internet traffic in the interests of purportedly promoting freedom of speech. But now they may be bringing their online activities to bear on tackling a (very) real-world problem: Mexican drug cartels. By REBECCA DAVIS.

KIM AND KRIS KASH IN AS MARRIAGE HEADS FOR SPLITSVILLE

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries may have lost out in the love stakes, with their marriage lasting all of 72 days before Kardashian filed divorce papers. But they can take consolation in their bank balances, which are in rude health after sales of media rights to the wedding ceremony. By THERESA MALLINSON.

@JACKSONM9 SHOOTS, AND SCORES FOR LOS JAGUARES!

One of the moments of the past Rugby World Cup that the New Zealand side would rather we forgot was the famous Twitter ban that was imposed on its players. It was soon lifted, of course, but did make the managers look like Luddites. A Mexican football club is looking at Twitter rather differently. Instead of player names, the new Los Jaguares kit will feature the players’ Twitter handles. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

WHEN MUSICAL PARTNERSHIPS GO BAD

One of the world’s top pianists and an equally high-profile conductor have acrimoniously ended their 15-year musical partnership over a dispute about a “cadenza” lasting one minute 30 seconds. It’s the talk of the classical music world. By REBECCA DAVIS.

RIP HARRY POTTER’S PARENTS

Are Harry Potter fans some of the weirdest in the world? It would seem so: this week Potter aficionados took to Twitter to express condolences over what would have been the 30th anniversary of the death of Harry Potter’s (fictional) parents. Completely normal behaviour. By REBECCA DAVIS.

ROBONURSES FOR JAPAN’S ELDERLY

Japanese carmaker Toyota has announced four robot prototypes aimed at assisting the handicapped or elderly to live more easily. The robots will reportedly go on sale in 2013, and initially, these will be for Japan only. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

PAKISTANI CRICKETERS’ GUILTY VERDICT CASTS A LONG SHADOW OVER WORLD CRICKET

On Tuesday Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were found guilty of plotting to cheat and to take bribes in a match against England last year. The verdict is another crushing blow to Pakistani cricket, but it serves also as an indictment of the modern game. By KHADIJA PATEL.

FIFA NAMES SHORTLIST FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

World and European champions Spain dominated the shortlist for the Player of the Year award announced on Tuesday with seven players among the 23 nominees. By REUTERS.

In depth

MALEMA WANTS RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS TO PROTECT HIS HUMAN RIGHTS, SWOOP ON HAWKS

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema feels that his human rights has been infringed by leaks from the Hawks about his reported imminent arrest, echoing similar complaints by President Jacob Zuma about the Scorpions a few years ago. CARIEN DU PLESSIS reports.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: ZUMA, FRANKLY SPEAKING, MAYBE NOT

President Jacob Zuma has a thing for the breakfast meeting. Maybe he’s just a morning person – which is probably safer than being a night person. Ask Fikile Mbalula. But he seems to like having the media part of his day over with bright and early. So Zuma spent his Tuesday morning answering questions and generally indulging in some retail politics – all of it broadcast into your living room. It was the second such breakfast, but an awful lot has happened since the first. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

THE JEWISH DEPUTIES AND THE PRE-EMPTIVE PROPAGANDA STRIKE

On Saturday, the Russell Tribunal on Palestine starts a session in Cape Town where the question of whether Israel engages in apartheid will have only one, inevitable answer. But the SA Jewish Board of Deputies isn’t letting that wave of negative publicity wash over it without a fight, even if its defeat in the t-shirt war is just as assured. By PHILLIP DE WET.

ANC’S PEGGY NKONYENI: ANOTHER GRIM AUGUR OF PROVINCIAL CORRUPTION

ANC’s provincial treasurer for KwaZulu-Natal Peggy Nkonyeni was briefly in the news when corruption allegations emerged against her while she was health MEC for the province. As a way to dealing with problem, she was shifted sideways to Speaker of the provincial legislature. The KZN Democratic Alliance is refusing to let the matter go, and the South African Communist Party has come out swinging in Nkonyeni’s defence. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

THE BUTCHER OF NUBA’S NEW JOB

The refined skills of Ahmed Haroun, the man who orchestrated the atrocities in Darfur and the massacre of opposition in the Nuba Mountains, are in demand in Sudan. He’s been told to sort out the rebels in the contested border state of South Kordofan, and so far he hasn’t changed his tactics at all. By SIMON ALLISON.

SNATCHING DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY, GREEK STYLE

Following an all-night meeting in late October, European leaders signed a deal to bolster the banks, increase the debt stabilisation fund and give a buzz cut to Greek debt liabilities, all in an effort to calm the roiling waters of the eurozone. For a few days, the markets rallied on the notion that the deal was a good one – even if holes in the plan were becoming increasingly clear in succeeding days. And then, the Greek Prime Minister changed it all. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

QATAR OPENS ITS GATES TO DEMOCRACY

On Tuesday the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, announced that the wealthy gulf state will for the first time ever hold elections for its advisory council in 2013. As surprising as it may be to outsiders, the tiny emirate has been carving its own path for a long time now. By KHADIJA PATEL.

US 2012: RAISING CAIN, PERRY PLUMMETS, ROMNEY’S MITTS OFF

In the past week South Africa’s political landscape has had some major moments including fired cabinet members, another cabinet official caught en flagrante delicto (ex post facto, so to speak), a jobs march on Pretoria and the rise of the DA’s new political generation. The American presidential campaign competes for public attention. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

TOP BRANDS JOIN THE APP ECONOMY

A quarter of the four billion plus mobile phones being used around the world are smartphones. With innovation bringing cheaper smartphones into emerging markets, this number is set to rise, which means there is a massive and ever growing global market for mobile applications. Needless to say, the big brands are rushing to muscle in on the app action. By MANDY DE WAAL.

SIX NATIONS IS BRYCE-LESS

The IRB has named the officials in charge for the upcoming Six Nations Championship, and a certain New Zealander’s name is nowhere to be seen. By STYLI CHARALAMBOUS.

GRAHAM HENRY STEPS DOWN

Graham Henry stood down as coach of the All Blacks on Tuesday, nine days after securing his legacy as one of rugby’s coaching greats by guiding New Zealand to a second World Cup triumph on home soil. By REUTERS.

FORMULA ONE CALENDAR UNDER PRESSURE

Alternation of circuits and team personnel could be the way forward for Formula One to add new races to a crowded calendar without losing existing ones. By REUTERS.