No image available
/ 22 February 2007

Senegalese to elect new president

After a historic change of power in 2000, Senegal, one of Africa’s oldest democracies, elects a new president on Sunday. Voters have a simple choice: to give a new mandate to incumbent 80-year-old Abdoulaye Wade, who promised much but disappointed some, or to turn the page with one of the 14 other candidates.

No image available
/ 22 February 2007

Ugandans laud Forest Whitaker’s portrayal of Amin

Just days before Hollywood’s elite gathers for this year’s Oscars, Ugandans hailed best actor nominee Forest Whitaker’s portrayal of Idi Amin — though were quick to frown on the sympathetic portrait of the former dictator. Whitaker is seen by many as the front-runner for the best actor Oscar for his role in The Last King of Scotland.

No image available
/ 22 February 2007

Time to crack open the champagne

All the conditions are just right for a good party. Tito Mboweni has created an open bar by not raising interest rates. Couples are getting together all over the dance floor, like Implats and Afplats eyeing each other out with great intent. Resources and commodities are looking good, and the afterparty is being sponsored by the 2010 World Cup contracts.

No image available
/ 22 February 2007

Hollywood faces up to biggest blockbuster flop

This weekend, studio executives from Hollywood will be all smiles as they congratulate each other on their successes at the annual Oscars ceremony. But behind the grins, champagne and glamorous gowns, they are contemplating the biggest blockbuster flop in history. The systems intended to lock pirates out of the new generation of high-definition DVDs have been cracked.

No image available
/ 22 February 2007

Indian Kashmir: Phenomenal skiing and big risks

Laurie Bowles, a dreadlocked 24-year-old Englishman, clipped his boots to his snowboard and lunged from the roof of the world into a gaping narrow gully of ice, sugar and powder. His 2 000m vertical descent to Gulmarg, a village in revolt-hit India-administered Kashmir, is what many ski devotees rank as among the best skiing on the planet. Just ignore the travel warnings.

No image available
/ 22 February 2007

France rocked by Michelin’s latest three-star chef

It has been lampooned as a stultifying snapshot of France’s most pretentious places to eat — a testosterone-charged arena of alpha males catering to conservative businessmen. But the French Michelin guide, appeared to take a step into the modern age on Wednesday by awarding its top three-star accolade to the first female chef in more than 50 years.

No image available
/ 22 February 2007

DA fires speaker in Oudtshoorn

The Democratic Alliance (DA) speaker of the Oudtshoorn Municipality in the Klein Karroo, Pierre Nel, has been fired, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Thursday. Nel and four other DA members were suspended after siding with the African National Congress in a bid to vote out former Independent Democrat’s mayor Jeffrey Swartbooi.