An African-born salesman is putting himself forward to become a district chief in Southern Russia. If he's successful, he'll be the first black man to be elected to public office in the country.
The World Cup football tournament kicks off in one week, and host South Africa is busy putting on the finishing touches. But not everyone is looking forward to the tournament. Authorites in cities including Cape Town are being accused of clearing the poor from the streets - to create a good impression for visiting fans. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa has more.