This week: a great young chef, the original star of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and a radical African politician

THE chef Darren Simpson, pictured, who has died aged 39, was just 21 years old when he became Britain's youngest ever Young Chef of the Year.

Northern Ireland-born Simpson worked at multiple restaurants in London, Ireland and Australia and appeared in Australian television's My Restaurant Rules, Live This, and Ready Steady Cook. He had recently attempted rehabilitation at a clinic for alcohol addiction before ending up in hospital.

Simpson grew up in Armoy and Hillsborough outside Belfast, one of three children of publican parents. A family friend who was a chef in Bermuda inspired him to make cooking his career.

Australia's LifeStyle Channel in August planned to broadcast a second series starring Simpson of The Best in Australia, based on the BBC series The Best.

The channel's profile of Simpson said he won the prestigious Young Chef of the Year award, open to all British chefs under the age of 25, within two years of landing his first job as a chef.

From 1992 to 1999, he worked in restaurants including Michelin-starred Roscoff in Ireland and Le Gavroche in London. He also worked in top London restaurants Clarke's, Bibendum, River Cafe and Sartoria.

In 1999, he was head-hunted to become the head chef of Aqua Luna Bar and Restaurant in Sydney. In 2005, he opened the award-winning La Sala, a modern Italian restaurant.

Simpson was awarded Chef of the Year by the Australian Hotels Association in 2011.

Recently he had worked at restaurants in Queensland state.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper's chief restaurant critic, Terry Durack, praised Simpson's influence on the local food scene, saying he brought something new to Sydney.

"He brought that cocky Irish charm to everything he did, but was actually a big old softie inside," Mr Durack wrote.

Simpson is survived by his wife Julie and sons Angus, 14, and Hamish, 12.

THE actor Michael Nyqvist, who has died aged 56, was one of Sweden's most respected and accomplished actors and the star of the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo films. The star was also known for playing villains in John Wick and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

Nyqvist played the lead role of Mikael Blomkvist in the trilogy of films adapted from Stieg Larsson's books. Daniel Craig would revive the role in the American adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Nyqvist played a villain opposite Keanu Reeves in John Wick and was Tom Cruise's nemesis in the 2011 Mission: Impossible film.

He was born in Stockholm to Swedish and Italian parents but they put him in an orphanage before he was adopted as a baby,.

His wife Catharina and their children Ellen and Arthur survive him.

THE African politician Ketumile Masire, who has died aged 91, was a former president of Botswana who led the country for nearly two decades.

The president's father, Seretse Khama, was Botswana's first president after independence from Britain in 1966.

Mr Masire was Botswana's second president and was in office from 1980 to 1998.

He presided over the southern African country's economic growth and record of clean governance on a continent frequently buffeted by turmoil.

The diamond trade and wildlife tourism are major sources of revenue for the country of two million people, which nevertheless faces poverty, a high HIV/Aids rate and other problems.

In neighbouring South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Foundation cited comments by Mr Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, at a state banquet for Mr Masire in 1996.

"Our country has much to learn from Botswana - both from your towering successes and your efforts to deal with the difficulties," said Mr Mandela, adding that Mr Masire was "a natural and capable leader of the region's collective efforts towards growth and development".

After his presidency, Mr Masire became involved in reconciliation efforts and election monitoring in other African countries.

In 2007, he started a foundation that seeks to promote development in Botswana and the region.

Botswana will officially mourn Mr Masire until Sunday.