South African Novelist Andre Brink Dies

André Brink (Photo: theguardian.co.uk)

The publishers of one of South Africa's most prolific authors have confirmed that novelist André Brink has died. The South African Press Association reported on Saturday that Brink died aboard a flight travelling from the Netherlands to the city of Cape Town Friday evening. He was 79 years old.

NB publishers says Brink was nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature several times. It says Brink was twice shortlisted for the prestigious Man Booker prize. In 2012, he was again long listed for the Man Booker Prize for the novel "Philida."

'Boyfriend Under Investigation' Over Houston Daughter Drowning

Bobbi Kristina Brown (C), daughter of late singing legend Whitney Houston, pictured at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on August 16, 2012 ©Frederic J. Brown (Getty/AFP)

Police have opened a criminal investigation into the boyfriend of Bobbi Kristina Brown, US media reported, one week after the 21-year old daughter of late singing legend Whitney Houston was pulled unconscious from a bathtub. CNN and TMZ report Saturday that a criminal investigation has been launched against Nick Gordon, who reportedly said that he found Brown non-responsive in the bathtub of their home near Atlanta, Georgia.

2015 AFCON: Media 'Perpetuating Colonization' At Nations Cup - Hayatou

CAF president Issa Hayatou rounded on the reporting of Thursday's game when home fans turned on Ghanaian supporters as Ghana won 3-0 ©Issouf Sanogo (AFP)

African football boss Issa Hayatou has attacked international media coverage of Equatorial Guinea's violence-marred Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, claiming it "perpetuated colonization". The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president rounded on the reporting of Thursday's game when home fans turned on Ghanaian supporters as Ghana won 3-0.

Pope Francis Under Fire For Endorsing Spanking Of Kids

Pope Francis (Reuters/Max Rossi)

Pope Francis gave parents the go ahead to smack children - if their dignity is preserved. His remarks during his weekly general audience in Rome have provoked social media outcry with many accusing the Argentinian pontiff of supporting violence. Pope Francis devoted his latest homily to the role of fathers in the family. Up to 7,000 people gathered in the Pope Paul VI Hall on Wednesday to hear it.

Sex Or School? E. Java Lawmakers Aim To Forbid Graduation For Non-Virgins

Reuters/Enny Nuraheni

The city council of Jember, East Java's third largest urban area with a population of 300,000, plans to give a virginity test to schoolgirls, local media reported. Those who fail won't have a chance to become high school graduates.

The city council insists on the regulation on the grounds that a number of secondary and high school students allegedly indulge in pre-marital sexual activities. According to the data gathered from local hospitals, around 10 percent of Jember’s approximately 1,200 HIV/AIDS patients are students, RT.com reports.

INEC ‘To Postpone’ 2015 Elections

The 2015 General Elections may now hold in March following plans by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to move it by six weeks, GRAPHITTI NEWS gathers. 

INEC is expected to announce its decision on Saturday evening after meeting with representatives of the political parties.

But the commission has said on its twitter handle that a decision was yet to be taken, that the meeting was still “ongoing”.

EBOLA OUTBREAK: Guinea Tries 58 Over Attack On Ebola Outreach Mission

Guinean president, Alpha Condé. Photograph: Johanna Pyneeandee/AFP/Getty Images

Guinea has put 58 people on trial over an attack on Ebola outreach workers by a mob wielding machetes, a judicial source said on Friday. The defendants are accused of wounding several government workers and staff from the global medical aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) with the knives as well as assaulting them with sticks and stones.

AFCON: Morocco Banned From 2017, 2019, Equatorial Guinea Fined

Morocco have been banned from the next two African Nations Cups

Morocco were kicked out of the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Friday while Equatorial Guinea were punished for the unrest in Thursday's semi-finals in which 36 fans were injured.

Hollywood, Hold On! Paris Calls Off Action Movie Filming In Wake Of Terrorist Attacks

Paris, France (Reuters / Benoit Tessier)

Parisian authorities have banned filming action movie scenes in the French capital, fearing that actors could be mistaken for police amid heightened tensions following January’s devastating terrorist attacks.

Filming scenes involving police, army or security services as well as car chases has been banned as France steps up security with police and soldiers stationed at sensitive areas, including synagogues, shopping malls, and media offices. Under the emergency security regulations, filming outside religious sites or schools is no longer permitted. 

'Encouraging' Ebola Drug Results In Guinea

Timeline of the West African Ebola outbreak ©John Saeki/Adrian Leung (AFP)

For the first time since the West African Ebola outbreak began over a year ago, a clinical trial with a candidate treatment has yielded "encouraging" results, researchers announced Thursday. The trial with 80 patients in Guinea resulted in fewer deaths and faster recovery rates, the French government and medical research agency Inserm said of tests with the Japanese-manufactured anti-viral drug favipiravir.

A SHOW OF SHAME - 2015 AFCON: Semi-Final Was 'War Zone', Says Ghana FA (PHOTOS)

The Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Ghana and hosts Equatorial Guinea was described as a "war zone" after play was suspended for more than 30 minutes because of crowd trouble.

Players ducked bottles thrown from the stands, Ghana fans sought safety behind a goal, riot police used tear gas and a helicopter hovered over the stadium. 

Japan's Work Ethic "Falsely Beatifies Long Hours"; New Law To Require Workaholic Japanese To Take Days Off

Eriko Sekiguchi stands at a crossroad of business district in Tokyo on Jan. 21, 2015. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

This is one story one would have been more excited to be about Nigerian workers! Can you imagine someone dying from too much work in Nigeria? That picture cannot even come to mind! But apparently the Japanese take their work that seriously!

This story is carried by Associated Press:

2015 Polls: Don’t Create Turmoil In Nigeria, Gumi Warns Politicians – Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi

Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, has warned Nigerian politicians not to use the forthcoming elections to create political turmoil in the country. Gumi gave the warning while speaking to journalists at the First Roundtable Peace Meeting organized by the Northern Religious Leaders Peace Initiative Forum, held in Abuja yesterday, Leadership reports.

The Economist Endorses Buhari; Offers Heavy-Heart Choice

Former Head of State, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari

Influential newspaper, The Economist, says the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), is more competent than President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The highly respected publication in its editorial published in its current edition and titled, ‘Former dictator is a better choice than a failed president,’ said Nigeria was unfortunate to have both Buhari and Jonathan vying for the Presidency. It, however, said that out of the two, Buhari was a better candidate.

Forensic Audit: Minister Directs NNPC To Pay Outstanding US$1.48bn

Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Thursday directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to defray the outstanding US$1.48billion in the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) signature bonus, taxes and royalties in line with the recommendation of the forensic audit report.

Council Of State Asks INEC To Perform Its “Civic Duty”, No Polls Shift

L–R: Senate President, David Mark; All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); and Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, at the Council of State meeting in Abuja... on Thursday. Photo: NAN

The National Council of State has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to perform its “civic duty” by going ahead with the 2015 polls as scheduled.

This lays to rest fears that the elections should be postponed.

The advisory body, made up of mainly former heads of state and state governors, rose from its marathon meeting on Thursday and advised INEC to go ahead with its plans despite security fears and worries about disenfranchisement of one-third of registered voters.

Warders Facing Sanctions Over Incessant Jailbreaks – Ekpendu

Dr Peter Ezenwa Ekpendu, Comptroller General of Prisons.

The Comptroller-General of Nigerian Prisons Service, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, says many employees of the NPS are facing various disciplinary actions with in connection with their alleged involvement in breach of security at some prisons in the country. He stated that the spate of jailbreaks in recent times under questionable and embarrassing circumstances, was worrisome.

Oil Tanker Hijacked Off Nigeria, One Dead: Greek Coastguard

The Biscaglia, a Liberia-flagged oil and chemical tanker ship is pictured after being hijacked in the Gulf of Aden (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Pirates have hijacked a crude oil tanker off the Nigerian coast, taking three hostages and killing the vessel's Greek deputy commander, the Greek coastguard said Wednesday.

The Malta-flagged Kalamos was anchored and awaiting fresh cargo from Qua Iboe, an oil terminal in Nigeria's southeastern region operated by ExxonMobil, when it was boarded on Tuesday.

Boko Haram Goes On Rampage After Chad Offensive

People hold a banner reading "Support and encouragement to the defense and security forces in the fight against Boko Haram", at a rally on January 21, 2015 in Yaounde ©Reinnier Kaze (AFP)

Nigerian Boko Haram fighters went on the rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol Wednesday, massacring civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces. The onslaught came a day after Chad sent troops across the border to flush the jihadists out of the Nigerian town of Gamboru, which lies some 500 metres (yards) from Fotokol on the other side of a bridge.

EBOLA OUTBREAK: Sierra Leone's Schools To Reopen On March 30; Cases On Rise For First Time This Year, WHO says

The number of new weekly Ebola cases rose for first time in 2015 in all three of the hard-hit countries of West Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. Sierra Leone accounted for 80 of the 124 new cases of the disease confirmed in the week to Feb. 1, it said. Guinea recorded 39 cases while Liberia had just five.

Mugabe, 90, Falls Down Steps Upon Return From African Union Summit

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe (Image source: CNN)

Witnesses say Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, 90, fell down steps from a podium after speaking to supporters.

Several witnesses, who insisted on anonymity because of security concerns, said Mugabe appeared to miss a step and toppled when he left the raised lectern at the airport Wednesday afternoon upon his return from Ethiopia. They said his aides quickly helped him up and escorted him to his limousine which sped away, NewsDay reports.

Chief Justice To Judges: Don’t Be Used To Truncate Democracy

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Mahmud Mohammed talked tough yesterday. He warned judges and judicial officers against being used to truncate democracy.

Justice Mohammed spoke against the background of various suits hurriedly filed by politicians or those being used by them to stop the February 14 and 28 elections or prevent candidates from contesting after being cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).