Nigeria: 10-Year-Old Nigerian in UK Varsity

Ten year old Esther Okade, one of UK's youngest students from Nigeria, has been accepted to start her maths degree at the Open University. Esther, who enrolled three weeks ago, is already top of her class, scoring 100 per cent in a recent test. Esther's mother, Efe, said the process of applying to the university was 'an interesting one because of her age. From the age of seven Esther has wanted to go to university.

Sophie Ndaba reveals her secret to weight loss

Actress and wedding planner Sophie Ndaba is looking sexy and slimmer these days thanks to a new diet plan. Speaking to Sowetan Live at the Royalty soapie awards nominations party, Ndaba said the key to her weight loss was cutting out sugar from her diet. “Instead of sugar I now take sweeteners in my tea, it’s amazing how much cutting down your sugar intake can make a difference in your diet,” she said.

Brown not blue over RiRi’s new beau - IOL Tonight

Chris Brown thinks Rihanna has gone "up" by dating Leonardo DiCaprio. The 'Yeah 3x' hitmaker - who was convicted of assaulting the 'Diamonds' star in 2009 - insists he isn't "jealous" of his former girlfriend's rumoured new boyfriend and thinks she has made a good choice with the Hollywood hunk.

Envoy sorry for fake qualification - Politics | IOL News

REUTERS SA's ambassador to Japan, Mohau Pheko, says she is sorry she pretended to have a doctoral degree. Johannesburg - South Africa's ambassador to Japan, Mohau Pheko, told the SABC on Friday she regrets saying she has a doctoral degree, when she does not. Pheko claimed she received her PhD from the American La Salle University in 2000.

'Jihadi John' killer from Islamic State beheading videos named by media

In videos released by Islamic State (IS), the masked, black-clad militant brandishing a knife and speaking with an English accent appears to have carried out the beheadings of hostages including Americans and Britons. The Washington Post said Emwazi was believed to have travelled to Syria around 2012 and to have later joined IS. "His real name, according to friends and others familiar with his case, is Mohammed Emwazi, a Briton from a well-to-do family who grew up in West London and graduated from college with a degree in computer programming," the Post said. In each beheading video, he is dressed entirely in black, a balaclava covering all but his eyes and the ridge of his nose.

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Reveals Secret to Long Life

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who has just turned 91, said on Thursday that one of his secrets to a long life was "not filling my stomach". In a televised interview ahead of a huge birthday party in Victoria Falls, Mugabe said: "I do certain things that I believe sustain life. You must eat well, and really not go for food because it's attractive and feed yourself until your tummy is full," the longtime Zimbabwean leader said. Mugabe's half sister, Regina Gata, recently confirmed her brother's disciplined habits, saying he neither smokes nor drinks.

Nigeria: Please Don't Catch Shekau Alive!

Within the space of 45 minutes, I was able to count thirteen Nigerian Air Force Hercules transporters. It was obvious to me that, at last, the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan, had woken up to the need to act decisively. Boko Haram was allowed to metamorphose from a band of rag-tag Islamist outlaws to a fierce multinational military force that abducted 219 girls from their boarding school and established a separatist enclave that consisted of no fewer than sixteen local government areas in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. Some Northern leaders seemed overjoyed at the bloody "exploits" of Boko Haram though their own homeland and kinsmen were being decimated.

E-toll scrapping call radical, says ANC - Politics | IOL News

Johannesburg - The ANC in the Gauteng legislature on Thursday called on opposition parties to stop trying to “sound radical” by calling for e-tolls to be scrapped. “The ANC resolved that in its current form we don't want e-tolls,” African National Congress MPL Jacob Khawe said during debate on premier David Makhura's state-of-the-province speech in Johannesburg. Makhura announced in his speech on Monday that the province was working with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on the e-toll matter. Earlier, the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters, and Freedom Front Plus criticised Makhura for not announcing the scrapping of e-tolls.

SA gives BRICS port entry visa

Business and diplomatic travellers from South Africa's BRICS partners --Brazil, Russia, India, and China -- are to receive a port of entry visa into South Africa, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday. "... I have approved the issuance of port of entry visas to BRICS business executives for up to 10 years, with each visit not to exceed 30 days," he told the Cape Town Press Club.

Nike ultimatum to Ronaldo: Drop your CR7 footwear range or lose contract

Nike has forced Cristiano Ronaldo to withdraw his range of CR7 footwear and threatened to break off their contract with him.

Egypt: How Egypt President Differs From Uhuru

Just a little over 10 years ago, I was invited to a lunch hosted by the then British High Commissioner to Kenya, the legendary Sir Edward Clay. Among the guests were top officials of the Kibaki administration, some British diplomats who were on a visit to Kenya, two or three of us from the media and the then Leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament, Uhuru Kenyatta. Although President Kibaki had by then been in office for about a year, there was really nothing much that his administration had done to fulfil the many promises he had made while campaigning.

Bucs drawn against SuperSport in Nedbank Cup

Defending champions Orlando Pirates were drawn against high flying SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup Last 16 draw.

Fransman belongs in jail

This column is a plea to the African National Congress to desist from stoking the flames of anarchy. No sooner had we recovered from that spectacle, with the speaker and opposition members apologising to each other, when Marius Fransman and his followers obstructed the Western Cape provincial opening of parliament. Surely when the ANC allows its members to undermine our constitutional democracy, by using the minstrels as its shock troops, it embeds practices in the social fabric of the nation that will become second nature. Firstly, Marius Fransman should be in jail for allegedly appropriating National Lottery funds for the minstrels for party political purposes.

Chelsea sign massive sponsorship deal - Premier League

Premier League leaders and Capital One Cup finalists Chelsea agreed one of the biggest shirt sponsorships ever signed with the Yokohama Rubber Company. London - Premier League leaders and Capital One Cup finalists Chelsea agreed “one of the biggest shirt sponsorships ever signed” with the Yokohama Rubber Company on Thursday.

Pistorius to stop murder charge acquittal appeal

Jailed Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has initiated a legal bid through his lawyers to stop prosecutors from appealing his acquittal on a murder charge relating to the fatal shooting of his model girlfriend Reeva SteenKamp. NPA spokesman Velekhaya Mgobhozi confirmed that the application would be heard by Judge Thokozile Masipa in the South Gauteng High Court on 13 March. Pistorius’ lawyer Brian Webber said the decision to apply for leave to appeal on Judge Thokozile Masipa’s ruling was because he believed she incorrectly allowed leave to appeal to the state. Webber said Masipa erred in allowing the appeal with regards to the matters of facts and law in the trial.

Actress’s Oscar gown stolen from hotel - IOL Tonight

Nkandla details could put Zuma's life at risk

Disclosure of Nkandla security structures, sought by architect Minenhle Makhanya, could put President Jacob Zuma in danger, according to papers before the High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday. Such disclosure would reveal "highly sensitive measures which would put the lives of president Zuma and his family in jeopardy", director general of the national public works department, Mziwonke Dlabantu, says in the papers. Makhanya and the public works department face a R155 million civil claim relating to work done at Zuma's KwaZulu-Natal homestead.