Zille Calls On Zuma To Debate The Economy, Asks ‘Does He Have A Plan?’ – DA leader Helen Zille has called on President Jacob Zuma to engage with her in a public debate on the state of the economy. “I will today be writing to President Zuma, calling for a public debate,” she said in a statement. “All South Africans are presently deeply concerned about the state of our country, and particularly our economy.” [TimesLive]

Zuma: No Need For Zille Debate – President Jacob Zuma has turned down a request by DA leader Helen Zille to publicly debate with her on the state of the economy, the presidency said on Monday. “The presidency sees no need to engage in any exercise that diverts attention from getting stakeholders to work together,” presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement. [News24]

Standard & Poor’s Downgrade Of South Africa’s Credit Rating Hurts Rand – South Africa’s rand weakened against the dollar on Monday as market players digested a Standard and Poor’s ratings downgrade that put local assets under pressure. The rand was 1.15 percent weaker against the dollar at 8.8055 at 1400 GMT, from Friday’s New York close at 8.7280. Standard & Poor’s cut South Africa’s credit rating after trading ended in Johannesburg on Friday, to BBB with a negative outlook, saying strikes and social tensions could reduce fiscal flexibility and hurt growth in the continent’s biggest economy. [Reuters]

Kumba Gives Strikers Their Marching Orders – Anglo-American unit Kumba Iron Ore said on Monday that it had fired nearly 300 workers who launched an illegal strike two weeks ago and seized billions of rands in equipment. “The illegal strikers who have occupied the mine since 3 October have ignored an ultimatum to leave the mine and report for disciplinary hearings by 11am (09h00 GMT) on Monday,” the company said. [IOL]

Reddit’s Biggest Troll Fired From His Real-World Job – Michael Brutsch, the Texas man behind the notorious Reddit troll Violentacrez, was fired this weekend, one day after Gawker outed him in an article Friday. This is not surprising, as Brutsch had built his online reputation on distributing pictures of underaged girls in bikinis and being offensive as possible. [Gawker]

Rebekah Brooks Severance Deal Worth ‘About £7m’ – Rebekah Brooks received a payoff worth about £7m after resigning as chief executive of News International at the height of the Milly Dowler phone-hacking crisis in July 2011. The exact figure has never been disclosed by the Murdoch company – whose parent News Corporation holds its annual meeting on Tuesday – but one source said they believed it was between £6m and £8m. [Guardian]

Body Of Drowned Tourist To Be Sent Home – The family of Peter Hyett, the British tourist who drowned when a charter boat capsized off Cape Town over the weekend, are arranging for his body repatriated. Hyett, 64, and his wife, Suzanne, and daughter, Helen, were due to return to the UK on Sunday after a two-week holiday. They were all on board the Miroshga when it capsized near Duiker Island, a popular whale watching spot, at about 3pm on Saturday. [TimesLive]

British Doctors Predict ‘Good Recovery’ for Pakistani Teen – British doctors treating the 14-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl shot last week by the Taliban say she has a chance of making a “good recovery.” Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s medical director, Dave Rosser, said Malala Yousafzai’s treatment and recovery is expected to take at least several weeks. [Voice of America]

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Golden Globes: Tina Fey And Amy Poehler Replace Ricky Gervais As Hosts – The US comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will replace Ricky Gervais as next year’s Golden Globe hosts – bringing perhaps a gentler touch to proceedings on the occasion of the awards’ 70th anniversary. Gervais hosted the event from 2010 to 2012, shocking many with his acid one-liners about the assembled celebrities. [Guardian]

Hulk Hogan Sues Bubba, Ex-Wife Over Sex Tape – The former wrestling superstar on Monday filed a civil lawsuit in Pinellas County circuit court against shock jock Bubba “the Love Sponge” Clem, and Clem’s ex-wife, Heather Clem. The suit accuses the pair of videotaping Hogan and Heather Clem having sex in Heather Clem’s bedroom about six years ago. [Tampa Bay Online]

Mystery Of Giant Eyeball Washed Up On Beach In Florida Solved – THE mystery of a giant eyeball washed up on a beach in Florida US has been solved. Wildlife officials believe the giant eye – which is the size of a grapefruit – probably belongs to a swordfish. The “fresh” eyeball, which is white and piercing blue, was found by a man on Pompano Beach in Florida and handed to the wildlife authorities. [News.AU]

First Photo: Stewart and Pattinson Back Together – Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were photographed together last night for the first time since their split and ET has the exclusive photos and video. Stewart, 22, and Pattinson, 26, were spotted at the Ye Rustic Inn, a bar in Los Angeles’ trendy Los Feliz neighborhood. [ET]

Bill Murray Crashes kickball Game: Here’s How It Went Down – Bill Murray is everywhere. He’s sliding into home plate during a minor league baseball game in Charleston, South Carolina. He’s bartending at Austin’s Shangri-La during the South by Southwest Festival. He’s accompanying a 22-year-old Norwegian girl to a party in Scotland. He’s popping up in so many random places that there’s even a website devoted to tracking the actor’s whereabouts and activities, although most of the stories it publishes are fictional. So a group of adult kickball players shouldn’t have been surprised when their game was suddenly interrupted by the enigmatic Ghostbusters star himself this past Sunday. [EW]

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COMING UP TODAY

Intolerances To Ingested Foods: Are They Real? – Health Watch With Professor Bouic focusses on intolerances to ingested foods, what is actually happening inside your body, and the correct ways to treat it. Tune in at 12h45 today. [healthwatch]

Thula Baby Centre On Mommy Matters – The show with Jess and Kath, will feature the super stars at Thula Baby Centre. The Thula Baby Centre is a private clinic on the Atlantic Seaboard that is a comfortable place where moms can come to have their well baby weighed, have all their necessary vaccinations administered, and they help new moms settle into motherhood with as little hiccups as possible. They help with the feeding, routine, sleeping and introduction to solids and mommy sanity etc. Mommy Matters hosts weekly Facebook Parties with Sister Heather from Thula, so tune in this evening at 7pm to meet her. [mommymatters]

FRESH PODCASTS

Simon Dingle on 4G, FB investments, And His Favorite Tablet – Discourse, design and disruption. Simon is not just a journalist, he has a 24/7 love affair with all things techno. On Friday he was in studio with Bruce Good to chat about all things tech and his on going love affair with it. Bruce asks the Tech Guru some questions about 4g and being an early adopter. Digital printing/3D printing (this is the future) Bruce was more worried about when they will be able to print sushi instead of dresses! They also taked about the future of Facebook investments and how they have decreased in value, but Simon says if they have a formidable mobile syrategy they can build up their shares. [podcast]

Say Cheese With 2 Girls 1 Mic – The girls, Kamini and Angel recieved a very nice treat on Friday in Studio. Cheese, cheese and more cheese. A million different ways to enjoy your cheese is what was taking place in studio with 2Girls1Mic. The loveley ladie from Curds & Whey were in to talk all things dairy and the up coming events taking place as well as Daved Ostini, the owner of Puglia Cheese. [podcast]