Zimbabwe author Yvonne Vera dies

One of Zimbabwe's pre-eminent writers, Yvonne Vera, has died aged 40 of meningitis, her friends said Saturday. "It is with great sorrow that Yvonne Vera's family and friends would like to inform you of her death," they said in a statement. Renowned for her poetical novels dealing with issues her fellow writers would rather skirt, Vera is considered one of the most gifted writers to emerge from Zimbabwe. She published five novels, and a collection of short stories - translated into at least seven languages. She also edited several anthologies of short stories by African woman writers.