July 19, 2012
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane

Making headlines:

The National Prosecuting Authority will hand over the Jacob Zuma corruption charge records to the Democratic Alliance.

AIDS deaths worldwide decrease as access to drugs improves.

And, China strengthens its Africa ties with 20-billion dollars in loans.

A National Prosecuting Authority official said on Wednesday that the reduced record relating to its decision to drop corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma would be given to the DA.

NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said that the process was taking longer than anticipated, hence, the delay in supplying the DA with all the relevant information. This process includes transcribing of the records, verification and submitting to the president's legal team due to the representations being subject to confidentiality rule.

DA leader, Helen Zille said the documents sent on April 12 had no relation to the evidence before the NPA that might have caused it to withdraw the charges against Zuma. As a result, the DA is challenging the NPA's decision to drop the charges in the High Court in Pretoria.

The United Nations AIDS programme says that fewer people infected with HIV globally are dying as more of them are getting access to crucial antiretroviral drugs, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

In a report released ahead of the International AIDS Society's 2012 annual meeting set for next week in Washington, DC, the United Nations estimates that about 34-million people are living with the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.

It further stated the number of worldwide AIDS-related deaths fell to 1.7-million last year. This is down from a peak of 2.3-million in 2005 and from some 1.8-million in 2010.

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday offered $20-billion in loans to African countries over the next three years. This move boosts a relationship that has been criticised by the West and is giving Beijing growing access to the resource-rich continent.

The loans offered are double the amount China pledged for the previous three-year period in 2009. These loans are the latest in a string of aid and credit provided to Africa's many poverty-stricken nations.

The pledge is likely to boost China's good relations with Africa. The continent supplies oil and raw materials like copper and uranium to the world's most populous country and second-largest economy.

Also making headlines:

South African ’s views clash over Nelson Mandela’s iconic status and legacy.

International envoy Kofi Annan asks Britain to delay the Syria resolution vote.

And, the International Monetary Fund is assessing economic spillovers in new surveillance rules.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.