Wednesday, June 9, 2010

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Petronel Smit.

Making headlines:

Attempts by the City of Cape Town to enclose toilets in Makhaza had been blocked for political reasons and not genuine concern for residents of the community, says Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.
The Democratic Alliance-(DA-) run City of Cape Town had tried to rectify the situation, but it did not suit the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), said Zille, as it does not want the DA to be seen to be delivering services.
Both Zille and Cape Town mayor Dan Plato acknowledged that unenclosed toilets are an affront to dignity and human rights, but that their objective was to deliver the best quality services to as many people as possible within budget constraints.

A planned United Nations climate deal might adapt systems for monitoring trade or human rights as models to check up on poor nations' curbs on greenhouse gases, says Mexico's special representative for climate change Luis Alfonso de Alba, whose country will host this year's main climate talks in Cancun.
Speaking on the sidelines of talks among climate negotiators from 185 nations in Bonn, Germany, De Alba said that a system of "peer review" for developing nations' climate plans was being considered. Rich and poor nations have long disagreed about how to monitor plans by developing nations to curb their rising greenhouse gas emissions as part of a world drive to avert more heat waves, floods, desertification and rising seas.
De Alba said that the proposed "peer review" would satisfy rich nations' demands for better oversight while ensuring that the poor do not feel that it is interference in their domestic affairs.

South Africa has spent over R40-billion on stadiums, transport infrastructure and upgrading airports for hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hoping to draw more tourists, boost investment and reverse the country's crime-ridden image abroad. But the real benefits of holding the world's biggest single sporting event will only be seen in years to come, say analysts.
The month-long FIFA World Cup is expected to add around 0,5% to South Africa's gross domestic product in 2010 and bring in around 370 000 foreign visitors.
Analysts say that the long-term impact of the FIFA World Cup on South Africa is difficult to quantify and caution should be exercised in predicting a big boost to the economy. Nomura International Emerging Markets economist Peter Attard-Montalto said recently that while government is hoping that the FIFA World Cup stimulates investment interest, investors will always "focus on the 'bottom line' numbers for competitiveness, costs and wage hikes".

Also making headlines:

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is invited to an African Union summit and the ongoing International Criminal Court review conference in Uganda.
Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo says that nearly one-half of the minibus taxis operating between Soweto and Ellis Park will be removed from the roads, in exchange for shares in a new bus operating company.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and European Union forces say that while piracy has increased, it is being combated more effectively.
And, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development says that African economies should boost tax collections and reduce their reliance on aid.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.