Monday, November 23, 200
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Brad Dubbelman.
Making headlines:
The position of National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) officially becomes vacant today, as former NDPP Vusi Pikoli's lawyers withdraw an application challenging his dismissal in the Pretoria High Court.
The government announced at the weekend that it had reached an out-of-court settlement with Pikoli which will see him walk away with R7,5-million. In return, Pikoli agreed to drop the court challenge.
Pikoli took the government to court after former President Kgalema Motlanthe decided to fire him despite the Ginwala Commission of Enquiry partly clearing his name. Pikoli has maintained that he lost his job as NDPP because he decided to prosecute ex-top cop Jackie Selebi on corruption and fraud charges.

Sixty-five world leaders have confirmed that they will attend a United Nations (UN) conference in Copenhagen next month that will attempt to clinch a new global climate deal.
Facing splits in the climate talks, Denmark ten days ago formally invited the Heads of State and government of 191 UN member States to come for the final two days of the December 7 to December 18 conference, to push for a deal at the meeting that was originally meant for environment ministers.
Analysts say that Denmark's decision to invite world leaders is a calculated risk. Their presence can raise chances of a deal but the need for a summit is an admission that negotiations are in trouble after a final round of talks in Barcelona this month left many issues unresolved.

Sources can prove that there are South Africans among a group of mercenaries working for Guinea's military junta. Most of these have been sent to the West African nation by Dubai-based businesspeople, the sources said. As well as military training, their job is to ensure the arrival of arms acquired by the junta from the Ukraine in defiance of an arms embargo.
Guinea's military regime is facing international sanctions and demands that it hand over power to civilian rule after a September 28 crackdown on opposition protesters in which witnesses said more than 150 people were killed and women were raped.
South Africa announced last week that it was investigating reports that its nationals had been hired to train a force for Guinea's junta, and there have been separate reports that Israelis and Ukrainians are involved in helping the diplomatically isolated Guinean government.
Also making headlines:
A report calls for the Commonwealth to "shame" undemocratic members.
Israel's President plays down settlement work in the Gaza strip at talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
And, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos calls on his party to end corruption.
That's a roundup of news making headlines today.