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Fr iday, October 17, 2008.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shona Kohler.

Making headlines today:

South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance has requested that the national broadcaster give it the same television platform accorded to the ruling African National Congress.

This follows Wednesday’s special broadcast of a programme in which ANC president Jacob Zuma briefed viewers on recent developments in the ruling party.

Helen Zille, leader of the DA, says the special broadcast amounted to nothing more than a platform for Zuma to “spout party political rhetoric”.

Talks on forming a Zimbabwean Cabinet deadlocked on Thursday, with political parties still fighting over who should control key Ministries. Negotiations resumed on Friday.

Sources have indicated that the Ministry of Finance has been settled in favour of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. This Ministry will be crucial in reviving Zimbabwe’s shattered economy and attracting foreign investment.

The MDC has said that the United Nations and the African Union should step in to mediate if the talks remain deadlocked.

Leaders from the European Union agreed on Thursday to a pact on immigration and asylum.

While acknowledging the need for immigration, and vowing to work to attract more highly skilled migrants, the pact warns that the 27-nation bloc does not have the resources to decently receive all the migrants hoping to find a better life.

Leaders have pledged to expel illegal migrants and beef up border controls.

Activists and analysts say the pact marks a further toughening of the continent’s migration policies, and heralds a more conservative approach to immigration.

Also making headlines:
Lekota is expected to poach opposition voters.
Sudan launches a Darfur peace effort that rebels boycott.
Oxfam calls for global action to combat the food crisis.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories, visit polity.org.za.

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