Thursday October 20, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in Gauteng poses a threat to residents and government needs to act swiftly in addressing the problem, the provincial Housing Department said yesterday. "The impact of AMD in Gauteng is a significant environmental problem that has a potential to undermine socioeconomic development, and pose a threat to human lives. The impact of this can already be seen in some municipalities in the province," the department's deputy director-general on human settlements William Bhila said. This emerged at a conference between the South African Local Government Association and the department, which addressed the impact of AMD and explored ways to manage the problem.

WTO chief Pascal Lamy is backing a new approach to the stalled Doha round of global trade talks, suggesting that the WTO's members could agree to bite-size chunks rather than swallowing the indigestible whole in one go. The Doha round has reached deadlock this year after a decade of talks but trade diplomats, who have weaved a massive web of interlinked concessions and promises in the quest for a deal, say nobody will dare to declare the negotiations dead. However, there has been no agreement so far on how to move forward on the talks, officially called the Doha Development Agenda, which would be the biggest step towards global trade liberalisation since the WTO was created 16 years ago. Pressure is on trade ministers from the WTO's 153 member countries to come up with an answer when they convene in Geneva in December.

South Africa's economy will need serious restructuring if the country is to successfully manage its carbon emissions, MPs heard yesterday.
The switch to a greener economy was going to be painful, Environmental Affairs Portfolio Committee chairman Johnny de Lange said after the National Treasury briefed the committee on the introduction of a carbon tax. The National Treasury has been consulting extensively since March this year on the introduction of an appropriate carbon tax.

Also making headlines:
Former rebel leader Prince Johnson said that he wants control of 30% of Liberia's government in return for his endorsement of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's re-election bid.
Zimbabwe's electoral commission needs $220-million to stage a referendum on a proposed new constitution and a general election, both of which are expected next year, State media reported.

And, South Africa's Presidency called on media yesterday to mark Press Freedom Day by taking a softer line on embattled President Jacob Zuma.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.