Friday, September 4, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
Legal body, Freedom Under Law (FUL), headed by former Constitutional Court Judge Johann Kriegler, intends to launch proceedings to set aside as "irrational and unreasonable", the decision of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), not to pursue the complaint of certain Constitutional Court judges against Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe, and his countercomplaint against the judges.
FUL's legal challenge is supported by archbishop Desmond Tutu and Dr Mamphela Ramphele. Kriegler said that the rule of law can not survive if the legitimacy of the judiciary is not protected, and the legitimacy of the judiciary cannot survive unless the JSC does its duty.
The decision by the JSC not to probe allegations that Hlophe tried to influence two Constitutional Court judges in a ruling involving President Jacob Zuma's former corruption case, is the biggest threat to rule of law that the country has faced since the end of apartheid, he said. The JSC has failed South Africa in producing a decision that is "legally indefensible and factually insupportable."
Kriegler added "unequivocally" that the purpose of FUL's legal challenge is not to have Hlophe impeached, but to compel the JSC to do its duty.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) DG Pascal Lamy says that the multilateral Doha Development Round remains the most efficient means to achieve goals, such as generating market access for goods and services through the reduction of obstacles to trade, the levelling of the playing field in trade-distorting subsidies and providing predictability and transparency to trade.
Addressing the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in the midst of trade negotiations taking place in New Delhi, Lamy says that WTO Ministers will map out how they intend on closing the Doha Round in 2010.
Meanwhile, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk says that WTO members must work hard to fill in the remaining gaps to clinch a Doha deal, and not reopen what has been agreed to so far.
Trade Ministers agree that the basis for completing the talks, which will cut tariffs and subsidies in farm and industrial goods and open up services like banking and telecoms, are negotiating texts drafted in December after an abortive round of negotiations last year. But Kirk says that those texts are still full of blanks, where the WTO's 153 members have not yet found common ground. He adds that he is wary of stating that the deal could be clinched by 2010, as the talks have already missed many deadlines.

United Nations (UN) secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called for swifter work on a climate treaty, saying that inaction could spell economic disaster and a rise in sea levels of up to 2 m by 2100. Greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are still rising fast, he said. The world cannot afford limited progress, he told a 155-nation climate conference in Geneva of negotiations on a new UN deal to combat global warming, that is due to be agreed in December in Copenhagen.
Ban reiterated calls for developed nations to agree on "more ambitious" targets for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 than have been promised thus far, as well as more aid for the poor, while rich nations want clearer pledges from developing nations that they will slow rising emissions.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says that Africa will veto any climate change deal that does not meet its demand for money from rich nations to cut the impact of global warming on the continent. Zenawi says that Africa will field a single negotiating team to negotiate on behalf of all member States of the African Union. He adds that "Africa's interest and position will not be muffled as has usually been the case."

Also making headlines:
Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, says that open access to universities does not mean lower standards.
The European Union says that its ties with Zimbabwe are mending, but that it will hold back on funding until further democratic progress is made.
The Canadian government seeks to overturn the independent Immigration and Refugee Board's ruling to grant a white South African refugee status.
And, Gabon tightens security measures after postelection clashes intensify.
That's a roundup of news making headlines today.