SOUTH AFRICA

JOHANNESBURG – ANC president Jacob Zuma, addresses university students at the University of Johannesburg on ‘access to justice’, and indicates that while the judiciary is accepted as the final arbiter of disputes, the institution is not above criticism. However, Zuma says that criticism of the judiciary should be fair and informed. Despite the ANC’s criticism of the judiciary, Zuma contends that the organisation is committed to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. Zuma’s remarks come at a time when his supporters, most notably Cosatu, the SACP, the ANC Youth league and the ANC itself, are demanding the withdrawal of the fraud and corruption charges against him. (Insert picture of Zuma)

JOHANNESBURG – Cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro defends his controversial cartoon of Jacob Zuma preparing to rape justice, saying that he thought “very, very carefully” before doing it. The African National Congress and its tripartite alliance partners have condemned the cartoon as disgusting, while ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe has labelled it as racist. The cartoon, published in the Sunday Times under Shapiro's pen-name Zapiro, shows a blindfolded female figure labelled "justice system", being pinned down by Zuma's political allies. The ANC president is depicted in the cartoon unzipping his pants, while Mantashe urges him: "Go for it, boss!" Shapiro says he "absolutely" refutes the racism charge, indicating that his record in the struggle years speaks for itself.


AFRICA & WORLD

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s political rivals are engaged in power-sharing talks aimed at ending the country’s political crisis. As an indication of the seriousness of the economic situation in the country, made worse by the political deadlock between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, the country’s central bank will allow goods to be purchased in foreign currency. Zimbabweans want a government that will be able to rein in inflation of 11-million per cent and tackle the country’s severe food and fuel shortages that are forcing millions of Zimbabweans across the country’s borders, straining other local economies. (Insert picture of Mugabe and Tsvangirai)

LUSAKA – Zambian opposition leader Michael Sata says he will welcome Chinese investors in the country’s mining industry if he is elected president, in an apparent policy shift designed to reassure foreign investors. Sata, leader of the Patriot Front, has previously accused Chinese investors of exploiting Zambian workers. Data from the Zambian treasury shows that Chinese companies have invested over $500-million in mining and other sectors over the last five years. China plans to invest a further $900-million over the next five years in an economic free zone, where its companies will be exempted from some taxes such as custom duties. Zambia, which became one of Africa’s rare success stories under the late President Levy Mwanawasa, faces economic and political uncertainty as the contest to replace Mwanawasa intensifies.

NEW YORK – A United Nations (UN) report indicates that the world’s wealthiest nations are reneging on promises to boost development aid, threatening UN targets for drastically reducing poverty by 2015. The report on progress on the so-called Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) says there has been improvement in providing debt relief to the world's poorest countries but not when it comes to fulfilling trade and development commitments. Donors will need to increase their development assistance by $18-billion a year between now and 2010 if aid is to reach a target agreed at the 2005 Group of Eight summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, the report says.

LONDON – Aid group Oxfam says that respect and legal responsibility must be at the heart of any new agreement to tackle climate change. Oxfam believes that climate change is no longer a scientific or economic problem, but rather a matter of international justice. Rich countries must take the lead and foot the bill for curbing carbon emissions and for helping the poorer nations adapt to climate change that is already happening, contends Oxfam. Scientists predict that global average temperatures will rise by between 1,8 and 4,0 degrees Celsius this century due to carbon emissions, bringing floods, famine and more violent storms.

TBILISI – Russia agrees to withdraw its troops from Georgia’s heartland within a month, but there is no commitment to scale back its military presence in the two Georgian separatist regions. Russian president Dimitry Medvedev says that he will not reverse his decision to recognise Georgia’s two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, a move the West condemns. Georgia is home to pipelines carrying oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to world markets which the West favours because they bypass Russia. However, the ongoing conflict in the region is casting doubt on Georgia’s viability as a safe energy route.