Tuesday August 02, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Jessica Hannah

Making headlines:

South Africa has ended a special programme to provide visas for more than one-million undocumented immigrants who fled political and economic turmoil in Zimbabwe, setting the stage for a possible mass deportation. But a large-scale round-up of migrants looks unlikely because of the high cost for South Africa and the risk it poses to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of re-admitting migrants who largely support his opponents, as he wants to hold elections this year. The migrants also provide a steady flow of hard currency through remittances that support Zimbabwe's shaky economy.

The famine in the Horn of Africa is spreading and may soon engulf as many as six more regions of the lawless nation of Somalia, says the UN humanitarian aid chief. Some "12.4-million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti are in dire need of help and the situation is getting worse," says UN under-secretary-general and emergency relief coordinator Valerie Amos. The United Nations declared a famine, on July 20, in two regions of southern Somalia, where 3.7-million people are going hungry. There is always a steady trickle of Somalis moving into northern Kenya, mostly fleeing violence, but in recent months they have also been looking for food. Amox warns that unless a massive increase in the response is seen, the famine will spread to five or six more regions.

South Africa has named a central bank veteran as its interim banking regulator, at a time when lenders in Africa's top economy are still digesting tougher global rules on capital and liquidity. The South African Reserve Bank says that it has temporarily named Michael Blackbeard as registrar of banks. Blackbeard will hold the position until a permanent appointment is named, or until January 31, 2012. Blackbeard, who joined the central bank in 1992 and has been deputy registrar since 2006, will take over from Errol Kruger, who stepped down at the end of last month.

Also making headlines:
Major climate talks in South Africa at year-end will be unlikely to strike agreement on a new pact, but will be important in determining the shape of long-term efforts to tackle climate change, says a senior UN climate official.
Malawi's ruling Democratic Progressive Party has endorsed embattled President Bingu wa Mutharika's younger brother as the party's possible candidate in 2014 elections, in a move that could inflame opposition to the president.
And, Sierra Leone's main opposition party named former coup leader Brigadier-General Julius Maada Bio, who handed power back to civilians in 1996, as its candidate for next year's presidential vote.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.