Monday February 14, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

President Jacob Zuma said that the money set aside by government to create jobs will be "rigorously" monitored. During an interview on SABC, Zuma said that: "The performance and monitoring department is going to look at what has happened, there is going to be rigorous monitoring as to what is being done by all of us towards creating jobs". In his State of the Nation address on Thursday, Zuma announced the establishment of a jobs fund of R9-billion over the next three years to finance new job-creation initiatives. Further, the Industrial Development Corporation had set aside R10-billion over the next five years for investment in such economic activities with a high job creation potential, he told Parliament.

Egypt's new military rulers said that they would keep control of the country for six months or until Parliamentary and Presidential elections are held following constitutional amendments. A statement read on State television also said that the Higher Military Council was dissolving Parliament and suspending the constitution while a committee drafts an amended constitution. The decisions it took included "dissolving the upper and lower Houses of Parliament" and "establishing a committee to amend some clauses of the constitution and defining the rules for a popular referendum on this". President Hosni Mubarak stepped down on Friday after 18 days of popular protests against his 30-year rule. The army promised democratic reforms when it assumed power.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said that Palestinian refugees should capitalise on the wave of popular revolts in the Middle East by massing peacefully on the borders of Israel until it gives into their demands.
Gaddafi is respected in many parts of the Arab world for his uncompromising criticism of Israel and Arab leaders who have dealings with the Jewish State, though some people in the region dismiss his initiatives as unrealistic. He was giving his first major speech since a popular uprising in neighbouring Egypt forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign, an event which electrified the Arab world and prompted speculation that other Arab governments could also be toppled.

Also making headlines:
Chad's first Parliamentary election in eight years went ahead smoothly on Sunday despite some delays in voting, observers said of a poll that will test President Idriss Deby's grip on the oil-producing African State.
Algerian opposition groups said that they would follow up the protest they held this weekend by calling a demonstration in the capital every Saturday until the government is changed.
And, Zimbabwe is an important ally to China and Beijing will seek to further strengthen ties, a Chinese Foreign Minister said of a country isolated by the West under President Robert Mugabe's rule.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.