From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon O'Donnell.

Making headlines today:

South Africa's targeted annual CPIX inflation quickened to a new five-and-a-half year high in May, data showed on Wednesday, slightly above forecasts and hardening the case for higher interest rates in August.

Statistics South Africa said CPIX accelerated to 10,9 percent year-on-year from 10,4 percent in April, while the headline figure jumped to 11,7 percent, compared to the previous 11,1 percent.

Food was a major driver of inflation, surging 17,0 percent year-on-year, from a previous 15,7 percent, but even more pressure will come this year from rising fuel costs and a sharp rise in electricity tariffs in July.

Of the 1 090 registered Clean Development Mechanism, or CDM, projects in emerging countries, only 11 of those were found in South Africa.

Apart from needing more incentives for renewable energy and greenhouse-gas emission reduction, more easy-to-access information, as well as strong leadership from industry and government would be required to propel the concept.

Omnia Fertiliser business development manager Rudi Kriese said that establishing and profiling a company's carbon footprint was fairly easily done, and the expertise to do that exists in South Africa, however, since most of the CDM project monitoring equipment was imported, the expertise to maintain that equipment was more difficult to find.

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In response to criticism regarding its development of the Unki platinum mine in Zimbabwe, global mining giant Anglo American on Wednesday said it was concerned about the political situation in that country, and that it was reviewing its operations there.

However, Anglo American stated that if it ceased to develop this project, the government of Zimbabwe would assume control.

The statement came after UK-based paper The Times reported that outrage was expressed over Anglo American's 400-million dollar investment in Zimbabwe at a time when the British government was putting pressure on companies to withdraw from the country.

Also making headlines:

Government in favour of recycling nuclear fuel
Economist sees China's growth slowing to more sustainable level
Business must play a role in addressing climate change says Eskom
Pamodzi halts development work at East Rand mine after worker dies in accident
Zambia sees 2008 copper output up at 600 000 tons
And, Sentula to cooperate with Financial Services Board investigation and awaits findings of internal probe

In political news:

World Trade Organisation summons trade powers for Doha push in July
President Mbeki extends controversial police chief Jackie Selebi's contract
Morgan Tsvangirai gives Robert Mugabe 24-hour deadline
And, China says NGOs stir anti-Chinese feelings in Darfur

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories, visit engineeringnews.co.za, miningweekly.com and polity.org.za