lifestyle leader

South African President Jacob Zuma, whose infamous ignorance of the HIV/AIDS virus made headlines, has marked World AIDS Day by announcing substantial changes to the government's HIV/AIDS policy.

These changes will include: providing all infants with antiretroviral treatment, providing HIV-positive pregnant women with mother-to-child prevention treatment, expanding antiretroviral treatment amongst the adult population, and the integration of TB and HIV treatment.

In a highly symbolic move, the president pledged to take a HIV test.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), South Africa's leading advocate for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, applauded the move as a 'positive change.'

Recommended readings, to be enjoyed with coffee:

Gillian Tett - Financial markets: the case for radical intellectual overhaul

The Economist's backgrounder on South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma

Esther Duflo outlines the basics of AIDS prevention: abstinence vs. risk reduction, with findings based on actual field work.

Cyprus - more divided.

Matt Taibbi asks the (*shudder*) teabaggers some questions

The promise of cheap genome sequencing

-Is a legal victory for Jacob Zuma a loss for South Africa?

-Cyberspies (China, Russia) have reportedly infiltrated the US electrical grid, reflecting a growing consensus in the intelligence community that cybersecurity will be one of the flashpoints of the 21st century.

-From the serious to the absurd: North Korea has accused the South of poisoning its footballers with "adulterated foodstuff" ahead of South Korea's 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory last week. North Korea also maintains its "satellite" was successfully launched into orbit over the weekend, while back on earth everyone agrees a satellite-less missile now rests on the floor of the Pacific.

-According to Reuters, the US government will delay, if release at all, the results of its "stress tests" on the US banking sector. It reportedly wants to avoid negatively affecting first quarter earnings announcements.

-US Secretary of Defense Bob Gates makes good on his call to overhaul US defense spending, contracting and strategic priorities. He must now contend with the congressional/special interests outrage.

-As first reported by The Cable last week, the US has been engaged in high level, "Track Two" discussions with Iran for the better part of a year, intensifying in recent months and including a number of individuals close to the Obama administration. The Iranian side has been led by Ali Asghar Soltanieh, ambassador and permanent representative to the IAEA. The talks have been conducted in European cities under the auspices of the Pugwash group. As The Cable notes, back channel talks have always occurred between the two nations (irrespective of public posturing), but these talks are significant in their attendance, timing, and frequency. While the nuclear issue is obviously the most pressing, talks have also focused on "how to move beyond the 1953 coup and 1979 revolution." This strikes me as a recognition by both sides that a window exists for a fundamental transformation of the relationship.

-Political violence is on the rise in South Africa. A string of high profile assassinations in Kwa-Zulu Natal reflect rising tensions in the province between ANC and IFP supporters. Meanwhile, Cope (the party formed out of the ANC split last year) leader Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota issued his strongest criticism yet of the ANC and Zuma, claiming the party will push through immunity for the presidential favorite after the coming general election.

-Davos utterly failed its agenda: "shaping the post-crisis world". Chris Giles, Peter Thal Larsen, and Gillian Tett of the FT found the attendees united in their lack of confidence and inspiration.

IPE Journal looks back at the political events, people and trends that defined our world in 2008.

- The worst financial crisis since the Great Depression sets in motion a paradigm shift in global power and authority. The state reoccupied the commanding heights of the global economy through stimulus packages, banking nationalizations and automotive bailouts. The IMF regained relevance, and political fortunes were turned in response to the crisis. The G20 replaced the G8 (but for how long?), and the WTO sadly threw in the towel for 2008.

- Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States in one of the largest electoral landslides in decades. He is the first African-American elected to the highest office. He quickly established a "team of rivals" cabinet, bringing together the best, brightest and (slightly) bipartisan to implement his foreign policy and economic agenda. This agenda will likely be defined by what has been called a "21st century New Deal".

- Russia invaded and briefly occupied much of Georgia. The conflict reasserted Russian influence in its "near abroad", exposed EU divisions over Russian relations and raised tensions over NATO expansion and US missile defense in Eastern Europe. It also exposed the real power dynamics in Russia, with Putin effectively orchestrating, commanding and negotiating throughout the conflict. However, by the end of 2008, the financial crisis would for the first time raise questions over Putin's rule as the country was forced to devalue the rouble and ripples of unrest began to sprout up.

- Parts of Africa continue their descent into hell. Kenya erupts, Somalia struggles, and Darfur is a humanitarian disaster. Fighting has resumed in the DRC with Rwandan support, and Mugabe has maintained his iron grip on power, squeezing Zimbabwe dry in the process. Mbeki left office in South Africa, paving the way for Zuma in 2009. The world now looks to Ghana in the final days of 2008, and hopes for a victory for African democracy.

- The Treaty of Lisbon, an attempt to streamline and bolster the EU, is rejected by Irish voters, temporarily killing the process. While certainly a setback for further European integration, Europhiles promise to continue holding referendums until the voters get it "right." A December summit laid out the blueprint/compromise for Lisbon's revival in 2009, and, for possibly the first time in EU history, ended with universal praise of a French president.

- Attacks in Mumbai: as of yet, not a defining geopolitical event since Pakistan and India worked hard to prevent the situation from escalating. Nevertheless, this is a potential touching-off point for the nuclear rivals in 2009. It also might (by design??) divert Pakistani attention away from fighting terrorism in the northwest tribal areas, and reignite violence in Kashmir. The implications of Mumbai are vast, and potentially destabilizing for the entire world.

- Israel, in response to repeated rocket attacks, and in advance of national elections, pounds Hamas and infrastructure in Gaza. The year's final week produced one its most explosive events, as the fighting in Gaza risks wider political instability and a humanitarian crisis in the territory. Many analysts believe that Israel's overwhelming aerial assault is an attempt to dictate a new truce with Hamas, but its military establishment is signalling that the shock and awe may be only the first phase in a wider operation aimed at removing Hamas from power.

***Co-written by Dave Hart

Jacob Zuma has shamefully countered global appeals for Mugabe's removal, and the people of Zimbabwe lose again.

Just when things couldn't possibly get worse in Zimbabwe, they tragically do. Zim's health minister has declared a national emergency, as a cholera outbreak has claimed the lives of at least 565 people. The UN estimates that more than 12,500 are infected, and given the water, sanitation, and medical situation in the country, the death toll may rise substantially. The WHO believes these estimates may be significantly lower than the actual figures.

The cholera outbreak not only underlines the collapse of the state under Mugabe, but the danger posed by the current deadlock in powersharing talks between Zanu-PF and the MDC. The country is in desperate need of a new government, and the foreign aid and assistance that will likely coincide with such a transition of power. Aid is essentially frozen in boycott of Mugabe, and a large part of the medical system's failure can be attributed to the brain drain and flight of skilled workers (including doctors and nurses) that Mugabe has instigated.

There is hope. The health minister's announcement coincided with perhaps the strongest condemnation of Mugabe by an African leader to date. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has branded the powersharing talks "dead" and called on African governments to "push [Mugabe] out of power". However, as Odinga acknowledged, Mugabe basically serves at the will of the South African government, and only serious action by the ANC to push Mugabe out will succeed.

South Africa's cabinet has called an emergency meeting to discuss the deteriorating situation in Zim. It is time the ANC stood up and assumed the responsibility it has for the crisis to the north. Jacob Zuma and the African Union are confronted with an opportunity to rid Zim of Mugabe forever. It is their duty to turn the human devastation of the cholera outbreak into a new beginning for Zim and its people. They must act now.