At least three ministers have resigned in Peru, amidst increasing pressure to approve a controversial gas project in the Amazon.

The plan to expand the existing Camisea gas project, which is within the Nahua-Nanti Reserve for uncontacted tribes, has been widely condemned, and in March the UN called for its ‘immediate suspension’.

Peru’s Ministry of Culture, charged with protecting indigenous peoples’ rights, last week issued a report outlining the dangers the project would pose to uncontacted and isolated Indians’ lives. But the report disappeared just hours after it was published online, and both the Minister and Vice-minister of Culture have now stepped down.

Amongst concerns outlined in the Ministry’s report are the risk of disease being spread amongst the isolated Indians, who lack immunity to common illnesses which may be brought in by oil company workers and outsiders.

The Camisea project has already led to the death of up to half the Nahua tribe after they were contacted for the first time following initial oil explorations in the 1980s. The Nahua continue to suffer from grave health problems, as is common amongst recently contacted Indians, and the expansion of Camisea would cut deeper into their forest home.

In a letter written to the Ministry of Culture last month, the Nahua rejected the expansion plans, stating, ‘We have decided not to let oil company Pluspetrol carry out its work on our territory’ due to its ‘repeated broken promises.’

Camisea is run by a consortium of companies led by Argentina’s Pluspetrol, US’s Hunt Oil and Spain’s Repsol. The expansion plans include the detonation of thousands of explosive charges and the drilling of more than twenty wells.

Survival International’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ’Peru’s government seems to have been caught up in some kind of ‘gas fever’, in which the government appears determined to push through the expansion of the Camisea project despite opposition from the UN, and even some of its own ministers. Peru’s citizens should be asking themselves, “Which is more important – Indian lives or foreign profits?”’

Pretoria – Two in every three young people believe that the lives of women in South Africa are getting better.As the country prepares to celebrate...

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Team Contego consisting of veteran trail runner Dion Middlekoop and his partner Bernard Rakadaz took line honours on day 1 of the afb Southern Cross 3-day trail run, crossing the finish line in a time of 2:34:44. Day 1 started and finished in Karatara, just past Sedgefield along the Garden Route, and saw just over [...]Team Contego powers to Day One Lead is a post from: Trail Running South Africa



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The streets of Johannesburg were buzzing with excitement on Friday, 09 August 2013 when a record field of 7734 runners gathered to celebrate National Women’s Day at the much loved Totalsports Ladies Race. Nedbank runner, Cornelia Joubert set the course on fire in the 10km Totalsports Ladies Race crossing the finish line in an astounding [...]Joubert triumphs in JHB is a post from: Time-to-Run South Africa



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Pretoria – The newly-launched Transnet Enterprise Development Hub will expand business opportunities for smaller enterprises and new business...

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ROATAN, Honduras – The island of Roatán is the first tourism destination in Honduras to complete a comprehensive 360-degree assessment and action plan for destination-level sustainability. The long-term viability of Roatán’s tourism sector is of critical importance to the economic health of Honduras. The idyllic island, renowned for its top diving sites and diverse marine [...]Roatan Demonstrates Sustainability is a post from: Global Travels



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Pretoria – Leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) - Morgan Tsvangirai - says his party will exhaust all legal remedies to challenge the results of the July 31 elections, as his long-time rival President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF bagged a landslide victory.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on Saturday announced that Mugabe won the presidential election with 61 percent of the vote, compared with 34 percent for Tsvangirai.

The other three presidential aspirants -- Welshman Ncube, Dumiso Dabengwa and Kisinoti Mukwazhe -- respectively obtained 2.68 percent, 0.74 percent and 0.29 percent of the vote.

Zanu-PF secured 160 of the 210 parliamentary seats, while MDC-T won only 49, a big plunge from the party's 100 seats in the 2008 elections.

A total of 3 480 047 voters cast their ballots in the presidential election in a poll proclaimed by many local and foreign observers as credible, free and fair.

Tsvangirai, Prime Minister of the Zimbabwe coalition government, said at a press briefing at his Harare home on Saturday that his party will go to court and present evidence on why they are rejecting the elections, which he said were fraudulent.

He said that his party will not join government institutions under Mugabe and Zanu-PF rule.

On participation in parliament, Tsvangirai said that they will decide at the right time.

The MDC-T has alleged vote rigging in the one-day poll, a view that has been dismissed by most local and international observers such as those from the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa).

Mugabe campaigned on the basis of his party’s pro-poor policies such as land reform and redistribution of the country’s vast mineral wealth. These policies are already being implemented.

On the other hand, Tsvangirai’s campaign was premised on job creation from promised western investment. - SAnews.gov.za

Athletics South Africa (ASA) will be sending a team of 27 athletes to compete at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow (10-18 August). A look at the statistics shows that it is probably one of the most experienced SA teams ever. No less than eight athletes are current South African record holders. But it could [...]SA Team for Moscow selected is a post from: Time-to-Run South Africa



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Pretoria - Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has announced the successful broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) bidders for the Passenger...

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Pretoria – A South African delegation, led by President Jacob Zuma, is in talks with representatives from the European Union (EU), where ways to...

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