The number of rhinos poached this year has tipped the 1000 mark, the Department of Environmental Affairs announced on Thursday. A total of 1020 rhinos have been poached for their horn since January, already more than the 1004 rhinos poached in 2013. The largest number of rhino poached has been in the Kruger National Park, [...]Rhinos poached reaches 1000 is a post from: GlobalBuzz SA

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WASHINGTON – The cruise industry has bounced back after some high-profile safety and health scares. In fact, this year’s passenger levels are expected to hit a record. To help travelers choose safe, high-quality cruise vacations U.S. News & World Report today released its ranking of the 2015 Best Cruises. For the second year in a [...]Cruise Industry bounces back is a post from: Global Travels

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The latest exhibition of art at Lowes Court Gallery features textile artist Sue Cosham. Sue’s unique style of “painting” with fabrics showcases her delicate talent of piecing together landscapes using colour and texture to create movement and depth in unexpected materials. “Living in a Material World” is an exhibition...

for full details visit ArtnSpire.com

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Dark side of Conservation – A hard-hitting new report launched by Survival International – the global movement for tribal peoples’ rights – reveals how conservation has led to the eviction of millions of tribal people from “protected areas.” Many of the world’s biggest conservation organizations, including WWF and The Nature Conservancy, are implicated in this [...]Report exposes the dark side of conservation is a post from: EconSpire

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The Department of Basic Education says the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) has been halted in schools where reports of food contamination have emerged.The department said the NSNP operates as normal in many parts of Limpopo, except to the affected schools located in the Sekhukhune...

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Government is committed to building and supporting the manufacturing sector as a key driver for inclusive growth, job creation and poverty...

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Terni, Umbria, Italy – The San Valentino Marathon, which is run from the city of Saint Valentine, some 100km from Rome, was first run in these beautiful medieval surroundings in 2011. The event takes place on the 15th February 2015, when you get your chance to ‘Run for Love’ In the inaugural year, some 1000 [...]Run in San Valentino Marathon is a post from: Time-to-Run Marathon

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A lot still needs to be done to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, says International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo.

The Deputy Minister was speaking on Wednesday at a Public Participation Programme under the theme “South Africa’s Economic Diplomacy with Asia and the Middle East Region” in Cape Town.

“What we want to emphasis as the department of International Relations is that we are bridge builders.”

In addition to the promotion of stability and prosperity in that region being in South Africa’s national interest, many South Africans have an emotional or spiritual bond with the region.

“This is understandable, because the world’s three major monotheistic religions have their origins in the Middle East. There is also a strong historical bond that exists between the people of South Africa and those of Palestine,” said Deputy Minister Mfeketo.

South Africa’s interest in the Middle East is based on two views namely the economic development of South Africa and the promotion of peace and security in that region.

“Integrated trade and investment may have been our initial point of contact post-1994, but our twenty years of relations have brought about a myriad of different areas of cooperation,” explained the Deputy Minister.

South Africa’s engagement with the Middle East not only ensures optimal relations between South Africa and the Middle East, but also contributes to the attainment of South Africa’s national objectives, such as job creation through trade, investment and tourism promotion, as well as the transfer of technologies and skills both to South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

“Despite the difficult international status quo pertaining to the imposition of international sanctions on Iran, South Africa remains committed to the maintenance of good bilateral relations with Iran. South Africa seeks to position relations for a post-sanctions era, in view of the importance of the historical and political significance and the trade and economic potential which Iran holds for the export of South African goods and services,” she explained.

With relation to Syria, the Deputy Minister said the country remains committed to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

“We maintain that the only hope for the Syrian people lies in the willingness of all the parties to the conflict to immediately put an end to the violence and start engaging each other constructively with the aim of reaching an agreement on a political transition based on the Geneva Communiqué of June 2012.”

South Africa remains convinced that in a complex and diverse society such as Syria, there can be no military solution to the conflict.

When coming to Asia, she said Japan is South Africa’s largest trade partner after China and the United States and a major provider of development finance and assistance, including to the rest of Africa.

Additionally relations between South Africa and the ten member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) continue to grow and deepen.

“Clearly, a lot has been done between South Africa, Asia and the Middle East in the promotion of trade and investment on key areas where capability has been demonstrated,” said the Deputy Minister. - SAnews.gov.za

The Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court has ordered Samancor Chrome Limited to pay R200 000 for contravening the Environment Conservation Act.

The Department of Environmental Affairs said the conviction followed a plea agreement entered by the State and Samancor Chrome Limited.

“The conviction relates to the operation of a disposal site and disposing of waste without the requisite waste authorisations,” the department said.

Samancor Chrome Limited was ordered to pay an additional R700 000 to the Department of Environmental Affairs by 23 November to facilitate environmental initiatives at the Steelpoort Primary School, which was one of the proponents impacted by the unlawful activities.

The company also had to pay a further R1 million to the Department of Environmental Affairs for the purposes of proper execution of their duties, environmental rehabilitation and enforcement training.

The court also ordered that R100 000 be paid into the account of the Department of Environmental Affairs for the costs that were incurred by the public prosecutor in the matter.

“It is hoped that this judgement sends out a strong warning to companies that compliance with environmental legislation is not negotiable,” department spokesperson Albi Modise said. - SAnews.gov.za

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has arrived in Brisbane, Australia, for the G20 Leaders' Summit, where the state of the global economy against the backdrop of a disappointing weak recovery will be on the spotlight.

The G20 world economies represent about two-thirds of the world's population and South Africa is the only African member state.

The key focus of the summit will be on how the G20, both collectively and individually, can take additional measures to significantly raise global growth by implementing policies aimed at lifting GDP by more than two percent over the next five years.

In the case of South Africa, government has set a national growth target of five percent by 2019 and various measures and interventions are being undertaken to jump-start the economy.

The South African government has identified the implementation of a National Development Plan as key to achieving South Africa’s own national growth target and also in addressing the challenges of poverty eradication, job creation and inequality

South Africa has utilised its participation in the grouping to represent the interest of African states by raising issues like the need to improve continental security.

President Zuma has led efforts to urge the private sector to support infrastructure development initiatives on the continent.

Together with other G20 leaders, President Zuma will on Friday engage with business from G20 countries in the annual B20 forum.

On the margins of the G20, President Zuma will also attend the meeting of the BRICS leaders, which will look at progress made on the implementation of the 2014 Fortaleza Declaration.

This meeting will particularly look in to the progress made into the establishment of the New Development Bank and its Africa Regional Centre to be located in South Africa.

On Saturday, President Zuma will participate in the G20 discussion on the Global Economy: strengthening growth and job creation.

The discussion, according to the Presidency, will centre on increasing investment in infrastructure, strengthening job creation and labour markets.

“The President will also attend the G20 working dinner, focusing on strengthening the global trading system. Other sessions that the President will attend are on delivering global economic resilience and energy plus the working lunch on future challenges,” the Presidency said.

The President is supported by Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. - SAnews.gov.za