RUNDU: The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry says he is ‘deeply disturbed’ by the increasing cases of illegal harvesting of forest resources.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with Green Scheme farmers and horticulture producers at Rundu this week, Agriculture Minister John Mutorwa cautioned community members not to protect culprits found to be involved in illegal harvesting, as it is a criminal offence.

Mutorwa noted that as much as the Directorate of Forestry is tasked with the protection and conservation of forestry resources, he feels that it is a big responsibility which they cannot accomplish single-handedly.

He thus urged traditional authorities and political leaders such as regional councillors to become the ‘eyes and ears’ of the directorate.

He further called on Directorate of Forestry officials to continuously educate community members about the impact of illegal harvesting, as well as the benefits that can be derived from the sustainable utilisation and protection of such resources.

2 (SOUTH AFRICA) – The KwaZulu-Natal environmental affairs department has approved a controversial dune mining project to South African company Exxaro KZN Sands, the Mercury reported today.

Exxaro KZN Sands has partnered with Australian company, New Tronox Group, which was formed from a bankrupt corporation which reportedly polluted 22 states in the United States of America with nuclear waste, wood poisons, rocket fuel, mining, waste oil, and gas.

The mine would be located in Mtunzini and the adjoining Umlalazi nature reserve.

Valued between R1.4 billion and R2.4 billion, the Fairbreeze project aimed to extract heavy minerals such as titanium, zircon, rutile, and leucoxene.
The mine would be situated 100 metres from the coastal resort town which generates most of its income from ecologically-based tourism.

The Mercury quoted the environmental affairs department saying ‘the economic benefits associated with the development of Fairbreeze mine are huge in terms of retaining jobs, GDP and expenditure in the local markets during construction.’

3 (GENEVA) – Up to 30,000 Syrians have fled into Lebanon over the past 48 hours, the UN refugee agency said today.

‘Reports vary between 8,500 and 30,000 people having crossed in the past 48 hours,’ UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told reporters in Geneva.

In yesterday’s fighting, more than 300 people were killed, the majority of whom were civilians, making it the heaviest toll yet in 16 months of fighting, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said today.

The release of the refugee figures came as the UN agency’s High Commissioner expressed concern for Syrians forced to flee the country and those displaced within the country’s borders.

The UN agency said it was unable today to give an exact number of displaced people in Syria but estimated last week that ‘one million people may have been forced to flee inside the country since the conflict began.’

4 (BRISBANE) – Sports governing bodies from Japan and Australia are under fire after complaints that male Olympic athletes flew business class to the London Games, while the women sat in the cheap seats.

Japan’s world champion women’s football team took exception to flying economy while their male counterparts sat in business class on a flight to Europe for the Olympics, with the Japan Football Association saying the men flew in business ‘because they are professionals.’

Basketball Australia says it will review its travel policy for national teams after complaints that the men flew business class to the Olympics while most of the women sat in premium economy.
The women’s team is by far the most successful of the two, having won silver medals at the last three Olympics, while the men have never won an Olympic medal.

The sport’s national governing body today said it would review its Olympic travel policy with the goal of ensuring there is equity between travel arrangements for the men’s and women’s teams attending future Olympics.

5 (NEW DELHI) – Animal rights group PETA today called on India’s snake charmers to use fake reptiles during an upcoming serpent festival and spare the animals their annual torture.

The Indian unit of US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said snakes were abused during the annual Naag Panchami festival, which is celebrated in honour of a Hindu serpent god and is scheduled for August 30-31.

PETA claimed snakes were cruelly captured in suffocating bags, kept in tiny boxes, starved or forced to drink milk.

Their teeth are often violently torn out, and many snakes’ mouths are sewn shut, it added.

PETA’s statement was swiftly condemned by the Bedia Federation of India, a non-profit agency which represents the nomadic snake charmer community.

The snake charmers have long been a favourite with tourists in India but the practice was proscribed under wildlife legislation implemented in 2002.
(edited)HERE IS TODAY’S BULLETIN FOR 13H00 FRIDAY, 20 JULY 2012 NAMIBIA PRESS AGENCY

1 (RUNDU) – The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry says he is ‘deeply disturbed’ by the increasing cases of illegal harvesting of forest resources.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with Green Scheme farmers and horticulture producers at Rundu this week, Agriculture Minister John Mutorwa cautioned community members not to protect culprits found to be involved in illegal harvesting, as it is a criminal offence.

Mutorwa noted that as much as the Directorate of Forestry is tasked with the protection and conservation of forestry resources, he feels that it is a big responsibility which they cannot accomplish single-handedly.

He thus urged traditional authorities and political leaders such as regional councillors to become the ‘eyes and ears’ of the directorate.

He further called on Directorate of Forestry officials to continuously educate community members about the impact of illegal harvesting, as well as the benefits that can be derived from the sustainable utilisation and protection of such resources.
2 (SOUTH AFRICA) – The KwaZulu-Natal environmental affairs department has approved a controversial dune mining project to South African company Exxaro KZN Sands, the Mercury reported today.

Exxaro KZN Sands has partnered with Australian company, New Tronox Group, which was formed from a bankrupt corporation which reportedly polluted 22 states in the United States of America with nuclear waste, wood poisons, rocket fuel, mining, waste oil, and gas.

The mine would be located in Mtunzini and the adjoining Umlalazi nature reserve.

Valued between R1.4 billion and R2.4 billion, the Fairbreeze project aimed to extract heavy minerals such as titanium, zircon, rutile, and leucoxene.
The mine would be situated 100 metres from the coastal resort town which generates most of its income from ecologically-based tourism.

The Mercury quoted the environmental affairs department saying ‘the economic benefits associated with the development of Fairbreeze mine are huge in terms of retaining jobs, GDP and expenditure in the local markets during construction.’

3 (GENEVA) – Up to 30,000 Syrians have fled into Lebanon over the past 48 hours, the UN refugee agency said today.

‘Reports vary between 8,500 and 30,000 people having crossed in the past 48 hours,’ UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told reporters in Geneva.

In yesterday’s fighting, more than 300 people were killed, the majority of whom were civilians, making it the heaviest toll yet in 16 months of fighting, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said today.

The release of the refugee figures came as the UN agency’s High Commissioner expressed concern for Syrians forced to flee the country and those displaced within the country’s borders.

The UN agency said it was unable today to give an exact number of displaced people in Syria but estimated last week that ‘one million people may have been forced to flee inside the country since the conflict began.’

4 (BRISBANE) – Sports governing bodies from Japan and Australia are under fire after complaints that male Olympic athletes flew business class to the London Games, while the women sat in the cheap seats.

Japan’s world champion women’s football team took exception to flying economy while their male counterparts sat in business class on a flight to Europe for the Olympics, with the Japan Football Association saying the men flew in business ‘because they are professionals.’

Basketball Australia says it will review its travel policy for national teams after complaints that the men flew business class to the Olympics while most of the women sat in premium economy.
The women’s team is by far the most successful of the two, having won silver medals at the last three Olympics, while the men have never won an Olympic medal.

The sport’s national governing body today said it would review its Olympic travel policy with the goal of ensuring there is equity between travel arrangements for the men’s and women’s teams attending future Olympics.

5 (NEW DELHI) – Animal rights group PETA today called on India’s snake charmers to use fake reptiles during an upcoming serpent festival and spare the animals their annual torture.

The Indian unit of US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said snakes were abused during the annual Naag Panchami festival, which is celebrated in honour of a Hindu serpent god and is scheduled for August 30-31.

PETA claimed snakes were cruelly captured in suffocating bags, kept in tiny boxes, starved or forced to drink milk.

Their teeth are often violently torn out, and many snakes’ mouths are sewn shut, it added.

PETA’s statement was swiftly condemned by the Bedia Federation of India, a non-profit agency which represents the nomadic snake charmer community.

The snake charmers have long been a favourite with tourists in India but the practice was proscribed under wildlife legislation implemented in 2002.