Open And Shut Case: Trafficker Stashed 200 Giant Galapagos Tortoises In His Luggage

Wakanda News Details

Open And Shut Case: Trafficker Stashed 200 Giant Galapagos Tortoises In His Luggage – The Wilmington Journal

QUITO, Ecuador — Security staff at the Galapagos Ecological Airport, the world’s first green airport, were stunned to find 185 endangered baby tortoises stuffed inside a suitcase, 10 of which had died. The incident occurred some 906 [...]

Source: The Wilmington Journal

ZIMBABWE’S resort town of Victoria Falls is set to be conferred with city status today by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a move seen as boosting its investment potential. Mnangagwa arrived in the resort town yesterday, while Local Government minister July Moyo, Matabeleland North Minister of State Richard Moyo and Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda were already in the soon-to-be city ahead of the ceremony. Speaking soon after receiving Mnangagwa at the airport, Victoria Falls mayor Somvelo Dlamini said all was set for the ceremony, adding that there was a lot of excitement in the town. “All is set. We are ready and have made necessary arrangements. All that is left is for the President to do the official signing but otherwise it’s all done because he has since made the proclamation,” Dlamini said. Earlier on Tuesday, Mnangagwa proclaimed Victoria Falls a city through Statutory Instrument 285 of 2020, upgrading the municipality to a city in terms of the Urban Councils Act. “Whereas in terms of section 141 of the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15, it is provided that a growth point, unincorporated urban area, local board or council may apply to the minister in the form and manner prescribed for a change of its status,” the SI. “Whereas by section 14(2) of the said Act, the minister took necessary steps under the Act to effect the changes applied for and whereas section 5 and 6 of the said Act have been complied with, I consider it desirable to make this proclamation by virtue of powers vested in the President, I do by this proclamation alter the name Victoria Falls Municipality to Victoria Falls City, and also assign the name Victoria Falls to city council.” The council will also present the President with the Freedom of the City for his contribution to the town’s growth into a city. Hopes are high that the city status will make the town competitive as a tourism destination. Players in the tourism sector have said over the years they had played second fiddle to other tourist destinations because Victoria Falls was not appearing among cities despite being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It will be the second tourism city in the region after Cape Town. Victoria Falls population is estimated around 40 000. — Staff Reporter/NewZimbabwe.com

The Supreme Court of the United States on Tuesday declined a request for an injunction that would have pressed pause on Pennsylvania’s effort to deliver the state’s 20 Electoral College votes to former Vice President [...]

[Camer.be] Six suspected wildlife traffickers have been arrested in Bertoua and Yokadoumain connection with the trafficking in ivory in the East Region. They were arrested during a crack down operation carried out by the Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife of Lom and Djerem in collaboration with the Police. The operation was carried out with the technical assistance of LAGA, a non governmentalorganisation specialized in wildlife enforcement.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said they had recorded a high number of COVID-19 infections amongst people aged between 15-19, in the previous two days

The Norwegian Seafood Council, NSC, has concluded plans to use the Nigeria's seafood industry to reboot the economy and get its workforce up and running again despite the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting of seafood industry players, Chief Executive Officer of the Norwegian Seafood Council, Renate Larsen, said that nations should take advantage of the opportunities the pandemic has presented for coastal nations to deepen the use of the sea and its resources.

The Council boss further disclosed that during the corona crisis, the Norwegian seafood industry was fully operating, as it is classified as essential for food security.

It can be a huge opportunity for the seafood industry, not just in Norway, but also in many of our important export markets, where jobs are created in processing, distribution and sales,\" says Larsen.

The important role of the seafood industry, post-corona, is also highlighted by Professor of Industrial Economics at the University of Stavanger, Norway, Ragnar Tveterås, who works closely with the Council.

(1808) An Act to Prohibit the Importation of Slaves into any Port or Place Within the Jurisdiction of the United States, From and After the First Day of January, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eight

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, it shall not be lawful to import or bring into the United States or the territories thereof from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, with intent to hold, sell, or dispose of such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, as a slave, or to be held to service or labour.

SEC 2. And be it further enacted, That no citizen or citizens of the United States, or any other person, shall, from arid after the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight, for himself, or themselves, or any other person whatsoever, either as master, factor, or owner, build, fit, equip, load or otherwise prepare any ship or vessel, in any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, nor shall cause any ship or vessel to sail from any port or place within the same, for the purpose of procuring any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, to be transported to any port or place whatsoever, within the jurisdiction of the United States, to be held, sold, or disposed of as slaves, or to be held to service or labour: and if any ship or vessel shall be so fitted out for the purpose aforesaid, or shall be caused to sail so as aforesaid, every such ship or vessel, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, shall be

Marlo Hampton is speaking out against police brutality and racial injustice in a new public service announcement for Bravo.

The honorary peach of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” recruited her two nephews Michael, 12, and William, 11, to join her in the clip.

Marlo, who is the legal guardian of her nephews, opened up about raising two young Black boys in America.

In a statement, Marlo said, “Becoming a full-time parent to two young Black boys has given me a new outlook on life.”

As of late, Marlo has been teaching the boys about police brutality and racial injustice.

Set in Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, “Salvage the Bones,’’ a novel by Jesmyn Ward, features China, a White pit bull who is both the family pet of Esch and Skeetah, two young African Americans, and their primary breadwinner.

In “Being Property Once Myself,’’ Bennett, a professor of English and Creative Writing at Dartmouth, and the author of “The Sobbing School,’’ a collection of poetry, draws on literary criticism, theory and history; animality studies; and eco-criticism to analyze ways in which African American novelists and poets use animals to identify a “black ecology” that is predicated not only on exploitation (in places where Blacks are envisioned as “not quite non-human forms of life”) but on sociality, depth of feeling, flight from forces of subjugation, mulish persistence, and even “delight” in a precarious existence.

In addition to “Salvage the Bones,’’ Bennett provides close readings of “Native Son’’ by Richard Wright; “Song of Solomon’’ by Toni Morrison; Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God’’; and poems by Robert Hayden, Melvin Tolson and Xandria Phillips that deploy sharks to illuminate Black persistence and fugitive possibilities.

Bennett reminds us, for example, that as “Native Son’’ opens, Bigger Thomas kills a black rat, who shares his family’s kitchenette, in a ghetto tenement unfit for human habitation, and taunts his little sister with the body.

Most important, Bennett writes, Bigger chooses a “hell naw” insurgent life, spurning limitations forced on him, even as he is branded “a humanoid pest in flight, who creeps and crawls at the nadir of the social ladder, leeching resources from those above.”

Globally and daily, hundreds of thousands of wildlife rangers patrol wide areas, encountering all manner of plants, animals and signs of poaching like bushmeat snares or elephant carcasses.

The data rangers collect, and their intimate knowledge of the protected areas they patrol, constitute a treasure trove of valuable information that can guide the management of biodiversity.

Over and above these immediate results, we believe that the real value of our research lies in what it has taught us about the deep knowledge which rangers have of their areas, the wildlife within them, and how poachers work.

Before building our models, we individually interviewed several rangers and protected area managers to help us better understand the behaviour of three key agents: poachers, elephants, and the rangers themselves.

Our work shows that rangers are far more than the people who take on poachers at the frontline of conservation; they are also ecologists with a deep understanding of the areas they patrol.

Summer can be one of the best times to visit Florida. Refreshing afternoon rains cut the heat, outdoor beach bars and restaurants turn on their cooling misters, and the sparkling ocean is more inviting than ever. Beyond the beaches, many activities offer fun and cool experiences.

If you’re anywhere near the state’s Atlantic coastline, make the journey to the Space Coast’s Kennedy Space Center, where you can get an up-close view of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, travel through the history of the Apollo era, and meet a real astronaut. Bonus: When you’re finished learning about the wonders of space exploration, the Atlantic coast is known for the best surfing and skimboarding in the state.

Florida is also a shopper’s dream, with more than a dozen large outlet malls around the state, all offering designer duds at cut-rate prices. What better way to cool down than to browse through Kate Spade handbags, Kenneth Cole shoes and Tag Heuer watches? Prime Outlets Ellenton, Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall in Sunrise, Prime Outlets St. Augustine and Silver Sands Factory Stores in Destin are some favorites, and all have restaurants and coffee shops for breaks between bargain hunting. Plan to make a day of it for the most successful shopping trip.

For unforgettable and Old Florida experiences, the small, lesser-known theme parks dotted throughout the state provide kitschy fun, often under shade or in air-conditioning. Check out the mermaid show at Weeki Wachee, where finned females swimming in spring waters have been entertaining guests for almost 60 years.

Plant City’s Dinosaur World is a favorite stop for kids with its actual-size models of prehistoric species, plus fossil digging and a hands-on dinosaur museum. And no Florida vacation would be complete without alligators. St. Augustine’s Alligator Farm Zoological Park features rare albino gators and Maximo, a 15-foot 3-inch saltwater crocodile. And in Glades County’s Palmdale, the family-owned-and-operated Gatorama has snake skins on the walls and humongous gators and crocs out

In recent weeks, water levels in Lake Victoria have reached unprecedented heights as a result of heavy rains in the East African region which started in August 2019.

From research my colleagues and I have done - examining the projected changes in weather in the Lake Victoria basin - we've found that these high water levels will be more frequent in the future because there'll be much more rainfall.

The aim of our study was to look at how the rivers that drain into the Lake Victoria basin will change as a result of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

We show that, between 2036 and 2065, there will be 25% more annual rainfall in the eastern part of the lake Victoria catchment (Kenya and Tanzania side) area and between 5 and 10% in the western part of the catchment (Rwanda and Burundi side).

Lake Victoria is an open lake meaning whenever the lake level rises, spill-off should occur - this makes it hard to predict how much the lake will rise because the control of the spillover is through manmade dams in Jinja.

Western Bureau: Tourism Minster Edmund Bartlett has rejected claims that the tourism industry is to blame for the recent spike in COVID-10 cases, especially in the western region, instead blaming locals for their blatant disregard for the orders...

\"Why is the fourth official saying 'negro'?\" demanded soccer player Demba Ba. The official, Sebastian Coltescu of Romania, faces a 10-game ban if he's found guilty of making a racist statement.

On March 21, 1861, after seven states had seceded from the United States, two weeks after the inauguration of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, but three weeks before the firing on Fort Sumter, Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens delivered what would be called the Cornerstone Speech in Savannah, Georgia. He presented a rationale for secession and argued that slavery was the “immediate cause” of secession. He also took issue with Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers who wrestled with the contradictions between universal equality and slavery, declaring their ambivalence misplaced and unwarranted. To Stephens servitude and subordination to the white race was the “natural and normal condition” of blacks in the South. The entire speech appears below.

When perfect quiet is restored, I shall proceed. I cannot speak so long as there is any noise or confusion. I shall take my time I feel quite prepared to spend the night with you if necessary. I very much regret that everyone who desires cannot hear what I have to say. Not that I have any display to make, or anything very entertaining to present, but such views as I have to give, I wish all, not only in this city, but in this State, and throughout our Confederate Republic, could hear, who have a desire to hear them.

I was remarking that we are passing through one of the greatest revolutions in the annals of the world. Seven States have within the last three months thrown off an old government and formed a new. This revolution has been signally marked, up to this time, by the fact of its having been accomplished without the loss of a single drop of blood.

This new constitution. or form of government, constitutes the subject to which your attention will be partly invited. In reference to it, I make this first general remark: it amply secures all our ancient rights, franchises, and liberties. All the great principles of Magna Charta are retained in it. No citizen is deprived of life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers under the

The CVVC aims to raise awareness as to the human health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet.

It has as its mission statement: “The promotion of a plant-based diet to improve human health; protect the environment; facilitate social justice; and reduce animal cruelty”.

It is hard to establish with certainty which diseases jumped from other animals to humans, but there is increasing evidence from DNA and RNA sequencing, that measles, smallpox, influenza, and diphtheria, came to humans this way.

The negative effect of a meat diet on both human health and the environment is well known, and is the contemporary global driving force for the adoption of a balanced plant-based diet.

Leaving aside strong animal cruelty concerns, and threats to bio-diversity, the eating of bush meat ought to be banned outright as being a severe danger to human health.

QUETTA — Shabbir Shahwani was one of three professors kidnapped on Nov. 29 while traveling from their university in Balochistan. After being pulled from their car and taken to a remote area, Shahwani struggled with [...]

A swarm of desert locusts following a poor harvest season has added to fears about a lack of food for millions in Kenya, as the country grapples with the effects of COVID-19.

The desert locusts—in the worst invasion in Kenya in 70 years, according to the United Nations—have destroyed huge swaths of crops and pasture in the region, said farmer Joyce Mutinda, but the extent of the damage cannot yet be determined since new swarms are spreading.

Swarms of desert locusts can stay in the air for very long periods, traveling up 130 kilometers, or 80 miles, each day, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the swarms can vary in size, covering from 1 square kilometer to several hundred square kilometers, with up to 80 million adult locusts in each square kilometer.

“There is no maize,” said Regina Kasyoka, a 36-year-old farmer from the food basket region who did not harvest enough crops compared with past seasons.

In the eastern food basket region, the crops play a vital role in cushioning the country’s food shortage.

[Nyasa Times] The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) and the Lilongwe and Blantyre Small Scale Business Operators are set to take to the streets beginning December 16, 2020, to protest the decision by President Lazarus Chakwera to ignore their call to take action on illegal immigrants who are plying trade in the country's strategic cities and towns.

I have a precious but dwindling jar of dried Guyanese salted seabob that I save to use sparingly in my cooking.

Archibald Grimke was born enslaved in Charleston, South Carolina in 1849. After the Civil War, Archibald and his younger brother Francis, enrolled at Lincoln University. Archibald graduated in 1872 and then entered Harvard Law School. After graduation he practiced in Boston. By the 1880s Grimke became involved in a number of issues such as temperance and women’s rights and developed a reputation as a public speaker. By 1898 he became a member of the American Negro Academy, an organization of black intellectuals, and served as its president from 1903 to 1919. Grimke was also a founding member of both the Niagara Movement and the NAACP. In a speech given at various locations in 1920, seventy-one year-old Archibald Grimke eloquently expounds on the long history of American racism.

The author of the Declaration of Independence said once that he trembled for his country when he remembered that God was just. And he did well to do so. But while he was about it he might have quaked a little for himself. For he was certainly guilty of the same crime against humanity, which had aroused in his philo¬sophic and patriotic mind such lively sensations of anxiety and alarm in respect to the Nation. Said Jefferson on paper: We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happi¬ness, while on his plantation he was holding some men as slaves, and continued to hold them as such for fifty years thereafter, and died at the end of a long and brilliant life, a Virginia slaveholder. And yet Thomas Jefferson was sincere, or fancied that he was, when he uttered those sublime sentiments about the rights of man, and when he declared that he trembled for his country when he remembered that God was just. This inconsistency between the mans magnificence in profession and his smallness in practice, between the grandeur of what he promised and the meanness of what he

Emmanuel Fundira is the president of the Safari Operator's Association of Zimbabwe and has worked in the tourism, conservation, and safari industry for 25 years.

Some rural areas in Zimbabwe are only suitable for wildlife resources and are dependent on conservation programs.

By Fundira's estimate, Zimbabwe has allocated 26% of its land to rural communities, which is often exploited for wildlife utilization.

According to Fundira, many rural communities in Zimbabwe depend on safari operators and wildlife for infrastructural support.

In a country where about 3 million people live close to wild animals, and with conservation programs idling, it's becoming difficult to convince rural Zimbabweans to refrain from killing wildlife.