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BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test
Palestinian media: Reports of stabbing operation in occupied al-Quds.
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country

Ecuador halts Amazon oil drilling in biodiversity hotspot

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 Aug 2023 22:03
2 Min Read

In a momentous and historic decision that reverberated through Ecuador and beyond, citizens of the country took a resolute stance against the proposed oil drilling in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

  • x
  • A Petroecuador oil processing centre in Yasuní national park. Photograph: Rodrigo Buendía. (AFP via Getty Images)
    A Petroecuador oil processing center in Yasuní national park. Photograph: Rodrigo Buendía. (AFP via Getty Images)

In a momentous decision, Ecuadorian citizens voted against permitting oil drilling in a protected Amazonian area on Sunday. This region is a vital habitat for two isolated tribes and is also a hotspot for biodiversity.

By the early hours of Monday, more than 90% of the votes had been counted, and approximately 60% of Ecuadorians had rejected the idea of allowing oil exploration in Block 44 within Yasuní National Park. This park is renowned for its incredible biodiversity and is home to the Tagaeri and Taromenane tribes who live in isolation.

Yasuní was granted UNESCO's designation as a world biosphere reserve in 1989. Encompassing over 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres), it boasts 610 bird species, 139 amphibian species, and 121 reptile species. Notably, at least three species are found nowhere else.

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This outcome is a significant setback for Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso, who supported oil drilling by highlighting its economic importance for the nation. As a result of this vote, the state-owned oil company Petroecuador will need to cease its operations in this area.

The referendum coincided with the presidential election, where the final decision will be made in a runoff between two candidates: leftist Luisa González and right-wing Daniel Noboa.

It is worth noting that the country is currently in a state of political unrest following the assassination of one of the candidates, Fernando Villavicencio, on August 9th.

Read more: Leftist Gonzalez leads Ecuador polls, heads to runoff with businessman

  • oil drilling
  • Ecuador
  • Ecuador Presidential elections
  • Amazon

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