The western Mexican state of Jalisco celebrates the 100th anniversary of 'Charreria', Mexico's national sport in which women and men compete in rodeo-style contests

Mexicans mark 100 years of Charreria in Jalisco

The western Mexican state of Jalisco celebrates the 100th anniversary of 'Charreria', Mexico's national sport in which women and men compete in rodeo-style contests. However, but this year the pandemic forced the cancellation of its traditional horse parade, with some 200 people gathering at a cathedral to mark the centenary.

WION Dispatch: COVID casts a shadow on 100 years of Charreria

Mexico's prickly pear cactus, which is emblazoned on the country's flag,&nbsp;could soon play a new and innovative role in the production of biodegradable plastics.

A packaging material that is made from the plant has been developed by a Mexican researcher and is offering a promising solution to one of the&nbsp;world's biggest pollution conundrums.

'The pulp is strained to obtain a juice that I then use,' said Sandra Pascoe, who developed the product and works at the Atemajac Valley University in the western city of Guadalajara.

That substance is then mixed with non-toxic additives and stretched to produce sheets that are coloured with pigments and folded to form different types of packaging.

'What we're doing is trying to concentrate on objects that don't have a long life,' she said, particularly "single-use" packaging.

Pascoe is still conducting tests but hopes to patent her product later this year and look for partners in early 2020, with an eye towards larger-scale production.

The cacti&nbsp;Pascoe uses for her experiments come from San Esteban, a small town on the outskirts of Guadalajara, where they grow by the hundreds.

San Esteban is located in Jalisco state where, starting next year, single-use non-recyclable plastic bags, straws and other disposable items will be banned.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-journalists-slain-in-mexico-in-a-week-240458">Mexico city</a>&nbsp;and states such as Baja California have also introduced similar measures.

In May, the capital city adopted a "historic" ban on plastic bags beginning in 2020.

From 2021, straws, plastic plates and cutlery, and balloons will also be banned if they're made "entirely or partially from plastic," according to the bill adopted by the local congress.

Pascoe says her new material would be no more than a "drop in the ocean" in the battle to preserve the environment.

Given the rampant production of industrial&nbsp;plastics&nbsp;and the time it takes to make her material, there would need to be "other recycling strategies" to make any concrete difference, she said.

Latin America and the Caribbean account for around 10 per cent of worldwide waste, according to United Nations figures.

In March, UN member states committed to "significantly reduce" single-use plastics over the next decade, although green groups warned that goal fell short of tackling the Earth's pollution crisis.

Plastic pollution has become a global concern, particularly after bans imposed by China and other countries on the import of plastic waste from overseas.

Despite widespread alarm on the environmental cost, Asia and the United States lifted&nbsp;world production of plastic last year while Europe saw a dip, according to numbers released by the PlasticsEurope federation in June.

More than eight million tons of plastics&nbsp;enter the&nbsp;world's oceans every year.

Mexico's prickly pear cactus, which is emblazoned on the country's flag, could soon play a new and innovative role in the production of biodegradable plastics. A packaging material that is made from the plant has been developed by a Mexican researcher and is offering a promising solution to one of the world's biggest pollution conundrums.

Mexico's prickly pear cactus, which is emblazoned on the country's flag, could soon play a new and innovative role in the production of biodegradable plastics. A packaging material that is made from the plant has been developed by a Mexican researcher and is offering a promising solution to one of the world's biggest pollution conundrums. 'The pulp is strained to obtain a juice that I then use,' said Sandra Pascoe, who developed the product and works at the Atemajac Valley University in the western city of Guadalajara. That substance is then mixed with non-toxic additives and stretched to produce sheets that are coloured with pigments and folded to form different types of packaging. 'What we're doing is trying to concentrate on objects that don't have a long life,' she said, particularly "single-use" packaging. Pascoe is still conducting tests but hopes to patent her product later this year and look for partners in early 2020, with an eye towards larger-scale production. The cacti Pascoe uses for her experiments come from San Esteban, a small town on the outskirts of Guadalajara, where they grow by the hundreds. San Esteban is located in Jalisco state where, starting next year, single-use non-recyclable plastic bags, straws and other disposable items will be banned. Mexico city and states such as Baja California have also introduced similar measures. In May, the capital city adopted a "historic" ban on plastic bags beginning in 2020. From 2021, straws, plastic plates and cutlery, and balloons will also be banned if they're made "entirely or partially from plastic," according to the bill adopted by the local congress. Pascoe says her new material would be no more than a "drop in the ocean" in the battle to preserve the environment. Given the rampant production of industrial plastics and the time it takes to make her material, there would need to be "other recycling strategies" to make any concrete difference, she said. Latin America and the Caribbean account for around 10 per cent of worldwide waste, according to United Nations figures. In March, UN member states committed to "significantly reduce" single-use plastics over the next decade, although green groups warned that goal fell short of tackling the Earth's pollution crisis. Plastic pollution has become a global concern, particularly after bans imposed by China and other countries on the import of plastic waste from overseas. Despite widespread alarm on the environmental cost, Asia and the United States lifted world production of plastic last year while Europe saw a dip, according to numbers released by the PlasticsEurope federation in June. More than eight million tons of plastics enter the world's oceans every year.

Could Mexico cactus solve world's plastics problem?

Gunmen stormed a bar and kidnapped at least 10 people on Monday in the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta, state prosecutors said, linking it to a war between rival gangs. 
 
The heavily armed men arrived in pickup trucks around dawn and abducted their victims from the bar of a restaurant called La Leche in the city`s upscale hotel district, the Jalisco state prosecutor`s office said in a statement, citing witnesses. 
 
Chief prosecutor Eduardo Almaguer said that between &quot;10 and 12&quot; people had been kidnapped. 
 
&quot;There`s a very clear suspicion that (the victims) were members of a criminal group. They weren`t tourists or citizens with legal activities,&quot; he told journalists. 
 
&quot;The kidnappers are believed to be members of a rival group.&quot; 
 
Four luxury cars believed to belong to the victims were found abandoned outside the restaurant. At least one presumed victim`s car was registered fraudulently, Almaguer said. 
 
Puerto Vallarta, which sits on Mexico`s Pacific coast, is home to the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel, which emerged in 2010 after the death of the local boss of the Sinaloa cartel, Ignacio &quot;Nacho&quot; Coronel. 
 
Jalisco New Generation has become one of violence-plagued Mexico`s most powerful drug gangs in recent months by defying the authorities with a series of brazen attacks and ambushes. 
 
(AFP)

Prosecutor said there's a 'clear suspicion' about the victims being members of a rival criminal gang

Gunmen stormed a bar and kidnapped at least 10 people on Monday in the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta, state prosecutors said, linking it to a war between rival gangs. The heavily armed men arrived in pickup trucks around dawn and abducted their victims from the bar of a restaurant called La Leche in the city`s upscale hotel district, the Jalisco state prosecutor`s office said in a statement, citing witnesses. Chief prosecutor Eduardo Almaguer said that between "10 and 12" people had been kidnapped. "There`s a very clear suspicion that (the victims) were members of a criminal group. They weren`t tourists or citizens with legal activities," he told journalists. "The kidnappers are believed to be members of a rival group." Four luxury cars believed to belong to the victims were found abandoned outside the restaurant. At least one presumed victim`s car was registered fraudulently, Almaguer said. Puerto Vallarta, which sits on Mexico`s Pacific coast, is home to the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel, which emerged in 2010 after the death of the local boss of the Sinaloa cartel, Ignacio "Nacho" Coronel. Jalisco New Generation has become one of violence-plagued Mexico`s most powerful drug gangs in recent months by defying the authorities with a series of brazen attacks and ambushes. (AFP)

Gunmen abduct at least 10 from upscale Mexico bar

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