Suspected '7ft aliens' in Peru blamed on gold mining gangs
Gold mining gangs have been blamed for a spate of “alien” attacks in Peru designed to terrorise local residents. People in Alto Nanay, a village of roughly 3,000 people in the northern Amazon Basin, have reported “armoured” and “floating” aliens wearing dark hoods since mid-July. The so-called aliens have also been reported as being seven feet tall and, according to some, are impervious to bullets. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Some locals have put the attacks down to the “Face Peelers”, a regional superstition, or “green goblins”. However, the prosecutor’s office says it is more likely that members of local gold mining gangs are behind the attacks. Prosecutors think the gangs are hoping to scare people away from their illegal gold mines, and even speculated that they are using jetpacks to access difficult-to-reach spots in the dense jungles nearby. “They would be using state-of-the-art technology, such as thrusters that allow people to fly,” Carlos Castro Quintanilla, the Peruvian government’s prosecutor investigating the case, told Radio Programas del Perú. The Alto Nanay region is rich in gold deposits, and illegal mining is big business there. Quintanilla, a specialized prosecutor for environmental matters in the Loreto region, which includes Alto Nanay, told RPP that the gangs do 80 per cent of their illegal business in the Nanay River basin. Jairo Reátegui Ávila, the leader of the Ikitu indigenous people who live in the region, was the first person to call the people “aliens”, and told the radio station they were “frightened by what is happening in the community.” “I have shot him twice and he does not fall, but rises and disappears,” he told RPP. The Daily Mail reported that a 15-year-old was cut on the neck in one of the attacks and was treated in hospital. The Ikitu community has even asked the military to intervene, while citizens have organised night patrols to find the attackers. Gold mining is largely unregulated in Peru, and gangs have settled there after having been expelled from neighbouring Brazil and Columbia. Artisanal mining boomed when the financial crisis hit in 2008, which made gold more profitable than drug trafficking. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Singapore Warns of ‘Unpredictable’ Risks Amid US-China Tensions
Singapore’s prime minister-in-waiting called for the global economy to be “prepared for the unpredictable,” amid strained relations between
1970-01-01 08:00
Thinking of buying a new pair of jeans? Breaking down the cost over time might help you decide
Shoppers are looking beyond just the price tag of a skirt or a pair of pants in the wake of still stubbornly high inflation
1970-01-01 08:00
Michael Bublé performs with Foo Fighters at Outside Lands
Michael Bublé joined the Foo Fighters for a special rendition of 'Haven't Met You Yet'.
1970-01-01 08:00
'I would love to do it': David Dastmalchian makes pitch to play Bond villain
David Dastmalchian has pitched himself to play the villain in the next James Bond movie.
1970-01-01 08:00
Barbie sequel is in development
Film bosses have already held talks about making a sequel to 'Barbie' following the film's remarkable success.
1970-01-01 08:00
Ed Sheeran to drop new album after The Mathematics Tour wraps in September
Ed Sheeran is said to be weeks away from dropping a brand new album.
1970-01-01 08:00
Germany’s Economy Seen Stalling for Remainder of the Year
Germany’s economy — still reeling from a winter recession — will barely expand in the second half of
1970-01-01 08:00
Stock market today: Global markets mixed after stronger US inflation revives fears of rate hike
Global stock markets are mixed after stronger U.S. inflation revived worries the Federal Reserve might hike interest rates again
1970-01-01 08:00
Everton finalise Jack Harrison agreement after Aston Villa withdraw interest
Everton have agreed to take Leeds United winger Jack Harrison on a season-long loan after Aston Villa pulled out of the race.
1970-01-01 08:00
Neymar agrees personal terms with Al Hilal
Neymar has agreed personal terms with Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal as he closes in on a move away from PSG.
1970-01-01 08:00
Elon Musk is calling Mark Zuckerberg a ‘chicken’ after playing down fight
The world’s two richest tech bros have continued their war of words, after Elon Musk called Mark Zuckerberg a “chicken” for appearing to call off a planned fight between the two. Yesterday, Zuckerberg said he is moving on from a rumoured cage fight with Twitter owner Musk, claiming the Tesla boss “isn’t serious”. Musk responded: “Zuck is a chicken.” The rival billionaire tech bosses seemingly agreed to a brawl in June when Musk tweeted that he was “up for a cage fight”. Zuckerberg, who manages Facebook and Instagram, took a screenshot of Musk’s tweet, replying “send me location”. Musk, owner of social media platform X, formerly named Twitter, appeared to suggest the fight would be held in an “epic location” in Italy. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter He outlined streaming options and an ancient setting for the proposed event, claiming he had spoken to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. However, Zuckerberg yesterday wrote on Threads, his own social media platform: ”I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on. “I offered a real date. Dana White (UFC boss) offered to make this a legit competition for charity. “Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead. “If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously.” Despite Musk claiming it was actually Zuckerberg backing down, some users of his own platform agreed that the latter might have a point. “Just need to give him a date,” one person said. Another wrote: “Not sure why you think so. He keeps trying to get a time and you keep postponing. Right?” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
