Spanish travel group Marsans, which owns Aerolineas Argentinas, plans to create a new unit in Peru and begin flights there within five months.

An Aerolineas spokesman said they expected the debut of the new Peruvian company, called Aerolineas del Peru, to take no longer than five months because of the Peruvian government’s warm welcome.

As we previously reported, one of the key competitors in Peru, Chilean airline LAN, has become unpopular with the Peruvian government due to a scandal over an in-flight video depicting images of Lima considered offensive.

You may have heard about Schappelle Corby, the Australian surfer who has been arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison for smuggling in 4.5 kgs of cannabis in her boogie board case into Bali. Some people say that the drugs were put inside her case by luggage handlers in Australia – and if true, this is not the first time Australian baggage handlers have come under suspicion for this kind of thing. It makes you wonder about how just safe your luggage is from tampering. Many airports offer plastic shrinkwrap around suitcases and yet the US advises that luggage should be left unlocked so that customs can make routine inspections. What to do – what do you think?

Pretoria was named after Andries Pretorius, a Boer settler and a folk hero of Afrikaners who later set up the apartheid racial discrimination system. The city council approved the switch to Tshwane in March as part of moves to make place names more African, but opposition campaigners say they feel marginalised. Hundreds of predominantly white South Africans have staged a demonstration against plans to change the capital’s name from Pretoria to Tshwane which means “we are the same”. and was the name of pre-colonial local chief.

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website: Mutual Aid

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Aceh except for those involved in post-tsunami humanitarian and reconstruction work under the auspices of a recognised aid organisation that has a security plan approved by the Indonesian authorities to ensure the safety and security of its personnel. Parts of Aceh remain affected by a long running internal conflict with the possibility of armed clashes. An aid worker was shot and injured while travelling at night in West Aceh on 23 June. Relief agencies should check the local security advice of the UN Office for Crisis and Humanitarian Affairs in Banda Aceh.

We advise against travel to some parts of Maluku, especially Ambon, and some parts of Central Sulawesi, which are experiencing civilian unrest. At least 22 people were killed in a bomb attack in Central Sulawesi on Saturday 28 May.

There remains a high threat from terrorism in Indonesia. We continue to receive reports that terrorists in Indonesia are planning further attacks on Westerners and Western interests. Attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia and are likely to be directed against locations and buildings frequented by foreigners.

The Indonesian Police are on a state of high alert in Jakarta, and have deployed additional personnel around the city, including additional security arrangements for embassies.

Terrorists have shown in previous attacks, like the attack on the Australian Embassy, the Marriott Hotel, Jakarta and the Bali bombings, that they have the means and the motivation to carry out successful attacks.

Penalties for illegal drug importation and use are severe and can include the death penalty.

Tens of thousands of Snickers and Mars chocolate bars have been withdrawn from sale in Australia’s New South Wales after the manufacturer was sent a letter threatening to poison a member of the public. The letter warned that up to seven Snickers and Mars bars in the metropolitan Sydney area had been contaminated. Police believed the products were randomly chosen and may have been tampered with.

Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on currencies. See how many you get right! Go on, have a guess!

Where would you find the following currencies?

1. Lek
2. Loti
3. Pula
4. Ruble
5. Cedi

For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.

Do not drink home made alcohol – anywhere, not just Kenya. Over 50 people have died after drinking home made alcohol laced with a substance believed to have been methanol in Machakos, south east of Nairobi. Local newspaper, The People Daily, identifies its own culprit. “The provincial administration and the police are squarely to blame. They have failed to arrest and charge individuals involved in the brewing and distribution of illegal liquors.” This is not the first time that such a tragedy has occurred. Just don’t do it!

Need to convert currency?

Take a look at The Globetrotters Currency Converter – get the exchange rates for 164 currencies The Globetrotters Currency Cheat Sheet – create and print a currency converter table for your next trip.

A completely new family of rodents, a kind of rat has been found in Laos. The animal has long whiskers, stubby legs and a tail covered in dense hair and was on sale in a hunters’ market. Dr Robert Timmins working with the Wildlife Conservation Society in Thailand saw that it was probably unknown to science and brought it to the attention of his colleagues. “It was for sale on a table next to some vegetables,” said Dr Timmins. “I knew immediately it was something I had never seen before.” “To find something so distinct in this day and age is just extraordinary. For all we know, this could be the last remaining mammal family left to be discovered,” Dr Timmins said.