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☆ No walk-ins allowed: What to know when touring the world’s best wine regions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Penny Sadler | Erica Lamberg | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Wine touring in the Old WorldFrance Of France's 11 wine regions, Bordeaux, Burgundy (or Bourgogne) and Champagne are the most eminent. The United States California is renowned for wine tasting, though almost every state in the continental U.S. has a wine region or wine tourism area. Visitors can drive between vineyards, bike the Napa Valley Wine Trail, or book a ride on the vintage Napa Valley Wine Train. Barossa is one of the older wine regions in Australia, with some 200 cellar doors within two hours of Adelaide. South Africa South Africa may be considered a new world wine region, but Constantia, a top destination for wine tasting, is centuries old.

Persons: meunier, Chateau Angelus, Viniv Bordeaux, Georges Gobet, Montagne, Kim Kulish, Margaret River, Wine, Joey Estate, River, Groot Organizations: Michelin, Viniv, Afp, Getty, UNESCO, Heritage, Montagne de Reims, Travelers, United, Wine, Sonoma, Australia Wine, Bloomberg Locations: Europe, United States, Australia, South Africa, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Bourgogne, Vin, Chateau, Saint Emilion, France, Champagne, Italy Tuscany, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Greve, Alba, Piedmont, United States California, Napa Valley, Napa, Texas, Washington , Oregon, Virginia, New York, Yarra, Victoria, Barossa, Adelaide, Perth, Yarra Valley, Melbourne, South Africa South Africa, Constantia, Groot Constantia, South, Cape Town

☆ Japanese store near Mount Fuji issues apology in response to overtourism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lawson’s, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, has an outpost in the small town of Fujikawaguchiko. Tourists have flooded into Fujikawaguchiko to take one specific picture – a shot of Mount Fuji behind a Lawson’s store, where the mountain’s classic elegance contrasts with the store’s modern neon signage. Although Lawson’s has not encouraged visitors to take pictures of their store, the company nevertheless issued a statement addressing the issue on May 5. Many of them headed to the same destinations, crowding Kyoto’s narrow streets and the walking trails of Mount Fuji. And Lawson’s is not the only Japanese tourist destination that has resorted to putting up signs warning visitors of bad behaviors.

Persons: Fuji –, Lawson’s, Lawson, –, overtourism, Fujikawaguchiko, Semans Organizations: CNN, Fuji, Mount Fuji, ”, Mount, UNESCO Locations: Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture, –, Japan, Mount, Yamanashi

☆ Watery, Peaceful, Wild: The Call of the Mangroves
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Elisabeth Goodridge | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It was a sunny afternoon in February at the height of the high season on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, but my partner, Aaren, and I were far from lounging on a white-sand beach, snorkeling over a coral reef or strolling among the Easter-egg-colored buildings of Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site — typical activities for travelers to this former Dutch colony. Instead, on a kayak tour with Serlon St Jago, a guide from the Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park, we were learning about the country’s mangrove restoration, and the vital role mangrove habitats play in coastal resilience, protection for marine and bird species, and fighting the effects of climate change.

Persons: Serlon St Jago Organizations: UNESCO Locations: Curaçao, lounging, Willemstad, Dutch

☆ Chinese climbers stuck on cliff for more than an hour due to overcrowding
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Lilit Marcus | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Earlier this week, groups of travelers climbing Yandang Mountain in eastern China were stuck partway up a cliff, clinging to a rope along a fixed climbing route, for more than an hour. Someone like me afraid of heights might just wet myself up there!” wrote one Chinese online commenter. Wenzhou Dingcheng Sports Development Co., Ltd, which manages the via ferrata, said it had underestimated the number of people interested in climbing the mountain. Yandang Mountain is about 410 km (255 miles) south of Shanghai, in Zhejiang province, and is 1150 meters (3,773 feet) high. A popular site for holidaymakers in China, Yandang Mountain was submitted for UNESCO World Heritage site designation in 2001 and remains on the tentative list.

Persons: Everest, rungs, ”, I’m Organizations: CNN, Sports Development Co, Labor, UNESCO Locations: China, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Zhejiang province

☆ Two Men Are Charged Over the Felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jenny Gross | More About Jenny Gross | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two men in their 30s were charged on Tuesday in connection with the chopping down last year of the 200-year-old Sycamore Gap tree, which stood in a dip along Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. The beloved sycamore’s mysterious felling, which took place on a stormy September night, led to an outpouring of sorrow, anger and confusion at the senselessness of the act: Why would anyone cut down one of Britain’s most iconic trees? Two men, Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, from Cumbria, England, were charged with damaging both the tree and part of Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to the local Northumbria Police. Hadrian’s Wall, about 100 miles southeast of Edinburgh and near England’s border with Scotland, was built by the Roman Army after the emperor Hadrian’s visit to Britain in A.D. 122. “We recognize the strength of feeling in the local community and further afield the felling has caused, however we would remind people to avoid speculation, including online, which could impact the ongoing case,” Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney, the senior office on the case, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Persons: Daniel Graham, Adam Carruthers, Hadrian’s, “, Rebecca Fenney Organizations: UNESCO, Heritage, Northumbria Police, Roman Army Locations: England, Cumbria, Northumbria, Edinburgh, England’s, Scotland, Britain

☆ Mount Fuji: Japanese town putting up eight-foot barrier to block tourist photos
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A picturesque Japanese town is putting up a giant mesh barrier to block a popular selfie spot near Mount Fuji. Fujikawaguchiko, at the foot of the Yoshida Trail to Mount Fuji, has become overrun with foreign tourists trying to get the perfect photo of Japan’s most famous mountain. And now the town has had enough and is putting up the mesh barrier to block the view, a local official told CNN. The town of Fujikawaguchiko is in Yamanashi prefecture, to the north of Fuji and about 62 miles (100 kilometers) west of Tokyo. Many of them head straight to Mount Fuji, an icon of Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage site, leaving garbage and causing erosion along the way.

Persons: Philip Fong, “ Overtourism, Masatake Izumi, – Organizations: CNN, Mount, Getty, UNESCO, CNN Travel, Disney Locations: Mount Fuji, Fujikawaguchiko, AFP, Yamanashi prefecture, Fuji, Tokyo, Japan, Yamanashi, Austrian, Halstatt

☆ The extraordinary ancient secret places hidden under Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Lisa Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Less obviously visible but equally impressive are the historical treasures, some more than 12,000 years old, that can be found underground. Unlike the Basilica, this underground chamber was completely forgotten about until less than 15 years ago. Other than locals herding their livestock through the ruins of a garrison city dating to the 6th century, few people went there. Now, the site has given up numerous treasures including rock-cut tombs, an olive processing workshop and a series of underground cisterns. Yeraltı, literally meaning underground, was originally a dungeon in the basement of a fort built by the Byzantines in the 8th century CE.

Persons: James Bond, Theodosius II, Theodosius, Derinkuyu, tufa, émigrés, Han, Rümeli Han, Sarıcazade Ragıp Pasha, Sultan Abdülhamid II’s, Sancaklar, Göbeklitepe, Yeraltı, –, Fatih Sultan Mehmet, Grand Vizier Bahir Mustafa Paşa, dervish Organizations: CNN, Love, UNESCO, Şanlıurfa Archaeology Locations: Turkey, Europe, Asia, Russia, Faith, Istanbul, Constantinople, Fatih, Belgrade Forest, Valens, Dara, Mardin, Nevşehir, Cappadocia, Derinkuyu, Taksim, stairwells, Sancaklar, Büyükçekmece, Mecca, Göbeklitepe, everyone’s, Şanlıurfa, Karaköy, Yeraltı, Ottoman, Grand

☆ A Remote Island Draws Thousands of Turtles Each Year. Could It Attract Tourists?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Ricci Shryock | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Each year, thousands of baby green sea turtles clamber across a beautiful, white-sand paradise that is one of the largest hatching sites of this species in the Atlantic, adorably making their way to the sea. The spectacular hatching events take place between August and December on Poilão Island, a tiny, uninhabited speck off the coast of Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. It is the southernmost island of the 88 that make up the Bijagós archipelago, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Last year, turtles laid more than 44,000 nests on its 1.4 mile-long beach. “We want to increase the tourists who go to the Bijagós,” he said.

Persons: speck, Alberto Demba Touré, ” Organizations: UNESCO, Atlantic Locations: Poilão, Guinea, Bissau, West Africa

☆ The beautiful African paradise islands that most tourists don’t know about
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A couple of African paradise islands have been on the radar of avid world travelers for some time. Shellfish Bay on the island’s windward side shelters one of East Africa’s most spectacular beaches, a crescent of white sand framed by 100-meter dunes. Bazaruto Island Resort, the island’s top digs, can arrange scuba diving and snorkeling, sailing on traditional dhow boats, guided 4x4 wildlife safaris, sandboarding on the dunes and other outdoor activities. Lamu’s best beaches are on the island’s windward side, around a 30–40-minute walk via Shela village. — and an ancient stone nilometer for measuring the river’s water level — reflect the island’s importance during pharaonic times.

Persons: São Filipe, Denis, Ponta, Ariadne Van Zandbergen, Dar es Organizations: CNN, Ethiopian Airways, oneworld, Getty, UNESCO, Heritage, Cabo Verde Airlines, Overseas, Paris Orly, Animalia Museum, Egypt, Vogue, Reserve, Dar es Salam Locations: Mauritius, Seychelles, Canary, Africa, Madagascar, Addis Ababa, Bazaruto, Mozambique, East, sandboarding, Johannesburg, Vilanculos, Lamu, Kenya, Manda, Malindi, Nairobi, JamboJet, Fogo, Cape Verde, Cabo Verde, West Africa, Pico, Verde’s, Praia, Overseas Territory, Réunion, French Caribbean, L’Hermitage, Saint, Paris, Antananarivo, Elephantine, Egypt, Aswan, Bissagos, Guinea, Bissau, Bubaque, Pemba, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Tanga, Dar, FlightLink

☆ Cambodia says YouTubers are tormenting monkeys for clicks, and it plans to punish them
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

YouTubers are abusing monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, authorities said. The group overseeing the archeological site is prepared to take legal action, a spokesperson added. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAuthorities in Cambodia say YouTubers are tormenting monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, and that they're prepared to take action against the worst offenders.

Persons: —, they're Organizations: Angkor UNESCO, Heritage, Associated Press, Service, Authorities, YouTube, Business Locations: Cambodia

☆ One of world’s earliest known books expected to fetch more than $2.6m at auction
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —One of the earliest books in existence is expected to fetch upwards of $2.6m when it goes up for auction later this year. The Crosby-Schøyen Codex, which was written in Coptic on papyrus in Egypt, is the earliest Christian liturgical book, according to the international auction house Christie’s, which will be holding the sale in London on June 11. Carbon dating suggests the book dates back to sometime between the middle of the 3rd and 4th centuries. One of the earliest witnesses to the spread of Christianity, the codex features the first epistle of Peter and the Book of Jonah. As such, the codex is the oldest known book in private hands.

Persons: Crosby, Peter, Jonah, Bodmer, Martin Schøyen, Eugenio Donadoni, ”, ” Donadoni, Christie’s Organizations: CNN, University of Mississippi, Saint, Christie’s Locations: Egypt, London, Christie’s, Upper Egypt, York

☆ In Kyoto, Five Hotels to Add to Your Travel Wish List
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( John Wogan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Andre Fu, the interior designer behind hotels like the Upper House in Hong Kong and Villa La Coste in Aix-en-Provence, France, has infused his signature aesthetic (extravagantly refined, with warm woods and luxurious textures) within the confines of a particularly historic area of Kyoto. The 161-room Mitsui, opened in late 2020, sits across from Nijo Castle, an enormous 17th-century compound and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s in stark contrast to the hotel, whose only timeworn element is an imposing entrance gate — a traditional wood structure over 300 years old and a remnant of the days when the Mitsui family lived on the grounds. Once past the gate, you’ll find a glass-and-steel building, designed by the Japanese architect Akira Kuryu, and landscaping that’s meant to echo the original garden pathways of the Mitsui residence, planted with cherry trees and steppingstones that meander above a glassy pond. Rooms from about $1,360 a night.

Persons: Andre Fu, Villa, Mitsui, Akira Kuryu, Tetsuya Asano Organizations: Villa La Coste, Mitsui, UNESCO, Ritz Paris Locations: Hong Kong, Aix, Provence, France, Kyoto, Nijo

☆ Garisenda Tower: Italy races to stop leaning tower from collapsing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The 48-meter (158 feet) Garisenda tower was built in the 12th century, during a boom period of the northern city’s history, but two centuries later it had already begun to tilt. Today, it leans at an angle of four degrees, just a little more than the Pisa tower’s current 3.9-degree slant. A rendering showing how the equipment from the Tower of Pisa will be used on the Garisenda tower. Michele Lapini/Getty ImagesWhile less well known than its counterpart at Pisa, the Torre Garisenda has long been a tourist attraction in Bologna. Today the bell tower is a stable monument mainly thanks to those steel pylons which will hopefully give the Garisenda tower a second life.

Persons: CNN — It’s, Matteo Lepore, ” Lepore, Lepori, Michele Lapini, Torre Garisenda, Dante Aligher’s, Asinelli Organizations: CNN, Torre, Pisa tower’s, Bologna Bologna’s, “, UNESCO Locations: Bologna, Pisa, Garisenda

☆ Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia will finally be completed in 2026
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will finally be finished in 2026, more than 140 years after construction started, officials have confirmed. “The Chapel of the Assumption is expected to be finished in 2025 and the tower of Jesus Christ, in 2026,” the Sagrada Familia said in a statement announcing the publication of its 2023 annual report. When complete, the Sagrada Familia will become the world’s tallest church, overtaking Ulm Minster in Germany. The Sagrada Familia pictured in 1940 Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesWhen Gaudí died in 1926, only an estimated 10%-15% of the project had been built, including one transept, a crypt and some of the apse wall. The construction of the church was carried out illegally for 137 years, until 2019, when a building permit was finally issued by Barcelona’s city council.

Persons: Jesus Christ, Christophe Simon, Antoni Gaudí, Virgin Mary, Jesus, Gaudí, Pope Benedict XVI Organizations: CNN, Assumption, Getty, Ulm Minster, Construction, Spanish, UNESCO, Authorities Locations: Barcelona, AFP, Ulm, Germany, Catalan, Barcelona’s

☆ The genius Roman creations that still amaze us today
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Guy Kesteven | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

That’s because Roman passions for outrageous, oversized architecture went hand in hand with detailed record-keeping and relentless imperial PR. We should warn you that the lines to get in now are likely even longer than the Roman ones though. While it was forgotten for over 1,000 years, this UNESCO World Heritage site now gets over 2,500,000 visitors a year. Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty ImagesWhat: Spectacularly preserved Roman portWhere: Libyan coastWhoa: Seeing is still not believingThe undoubted winner of the “most incredible Roman site you’ve never heard of” award is Lepcis Magna. That’s made this dramatic structure a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit on any Roman road trip across Europe.

Persons: Genghis, Marco Cantile, Volcanically, Pliny, hadn’t, That’s, Pont du, Pont, it’s, Mahmud Turkia, you’ve, Magna, Septimus Severus, “, Emperor Augustus, Tiberius, Domitian, Nero, Maximus, Don’t, Augustus, Vindolanda, Hadrian, Antonine, Aphrodisia, Caracalla, Caracalla aren’t, Diocletian, Guy Kesteven, Sarah, Freya Organizations: CNN, Scottish Borders, UNESCO, Heritage, Lepcis Magna, Getty, Coliseum, YouTube, Royal Holloway University Locations: Rome, Africa, Scottish, Italy, Herculaneum, Naples, Mount, Gardon, France, AFP, Libyan, Libya, Palatine Hill, Trier, Germany, Europe, England, Roman, Scotland, Anatolia, Turkey, Aphrodisia, Caracalla

☆ ‘World’s oldest bread,’ dating back 8,600 years, discovered in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Archeologists in Turkey say they have discovered the world’s oldest known bread, dating back to 6600 BC. Around the oven, archeologists found wheat, barley, pea seeds and a palm-sized, round, “spongy” residue, it said in a press release Wednesday. Flour and water had been mixed in, with the bread having been prepared next to the oven and kept for a while. “It is an exciting discovery for Turkey and the world,” Kavak said. The organic matter – both wood and bread – was preserved by thin clay that covered the structure, according to Türkcan.

Persons: Turkey’s, Ali Umut Türkcan, Salih Kavak, ” Kavak, “ Çatalhöyük, ” Türkcan Organizations: CNN, Turkey’s Necmettin Erbakan University Science, Technology Research, Anadolu University, Anadolu Agency, Gaziantep University, UNESCO, Research Locations: Turkey, ”, Çatalhöyük, Turkish, Konya

☆ Mount Fuji introducing visitor cap and entry fee to prevent overcrowding
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an icon of Japan, is putting new regulations in place for climbers amid concerns about overcrowding. “By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed on to future generations,” said Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture. “In order to revive traditional mountain climbing from the foot of Mount Fuji, we will gain a detailed understanding of the Fuji-ko and Oshi culture that supported Mount Fuji worship. This 2023 photo shows a crowd of visitors beginning their Mount Fuji ascents. Mathiad Cena/AFP/Getty ImagesAccording to prefectural data, five million people hiked Mount Fuji in 2019, a rise of three million from 2012.

Persons: ”, Koutaro Nagasaki, Mathiad Cena, “ Overtourism, Masatake Izumi, Tomoyo Takahashi, Takahashi, Hanako Montgomery Organizations: CNN, Mount, UNESCO, Fuji, Mount Fuji, Heritage Fuji Division, CNN Travel Locations: Japan, Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefecture, Kasai, Kyoto, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima

☆ Australia’s Great Barrier Reef suffers ‘extensive’ coral bleaching, as scientists fear seventh mass bleaching event
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The southern Great Barrier Reef is suffering from extensive coral bleaching due to heat stress, the reef’s managers said Wednesday, raising fears that a seventh mass bleaching event could be unfolding across the vast, ecologically important site. Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket/Getty ImagesThe Great Barrier Reef’s managers plan to extend aerial and in-water surveys across the entire reef over the coming weeks. Hotter ocean temperatures caused severe mass bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Last year, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided not to add the Great Barrier Reef to its list of sites “in danger,” despite scientific evidence suggesting the risk of another mass bleaching event. Greenpeace’s Ritter said that following the decision, “the Australian government promised to do everything it can to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Persons: Mark Read, Elliot, Jonas Gratzer, ”, Neal Cantin, Maya Srinivasan, ” Srinivasan, ” David Ritter, “, ” Ove Hoegh, Greenpeace’s Ritter Organizations: CNN, Park Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Science, El, James Cook University, Marine Park Authority, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Foundation, Oceanic, UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Labor Locations: Keppel, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, Cairns, Florida, Caribbean

☆ Why a rare ‘golden’ tiger photographed in India is worrying conservationists
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But golden tigers — also known as golden tabby tigers or strawberry tigers — are not a subspecies: they’re the result of a genetic mutation that changes the color of their fur. Ramnarayanan spotted the golden tiger, which came within 100 meters of the group, while guiding a safari in the wildlife reserve. The big cat is one of four "golden" tigers in Kaziranga, according to the park's official social media. If Kaziranga’s tiger population becomes more isolated, issues like inbreeding will threaten the population, said Sharma in his post on X. For photographer Ramnarayanan, Kaziranga’s golden tiger was his first sighting of these unusually colored big cats.

Persons: Gaurav Ramnarayanan, Ramnarayanan, “ I’ve, —, Uma Ramakrishnan, There’s, ”, that’s, Gaurav, Mayuresh Hendre, Rabindra Sharma, Sharma, Kota Ullas Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Heritage, National Center for Biological Sciences, Centre for Wildlife Studies Locations: India’s, Assam, Kaziranga, Mumbai, ”, India

“We expect stringent government oversight of our mining-to-reclamation project, which will be fully protective of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge and the region’s environment,” Ingle said in a statement. The swamp’s wildlife, cypress forests and flooded prairies draw roughly 600,000 visitors each year, according to the U.S. Despite efforts by President Joe Biden to restore federal oversight, the Army Corps entered a legal agreement with Twin Pines to maintain its hands-off position. The mining project is moving forward as the National Park Service seeks designation of the Okefenokee wildlife refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Twin Pines denied wrongdoing, but said it agreed to the fine to avoid further permitting delays.

Persons: Deb Haaland, Josh Marks, “, Steve Ingle, ” Ingle, C, Rhett Jackson, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Ben Prater, EPD Organizations: Georgia Environmental, Twin, Twin Pines Minerals, Refuge, Georgia -, Twin Pines, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Service, University of Georgia, ., Army Corps of Engineers, Army Corps, National Park Service, UNESCO, of Wildlife Locations: SAVANNAH, Ga, Georgia, Twin Pines, Birmingham , Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia - Florida, Atlanta, Twin, blackwater

☆ This is the world’s rarest passport
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Lola Méndez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The Sovereign Military Order of Malta – also known as the Knights of Malta – isn’t just a religious Catholic order with nearly 1,000 years of history. After World War II, the use of the diplomatic passport took on characteristics of passports used in other countries. Today, there are only around 500 of the diplomatic passports in circulation – making it the rarest passport in the world. robertharding/Alamy Stock Photo“The Order grants passports to members of their government for the duration of their mandate,” de Petri Testaferrata says. Once when I arrived at the Bangkok airport, a crowd of operators at passport control wanted to see my rare passport and take a selfie with it,” Balfour tells CNN.

Persons: Malta –, It’s, King, Spain, Napoleon Bonaparte, Daniel de Petri Testaferrata, Angelo, ” de Petri Testaferrata, Marianna Balfour, “ They’ve, ” Balfour, De Petri Testaferrata, John Kellerman, Anne, de Valette, Paschal II, ” Dane Munro, Don’t, Grand, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Caravaggio, St John’s, St John ”, Finnbarr Webster, Casa Rocca Piccola, de Piro, Munro, Marquis Nicholas de Piro, Knight of Malta Don Pietro Rosselli Organizations: CNN, Knights, Knights of Malta – isn’t, United Nations, Sovereign Council, Souverain, Fort, UNESCO, “, Casa Magazzini, National Library of Malta, of, Supreme, Grand Masters, of Ambassadors, St, Maltese Association of Locations: Malta, Knights of Malta, Jerusalem, Maltese, Rome, of Malta, St, robertharding, Bangkok, France, United Kingdom, United States, Knights, Valletta, Mdina, Knight

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — Landlocked Laos doesn't have the famous beaches of its neighbors to attract tourists, but instead relies on the pristine beauty of its mountains and rivers and historical sites to bring in visitors. The crown jewel is Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where legend has it that Buddha once rested during his travels. Nestled among the mountains of northern Laos, Luang Prabang was the capital from the 14th to the 16th century before it was moved to Vientiane. “This dam won't generate a lot of power for Laos, it's going to power new shopping malls in Bangkok,” Eyler said of the Luang Prabang project. “In isolation, the potential transboundary harmful effects due to the Luang Prabang hydropower project may not be substantial," the river commission said.

Persons: Buddha, it's, ”, Brian Eyler, Stimson, Eyler, ” Eyler, Philip Hirsch, “, you've, ” Hirsch, Vietnam —, Barbara Curti Organizations: UNESCO, Asia Program, Sustainability, ” UNESCO, Associated Press, Ministry of Information, Foreign Ministry, Heritage, Monitor, Sydney University, CBA, Commission Locations: LUANG PRABANG, Laos, Prabang, Southeast Asia, Washington, Luang Prabang, Luang, Paris, New Delhi, Vientiane, Vietnam, China, Kunming, Thailand, Stimson, Bangkok, British, Cambodia, Asia, asia

☆ Tourists stranded after Peru protests block access to Machu Picchu
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —Protests in Peru are blocking access to Machu Picchu, one of South America’s most popular heritage sites, with local anger over a new ticketing system halting rail transport to the iconic Incan site and leaving some tourists stranded. The protests, which began late last week, have left hundreds of tourists, who flock to Machu Picchu from all over the world, unable to reach the site. The protesters are blocking access to the popular heritage site. Carolina Paucar/AFP/Getty ImagesCommunity representatives in Machu Picchu fear that the new electronic ticket sales platform will hurt local businesses by “privatizing” sales and directing profits to one single firm. In September, Peru temporarily closed three areas of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 15th century as a religious sanctuary for the Incas, due to site deterioration brought on by heavy visitor volumes.

Persons: Leslie Urteaga, Carolina Paucar, “ Organizations: Reuters, Getty Images, UNESCO, Heritage Locations: Peru, Machu Picchu, Carolina, AFP

☆ Mass tourism has turned Florence into a ‘prostitute,’ museum boss says, sparking outrage
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Rome CNN —Mass tourism has turned the Italian city of Florence into a “prostitute,” the director of Galleria dell’Accademia has said, sparking anger and calls for her to step down. Florence mayor Dario Nardella told Florence City Council on Monday that the city deserved respect and that tourism employs thousands of people. With the Academy, for example, we have tried to enhance every extraordinary part of it,” she said in the museum statement sent to CNN Tuesday. Italy’s culture minister Sangiuliano said his ministry would look further into the matter, but called Hollberg’s words “serious and offensive” in nature. “According to the director of the museum, therefore, Florentines are the children of a prostitute and the tourists are the clients of a prostitute?

Persons: Rome, Cecilie Hollberg, ”, —, Dario Franceschini, Giorgia Meloni, Dario Nardella, ” Nardella, Petr Svarc, Matteo Renzi, “, Gennaro Sangiuliano, Hollberg, Florence, “ I’m, ‘, Sangiuliano, Alessia Bettini, ” Bettini Organizations: Rome CNN, Florence, Florence City Council, UNESCO, Accademia, Academy, CNN, “ Locations: Italian, Florence, dell’Accademia, “, Venice, Italy

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The company seeking permits to mine minerals near the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp and its vast wildlife refuge has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine to Georgia environmental regulators, who say the company violated state laws while collecting soil samples for its permit application. The plan is required for Twin Pines to qualify for a permit. Twin Pines has insisted it can mine without harming the swamp. An attorney for Twin Pines said Wednesday the company denies any wrongdoing. The Army Corps entered an agreement with Twin Pines to maintain its hands-off position in 2022.

Persons: “, Lewis Jones, Josh Marks, EPD, ” Marks, Donald Trump, Joe Biden Organizations: Georgia Environmental, Twin, Twin Pines Minerals, Twin Pines, Regulators, Refuge, ”, National Park Service, UNESCO, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Army Corps Locations: SAVANNAH, Ga, Georgia, Twin Pines, Alabama, Twin, Mississippi, Atlanta, blackwater

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