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☆ Super-aged Japan now has 9 million vacant homes. And that’s a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Chris Lau | Mayumi Maruyama | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“This is a symptom of Japan’s population decline,” said Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba. “It’s not really a problem of building too many houses” but “a problem of not having enough people,” he said. According to figures compiled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 14% of all residential properties in Japan are vacant. “When an earthquake or a tsunami occurs, there is a possibility that vacant houses will block evacuation routes as they break down and get destroyed,” he said. In other rural areas with a high concentration of vacant houses, akiya have stalled development, the professor said.

Persons: ”, Jeffrey Hall, “ It’s, don’t, Akio Kon, it’s, “ They’re, Buddhika Weerasinghe, Yuki Akiyama, Akiyama, ” Akiyama Organizations: CNN, Kanda University of International Studies, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Kanda University, “, Bloomberg, Getty, Ministry, Internal Affairs, Communications, Tokyo City University, Homes Locations: Japan, New York City, Tokyo, Kyoto, Chiba, Kanda, Yato, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa prefecture, Tambasasayama, Noto, Ishikawa, Europe, West, “

☆ I've been to 54 countries and have lived in 10. These 5 underrated places are worth the trip.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Kate Boardman has visited 54 countries around the world and lived in 10, including the US. She's enjoyed spots like France and Bali but says people should visit underrated places like Oman. I've been to 54 countries and lived in 10, including the US. I also think spots like Cancun are super overrated; there are way cooler places to visit in Mexico. Kate Boardman/@wildkat.wandersI first lived in Guatemala in 2021, where I worked as a teacher at an international school.

Persons: Kate Boardman, She's, —, I've, Boardman, It's, You've, they're, @wildkat.wanders, Kate Boardman There's, There's, you've, Earth Organizations: Service, Antigua —, United Arab Locations: France, Bali, Oman, Ecuador, Guatemala, Massachusetts, Germany, Tblisi , Georgia, Paris, London, Cancun, Mexico, Iran, Maharloo, Georgia, Tbilisi, It's, Soviet Union, Kazbegi , Georgia, Turkish, Central America, Costa Rica, Tikal, Guatemala City, Antigua, Boardman, Livingston , Guatemala, El, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Muscat, Caribbean

☆ The Maldives are known as a luxury vacation destination. But for $100 per day, my husband and I had the trip of a lifetime.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Geena Truman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementThe key to budget travel in the Maldives is visiting the local islandsWe found visiting local islands to be a beautiful and affordable way to experience the true culture of the Maldives. AdvertisementThe local Maldivian Islands were affordable and beautifulThe local islands were stunning. These excursions proved the waters of the local islands had just as much to offer as the private-island resorts. By staying on the local islands, we got to experience more of the Maldivian cultureBecause we visited the local islands, we got to learn a lot about the local culture. By staying on the local islands, we got to interact with members of the community and learn about their incredible sea-faring history.

Persons: —, Geena Truman, we'd, Truman Organizations: Service, Business, Manta Rays Locations: Maldives, Southeast Asia, Ukulhas, Omadhoo, Maldivian

☆ How to find a hobby
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But if that's not for you — or if you're struggling to find something to do outside of work — experts shared how to find a hobby. The big storyA guide to finding a hobbyRobyn Phelps/InsiderHaving a hobby can help people tackle their work and personal life with more energy. Treat finding a hobby like a projectYou likely won't find the perfect fit immediately, Laura Vanderkam, the author of "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think," told me. Or if they're also trying to find a hobby, ask what the people around them do for fun. Be patient but proactiveAdvertisementVanderkam told me that finding a hobby just takes a bit of time, experimentation, and being open to different things.

Persons: —, that's, Robyn Phelps, I've, Alexis Haselberger, Laura Vanderkam, It'll, Vanderkam, Haselberger, they're, she's, Joey Hadden, andresr, Kornmesser NASA's James Webb, Gen, Patrick Pleul Organizations: Service, Business, Orient, Express, Volkswagen, Ford, Tesla, LinkedIn, ESO, ESA, Hubble, Kornmesser NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, IKEA, Getty, Ikea Locations: Venice, Brandenburg, Schönefeld, Dahme

☆ A remote Irish island is looking for 2 people to run its guesthouses this summer — but the managers say it isn't an easy holiday job
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Billy O'Connor and Alice Hayes told Business Insider that their company, The Great Blasket Island Experience, is hiring two caretakers to run their operations on Great Blasket Island from April 1 to October 1. The couple's company offers tours and accommodation on the Great Blasket Island. The Great Blasket Island is the largest. the couple told BI. Great Blasket Island can only be accessed during the summer.

Persons: —, Billy O'Connor, Alice Hayes, Emily Campbell, Daniel Regan, O'Connor, Hayes Organizations: Service, Business, The Irish Times, BI, Irish Times, Irish Locations: Ireland, Blasket, Canadian

The Pantanal holds thousands of plant and animal species, including 159 mammals, and it abounds with jaguars, according to the World Wildlife Fund. In the dry season, wildlife enthusiasts flock to see the normally furtive jaguars lounging on riverbanks, along with macaws, caimans and capybaras. Political Cartoons View All 1256 ImagesMuch of the Encontro das Aguas (Meeting of the Waters) park, located at the border of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states — known for its large jaguar population — had turned from emerald green to dark brown. “This is so atypical,” said Renata Libonati, who coordinates the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro's alert system for fires in the Pantanal. The neighboring state of Mato Grosso said it had also strengthened its workforce, with about 200 federal and state firefighters on the ground.

Persons: —, they’ll, Leonisio da Silva, ”, Renata Libonati, ” Libonati, Angelo Rabelo, Mato Grosso, Enderson Barreto, “, ” Barreto, Barreto Organizations: — Firefighters, Facebook, Federal University of Rio, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, World Wildlife Fund, Mato Grosso, Associated Press, ” Jaguars, Firefighters, El, Environment, Federal Highway Police, Waters, ” Locations: POCONE, BRAZIL, Brazil's, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Waters, Mato Grosso, Mato, Sul, Brazil, Porto Jofre

Kindergarten was in full swing for 30 children from Arab al-Aramshe, a village next to Israel’s border with Lebanon. It is a logistically complex and costly operation for the Israeli state, which is paying to house the evacuees indefinitely in 280 hotels and guesthouses scattered across the country. In the south, where many of the evacuees survived the Hamas attacks, it has recruited specialists to offer trauma counseling. Hunched over a laptop at the bar, Adeeb Mazal, Arab al-Aramshe’s community manager, tried to keep track of his vagabond villagers. And he worried about their mental health, with the idleness nourishing their fears about Hezbollah.

Persons: “, ”, Dalal Badra, Adeeb Mazal, ‘, ’ ”, Mazal Organizations: Golden, Israel’s Education Ministry, Jesus Locations: Arab, Lebanon, Nazareth, Gaza, Israel

Drumnadrochit, Scotland CNN —It’s not the volume of water in Loch Ness that impresses, although that’s substantial. The "surgeon's photographs" of 1934 are the most famous images of the Loch Ness Monster -- although they were later exposed as a hoax. “It’s a really bizarre extended family of Loch Ness enthusiasts,” says McKenna, his love for the project glowing in every word. But, says McKenna, “Loch Ness is so fascinating that it can cause these mirages. Until then, the Loch Ness Exploration group meets monthly on the loch and is free and open to everyone — believers, sceptics and agnostics alike: details are on the public Facebook page.

Persons: Scotland CNN — It’s, ”, Alan McKenna, Jeff J Mitchell, you’ve, you’ll, Loch, it’ll, Hugh Gray, Aldie McKay, Saint Columba, Aleister Crowley’s, Jimmy Page, Adrian Shine, Rasputin, Santa, He’s, McKenna, Steve Feltham, who’s, “, Alistair Matheson, Aldie, We’re, Loch Ness, Russell Cheyne, Matheson, we’ve, Andy Buchanan Organizations: CNN, Scotland CNN, Edinburgh, Getty, Loch, Keystone, “, Reuters, Pacific . Locations: Drumnadrochit, Scotland, Loch Ness, guesthouses, Isle, Skye, Boleskine, Santa Claus, Edinburgh, Loch, ”, Pacific, AFP

☆ Israel Evacuates City Near Lebanon Border as It Hits Scores of Targets in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Margherita Stancati | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Israel ordered the evacuation of a city close to the Lebanese border, reflecting the Israeli military’s growing concern that a second front could open up to the north as it continues its bombing campaign in Gaza, including a strike on a church compound overnight. Israel’s Defense Ministry said residents of Kiryat Shmona, a city of some 22,000 people, will be moved to guesthouses provided by the state. The decision, announced Friday, comes as the security situation along the Lebanese-Israeli border deteriorates.

Persons: Israel Organizations: Israel’s Defense Ministry Locations: Lebanese, Gaza, Kiryat Shmona

☆ Watch: Israel Orders Evacuation of Northern City
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Israel on Friday announced the evacuation of Kiryat Shmona, a city of some 22,000 people close to the Lebanese border. On Thursday, three residents of Kiryat Shmona were injured when a barrage of rockets were launched toward Israeli military sites and towns from the Lebanese side of the border. The Israeli military launched airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in retaliation. The rocket attacks on Kiryat Shmona were the first big hit on a major urban center in the north since the war began. Kiryat Shmona was repeatedly targeted by Hezbollah during the 2006 war with Israel.

Persons: Kiryat Shmona Organizations: Friday, Israel’s Ministry of Defense, Hezbollah, Lebanese Locations: Kiryat Shmona, Lebanese, Kiryat, Lebanon, Israel

☆ Israel to evacuate residents of town near Lebanon border after flare up
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Israel-Lebanon border has seen constant, but so far limited, clashes since a war in Gaza erupted two weeks ago. Persistent violence along the Israel-Lebanon border has raised fears that fighting between Israel and Hamas Islamists in Gaza could spiral into a broader, regional conflict. Evacuees from Kiryat Shmona will be put up in state-subsidised guesthouses, Israel's Defense Ministry said, joining tens of thousands of Israelis who have already left their homes near the southern Gaza border. The Committee to Protect Journalists has said it has documented more than 20 journalists killed since the start of the Israel-Gaza conflict and said it was investigating reports of other journalists killed, injured and reported missing. The latest incident on the Israel-Lebanon border came nearly a week after Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed in southern Lebanon.

Persons: Israel, Daniel Hagari, Issam Abdallah, Ari Rabinovitch, Crispian Balmer, Edmund Blair Organizations: Lebanese, Israel Defense Forces, Israel's Defense Ministry, Protect Journalists, Reuters, Thomson Locations: JERUSALEM, BEIRUT, Kiryat Shmona, Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Galilee, Lebanon's Iran, Beirut

Now she stood near the Koutoubia Mosque, where she and other Marrakesh residents once prayed regularly, filling it during the holy fasting month of Ramadan or the days of Eid. Its square had been sealed off by metal barriers and police tape while experts assessed the damage, but no final diagnosis had been made, according to a government official. “I would love to go there and pray for the dead,” said Ms. Chuegra, “but I’m afraid it might collapse.”Elsewhere in Marrakesh, several museums, as well as the 16th-century El Badi Palace (often translated as “The Incomparable”) and the late 19th-century El Bahia Palace (“The Beautiful”) were closed to visitors. Experts have judged them to be in serious condition, and what appeared to be materials for shoring up the structure of El Badi were piled outside the palace on Wednesday. Residents said the apparently untouched or lightly cracked exterior walls of the homes hid serious destruction within.

Persons: “, ”, Chuegra, El Organizations: Residents Locations: Koutoubia, Marrakesh, Bahia, El Badi, Medina, guesthouses

☆ Portugal's new housing law threatens its tourism industry, say hostel owners
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The law – proposed and approved by Portugal’s ruling PS party – seeks to address the housing crisis in Portugal. The new law’s resolutions could potentially have far-reaching effects on those running alojamento local (AL) properties – including Portugal’s world-renowned hostels. AL properties outside of low-density areas will also see their current property taxes increase, and be subject to a new tax starting at 15%, known as CEAL. The new legislation threatens the future of all hostels in Portugal, says Miguel Santos, board member at the Associação Hostels de Portugal (AHdP) and owner of a Lisbon hostel. Pedro Nunes/ReutersOne hostel owner fearing for the future is Benedita Vasconcellos, who owns Lisbon’s Goodmorning Solo Traveller Hostel, voted Portugal’s best hostel in 2020.

Persons: Mais Habitação, –, “, hospedagem, ”, Eduardo Miranda, Valerio Berdini, Miguel Santos, ” Santos, AHdP, Richard Cummins, Kash Bhattacharya, ” Bhattacharya, Pedro Nunes, Vasconcellos, I’m, ” Vasconcellos, won’t, Filipa Aguiar, we’ll, Marco Bottigelli, Airbnb, ALEP’s Eduardo Miranda, Miranda, ” “ We’re, ALEP, Miguel Torres Marques, Marina Gonçalves Organizations: CNN, de, Alamy, Portugal, Artists, Reuters, Getty Locations: Portugal, Lisbon, Western Europe, Porto, Spain, Ericeira, ” Lisbon

☆ Rize: Turkey’s hidden mountain hideaways
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Feride Yalav-Heckeroth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Rize province, on the Black Sea coast near Turkey’s northeast border with Georgia, is still largely unknown to many international travelers. Away from Rize itself – the seaside city which lends its name to the province – the area’s valleys and plateaus, surrounded by high-altitude mountain ridges, have remained largely rural. With high rates of rainfall, Rize’s mountain villages (yayla) become a point of escape from summer temperatures. “The state of tourism in Rize is not very pleasant because visitors often arrive without much knowledge about the local culture or the nature. “I think the purpose of coming to Rize shouldn’t be to rush through everything and take a few selfies.

Persons: Orhan Eskiva, café, hamsili, Rize’s, Zeyne, Ahmet Şişman, İbrahim Birben, it’s, Dağ Evi, Trebizond, Emre Corbaci, Taşkın, ”, Elif, Peri, Deniz Demirci Tarakçı, Çinçiva, “, Işık Güner, Feride, Conde Nast Organizations: CNN, Ottomans, Apo, Rize Zua Coffee Locations: Rize, Turkey’s, Georgia, Rize province, Çamlıhemşin, Forestry, Karadeniz, Russia, Senyuva, Çamlıhemşin’s, Mola, Sümela, Trabzon, Zilkale, Armenian, Şenyuva, Istanbul, Pokutsal, Peri, Rize Zua, Yasemin, Barcelona, Fırtına, “, Lake Constance, Kinfolk

But in South Korea, “no-kids zones” have become remarkably popular in recent years. In addition to the world’s lowest birthrate, South Korea has one of the world’s fastest aging populations. A widely circulated crowd-sourced Google Map shows the location of many of South Korea's no-kids zones, as identified by users. A man looks at strollers at a baby fair in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2022. See why South Korea has the world's lowest fertility rate 02:41 - Source: CNNNo kids to kids first?

Persons: it’s, Yong Hye, Bonnie Tilland, Tilland, ”, Lee Yi, “ It’s, Lee Ji, Kim Se, “, choong, ” Tilland, Yong, don’t, ” Yong, Barista Ahn Hee, yul, they’re Organizations: Seoul CNN —, South, Google, Income Party, National Assembly, Facebook, Human Rights, UN, Yonsei University, Leiden University, Hankook Research, CNN Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Jeju, Japan, United States, South, Korea, Netherlands, ‘

☆ Karakorum: Mongolia’s ancient capital is a cultural delight
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Breanna Wilson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Karakorum, Mongolia CNN —Karakorum is known by many names and even more reputations. Where to Stay in KarakorumThe new Silver Tree Guest House offers a variety of sleeping options including traditional yurts. Silver Tree Guest HouseWhile Karakorum is often considered a stop along the route to somewhere else, this culturally rich city deserves closer attention. The hotel is within walking distance to Erdene Zuu Monastery, Karakorum Museum, and the Erdenesiin Khuree Calligraphy Center. While Silver Tree Guest House is still in its opening phases, staying here feels like you’ve been invited into someone’s home.

Saatcioglu, the coordinator of Limak International Hotels & Resorts, is one of many in hospitality expecting to see Turkey's economically vital tourism sector recover from a quake that dragged down bookings and hotel stays. The quake has caused tourists to think twice before booking a trip to Turkey, a major Mediterranean holiday destination. "After months of excellent performance, when the country was leading the travel recovery in Europe (after the COVID pandemic), international tourism to Turkey is clearly taking a nosedive," he told Reuters. Despite strong bookings recently across the travel sector in Europe as a whole, Turkey has not been able to regain momentum. On the back of these auspicious March figures, the Turkish government expects to generate $56 billion in tourism revenues this year.

Many other hospitals were also reported to have come under attack on Monday, the third day of fighting in Sudan. Russia has also been trying to make inroads in Sudan, and members of the Kremlin-affiliated Wagner private military company are posted there. Leaders from around the world called for a cease-fire, but it was not clear who, if anyone, was in control of Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, by area. “Everyone is afraid,” said Ahmed Abuhurira, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer who went out to try to charge his cellphone. “The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and is now catastrophic,” he said.

☆ Turkey investigates building contractors as quake toll rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Eloisa LopezhISTANBUL, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Turkey will widen an investigation into building contractors suspected of violating safety standards following its devastating earthquake, the interior minister said, as the country stepped up housing plans for victims. "Our cities will be built in the right places, our children will live in stronger cities. The number of people killed in Turkey in this month's devastating earthquakes has risen to 43,556, Soylu said overnight. Urbanisation Minister Murat Kurum said 164,000 buildings with more than 530,000 apartments were destroyed or severely damaged by the earthquake. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Feb. 6 damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings and left millions homeless.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Feb. 6 killed more than 47,000 people, damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings in Turkey and Syria and left millions homeless. In Turkey, 865,000 people are living in tents and 23,500 in containers, while 376,000 are in student dormitories and public guesthouses outside the earthquake zone, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday. Six people were killed in the latest earthquake to strike the border region of Turkey and Syria, authorities said on Tuesday. Turkey's internet authority blocked access to a popular online forum, Eksi Sozluk, on Tuesday, two weeks after it briefly blocked access to Twitter, citing the spread of disinformation. Information Technologies and Communications Authority (BTK) website shows the website was blocked late on Tuesday, without citing any explicit reason.

☆ In a land of spas, Hungary's cave bath falls victim to soaring gas prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Krisztina Fenyo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MISKOLCTAPOLCA, Hungary, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Staff turned off the lights and started draining the pools at Hungary's famous Miskolctapolca cave baths on Monday, after the centuries-old attraction succumbed to a modern-day crisis - soaring gas prices. Visitors have been coming to the vast cavern since before Roman times to bathe in its naturally heated waters. In recent years, the venue has relied on gas to top up the temperatures in the pools and the caves, particularly during winter. But then Russia invaded Hungary's neighbour Ukraine, sending shockwaves across the global economy and energy markets. For Miskolctapolca, and other businesses across Europe and beyond, that has filtered through in the form of crippling bills.

☆ My family of 3 moved from Washington, DC to Brussels, Belgium, and our cost of living dropped by half without compromising our lifestyle
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Jessica Van Dop Dejesus | Read More | Read Less | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

HousingIn the US, we lived in Brookland, a quiet residential neighborhood in Northeast Washington, DC, a 15-minute drive to downtown DC and on the metro line. A similar apartment in Washington, DC, costs almost $5,000 monthly. A comparable restaurant in Washington, DC, will cost almost double, especially when you factor in a 20% tip. In Washington, DC, we shared a car, and between car payments, insurance, and gas, we spent $600 a month. How we feel about our moveDo we get homesick for Washington, DC?

☆ The most common crime in UK hotels isn't theft
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Violence against another person" is by far the most common criminal offense reported in U.K. hotels, new data shows. 'Magnets for crime'Brian Moore, operations director at hotel security consultancy Global Secure Accreditation, told CNBC that hotels are "magnets for crime." When asked about the U.K. figures, Moore said, "I think most people would be surprised at the volume of crime since the U.K. is relatively safe. Hotel guests should store valuables in room safes, and exercise caution when using a hotel's Wi-Fi. Hotel guests should also ensure they are connecting to the hotel network and not a similarly named, fake one.

☆ After a month in Morocco, I can tell you the last place you want to stay is in a hotel or Airbnb
▼ + stars: | 2019-02-01 | by ( Harrison Jacobs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Take, for example, Riad Mimouna in the seaside city of Essaouira, where I stayed around New Year's. Like almost all riads — and unlike most hotels and Airbnbs in Morocco — Riad Mimouna was in the heart of the old medina of the city. The sitting room in Riad Mimouna. Harrison Jacobs/Business InsiderAs with most riads, each room of Riad Mimouna was designed differently. The seaview suite in Riad Mimouna.

Persons: —, Cyrus Bozorgmehr, Riad, Riad Mimouna, Harrison Jacobs, Mimouna, Dar Akal Organizations: Service, Fairmont, Marrakech riads, Brit, CNN, Business Locations: Morocco, Moroccan, riads, Marrakech, New York City, Essaouira, New Year's, Airbnbs, medina, Riad Mimouna, seaview, Mimouna, Fez, Dar, Dar Akal

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