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☆ US religious freedom delegation cuts short Saudi Arabia visit after rabbi is asked to remove his kippah
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Celine Alkhaldi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —An American delegation on religious freedom cut short its visit to Saudi Arabia after one of its members was asked to remove his Jewish head covering, or kippah. The delegation from the US Commission on International Freedom (USCIRF) was on an official visit to the UNESCO heritage site of Diriyah, the original home of the Saudi royal family, when Saudi officials asked its chairman Rabbi Abraham Cooper to remove his kippah, the commission said in a statement Monday. It added that the Saudi government had invited the group to tour the site and that the visit had been approved by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CNN has reached out to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi embassy in Washington. “Saudi officials’ request for Chair Cooper to remove his kippah was stunning and painful.

Persons: Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Cooper “, Cooper, ”, Frederick A, Davie, “, ” Davie, ” Cooper Organizations: CNN, An American, US, UNESCO, Saudi, Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Human Rights Commission Locations: Saudi Arabia, Diriyah, Saudi, Washington, Kingdom

☆ ‘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

☆ The eyes have it: The intriguing history of kohl
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Zahra Hankir | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

A Palestinian woman Hadeya Qudaih applying traditional kohl eyeliner to her granddaughter in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip in March 2020. Hadeya Qudaih makes and sells traditional kohl eyeliner for medical and cosmetic purposes (photograph taken in February 2020). A Bedouin man wearing traditional kohl, photographed in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. Kohl is so commonly worn in the area that girls are sometimes named or nicknamed Kahla by their parents or friends, roughly meaning “the girl who appears to have kohl around her eyes.” Kohl is also a feature of many millennia-old myths, rituals, and legends. “Even if she doesn’t (make kohl) anymore, I will for sure continue to do this myself,” Abu Issa said.

Persons: CNN — Kohl, kohl, Hadeya, kohl eyeliner, Khan Younis, Majdi, Tamam Farhan Abu Issa, Deir al Balah, “, Abu Issa, ”, ” Abu Issa, Issa, Qudaih, Hassan Jedi, Prophet Muhammad —, Alessandro Bigazzi, Jack Sparrow, eyeliner, Kohl, ” Kohl, Zarqa, TikTok, “ Blinkaria Kohl, tightlining, Eyeliner, Fatima Shbair, “ Kohl, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Crusaders, UNESCO, United, kohl, Quds Net News, ZUMA Press, UAE General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments Locations: East, North Africa, Egypt, Europe, Lebanon, Gaza, Gaza’s, Deir, United Nations, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestinian, Petra, Raed, Kohl, Eastern, “

Without ever clicking a mouse or touching a screen, Mark selected this command on his computer simply using signals from his brain. “I figured I had two choices: I could wallow in self-pity, or I could pick myself up by the bootstraps and do what I could to help,” Mark said. Synchron’s brain implant, the one Mark has, is called a Stentrode and consists of a stent with electrode sensors that can detect electrical brain activity. That external transmitter sits right above the internal transmitter and carries the signal from Mark’s brain to the computer almost instantaneously. Earlier this month, Musk also said Neuralink’s first human trial participant can control a computer mouse with their brain.

Persons: Sanjay Gupta’s, Erin Burnett OutFront, CNN —, Mark, Lou Gehrig’s, ” Mark, Elon Musk, ”, “, Sanjay Gupta, Synchron, Tom Oxley, hardwired, he’s, Mark didn’t, “ We’d, Maria Nardozzi, ” Oxley, CNN Mark, Musk’s Neuralink, Oxley, António Guterres, ” Elon Musk, Gonzalo Fuentes, Neuralink, Musk, Hope Organizations: CNN, BCI, US Food and Drug Administration, Netflix, US Securities and Exchange Commission, United Nations, Reuters, SpaceX Locations: Neuralink, UNESCO’s, Pennsylvania

☆ My dad died by suicide when I was 18. At 40, the trauma led me to a career in coaching.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Lynda Williams | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Building a career in travel and hospitalityOn return from my travels, I moved to London and pursued my then-dream career in hospitality. Coaching others on their journeysIn 2013, I decided to set up my own PR agency as a foreigner in Singapore. So I got my coaching qualifications, saw a renowned Buddhist Meditation Teacher to learn mindfulness and meditation, and learned other tools to complement my coaching method. If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741.

Persons: —, Lydna Williams, Lynda Williams, Maybourne, I'd, wasn't Organizations: Service, Business, UNESCO Heritage, Group, Aman Resorts, International Association for Suicide Prevention Locations: Asia, Australia, South America, Sydney, London, Washington, Brazil, Singapore

☆ The Endangered Languages of New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Alex Carp | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

Most people think of endangered languages as far-flung or exotic, the opposite of cosmopolitan. All told, there are more endangered languages in and around New York City than have ever existed anywhere else, says Perlin, who has spent 11 years trying to document them. She has published children’s books in Wakhi and other endangered languages of the Pamir mountains in Central Asia. By the start of the pandemic, the city had begun official outreach in nine Indigenous languages and recorded videos in several other endangered languages. We cross-referenced E.L.A.’s New York City language list with three independent databases that track the threat level of languages around the world: Ethnologue, which catalogs all known living languages in the world; UNESCO’s World Atlas of Languages, a survey of all the languages spoken in UNESCO member states; and the Endangered Languages Project, a site to which the public can contribute content, managed by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council and the Endangered Languages Catalogue (ELCat) project at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Persons: Bukhori, Zaza Bartangi, Alex Carp, Ross Perlin, Perlin, Zenaida Cantu, Ikhiil Mardakhayev, Ken Hale, Michael Krauss, Krauss, ” Eleanor Castillo Bullock, Eleanor Castillo Bullock, Gloria Angeles, Gloria Tadii, ’, Daniel Kaufman, Trung, Kaufman, ” Kaufman, Gola, Rasmina Gurung, Safiyatou, E.L.A, ”, “ Ahh, “, —, Ganja Perlin, Ibrahima Traore, Kamel Mrowa, Kante, Husniya Khujamyorova, Pamiri, ” Perlin, Seke, ” Gurung, ” Irwin Sanchez, ” Patricia Tarrant, Patricia Tarrant, Thelma Carrillo, Carrillo, Uttam Singha, Singha, Jean James, Jean, Gurung, doesn’t, Ibrahima Traore's, Coleman Donaldson Organizations: Lenape, Scottish, U.S, Arts Medicine Agriculture Education International, Rebeldía, Language Alliance, Perlin, Rockefeller Center, American Indian Community House, city’s Health Department, Manipuri, New York City, Endangered Language Alliance, of, UNESCO, First, Cultural, University of Hawaii Locations: Syrian, Pangasinan, Nauaran, Kurdish Moroccan, Zaza Bartangi Puerto, Taíno, New York City, New York, Nepal, Brooklyn, Bangladesh, India, Queens, Central Mexico, Mexico, Israel, Hope, Belize, Kukaa, Oaxaca, Manhattan, E.L.A, QUEENS, Pangasinan Kham, Woodside, Elmhurst, Jackson, Tshugsang, Kathmandu, Brooklyn , New York, America, Roosevelt, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Language, ”, Australian, — Culiacán, Mexico City , New York, Los Angeles, Ganja, Harlem, Bronx, Montclair , N.J, “, Bouaké, Lebanon, Midwood , Brooklyn, Wakhi, Central Asia, Pamir, Tibet, city’s, New, Latin America, United States, Jamaica Estates, Staten, Lummi, Manoa

☆ 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

☆ UNESCO Says $9 Billion Needed to Revive Ukraine Tourism
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS (Reuters) - Ukraine will need $9 billion over 10 years for its tourism sector to recover, the United Nations' cultural agency said on Tuesday, adding that the two-year war had so far cost the country over $19.6 billion in tourism revenue. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 triggered the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two, with no sign of an end to the war in sight. In an assessment ahead of the war's two year anniversary, the UNESCO estimated the cost of damage to cultural property at about $3.5 billion, up 40% from 2023. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesIt said 340 buildings had been damaged, including museums, monuments, libraries and religious sites. Photos You Should See View All 22 Images"International solidarity will be essential to meeting these needs," the report said.

Persons: Krista Pikkat, Elizabeth Pineau, John Irish, Ros Russell Organizations: PARIS, United Nations, UNESCO Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Kyiv

☆ Italy donates 3D-printed replica of statue destroyed by ISIS to Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( James Imam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Italy has donated a reconstructed Assyrian statue to Iraq in a gesture former culture minister Francesco Rutelli described as a “miracle” of Italian cultural diplomacy. Constructed in the ninth century BC, the 5-meter-tall (16-foot) “Bull of Nimrud” was destroyed by ISIS fighters in 2015, before Italian artisans made a copy of the monument using 3D-printing technology. The replica, which was previously displayed at the Colosseum in Rome and the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, has now been permanently relocated outside the entrance to the Basrah Museum in the Iraqi city of Basra. "The Bull of Nimrud," a full-sized reconstruction of the bull figure from the ancient Assyrian city Nimrud, on display in the "Reborn from Destruction" exhibition at the Colosseum in October 2016. The “Bull of Nimrud,” which stood at the site and is a symbol of the Assyrian civilization, was among the destroyed monuments.

Persons: Francesco Rutelli, Nimrud, ” Gennaro Sangiuliano, ” Rutelli, Civiltà, meanwhile, Klaus Blume, Nicola Salvioli, ”, Shalmaneser III, Ashurnasirpal, Abdul Latif Rashid Organizations: The Art, CNN, CNN —, ISIS, UNESCO, Basrah Museum, Associazione, Facebook, of Bel Locations: CNN — Italy, Iraq, Rome, Paris, Iraqi, Basra, “ Italy, Nimrud, Mosul, Ashurnasirpal, Palmyra, Ebla, Italy

☆ A photographer’s fantastical portrait of rural China during Lunar New Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —In photographer Zhang Xiao’s images of the Shehuo festival, an ancient celebration still observed in parts of northern China during the Lunar New Year, rural life comes alive with something altogether more fantastical. (Lunar New Year celebrations usually last more than two weeks, with Shehuo festival taking place on the season’s 15th and final day.) “In some villages, virtually the entire population has been mobilized to produce and sell Shehuo props,” the photographer writes in his book. Shehuo performers reenact a battle between China's Eighth Route Army and Japanese forces from the Second Sino-Japanese War. “People are not focused on how to improve product quality and craftsmanship,” said the photographer, who is currently working on a documentary about life in rural China.

Persons: Zhang Xiao’s, ” Zhang, “, …, ”, Zhang Xiao, —, Zhang, Zhang Xiao “, — Zhang, reenact Organizations: CNN, roosters, dreamworld, UNESCO, Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Eighth Route Army, Aperture, Peabody Museum Press, Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Ethnology Locations: China, Huanghuayu, Shaanxi, Henan, Huozhuang, Henan province, China’s Shandong, Chengdu, Cambridge , Massachusetts

“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

☆ Italy to Help Repair Roof of Ukraine's Odesa Cathedral
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

ROME (Reuters) - Italy will help with the rebuilding of a cathedral in the Ukrainian city of Odesa that was badly damaged by a missile strike last year, the Italian foreign ministry said on Thursday. Italy and UNESCO signed an agreement in Kyiv to provide 500 million euros ($539 million) towards the restoration of the roof of Odesa's Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi Cathedral, or Transfiguration Cathedral. "Italy is very committed, through its institutions and its industrial capacity, to the reconstruction of Ukraine," ambassador Pier Francesco Zazo said, noting Italy's expertise in the restoration of places of worship and monuments. Ukraine said the Orthodox cathedral was damaged when it was hit during a Russian missile attack on the southern port of Odesa last July. The Italian involvement follows through on a commitment made in the immediate aftermath of the attack by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to provide help with rebuilding.

Persons: Francesco Zazo, Giorgia Meloni, Keith Weir, William Maclean Organizations: UNESCO Locations: ROME, Italy, Ukrainian, Odesa, Kyiv, Preobrazhenskyi, Ukraine, Russian, Russia

☆ U.N. Expert Tells Philippines to Act on Media Killings, Abolish Anti-Communist Task Force
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Irene Khan, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion, spent almost two weeks in the Philippines to assess the state of free speech and media rights. "The Philippines remains a dangerous country for journalists," Khan said, adding "much more needs to be done to attack impunity". A U.N. special rapporteur who visited Manila last year had a similar recommendation. The task force has been accused of "red-tagging", the practice of accusing government critics of being rebel sympathisers as a pre-text to silence, arrest or even kill them. The task force will "transition to a different body", given the weakening communist insurgency, Malaya said.

Persons: Irene Khan, Khan, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Jonathan Malaya, Mikhail Flores, Timothy Heritage Organizations: United, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, UNESCO, World Press Locations: MANILA, United Nations, Philippines, Manila, Malaya

☆ 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

☆ Venice is installing speed cameras on its canals after a series of deadly accidents
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Venice is deploying aquatic speed cameras to enforce speed limits on its iconic canals. AdvertisementVenice will use speed cameras along its iconic waterways, with fines given to boats that violate speeding rules, following the approval of an amendment by the city's transportation committee. According to Venice Insider Guide, the amendment permits using "barcaveloxes" to monitor the speed of boats and gondolas navigating the canals. Barcaveloxes are speed cameras adapted to aquatic environments that can detect when boats are going too fast. However, the speed cameras, some of which had already been installed, could not be fully activated due to a lack of regulatory infrastructure.

Persons: —, Martina Semenzato, MailOnline Organizations: Service, Venice, The Telegraph, UNESCO Locations: Venice, Belgian

☆ 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

☆ What Is Going on at Machu Picchu?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Mitra Taj | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hundreds of tourists were stranded near Machu Picchu, Peru’s most-visited site, over the weekend after demonstrators blocked railway and bus routes to the site and shut down local shops and restaurants in Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu, in the country’s Cuzco region. The protesters had taken to the streets on Thursday to demand the government rescind a contract that allows a company to sell tickets to Machu Picchu for the first time. Tickets had previously been sold through the office of culture in Cuzco, which is controlled by the regional government. While Machu Picchu is officially open, train service to Aguas Calientes and buses that take tourists to the citadel remain suspended. Machu Picchu, believed to be a 15th-century getaway for Incan royalty, received some 2.2 million visitors last year, below prepandemic levels of 4.6 million.

Organizations: Protesters, U.S . Embassy, UNESCO Locations: Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, Cuzco, U.S, Peru

☆ 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

☆ The best things to experience in Saudi Arabia according to the people who know it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Selina Julien | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Closed to tourists until recently, Saudi Arabia is still an unknown quantity for many would-be travelers. Omran is also hopeful visitors will explore destinations across Saudi Arabia. Saudi Tourism Authority“You can’t talk about islands in Saudi Arabia without talking about a new tourist favorite, but a treasured local one, Al Nawras Island,” Saudi professional boxer Ziyad Almaayouf tells CNN. “What I love most about Al Nawras Island, isn’t the island itself, but the waters surrounding it,” he adds. The resort on the Red Sea coast is often promoted as “the Maldives of Saudi Arabia,” offering water sports and cultural experiences.

Persons: Lojain Omran, Omran, ”, Al Balad, Mai Eldib, Hajj, ” Eldib, Jeddah’s, “ It’s, ” Al, Ziyad Almaayouf, ” Ziyad, Ziyad, “, Mishaal Ashemimry, Mishaal, Tamtam, Reem Altamimi, Al Zal, Ba’a, Hatem Alakeel, Authenticite, “ Diriyah, Umluj, ” Tasneem Organizations: CNN, Netflix’s, Saudi Tourism Authority, MISHAAL Aerospace, Abaca, Saudi Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Netflix’s UAE, Al Balad, Al, Jeddah, Mai, ” Al Nawras, Nawras, Al Nawras, California, “, Unaizah, Riyadh, ”, Souk Al Zal Souk Al Zal, USA Riyadh, Al Zal, Riyadh’s Al Dirah, Los Angeles, Maldives

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

☆ Ethiopians Celebrate 'Timket' Festival That Marks Jesus' Baptism
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Dawit EndeshawADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox followers gathered in the capital Addis Ababa on Friday and Saturday to celebrate Epiphany, also called Timket, a religious festival commemorating Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River. Although the religious festival was celebrated across the country, in some areas it was disrupted by conflict in the Amhara region. Gondar, Amhara region's second-biggest city, usually attracts many people during the Timket festival. But a few days prior to the festival clashes broke out between government forces and Fano, a local militia. "Many who planned to attend Timket in Gondar have already cancelled their plan," a resident of Gondar told Reuters.

Persons: Jesus, Jan Meda, Abune Mathias, Ethiopia's, Fano, Elias Biryabarema, Angus MacSwan Organizations: ADDIS ABABA, Reuters, UNESCO, Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Locations: ADDIS, Addis Ababa, Jordan, Ethiopian, Ethiopia's, Tigray, Amhara, Gondar, Fano

☆ 9 new around-the-world cruises have joined Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise at sea. See what they're like — from a sold-out 6-month luxury cruise to a cheaper $21,100 option.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Regent Seven Seas Seas Cruises — NCLH's $73,500 ultra-luxury 4 ½-month cruiseThe Seven Seas Mariner in Kotor, Montenegro. AzamaraAzamara's sold-out 2024 world cruise departed on January 5 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Silversea's fares started at $66,000 per person for the least expensive vista suite, cheaper than Regent Seven Seas' cruise of the same length. AdvertisementPrincess Cruises — Carnival Corp's almost four-month $21,100 vacationPrincess Cruises says its 2024 world cruise guests will have an overnight in Dubai and the opportunity to see 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Holland America Line — the four-month roundtrip Florida cruiseThe Zuiderdam's world cruise itinerary includes overnights in places like Tokyo and Aqaba, Jordan.

Persons: —, TikTok, Royal, it's, Fares, Azamara, Taj, Azamara Azamara's, Leo Caldas, Cunard, Queen Mary 2, Queen Mary, Queen Victoria, Mary 2, Southhampton, Jennifer Gauthier, would've Organizations: Service, Royal, Business, Oceania Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Regent Seven Seas, Seas, Regent Seven, Seven Seas Mariner, Cruises —, Getty, San, Cruises, UNESCO, Heritage, Princess, Carnival Corp, Seabourn, Fares, Corp's, Cunard, Holland America Line, Reuters, Holland, Holland America Locations: New York City, Sydney, Australia, Los Angeles, Norwegian, Hawaii, Islands, New Zealand, Asia, East, Europe, Canada, Yangon, Myanmar, Reykjavik, Iceland, Kotor, Montenegro, Miami, Central America, Islands , New Zealand, Bermuda, Oceania, Giza, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Central, South America, Barcelona, Caribbean, AFP, San Francisco, Southeast, East Asia, Alaska, Dubai, Africa, Piraeus, Greece, Athens, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Jordan, Cairns, Honolulu, Queen, York City, Aruba, North America, Holland, Florida, Tokyo, Aqaba, Holland America

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