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☆ 'Mad' tree cull raises hackles in Canary Island town
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( John Stonestreet | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Opponents of the scheme on the Canary Island of La Gomera call it an atrocity and will demonstrate against it on Saturday. Their petition to halt the cull of flame trees, whose bright red flowers make them a magnet for tourists, has drawn more than 1,200 signatures. "We are all battling climate change, and trying to create a green San Sebastian. Laura Concepcion, biologist at the World Biosphere Reserve on neighbouring La Palma, said flame trees could not be deemed an aggressive species. Rodriguez admitted the San Sebastian flame trees' roots were interfering with pipes and distorting stones in some places.

Persons: Aguilar, Elizabeth Scullion, Angelica Padilla, del Carmen Rodriguez, Gomera, Javier Sanchez, Laura Concepcion, Rodriguez, John Stonestreet, Corina Rodriguez, William Maclean Organizations: Avenida, REUTERS, Canarian, Socialist Party, PSOE, Reuters, UNESCO, La, Thomson Locations: Spanish, La Gomera, Spain, Handout, SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, San Sebastian, La Palma

☆ San’in: Japan’s least-populated region is home to some of its finest treasures
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Claire Hannum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Matsue, Japan CNN —San’in isn’t the Japan most travelers picture on their first visit to the country. Japan’s famous high-speed rail system does not pass through San’in, which leaves it off many travelers’ radars altogether. The San’in region consists of Japan’s two least populous prefectures, Shimane and Tottori, which sit between the Sea of Japan and the northern side of the country’s Chukogu mountains. “The Kojiki,” an important eighth-century Shinto text, depicts the San’in region as an annual gathering place for the gods. The region is also the backdrop to Japan’s only desert, a 10-mile cluster of rolling sand beside the Sea of Japan known as the Tottori Dunes.

Persons: Japan CNN — San’in, Mount Daisen, Daisen, Masako Ishida, San’in, Mitoku, it’s, “ It’s, ”, Baye Cooper, ” Cooper, “ Organizations: Japan CNN, UNESCO, Getty, Adachi Museum of Art, Journal, Alamy, Hong Kong Airlines, Air Seoul, San’in Tourism Organization Locations: Matsue, Japan, Honshu, Japan’s, San’in, Shimane, Tottori, Nara, Hyogo, Inasa, amana, Inasa Beach, Uradome, Mount, Chugoku, Kaike Onsen, Tokyo, Kyoto, Yamaguchi prefecture, One, Osaka, Shimane prefecture, Okayama, Hiroshima, Izumo, Hong Kong, Hong, Seoul, Air

☆ Fossil discovery may be one of the oldest, smallest aquatic whales found in Africa, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jenna Schnuer Cnn | Jenna Schnuer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The find is also the oldest fully aquatic whale found in Africa, according to a new study. Tutcetus rayanensis is a member of the extinct family of early whales known as basilosauridae — the first widespread group to become fully aquatic. The discovery of the whale fossil led to the establishment of a new genus within the basilosauridae family. The area is one of the world’s “most productive fossil whale sites,” according to the study. Tutcetus rayanensis is the second whale species, following Phiomicetus anubis, to be discovered, described, and named by Egyptian paleontologists,” Antar said via email.

Persons: Pharaoh Tutankhamen, rayanensis, ”, Mohammed S, Antar, ” Antar, paleobiologist Nicholas Pyenson, wasn’t, Abdullah Gohar, Mohamed Sameh, Hesham, Whales, Erik R, Seiffert, Carlos Mauricio Peredo, Hesham Sallam Organizations: CNN, Communications, Vertebrate Paleontology, Smithsonian National Museum of, Egypt's, University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, Miami University in, American University Locations: Egypt, Africa, Washington , DC, Mansoura, Wadi, Miami University in Oxford , Ohio, Cairo

☆ The Leaning Tower of Pisa was once tilting dangerously. Today it’s a different story
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Pisa, Italy CNN —The Tower of Pisa was once feared on the brink of collapse as the lean that made it such a popular landmark threatened its very existence. Trouble from the startExperts say the future of the tower is secure following remedial work to keep it standing. Earth was extracted from beneath the foundations of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to help reduce its tilt. Thanks to an agreement between Italy’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage and OPA, experts integrate satellite monitoring with data collected at ground level. The progress of these terrestrial and satellite monitoring activities will be presented next year, as part of the series of events scheduled to celebrate the tower’s 850th anniversary.

Persons: ” Andrea Maestrelli, Berta, Pisa Giovanni Paolo Benotto, Ignacio Palacios, Giulio Andreini, ”, Roberto Cela Organizations: Italy CNN, “, Opera, UNESCO, Getty, Italy’s Ministry, Cultural Locations: Pisa, Italy

Kyiv last week replaced the Soviet hammer and sickle symbol with a trident – the Ukrainian coat of arms – on the shield of the Motherland Monument, which dominates the capital’s skyline. Its construction began in 1979, and it depicted a woman holding a sword and a shield emblazoned with the Soviet hammer and sickle symbol. Workers remove the Soviet-era emblem from the motherland monument in Kyiv on August 1, 2023. And they don’t know how.”Putin’s desire to undermine Ukrainian national identity and autonomy has remained a key motivation for the conflict. Kudrya, meanwhile, was a Soviet spy and a leader of a sabotage group in Kyiv during World War II.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Valentyn Ogirenko, Pilipey, ” “, ’, Maria Zakharova, Putin, Andrei Ivanov, Andriy Ivanov, Ivan Kudrya, John McCain, Andreyi, “, McCain, Kudrya, ” “ McCain, Ukraine …, Pobigay Organizations: CNN, Getty, Russian Foreign, Kremlin, UNESCO, ” Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Soviet, Ukrainian, Kyiv's, AFP, Kiev, Russian Kiev, Moscow, Latvian, Pavlenko, Russia

☆ Archaeologists are too scared to open the tomb of China's first emperor because they fear booby traps
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Archaeologists worry that the tomb of China's first emperor contains deadly booby traps. An ancient Chinese historian wrote that the tomb is filled with mercury and crossbows ready to fire. A 2020 study found that mercury concentrations around the tomb are higher than to be expected. Ancient Chinese historian Sima Qian wrote an account around 100 years after the emperor's death about possible booby traps inside the tomb. The terracotta army and Qin Shi Huang's tomb complex are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and remain some of the most significant archaeological discoveries in history.

Persons: China's, Qin Shi Huang, Sima Qian, Craftsmen, Qin Shi Organizations: Service, UNESCO, Heritage Locations: Wall, Silicon, Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

CNN —Greece has announced that it will limit the number of daily visitors to the Acropolis in order to guarantee the safety and longevity of the ancient monument. From September, the UNESCO World Heritage site in Athens will admit no more than 20,000 visitors a day, according to the country’s culture minister, Lina Mendoni. “That creates unpleasant conditions for the site, the visitors and the staff who are trying to accommodate this high volume of people,” she added. Mendoni said that the measure will allow the government to protect the monument and enhance the overall experience for visitors. From April 1, the new system will also apply to other archaeological sites that operate with electronic tickets, accounting for 90-95% of visitors to Greek sites.

Persons: Lina Mendoni, Mendoni, ” Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, government’s Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources, “, ERT Locations: Greece, Athens

☆ Great Barrier Reef stays off UNESCO ‘in danger’ list but hot El Niño summer looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“A lot of climate scientists are shocked by the fact that it wasn’t put on the list,” Kimberley Reid from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes and Monash University told CNN. Covering nearly 133,000 square miles (345,000 square kilometers), the Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 411 species of hard corals. Environment minister Tanya Plibersek told reporters Tuesday she made no apology for lobbying UNESCO to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the “in danger” list. Bleaching events and global warming have done significant damage to the Great Barrier Reef. Tourists, divers and marine biologists enter and exit the waters of the Great Barrier Reef on August 10, 2022 on Hastings Reef, Australia.

Persons: El, wasn’t, Kimberley Reid, I’m, ”, Reid, Tanya Plibersek, Michael Robinson Chavez, ” Plibersek, that’s, Terry Hughes, El Niño, ” Hughes, David Booth, government’s, “ Will, Booth, Jodie Rummer, “ That’s Organizations: Australia CNN —, UNESCO World Heritage, ARC Centre, Excellence, Extremes, Monash University, CNN, “, Heritage, UNESCO, Labor, Washington Post, Coral Reef, James Cook University, Australian, of Meteorology, Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, World Meteorological Organization, UTS, Reef Society, Federal Government Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Paris, Hastings Reef

☆ A father-son duo built 2 vacation homes on a remote Australian island that rent for $6,200 a night — and Chris Hemsworth was their first guest
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Michael and Timmy Maxwell run Island House on Lord Howe Island, Australia. "Even before I got to the shore, I was completely in love with the island," Maxwell told Insider. Courtesy of Island HouseThe Maxwells completed the South House and the North House and opened them as Island House in October 2020. "As Chris Hemsworth is famously a pretty large guy, when he saw Island House, he said, 'OK, this is my kind of place.'" Timmy Maxwell's partner, Cecile, also runs an Instagram account to market Island House, which is open from September to May each year.

Persons: Michael, Timmy Maxwell, Chris Hemsworth, Michael Maxwell, Lord, he'd, Maxwell, Howe, Timmy, Lord Howe, you've, they'd, Michael Maxwell liaised, Ken, Timmy Maxwell's, Cecile, who'd Organizations: Service, UNESCO —, Tourism Australia, North, House Locations: Howe, Australia, Wall, Silicon, Lord Howe, Sydney, North, Denmark, Hemsworth

☆ Venice Faces an Unwelcome Honor: Joining the Endangered Places List
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Emma Bubola | More About Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To protect its fragile ecosystem and stunning architecture, Venice has taken bold steps. In recent years, it has banned cruise ships from its lagoon and built sea walls to keep out high tides. Still, the city remains under serious threat, United Nations experts warned this week. The United Nations’ culture agency, UNESCO, proposed in a document released on Monday to include Venice and its lagoon on its World Heritage in Danger list. “Venice has been a more fragile city than the others,” he said.

Persons: Renato Brunetta, ” Organizations: United, United Nations, UNESCO Locations: Venice, United Nations, Italy

☆ UNESCO recommends adding Venice to list of world heritage sites in danger
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Gondoliers row their gondolas through the Venice Canal as the city prepares for the Redentore Festival celebrations in Venice, Italy, July 15, 2023. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri/File PhotoJuly 31 (Reuters) - UNESCO experts have recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger as Italy is not doing enough to protect the city from the impact of climate change and mass tourism. UNESCO World Heritage Centre experts regularly review the state of the UN cultural agency's 1,157 World Heritage sites, and at a meeting in Riyadh in September, a committee of 21 UNESCO member states will review more than 200 sites and decide which to add to the danger list. Other sites recommended to be put on the danger list this year are the cities of Kyiv and Lviv in Ukraine. A spokesperson for the Venice municipality told Reuters the city "will carefully read the proposed decision published today by the Center for UNESCO's World Heritage Committee and will discuss it with the government".

Persons: Manuel Silvestri, Geert De Clercq, Augustin Turpin, Federica Urso, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, UNESCO, Heritage Centre, UN, Reuters, Center, World Heritage, Thomson Locations: Venice, Italy, Danger, Riyadh, Odessa, Ukraine, Timbuktu, Mali, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Kyiv, Lviv, Paris, Rome

Multiple sea drone attack carried out on Russian assets in Crimea and the Black Sea have grabbed recent headlines, with dramatic videos posted online. These sea drones are targeting the Russians in the Black Sea. “The speed of these drones exceeds any sea craft in the Black Sea region at the moment.”The speed and difficulties in detection may go some way to explaining how the drones that attacked the bridge traveled undetected in the dark across the Black Sea to the bridge. Especially since the Admiral Makarov was newly installed as the Black Sea flagship after the Moskva was famously sunk by Ukrainian forces in April 2022. Russia claimed it was responding to an area it says was housing sea drones.

Persons: Makarov, Putin, ”, menacingly, Admiral Makarov, “ Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Boston Whaler, CNN, “, UNESCO, Heritage Locations: Ukraine, Boston, Crimean, Russia, Crimea, Kerch, Crimea’s Sevastopol, Sevastopol, Moskva, Russian

☆ Fire on car carrier ablaze off Dutch coast now less intense
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, July 28 (Reuters) - The fire which has been burning on a car carrier off the Dutch coast has lessened in intensity and salvagers have been able to board the ship to secure stronger tow lines, authorities said on Friday. Smoke rises as a fire broke out on the cargo ship Fremantle Highway, at sea on July 26, 2023. The Dutch coastguard said on its website on Thursday that the cause of the fire was unknown, but an emergency responder is heard in a recording released by Dutch broadcaster RTL saying, "The fire started in the battery of an electric car". An investigation has been launched by the Panama Maritime Authority and the Netherlands is assisting the inquiry, the Dutch Safety Board has said. The 199-metre (653-ft) Fremantle is drifting about 17 km from the northernmost Dutch coast, the coastguard said.

Persons: Miranda Murry, Daniel Leussink, Geert De Clercq, Marine Strauss, Anthony Deutsch, Tassilo Hummel, Philippa Fletcher, Leslie Adler Organizations: Panamanian, Fremantle Highway, Fremantle, Ship, Coastguard, REUTERS, K Line, Kawasaki, Dutch coastguard, RTL, Panama Maritime Authority, Dutch Safety, coastguard, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Coastguard Netherlands, Dutch, Netherlands, Fremantle, Germany, Egypt, Wadden, Denmark

☆ Carrier ablaze off Dutch coast carrying almost 500 electric cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, July 28 (Reuters) - The car carrier burning off the Dutch coast since Tuesday night is carrying nearly 500 electric vehicles, ship charter company "K" Line said on Friday, significantly more than the 25 initially reported by the coastguard. There were 3,783 vehicles on board, including 498 battery electric vehicles, a Tokyo-based spokesperson for K Line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha), which had chartered the vessel, said. He declined to say anything about the car brands, including whether or not it included any cars from Japanese manufacturers. An investigation has been launched by the Panama Maritime Authority and the Netherlands is assisting the inquiry, the Dutch Safety Board has said. The 199-metre (653 ft) Fremantle, which is still burning, is drifting about 17 km from the northernmost Dutch coast, the coastguard said.

Persons: Miranda Murry, Daniel Leussink, Marine Strauss, Anthony Deutsch, Tassilo Hummel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: coastguard, Panamanian, Fremantle Highway, K Line, Kawasaki, RTL, Panama Maritime Authority, Dutch Safety, Fremantle, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Tokyo, Dutch, Netherlands, Germany, Egypt, Wadden, Denmark

☆ ‘The heat is relentless’: Scorching temperatures bring misery to daily life in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Vivi Vitalone | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Cristina Quicler | Afp | Getty ImagesSEVILLE, Spain — The day-to-day reality of scorching summer heat in Spain is taking its toll. The mercury in the southern Spanish city of Seville hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on July 20, shortly before national elections failed to produce a clear winner. "During the day I work here where I have air conditioning but the walk home is ... agony," Sánchez told CNBC. Tacho Rufino, economist at the University of Seville, told CNBC that when classes are not in session, he lives in Cádiz in the southwest. Olive oil prices soared further into record-breaking territory this month and analysts have told CNBC that high prices could be here "for some time to come."

Persons: Cristina Quicler, Carlo Núñez, Sevillian, chatted, Maria Sánchez, Sánchez, Tacho Rufino, Rufino, Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Núñez Feijóo Organizations: Afp, Getty, CNBC, del Triunfo, University of Seville, People's Party, United Nations, PP, European Commission, La, Europa Press, Greenpeace, Observatory Locations: Sevilla, Spanish, Andalusia, SEVILLE, Spain, Europe, Greece, Italy, Albania, Seville, del, Cádiz, Cadiz, Puntagorda, La Palma, Canary Islands

☆ 'Unusual' numbers of a massive Russian missile built to sink aircraft carriers are hammering a port city in southern Ukraine, intelligence says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia is launching "unusual" numbers of carrier killer missiles, among others, at urban areas in southern Ukraine. The Kh-22 missile is inaccurate when used this way and exceptionally dangerous. The Tupelov Tu-22M supersonic bomber can carry up to three Kh-22 missiles, an anti-ship weapon that Russia has been using against Ukraine's urban areas. An aerial view of the damaged building after Russian missile attacks in Odessa, Ukraine on July 25, 2023. In an aerial view, the Transfiguration Cathedral heavily damaged by Russian missile on July 23, 2023 in Odesa, Ukraine.

Persons: Ercin, Zelenskyy, Yan Dobronosov, Viacheslav Onyshchenko, Yuriy Ihnat Organizations: Service, NATO, AS, Russian Defence Ministry, UNESCO, Heritage, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Russian, Workers, Command, Onyx, The New York Times, Intelligence Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Odesa, Wall, Silicon, Odessa, Odessa ., Russian, Dnipro, Ukrainian, Kremenchuk

☆ A storied cathedral protected by the UN in Ukraine's key port city of Odesa has now been bombed twice — once by Putin and once by Stalin
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian missile strike clobbered a Ukrainian cathedral in Odesa, killing one and injuring 19. The strike in the port city of Odesa early Sunday morning left one dead and injured 19 others. Photos from Reuters showed the devastation in the Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi Cathedral — also known as the Transfiguration Cathedral — which is Odesa's largest church building. An interior view shows the Transfiguration Cathedral damaged during a Russian missile strike on Odesa, Ukraine. The destruction of the key port city is a tactic, according to Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Ukrainian MP from Odesa.

Persons: Joseph Stalin, Oleh Kiper, —, Nina Liashonok, Andriy Palchuk, Palchuk, Oleksiy, Odesa, Honcharenko, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy Organizations: Russian, UNESCO, Service, Ukrainian, Reuters, Guardian, Twitter, Odesa Locations: Ukrainian, Odesa, Soviet, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Preobrazhenskyi, Ukraine

CNN —Russian missiles badly damaged dozens of Ukrainian architectural landmarks, including a historic Orthodox cathedral in the southern port city of Odesa, sparking outrage and prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to vow retaliation. “Russians deliberately aimed their missiles at the historic city center of Odesa, which is under the UNESCO protection. Some of the other cultural sites damaged include the House of Scientists and Zhvanetskyi Boulevard, Odesa’s Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said Sunday. Jae C. Hong/APThe cathedral lies in Odesa’s city center, which UNESCO named a World Heritage Site amid the threat of Russia’s invasion. “Missiles against peaceful cities, against residential buildings, a cathedral … There can be no excuse for Russian evil,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Odesa –, Oleh Kiper, Hennadii Trukhanov, Jae C, Catherine the Great, Oleksandr Tkachenko, Maia Sandu, Russia’s, Oleksandr Gimanov, ”, Julia Gorodetska, I’ve, Odesa, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Serhii Smolientsev, Reuters “, Josep Borrell, Oleh Syniehubov, ” Syniehubov Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Scientists, Zhvanetskyi, Ukrainian, Heritage, Getty, Command, Russian Ministry of Defense, “, Odesa, Reuters, Telegram . Civilian Locations: Russian, Odesa, Odesa’s, Soviet, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, AFP, Ukrainian, Kharkhiv, Dvorichna, Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, Kupyansk

☆ Wildfires in Greece: what you need to know about the island of Rhodes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ATHENS, July 23 (Reuters) - Following are some facts about the Greek island of Rhodes, facing wildfires that caused thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate this weekend. With a population of about 125,000 people, Rhodes is the ninth largest island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Lying to the southeast of the Greek mainland, it is one of the country's most popular islands for tourists, known for its sun-drenched beaches and historic sites. The old medieval town of Rhodes is home to a citadel, one of the finest examples of Gothic defensive architecture, and a well-preserved castle, the Palace of the Grand Master. In the southeast of the island, the small fishing village of Lindos attracts tourists with its hilltop medieval fortress and ancient acropolis.

Persons: Rhodes, Saint John, Angeliki, Frances Kerry Organizations: Knights, Crusaders, UNESCO, Thomson Locations: ATHENS, Rhodes, Lindos

"Tourism has been on the slow burner for decades in the Darien," said longtime Panamanian tour guide Rick Morales. Tourists and migrants rarely meet face to face; the routes are almost always separated by dozens of miles. Reuters GraphicsTrip advertising does not mention the humanitarian crisis. At the same time, it acknowledged a "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" in a separate part of the Darien due to migration. Travel Darien Panama is an Indigenous-owned tour operator that says on its website it aims to help fund schools and improve living conditions in their village.

Persons: Franca Ramirez, Ramirez, Rick Morales, Marco Wanske, Kisbel Garcia, Alejandra Peña, Luis Eguiluz, Lorri Krebs, Mark Fischer, Morales, Carmelita Cansari, Nina Van Maris, Van Maris, Daina Beth Solomon, Laura Gottesdiener, Elida Moreno, Stephen Eisenhammer, Claudia Parsons Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Pan, Organization for Migration, Reuters, Tourists, Reuters Graphics, Adventure Travel Trade Association . Social, REUTERS, UNESCO, Salem State University, Tourism Ministry, U.S ., U.S, U.S . State Department, Big, Maria, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Panamanian, Venezuela, Darien, Panama, Americas, United States, Mexico, Alaska, Argentina, Afghanistan, Africa, U.S, selfies, Ecuador, Haiti, Acandi, Colombia, Central America, Salem , Massachusetts, Greece, Texas, Travel Darien Panama, Luxembourg, Mexico City, Monterrey, Panama City, Maria Laguna

CNN —Ancient Buddhist murals and statues in caves along China’s Silk Road are under “direct threat” from extreme rainfall brought by climate change, researchers have found. Zhangye Cultural Heritage Administration/GreenpeaceThe report comes as China is conducting its fourth nationwide cultural heritage survey to log the state of the country’s historical artifacts. “The sites we looked at include some of the most well-funded, best-staffed cultural heritage sites in China. Li said Chinese officials and academics are increasingly aware of the threats of the climate crisis on the country’s cultural heritage sites. Unlike Dunhuang, many historical sites lack long-term monitoring data to research the impacts of climate change, Li said.

Persons: ”, Li Zhao, Li, we’re, they’re, ” Li, Tianlongshan grottoes Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Heritage, Greenpeace, Greenpeace East Asia’s, Spikes, Heritage Administration, Dunhuang Academy Locations: Gansu, Greenpeace East, Greenpeace East Asia’s Beijing, Jinta, China, Shanxi, Jinci, Dunhuang

CNN —Devastating floods causing havoc across northern India have reached the iconic Taj Mahal in a rare event that experts warn could become a regular occurrence as the climate crisis brings ever more extreme weather. While floods occur regularly in the area during India’s monsoon season from June to September, experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. India, the world’s most populous nation, is one of the countries worst affected by the climate crisis, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – potentially affecting 1.4 billion people nationwide. Ancient Buddhist cave murals and statues along China’s Silk Road, dating back to the 4th century, are under “direct threat” from extreme rainfall brought by climate change, researchers found. And in South Korea, heavy rain has damaged dozens of cultural heritage sites, the country’s Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said Tuesday.

Persons: Taj, Taj Mahal, Peter Kalmus, Mahal Organizations: CNN, Survey, India, NASA, Heritage Administration Locations: India, floodwater, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Asia, South Korea

☆ At Peru temple site, archaeologists explore 3,000-year-old 'condor's passageway'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Carlos Valdez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANCASH, Peru, July 12 (Reuters) - Archaeologists working in Peru have uncovered a 3,000-year-old sealed corridor dubbed "the condor's passageway" that likely leads to other chambers inside what was once a massive temple complex pertaining to the ancient Chavin culture. Located around 190 miles (306 km) northeast of Lima, the Chavin de Huantar archeological site is among the culture's most important centers, thriving from around 1,500-550 B.C. The temple complex features terraces as well as a network of passageways, which have only recently been discovered. Rick, a Stanford University archeologist, has said much of the temple complex remains to be excavated. The United Nations' educational, scientific and cultural arm UNESCO declared Chavin de Huantar a world heritage site in 1985.

Persons: John Rick, Rick, Chavin, Carlos Valdez, Marion Giraldo, David Alire Garcia, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, Stanford University, Rick's, United Nations, UNESCO, Thomson Locations: ANCASH, Peru, Lima, Peruvian

☆ Archaeologists are stunned by the discovery of 25 'incredibly significant' prehistoric pits dug in straight lines containing ancient animal bones
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Archaeologists recently found straight lines of 25 pits dating to around 8,000 years ago. The Mesolithic pits contain animal bones, including those of an extinct species of cattle. The pits are arranged in straight lines, and a few contain animal bones with marks suggesting people ate them. The arrangement of the pits appears intentional, dug in several straight lines covering an area of up to about 1,600 feet. The researchers at MOLA plan to investigate whether the Bedfordshire pits' arrangement coincides with the solstice or other celestial events.

Persons: —, Joshua Pollard, MOLA, Pollard, Nick Snashall Organizations: Service, Museum of London, Southampton University, Albion Archaeology, Guardian, BBC, Heritage Locations: what's, Bedfordshire, England, Britain, Flint, France, Avebury, Europe

☆ Ancient Roman Pantheon to start charging entry from Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] People queue to enter Pantheon, one of the ancient world's best preserved monuments which from July will start charging visitors an entry fee in Rome, Italy, June 30, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo MangiapaneROME, June 30 (Reuters) - Visitors to Rome's Pantheon, one of the ancient world's best preserved monuments, will have to pay a 5 euro ($5.45) entrance fee from Monday, Italy's tourism ministry has said. It remains the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome and has a circular skylight at its crown. The building survived the Barbarian attacks on Rome and was transformed into a Christian church in 609. ($1 = 0.9168 euros)Reporting by Cristiano Corvino; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Guglielmo Mangiapane ROME, Emperor Hadrian, Karsten Kohler, Cristiano Corvino, Crispian Balmer, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, UNESCO, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy

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