In The News

Everest Rules Might Change: New York Times

Bhadra Sharma and Jeffrey Gettleman May 29, 2019
Images of long lines at the summit of Mount Everest and stories of climbers, desperate for air, stepping over the bodies of others who succumbed, are a public relations disaster. Reaching the summit, what should be a glorious achievement, has become another garish display of human excess. Some blame Nepal for selling too many permits. Others complain about rude behavior. At least 11 people have...

Fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral: New York Times

Sona Patel and Alan Yuhas April 16, 2019
A fire destroyed the roof of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, causing the spire to collapse, and the New York Times reports “an outpouring of grief in France and around the world as the symbol of French culture and history burned.” The cathedral had been been under construction. Citizens and tourists watched from around the city, and people around the world watched the footage on social media and...

Eurasianet: Uzbekistan and Sufi Revival

December 13, 2018
Religious monuments and celebrations attract visitors from afar. Governments of Uzbekistan once limited religious practices, but have since lightened restrictions. The history and culture of the Ferghana Valley are now a draw for tourists intrigued by the famed Silk Road of centuries ago. “Bukhara is a place of particular significance because it was there that the founder of a major Sufi order,...

Orlando Sentinel: Florida Farming vs Coastal Communities

Andy Reid September 9, 2018
The US Army Corps of Engineers drains Florida’s largest freshwater lake to nearby rivers to prevent flooding of South Florida communities. Lake Okeechobee’s waters, polluted by chemicals from the agriculture industry, eventually wind their way to the coast, reported to be causing toxic algae blooms and red tides that harm plants and wildlife, resulting in massive fish kills and also causing...

The Conversation: How Globalization Transformed Mecca Pilgrimage Market

Seán McLoughlin August 22, 2018
Islam requires adherents to travel at last once for the annual Hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Modern transportation made the journey more feasible, and the number of pilgrims increased from 100,000 in the 1950s to more than 3 million in recent years. Saudi Arabia has imposed restrictions in recent years: Muslim-majority nations are subjected to a Hajj quota of 1,000 pilgrims per million of...

Khaleej Times: UAE Tows Icebergs From Antarctica

Emirates News Agency July 16, 2018
The United Arab Emirates has launched a website to showcase a project that entails towing icebergs from Antarctica to the coasts of UAE. The hope is to use icebergs as new sources of water for the arid region and attract positive press coverage. Researchers aim to collaborate to conduct water research and create technology that will minimize ice melting during transport and reduce costs. “A...

The Guardian: Egypt to Fine People Who Pester Tourists

Ruth Michaelson May 7, 2018
The Egyptian parliament has approved a law ahead of the summer tourism season seeking to clamp down on alleged harassers. As Ruth Michaelson observes for the Guardian, the law allows “authorities to fine up to EGP 10,000 (about £405) anyone found to be pestering tourists ‘with the intention of begging or promoting, offering or selling a good or service.’” Ultimately, this measure intends to...