From the Green Dome of the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina to the fluorescent greens of flags and political campaigns, Islam has established itself as the world’s “green” religion Green has strong associations to Islam. Prophet Muhammad seems to have favoured the colour and is said to have worn a green cloak and turban. !e Hadith, which are generally believed to record the words and actions of the Islamic prophet, are full of references to the colour. In one, it says, “When Allah’s Apostle died, he was covered with a Hibra Burd”, a green square decorated garment. In the Quran, Islam’s holy book, th ..read more

Where Is the Karakoram? The Karakoram is a mountain range in the Kashmir region spanning the borders of Pakistan, China and India, with the northwestern extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The majority of the range falls within the jurisdiction of Pakistan’s northern area of Gilgit-Baltistan, which includes the disputed territory of Kashmir. The area is home to four of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres, including the world’s second highest, K2, at 8,611 metres. MAP OF NORTHERN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA AND GILGIT-BALTISTAN What’s So Special About the Glaciers in the ..read more

Text Anita Verde Images Anita Verde and Peter Marshall For decades, scientists have believed that glaciers in the Karakoram Range are defying the trend of those across the globe – resisting glacial melt due to human-induced global warming. But as we trek up the Karakoram’s second-longest glacier in July, as the United Nations announces the world’s hottest ever month on record, does the melting ice beneath our feet suggest the so-called Karakoram Anomaly is slowing? Or is there a ray of hope it will continue to delay the inevitable? It is midsummer in Pakistan’s northern region of Gilgit-Baltis ..read more

Dogs are the obligatory companions of a sea hunter. The Bering Strait never freezes completely, the “fast ice” – sea ice fastened to the coastline – meeting the drifting pack ice and pushing icebergs across open water. Broken, covered with hummocks and bulges, streaked with cracks that appear and disappear, the fast ice can extend several kilometres out to sea. Hunters need to get to the open water, to the very edge of the ice. And that is where the dogs come in. Chukotka sled dogs would never win races; they are not trained to run fast. Their strength is pulling loads. In the 20th century, do ..read more

With its tea plantations and rice paddies, dense jungles and expansive forests, the region is well known as a green paradise. But many of the most impressive Asian landscapes have names you may never have heard of. Journey with us as we reveal just some of the incredible locations that make the rest of the world green with envy! NOHKALIKAI FALLS, INDIA The tallest plunge waterfall in India is a stunning sight not just because of its thrilling 340-metre height, but for the dense evergreen rainforest blanketing the surrounding cli!s and the surreal green coloured plunge pool below. The fall ..read more

16 October 2023, 25th UNWTO General Assembly, Samarkand, Uberkistan – As part of Uzbekistan’s effort to improve and modernize its economy, Uzberkitan is looking to strengthen its relations with China, its strategic partner, through foreign policy. By forging bilateral relations on the basis of equality, mutual respect and consideration of interests, the two countries hope to raise activity and commerce to improve the economy. Over the last 30 years, both countries concluded 113 interstate and inter-governmental agreements, including the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic ..read more

According to an old legend of the Soyot people, a vicious person can never find the way into the valley of the Ok-hem River: Bad weather or misfortune will stop him. There are mountains all round the valley. This area of the Sayan Highland, situated to the west of Buryatia and sharing its borders with Tuva and Mongolia, is considered to be one of the most traversed and sparsely populated areas of Siberia. In the 19th century, Buddhist pilgrims coming back from the Himalayas gave the name “Lesser Tibet” to the Okinsky region, the local landscapes being very similar to the Tibetan Plateau. The s ..read more

After participating in the shoot that led to Hollywood’s most famous shark scene, Valerie Taylor became a tireless defender of sharks and the marine environment. For ADEX Pixel Expo’s “Generational Exchange”, actress and ADEX Ambassador for Marine Conservation Hidy Yu talks to the Australian legend Everybody, it seems, wants to be frightened of something. We don’t have witches and devils anymore, but we have the great white shark. – Valerie Taylor It was the movie aggrieved crew members nicknamed “Flaws”, such were the difficulties with the shoot, from bad weather and seasickness to water ..read more

The national bird of the Philippines is under threat of extinction from deforestation and human persecution Standing a metre tall, with a wingspan of well over two metres, the Philippine eagle – the iconic apex predator that serves as the archipelagic country’s national bird – is the largest eagle on the planet in terms of length and wing surface area. While this formidable raptor is believed to reside exclusively on four major islands – Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao – we don’t yet know the true extent of the eagle’s range and its numbers in the wild. But new research published in the jour ..read more

{Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Sumatra Utara (North Sumatra)}, Jambi, Sumatra Barat (West Sumatra), Sumatra Selatan (South Sumatra), Bengkulu, and Lampung} The 2.5 million-hectare Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra site comprises three national parks: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The site holds the greatest potential for long-term conservation of the distinctive and diverse biota of Sumatra, including many endangered species. The protected area is home to an estimated 10,000 plant species, including 17 endemic genera; more ..read more