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Meanwhile in ... Micronesia, officials are looking for help in preserving a mysterious ruin

And in Somalia, terrorist group Al Shabab is working to ban single-use plastics and the cutting down of trees.

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Michael Runkel/Imagebroker/Newscom
Nan Madol, Micronesia
  • By Staff

Micronesia, officials are looking for help in preserving a mysterious ruin. Nan Madol, once a royal burial site, has been dubbed “the eighth wonder of the world” and the “Venice of the South.” Created between the 13th and 17th centuries, the site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. According to the Australian Broadcasting Company, officials in Micronesia are worried that the country does not have the infrastructure to handle the tourism the site could attract. Among the site’s mysteries: 50-ton stones that were transported to the site from elsewhere on the island. 

Somalia, terrorist group Al Shabab is working to ban single-use plastics and the cutting down of trees. As was noted by Quartz: “Somalia’s terrorist group [Al Shabab] may have no qualms bombing people while they lie on the beach, work in government offices, or shop in busy markets. But the group is trying to brand itself as an eco-friendly outfit with its recent decision to ban single-use plastic bags and cutting down trees.” Using radio and social media, the terrorist group announced the prohibitions in the parts of the country that it controls.

Nepal, the last known dancing bear has been transferred to a sanctuary in India. The practice of bear dancing was outlawed in Nepal in 1973, but a pair of sloth bears was found being forced to perform on streets in southern Nepal, reports Agence France-Presse. After the female bear died in a zoo, animal welfare activists campaigned to have the surviving bear, 19-year-old Rangila, relocated to a sanctuary in Agra, India. “It is a huge relief that Rangila will now live the life he deserves, free from harm and with all of the proper care he needs,” said Neil D’Cruze, senior wildlife adviser at World Animal Protection.

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