Zimbabwe is full of elephants and conflict with villagers is growing. A new approach hopes to help
The new system of tracking elephants wearing GPS collars was launched last year by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. It aims to prevent dangerous encounters between people and elephants, which are more frequent as climate change worsens competition for food and water.
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Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Las Vegas tourism is down. Some blame Trump's tariffs and immigration crackdown
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tourism in Las Vegas is slumping this summer, with resorts and convention centers reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad, and some officials are blaming the Trump administration's tariffs and immigration policies for the decline. The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11% drop compared to the same time in 2024. There were 13% fewer international travelers, and hotel occupancy fell by about 15%, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Mayor Shelley Berkley said tourism from Canada — Nevada's largest international market — has dried up from a torrent 'to a drip.' Same with Mexico. 'We have a number of very high rollers that come in from Mexico that aren't so keen on coming in right now. And that seems to be the prevailing attitude internationally,' Berkley told reporters earlier this month. Ted Pappageorge, head of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, called it the 'Trump slump.' He said visits from Southern California, home to a large Latino population, were also drying up because people are afraid of the administration's immigration crackdown. 'If you if you tell the rest of the world they're not welcome, then they won't come,' Pappageorge said. Canadian airline data shows fewer passengers from north of the border are arriving at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Air Canada saw its passenger numbers fall by 33% in June compared to the same time a year ago, while WestJet had a 31% drop. The low-cost carrier Flair reported a whopping 62% decline. Travel agents in Canada said there's been a significant downturn in clients wanting to visit the U.S. overall, and Las Vegas in particular. Wendy Hart, who books trips from Windsor, Ontario, said the reason was 'politics, for sure.' She speculated that it was a point of 'national pride' that people were staying away from the U.S. after President Donald Trump said he wanted to make Canada the 51st state. 'The tariffs are a big thing too. They seem to be contributing to the rising cost of everything,' Hart said. At downtown's Circa Resort and Casino, international visits have dipped, especially from Canada and Japan, according to owner and CEO Derek Stevens. But the downturn comes after a post-COVID spike, Stevens said. And while hotel room bookings are slack, gaming numbers, especially for sports betting, are still strong, he said. 'It's not as if the sky is falling,' he said. Wealthier visitors are still coming, he said, and Circa has introduced cheaper package deals to lure those with less money to spend. 'There have been many stories written about how the 'end is near' in Vegas,' he said. 'But Vegas continues to reinvent itself as a destination worth visiting.' On AAA's annual top ten list of top Labor Day destinations, Las Vegas slipped this year to the last spot, from number six in 2024. Seattle and Orlando, Florida — home to Disneyworld — hold steady in the top two spots, with New York City moving up to third for 2025. Reports of declining tourism were news to Alison Ferry, who arrived from Donegal, Ireland, to find big crowds at casinos and the Vegas Strip. 'It's very busy. It has been busy everywhere that we've gone. And really, really hot,' Ferry said. She added that she doesn't pay much attention to U.S. politics. Just off the strip, there's been no slowdown at the Pinball Museum, which showcases games from the 1930s through today. Manager Jim Arnold said the two-decade-old attraction is recession-proof because it's one of the few places to offer free parking and free admission. 'We've decided that our plan is just to ignore inflation and pretend it doesn't exist,' Arnold said. 'So you still take a quarter out of your pocket and put it in a game, and you don't pay a resort fee or a cancelation fee or any of that jazz.' But Arnold said he's not surprised that overall tourism might be slowing because of skyrocketing prices at high-end restaurants and resorts, which 'squeezes out the low end tourist.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The mayor said the rising cost of food, hotel rooms and attractions also keeps visitors away. 'People are feeling that they're getting nickeled and dimed, and they're not getting value for their dollar,' Berkley said. She called on business owners to 'see if we can't make it more affordable' for tourists. 'And that's all we want. We want them to come and have good time, spend their money, go home,' the mayor said. 'Then come back in six months.' ___ Weber reported from Los Angeles.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
How do you move a beloved Swedish church down the road? With prayer, engineering and some Eurovision
KIRUNA, Sweden (AP) — How do you move one of Sweden's most beloved wooden churches down the road? With a little bit of engineering, a lot of prayer — and some Eurovision for good luck. The Kiruna Church — called Kiruna Kyrka in Swedish — and its belfry are being moved this week along a 5-kilometer (3-mile) route east to a new city center as part of the town's relocation. It's happening because the world's largest underground iron-ore mine is threatening to swallow the town. This week, thousands of visitors have descended upon Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost town at 200 kilometers (124 miles) above the Arctic Circle. It's home to roughly 23,000 inhabitants, including members of the Sami Indigenous people, spread over nearly 19,500 square kilometers (7,528 square feet). Lena Tjärnberg, the church's vicar, is set to kick off the move with a blessing on Tuesday morning. The journey is scheduled to end Wednesday afternoon. The church was a gift from the mining company In 2001, the Swedish people voted the wooden church the 'best building of all time, built before 1950' in a poll connected to the Ministry of Culture. Built on a hill so worshippers could overlook the rest of Kiruna, the Swedish Lutheran church was designed to emulate the Sami style as a gift from LKAB, the state-owned mining company. The Kiruna mine itself dates back to 1910 and the church was completed in 1912. Its neo-Gothic exterior is considered the town's most distinctive building and tourists regularly traveled there before it was closed a year ago to prepare for the relocation. It's set to reopen in the new location at the end of 2026. Tjärnberg said the final service in the old spot was bittersweet. 'The last day you go down the stairs and close the church door, you know it's going to be several years before you can open it — and in a new place,' she said. 'We don't know how it's going to feel to open the door.' The spectacle This week's move has turned into a two-day highly choreographed media spectacle, run by LKAB and featuring an appearance by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. Musical performances will include a set from KAJ, Sweden's 2025 Eurovision entry that was the bookies' favorite to win this year's contest but lost out to classically trained countertenor JJ of Austria. SVT, Sweden's national broadcaster, is capitalizing on the showcase and will livestream the move both days, billing it as 'The Great Church Walk' to play off its success with the spring showing of 'The Great Moose Migration' that has enthralled millions of viewers annually since 2019. Known for both the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights, Kiruna and the surrounding area is a major draw year-round for visitors to Swedish Lapland. The region also features the Aurora Sky Station, the Icehotel and Kebnekaise, the Nordic country's highest mountain. British tourists Anita and Don Haymes had already trekked to Kiruna twice before this year's trip. When they heard about the church's move, they changed their itinerary to ensure they'd be here for it. They took photographs of it propped up on beams and wheels this week before the move. 'It's an amazing feat that they are doing,' Anita Haymes said Sunday. 'It'll be interesting to see it moving, unbelievable.' But not everyone is thrilled about LKAB's extravaganza. Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen, chairman of one of the Sami reindeer herding organizations in Kiruna, said LKAB's plans for a new mine could threaten reindeer migration routes and imperil the livelihood of herders in the area. The mechanics behind the move The move of Kiruna's town center, including the church, has been in the works since 2004. As the mine expanded deeper underground, residents began seeing cracks in buildings and roads. In order to reach a new depth of 1,365 meters (4,478 feet) — and to prevent Kiruna from being swallowed up — officials began moving buildings to a new downtown at a safe distance from the mine. As of July, 25 buildings had been lifted up onto beams and wheeled east. Sixteen, including the church, remain. At approximately 40 meters (131 feet) wide with a weight of 672 metric tons (741 tons), the church required extra effort. Engineers widened a major road from 9 meters to 24 meters (30 to 79 feet) and dismantled a viaduct to make way for a new intersection. A driver, using a large control box, will pilot the church through the route as it travels roughly 12 hours over Tuesday and Wednesday — with a pause each day for fika, the traditional Swedish afternoon coffee break. It's expected to move at a varying pace between 0.5 and 1.5 kilometers per hour (0.31 and 0.93 miles per hour). Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. Stefan Holmblad Johansson, LKAB's project manager for the move, would not say how much it has cost the mining company. ___ Associated Press journalist Pietro De Cristofaro in Kiruna, Sweden, contributed to this report. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Oklahoma sells fan access to postgame press conferences
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma is offering fans a chance to attend postgame press conferences, but it won't be cheap. It's one of the ' Sooner Magic Memories ' offerings the program has created to give fans greater access this season. The cost for two people to sit in on the media session after the Oklahoma-Michigan nonconference showdown on Sept. 6 is $692.11. For the Southeastern Conference home opener Sept. 20 against Auburn, it's $576.86. 'Get exclusive postgame media access for you and one guest and see where real-time reactions unfold,' the advertisement says. 'Hear OU coaches and players address reporters moments after the final whistle. Watch the story take shape through the questions, the insights, and the atmosphere that set the headlines.' The Michigan and Auburn numbers might seem steep, but the cost for the Illinois State season opener on Aug. 30 is $461.61 — and it's already sold out. Other offerings include pregame photos on the 50-yard line, a high five tunnel, game ball delivery and halftime field access. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
