Japan's Princess Kako receives medal in Brazil as she starts 11-day trip
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
18 hours ago
- Associated Press
In a miniature world, climate change and environmental issues loom large
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Watching his dad make a brand-new miniature train car look old, placing the wooden parts to weather in the sun and rain, pulled Peter Martínez into the world of miniatures. He recalls his father, who made model trains mostly for collectors or hobbyists, wondering why anyone would pay him to do what he thought was the most fun part of the hobby. 'But luckily they did, and we were able to build an industry around it,' Martínez said. The Argentine family business, United Scale Arts, is now partnering with Germany's Miniatur Wunderland, a museum that houses the largest model train set in the world, to develop new exhibits depicting parts of South America, including the Amazon rainforest and Atacama Desert. But with miniature power comes great responsibility — and both Martínez's company and the museum are determined that the miniature world reflect both the good and bad of the real thing. Real world problems So alongside the perfectly shaded rocks and trees, they depict poverty, crime and environmental degradation. In the exhibits already running in Hamburg, built by a team that has grown over the years to hundreds of people, it means that tiny trains pull tiny coal cars into a mining town, but also, on a city bridge, a tiny semitruck hauls the tiny giant blade of a wind turbine. And the builders say it means the new models won't shy away from illustrating real life in the Amazon: they will include scenes of illegal mining, deforestation and forest fires. 'These are social problems that exist in the real world, and we need to show them also in the models, because I think it's important not to make this kind of idealistic view of the world, but also to show reality and to use these tools as a learning experience for everyone that visits the Wunderland,' Martínez said. Replicas of famous landmarks Visitors have a lot to see in the multistory warehouse that is Wunderland. From Las Vegas to Miami Beach, from Rio de Janeiro to Monaco, cars zoom past tiny replicas of buildings as throngs of people, with heads smaller than your fingernail, mill about famous landmarks. Cargo ships dominate the glasslike surface of a tiny bay as they chug in with their deliveries. Planes taxi down the runway of an airport. And of course, plenty of trains roll through every landscape to the delight of kids and adults alike. 'A dream come true' Twin brothers Gerrit and Frederik Braun joined with business partner Stephan Hertz and took out a loan to create Miniatur Wunderland after they left the nightclub business. Frederik had visited a model railroad shop in Zurich, called his brother and suggested they create their own — but a whole lot bigger. Gerrit laughed at first. Unlike his brother, he loved the nightclub. But he eventually agreed and now can't imagine doing anything else. 'It's a dream come true that we sit here 25 years later, and playing all day,' he said, chuckling. Serious work mixed with play But he takes the work seriously. The brothers came up with most of the initial plans for the museum within two weeks, Gerrit said. It's grown in scope and ambition since then. 'Ten years ago, we were looking to the old section and saw the real world has changed in this time,' Gerrit said. They realized they needed to update the exhibits to include technologies like electric cars, wind turbines, nuclear power and more. 'I have children, and I believe in global warming and I'm sure that we have done it ... So if you believe in this, and you have the possibility to show the images, why not?' Political issues There's no one process by which the designers and model builders decide what to include in their models, but as they have added to the collection, they haven't shied away from depicting technology or from political or contentious topics. In 2017, when Donald Trump was first elected U.S. president, the Wunderland put up a model concrete wall with barbed wire around the section with the American landscapes. In 2019, Wunderland launched a scathing exhibit on the treatment of animals in large-scale farming that sparked deep criticism from the agriculture industry. Next came weeks of conversation, farm visits and the eventual launch of a special exhibit aimed at depicting the current reality of pig farming, featuring industrial production and organic farms. They're usually striving to depict the world exactly as it is. But building models also reminds Gerrit that 'you can build the world a little bit like you want,' he said. Feelings of nostalgia It's an art form that can have practical purposes but also can capture longing, nostalgia or other feelings about a particular time or place, said Kit Maxwell, a curator with The Art Institute of Chicago, which houses the popular Thorne Miniature Rooms. 'One of the most compelling things about these rooms is that you imagine yourself in them,' he said. Aware of that power of imagination,Martínez also said builders have to be careful not to unfairly cast countries in a bad light as they seek to include imperfections. 'You need to kind of balance, when you show the bad things in contrast with the good things, that they are not overdone or they are not too much,' he said. 'You want also that the people that go there have a good time and not get really sad after seeing this model.' ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Condé Nast Traveler
2 days ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
A Beginner's Guide to Patagonia's National Parks
If you're an avid national parks traveler, then Patagonia is surely on your radar. At the tip of South America, this geographically diverse region spans both Chile and Argentina, and straddles the mountains that run through them like a crooked spine. The Atlantic coastline lies to the west. Vast, grassy steppes ripple to the east. The Patagonian landscape bristles with mountains, glints with rivers of blue-gray ice, and undulates with golden grass—and thankfully, great swathes of it are protected in a total of 27 national parks. On a February trip to Patagonia, I chugged up steep slopes and across windy ridge-lines to take in views of jagged granite spires one week; the next, I stood in front of a 19-mile tongue of ice, listening to it splinter and groan like a living creature. In between I watched guanacos sprint across open fields, and condors soar overhead. I even saw a Magellanic woodpecker, a red-headed species as big as a football, hammering away on a tree trunk. You could spend a lifetime exploring this region, and the various sides of it. Just two weeks taught me how diverse the different corners of Patagonia are, and in particular how unique each national park is. Every one has its own personality and, given that the region is nearly 800,000 square miles in size, planning a trip means forcing yourself to pick and choose where you will spend your time. Below is a guide to six Patagonia national parks that stand out from the pack—and which activities, and travelers, they are best for. If time is on your side, consider linking a couple together for a taste of how much there is to see in this Southernmost part of South America. Either way, know that your first trip to Patagonia may not be your last. (Keep in mind that these parks change drastically from one season to the next: We've written this guide for summer travel, which is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and the most accessible season for outdoor activities.) Torres del Paine is so-called for its three sheer-walled towers of rock. Getty Torres del Paine National Park, Chile Best for: Backpackers, hikers, bird watchers, boating enthusiasts
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Bloomberg
Latam Airlines Raises Guidance After Second Quarter Profit Jumps
Latam Airlines increased its outlook again for the full year after second-quarter net income surged on robust travel demand and lower jet fuel prices. Latin America's largest airline raised the lower end of its full-year guidance on capacity — measured by available seat kilometers — to a growth of 8.5% to 9.5%, up from its previous estimate of 7.5% to 9.5%. Adjusted Ebitdar, a measure of profitability that excludes items such as interest and taxes, is expected to reach $3.65 billion to $3.85 billion this year, above its previous guidance of $3.4 billion to $3.75 billion.
