The deadly coronavirus behind Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) has been isolated in a bat in Saudi Arabia, according to a report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The virus was found in a the feces of an Egyptian tomb bat, or Taphozous perforatus, a creature known to roost in abandoned buildings.
Bats Blamed for Deadly Middle East MERS Respiratory Virus
The Illustrated Man Could Be a Green Giant
Green Prophet applauds libraries-without-walls and mosques-minus-minarets for their minimalist environmental impact. Does it follow then that we view the tattooed or henna’ed body as the most earth-friendly art gallery?
5,000-Year-Old Leopard Trap Discovered in Israel’s Negev Desert
It’s easy for us to think of modern humans as the sole destroyers of all things living, but ancient humans also competed with other predators, using traps. This includes nomadic people from what is now Israel’s Negev Desert. A 5,000 year-old leopard trap, made from piles of stone, was just identified in Israel.
Algeria’s Controversial Love Lock Bridge Rebrands Suicide
Inspired by the “love lock” phenomenon that covers the Parisian bridge Pont des Arts, three Algerian journalists have kicked off conversion of a bridge in Algiers popular with suicides into a “bridge of love”.
Raft of Turkish Protests Remains Powerfully Afloat
International media is streaming updates on Syria, Big Brother antics by USA and UK intelligence services, and British buildings that can melt cars, but hardly a word on continuing protests in Turkey. And they are continuing despite chronic under-reporting by Turkish press.
Flip America’s Cup Loss Into an Environmental Win: Here’s How
The 2013 America’s cup will be long remembered as one of the closest matches in sailing history and one of the most unlikely comebacks in sporting history when Emirates Team New Zealand came within seconds of securing the America’s cup; but eventually lost when Oracle’s team USA followed a two race penalty and six race losing streak with nine straight wins.
UN Blames People for Global Warming, Warns of Dire Consequences
Just when the weather was cooling down in the Middle East a little, we get woke up again with the usual alarm and this time from a United Nations panel: humankind is to blame for global warming, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns in a new report just out.
Security Hampers Pakistan Quake Efforts
En route to aid thousands of people injured and displaced by a devastating earthquake in Pakistan that killed at least 350 people on Tuesday, a military helicopter dodged two rockets fired from the ground.
The Guardian Uncovers Modern Day Slavery in Qatar
Almost as soon as Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup with a suite of swanky solar-powered stadiums, activists started clambering about the emirate’s terrible working conditions. Turn’s out, their warnings were dead on.
The Iconic VW Van in the Middle East
Volkswagen’s “hippie van” was the preferred mode of transportation for peace lovers during the 1960s, but Brazil is shutting down the last production line this year to meet rigorous new safety requirements. See our nostalgic photo tour of VW vans in the Middle East.
Wildlife Thrive at Flooded ‘Arabian Canal’ in Dubai Desert
In my last post I described how I had discovered the remains of a defunct development known as the ‘Arabian Canal’ in the desert some 30km outside Dubai. This time I’m featuring one of these remaining waterways which is still, mysteriously, flooded, despite having been abandoned some 4 years ago.
Elephant Ivory Racket Linked to Westgate Mall Terrorists
We interviewed Karl Amman about illegal wildlife trafficking at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi about two years ago. Since then, increasingly violent poaching incidents have been linked to terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab, which recently claimed responsibility for an armed attack on the Israeli-built shopping center in Kenya.
Hong Kong Bans Shark Fin Soup and Bluefin Tuna
Sharks hauled from the Persian Gulf provide fodder for shark fin soup in Hong Kong, and the endangered bluefin tuna is popular there too. But now the government has instituted a new ban that could reduce consumption of both.
Joshua Tree Light Pollution Dims BrightSource Energy’s 500MW Palen Solar Project
Slated for a site 36 miles west of Blythe, California, the 500MW Palen Solar Plant – a collaborative project between BrightSource Energy and Abengoa Solar – is meeting resistance from critics concerned about its light pollution.
Sun’s Magnetic Field Will Soon Reverse – Be Prepared for the Flip
The sun’s magnetic north and south magnetic poles are expected to reverse over the next few months. We’ve witnessed only a few such reversals and are not entirely sure what effects they may cause. Read more for an explanation of what we do know about solar and terrestrial magnetic field reversals.