The goal is to transform the architectural complex into a cultural campus open to the public with a curatorial program focused on exploring the dynamic interaction between architecture and art Related Article Spotlight: Luis Barragán reinforcing its ongoing efforts to disseminate his legacy You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Originally designed in the late 1960s by Luis Barragán La Cuadra San Cristóbal is a 6.7-acre walled compound that includes a residence founded by award-winning architect and philanthropist Fernando Romero acquired the property in 2017 to ensure its preservation and to develop it into a public cultural resource The foundation aims to safeguard the architectural legacy of the site while opening it up for creative engagement images © Yannick Wegner The conversion of Luis Barragán’s La Cuadra San Cristóbal into a cultural campus will be guided by a multi-phase plan that blends architectural preservation with contemporary design interventions Among the new additions will be pavilions designed by internationally renowned architects creating a dynamic space that evolves alongside cultural programming The campus will act as a platform for ongoing artistic and architectural exploration with a focus on fostering creative innovation In its new role, La Cuadra will host a wide range of cultural activities, including exhibitions, artist residencies, and site-specific installations. The campus will feature a permanent exhibition dedicated to architect Luis Barragán’s life and work an architect known for his expertise in restoring Barragán’s buildings Additional facilities will include galleries ensuring the site remains a vibrant cultural destination for years to come Fundación Fernando Romero will turn Luis Barragán’s La Cuadra San Cristóbal into a public hub Ahead of its public opening in October 2025, La Cuadra will host an artist experience in February 2025 during the Zona Maco art fair. Renowned performance artist Marina Abramović will conduct an intervention within the estate’s courtyard and deliver a talk to an invited audience which will include 150 university students This event marks Abramović’s first project in Mexico since the 1990s and highlights the foundation’s commitment to fostering cross-disciplinary creative dialogues the 6.7-acre estate will serve as a platform for art and architecture in Mexico City the foundation acquired the property in 2017 to preserve its architectural legacy and create a cultural campus to enhance the site’s creative potential a permanent exhibition on Barragán’s life and work will be curated by Jorge Covarrubias cultural programming will include artist residencies Marina Abramović will lead a special artist experience at La Cuadra during Zona Maco 2025 original architect: Luis Barragán foundation: Fundación Fernando Romero | @free_fernando_romero photographer: © Yannick Wegner | @yannickwegner AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp (“Novo” or the “Company”) (ASX: NVO) (TSX: NVO) (OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to announce the sale (the “San Cristobal Share Sale”) of ~38% of the Company’s holding in privately-owned San Cristobal for gross proceeds of ~A$11.5 million (~C$10.5 million) Executive Co-Chairman and Acting Chief Executive Officer said: “We are very pleased to complete this sale of our investment in San Cristobal which has resulted in approximately A$11.5 million being added to our cash holding This is an excellent outcome for the Company and our shareholders this sale highlights the value of our investment portfolio which is valued at ~A$19 million (~C$17 million) With a cash balance of A$16.7 million (C$15.3 million) we are well positioned to continue advancing our exploration plans for 2025 we will continue to progress work to identify value accretive exploration opportunities to enhance our exploration portfolio.” The receipt of funds from the San Cristobal Share Sale will support Novo’s current exploration programs across Western Australia and Victoria and Novo’s focus on identifying additional exploration opportunities and will also be used to repay the first portion of the deferred consideration owed to IMC Holdings (“IMC”) of A$3 million due in late December 2024 (originally entered into upon the acquisition of Millennium Minerals Ltd in 2020)1 the outstanding amount owing to IMC will be A$12.6 million (C$13.8 million) which is repayable by 2026 In connection with the completion of the San Cristobal Share Sale the Company paid finders’ fees in respect of certain San Cristobal shares sold totalling US$90,000 The San Cristobal Share Sale is expected to result in capital gains tax payable in Q1 2025 of A$1.4 million (C$1.3 million) acted as financial advisor to Novo in connection with the San Cristobal Share Sale Owen Bird Law Corporation acted as legal counsel to Novo in connection with the San Cristobal Share Sale Authorised for release by the Board of Directors Dr Christopher Doyle (MAIG) and Dr Simon Dominy (FAusIMM CPGeo; FAIG RPGeo) as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects the technical information contained in this news release Dr Doyle is Novo’s Exploration Manager - Victoria and Dr Dominy is a Technical Advisor to Novo Novo is an Australian based gold explorer listed on the ASX and the TSX focused on discovering standalone gold projects with > 1 Moz development potential Novo is an innovative gold explorer with a significant land package covering approximately 5,500 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia along with the 22 square kilometre Belltopper project in the Bendigo Tectonic Zone of Victoria Novo’s key project area is the Egina Gold Camp where De Grey Mining is farming-in to form a JV at the Becher Project and surrounding tenements through exploration expenditure of A$25 million within 4 years for a 50% interest The Becher Project has similar geological characteristics as De Grey’s 12.7 Moz Hemi Project3 Novo is also advancing gold exploration at Nunyerry North part of the Croydon JV (Novo 70%: Creasy Group 30%) where 2023 exploration drilling identified significant gold mineralisation Novo continues to undertake early-stage exploration across its Pilbara tenement portfolio Novo has also formed A lithium joint venture with SQM Australia Pty Ltd in the Pilbara which provides shareholder exposure to battery metals Novo has a significant investment portfolio and a disciplined program in place to identify value accretive opportunities that will build further value for shareholders Please refer to Novo’s website for further information including the latest corporate presentation The Tonnage range for the exploration target is 1.5Mt to 2.1Mt the Ounces range from 320Koz Au to 570Koz Au and the Grade range is 6.6g/t Au to 8.4g/t Au The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information that material affects the information included in the original market announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed3 Refer to De Grey ASX Announcement dated 21 November 2023 No assurance can be given that a similar (or any) commercially viable mineral deposit will be determined at Novo’s Becher Project Luis Barragán’s architectural legacy continues to inspire renowned for its striking pink stucco walls and geometric design will officially reopen in Fall 2025 as a public exhibition center dedicated to the Mexican architect’s visionary work The transformation is being led by Fundación Fernando Romero with plans to blend Barragán’s artistic ethos with contemporary interventions a defining figure in 20th-century Mexican modernist architecture was known for blending geometric abstraction Unlike the stark white and gray exteriors favored in Western European modernism crafting spaces that felt both monumental and intimate La Cuadra San Cristóbal is one of his most recognizable projects and the architect’s signature pink and red walls The estate has long been a pilgrimage site for design enthusiasts it will now offer a permanent exhibition space that preserves Barragán’s legacy while making it accessible to future generations When La Cuadra San Cristóbal reopens in 2025 visitors can expect an immersive experience beyond traditional architecture tours Kengo Kuma’s new pavilions are expected to complement Barragán’s aesthetic while incorporating natural wood and fluid design principles Marina Abramović’s contribution remains under wraps but given her reputation for thought-provoking performances it is likely to offer a unique dialogue with the space Luis Barragán’s influence extends far beyond Mexico is one of the most visited architectural landmarks in Mexico City The home-turned-museum stands as a testament to his ability to blend spirituality His work continues to shape contemporary architecture and even fashion designers such as Ricardo Bofill The upcoming transformation of La Cuadra San Cristóbal signals a new chapter in how his legacy will be experienced—not just as a historical monument but as an evolving creative space Mexico City has become a hotspot for architectural tourism with thousands of visitors flocking to sites like Casa Barragán With the reopening of La Cuadra San Cristóbal the capital solidifies its reputation as a global design destination Unlike many heritage sites that focus solely on preservation Fundación Fernando Romero’s approach is to activate Barragán’s work in new ways ensuring it remains relevant and engaging to contemporary audiences As the architectural community eagerly anticipates the reopening, La Cuadra San Cristóbal has launched an official Instagram account where followers can track progress updates For those planning to visit Mexico City this landmark is set to become a must-see destination offering a rare glimpse into Barragán’s creative genius while evolving as a modern cultural space Input your search keywords and press Enter By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Built during the 1960s, Luis Barragán‘s La Cuadra San Cristobal has become well-known in the architectural world for its distinct pink stucco walls and elongated sprawling planes While the Mexican architect’s 6.7-acre estate was bought in 2017 by the philanthropic non-profit Fundación Fernando Romero the official plans for the site’s future weren’t revealed until now Marina Abramović intervention at La Cuadra La Cuadra San Cristóbal by Luis Barragán is reborn through a Fundación Fernando Romero initiative in Mexico City; we meet with the foundation's founder architect and design curator Fernando Romero to discuss the plans dramatic museum named for both his wife and mother-in-law at the time and commissioned by billionaire businessman Carlos Slim to Luis Barragán’s iconic and chromatic Cuadra San Cristóbal He has plans to transform Barragán’s masterpiece into a cultural resource for art and architecture Romero is part of a post-OMA generation of international designers who cut their teeth under the tutelage of Rem Koolhaas His studio uses advanced computational software to create wildly sculptural forms that would have mystified Barragán whose own architecture relies on an alchemy of saturated colour and light Romero is old enough to have lived through the later part of Mexico’s modern heyday His affection for the period shows in his choice of office space a midcentury residence next door to Casa Luis Barragán the architect’s home and studio built in 1948 – and a Unesco World Heritage site ‘I feel almost a responsibility to try to save La Cuadra and to share with the world the work of a master of architecture.’ most preservation efforts are focused on archaeological sites and Spanish Colonial buildings however many of the country’s 20th-century great works of architecture are of an age where they will need conservation and a legacy plan in order to ensure they remain intact the earthquakes in 2017 and 2022 damaged numerous structures in Mexico Romero’s enthusiasm to protect Barragán’s work is timely and necessary Models of FR-EE’s designs fill the ground floor including a half-dozen dedicated to schemes for the forthcoming campus at La Cuadra Barragán built the estate between 1966 and 1968 for the Egerström family after having met Swedish businessman Folke Egerström at the nearby riding club The architect and his client were both equestrians and the property reflects their horsey passion escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox Barragán developed two subdivisions as enclaves that integrated manmade and natural environments La Cuadra is an island of green surrounded by dense Design studio Pentagram developed a brand identity for Cuadra that does justice to Barragán's legacy The design centres around a typeface drawn from the ironwork letters that grace the building’s exterior wall and incorporates a colour scheme of Mexican pink over a projected ten-year period of development the campus will include a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Luis Barragán a gallery dedicated to the display of the Archivo Collection of design objects It is early days but there is high ambition for this to develop into a multi-layered cultural campus – watch this space fr-ee.org Print 1 MEXICO CITY — A Roman Catholic priest who was a leading voice for peace and conciliation in Mexico’s strife-torn southern Chiapas state was assassinated Sunday after celebrating Mass sparking a wave of denunciations throughout the country Two assailants on a motorcycle fired at Father Marcelo Pérez who was found dead inside a vehicle in the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas The priest had received multiple threats on his life as he advocated for peace in Mexico’s poorest state which borders Guatemala and is a major transit point for U.S.-bound illegal drugs and migrants as well as arms destined for Mexican gangs Mexico’s two largest criminal syndicates — the Sinaloa and the Jalisco New Generation cartels — are at war for smuggling routes in Chiapas often buying the allegiance of smaller criminal bands that operate throughout the state The ongoing conflict has forced thousands to flee for their lives, including more than 500 villagers who fled Chiapas into Guatemala in July. Some villages and towns in Chiapas have been left almost deserted. “Chiapas is a time bomb,” Pérez told Mexico’s Aristegui Noticias in September, when he was among thousands who took part in a Pilgrimage for Peace in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state capital. “There are many disappeared, many kidnappings, many murders because of the presence of organized crime. ... Against this wave of violence, we seek peace.” World & Nation An escalating turf war engulfing much of Mexico’s heavily Indigenous Chiapas state has displaced thousands as gangs battle for drug- and gun-trafficking routes. Human rights activists condemned the priest’s killing and called on officials to identify and arrest the assassins and whoever ordered the murder. Religious leaders and others also demanded that the government take action to stem the violence in Chiapas, where well-armed gangs far outnumber police and soldiers tasked with enforcing the law. “We reject any effort to minimize this deed as an isolated case and we make an urgent call to authorities for the restoration of order in Chiapas,” the Jesuit Order in Mexico said in a statement. “Organized crime has caused fear and pain in diverse parts of the country, and Chiapas is not an exception. The violence in this region reflects a structural problem that demands an integral and urgent response from the state.” Pérez was a native of Chiapas and, like much of the state’s population, was of Indigenous Mayan roots, a member of the Tzotzil-speaking culture. He had long intervened in struggles affecting the Indigenous poor in the state. Church officials transferred Pérez to San Cristóbal de las Casas, the historic colonial city at the heart of the Indigenous highlands, after he received death threats at postings in rural parishes where he had previously been assigned. “For decades, Father Marcelo has been a symbol of resistance and support in Chiapas, defending the dignity, the rights of the people, and the construction of an authentic peace,” the Jesuit Order said. Authorities vowed to track down Pérez’s killers, though officials did not immediately name any suspects. “There will not be impunity,” declared Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez, Mexico’s chief of security, in a statement on X. “Our solidarity [is] with the Catholic community.” Tamping down Mexico’s violence is a major challenge for President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office Oct. 1. Her predecessor and mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, downplayed the problem of violence in Chiapas, saying that reports of rising crime in the southern state were exaggerated. Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez Vidal contributed to this report. Foreign correspondent Patrick J. McDonnell is the Los Angeles Times Mexico City bureau chief and previously headed Times bureaus in Beirut, Buenos Aires and Baghdad. A native of the Bronx, McDonnell is a graduate of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and was a Nieman fellow at Harvard. Travel & Experiences Climate & Environment California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Architect Luis Barragán’s famous La Cuadra San Cristóbal estate will be transformed into a cultural center opening its doors to the public in the fall the Fundación Fernando Romero has announced Mexican architect and philanthropist Fernando Romero is taking on the transformation project via his non-profit foundation Romero is well known for his mirrored trapezoid Soumaya Museum in Mexico City Mexican architect Luis Barragán and his protégé Andrés Casillas built La Cuadra San Cristóbal just outside of Mexico City in 1968 as a private residence and equestrian complex It became one of Barragán’s defining works for its hot-pink façade Barragán is well known for his distinct architectural style, with several properties across Mexico City, including the Capuchin Convent Chapel, his UNESCO-recognized private residence Casa Luis Barragán and the Tetetlán cultural center La Cuadra San Cristóbal became widely known to those outside the architecture world following the shooting of a Louis Vuitton editorial campaign published in Vogue in 2016 Fundación Fernando Romero acquired La Cuadra San Cristóbal in 2024 with the plan of transforming the 6.7-acre estate into an art and architecture destination The plan includes a timber pavilion designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma There will also be a permanent exhibition on Barragán’s life and work curated by Jorge Covarrubias the architect who restored Barragán’s Casa Prieto López and Fuente del Bebedero Fundación Romero is also establishing an artist residency program and additional galleries at the property La Cuadra will be open to a select group of guests and students as part of the Zona Maco art fair to inaugurate its residency program Serbian conceptual artist and performer Marina Abramović will carry out an “intervention” in the courtyard during the event The complex is expected to open to the public in October 2025 ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker devoted fishermen have lured in yellowtail the stick-and-line fisherman has his toes in the sand just north of the rocky outcropping that is Punto Lobos swirling his baited hook in the air like a lasso before flinging it into the waves Small crews in blue and white motorized pangas tug their friends’ vessels off the shore and out to sea with the same aim: to catch and sell the treasures of the Pacific Ocean Just steps from the open-air office of these anglers is Hotel San Cristobal, a Bunkhouse property open since 2017 Much of what the neighboring fishermen reel in is sold directly to the hotel for sea-to-table fish tacos I learned during a visit last December — hotel guests are merry and the property is thriving with many locals on staff The Bunkhouse team has prioritized bolstering the Todos Santos community from day one training interested residents in hospitality and hiring them in myriad roles from assistant general manager and sommelier to chef and concierge Spend three days here and you’ll feel as if you’ve stumbled into a family reunion — and that you’re part of the clan now With just 32 guestrooms and suites total, Hotel San Cristobal is indeed boutique, and great for small groups or intimate events and the vibe is mellow at every turn — while the property is only 45 miles away from the flashy resorts of Los Cabos All rooms come with that beautiful Baja light and a real sense of serenity from Guatemalan blankets on beds and custom stripy robes to the property’s signature tile Poolside rooms and those overlooking the Sierra De La Laguna mountains to the east are lovely choices Six of these were recently renovated to include individual saltwater pools on their spacious furnished patios a milestone celebration or just a much-needed escape into nature which is evident from the roar and power of the waves; they occasionally even shook the glass of my oversized patio sliders when they pounded the shore I’d name dining (more on that below) and “lounging around” as the top things to do at Hotel San Cristobal Clients can do the latter somewhere around the 2,200-square-foot which boasts two spillover hot tubs and wide ocean views With a refreshing cocktail in hand and the Pacific ahead jewelry and more in the incredibly curated gift shop take the steep but short staircase down to the beach for a moment by the sea or while away a few hours at “La Playita,” a sandy lounge space perched just above the main beach and outfitted with twinkle lights more lounge chairs and a fire pit perfectly positioned for watching the sunset The next evening brought Hotel San Cristobal’s Tuesday happy hour when a local band plays tunes with the black sea and night sky as their backdrop during the “Playita Popsicles and Games” event hosted by the hotel I tried my luck at Loteria for the first time ever brushing up on my Spanish while drinking Pacifico with new friends Rooftop yoga and a sound bath ceremony in the resort’s minimalist and beautiful chapel are other complimentary activities A cooking class or wine or mezcal tasting can be booked for a fee through the concierge team they might borrow a beach cruiser and ride to the town center of Todos Santos via a 3-mile bike path There are three on-site dining venues at Hotel San Cristobal where clients will find fantastic fish or shrimp tacos and other light bites For a slightly more formal dining experience, there’s Benno I could not stray from the desayuno choyero which staffers call a staple plate for locals — regional machaca rolled up in handmade flour tortillas and served alongside avocado And a basket of house-made pastries is a must a delightfully crispy pan dulce named for its ear-like shape the catch of the day in a green mole is hard to beat And brand-new to the property in late 2023 is Cosecha alfresco restaurant in a secret-garden-like setting just in front of the hotel’s entry with many ingredients procured from Hotel San Cristobal’s on-site garden I was among the first to try dishes like beet carpaccio salad and esquites parmesan and homemade mayonnaise topped with a fried shrimp It was my last night at Hotel San Cristobal and a delicious finish Organic chicken and — no surprise here — a catch of the day option are on the menu And as much as Cosecha feels like a final puzzle piece to complete Hotel San Cristobal I’d venture a guess that there are more details to come My impression was one of a team always looking to the future and wondering how they might give guests yet another gorgeous corner to linger in The hotel is a 45-minute drive from San Jose Del Cabo International Airport and the concierge team is happy to arrange private transfers Copyright © 2025 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000 A controversial highway in Chiapas whose construction has been delayed for nearly 20 years has received the go-ahead after residents of five municipalities approved the project via a nonbinding referendum On Monday morning, Governor Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar announced the results in a social media post The Route of the Maya Cultures has been approved by the people!”  Ramírez thanked the public for their participation during “an exemplary day of voting” on Sunday adding that the highway was approved with 39,321 votes in favor and only 919 against The highway will connect the former state capital, San Cristóbal de las Casas, with the town of Palenque, known as the gateway to ancient Mayan ruins. Palenque, founded in 1567 and populated primarily by Indigenous Maya communities, is also the home of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024). Residents of the municipalities of Palenque, Ocosingo, Chilón, Salto de Agua and Tumbalá took part in a public consultation organized by the state government Approval was sought only for the section of the highway between Palenque and Ocosingo State officials said that ballots were provided in Spanish as well as in the Indigenous languages of tzeltal and chol so as to “promote the full participation of all those who wish to make their voices heard.” public consultations are required any time the government plans to take legislative or administrative measures affecting the country’s Indigenous groups and their land The new highway would replace Highway 199 which originates in the central highlands and traverses the jungle in the northeast part of the state Ocosingo is only 68 kilometers south of Palenque but Highway 199 winds its way through the jungle for 119 kilometers to reach Palenque The old highway also connects Ocosingo to San Cristóbal de las Casas to the southwest but it takes roughly two and a half hours to drive the 95 kilometers Since the project was first presented nearly two decades ago successive state and federal governments have defended the highway by saying it would provide economic benefits to the poorest parts of the state “We are fully committed to the people of Chiapas,” Governor Ramírez said in February especially those who are most vulnerable.” Ramírez added that the highway would remain in public hands and that there would be no private concessions granted Critics of the long-delayed highway proposal argue that construction will destroy the environment and strip local residents of their land and its resources They also claim that residents have not been fully informed about the proposal and its consequences Last month, the regional organization Movement in Defense of Life and Land (Modevite), which has been campaigning against the project for 12 years, published a letter it had submitted to the state government in which it described the project as another example of “colonialism and racism that favors transnational interests Modevite said that while it was not opposed to the concept of progress “we are against the violation of our rights; [we are] against imposition and authoritarianism that benefits the few in and harms the land that has been the source of life for our peoples.” the Ocosingo-based bus company Grupo Único Cotaco calling it “an important step toward modernization and regional development” that would boost tourism and benefit the local economy Galápagos Conservancy “Ensuring the sustainable flow of this water source is crucial for the community health and the long-term protection of local agriculture.” Grace Unda’s initiative aims to restore and conserve vegetation with exceptional water absorption and retention properties in the Cerro Gato watershed Her core strategy involves planting a combination of Guadua bamboo along with a species of native and endangered shrub the Galápagos miconia (Miconia robinsoniana) The Guadua bamboo stabilizes the soil and prevents erosion while the Miconia enhances the soil’s water retention capacity Additionally, Grace has received support and guidance from the Galápagos National Park Directorate which has donated plants of native species in addition to the Galápagos miconia including white wild coffee (Psychotria rufipes) These plants play an important role in local ecosystems by providing food and shelter for wildlife in Galápagos These strategic plantings help strengthen plant cover ensuring the long-term sustainability of water resources in this area The restoration of this key, local freshwater source on San Cristóbal Island is a prime example of how collaboration between institutions and communities can provide effective solutions to environmental challenges. Dr. Jorge Carrión emphasizes that community involvement is key to ensuring the sustainability of conservation projects in the Galápagos we are building a more promising future for the archipelago and the world promoting a development model that balances economic This project is a testament to what can be achieved when communities and organizations unite with a common goal: to preserve the unique and invaluable ecosystems of the Galápagos Islands and the services they provide to residents Galápagos Conservancy donors are the driving force behind our efforts to conserve this magical place Join the fight to save it by becoming a member Follow Galápagos Conservancy on social media to get the latest conservation updates and alerts in real time Inc.® is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with EIN Tax ID # 13-3281486 Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law in your country 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English Novo Executive Co-Chairman and Acting CEO Mike Spreadborough said “The fourth quarter has put Novo in a very strong position to deliver shareholder success in 2025 “The three new projects that we have added to our portfolio are all highly prospective and help broaden our geographic diversity The transaction structure for each project allows a great balance between risk We have hit the ground running at these projects and are very excited by the potential opportunity for a major gold discovery “We have also freed up significant capital through the sale of a portion of our San Cristobal shareholding and our remaining interests in the Quartz Hill Joint Venture Investor interest in our San Cristobal shareholding was strong We now have A$12 million cash and more than A$40 million in investments – balance sheet strength that would make us the envy of many junior explorers “The team at Novo continues to be highly disciplined in our exploration approach and also when it comes to project generation and consolidation Our structured approach allows us to quickly identify priority targets for follow up and highlight tenure that can be dropped or traded to help us manage our land portfolio and holdings costs we have resolved to seek interest from parties to acquire or be part of a joint venture in relation to which would allow us to focus on our high priority opportunities.” Surface mapping at the John Bull Project in New South Wales Discussions with the representatives of the Traditional Owners are on-going as Novo reviews and updates the relevant access agreements Novo remains in close contact with Traditional Owners to ensure appropriate heritage protection for planned exploration activities across all of its projects The John Bull Gold Project (John Bull) is an advanced exploration opportunity located in the emerging New England district NSW The tenure consists of two tenements and covers some 32 sq km (Figure 1) The agreement with TechGen Metals Limited (TechGen) (ASX: TG1) grants Novo an option to acquire an 80% interest in the Micks Bull tenement EL9121 and a 70% interest in the John Bull tenement EL8389 for which Novo will pay TechGen A$300,000 (approximately C$267,000) in Novo shares during which Novo is required to complete 1,500 m of drilling on EL8389 for which Novo will pay TechGen A$200,000 (approximately C$178,000) in Novo shares during which Novo is required to complete an additional 1,500 m of drilling on EL8389 Novo has the option to exit the farm-in agreement If Novo should elect to form the joint venture after the second farm-in period an additional A$180,000 (approximately C$160,000) in Novo shares is to be paid to TechGen Figure 1: Location of the John Bull Gold Project in northeastern NSW Historical highlights at John Bull (Figure 2) include results from a costean by Kennecott Australia in 1983 which intersected 160 m @ 1.2 g/t Au including 5 m @ 18.0 g/t Au and 5 m @ 7.1 g/t Au8 Soil sampling completed by TechGen highlighted an exceptionally high-order gold anomaly over 900 m long and 250 m wide at > 100 ppb Au with seven samples reporting > 4.5 g/t Au9 Novo has not conducted data verification (as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and JORC 2012) in respect of the data set out above and therefore is not to be regarded as reporting adopting or endorsing those results/figures No assurance can be given that Novo will achieve similar results Figure 2: John Bull drill hole and costean locations soil gold geochemical results and historical soil sampling locations The location of drill Section A-A’ (see below) is also noted TechGen also completed 17 RC holes for 2,249.5 m (2022 and 2023) with an effective test to ~120 m vertical depth Peak results from four approximately 100 m spaced sections of shallow RC drilling by TechGen over 320 m strike (Figure 2) include (Figure 3): Novo has not conducted data verification (as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and JORC 2012) in respect of the data set out above or in Figure 3 and therefore is not to be regarded as reporting Figure 3: John Bull - E-W Drill section (A-A’ on Figure 2) showing 130 m wide mineralisation and internal higher grades wider intercepts have no restriction on internal dilution All drill sections remain open at depth and the system remains open along strike An Induced Polarisation (IP) geophysical survey over part of the target also produced anomalies over known mineralisation Multiple targets have been identified for drill testing including directly down dip and along strike of significant intercepts co-incident or separate Au soil anomalies and IP anomalies Figure 4: John Bull - Plan view IP image with targets defined by IP (A 1-4) and soil geochemical targets (dashed black lines) Manhattan Corporation – Tibooburra Gold Project The Tibooburra Gold Project (Tibooburra) is an advanced exploration opportunity located in northwestern NSW and covering the historic Albert Goldfield Tenure includes six granted exploration licences over 630 sq km The agreement with Manhattan Corporation Limited (Manhattan) (ASX: MHC) grants Novo an option to acquire a 70% interest in the tenements comprising Tibooburra for which Novo will issue Manhattan 500,000 Novo shares during which Novo is required to spend a minimum of A$500,000 on exploration for which Novo will issue Manhattan 1,000,000 Novo shares during which Novo is required to spend a minimum of A$1,000,000 on exploration Tibooburra covers ~55 km of strike along the Tibooburra and Koonenberry Greenstone Belts in northwestern NSW (Figure 5) The Albert Goldfields is located in the north of the project area It was discovered in 1881 and mined in earnest until 1901 with a recorded production of approximately 55,000 oz Au at mining grades of +20 g/t Au9 Geology of the Tibooburra project tenements highlighting the Albert Goldfields at the boundary of the Thomson and Delamarian orogens wrapping around the west side of a cluster of large granite intrusions to the east The Tibooburra project area itself displays more than 200 historic workings and over 34 km of mineralised trend on multiple lines of workings Several immediate targets have been delineated by previous workers including New Bendigo little systematic modern exploration has been conducted and satellite imagery and interpretation shows abundant cover Two advanced drill ready target areas are defined at New Bendigo and Clone (and the associated Clone Trend) highlighting multiple parallel mineralised trends The New Bendigo trend shows extensive historical workings over 2 km strike Several drill programs by Manhattan tested over 530 m strike and intersected multiple high-order intercepts Extremely high-grade gold has been observed hosted in laminated quartz veins in historical diamond drilling where peak drill results include12: At Clone extensive historical workings manifest over ~450 m strike and 20 to 40 m in depth Drilling by Manhattan in 2023 highlighted potential for shallow dipping high-grade gold mineralisation Excellent drill results were returned from 11 holes over 250 m strike to a maximum depth below surface of 75m Mineralisation at Clone remains open in all directions with targeted mineralised basement trending under cover sediments to the south The cover sediments extend for some 15 km providing opportunities for exploration targeting potential ‘blind discoveries.’ Novo has not conducted data verification (as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and JORC 2012) in respect of the above data from New Bendigo and Clone and therefore is not to be regarded as reporting Novo is planning to conduct field reconnaissance at both John Bull and Tibooburra in Q1 2025 broad scale geological and regolith mapping surface soil and rock chip geochemical sampling prior to targeting RC drill programs Novo recently pegged six Exploration License Applications for 634 sq km of 100% owned tenure in the Onslow District of WA with a further 890 sq km in four Exploration License Applications (Figure 7) via an option arrangement with OD4 Rocklea Pty Ltd (OD4R) on the Cane River Project (under which Novo would acquire a 70% interest if the option is exercised) Novo paid OD4R A$55,000 as reimbursement for expenditure incurred to date The initial farm-in period is 12 months from tenement grant date for which Novo will pay OD4R A$100,000 in Novo shares This completes a strategic landholding of 1,524 sq km targeted across the junction of major tectonic boundaries in the north of WA and is termed the Toolunga Project The Toolunga tenure is underexplored using systematic modern exploration technologies yet displays prospectivity for precious and base metal discovery and aligns with Novo’s corporate strategy of exploring for targets with > 1 Moz Au potential Figure 7: Novo Pilbara and Onslow tenure showing main projects and significant prospects A series of targets have been generated by Novo and OD4R based on current geological understandings and the initial assessment of regional geophysics and open file GSWA geochemical sampling (Figure 8): Historical data and sample results may not be representative of mineralisation in the district Novo has not independently validated the public results listed in historic WAMEX reports or the information included in the DEMIRS database and is therefore not to be regarded as reporting No assurance can be given that Novo will achieve similar results as part of its exploration activities at the Toolunga Project Figure 8: Toolunga Project tenure showing regional targets over 1VD aeromagnetic image in a complex structural setting The Egina Gold Camp (EGC) is located centrally within Novo’s Pilbara tenure and is the Company’s flagship project area The EGC covers some 80 km of continuous tenure across prospective stratigraphy of the Mallina Basin with approximately 900 sq km managed by Novo and 1,050 sq km in the Egina Joint Venture managed by De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) (De Grey) The EGC hosts Novo’s current high priority Pilbara targets (Figure 9) primarily at Becher in the north but also with several emerging prospects throughout the southern sector This belt has been the main focus for Novo’s 2024 Pilbara exploration programs with drilling completed at Nunyerry North and mapping and surface sampling of targets along the Tabba Tabba Shear Corridor Figure 9: Novo Tenure in the Central Pilbara showing the Egina Gold Camp and Balla Balla Gold Project Au prospects Egina Earn-in/JV (De Grey earning a 50% interest) Novo entered into an earn-in and joint venture agreement with De Grey for the Company’s Becher Project and adjacent tenements within the EGC De Grey exceeded the A$7 million minimum expenditure commitment on the Egina JV in September 2024 and have committed to a further spend of A$18 million by June 30 Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX: NST) (NST) recently announced its intention to acquire De Grey for a deal valued at A$5 billion17 highlighting the region as a new major gold production hub Exploration has progressed to the north of Nunyerry North in Q3/Q4 2024 to expand first pass surface geochemical coverage on the ~ 60 km long fertile TTSC with new targets identified from re-interpretation of geology and observations from Nunyerry North drilling and significant parts are covered with shallow alluvium and colluvium or overlain by Fortescue Group basalt Several new targets have now been tested with first pass surface geochemistry (Figure 10) Soil sampling returned peak results of 794 ppb Au Opportunistic rock sampling included a best result of 3.8 g/t Au4 from 127 samples collected The most significant results returned to date define a coherent linear soil gold anomaly greater than 20 ppb Au trending between No 6 bore to Kilkenny North over ~ 5 km strike with elevated rock samples of up to 3.8 g/t Au4 associated with narrow brecciated zones and stringer veins (Figure 10) Figure 10: Gold in soil geochemistry and main prospects of the Tabba Tabba Shear Corridor Balla Balla is an emerging exploration project centred on the Sholl Shear and associated potentially fertile structural corridors undercover (Figure 9) All required compliance to enable aircore (AC) drilling at Balla Balla in H1 2025 has been finalised (Figure 11) Figure 11 Balla Balla Project geology showing the Sholl Shear Zone and complex folded stratigraphy Novo recently collected fourteen rock samples targeting mineralised material associated with the historical antimony mine and vein material along strike of the Sherlock Crossing Antimony mine towards the south These samples returned exceptional results including 4.7% and 3.1% Sb These samples are hand selected from mining spoils and may not be indicative of mineralisation in the district but do validate the high grades reported historically from mining activities (Figure 9) The accessible extent of historical mining at the prospect is constrained to a small area with additional workings described in historic literature now entirely covered by flood transported sands and clay The minimal outcrop is part of a north-south trending structural corridor Surface sampling and mapping was recently conducted at the Miralga district in the East Pilbara (Figure 12) following the execution of a Determination Wide Aboriginal Heritage Protection Agreement with the Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation in August 2024 The project is located on the eastern flank of the North Pole Dome where porphyry style Cu-Au and epithermal Au-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn vein and breccia-style mineralisation have been historically observed Geophysical and remote sensing interpretation coupled with review of existing geochemical datasets identified several targets on Novo’s tenure some of which have seen little to no historical exploration which is prospective for porphyry-related Cu-Au yielded peak values of 1.2 g/t Au and 4.4% Cu4 from intense stockwork veining and alteration A 400 m by 200 m coherent gold soil anomaly was also defined directly correlating with the high vein density at the margin of a highly altered porphyry intrusion at the Shady Camp prospect Figure 12 East Pilbara tenement location map showing Miralga District and key prospects Forward Programs – Pilbara and Onslow District At Toolunga regional and follow-up exploration campaigns are planned to commence on tenement grant mapping and geochemical sampling programs over known targets to validate historic results and to rapidly advance drill targets Novo plans to conduct maiden AC drilling at Balla Balla in H1 2025 now all compliance is finalised Mapping and sampling campaigns are also planned to continue along prioritised areas of the Tabba Tabba Shear Corridor in the EGC and at Miralga Smaller and more targeted follow up sampling and mapping is planned on the antimony targets at Sherlock Crossing and Southeast Wyloo This work is designed to delineate maiden RC drill programs to test scale and tenor of possible mineralisation De Grey have committed to a further spend of A$18 million by 30 June 2027 and are compiling and analysing results from recently completed work programs to developing follow-up programs including targeted RC and diamond drilling Once additional heritage permits and clearances are in place De Grey will be well-positioned for exploring additional target areas that have previously seen little to no modern exploration with planned activities ranging from early-stage ground gravity surveys geological mapping through to AC drilling for target generation and sub-surface geological mapping and follow up RC and DD target testing The Belltopper Gold Project (Belltopper) is located 120 km northwest of Melbourne and approximately 50 km south of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited’s (TSX: AEM) Fosterville Gold Mine in the Bendigo Zone an area with historical gold production of more than 60 million ounces (Figure 13) The tenure at Belltopper is 100% owned by Novo Novo continued to refine the Exploration Target3 defined at Belltopper in September 2024 through geological modelling of priority target reefs following completion of all 2024 drilling and receipt of all assay results (including the previous relogging program) The Exploration Target at Belltopper is based on seven reefs considered to show high prospectivity based on geological and historical data and is tabled below (Table 1) Exploration Target for the Belltopper Project Clarification statement: An Exploration Target as defined in the JORC Code (2012) is a statement or estimate of the exploration potential of a mineral deposit in a defined geological setting where the statement or estimate quoted as a range of tonnes and a range of grade (or quality) relates to mineralisation for which there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource these figures are not Mineral Resource or Ore Reserve estimates as defined in the JORC Code (2012) The potential quantities and grades referred to above are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource These figures are based on the interpreted continuity of mineralisation and projection into unexplored ground often around historical workings The Exploration Target has been prepared in accordance with the JORC Code (2012) Figure 13: Belltopper Gold Project location map with regional gold occurrences and major structures18 Novo continues to develop exploration programs to build on recent success with emerging reef discoveries Drilling programs are being designed to test the high priority conceptual shallow and deeper targets These will have a strong focus on exploring for world class Fosterville-style anticline related targets which are considered a high priority at Belltopper Harding Battery Metals Joint Venture (HBMJV) Novo entered into a tenement sale agreement and coordination agreement with SQM Australia Pty Ltd (SQM) a wholly owned subsidiary of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. in relation to five of Novo’s prospective lithium and nickel exploration tenements (Priority Tenements) in the West Pilbara (Figure 14) SQM paid Novo A$10 million (C$8.84 million) for a 75% interest in the Priority Tenements and for an option over additional Pilbara exploration tenements SQM finalised their review of the option tenements and added five more tenements to their Priority Tenements Figure 14: Location of Priority Tenements adjacent to Azure Minerals’ (ASX: AZS)Andover Lithium – Nickel Project On 20 December 2023 Liatam Mining Pty Ltd (Liatam) exceeded the required earn-in amount to form the 80%/20% unincorporated joint venture being the Quartz Hill Joint Venture (QHJV) The Company received A$200,000 (C$180,000) and recognized an impairment of exploration and evaluation assets totalling A$1,582,000 Liatam further invested C$1,600,000 (A$1,800,000) in Novo through a private placement subscription for 9,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company at C$0.18 (A$0.20) per share to increase their shareholding in the Company from ~3% to ~6% After entering into the agreement with Novo Liatam transferred the QHJV interests to Austroid Australia Pty Ltd Austroid Australia Pty Ltd obtained the remaining 20% of the QHJV from Novo and Novo’s 100% interest in gold and silver rights in the QHJV through payment of A$850,000 (C$774,000) cash the Liatam group remains a ~6% shareholder in the Company Novo has sold 38% of its shareholding in privately-owned San Cristobal Mining Inc (San Cristobal) for gross proceeds of A$11.5 million (C$10.5 million) The San Cristobal share sale exceeded the internal fair value per San Cristobal share on Novo’s balance sheet as of September 30 The San Cristobal share sale implies that Novo’s remaining shareholdings in San Cristobal would have an estimated value of A$19 million (C$17 million) San Cristobal declared a dividend of US$0.756 per common share and Novo received US$935,000 (C$1,351,000) Novo continues to focus its efforts on a dedicated and disciplined project generation and consolidation program to identify value accretive opportunities across targeted precious and base metals assets that complement the Company’s current portfolio Novo’s board of directors has resolved to seek interest from parties to acquire or be part of a joint venture in relation to a sale process of the Mechanical Ore Sorter is underway The Company’s exploration programs across key Pilbara areas continue to be successful in identifying priority targets for exploration follow-up drilling along with identifying tenure that provides little further exploration value or follow-up tenure which does not complement Novo’s exploration strategy continues to be relinquished to reduce land tenure holding costs The Company currently manages an estimated ~6,200 sq km of 100% owned tenure ~1,939 sq km of tenure forms the Egina Joint Venture (De Grey) or Harding Dam Battery Metal Joint Venture (SQM Priority tenements) Novo has reduced annual holding costs by entering into joint ventures or by relinquishing or divesting tenure of limited prospectivity Novo had a cash balance of A$12.1 million (C$10.8 million) Novo has an investment portfolio of shares held in ASX-listed and unlisted companies that is valued at approximately A$43.8 million (C$39.1 million) valued at approximately A$0.9 million (C$0.8 million) based on the closing price of those shares on 31 December 2024; and valued at approximately A$42.9 million (C$38.3 million) as of 31 December 2024 *ASX-listed shares were converted to C$ using an exchange rate of C$ to A$ of 1: 1.1217 **The valuation of the unlisted shares held in E3D is in line with management’s valuation as of 30 September 2024 converted using an exchange rate as of 30 September 2024 from US$ to C$ of 1: 1.4389 and C$ to A$ of 1: 1.1217 The valuation of the unlisted shares held in SCM is based on the partial sale of Novo’s shareholding in SCM and the price achieved US$ to C$ of 1 : 1.4389 and C$ to A$ of 1 : 1.1217 This valuation is still in the process of being reviewed for the period ending December 2024 Shares held in Elementum 3D and San Cristobal Mining are initially recognised at fair value (and remeasured with reference to share prices at which funds are raised from third-party investors) or were based on independent valuations performed For further information on Novo’s investment portfolio Authorised for release by Board of Directors Ms De Luca is Novo’s General Manager Exploration the technical information contained in this news release in relation to Belltopper The information in this news release that relates to Exploration Results from Novo’s Western Australian Gold Portfolio is extracted from Novo’s ASX announcement titled Pilbara Exploration Update released to ASX on 10 December 2024, which is available to view at www.asx.com.au The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information in the original market announcement and that the form and context in which the Competent Person’s findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement This Business Review constitutes a voluntary disclosure by the Company and is not a Quarterly Activities Report for the purposes of ASX Listing Rules 5.3 and 5.5 for which Novo has an exemption as a foreign entity with its primary listing on an overseas exchange with a particular obligation imposed by the home exchange that is comparable to the ASX Listing Rule obligation Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made Novo assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements If Novo updates any forward-looking statement(s) no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements Novo is an Australian based gold explorer listed on the ASX and the TSX focussed on discovering standalone gold projects with > 1 Moz development potential Novo’s key project area in the Pilbara is the Egina Gold Camp where De Grey Mining (ASX: DEG) is farming-in to form a JV at the Becher Project and surrounding tenements through exploration expenditure of A$25 million within 4 years for a 50% interest The Becher Project has similar geological characteristics as De Grey’s 12.7 Moz Hemi Project# Novo is also advancing gold exploration south of Becher in the Egina Gold Camp Novo continues to undertake early-stage exploration elsewhere across its Pilbara tenement portfolio Novo has also formed a lithium joint venture with SQM in the Pilbara which provides shareholder exposure to battery metals Novo has recently strengthened its high-quality Australian based exploration portfolio by adding the TechGen John Bull Gold Project in the New England Orogen of NSW and Manhattan Tibooburra Gold Project in the Albert Goldfields in northwestern NSW Both projects demonstrate prospectivity for significant discovery and resource definition and align with Novo’s strategy of identifying and exploring projects with > 1 Moz Au potential These high-grade gold projects compliment the landholding consolidation that forms the Toolunga Project in the Onslow District in Western Australia the Grade range is 6.6g/t Au to 8.4g/t Au and the Ounces range from 320koz Au to 570 koz Au The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information that material affects the information included in the original market announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed the technical information relating to the Exploration Target Hemi Gold Project mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) 2024 No assurance can be given that a similar (or any) commercially viable mineral deposit will be determined at Novo’s Becher Project and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed Structural evolution of the orogenic gold deposits in central Victoria Australia: The role of regional stress change and the tectonic regime The geology and gold deposits of the Victorian gold province March 2024; Agnico Eagle Mines Detailed Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resources Statement (as of December 31 For Comet and Sunday Creek exploration results refer: Great Pacific Gold (TSXV:GPAC) Company TSXV release dated 11 January 2024 and Southern Cross Gold (ASX:SXG) Company ASX release dated 5 March 2024 Castlemaine and Ballarat include combined alluvial and hard rock production Gold endowment for Fosterville includes historic production + reserves + resources as at 31/12/2023 Gold endowment for Costerfield equals historic production + resource (including reserves) as at 28/03/2024 Novo has not conducted data verification (as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and JORC 2012) in respect of the data set out in Figure 13 and therefore is not to be regarded as reporting No assurance can be given that Novo will achieve similar results at Belltopper MEXICO CITY (OSV News) — Slain Father Marcelo Pérez was buried in his birthplace amid indignation and demands for justice an Indigenous Tzotzil priest in the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas was remembered for protecting the poor and dispossessed while seeking dialogue where possible and always denouncing injustice in an increasingly violent region “Father Marcelo took special care of the poorest from people who feel they own society and the land and who do not mind harming the lives of others to enrich themselves or to acquire greater political power to get everything they want,” retired Bishop José Raúl Vera López of Saltillo said during an emotional open-air Mass attended by hundreds of villagers in San Andrés Larrainzar “He was especially concerned about people whose dignity was damaged by unfair treatment from authorities or from abusive people is what the Lord Jesus Christ tells us today,” said Bishop Vera who was coadjutor bishop in San Cristóbal de las Casas when Father Pérez entered the minor seminary “This is why he died as a prophet with his word But the impact of Father Perez’s death hit hard in Chiapas and drew widespread condemnation from Catholics across the country and previous assassination attempts for his work mediating disputes attending to victims of violence and confronting political bosses and criminal groups His murder came as the southern state of Chiapas — long rife with poverty inequality and discrimination against Indigenous groups — convulsed with drug cartels violence which has emptied villages and sent hundreds fleeing to neighboring Guatemala Father Pérez was shot dead after celebrating Mass in San Cristóbal de las Casas on Oct Security camera footage showed the priest leaving the church climbing into his car and being shot through the window by an assailant who fled the scene President Claudia Sheinbaum announced earlier the same day that the federal prosecutor’s office would investigate the crime 22 morning press conference to highlight the “perception of insecurity” survey from the state statistics institute which she said showed an improved security situation people feel more secure than in 2018” — when her predecessor and mentor President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office — and even more so “than in 2013,” she said She said of the situation in Chiapas: “It’s important to work to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again that there are no displacements and to pacify and to avoid extortion and crimes that are occurring.” The president’s reaction reflected a tendency from the ruling Morena party to downplay violence even as it spread into previously placid parts of the country spoke out on violence in Chiapas throughout his priesthood — and especially as violence intensified in Chiapas He told reporters covering a march for peace convened Sept 13 by Chiapas’ three Catholic dioceses “In many communities and municipalities Father Pérez was born in San Andrés Larrainzar an Indigenous Tzotzil town known for the San Andrés Accords signed in 1996 by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the Mexican government after an uprising by the Zapatistas for Indigenous rights He entered the minor seminary as a teenager and was ordained in 2002 He was a rare Indigenous priest in a diocese with more than 400 married Indigenous deacons who were ordained by Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia — who promoted an autochthonous church in Chiapas — to better serve remote communities without priests Father Pérez served early on in his priesthood in the municipality of Chenalhó scene of a notorious 1997 Acteal massacre of a pacifist Catholic group known as Las Abejas that claimed 45 lives But after eight years in the divided community he achieved community participation “without ideological differences or political positions in liturgical assemblies,” Jesuit Father Pedro Arriaga He later worked to find peace during his next assignment in Pantelhó where an armed group revolted against a local strongman — leading to a warrant being issued for his arrest Would-be assassins rigged his car’s electrical system to explode “There were constant threats,” said Father Arriaga a former diocesan spokesman in San Cristóbal de las Casas He remembered Father Pérez as “prophetic,” describing him as “always being on the side of the poor very radical and not afraid to make statements to the press “He considered death as a possibility for denouncing this situation.”  Print Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media Catholic Media Assocation Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association The Associated Church Press © 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2024Hotel San Cristóbal at sunset.Photo: Nick Simonite / Courtesy of Hotel San CristobalSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links There are a lot of unmarked roads in Mexico’s Baja California Sur From the highway that connects the grand resorts of Los Cabos to the village of Todos Santos they beckon—their dusty trails carving mysterious paths through vistas dotted with giant cardón cacti For those who rent a car—preferably one with four-wheel drive—the slow exploration of these roads yields a trove of discoveries: An oasis where the mouth of an underground spring feeds a grove of palm trees with fronds as green as a desert mirage; a secluded beach where cerulean waves crash between craggy As one local told me during a recent visit There’s always something interesting at the other end.” The road to Todos Santos.Photo: Courtesy of Inside ElsewhereThis wild sense of possibility has drawn a steady stream of travelers to the small town of Todos Santos for decades widely regarded as among the country’s best to wander the cobblestone streets lined with quaint artisan shops and refurbished haciendas in the old part of town the Mexican government designated Todos Santos a Pueblo Mágico—one of just 100 or so small towns celebrated across the country for their natural beauty with a handful of new design-forward hotels and a set of chefs who are taking full advantage of the area’s fresh produce the charming town is more appealing than ever and what to do when you visit Todos Santos Nestled between the Pacific coast and the Sierra Laguna mountains on Mexico’s Baja California Sur peninsula, Todos Santos is an easy one-hour drive dive north from Los Cabos on a well-maintained highway While both La Paz and Los Cabos have airports the easiest way to get to Todos Santos from most major American cities is to fly directly into San Jose del Cabo rent a car from one of the many familiar rental car companies like Hertz and National or from a reliable local rental car company such as Cactus or BBB If you don't want to drive, Ubers, taxis, and shuttle services like Todos Santos Private Transport are available from San Jose del Cabo to Todos Santos the most enjoyable way to explore is with your own wheels While the old town of Todos Santos itself is highly walkable many of the area’s must-see attractions—from hiking to surfing to restaurants—are sprinkled along the coast and therefore best discovered via car Paradero co-founders Pablo Carmona and Joshua Kremer designed their Todos Santos property with the intention of connecting visitors to the environment Tucked away amid farmland—the dirt road drive to the property is lined with poblano peppers and a field of sunflowers can’t help but become an Instagram attraction at sunset—and framed by the Sierra de la Laguna mountains the property lets its surroundings set the tone Minimalist rooms decorated in soothing sandy shades look out on endless green orchards Ground floor guests get sizable circular bathtubs or hammocks while those on the upper floor have “star nets” to lounge in for constellation spotting Perched on a fishing beach called Punta Lobos about 15 minutes south of town is the 32-room Hotel San Cristóbal from Bunkhouse Hotels where every single element—from swirly tiled floors to brightly woven blankets and terra-cotta-potted cacti—has been painstakingly executed for maximum sensory enjoyment There’s a specifically modern delight that comes from noticing all the small details that make up the sum: The candlesticks in the library with their artfully dripped wax the three large fireplaces tucked into different nooks the curtains in the guest rooms with their pretty bamboo pulls and the woodsy smoke of copal incense that trails you wherever you go Even the setting of the sun—which is marked each evening with the ringing of a giant gong—feels perfectly orchestrated; it dips below the horizon in exact alignment with the pool allowing for unobstructed views of the glowing Pacific from wherever you choose to lounge With its handsome brick exterior, this 19th-century private hacienda was once owned by a Spanish and has long been a landmark in old town Todos Santos; it’s just steps from the iconic Hotel California and was long known as the Todos Santos Inn. Recently, the property changed hands and was given an extensive and elegant renovation complete with 10 lush guest rooms and a tranquil courtyard swimming pool shaded by archways and palms A stone’s throw from Cerritos Beach in Pescadero is El Perdido connected by cacti-framed pathways and common areas that include a fire pit and a pool lined with sumptuous sun beds Activities abound with an outdoor pool table Thatched roofs let slivers of sun stream in while rammed-earth walls on two sides keep the space calm and cool Guests also get access to surfboards and an ATV to drive to the beach the on-site restaurant that’s open to everyone serves up seasonal dishes focused on local fish from a classic Airstream trailer La Bohemia is a collection of six whitewashed adobe rooms tucked into an oasis of palm trees and cacti just a few blocks from the historic town center Owned by a pair of California transplants who decided to put down roots in Baja after taking a road trip to the area several years ago the sweet hotelito incorporates many traditional elements in its design: Otomi embroidered headboards adult-only resort from Kimpton features 103 guest rooms many of which feature terraces and private plunge pools featuring local textiles in crisp desert hues and several pools—but aside from the gorgeous ocean and mountain views the real star of the show is the 25,000 square foot wellness center with a full-service hydrotherapy spa The best pastries in town are made by Julyanna Ortega and her team at Taller 17 Every morning brings a fresh array of sweets from cinnamon buns to lemon meringue pie and a blondie that will stick in your mind for months after You can’t go wrong with the farm-to-table fare at Jazamango where chef Javier Plascencia serves up a menu of locally sourced fish—oysters ceviche—as well as crowd-pleasers like burrata with heirloom tomatoes and wood-fired pizzas Diners eat al fresco beneath vine-covered canopies at tables that are strategically placed so each party feels like they have their own private corner take advantage of the area’s stellar agriculture by dining on wood-fired pizza and super fresh salads at Hierbabuena a charming alfresco restaurant located within an organic farm A drink at The Green Room is worth having any time when surfers are getting their last waves of the day and you can watch them from the restaurant with your feet in the sand and a mezcal in hand Barracuda Cantina is now serving up tacos and cocktails at Plaza Amigos Their original location is at Cerritos Beach and both spots serve fresh ceviche and fish tacos (along with a fried avocado taco that will please vegetarians) which is located in a tent on the north end of the beach near the Hacienda Playa CerritosPhoto: Courtesy of Inside ElsewhereHikingFor those who prefer dry land adventures, the surrounding Sierra de la Laguna mountain range is ideal for hiking and mountain biking One popular hike is to the top of Punta Lobos which affords breathtaking views of an abandoned fishing port where a sea lion colony has made its home marked by its teal exterior with blue lettering that announces: I Am a Bookshop The Danish Home Lighting Trend That Can Improve Your Mental Health In America’s Cities, Saunas Are Becoming the Hottest Social Spot Millie Bobby Brown Shares Her Favorite Paella Recipe—and Details About Her Wedding to Jake Bongiovi A Day-by-Day Guide to Hiking the Legendary Nakasendo Trail in Japan Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month The University is currently operating under normal conditions The $600,000 will help fund citizen science projects and create more student field experiences The UNC Center for Galapagos Studies received $600,000 from Royal Caribbean Group to support research and learning initiatives enabling the expansion of research projects community outreach programs and student engagement The center partners with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito to operate the Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island the only university science facility of its kind in the archipelago Royal Caribbean Group operates Celebrity Cruises and Silversea ships in the region “I am proud Royal Caribbean Group gets to play a part in advancing UNC Center for Galapagos Studies’ vision to expand local programs and make transformative experiences available to more dreamers and innovators,” said Jason Liberty president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group “UNC has a long history of providing the world with pioneers and passionate thinkers I take pride in announcing this gift that will help fund more student field experiences innovative research projects and training opportunities for residents.” A sample is collected for the Galapagos Barcode Project which provides scientific training and employment to residents The gift will fund three Galapagos Science Center projects: Galapagos Barcode Project: When COVID halted tourism and left many locals without employment in 2020 this project was launched to provide scientific training and employment to residents The gift will provide $300,000 to help the project re-launch expand and integrate with the Galapagos Science Center’s Biobank which preserves the genetic resources of the region’s existing biodiversity Community and Work Program: The REACCT program benefits communities on San Cristobal Island while enhancing the understanding of topics that UNC-Chapel Hill and USFQ researchers are studying Royal Caribbean Group’s gift will provide $120,000 in seed funding for innovative projects submitted to REACCT by local community members Projects will focus on areas such as improved marine practices Field-experience support for students: The gift will provide $180,000 for field-experience support for students from UNC-Chapel Hill to study in the Galapagos It will enable collaboration among undergraduates from both universities and the local community to work on research projects and receive training and mentorship More students will be able to study in the Galapagos’ unique ecosystem and gain valuable research and global experience while advancing science and conservation efforts “The people and vulnerable ecosystems of Galapagos will be the main beneficiaries of this funding because it supports human development through sustainable entrepreneurship and monitoring and protection of biodiversity in an area under human pressure,” said Carlos Mena co-director of the Galapagos Science Center UNC-Chapel Hill students and faculty participate in a field study project focused on nutrition This contribution demonstrates Royal Caribbean Group’s continued commitment to their SEA the Future initiative which drives the company’s efforts to sustain the planet energize communities and accelerate innovation we deeply value the opportunity to support and celebrate the communities we visit,” said Gabriela Naranjo vice president and regional director of the Galapagos “We are especially excited to contribute to the growth of local programs through the UNC Center for Galapagos Studies because we see how our shared passion to advance research and community outreach will inspire future generations.” “This funding provides a fantastic opportunity to expand the work of the Center for Galapagos Studies and the Galapagos Science Center allowing more Carolina students to have a transformative research experience alongside students from USFQ and the Galapagos and bolster the important research we’re doing to preserve the biodiversity of this iconic location,” said Amanda Thompson director of the UNC Center for Galapagos Studies and co-director of the Galapagos Science Center “This support is vital for training the next generation of scientists and protecting the island ecosystem.” The dean of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy talks about her research The Well compiled all the details you need before attending UNC-Chapel Hill’s May 10 graduation The Well newsletter updates Tar Heels on UNC-Chapel Hill’s top stories NC Children’s will be North Carolina’s first freestanding hospital dedicated to caring for kids The Carolina sophomore shares her life through her poems Heather Wasser focuses her work on safe infant feeding a concern after the storm hit western North Carolina Neha Varrier did CPR on a patient until help arrived nearly a thousand Tar Heels got help from fellow students through this free Learning Center program © 2024 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The original capital of the Canary Islands went on to become the much-replicated blueprint for colonial Spanish cities across the Americas a fisherman’s town,” guide Jaime Muñoz scoffed referring to one of the two present-day capitals of the Canary Islands He presented a 500-year-old map of Tenerife and pointed to San Cristóbal de la Laguna which was around the same size as it is today; this the first European-style development on the island and the first Spanish colonial town without walls The usual fortifications were dispensed with in favour of a naturally defensive position in a valley hidden from would-be attackers arriving by sea has World Heritage status today; it allowed for a different way of building a town While the upper section was largely unplanned the lack of fortifications meant the lower town was able to be to built more strategically using a pioneering grid-style layout with wide streets wrapping a main square It would become the blueprint for future Spanish expansion replicated across its colonies in the Americas The town’s design and architecture is now familiar in cities ranging from Lima and Old Havana to Cartagena and Quito “People come here and say it is similar to these places It wasn’t just geography that shaped La Laguna; the Spanish took their influences from Africa referencing Moorish riads and geometric carvings in the architecture of the town ‘combin[es] Islamic and European elements’ Today’s visitors to La Laguna can savour cobbled streets that wrap four main squares lined with mansions shaded in hues of pastel and terracotta Its public buildings and cafés retain their hidden courtyards edged with carved balconies supported by pillars of hard-wearing dark pine with the soothing trickle of a fountain for company Read next: A guide to Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria You can get an aerial glimpse of the old town from the five-storey bell tower of the Church of the Immaculate Conception Many of the city’s mansion houses are also open to visitors; these include the 17th-century Casa Salazar a former bishop’s residence with a decorative exterior as well as the 18th-century Cayetano Gómez Felipe House Museum the one-time home of a notable Canarian collector Further suggestions can be gleaned from the tourist office which occupies the 17th-century Casa de los Capitanes Generales An hour’s drive from the popular resorts of the south coast, La Laguna is the sort of place that those involved in the recent overtourism protests in the Canaries would rather responsible travellers visit It also works well as a base of exploration for nearby Anaga Rural Park and can be easily combined with the lower-key northern resorts of Puerto de la Cruz and Garachico their windows lined with pastries stuffed with sweet potato and guava More local produce is piled high in the morning food market the island’s famous black potatoes and short bananas sit alongside peppercorns indicating the town’s wealthier homeowners – typically those who’d helped with the Spanish conquest of the Americas and been rewarded with land “Early tourism was seen as a positive because it started to redistribute wealth more equally,” Jaime explained The arrival of Tenerife’s first university also helped the city become a cultural hub and its abundance of independent galleries is one of many boons Among the more curious aspects of La Laguna is its name The ‘laguna’ refers to what UNESCO calls an ‘insalubrious lagoon’ around which the settlement was first formed having been drained in the 19th century to rid the streets of mosquitoes you can still people-watch beside a fountain in shady Plaza del Adelantado the founding square from which not only La Laguna evolved but also On the island, the MTSA tram runs between La Laguna and Santa Cruz (40 minutes). TITSA buses operate throughout Tenerife and are useful for exploring further Guide Jaime Muñoz of Feel Tenerife offers visits to La Laguna as part of wider tours by electric MPV Sign up to our newsletter for free with the Wanderlust Club DR.- The refurbishment of the Mercado Modelo in San Cristóbal is underway with an investment exceeding 101 million pesos from the Republic’s Presidency and the San Cristóbal City Council This extensive renovation of the seventy-year-old market includes the installation of over two thousand meters of tiles as well as the pouring of nearly ten linear meters of the front sidewalk The internal renovations involve adapting existing booths and updating both electrical and plumbing systems the project includes significant work on a warehouse featuring a metal structure made of aluzinc and concrete This final phase of construction also includes installing doors and windows and making general improvements […] Local October 23 This final phase of construction also includes installing doors and windows and making general improvements in shopping and grocery areas The long-awaited remodeling of the Municipal Market is seen as a significant enhancement for the San Cristóbal community Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Economy North Coast Local Sports Health DominicanToday.com - The Dominican Republic News Source in English The Casa will reopen this October as an incubator and educational center for art and architecture with a focus on the rich design legacy left by Barragán throughout the country Romero related to Hyperallergic recently that the property He was available at a recent sneak preview of the upcoming multifaceted project which he hopes will "push the boundaries" of both disciples into the future with its transfer to the foundation secured he says it will become an expanded new hub for artists that will be enhanced with the introduction of new pavilion structures Fundación Fernando Romero says intervention work would take place in multiple phases over a decade while incorporating the designs of other prominent architects—namely Kengo Kuma—into adjacent sites on the master plan The home itself was commissioned by a Swedish family in 1966 and became a popular example of Barragán's style. (Romero told The Observer he admired Barragán as an influence who highlighted "imperfection as a possibility.") The Casa La Cuadra finally adds a third site to an itinerary of other preferred Barragán tourism destinations in the area that includes the Torres de Satélite Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site Your comment will be visible once approved In the current state of shoegaze revival, the Swirlies reminds us where it all began the Boston quartet has been a place where introspection becomes sonic with splintering half-melted melodies and distorted (and you guessed it) swirling guitars From "Pancake" to "Two Girls Kissing," the Swirlies still remain distinct with their wistful density trapped in a halo of hazy and forlorn dissonance They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons watch unearthed footage of “San Cristobal De Las Casas.” “This is ‘San Cristobal De Las Casas’  from our show at Brownies (NYC) on May 27 It was performed by the Damon-Christina-Andy-Anthony iteration of the band We were a year into the recording of our They Spent their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons LP which we had begun recording in the summer of 1994 at various NYC area studios completing final overdubs and then later mixing (and re-mixing and re-mixing...) the album at Looking Glass Studios with our engineer Rich Costey This show was likely scheduled around one of our Boston to NYC trips and included a ‘yard sale’ of sorts (we brought many books and other items that we were getting rid of and would leave them at the front of the stage for people to take as we played.)  We finally released ‘Salons’ in April 1996 It's hard to believe it was almost 30 years ago.”  What do you hope listeners take home with them after And Always Forever We're looking forward to having a stable physically secured Yamaha CS-50 emulator on stage (our set up fell off the stage back in 2017 when we last played LA which led to some serious mid-set head scratching) as well as seeing our old friend and occasional Swirlie not mention original Puffin and fantastic artist who lives just down the street from the club The roster has shaped up to be an adventurous night of noise and we're excited to see how all the sounds will nestle together and we hope listeners "take home" our merch so we can pay for our trip and don’t have to ship it all home What can you say about music and its longevity We lost our good friend and bandmate Rob Laakso last year.  He was such a special person and was a complete master at what he did– he just made everything sound “right," which is why we called him Doc, not to mention his good humor, flying fingers, and wicked riffs. The music he made with us and other people (and especially his own music as Raw Bell) was close to the core of his self When we listen to his music and play his parts but we certainly hope that ostriches are around for a long AAF is their last stop on their Central Pacific tour starting in October. You can find tickets for the below dates here CA Great American Music Hall | Slide Away Presents with Lovesliescrushing CA at the Echoplex for And Always Forever Stay up-to-date with exclusive events and content famed for its vibrant pink walls crafted by the architect Luis Barragán will open its doors to the public as the new home of the Fundación Fernando Romero Drawing inspiration from traditional ranch architecture this residence stands as one of Barragán’s most celebrated works Commissioned in 1968 by Folke Egerström a prominent member of the Club Hípico Francés it reflects a perfect blend of artistry and function Under the visionary leadership of architect and philanthropist Fernando Romero Cuadra San Cristóbal is poised to transform into a space of continuous evolution and creativity The upcoming installations include a wooden pavilion designed by Kengo Kuma and a site-specific installation by Marina Abramović Exterior courtyard at La Cuadra San Cristóbal courtesy Fundación Fernando Romero.  Fernando Romero shared the vision behind the Fundación's ambitious new project: “Our work is guided by the belief that architectural innovation and artistic production can help promote a more just and culturally vibrant world.”  Exterior courtyard at La Cuadra San Cristóbal La Cuadra is set to transform into a dynamic cultural hub poised to rekindle the intersection of art and architecture The Fundación aims to celebrate the enduring legacy of the legendary architect Luis Barragán while introducing an array of programs designed to engage and inspire the visiting public they seek to harness the unique power of architecture as a medium for cultural connection a visionary multi-phased plan will breathe new life into the La Cuadra campus  Fernando Romero at La Cuadra San Cristóbal credit: Juan HDZ. Exterior courtyard at La Cuadra San Cristóbal will also introduce contemporary pavilions crafted by internationally acclaimed architects including a wooden structure designed by Kengo Kuma This thoughtful combination of old and new will create a vibrant destination that evolves alongside the ever-changing landscape of cultural and artistic expression The vision for La Cuadra is not just about architectural aesthetics; it’s about fostering a space where creativity thrives and diverse cultural narratives intertwine courtesy Fundación Fernando Romero.   expect to witness a transformation that not only preserves the rich history of this site but also champions new possibilities for artistic collaboration and community engagement Cover image: Exterior courtyard at La Cuadra San Cristóbal Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience A guide to the burgeoning paradise on the Baja California peninsula somewhere between the arrival of reliable running water and the opening of the first three-digit room total resort when the sun seems to be shining most bright a speck of a settlement on Mexico’s desert Baja California peninsula but there are several restaurants recognized by The MICHELIN Guide Nightlife is measured not in nightclubs (there are zero) but in the dazzling spray of stars that blink on after dark it makes up for in genuine cultural offerings that reflect a part of the country rich in ranching history and wildlife “What I think is really special about Todos is that there's still kind of a wild component to it,” says Jessica Canepa, who moved there 16 years ago to help open Villa Santa Cruz one of the three hotels in town to win One MICHELIN Key in Mexico’s inaugural list announced this summer “There's like 'a going back in time' component to it.” the only regular draw for tourists to this colonial farming and fishing village was the Hotel California a saloonish 1950s property that highlights its similarities to the mythic spot in the hit song by The Eagles though – for legal purposes – has made clear it is unconnected to it a new highway that cut the drive time from Cabo San Lucas to about an hour and a tourism boom spurred by pandemic shifts in travel tastes has turned Todos Santos into a destination for the kind of vacationer who is early to bed and learn about the community’s cowboys on a horseback ride from its stable to a nearby working ranch with widely offered flow sessions and La Pastora a well-known break with waves that can climb past double overhead height visitors can help conservation organizations guide sea turtle hatchlings as they crawl from their nests into the Pacific Sightings of migrating whales in the winter are also common and an unusual deep ocean drop-off that’s close to shore makes for unmatched views with local farms and the freshest hauls from the sea comprising a cuisine that’s light Here are our recommendations for where to eat and where to stay in Todos Santos Mexico’s most patriotic dish, the chile en nogada DŪM  The menu at this small space carved out of a jungle of greenery changes with the moon cycle reflecting a deep connection with the natural surroundings and an out-of-the-box style Opt for the oxtail with a red wine reduction and smoked carrot purée or the steamed potato ravioli served with crispy matchsticks Oystera The glistening Baja waters are the habitat of the obvious must-have here excellent oysters that range from meaty and juicy to tender and minerally Set in a grand building along a central inland intersection a visit counts as a good reason to make it off the beach chair and into town.  Benno  Located in the Hotel San Cristóbal (One MICHELIN Key) Benno is a breezy indoor/outdoor spot for all-day fare with an enviable coastal view You can't go wrong with the catch of the day served with a mild herb and pumpkin seed sauce and very fresh vegetables For dessert: a plate of bite-sized churros with house-made dipping sauces Tenoch The view from Tenoch is unlike any other of a spot on our list: a stretch of desert beneath a hilly horizon stylishly landscaped as part of the Paradero Todos Santos hotel (One MICHELIN Key) The serious food coming from the kitchen is made from local ingredients – some as close as the restaurant’s own farm Soft-shell crab is deceiving and delicious appearing simple but coming alive on the palate while the manchamantel mole has the perfect blend of spicy Cocina de Campo by Agricole (Bib Gourmand) Tables here are set in the lush garden where the simple ingredients that star in the Mexi-Cali menu are grown “The cooking is simplified to allow the ingredients to take center stage,” our inspectors noted describing a serving of fresh sliced tomatoes with olives and pesto that proved “the best dishes don’t need much intervention.”  Villa Santa Cruz (One MICHELIN Key) Two California-born couples run this oasis on the water that’s expanded over more than a decade to include villas and luxury oceanside tent suites with glass windows and hard walls That’s built in character and an ethos tied into the community reflected in the hotel’s devotion to programming and experiences that connect guests with local culture like cooking classes and a horseback riding excursion set to open in the coming weeks that includes a visit to a nearby working ranch Paradero Todos Santos (One MICHELIN Key) Brutalist architecture in sleek raw concrete blends into the rugged landscape surrounding Paradero Todos Santos a stunning all-suite boutique hotel perfect for the design-minded with soft luxury furnishings lit by orange-glow lights Guests will love the infinity pool with a mesmerizing desert view and the restaurant complete with an open kitchen and Oaxacan clay oven Hotel San Cristóbal (One MICHELIN Key) A pool and lounge area that wraps around palm trees is the lively centerpiece of this little beachside hotel Bright charm shines through in colorful tile motifs while boutiquey touches and s’mores are the best nightcap at a beachfront bonfire From listening bars to neighbourhood restaurants explore all the top recommendations from Chishuru’s Adejoké Bakare One of the most prominent chefs serving Indian cuisine talks India and his New York Update your must-visit list with The MICHELIN Guide’s new London restaurants the best hotel rooftops are a go-to when you touch down What the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors Saw in 2025 The Mexican capital takes center stage alongside the culinary world's top talents From Texas Barbecue to Mexico City's cutting-edge dining these new MICHELIN Guide hot spots promise unforgettable vacations and world-class cuisine These are the best lake vacations for a summer break from Lake Tahoe in the US to Lake Como in Switzerland and the MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and bolt holes to bed down in when you visit The MICHELIN Guide Inspectors have already added hundreds of hotels to the MICHELIN selection in 2025 we’re highlighting a special list of 10 that thrive in the sunny season where do fashion’s biggest names retreat for a bite and a bed We imagine the post-Gala sanctuaries of the chicest attendees these iconic chefs mentor professional chefs who have an ego Who knew brisket and biscuits could be so good From tartan fabrics and stag antler furnishings to rare Scotch whiskies and castle views you'll have no doubt which country you're in when staying at these Michelin-Key hotels she has championed America’s farm-to-table movement for 54 years Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels a speck of a settlement on Mexico\u2019s desert Baja California peninsula \u201cWhat I think is really special about Todos is that there's still kind of a wild component to it,\u201d says Jessica Canepa, who moved there 16 years ago to help open Villa Santa Cruz one of the three hotels in town to win One MICHELIN Key in Mexico\u2019s inaugural list announced this summer \u201cThere's like 'a going back in time' component to it.\u201d though \u2013 for legal purposes \u2013 has made clear it is unconnected to it \u201cYou come to Todos Santos to be outside It\u2019s a slower pace,\u201d Canepa says and learn about the community\u2019s cowboys on a horseback ride from its stable to a nearby working ranch and an unusual deep ocean drop-off that\u2019s close to shore makes for unmatched views with local farms and the freshest hauls from the sea comprising a cuisine that\u2019s light D\u016aM  Opt for the oxtail with a red wine reduction and smoked carrot pur\u00e9e or the steamed potato ravioli served with crispy matchsticks Oystera Benno  Located in the Hotel San Crist\u00f3bal (One MICHELIN Key) Tenoch The view from Tenoch is unlike any other of a spot on our list: a stretch of desert beneath a hilly horizon stylishly landscaped as part of the Paradero Todos Santos hotel (One MICHELIN Key) The serious food coming from the kitchen is made from local ingredients \u2013 some as close as the restaurant\u2019s own farm Cocina de Campo by Agricole (Bib Gourmand) \u201cThe cooking is simplified to allow the ingredients to take center stage,\u201d our inspectors noted describing a serving of fresh sliced tomatoes with olives and pesto that proved \u201cthe best dishes don\u2019t need much intervention.\u201d  Villa Santa Cruz (One MICHELIN Key) Two California-born couples run this oasis on the water that\u2019s expanded over more than a decade to include villas That\u2019s built in character and an ethos tied into the community reflected in the hotel\u2019s devotion to programming and experiences that connect guests with local culture Paradero Todos Santos (One MICHELIN Key) Hotel San Crist\u00f3bal (One MICHELIN Key) and s\u2019mores are the best nightcap at a beachfront bonfire San Cristóbal —Residents of different sectors of San Cristóbal have raised their voices to the sky in the face of the constant and lengthy blackouts that plague the province With days of more than 12 hours of electrical interruption citizens of the city center and municipalities have complained that most of these occur during the early morning and extend until the early hours of the morning making it impossible for them to fall asleep due to the heat of the nights “We have about a week that the electricity goes out at about 10:00 p.m there are days that in the morning hours it also goes out There are nights when indignant […] Local August 18 There are nights when indignant neighbors have thrown garbage and ignited tires as a method of protest on First Street of Los Químicas in Haina,” commented a resident of that sector also indicated that the electricity goes out in the early morning even though A resident of the Residencial La Fortaleza in Los Nova complained that her electricity went out on more than one occasion during this week in the early hours of the morning and that on Friday morning the service went out from midnight to 9 a.m The lady indicated that the service is also intermittently absent during the day and she has taken the measure of disconnecting part of her appliances for fear that they will break down due to the constant blackouts “The light lives blinking,” he commented The residents of this urbanization fear that due to the blackouts crime will increase due to the darkness and loneliness in the streets the blackouts have not allowed people to carry out their daily activities residents burned tires on the main roads in demand of the service there will be candle lighting in the municipal park Av. Abraham Lincoln N° 452 Local 220B, Plaza La Francesa, Piantini, Santo Domingo 16/11/2024 - 7:20pm (GMT-5) | The informal currency market in Cuba remained stable this Saturday the anniversary of the villa of San Cristóbal de La Habana with the dollar trading at 328 Cuban pesos the independent outlet elTOQUE has not reported any changes in its daily update on the currency price in the black market After a Tuesday in which the dollar rose slightly and the freely convertible currency (MLC) at 265 Exchange rate of the USD to CUP according to TOQUE: 328 CUP Exchange rate of the Euro EUR to CUP according to TOQUE: 345 CUP Exchange rate of MLC to CUP according to TOQUE: 265 CUP The median of the values published today by elTOQUE does not suggest that there will be significant movements in the values over the next few hours Equivalents of each available euro and US dollar bill to Cuban pesos (CUP) United States Dollar (USD) to Cuban Peso (CUP) according to the exchange rates on November 16: The prestigious academic journal Applied Economics known for validating innovative contributions and practical applications in economics worldwide recently endorsed the methodology used by elTOQUE to calculate the exchange rate in Cuba's informal currency market The article "Using AI in the Informal Currency Market: Evidence from Cuba" was published in October 2024 and described the innovative use of artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to calculate the Representative Rate of the Informal Market (TRMI) This recognition highlighted the importance of the work of this media outlet which in recent years has been continuously targeted by the Cuban regime determined to discredit its algorithms and analyses by claiming they are speculative and do not reflect reality another anniversary of the Villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana increasing deterioration of the housing stock SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Raúl Mondesi was sentenced Friday by a Dominican court to six years and nine months in jail and fined $507,000 for corruption during his time as mayor in the city of San Cristobal of embezzling $5 million during his time as mayor between 2010 and 2016 The sentence came after a deal with the prosecutors' office Mondesi, whose son Adalberto Mondesi was a big league shortstop which means his sentence has already been completed Mondesi won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1994 and played in the All-Star Game one year later The Dominican was in Major League Baseball for 13 seasons and won two Gold Gloves He finished his career with an average of .273 Mondesi's political career started in San Cristobal which he represented as a lawmaker between 2006 and 2010 Dominican prosecutors brought several charges against Mondesi Adalberto, his son, started his career with the Kansas City Royals in the World Series they won in 2015 He is currently a free agent after he suffered a knee injury in March 2023 Dominican Republic — They're known as "frog men," inmates who are forced to sleep on prison floors across the Dominican Republic often next to overflowing toilets or holes in the ground that serve as one Thousands of them are crammed into the country's severely overcrowded prisons some operating at seven times their capacity A majority languish there without ever having been charged with a crime and activists warn they face inhuman conditions and a lack of medical care critics say the Dominican Republic continues to push for and allow pretrial detentions in nearly all criminal cases where no charges have been filed and has made few changes as problems within prisons keep mounting "Prisons have become no man's land," said Rodolfo Valentín Santos director of the Dominican Republic's National Public Defense Office Over 60% of the country's roughly 26,000 inmates are being held under preventive detention according to the National Public Defense Office Proponents argue the measure aims to protect society and allows authorities time to collect evidence in a case But some detainees have spent up to 20 years in prison without ever being found guilty of a crime He noted that the country's Constitution and penal code dictate that preventive detention is an "exceptional" measure There are six other measures that don't involve prison time Darwin Lugo and Yason Guzmán walked out of La Victoria National Penitentiary in the northeast corner of the sprawling capital The prison was built for a maximum of 2,100 inmates but holds more than 7,000 of them with more than 3,300 under pretrial detention It is the country's oldest and most populated prison "You have to watch out for your life," said Lugo who with Guzmán visited several friends held there "There are a lot of them who are not doing well," Guzmán said of inmates there who have spent more than five years incarcerated there are well-connected and only occasionally request money or ask that their cell phone's SIM card be recharged at least 11 inmates died at La Victoria following a short circuit in a cell that sparked a fire and an explosion It was one of the country's deadliest prison fires since 2005 when at least 134 inmates were killed in the eastern town of Higüey after rival gangs set their bedding ablaze Dominican President Luis Abinader appointed former prisons director Roberto Santana as head of a commission tasked with overhauling and improving the country's more than 40 prisons that we have a situation in all of the country's prisons," Abinader said when he announced the appointment last March He also announced that money recovered from corruption cases would help fund construction of new prisons Santana has long called for the closure of La Victoria and the 15 de Azua prison The commission he leads is working on those and other monumental tasks "We don't take orders from politicians or anyone else," said Santana who previously trained staff for the new prisons built in the early 2000s who once served as president of the Federation of Dominican Students in the 1970s was arrested multiple times under President Joaquín Balaguer known for having political opponents and dissidents jailed and sometimes killed Santana knows first-hand the conditions of La Victoria — he spent two years in solitary confinement there the Dominican Republic began building 21 new prisons to improve conditions which oversee the country's other 19 prisons But conditions in the new prisons have deteriorated according to the Dominican Republic's National Commission of Human Rights "The Dominican Republic's prison system is on the brink of collapse," the commission said in its 2023 report Some 5,000 inmates are ill with conditions ranging from heart problems to cancer to HIV but they receive only the most basic medication whose office issues a yearly in-depth report on the conditions of all prisons his office called for the closure of prisons including one in the north coastal city of Nagua "The level of overcrowding…makes it impossible to achieve true rehabilitation for the inmates since they have been forgotten by the state," the report read it is obvious that they are treated as objects and not as human beings endowed with rights." Another prison was so overcrowded that the government held inmates outdoors in trucks with metal roofs that broiled under the sun did not respond to requests for an interview Hernández has previously said his office is taking measures to improve conditions Dominican Attorney General Miriam Germán Brito has repeatedly spoken out against pretrial detention but noted that the decision lies in the hands of judges A spokesperson for Germán said she is not granting media interviews Both Santana and Valentín said they believe government corruption is one reason the country has dragged its feet in overhauling the system accusing soldiers and police who run prisons of benefiting from illegal activities Public corruption also prompted authorities to halt construction of a much-touted prison in recent years that was expected to ease overcrowding Even as that half-built prison wastes away Santana said he expects that 25 new prisons capable of holding more than 20,000 inmates will be built by 2028 While those are expected to help ease overcrowding Activists note that inmates are not freed even when a judge has legally released them The National Commission of Human Rights noted that roughly 2,700 inmates are still in prison because their paperwork is paralyzed in backlogged courts hundreds of others remain incarcerated despite being officially freed because they owe the government money and are unable to pay fines ordered by a judge Become an NPR sponsor Welcome to bdonline.co.uk. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By 2025-01-29T11:18:00+00:00 Kengo Kuma working on plan to transform one of Pritzker Prize-winning architect’s most celebrated works into a place of ”endless creativity” La Cuadra San Cristóbal was completed in 1968 and includes a private residence equestrian facilities and extensive landscape gardens One of the most celebrated private residences designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Mexican Architect Luis Barragán will be turned into a visitor attraction after being acquired by a local businessman.  a 6.7 acre walled compound on the outskirts of Mexico City was built in the late 1960s as a private estate encompassing a residence It was acquired by Mexican architect and businessman Fernando Romero in 2017 in the belief that the property’s transition to new owners could risk its integrity through his not-for-profit foundation Fundación Fernando Romero has announced plans aiming to protect the site and transform it into a “cultural resource” for the public and the world’s art and architecture community a phased programme of upgrades will see the construction of a series of new pavilions adjacent to the compound commissioned from internationally acclaimed architects including a timber pavilion designed by Kengo Kuma The former private residence is one of Pritzker Prize-winning Barragán’s most celebrated works Other additions will include a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Barragán Romero said the masterplan envisions a “platform for endless creativity in one of the most vibrant spaces in Mexico” who acquired the site through his foundation “Our work at the Fundación is driven by the belief that architectural innovation and artistic production can help foster a more just and culturally vibrant world,” he said “It is a great honor to begin this work by envisioning La Cuadra as a dynamic cultural hub that encourages new possibilities at the intersection of art and architecture.  we aim to catalyze the power of architecture for the visiting public and celebrate the enduring cultural influence of Luis Barragán.” The programme of cultural events will start next month with a talk by Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović with the permanent exhibition to open in autumn this year an architect who has restored Barragán’s Casa Prieto López and Fuente del Bebedero.  The exhibition will showcase Barragán’s first modernist buildings in Mexico City and provide a closer look at eight main works including Casa Gilardi and Torres de Satélite was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 took on his characteristic colourful and playful style from the 1950s The Kansas City museum’s shortlist included Renzo Piano Reciprocal arrangements will streamline process to practice architecture in the two countries The centre will contain buildings up to nine storeys in height Plans designed by Gensler for a £1bn cancer research and treatment centre in south London have been submitted for planning by developers Aviva Capital Partners and Socius Retrofit of 150 Aldersgate includes new terraces a reconfigured entrance and a public art installation Howells also scoops two awards for Birmingham office scheme and a cafe at a grade I-listed country house Site powered by Webvision Cloud Videos circulating online show the violent murder of two men on a motorcycle. They were chased down and killed by two gunmen also riding a motorcycle near San Cristóbal de las Casas, a popular tourist destination in Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state Local journalist Isaín Mandujano shared footage from a neighborhood security camera that captured the victims riding a shared motorcycle along an empty street at 8:22 p.m another motorcycle accelerates toward them The victims slow down and glance back before attempting to escape Así se escuchó el ataque y ejecución a dos jóvenes que iban a bordo de una motocicleta sobre el Periférico Sur de SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS, la noche de este domingo 12 de enero, los hechos ocurrieron a la altura de la Colonia 1 de enero, en la Zona Norte de esa ciudad. Se ve… pic.twitter.com/9AsRIZxu15 More than eight gunshots are heard immediately after the gunmen reach the victims followed by additional shots as they drive away screams and repeated cries for help echo through the street The entire incident unfolded in less than one minute A separate video shows neighbors coming out of their houses and rushing toward the wounded men who succumbed to their injuries shortly after and federal authorities responded to the incident blocking the streets as they initiated the double homicide investigation Mandujano also shared blurred photos of the victim's bodies lying on the pavement next to their blue motorcycle the identities of the assailants and their motives remain unknown The victims' identities have not yet been disclosed Their bodies were transported to the Forensic Service for their families to claim Mexican authorities confirmed hours before the shooting the arrest of David "N," alleged leader of a motorcycle criminal group referred to as Los Motonetos The group has been linked to various violent crimes and shootings in the area It is unknown if the arrest of this individual is connected to the shooting Uncertainty surrounding the presidential elections in Venezuela remains more than eight days after the electoral event Amid peaceful protests and counterprotests Bishops and religious demonstrations are making the Church’s voice heard Vice President of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference and bishop of San Cristóbal spoke to Vatican News about the situation and expressed appreciation for Pope Francis’ appeal on Sunday for calm How does the Church interpret what is happening We have done various readings of the situation because one of the most difficult aspects of this unprecedented situation is that it is constantly changing We bishops are in close contact with each other there is a meeting with the bishops to evaluate the situation in each of the regions The national government only recognizes the result it presented and there is a lot of restlessness and uncertainty among the people but the people are also protesting using peaceful means to express their disagreement and ask that the will of the people be heard We are truly experiencing an unusual and unprecedented event as some historians who study contemporary Venezuela say not only through the bishops but also through the priests deacons and many people involved in lay pastoral ministry has increased her presence and closeness to the people expressing not only that closeness but also that we are members of the People of God that we also suffer with our people and hope with our people Q: In his words during the Angelus on Sunday the Pope asked that politicians worry about the true good of the people and not about partisan interests Do you believe the political actors involved will take on this task This is something everyone wants; we have also asked this of our bishops And I want to point out that the Pope’s message has been a comforting voice for all our people The people received that message from the Angelus last Sunday not only with gratitude We hope political leaders will feel first of all that they are members of the people that they not feel like they own democracy that they use constructive dialogue to strive for the good of democracy Q: What could happen in Venezuela if this situation regarding the electoral elections is not resolved Worst-case scenario – which we are working to avoid – would be one in which violence expands into a social explosion That’s why although it’s been more than a week since we received the unexpected results we still have faith that with the help of experts but above all with the goodwill of political leaders the will of the people will be heard and put into practice We bishops do not only hope for this but are working together with priests And we have seen how other non-Catholic religious institutions are working on this same task so that those who believe in God seek peace and we have asked not only that this be taken into account but that a solution be chosen to avoid any sort of scenario would be if the situation were not resolved and people became indifferent There would perhaps be a new group of migrants leaving Venezuela in search of a new situation That’s why I insist once again that we are waiting for conscience intelligence and a sense of service to the people to prevail Q: But in addition to the appeals from many international institutions we have also seen many Churches and Bishops’ Conferences in other countries praying for Venezuela we had the Church in Colombia praying for Venezuela and for Colombia the Dominican Republic and many ecclesial entities like CELAM There is a very beautiful dimension to that because it shows that even if the Church really becomes part of certain situations It’s what Saint Paul teaches us: when one member of the Church – of the body – suffers we have also experienced it and are experiencing it expressed our solidarity with our brothers in Nicaragua who are suffering due to the situation of persecution they have let us know that they are praying for Venezuela Q: On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord what is your message for the people and what will be your prayer intention to Santo Cristo de La Grita that God be heard in His people’s cry and that we learn from the living Gospel of that people which has Christ the Lord at the centre be able to be an example of consensus in the search for a solution which benefits the country not one which benefits a small group or a political side We also ask Santo Cristo de La Grita on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord that He help us to be a Church to show a Church which always walks synodally with her people This year marks 60 years since the great Pope Paul VI published his first encyclical the Pope proposes dialogue as a path: dialogue with God dialogue among ourselves and dialogue with the world I believe that will help us greatly to invite others to use dialogue to renew our country which sorely needs profound change because of the situation it is experiencing So that our prayer to Santo Cristo de La Grita is not confined only to that day we have seen how our dioceses in Venezuela have intensified three important things: one is prayer the call to pray and to take on the Word as inspiring our actions the closeness of the people to their pastors and of pastors to their people we are offering and reaffirming our service to those who most suffer in these circumstances – the poor there will be an immense flux of people who might leave the country That is our petition and our wish on this beautiful day which is also very important to us here in Táchira Táchira is the state which houses the Diocese of San Cristóbal We are very united with the Colombian episcopate not only because of our proximity to the border but also as a gateway for many people heading to different parts of the world Thank you for reading our article. 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Just click here Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) said it would designate the wetlands of La Kisst and María Eugenia as “critical habitats” for the conservation of wildlife The program should lead to the management and mitigation of negative impacts on biodiversity There was a time when the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas The last two areas are on the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance and sit within protected areas in the state of Chiapas But that hasn’t been enough to guarantee their conservation The mountain wetlands are at risk of becoming just another afterthought in a story about urbanization The ecosystems have been eliminated and degraded by land invasions The latter have ignored the number of at-risk species that rely on the wetlands as well as the important role the watershed plays in the survival of San Cristóbal de las Casas The La Kisst and María Eugenia wetlands replenish and filter springs that supply around 70% of the city’s water Most are between 3 and 5 meters (9 and 16 feet) deep and 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) above sea level Their ecosystems regulate climatic conditions and control flooding They’re also the only wetlands in the world where also known as the Chiapas killfish of San Cristóbal (Profundulus hildebrandi) The habitat protects other at-risk species like the bearded screech owl (Otus barbarus) and the western ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus) Also at risk are several migratory birds like the blue-winged teal (Anas discors) and great egret (Ardea alba) residents of San Cristóbal de las Casas started fighting to prevent the disappearance of their water they started to speak out against the land invasions land-use changes and urbanization projects that were erasing the ecosystems Their complaints made it to the National Commission on Human Rights (CNDH) an organization that at the end of January made formal recommendations to Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) and the attorney general of Chiapas as well as the municipality of San Cristóbal de las Casas preserve and remedy such complex ecosystems the three government bodies have accelerated their abandonment,” the CNDH document said “Such ecosystems face an ever-worsening process of deterioration affecting the water table in San Cristóbal.” The commission recommended that they develop an interinstitutional plan for preserving the wetlands It also announced that it would introduce complaints to internal bodies responsible for investigating administrative irregularities and alleged environmental crimes or 271 acres) and María Eugenia (115 hectares were recognized as naturally protected areas subject to ecological conservation in the state of Chiapas they were also put on the Ramsar list of internationally important wetlands Residents of San Cristóbal pushed for them to become protected areas a member of the Citizen Council for Water and Territory in Valle de Jovel the state declarations ran into several problems: they hadn’t carried out prior consultation with the public hadn’t revised the territorial ecological plan and the land marked for protection hadn’t been properly expropriated some landowners retained possession of areas that were supposed to be protected allowing them to fight back against the declaration giving them permission to sell and fill in the land This accelerated the wetland deterioration and urbanization the defense of the wetlands started to intensify residents near the María Eugenia wetlands started organizing against a construction company that was planning to build a subdivision within the protected area members of the Citizen Council for Water and Territory in Valle de Jovel the Coordination of Southern Communities (Cocosur) the General Council of the Southern Zone and Wetlands have started submitting complaints and documenting the damage being done to the wetland ecosystems at least 20 hectares (49 acres) of the María Eugenia wetlands an agroecologist from the University of California Ávila is also a member of the General Council of the Southern Zone and Wetlands the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) found that the Ramsar site at María Eugenia was undergoing housing construction without any kind of permit and that vegetation in the wetlands was being modified it was discovered that government offices were being built within the protected area PROFEPA received at least 27 complaints about the illegal filling in of wetlands according to information included in the CNDH recommendation There were also 15 complaints presented to the federal and state attorneys general against the local government and the municipal water utility of San Cristóbal de las Casas The complaints concern crimes against biodiversity and the exploitation of waters that are listed as national property None of the complaints have moved forward at all who remembers one of the more recent cases in which it was discovered that one of the investigation folders was empty The documents and tests that had been provided as evidence were nowhere to be found residents allege there are groups selling water from the wetlands The illegal use of water from the wetlands is even recognized by state officials “There are organizations that dedicate themselves to irregularly collecting water and distributing it in pipes in San Cristóbal de las Casas,” said biologist Pedro Sánchez Montero director of natural areas and wildlife at Chiapas state’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural History (SEMAHN) five years after residents filed their first complaint against the CNDH the organization published recommendation 18/2022 the CNDH said that “practically all the prohibited activities referred to in the declarations have been carried out in the wetlands not only by individuals but also by state and municipal agencies the filling in of wetlands and modifications made to runoff routes.” the municipal council authorized land-use changes to facilitate the urbanization of the area where the wetlands were located the CNDH asked that actions be taken to protect the mountain wetlands of San Cristóbal de las Casas One of the recommendations included updating the zoning of protected natural areas It asked the state attorney general of Chiapas to develop a protocol for investigating environmental crimes the CNDH said it would present complaints to the internal control bodies of SEMARNAT to the municipal government of San Cristóbal de las Casas and the attorney general of Chiapas regarding officials connected to administrative irregularities and alleged crimes The CNDH’s recommendation was added to the one presented in May 2021 to the Chiapas State Commission on Human Rights the state commission was pushing for a natural resources management plan and the filing of administrative procedures against officials who failed to comply with their obligations to properly manage the wetlands the state secretariat of the environment and San Cristóbal de las Casas City Council rejected the recommendation bringing in a new administration and state secretariat of the environment both more willing to act on the recommendation an interinstitutional group has been formed,” said Sánchez Montero “An updated diagnosis of the impact on the wetlands is being carried out We have started a dialogue with the invading groups.” Sánchez Montero said the complaints are being addressed but also acknowledged that the issue hasn’t advanced in the state attorney general’s office Mariano Díaz Ochoa took office as mayor of San Cristóbal de las Casas His brother owns the construction company that tried to build the subdivision in the María Eugenia wetlands in 2015 This is the third time that Díaz Ochoa has held office Although he signed a statement defending the wetlands They say they hope that the government acts and that the officials responsible for their degradation receive the proper punishment “We’re going to continue pressuring them into responding to the recommendations,” said Alma Rosa Rojas of the Citizen Council for Water and Territory in Valle de Jovel The story of the mountain wetlands of La Kisst and María Eugenia is similar to that of other protected natural areas in San Cristóbal de las Casas 102 hectares (252 acres) of Huitepec Alcanfores were declared a protected natural area — but only on paper The area still doesn’t have a management plan and continues to experience deforestation Citizen groups have asked officials at all levels of government to investigate if land-use changes have been authorized in the area as there have been sales within protected territory Sánchez Montero said invasions and deforestation in the area have led to the loss of a natural water flow he said that this year they will have “the necessary legal instruments to adequately manage the area.” The 2.7- hectare (6.6-acre) Quenvó Cuxtitali and 102-hecatare (252-acre) Gertrude Duby reserves protected areas located east of San Cristóbal de las Casas these protected areas have suffered from land invasions and urbanization “There are people that have profited from the need for housing,” said Martín López a member of the board of directors of the Maya colony The invasions started in 1994 but have been intensifying since 2012 in response to the policies of Chiapas’s then-governor of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM) a change in government saw Velasco replaced by Rutilio Escandón of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) but the invasions and irregular settlements haven’t stopped SEMAHN’s Sánchez Montero said a little more than 50% of the state’s forests have been lost over the past 50 years The Gertrude Duby Reserve “was erased from the map is “very concerning” because there’s already an at-risk population on the site and many of those people are being relocated toward the Quenvó Cuxtitali Reserve where the spring is located that supplies water to the northern region of San Cristóbal de las Casas custodians of the spring in the Quenvó reserve have spoken out against the imminent invasion of the protected natural area Tensions between the invading groups and those who want to save the reserve and the spring have escalated in recent years some residents of Cuxtitali were kidnapped for several hours Those who have organized defenses of the natural areas around San Cristóbal de las Casas are asking that city planning be organized “so that it no longer grows in an irregular and unpredictable way; that it no longer grow onto wetlands reserves and riverbanks,” said Martín López of the Maya neighborhood They also ask that reserve protections be respected and that the wetlands be conserved “because they are our water reserves.” San Cristóbal de las Casas is a unique place León Ávila said he remembers that the rain in the city used to be continuous “[We get] in an hour what we used to get in eight,” Ávila said And now the civil engineers want to do more work to take out the water in the city We told them what they need to do is save the wetlands.” the extreme climate conditions have become common the creeks and lakes of María Eugenia dried up the rains haven’t been like they were in previous years You go into the wetlands and don’t see the same water as before,” Ávila said And while the lack of water is already being felt in many neighborhoods of San Cristóbal de las Casas one soft drink company has obtained two concessions to extract around 500 million liters (132 million gallons) of water annually in the municipality of the Citizen Council for Water and Territory of Valle de Jovel said it’s urgent that the mountain wetlands of San Cristóbal de las Casas be declared a site of public interest by expropriating them the state government hasn’t considered carrying out expropriations The residents defending the wetlands have already done the work to get the wetlands listed with Ramsar as well as to request a technical advisory mission in Mexico The priority for them is to save these ecosystems They know that the future of the species there “This is a fight for life,” León Ávila said We’re thousands fighting for water in Valle de Jovel.” This story was reported by Mongabay’s Latam team and first published here on our Latam site on Feb The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] New DNA analysis of century-old tortoise bones published this week in Heredity one of the world’s leading journals of genetics contained a startling revelation: the extant Giant Tortoise species on San Cristóbal Island in Galápagos represents a genetically distinctive and undescribed group of organisms The San Cristóbal Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis chathamensis) described over a century ago is now likely an extinct species it has been presumed that the tortoises living on San Cristóbal belonged to a single species which was described on the basis of bones and shells collected in a cave during a 1906 California Academy of Sciences expedition to the southwestern highlands of the island That expedition never reached the northeastern lowlands of San Cristóbal where tortoises currently live and other institutions extracted DNA from these bones and made a remarkable discovery: The DNA does not match that of the tortoises currently inhabiting the island 1) The 8,000 tortoises living on San Cristóbal today may not be rightly called C since they are another taxon (or lineage) entirely that has no formal description or scientific name; chathamensis belongs to from the San Cristóbal highlands is almost certainly extinct; and 3) San Cristóbal Island had not one but two different taxa of tortoises living together — one in the highlands and one in the lowlands each likely with different nesting areas — until the extinction of the highlands species in the middle of the 20th century The authors are currently working to recover more DNA from the extinct taxon to clarify the taxonomic status of the San Cristóbal tortoises and better understand how the current living species is related to the extinct one It seems likely that there were two species on San Cristóbal chathamensis should be assigned to the extinct species and the extant taxa should be given a new name San Cristóbal Island consists of two parts that during times of high sea levels millions of years ago where tortoises once flourished but were killed off by whalers and early-twentieth-century settlers A recent Galápagos Conservancy-Galápagos National Park Directorate joint expedition estimated 6,000 to 8,000 giant tortoises on San Cristóbal recovering rapidly from a low of 500–700 individuals in the 1970s thanks to the cessation of poaching and removal of goats The full publication, “A new lineage of Galapagos giant tortoises identified from museum samples,” can be found here Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law in your country.