North America
Diving Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize
The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is one of Belize's most popular snorkelling sites. It offers vibrant coral formations and a diverse array of marine life packed into a small site with shallow waters in an easy-to-reach area of the UNESCO-listed Belize Barrier Reef. The post Diving Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Ranked: most dangerous countries in the world 2023
The most dangerous countries in the world to visit in 2023 have been revealed in the latest Travel Risk Map The most dangerous countries to visit in 2023 are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen according to the latest Travel Risk Map, an interactive tool produced by security specialists at International SOS. The map is used to predict the safest and, conversely, the least safe countries in the world to visit and has four layers in total covering a country’s security risk, medical risk, and the impact of the pandemic on travel and domestic operations. For the security layer of the map, countries are indexed according to their travel security risk rating, which uses five risk definitions: insignificant, low, medium, ...
What is the best way to see the Blue Hole of Belize?
The best way to see the Blue Hole of Belize is from above. Here’s our guide on how to make the most of your scenic flight In 1971, Jacques Cousteau famously described Belize’s Great Blue Hole (now the Blue Hole Natural Monument) as one of the world’s top 10 dive sites. Ever since, the giant sinkhole in the middle of the UNESCO-listed Belize Barrier Reef has captivated the public’s attention. Measuring 318m (1,043ft) across and 124m (407ft) deep, the Blue Hole and its surrounding reef system are truly mesmerising. But it’s one of those sites that actually looks better from afar. We believe the best way to see the Blue Hole of Belize is from above. Here’s why. Best seen from the air While Kia and I are both qualified open water divers – and I have the advanced qualification – reports suggest...
Can Canada stay a crypto mining hub after Manitoba’s moratorium?
Canada has remained a peculiar regulatory alternative to the neighboring United States in regard to cryptocurrency. While its licensing process has become more stringent than in some countries, Canada was the first to approve direct crypto exchange-traded funds. State pension funds have invested in digital assets, and crypto mining firms have moved to the country to take advantage of the cool temperatures and cheap energy prices. But the gold rush for miners in Canada may be slowing down. In early December, the province of Manitoba — rich in hydroelectric resources — enacted an 18-month moratorium on new mining projects. This move resembled a recent initiative in the U.S. state of New York that stopped the renewal of licenses for existing mining operations and required any new proof-of-wor...
5 days in 2023 when all US national parks are free
Put these dates in your diaries. Over 400 US national parks are free to visit on five days this year Visiting one of America’s iconic national parks is always a great idea and it’s even sweeter when it’s free. The National Park Service (NPS) has announced five days in 2023 when entrance fees will be waived at every site around the USA. Calin Tatu/Shutterstock Zion National Park usually charges a fee There are over 400 NPS-managed sites across the US representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the unincorporated territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The list includes all 63 national parks as well as hundreds of other units such as national monuments, historic sites, preserves, reserves, rivers, parkways and recreation areas. “National ...
Canada crypto regulation: Bitcoin ETFs, strict licensing and a digital dollar
In October, Toronto-based Coinsquare became the first crypto trading business to get dealer registration from the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). That means a lot as now Coinsquare investors’ funds enjoy the security of the Canadian Investment Protection Fund in the event of insolvency, while the exchange is required to report its financial standing regularly. This news reminds us about the peculiarities of Canadian regulation of crypto. While the country still holds a rather tight process of licensing the virtual asset providers, it outpaces the neighboring United States in its experiments with crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), pension funds’ investments and central bank digital currency (CBDC) efforts. An era of restricted dealers Coinsquare, which...
Low hash price, soaring energy costs spell tough Q3 for Bitcoin miners
Energy problems in North America and Europe and prevailing market conditions have spelled another bleak quarter for Bitcoin (BTC) mining operators on both continents. The latest Q3 mining report from Hashrate Index has highlighted several factors that have led to a significantly lower hash price and higher cost to produce 1 BTC. Hash price is the measurement used by the industry to determine the market value per unit of hashing power. This is measured by dividing the dollar per terahash per second per day and is influenced by changes in mining difficulty and the price of BTC. As Hashrate Index reports, Bitcoin’s hash price was afforded some reprieve in the middle of Q3 as heat waves during the American summer led to a drop in hash rate, which corresponded with a slight BTC price recov...
The Caribbean is pioneering CBDCs with mixed results amid banking difficulties
The Caribbean region is in a tough situation for banking. The 35 nations comprising the region face challenges common to many tiny economies, such as dollarization and dependence on foreign trade and remittances. In addition, the increasingly common banking practice called de-risking is taking a heavy toll. So, it is probably no coincidence that the region is also at the forefront of digital currency adoption. Carmelle Cadet, the founder and CEO of banking solutions company Emtech, is a native of Haiti who has experience working with central banks in Haiti and Ghana. Her company is also a member of the new Digital Dollar Project Technical Sandbox Program that is exploring aspects of a United States central bank digital currency (CBDC). Cadet spoke to Cointelegraph about her experienc...
Poorest countries in the world – ranked
African nations dominate the ranking of the poorest countries in the world based on the latest data from the World Bank We all have preconceptions about places. Take Ethiopia for example. As children of the eighties, Kia and I were only too aware of the struggles Ethiopia has faced historically: political unrest, civil war and, of course, famine. It was easy then to imagine a vast desolate dust bowl ahead of our visit in 2017. Ethiopia is perceived by many as a representation of wider Africa: still developing, still struggling. In reality, it is a land of lush mountains, dazzling architecture and jaw-dropping natural wonders. There is poverty, but there is also hope. Our visit prompted us to ask if Ethiopia still ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world. Data from the Worl...
Non-technical mountain climbs: 13 trekking peaks
There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills still leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like. All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go). I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names....
Web3 solutions aim to make America’s real estate market more accessible
America’s housing market may soon be facing its next bubble as home prices across the country continue to be fueled by demand, speculation and lavish spending that could result in a collapse. Moreover, many homeowners are opting to stay put due to climbing mortgage rates, creating a housing shortage. Data from the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, found that 92% of homeowners think their current home is affordable. Yet, findings further show that 69% of the general population, consisting of both homeowners and renters, believe it’s becoming too difficult to find affordable housing. Web3 and the real-estate market While the fate of the United States housing market remains unclear, the rise of Web3 business models based around nonfungible tokens (NFTs...
Miners that hodl the most Bitcoin are ‘relentlessly expanding’
Bitcoin (BTC) miners are holding more and more Bitcoin while “relentlessly expanding” their operations in 2022. A report by Arcane Research indicates that publicly listed Bitcoin miners are “constantly looking for expansion opportunities,” as they “plan to increase hashrate faster than the whole network in 2022.” Publicly listed Bitcoin miners projected hashrates. Source: Arcane Research 44.95% of the global hash rate derives from North American miners, according to the latest figures from the Cambridge Bitcoin electricity consumption index. With the massive projected increases in target hash rate among the publicly traded Bitcoin miners, it‘s “likely to increase.” Jaran Mellerud, an analyst for Arcane Research, told Cointelegraph that “most publicly listed miners pursue a hodl strat...
