Diego Calderón Franco, a researcher and birding guide, was once kidnapped and held hostage by Marxist rebels in Colombia. Years later, he decided to introduce his former captors to bird-watching, thinking it might provide some of them with new careers as guides. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a far-left group known by its Spanish …
Anderson Cooper discovers how rare birds, expert guides, and wild landscapes can turn a skeptic into a passionate birder in the mountains of Colombia.
An investigation is underway after a United Airlines plane struck a light pole and a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike as it was coming in for a landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, officials said. Cellphone video appears to show Flight UA169, a Boeing 767 that originated in Venice, Italy, with …
Colombia, with its varied geography, has about 2,000 species of birds — more than any other country in the world. All those species of birds have become an important part of a growing ecotourism industry. It brings in millions of dollars to Colombia’s economy, and bird watchers — birders, as they’re known — are flocking …
After natural disasters, white nationalists, militias, and conspiracists often arrive, offering help. But they also want to recruit and improve their image.
In 15th-century France, the medieval town of Grasse had a problem. It reeked of dead animals from its booming leather trade. Then came a clever idea to mask the stench: a pair of gloves infused with the scent of local flowers. It sparked a new industry. Flowers were planted; techniques invented. And what began as …
In Colombia, decades of fighting between the government, left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and narco-traffickers preserved bird habitats in Colombia.
One thousand jasmine flowers go into every 1 ounce bottle of Chanel No. 5 parfum, making the blooms critically important for the iconic scent launched in 1921. For over a century, the jasmine blossoms used in each bottle of No. 5 have been grown and harvested in the French town of Grasse, where Coco Chanel …
In September of 2024, Hurricane Helene pummeled the mountains of North Carolina, causing massive floods that uprooted trees and swept away entire homes. Remote communities were cut off from relief efforts after the storm damaged bridges and roads. But an unanticipated element caused chaos and confusion in the disaster’s aftermath: the arrival of white nationalists, …
Centuries ago, the French town of Grasse reeked of pungent odors from leather tanning. But now it’s famous for quite the opposite scent from the acres of jasmine that it grows for top perfume houses.