Germany announced on Saturday that it would supply Ukraine with an aid package worth nearly $3 billion to strengthen the country’s defense, marking Berlin’s largest pledge in military aid since the start of the war.

The German Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the package may include a variety of military hardware, including armoured personnel carriers, 30 Leopard tanks, reconnaissance drones and ammunition.

“With this valuable contribution of urgently needed military material, we are once again showing that Germany is serious about its support,” Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

“We all wish for a speedy end to this terrible war waged by Russia against the Ukrainian people, which is contrary to international law. Unfortunately, this is not yet in sight. Germany will therefore provide all the help it can – as long as it takes,” Pistorius added.

Ukraine President’s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, confirmed Germany’s support on Saturday via his Telegram account while thanking them for their aid.

The development comes after the US on Tuesday announced a $1.2 billion aid package to Ukraine intended to “bolster its air defenses” and “sustain its artillery ammunition needs,” with Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces looming.

Germany’s military support for Ukraine has evolved over time. The country initially resisted calls to provide weaponry to Kyiv, agreeing only to provide humanitarian help and medical equipment. That approach was in line with Germany’s decades-long policy of not supplying lethal weapons to crisis zone.

In a major policy U-turn earlier this year, Berlin announced it would provide Kyiv with Leopard 2 battle tanks. Then in April, Berlin also committed to sending Gepard anti-aircraft systems.

Not everyone in Germany has been on board with their government’s decision, however, with thousands taking to the streets of Berlin and other cities across the country earlier this year to protest the delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

Hundreds of people have died in the Sudanese region of West Darfur, as fighting between the two rival military factions battling control in the country escalated as well as drawing in local militia groups.

The most recent uptick of violence in the city of El-Geneina took place between Friday and Monday, the second time in three weeks that the capital of Sudan’s West Darfur province saw intense violence.

“Power outages have been continuous and it is very difficult to access water. The health system is out of service completely,” Alzahawi said, adding that “the internet only works during the day, and is cut off at night.”

The Sudanese Doctors Union said Tuesday that in only two days, May 12 and 13, 280 deaths and 169 injuries were recorded in El-Geneina.

El-Geneina suffered militia attacks on residential areas and street battles between community-aligned forces, causing hundreds of civilian deaths and many more injuries, UNHCR Principal Situation Coordinator in Darfur, Toby Howard said Tuesday, adding that to date more than 150,000 people have been displaced.

“Critical basic services, markets, houses and IDP sites have been targeted, looted and destroyed,” Howard added.

The Norweigian Refugee Council said Monday that civilians in El-Geneina endured “incessant shelling, devastating their homes” for three days.

An estimated 100,000 internally displaced people remain “at the mercy of relentless violence, with settlements once again being reduced to ashes,” the NRC said.

William Carter, NRC’s country director for Sudan called the levels of violence unfolding in West Darfur “nothing short of inhumane”.

“One of our staff members was injured, and each day brings news of people burying their loved ones who fell victim to the senseless fighting,” Carter added.

The Darfur Network for Human Rights (DNHR), a non-governmental organization focusing on the Darfur region, also reported intense shelling in El-Geneina over the weekend, and said that one of their field workers was killed during an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), on Sunday.

Hundreds have had to flee homes and mosques that were burned by shell attacks launched by the RSF and Arab militias, DNHR said Sunday.

This recent escalation of violence comes after a significant bout of fighting in late April, during which at least 150 lives were lost. The residents of El-Geneina have for weeks been trapped and stranded within the city, cut off from basic needs like water and vital health services. Moreover, electricity and internet cuts have significantly impeded communication.

The fighting in West Darfur has forced tens of thousands of people to flee across the border to Chad, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said a total of 60,000 refugees have moved across since the conflict broke out.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Reaction Force in Sudan’s Darfur region has widened, drawing in Arab militias and largely non-Arab African armed groups who have been in recurrent conflict since the start of the unresolved Darfur conflict in 2003.

“People say I’m a funny guy,” Finnish rapper Käärijä says, reclining in the sauna truck he had shipped across northern Europe, wearing only some tight leather shorts, a set of spiky green sleeves and an aggressive bowl cut.

“But I always tell them: I’m just a normal guy from Finland.”

Käärijä is not a normal guy; he’s an infectious ball of zeal in a head-swiveling get-up, with a laugh that cuts through the steam in his sweaty private hangout. But at Eurovision, he’s just the latest in a long line of eccentrics to capture the continent’s music-loving hearts.

The Eurovision Song Contest — the brightest, gayest and most heartwarming event of the year in Europe – is a magnet for many of the region’s otherworldly musical acts. Each year it receives more than 150 million TV viewers worldwide and brings swarms of fans to its host city – which this year is Liverpool, England, handling proceedings on behalf of last year’s winner Ukraine.

Its Grand Final will air live on Saturday night at 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET) and will see one country crowned this year’s winner.

Käärijä brags about downing multiple Pina Coladas in his power-rap “Cha Cha Cha,” a track that becomes dramatically less intimidating once its lyrics are run through Google Translate. “I’m not afraid of this world … when I pour champagne on myself,” he warns us.

That unfazed demeanor will serve him well against serious competition. If you believe the bookmakers, he’s locked in a two-horse Nordic showdown with Loreen, Sweden’s returning Eurovision royalty, whose 2012 uber-banger “Euphoria” transcended the contest and became a club staple around Europe.

Now, she’s one of Eurovision-mad Sweden’s most celebrated entrants ever – perhaps just one victory away from getting her own money-making hologram. Or as she puts it: “I’m a servant of creativity, darling.”

“It’s like home for me, the Eurovision community,” Loreen said. “It’s a safe space for me.”

Drowning in music

In many ways, the battle for this year’s crown symbolizes the two extremes on offer at Eurovision – a polished vocalist with a minimalist, TV-friendly performance going up against a cacophony of delightful Eurosilliness.

Everyone is talking about energy – their energy, the energy of the crowd, the energy of their home countries. Loreen used the word 11 times in a 12-minute interview. There’s so much energy in Liverpool it’s a miracle the lights in the arena haven’t tripped.

Amid the love and joy and energy, though, there’s competition – and some acts have already been jettisoned at the semi-final stage.

Ireland’s Wild Youth, fronted by an Elvis Presley waxwork that someone left in the sun, failed to generate much enthusiasm with “We Are One” – a song that reads like a ChatGPT-generated ode to meaninglessness, and sounds like a commercial for a supermarket’s range of barbecue equipment.

“The truth is they never give Ireland a chance,” the band grumbled in a since-edited Instagram post that went down like a lead balloon among the masses in Liverpool.

Only the strongest 26 contestants can proceed, and the diversity on show is staggering. We have former contestants from the Albanian version of “The Voice,” the Swiss version of “The Voice,” the Georgian version of “The Voice,” and a winner of “Estonian Idol” who can also boast an appearance on the Baltic-region version of “The Voice.”

Many acts are legitimate stars in their home countries, but Eurovision is the great equalizer – so behind every artist is a team of publicists furiously attempting to talk up their talent.

Switzerland is less boastful – noting only that Remo Forrer has “solid vocal chords.”

And here’s how Linkytė describes the meaning behind her ballad: “Everything that you have in your mind, it can actually be the truth, I guess. But we are putting so many doubts about the dreams we have that we are not receiving those dreams, mostly.” So that clears that up.

This is, by the way, the most global Eurovision ever. For the first time, viewers all around the world can vote – and while few artists here would cite Tim McGraw or Toby Keith among their inspirations, Americans can still get involved if they watch along on Saturday.

That’s news to Linkytė, though. “They can vote? Are you serious??” she screams. “Americans: I love you so much!”

A lyrical smorgasbord

Brits don’t usually catch Eurovision fever quite as viscerally as their continental friends – perhaps because they haven’t had a winner this millennium – but hosting the show has changed that.

And what a show it is: Last year’s winner and runner-up, Ukrainian rap group Kalush Orchestra and the UK’s Sam Ryder, will each perform on Saturday, as will Ukraine’s majestically unhinged 2007 entrant Verka Serduchka.

Organizers said they rejected a request from President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the show –though his office later claimed he had never made one – but Ukraine’s Tvorchi crushed their dress rehearsal on Friday and are hoping to send a message home.

Flying the British flag is Mae Muller. As is the case with anything fun that happens in Britain ever, her selection briefly infuriated the country’s culture warriors, who expressed outrage after discovering she had once been critical of Boris Johnson. But blowback was softened by the fact that criticizing Johnson has arguably become the country’s most cherished pastime in the past year.

Punk rockers Let 3 are famous for performing naked back home in Croatia. In Liverpool, they’ve made some really – unique? Let’s go with “unique” – costume choices.

Lord of the Lost, meanwhile, provide the obligatory thrust of heavy metal. It may surprise you to learn they supported Iron Maiden on their European tour last year. (It may also surprise you to learn that Iron Maiden are still touring).

“Maybe someone out there knows where Shakespeare is so I can get a taste,” they sing as they thrash their way through the English-language literary canon.

The deadline to finalize entries came too soon for Armenia’s Brunette, who accidentally submitted the world’s most insufferable Hinge bio instead. “I just wanna make art, read books and just find someone who likes me enough to kiss my face,” she sings. “I wanna explore with him and visit old bookstores.”

The truth is, most artists don’t care about where they end up on the leaderboard after a long, draining, drunken evening on Saturday. “You’re talking to five guys who will win many hearts,” Harms says.

Alas, not everyone has time for that airy fairy nonsense. “I expect to win,” Pasha Parfeni tells me. The bookies don’t agree. But Pasha is Moldova’s Eurovision Guy – he’s been here twice, entered the national selection another few times, and has co-written past entries.

He’s “quite big” back home, he notes in a brooding voice, handing a vape to his media manager, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. “I’m in love with all my songs,” Pasha adds – particularly this year’s. He even provides some totally impartial analysis, free of charge. “The meaning is pretty deep, we have a lot of layers here,” he says.

Whoever wins, this year’s Eurovision has reignited Britain’s love for the contest and pulled together an incredibly strong selection of talent.

And, of course, energy. Loreen says that if she wins, her first task will be to “send back some energies” to her team. “And I’m gonna have, maybe, a glass of wine.”

Sweden’s Loreen has won the Eurovision Song Contest for a second time, earning a historic triumph at an extravagant and crowd-pleasing show held in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on behalf of Ukraine.

She became just the second performer to win the competition more than once, clinching victory with pop ballad “Tattoo” and cementing her legacy at the kitsch and wildly celebrated music contest.

Loreen had previously won the contest in Baku in 2012, with her career-altering hit “Euphoria.” Her latest win means Sweden ties Ireland for the most victories in the competition, with seven – and it came 50 years after ABBA won with “Waterloo,” the moment that shot them to superstardom.

The show was held in Britain for the first time in more than two decades, after the country – which came second last year – stepped in to handle hosting duties on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine. Hosting honors will go to winners Sweden next year.

The UK put on a dramatic and moving show that paid tribute to those displaced by war and celebrated the music of both countries. But a request from President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the show was rejected, organizers said Friday.

Ukraine’s electronic duo Tvorchi finished a strong sixth place, while Britain returned to its traditional position toward the bottom of the leaderboard, ranking 25th – the penultimate spot.

“Before ‘Euphoria,’ I was a struggling artist trying to find my way,” she said. “It’s like home for me, the Eurovision community,” the singer added. “It’s a safe space for me.”

She is the first woman to win the contest twice; only Ireland’s Johnny Logan has done so before.

“It feels crazy,” she said after her victory was announced. “This is so surreal, man, I’m happy and I’m thankful, I’m thankful to all you guys out there that voted for me.”

“The only thing I feel right now is so much love. Not in my wildest dreams did I think this was going to happen,” she said.

But she had to beat strong competition from Finland’s rapper Käärijä, whose energetic performances of “Cha Cha Cha” throughout the week have wowed fans and made him a strong contender to win the crown.

The top five was rounded out by Israel, Italy and Norway.

Around the host city of Liverpool, Eurovision fans without tickets rammed into venues to watch the show on big screens, many of them waving Ukrainian flags.

The British government made 3,000 tickets available at discounted prices this week for displaced people from the country.

Eurovision is a famously eccentric festival, and this year’s show lived up to the billing with an array of strong performances from 26 finalists.

It also catapulted the dockside city of Liverpool – the home of the Beatles – onto the continent’s cultural map.

Ivan Toney, the star striker for English Premier League club Brentford, has been suspended from soccer and fined £50,000 ($62,407) due to “breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules,” England’s Football Association announced on Wednesday.

Toney, who has started 33 games this season and scored 20 goals for the Bees, helping Brentford into ninth place in the table, has been banned for eight months following a personal hearing and investigation by an independent commission.

According to the FA, Toney “was charged with 262 breaches of FA Rule E8 in total between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021. The FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232.”

Rule E8 in the FA’s handbook highlights the rules around betting.

Earlier this year Toney made his international debut, coming on as a substitute in England’s Euro 2024 win against Ukraine in a Group C qualifying match at Wembley stadium.

Brentford said the club was aware of the eight-month ban decision and is awaiting the written report from the independent Regulatory Commission who ruled on the case.

The FA said that the “Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course.”

Toney will miss Brentford’s trip to Tottenham on Saturday and the final day of the season at home against league leaders Manchester City on May 28.

According to the FA, Toney can return to training only with the Bees for the final four months of his suspension starting September 17.

Speaking to reporters a day after the WBNA announced her suspension for violating league and team workplace policies, Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon, said she was disappointed with the league’s findings but is looking forward to “putting the whole thing behind us and playing good basketball.”

The WNBA had investigated claims made by former Aces forward Dearica Hamby, who, after she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in January, said the team discriminated against her for getting pregnant.

“(Her pregnancy) wasn’t a problem, and it never was why we made the decision to move Hamby,” Hammon said.

“We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in for her one contract … It was never an issue, and it was never the reason she was traded. It just wasn’t.

“It came down to math and business. Nothing personal. I had a great relationship with Hamby the whole time, which is why she probably felt the way she did, you know?

“It feels like a betrayal. It’s a crappy part of my job, but somebody’s got to be the bearer of bad news.”

‘Everything kind of fell apart’

Hamby had signed a two-year contract extension with the Aces in June. She said in a post on Instagram that she was accused of signing the extension while knowing she was pregnant, which she denied.

Following the probe, the league said the respect in the workplace violation was related to comments made by Hammon to Hamby in connection with the 29-year-old forward’s recent pregnancy, while the team violation involved promises of impermissible benefits in connection with negotiations for an extension of her player contract.

Hammon is suspended without pay for the Aces’ first two games of the regular season, and the franchise loses a 2025 first-round draft pick.

Hammon said the league told her she was suspended for “asking about her pregnancy and a private conversation [she] was having with Dearica,” but also said she thought her relationship with Hamby was “on the up and up” when she was with the Aces.

When the decision was made to trade Hamby, “that’s when everything kind of fell apart,” according to Hammon.

“Whatever Dearica deemed as painful or whatever, I’m not (invalidating) her feelings, and I’m sorry that they were hurt,” Hammon said.

“My job is to have tough conversations, but I still have to do a job. My job is to make the Aces better every year, and sometimes that’s a hard process.

“As much as I can sit there and say that’s not how I deemed the conversation going, she deemed it another way, and for that, I do feel bad. I don’t feel good at inflicting pain or stress on anybody. It’s just not in me. It’s not in my heart.”

Formula 1 has canceled this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix because of heavy flooding in the northern Italian region, citing safety concerns.

At least eight people have been killed by heavy flooding and mudslides in the region with more than 13,000 residents being forced to evacuate, according to local authorities.

“The Formula 1 community wants to send its thoughts to the people and communities affected by the recent events in the Emilia-Romagna region,” said F1 in a statement. “We also want to pay tribute to the work of the emergency services who are doing everything they can to help those in need.

“Following discussions between Formula 1, the President of the FIA, the competent authorities including the relevant Ministers, the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, the President of Emilia Romagna Region, the Mayor of the City and the promoter the decision has been taken not to proceed with the Grand Prix weekend in Imola,” added the F1 statement.

“The decision has been taken because it is not possible to safely hold the event for our fans, the teams and our personnel and it is the right and responsible thing to do given the situation faced by the towns and cities in the region.

“It would not be right to put further pressure on the local authorities and emergency services at this difficult time.”

Stefano Domenica, President and CEO of F1, said it was “a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding and the families and communities affected.”

“I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those who need help and alleviate the situation – they are heroes and the whole of Italy is proud on them,” added Domenica.

The Emilia Romagna GP was due to have been the sixth race of the season on the F1 calendar.

As peak vacation season sails into view and the world shakes off the last shackles of the pandemic, it feels like the appetite for hitting the road has never been greater.

International tourism reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, with an estimated 235 million tourists traveling internationally in January, February and March. And experts are cautiously optimistic about a continued travel rebound.

Demand is high, with many popular destinations booking out earlier in the year.

Thankfully, there’s so much out there still to see and do.

Poland

We could list new openings in Poland – such as Hotel Verte, the new Autograph Collection property in Warsaw, which threw open its gilded doors (it’s in a humongous Baroque palace) last August. But the reason you should visit Poland in 2023 isn’t for the chance to stay in a place fit for royalty. It’s to show solidarity with a country which has, in turn, shown solidarity to the people of Ukraine.

Sharing a 300-plus-mile border with a country under attack has meant that Poland has taken in more Ukrainian refugees than anywhere else. Add to that plummeting tourist numbers (though they’re on the rise again), and you have a tricky situation.

So whether you fancy that Warsaw palace, a city break to the likes of Krakow, Gdansk, Wrocław or Poznań – all hundreds of miles from the Ukrainian border – or to get away from it all in the forests, lakes and mountains of the countryside – now’s your chance to do some good by taking a vacation. – Julia Buckley

Western Australia

Back in April, thousands of people descended on the town of Exmouth and the greater Ningaloo Peninsula, to witness a rare total solar eclipse as it became visible over the northwestern edge of Australia.

Organizers spent more than a year planning for the event, which lasted about a minute, and featured musical performances, educational opportunities to learn about science and astronomy, and a three-day festival.

But the state of Western Australia offers much more than some 60 seconds of wonder.

Spanning one-third of the entire continent of Australia, it stretches from the lively, growing state capital of Perth across deserts including the Great Victoria and Great Sandy to the wine country of Margaret River, the dramatic clifftops of the Kimberley and the quokka-covered Rottnest Island. – Lilit Marcus

Liverpool, England

England’s port city of Liverpool, best known around the world as the birthplace of The Beatles, has added another chapter to its musical legacy.

It’s the host city of Eurovision 2023, the spangly extravaganza of song that brings an influx of thousands of flag-waving fans from across the continent. The annual event is an opportunity for the city to bounce back after the ignominy of being stripped of its UNESCO World Heritage status in 2021.

In June, the city will celebrate 25 years of the Liverpool Biennial contemporary visual arts festival, as more than 30 international artists and collectives take over spaces in the city until September.

England is also marking the Year of the Coast in 2023, with food festivals and beach cleans taking place along the country’s shores. Just a half hour from Liverpool city center by train, Crosby Beach is the permanent home of sculptor Antony Gormley’s “Another Place,” where 100 cast-iron figures stand facing out to sea. – Maureen O’Hare

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston parades its past like no other US city, but it often glossed over the history of its Black residents. It’s been taking steps to fix that.

Enter the much-delayed International African American Museum, which is now expected to open in late June.

Located on the shoreline of the Cooper River in the spot where many Africans first set foot in North America, it will explore the lives of slaves and their descendants.

Visitors in late May and early June can enjoy the world-renowned Spoleto Festival featuring opera, theater, dance, musical acts and artist talks.

In March, foodies headed to the Charleston Wine and Food Festival to sample Lowcountry favorites.

For fancy Southern fare, try Magnolias. Opened in 1990, it helped spur the city’s culinary renaissance. For something informal, try Bertha’s Kitchen in North Charleston, where red rice with sausage, fried chicken and lima beans rule. The eatery even caught attention of “Roadfood” author Michael Stern. – Forrest Brown

Vilnius, Lithuania

Self-effacing Vilnius admitted in an ad campaign this year that nobody really knows where it is. If their brilliant video didn’t make you want to book a trip there immediately, perhaps this will: the capital of Lithuania celebrated its 700th anniversary on January 25, 2023.

To mark the milestone, a packed program of events, including music festivals and exhibitions, are being held throughout the year. But use the anniversary as a push to visit rather than following a program religiously.

The entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – putting it up there with its fellow V-cities, Venice and Vienna. Vilnius makes it on the list thanks to its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, all sitting on a medieval street plan, but it’s best known for its Baroque architecture.

Don’t miss the frothy bell tower of St. John’s church (you can climb it for sweeping city views) or the church of St. Casimir, topped by a giant crown. Got an eye for social media? This is Europe’s only capital city that allows hot air balloons to cruise over the city skyline. – JB

Fiji

Brilliant blue waters, expansive coral reefs and hundreds of peaceful islands: Fiji is not a hard sell. But why go there in 2023? For one, the country only reopened post-Covid at the end of 2021, meaning that visitor numbers to the South Pacific paradise have yet to fully rebound.

While the country is spoiled for underwater beauty, take an opportunity to explore its above-ground treasures, too. The country’s lone UNESCO World Heritage site is the town of Levuka, a former capital and an important port, which is studded with British colonial-era buildings amid coconut and mango trees.

To learn about the local Indigenous communities, travelers can take part in a kava welcoming ceremony – named for the traditional drink at its center – or enjoy a lovo, a meal cooked by hot coals in an underground pit covered with banana leaves.

Fiji Airways now has direct flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco, making it relatively easy to get to the islands. As the Fijians say, bula! – LM

Manaus, Brazil

As the fate of the Amazon rainforest hangs in the balance, two eco-lodges around Manaus – the capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, and gateway to the river – have used their pandemic pause to get even more environmentally friendly.

Juma Amazon Lodge, about 50 miles south of the city, is now fully powered by a new $400,000 solar plant, whose 268 double panels swagger nearly 40 feet into the air above the canopy (meaning no trees had to be cut). They’ve also built a biogas system to increase the efficiency of organic waste treatment, reducing annual carbon emissions by eight tons.

Meanwhile, Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, northwest of Manaus on the Rio Negro river, opened an off-grid “advanced base” during the pandemic that’s 30 miles from the main lodge and accessible only via river.

Guests can take long jungle hikes through territory home to jaguars, pumas and giant armadillos in what’s one of the Amazon region’s most remote hotel facilities, then spend the afternoon in a hammock or by the pool. For 2023, the lodge is planning overnight stays in a creekside tent for small groups.

Don’t miss Manaus itself – eating behemoth Amazonian fish outside the pink 1896 opera house is a bucket list experience. – JB

Thessaloniki, Greece

There’s been no shortage of reasons to visit Greece’s second city in recent times, with a UNESCO-endorsed local food scene that recently celebrated the refurb and reopening of its century-old Modiano food market.

Throw in a popular waterfront and proximity to beautiful beaches and inland mountains, Thessaloniki is surely a contender for one of Europe’s best city-break destinations.

What could make it even better? How about a gleaming new metro system? All being well, November 2023 should see the opening of the main line of an infrastructure megaproject that will eventually connect the city’s downtown to its international airport. Driverless trains will whisk passengers through tunnels whose excavation has added to Thessaloniki’s already rich catalog of archeological discoveries, many of which will be on display in specially created museum stations. – Barry Neild

Rwanda

January 2023 saw the official opening of Rwanda’s most exciting hotel yet: Sextantio Rwanda, a collection of traditionally crafted huts on an island on Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s largest lakes.

It’s the first project outside Italy for Daniele Kihlgren, whose part-hotel, part-living history projects keep local tradition alive. A nonprofit delivering money straight to local communities, Sextantio sees guests fishing on the 1,000-square-mile lake, paddling in dug-out canoes, trying local banana beer and wildlife-spotting – and not just the chickens, cows, pigs and goats that roam around the property.

Of course, you’ll want to see gorillas. Adjoining Volcanoes National Park, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund opened the 4,500-square meter Ellen DeGeneres Campus in 2022. Its visitor center includes exhibits, virtual reality gorilla “encounters” and nature trails.

Over in Akagera National Park, white rhinos – transferred from South Africa in 2021 to aid conservation – are already calving. It’s easier to get there, too. A new route from London joins Brussels, Dubai, Guangzhou and Mumbai as the only direct flights to Kigali from outside the African continent. – JB

Gothenburg, Sweden

Voted the world’s most sustainable destination in the world for six years running, Sweden’s second-biggest city is finally emerging from the shadow of Stockholm.

Once a major trading and shipping town, Gothenburg is now considered to be one of the greenest destinations in Europe, with 274 square meters (2,950 square feet) of green space per citizen, while 95% of its hotels are certified as eco-friendly.

Although Gothenburg officially turned 400 in 2021, the celebrations were put on ice because of the global pandemic. But they’re finally taking place in 2023, so it’s a great time to visit.

Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustav, who celebrates 50 years on the throne this year, will be in town on June 4, Gothenburg’s official birthday, and the city’s major anniversary festival is being held in the Frihamnen port district from June 2 to 5, with concerts and art events among the activities on offer.

The festivities will continue throughout the summer until the September 3 kick off of Göteborgsvarvet Marathon, a new 26-mile race following on from the city’s popular half marathon on May 13. – Tamara Hardingham-Gill

Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

When travelers think of the United Arab Emirates, the dazzling skyline of Dubai is usually what springs to mind.

But the UAE has a lot to offer nature lovers too – particularly the northernmost emirate Ras al-Khaimah, which is aiming to become the Middle East’s most sustainable destination by 2025 thanks to a new “Balanced Tourism” strategy.

Just 45 minutes from Dubai, it’s often called the “adventure Emirate,” and for good reason. Offering beaches, deserts and mountains, outdoor attractions abound, such as sand boarding, trekking, wakeboarding, skydiving, scuba diving and even the world’s longest zipline.

But it’s not all about the adrenaline rush. Ras Al Khaimah is where you’ll find the highest restaurant in the United Arab Emirates, 1484 by Puro, which sits in the emirate’s Jebel Jais Mountains. Culture seekers can head for the historic Dhayah Fort, which dates back to the Late Bronze Age (1600-1300 BC).

Where to stay? Luxury hospitality brand Anantara is opening a fabulous new resort there later this year that will offer 174 guestrooms, suites and overwater villas along with specialty restaurants and a spa. – Karla Cripps

Laos

Sharing borders with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Myanmar, landlocked Laos has long been a must-hit spot for time-rich travelers making their way through the Southeast Asia circuit.

But now, thanks to the 2021 opening of a semi-high-speed railway, it’s easier than ever to get around the country at a quicker pace, shaving hours off journeys that previously took full days to travel.

You’re still going to have to make some hard choices – there’s a lot to see in Laos.

Towering karst peaks await visitors to adventure-haven Vang Vieng, while UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang is filled with French-colonial heritage, Buddhist ritual and natural beauty. (Luxury seekers will want to check into the Rosewood Luang Prabang, with its stylish hilltop tents)

The mysterious Plain of Jars, a megalithic archaeological site, can be found in the Xiangkhoang Plateau. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience that makes a difference, head for Bokeo Province and join one of the Gibbon Experience’s overnight treks. Guests of this tourism-based conservation project spend the night in the world’s tallest treehouses – only accessible by zipline – among wild, black-crested gibbons. – KC

Gruyères, Switzerland

Rolling hills, medieval buildings – and the officially crowned world’s best cheese. Welcome to Gruyères, Switzerland.

Everywhere you look in this tiny, hilltop town, there’s a different picture-perfect view – from the medieval market square to the turreted 13th-century castle. A doable day trip from Geneva, summer promises hiking opportunities aplenty, while winter allows for venturing to the nearby Moléson-sur-Gruyères ski resort.

To taste Gruyères’ namesake fromage, stop off at the wood-lined Chalet de Gruyères. And to learn how cheesemakers perfect this creamy goodness, head to La Maison du Gruyère factory. For further foodie delights, there’s the Maison Cailler chocolate factory – from the outside it looks like something from a Wes Anderson movie, inside it offers a glimpse into the secrets of Swiss chocolate making.

Gruyères is also home to the surreal HR Giger Museum, celebrating the work of the acclaimed Swiss artist behind the eponymous alien in the 1979 movie “Alien.” A drink at the museum’s bar, designed by Giger in an eerie skeletal aesthetic, offers an antidote to Gruyères’ fairytale vibe. – Francesca Street

Minneapolis, Minnesota

A modern Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis has earned one of the culinary world’s highest honors, and it’s not alone in shining light on Native communities in the area.

At Owamni, a James Beard Award winner for best new restaurant, Indigenous ingredients – trout, bison, sweet potatoes and more – make up “decolonized” menus where ingredients such as wheat flour and beef are absent. The restaurant is a partnership between chef Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota and Dana Thompson, who is a lineal descendant of the Wahpeton-Sisseton and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes.

Earlier this year, one of the pair’s community-owned initiatives, Indigenous Food Lab, opened a market in Minneapolis’ Midtown Global Market, a former Sears building housing businesses that represent more than 22 cultures.

The open-air Four Sisters Farmers Market (Thursdays June through October) also focuses on Indigenous products. And at the Minnesota History Center in neighboring St. Paul, the exhibit “Our Home: Native Minnesota” looks at thousands of years of Native history in the state. – Marnie Hunter

Bogotá, Colombia

Caribbean coast destinations such as the Rosario archipelago or the UNESCO heritage list city of Cartagena are rightly top of most Colombia travel wish lists, but also deserving a look-in is the country’s somewhat unsung capital of Bogotá.

Yes, it’s a messy, traffic-snarled urban sprawl, but it’s also a high-altitude crucible of culture and cuisine. There are tours that chart the city’s transformation from graffiti wild west to incredible street art gallery.

Equally colorful are the restaurants that make the most of Colombia’s diverse natural larder of flora on menus that range from delicious peasant dishes to mind-blowing Michelin-level gastronomy. And then there’s the coffee!

The congestion (except on regular cycle-only days) thins quickly on its outskirts, allowing day trips to see historic and modern treasures. Itineraries include Lake Guatavita, where conquistadors once plundered sunken gold offerings left by indigenous Muisca people, or the majestic subterranean Zipaquirá salt cathedral. – BN

Mustang Valley, Nepal

Famed for its mountain treks through ancient trails that once facilitated trade between the Himalayas and India, Nepal’s stunning Mustang Valley sits on the doorstep of Tibet.

Expect to hear a lot more about this remote destination in the coming months thanks to the arrival of the soon-to-open Shinta Mani Mustang. Part of the Bensley Collection, this all-inclusive resort perched above the small town of Jomsom in the Lower Mustang will offer luxury seekers 29 suites inspired by traditional Tibetan homes.

In addition to trekking, Mustang visitors can explore ancient villages and Buddhist monasteries. Also not to be missed, the man-made Mustang Caves sit above the Gandaki River and are filled with 2,000-year-old Buddhist sculptures and paintings.

Getting to the Mustang Valley is part of the adventure. Travelers will need to take a 25-minute flight from capital Kathmandu to Pokhara then hop on another plane for the 20-minute journey to Jomsom. The views alone might make this option more pleasing to some than the alternative – a 12-hour drive from Kathmandu. – KC

Tanzania

From the spectacular wildlife to the beautiful national parks and beaches, Tanzania is absolutely bursting with visual splendor.

The East African country holds a seemingly endless list of incredible sights, with Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, UNESCO world heritage site Serengeti National Park, and the Zanzibar Archipelago, among its many highlights.

This year, flag carrier Air Tanzania will launch new routes to West and Central Africa, along with the UK, in a bid to transform the country’s largest airport in Dar es Salaam into a transport and logistics hub, while construction on the country’s first toll expressway is also scheduled to begin.

Meanwhile, the Delta Hotels by Marriott brand made its Africa debut with the opening of its Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay property earlier this year. –– THG

Cairo, Egypt

Could this finally be the year tourists can see the Grand Egyptian Museum? After delay upon delay, the museum is expecting a 2023 opening.

If you arrive in Cairo before it opens, the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square can still scratch your antiquity itch.

While the Pyramids of Giza are the city’s tour-de-force, there’s still more to see. Start with Islamic Cairo. This area has one of the largest collections of historic Islamic architecture in the world. While there, visit the Al-Azhar mosque, which dates back to 970.

The city also has a rich Christian tradition. Coptic Cairo, part of Old Cairo, has a concentration of Christian sites that pre-date the arrival of Islam.

If you need a respite from Cairo’s cacophony, Al Azhar Park has a nice expanse of greenery and a design inspired by historic Islamic gardens. And the affluent neighborhood of Zamalek, which sits on an island in the Nile River, serves up restaurants, antique stores and swanky hotels. – FB

Naoshima, Japan

Yayoi Kusama has the distinction of being the best-selling living female artist on the planet. In particular, she has become a global icon for her sculptures of giant polka-dotted pumpkins, one of which was reinstalled at the pier of Naoshima, one of Japan’s “art islands,” in 2022 after being swept into the sea the year before.

However, Naoshima is so much more than its famous yellow gourd or its works by Kusama.

There are five small, walkable “art islands” in the Seto Inland Sea, which is located between the main islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku in southeastern Japan. The largest collection of things to see – not to mention the only hotel – is on Naoshima. Together, the five champion modern and contemporary art, with emphasis on Japanese artists.

Don’t come here expecting calligraphy and other classical forms. Instead, be awed by Tadao Ando’s massive stone monoliths, a tiny gallery where patrons can listen to nothing but the beats of human hearts, a makeshift thunderstorm created inside a wooden house and an exhibit where jumping in and taking a bath is intended to be part of the artistic experience. – LM

Belize

With direct flights to Belize City from about a dozen North American airports, this Central American country is a low-hassle hop for many travelers during the November to April high season.

Most visitors head directly to Belize’s Caribbean coastline. The country’s largest island, Ambergris Caye, sits next to Belize Barrier Reef – the world’s second largest coral reef system. Margaritaville Beach Resort opened on the island in March, and “eco-luxury” resort Alaia Belize opened in 2021.

Farther south, the Great Blue Hole – a massive underwater sinkhole – is an aquatic magnet for both scuba divers and aerial photographers.

But Belize offers way more than its enticing islands.

Lush rainforests, cave networks, winding rivers and rich Mayan archaeological sites invite exploration in a country that’s had an evolving sustainable tourism master plan since 2012. Ruins of the Mayan city of Altun Ha are just about an hour north of Belize City. Or farther west, Lamanai is one of Belize’s largest and most fascinating Mayan sites. – MH

Oaxaca, Mexico

The state of Oaxaca, which Longoria visits, has an especially deep well of culinary traditions. Plus, Oaxaca produces most of the world’s mezcal.

Tlayudas, known as Oaxacan pizzas, are a street food staple. A large corn tortilla is typically layered with lard, beans, traditional Oaxacan cheese, pork and other toppings such as avocado and tomato. The state is also renowned for its seven mole sauces, with recipes that may call for dozens of ingredients from chiles and sesame seeds to chocolate and dried fruit.

In the city of Oaxaca, Mercado Benito Juárez is one of many markets across the state selling items such as dried chiles, fresh produce, handicrafts and crunchy grasshoppers. To sample the state’s increasingly popular beverage, the town of Santiago Matatlán is the place for mezcal distillery tours and tastings. – MH

Ottawa, Canada

It doesn’t have Montreal’s French flair or Toronto’s international oomph, so the Canadian capital can get overlooked. That would be a mistake. Graceful and understated, Ottawa has its own draws.

Music lovers should take note of two Ottawa Jazz Festivals. The winter edition took place in February, and the summer edition will run from June 23-30.

If you love hockey, watch the Ottawa Senators do their NHL thing at the Canadian Tire Centre in the western suburbs. If that ticket is too pricey, check out the Ottawa 67’s, a more affordable option of junior men’s hockey games at downtown’s TD Place Arena.

The Rideau Canal turns into the world’s largest skating rink from sometime in January to late February or early March, depending on ice thickness. It’s free and accessible 24/7. When it’s warmer, it’s a great spot for people and boat watching.

A don’t-miss is Parliament Hill, home to Canada’s federal government and the visually striking Parliament buildings on a promontory overlooking the Ottawa River. – FB

Uganda

There’s considerable change brewing in Uganda’s travel offerings at the moment with the East African country looking beyond the traditional staples of safari and wildlife spotting to appeal to both regional and international visitors.

Keen to revitalize post-Covid tourism in all corners of the country, not just the big-ticket businesses offering wealthy visitors a glimpse of the Big Five beasts or mountain gorillas, it’s turned to marketing its other attributes.

And why not? From the expansive shores of Lake Victoria to the snowy Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda is a beautiful wilderness playground, with opportunities for adventure including treks through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or up to the craters of the Virunga volcano chain or whitewater rafting along the Victoria Nile.

There’s also an emphasis on connecting visitors with Ugandan communities – promising tastes of Ugandan food, music and culture. Last year saw the launch of the Uganda Cycling Trail, a 1,600-kilometer mainly unpaved 22-stage route designed to appeal to all levels of cyclist from hardcore solo bikepackers to fully-guided easy riders. – BN

Manchester City has an opportunity to win its first ever Champions League trophy after delivering a masterful performance against European giant Real Madrid on Wednesday.

In a semifinal which was emblematic of the changing of the guard in European football, City tore apart the 14-time winner of Europe’s elite competition, winning 4-0 to secure a 5-1 aggregate win and a place in the final against Inter Milan on June 10 in Istanbul.

Two first-half goals from Bernardo Silva put City in control of the second leg, with several superb saves from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ensuring the visitors weren’t completely embarrassed.

However, Manuel Akanji’s header in the second half and a late goal from Julián Álvarez capped a miserable night for Real.

City’s third goal was initially credited by UEFA as an own goal by Éder Militão as Akanji’s effort hit the Real defender en route to goal.

The win means that Pep Guardiola’s side are still on course to win a historic Treble – matching fierce rival Manchester United’s achievement of winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League in the 1998-99 season.

‘Pretty well overwhelmed us’

Silva opened the scoring for City after a free-flowing move from the home side. After clever interchange on the right of the pitch, Kevin De Bruyne slipped Silva in on goal and the Portugal star smashed a near-post effort past Courtois.

The diminutive midfielder, who is primarily known for his trickery with the ball at his feet, then doubled City’s advantage with his head. Silva popped up in the box to guide a header into the net following Courtois’ save to deny İlkay Gündoğan.

Toni Kroos struck the bar with a venomous shot, but Real rarely threatened and City fans could enjoy the second half knowing their place in the final was all but confirmed.

But City weren’t finished, with Akanji and then Álvarez completing an absolute shellacking for Real.

“We played a rival who were better than us in this match – they pretty well overwhelmed us,” Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal told UEFA’s website.

Meanwhile Silva said he hadn’t felt “very good at all after the first game.”

“Tonight I had to try to do better for my teammates and the fans,” added Silva. “I’m very good with my head, hey? I’m very small but I’m good with my head.”

“It is a beautiful night for us. We know it would be tough but to beat this Real Madrid team 4-0 at home was wonderful. Hopefully we will win it [the final].”

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team had struggled to deal with City’s pressing strategy.

“City played better and deserved to go through,” Ancelotti told UEFA’s website. “They really pressed us at the start of the match, and that really made it difficult to build the play we wanted to.”

A Nepali Sherpa has reached the top of Everest for the 27th time, breaking the world record for total number of summits of the world’s tallest, and one of its deadliest, mountains.

Kami — most Sherpas go by their first names — is a senior guide at Kathmandu expedition company Seven Summit Treks. He began his career in mountaineering in 1992.

“We are very happy to know that this morning at 8:30 a.m., Kami Rita successfully summitted Mount Everest along with a foreign climber,” said Mingwa Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks.

He added: “Currently Kami Rita is descending. He is healthy and in good shape.”

Kami was already a record holder after achieving a world-beating 26th climb of Everest last year.

Just this week, a fellow Nepali, 46-year-old Pasang Dawa Sherpa, tied Kami’s achievement with a 26th climb. Their tie lasted two days before Kami summited again to break the record.

May is the peak season for climbing Everest, which is known as Sagarmatha in Nepali.

The country issued permits for a record 463 foreign climbers for the 2023 Everest season, the highest number ever, raising concerns that there could be repeats of long queues to reach the top seen in previous years. Waits to summit have previously been blamed for fatalities on the mountain.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, including Everest, making mountaineering a significant source of revenue for the country.