CATALYST PLANET

For years, young Moroccans have looked across the Mediterranean toward Spain in search of better opportunities. But this past July, that desire became more evident when over 60,000 people attempted to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from the northern tip of Morocco. But why a sudden surge in migration now? There are many reasons: Morocco and Spain’s complicated history, ongoing political tensions and the spread of misinformation online. Ceuta itself is a product of that complicated history.

By Nina Esteghamat 300 miles away from the Arctic Circle sits the coldest city in the world, Yakutsk, but its environmental history, natural features and rich culture are just as interesting as its extreme weather. Yakut horse in the famous winter weather. Hans-Jurgen Mager. Unsplash. Yakutsk is located in Siberia, one of the coldest inhabited regions in the world. If you’ve heard of the city, you’ve likely heard of the extreme cold temperatures.

By Jayden Barrington Henry Tropea lies on the Calabrian coast as a perfect jewel of tranquility. Spiaggia della Rotonda in Tropea. Jayden Henry. On my last weekend of traveling during my semester abroad, after four months of visiting Europe’s most storied and vibrant cities, I chose to take one last trip to a quieter locale. I took a much-needed beach trip to Tropea, Italy, one of the hidden jewels of the Mediterranean.

By Caleb A Yamamura Explaining the decades-long issues that surround Mindanao Island. A MNLF demonstration. Keith Bacongco. CC BY 2.0. Mindanao is a major island in the southern Philippines, the second-largest island of the archipelagic nation, and the nation’s breadbasket, producing over 40% of the nation’s food. However, it is also the site of two enduring, multifaceted conflicts.

By Nina Esteghamat Puerto Rico is officially in another water crisis, and recently proposed luxury resort development plans threaten the already fragile water ecosystem. Utility Cover for the Puerto Rican Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AAA), 2018. Terence Faircloth. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Since July 31, when Gov. Jenniffer Gonzalez declared a state of emergency, Puerto Rico has been in a drought.

By Jeremy Gordon Five years into Taliban rule, Afghanistan has relative stability and grave human rights violations. Saturday, Aug. 15, marked five years since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan after a hasty U.S. retreat. It was an embarrassingly fast and highly successful operation, sweeping across Afghanistan in ten days, returning the extremist organization to power for the first time since 2001. Now, five years on, the Taliban runs the show.

By Cove Johnson Rabidoux Visiting Sydney from June to August (Australian winter) offers the perfect opportunity to experience seasonal festivals and iconic landmarks with fewer crowds. Ferry by the Sydney Opera House. Bernard Spragg. CC0. I recently visited Sydney, Australia, during July, which, being in the Southern Hemisphere, is the city’s coldest month. So while many associate July with sunshine, my days in Sydney were instead windy and overcast, with temperatures in the low 60s.

By Charles Costal UNESCO unveiled 25 new World Heritage Sites in late July 2026, bringing global attention to lesser-known ecosystems and raising questions about the ethics of tourism. Mount Olympus. Alex Ravvas. Pexels. Across the Okefenokee Swamp in the American Southeast, dark waterways wind between cypress trees draped in Spanish moss. Thousands of miles away, coral reefs fill the waters off Jordan’s coast while millions of antelope migrate across the grasslands of South Sudan.

By Kathleen Shepard With growing demand for palm oil, Borneo’s forests and orangutans’ habitats are being decimated. Logging in Sabah, Malaysia. T.R. Shankar Raman. CC BY-SA 4.0. Since the 1980s, the Southeast Asian island of Borneo has been logged, cleared, mined and harvested for the extraction of one of the most coveted ingredients for processed foods and biofuels: palm oil. Ripened palm oil fruit. Stratman2.

By Claire Park Scenic routes made for nature lovers, road trip enthusiasts and travelers who prefer to keep their hands on the wheel. Scenic sunset view along a coastal road. Tima Miroshnichenko. Pexels. Even though taking an airplane seems like the easiest and most efficient way to travel, I believe there’s nothing better than a road trip.