The bitter battle over tourism at Russia's 'Sacred Sea'
CNN
Lake Baikal, Russia's 'Sacred Sea,' has been a lifeline for inhabitants of Southern Siberia for thousands of years, thanks to its pristine water and rich fauna.
The gigantic ancient lake, bigger than all of the Great Lakes of North America combined, encompasses about 23% of the planet's freshwater reserves and is home to over 2,000 species. It is also the site of a bitter battle between the state, residents, and environmentalists trying to strike a balance between a population dependent on tourism and mass development infringing on a fragile ecosystem.
Canadians woke up Tuesday to an all-too-familiar troll ripping through their social media feeds. US President Donald Trump shared an image on Truth Social depicting him speaking to European leaders with an AI-generated map in the background, showing the US flag plastered over Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela.

A federal judge on Tuesday ripped into Lindsey Halligan, President Donald Trump’s personal choice as the top federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia, after she used unusually sharp language to push back on the judge’s questioning of her authority, saying the “unnecessary rhetoric” had “a level of vitriol more appropriate for a cable news talk show.”

Before the stealth bombers streaked through the Middle Eastern night, or the missiles rained down on suspected terrorists in Africa, or commandos snatched a South American president from his bedroom, or the icy slopes of Greenland braced for the threat of invasion, there was an idea at the White House.










