The Business Of Basketball: The Global Investment Behind The BAL

Business News

As the Basketball Africa League (BAL) begins its fifth season in Morocco, the league is at a crucial juncture—moving beyond its early stages with strong support from prominent global investors and a vision for lasting, pan-African impact. This season marks the first time Morocco will host official BAL games, although the country previously held two BAL Combines in 2024 and 2025. As it takes centre stage, Morocco becomes an essential part of a league that is rapidly expanding its geographic and commercial presence.

This BAL season will reach fans in 214 countries and territories across 17 languages, thanks to a growing broadcast network that includes the African Union of Broadcasting, ESPN, Canal+, TV5 Monde, Tencent Sports, and digital platforms like the NBA App and the BAL’s YouTube channel. Although the BAL has only been in operation for five seasons, the momentum behind it suggests a vision much more significant than a seasonal tournament. With a diverse investor group that includes private equity firms, cultural icons, world leaders, and retired NBA players with African roots, the BAL is establishing itself as one of the continent’s most valuable sports assets. Still, early in its development, the BAL presents a unique opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on Africa’s demographic growth, sports enthusiasm, and expanding consumer economies. For those involved, the investment is not just in basketball; it’s also in infrastructure, identity, and future fan engagement.

The League, the Vision, and the Capital
Launched in 2021 through a partnership between the NBA and FIBA, the BAL is the first league of its kind outside North America operated by the NBA. It brings together 12 of Africa’s premier club teams to compete across various host cities. However, this is just the beginning. From the outset, the BAL was conceived as a long-term growth vehicle—an incubator for franchise teams, broadcast rights, grassroots talent development, and commercially viable sports infrastructure in Africa. To support this vision, the league secured investments from a strategic group of backers including:

KIGALI, RWANDA – MAY 27: Luol Deng and Joakim Noah attend the game between the A.S. Douanes and the … More Petroleos De Luanda during the 2024 Basketball Africa League Playoffs on May 27, 2024 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Kevin Couliau/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images

Babatunde “Tunde” Folawiyo, Chairman and CEO of Yinka Folawiyo Group
Helios Fairfax Partners (HFP), led by Tope Lawani
Dr. Dambisa Moyo, global economist and New York Times best-selling author
Forest Whitaker, Academy Award-winning actor and social impact advocate
Former NBA players: Junior Bridgeman, Grant Hill, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Ian Mahinmi
In 2021, Barack Obama joined as a strategic partner, acquiring a minority equity stake with profits earmarked for the Obama Foundation’s African youth initiatives.

These stakeholders bring a powerful blend of financial acumen, cultural relevance, and long-term commitment. Importantly, their early-stage participation reflects a growing belief that the BAL could anchor the continent’s sports-to-economy pipeline—a shift that mirrors how leagues like the NBA and EPL became global exports.

Infrastructure Is Opportunity
While the games themselves generate buzz, the broader economic activity surrounding the BAL may be the most compelling aspect for investors. According to research by Oliver Wyman, major sporting events can act as economic catalysts. They stimulate upgrades to roads, airports, arenas, and hospitality infrastructure, which in turn create jobs, draw tourism, and leave behind assets that serve cities long after the last whistle blows. For cities willing to invest, the BAL offers international visibility, soft power, and direct commercial upside—especially if more African nations follow Rwanda’s lead in building sports-focused venues and media zones. As the league expands, investors are likely to explore longer-term real estate plays around sports facilities, athlete academies, mixed-use arenas, and even training and development centres.
KIGALI, RWANDA – MAY 29: An overall view of BK Arena before the game against the Rivers Hoopers … More Basketball Club and the Al Ahly Ly during the 2024 Basketball Africa League Playoffs on May 29, 2024 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nacer Talel/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images

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From Showcase to Franchise: Unlocking the Business Model
At present, the BAL operates a compressed season—12 teams compete in conference rounds before converging for playoffs and the championship. But this could sooner than later evolve into a full-fledged franchise model, where cities and club owners hold long-term rights, and league value is driven by local revenue generation.
This shift will unlock multiple revenue streams:

Team licensing and equity sales
Sponsorships scaled at local, national, and regional levels
Ticketing, merchandise, and apparel deals
Streaming, OTT content, and digital monetization
IP rights, athlete branding, and community activations

For investors, this blueprint is familiar. In the NBA and NFL, it’s often team equity that drives generational wealth. In the BAL, that future is still in development—but early stakeholders will help shape how it gets distributed.
The Players, the Pipeline, and the Untapped Talent EconomyHouston Rockets Dikembe Mutombo wags his finger after blocking a shot by Phoenix Suns Shaquille … More O’Neal during the fourth quarter on an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center Friday, April 11, 2008, in Houston. The Rockets beat the Suns 101-90. ( Brett Coomer / Chronicle ) (Photo by Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag
Africa has produced some of the NBA’s brightest stars: Hakeem Olajuwon, the late Dikembe Mutombo, Pascal Siakam, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yet for decades, Africa lacked the league infrastructure to nurture this talent locally. The BAL and FIBA are beginning to change that. With a rising number of academies, talent identification programs like Basketball Without Borders, and Giants of Africa and partnerships with federations and private clubs, a player development economy is emerging. Over time, this could lead to transfer markets, endorsements, and grassroots monetization for local leagues. The BAL becomes the professional pinnacle—but also the centre of an ecosystem that stretches across schools, federations, and sponsors.
For investor-athletes like Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, this is personal. Both have invested in African youth development programs, courts, and national team growth. For institutional investors, it’s a bet on a circular economy of content, talent, and identity—one that resonates deeply with African audiences and diaspora communities worldwide.
The Risk — and the Reward
The BAL is still in its early stages. There are operational challenges, varying levels of government support, and an evolving sports culture that is still taking shape in different regions. However, from an investor’s perspective, this is what makes it appealing.
The BAL is a unique opportunity to invest in the foundational layer of an African sports economy with significant growth potential. It’s comparable to investing in Major League Soccer (MLS) before David Beckham joined, or in the Premier League before it became a global phenomenon. In five to ten years, the BAL could look vastly different—richer in content, anchored by established franchises, and more integrated into the commercial and cultural fabric of the continent.
Those who invest early won’t just have financial interests; they will also play a key role in shaping the narrative of this burgeoning league.

Nepal and Thailand to form Joint Business Council

Business News

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, April 4:  A Joint Business Council (JBC) is set to be formed between Nepal and Thailand. Discussions regarding the formation of this council took place during a meeting today in Bangkok between the presidents of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand. During the meeting between FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal and Board of Trade President Sanan Angubolkul, along with officials from both countries, the FNCCI proposed the formation of a Joint Business Council between the two organisations, according to the secretariat of the FNCCI president Dhakal.FNCCI President Dhakal stated that the council will serve as a dedicated platform for continuous dialogue, collaboration and the exploration of business opportunities. “Nepal stands as a land of promising potential, offering numerous opportunities for investors and businesses. The initiative to form a Joint Business Council will further strengthen our partnership and drive economic growth in both countries,” he said.Dhakal expressed commitment to facilitate further Thai investment by stating that the FNCCI will take the initiative for necessary facilitation, given that many laws required for creating an investment-friendly environment in Nepal have been amended and revised, and the government has guaranteed investment security.He informed the gathering about the potential in Nepal’s tourism, energy, agriculture, information technology, and construction industries, and suggested the possibility of joint ventures with Thai businesses in Nepal. Dhakal also invited Thai businesspeople to visit Nepal and directly observe the opportunities Nepal offers, addressing members of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade and the broader Thai business community. Furthermore, he requested the President of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade to advocate for an on-arrival visa process for Nepalis from the Thai government.Similarly, Senior Vice President of FNCCI, Anjan Shrestha, expressed the view that the Joint Business Council can contribute to the economic development of both countries. He also stated that FNCCI will coordinate with the Nepali government to ease the investment process in Nepal.Meanwhile, an agreement has been reached to form the Joint Business Council (JBC) and proceed with further necessary processes. The responsibility for this task has been assigned to FNCCI Director General Gokarna Raj Awasthi and Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag, President of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand. Previously, on April 24, 2024, an agreement was reached to form the Nepal-Qatar Joint Business Council, and in accordance with that agreement, the first president-level meeting was held on October 2, 2024, in Doha, the capital of Qatar.Speaking on the occasion, Sanan Angubolkul, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand, stated that they are positive about the views expressed by the FNCCI and that the Board of Trade is ready for mutual cooperation. He also said that they will take the initiative with the government regarding the on-arrival visa process for Nepali citizens.The event was attended by FNCCI Vice Presidents Hemraj Dhakal and Jyotsna Shrestha, and Executive Committee member Pashupati Dev Pandey, as well as officials from the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand. Previously, in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Thai Prime Minister Phetongtran Shinawatra, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Wednesday in Bangkok between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand regarding mutual cooperation and the enhancement of trade and business.

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Celebrity Big Brother’s Chesney Hawkes delivered newspapers to very famous movie star

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Chesney Hawkes took fans on a walk down memory lane on Friday as he cast his mind back to his childhood and revealed a major star he used to deliver newspapers to19:10, 04 Apr 2025Pop icon Chesney Hawkes has revealed he once delivered papers to a legendary singer-songwriter when he was just a teenager. The 53-year-old was catapulted into the spotlight in 1991 when he unleashed his chart-topping single, The One and Only – released when he was just 19.A few years earlier, when he was only 14, the singer was making money as a paper boy – and had a major music star among his clients. He has revealed that the singer was a good tipper – but he wasn’t exactly looking forward to his rounds as the fellow star would order “all” the papers, making deliveries on Sundays particularly hard work.Article continues belowOn Friday, Chesney was a guest on Bauer Media Group’s Greatest Hits Radio where he joined Scottish radio presenter and television host, Ken Bruce, for a catch up. The pair reflected on their careers – with Chesney sharing an “exclusive” about his paper boy days.He said: “When I was a kid, I lived in a little town called Sunningdale, and Billy Ocean lived in the next road along from us. I think he’s still there, actually.”He went on: “When I was about 14, I was his paper boy.” Stunned, Ken, 74, said: “Really? There we are. The connections all the way through.”Chesney Hawkes delighted fans with an anecdote from his childhood(Image:

Will Big Tech Win Big on Stablecoins?

Technology

On Wednesday, a stablecoin bill called the STABLE Act advanced through the House Financial Services Committee, increasing the likelihood that Congress will pass a law this year cementing stablecoins’ as a global financial tool. Proponents argue that stablecoins help the U.S. preserve the global centrality of the dollar, while allowing people worldwide to transact more freely, cheaply and securely. But while stablecoin legislation has received bipartisan support, it has also faced targeted pushback, particularly from Democrats concerned about systemic risks and conflict of interest—especially since the Trump family’s crypto company announced the creation of its own stablecoin. Critics also warn of another potentially significant side effect: that such legislation could open the door for Big Tech players like Meta, X, and Amazon to create their own privatized forms of money, further consolidating corporate power. AdvertisementAdvertisement“This is being framed as a crypto bill, and in some ways it is. But it has not reached most people’s radar that its biggest beneficiary is likely to be large tech platforms,” says Hilary Allen, a professor at American University Washington College of Law and a vocal crypto skeptic in D.C. Read More: What are Stablecoins? Both the House and Senate have passed stablecoin bills—the STABLE and GENIUS Acts, respectively—out of committee. The bills lay out guidelines for how stablecoins will be regulated, and the amount and types of reserves stablecoin issuers must have on hand. The House and Senate will now have the opportunity to reconcile the two bills in the hopes of getting a unified bill onto President Trump’s desk by the summer. Several banks, including Bank of America, have expressed interest in launching their own stablecoin, should a law pass. But under the current language of the two bills, non-financial companies would also be able to create their own stablecoins via subsidiaries. While previously proposed stablecoin bills prohibited non-banking companies from doing so, neither the STABLE nor the GENIUS Act contain such a provision. In fact, the STABLE Act says that any nonbank can issue a stablecoin as long as they acquire approval from a federal regulator. Allen says that this would open the door for Big Tech moguls like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg to create their own stablecoins. Both have long been interested in the payments sector—Musk’s X has acquired money transmitter licenses in many states, while Facebook tried to launch its own cryptocurrency, Libra, in 2019 before facing stiff criticism and regulatory scrutiny. “These big tech platforms have been very interested in doing payments because they’re in the data collection and monetization business—and payments data is particularly valuable because it shows what you’re actually buying,” Allen says. “The more people’s transactions migrate onto these big tech platforms, that will really beef up what are already incredibly systemically important actors in our society, and put them at the center of our financial system.” Allen lays out a hypothetical scenario in which Amazon issues stablecoins. They could then conceivably scale its usage among Amazon employees and users, Whole Foods shoppers, and Washington Post subscribers, to the point that many people start relying on stablecoins as opposed to bank accounts. “That’s really bad news, because banks take the money deposited with them and loan them out into the economy, while stablecoin reserves just sit there,” Allen says. “So money that had been used productively in our economy is now just sitting with Amazon.” Stephen Lynch, a Massachusetts Democrat, made a similar point at the STABLE bill’s markup on Wednesday, warning his colleagues that stablecoins would “compete with bank deposits and undermine the ability of banks to make loans to consumers and main street businesses.”In October 2023, Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under President Biden, warned that if Big Tech firms assumed control of banking operations, they would “have a strong incentive to surveil all aspects of a consumer’s transactions.” He added that they could also develop personalized pricing algorithms. Arthur Wilmarth, a professor emeritus at George Washington University Law School, tells TIME that people paying for goods with stablecoins would lack fraud protection. He also points to China as a cautionary tale, where Tencent and Alibaba became dominant payments players and gained undue influence over regulators—which then led Beijing to tighten its grip and gain sway over those businesses’ decisionmaking. At the markup on Wednesday, Rep. Maxine Waters pushed for an amendment that would maintain the separation of commerce and banking, claiming that the bill as written could enable Elon Musk, Walmart, and others to create their own currencies. Wisconsin Republican Bryan Steil, a co-writer of the bill, responded that the amendment would lead to a “stifling of innovation.” Co-writer French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas and the House Financial Services Committee Chair, said that he hoped Congress could work out a “thoughtful solution” to Waters’ concerns while considering a larger crypto market structure bill. The amendment was then rejected. “I view this stablecoin legislation as presenting a very dangerous opening for big tech to get into banking in a big way,” Wilmarth says. “Once that happens, I think it will be almost impossible to ever close the door again.”

Korean Scientists Develop World’s Most Efficient Hydrogen Catalyst Using 1/3 the Precious Metal

Science and Health

Schematic diagram of the core-shell nanocluster. Credit: Seoul National University College of Engineering
Designed a “core-shell structure catalyst” using cost-effective ruthenium to improve its potential for commercialization. Selected as a cover paper in the prestigious catalysis journal Energy & Environmental Science.
Seoul National University’s College of Engineering has announced a significant advancement in eco-friendly hydrogen production. A research team led by Professor Jin Young Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Chan Woo Lee of Kookmin University and Dr. Sung Jong Yoo of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), has developed a highly advanced electrochemical catalyst. This breakthrough is expected to drive the next generation of sustainable hydrogen production technologies.
The catalyst features a ruthenium (Ru)-based nanocluster with a core-shell structure. Despite containing only a small amount of precious metal, it achieves outstanding performance and exceptional stability. When tested in industrial-scale water electrolysis systems, it showed impressive efficiency, demonstrating strong potential for commercial use.
(From left) Dr. Hyun Woo Lim (First Author, SNU Department of Materials Science and Engineering), Professor Jin Young Kim (Corresponding Author, SNU Department of Materials Science and Engineering), Professor Chan Woo Lee (Corresponding Author, Kookmin University Department of Applied Chemistry), and Dr. Sung Jong Yoo (Corresponding Author, Korea Institute of Science and Technology). Credit: Seoul National University College of Engineering
The research was published in Energy & Environmental Science, a leading journal in the field of catalysis. The study was selected as the cover paper, highlighting both its innovative approach and its academic impact.
Hydrogen: A clean energy alternative
Hydrogen is widely regarded as a clean energy source because it does not emit carbon dioxide when burned, making it a promising alternative to fossil fuels. One of the most efficient ways to produce eco-friendly hydrogen is through water electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. Among various electrolysis methods, Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis (AEMWE) is gaining attention as a next-generation technology due to its ability to produce high-purity hydrogen. However, for AEMWE to be commercially viable, it requires catalysts that offer both high efficiency and long-term stability.
Nano-sized particles exhibit high activity but low stability, whereas bulk materials demonstrate high stability but low activity. By leveraging the advantages of both materials, a core-shell nanocluster material with both high activity and stability was synthesized. Credit: Energy & Environmental Science, originally published in Energy & Environmental Science
Currently, platinum (Pt) is the most widely used catalyst for hydrogen production, but its high cost and rapid degradation present significant challenges. While researchers have explored non-precious metal alternatives, these materials typically suffer from low efficiency and poor stability, making them unsuitable for industrial use.
To overcome these limitations, the research team developed a novel core-shell nanocluster catalyst based on ruthenium (Ru), which is more than twice as cost-effective as platinum. By reducing the catalyst size to below 2 nanometers (nm) and minimizing the amount of precious metal to just one-third of what is used in conventional platinum-based electrodes, the team achieved superior performance surpassing that of existing platinum catalysts.
Record-breaking performance and stability
The newly developed catalyst demonstrated 4.4 times higher performance than platinum catalysts with the same precious metal content, setting a new benchmark in hydrogen evolution reaction efficiency. Additionally, it recorded the highest performance ever reported among hydrogen evolution catalysts. Its unique foam electrode structure optimizes the supply of reaction materials, ensuring outstanding stability even under high current densities.
In industrial-scale AEMWE testing, the new catalyst required significantly less power compared to commercial platinum catalysts. This result solidifies its potential as a game-changing solution for next-generation water electrolysis technology.
First, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is doped with molybdenum (Mo) through initial hydrothermal synthesis. Next, additional hydrothermal synthesis is performed to deposit ruthenium oxide (RuO₂) onto the molybdenum-doped titanium dioxide substrate. A subsequent low-temperature thermal treatment (200°C) in air facilitates diffusion between titanium, molybdenum, and ruthenium oxide, forming the core-shell structure. Finally, electrochemical reduction during the hydrogen evolution reaction results in the synthesis of a unique core-shell nanocluster material. Credit: Energy & Environmental Science, originally published in Energy & Environmental Science
The development process involved several key innovations. First, the research team treated a titanium foam substrate with hydrogen peroxide to form a thin titanium oxide layer. This was followed by doping with the transition metal molybdenum (Mo). Next, ruthenium oxide nanoparticles, measuring just 1–2 nm in size, were uniformly deposited on the modified substrate.
Atomic-level engineering for enhanced functionality
A precise low-temperature thermal treatment induced atomic-level diffusion, forming the core-shell structure. During the hydrogen evolution reaction, an electrochemical reduction process further enhanced the material’s properties, resulting in a ruthenium metal core encapsulated by a porous reduced titania monolayer, with metallic molybdenum atoms positioned at the interface.
Looking ahead, the core-shell nanocluster catalyst is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of hydrogen production while drastically reducing the amount of precious metal required, ultimately lowering production costs. Its combination of high performance and economic feasibility makes it a strong candidate for use in hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles, eco-friendly transportation systems, hydrogen power plants, and various industrial applications.
Beyond its practical applications, this breakthrough represents a major technological advancement that could accelerate the transition from fossil fuel-based energy systems to a hydrogen-driven economy.
Professor Jin Young Kim emphasized the impact of the research, stating, “The core-shell catalyst, despite being smaller than 2 nanometers, demonstrates remarkable performance and stability. This breakthrough will contribute significantly to the development of nano core-shell device fabrication technology and hydrogen production, bringing us closer to a carbon-neutral future.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Hyun Woo Lim, the study’s first author, has been selected for the government’s Sejong Fellowship Program and continues his research as a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Kim’s lab at Seoul National University. His current focus is on further developing and commercializing the core-shell catalyst technology.
Reference: “A ruthenium–titania core-shell nanocluster catalyst for efficient and durable alkaline hydrogen evolution” by Hyun Woo Lim, Tae Kyung Lee, Subin Park, Dwi Sakti Aldianto Pratama, Bingyi Yan, Sung Jong Yoo, Chan Woo Lee and Jin Young Kim, 22 January 2025, Energy & Environmental Science.DOI: 10.1039/D4EE04867A
Funding: National Research Foundation of Korea

New River Gorge, Beckley & Beyond Passport launches for locals and tourists

Travel

BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A new digital passport program is giving visitors and locals an interactive way to explore Southern West Virginia.
Visit Southern West Virginia has launched the New River Gorge, Beckley & Beyond Passport, featuring 25 locations across Raleigh, Fayette, and Nicholas counties.

The passport includes hiking trails, scenic overlooks, historic downtowns, murals, and natural landmarks.
Some sites, such as Cathedral Falls and Kanawha Falls, are also part of the West Virginia Waterfall Trail, allowing travelers to check in on multiple passport programs at once.
Participants earn points by checking in at designated locations using the digital passport.
These points can be redeemed for prizes, ranging from a custom sticker (75 points) to a Visit Southern West Virginia T-shirt (300 points).
Other rewards include collectible challenge coins featuring Summersville Lake, the New River Gorge Bridge, or Grandview (150 points), and a poster from Base Camp Printing Co. (200 points).
Those who visit all 25 locations can collect all available prizes.
Visit Southern West Virginia hopes the passport will enhance visitors’ experiences by guiding them to lesser-known destinations.
The organization also encourages participants to follow Leave No Trace principles, such as disposing of waste properly, staying on marked trails, and leashing pets.
“We are so excited to see our first pass of four rolled out to let locals and guests alike check in and earn some Southern WV swag! Our second pass is in the works. When all four passes are complete, they will cover all nine of our Visit Southern West Virginia promoted counties,” said Lisa Strader, Director of Visit Southern West Virginia.
Anyone interested in signing up for the New River Gorge, Beckley & Beyond Passport can do so at go.visitwv.com.

New book ‘Pittsburgh in 50 Maps’ gets up close and personal with the city

Arts & Culture, Books

From the Pittsburgh left to the Immaculate Reception, Stentor Danielson wants every one of his maps to tell a story about the city.

His new book, “Pittsburgh in 50 Maps,” is the fourth in a series of map-based compilations by Belt Publishing.

Before the Steel City, the Rust Belt-focused publishing company released books based on maps from Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo — but Danielson thinks that Pittsburgh is special.

“That was kind of my overarching theme, that people who live in Pittsburgh really care about it,” Danielson said. “Even if they have very critical opinions about stuff … they’re doing that because they care about the city and they want it to be better.”

Danielson cultivated an interest in maps during his childhood when he read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” He obtained his Ph.D. in geography and currently teaches in the environmental geosciences department at Slippery Rock University.

He also interviews authors for the New Books Network of podcasts, which is how he became aware of this series and decided to try his hand at mapping all of Pittsburgh’s dimensions.

While the book does contain conventional maps, most of the graphics in “Pittsburgh in 50 Maps” are more specific.

For example, Danielson chose to chart where the Catholic churches have historically been housed in the city — and how the ones that closed evolved into other buildings.

“What I hope is that readers will pick it up, and though you’re going to be drawn in by getting to see maps of things that you are already interested in, then they’ll also see some of the things that they might not have known about. They’ll learn something about another community in the city that they hadn’t known about, or another issue that affects the city that they hadn’t thought a lot about and be able to see how they all fit together,” Danielson said.

Danielson collected a wide range of data for the books, from maps provided by local, state and federal governments to information he collected on his own two feet.

“One of the maps that took the most work was one about the Pittsburgh left. I mapped out all of the traffic lights in the city and then for each one, individually, light by light, I zoomed in on it, on satellite view and sometimes actually went out to the corner in person to try to see if it was a corner where you might see somebody making a Pittsburgh left.”

Since there is no centralized database of every traffic light in the city, Danielson had to go through intersection-by-intersection to analyze for Pittsburgh left-ability.

The book delves far deeper than just the present day. There’s plenty of history in “Pittsburgh in 50 Maps,” going all the way back to 300 million years ago and the geological events that lifted, eroded and sculpted our hills. Some land formation maps are more recent but still in the distant past.

“I’m talking about the geology that was laid down during the Ice Ages that creates the aquifer that we sometimes called the ‘fourth river.’ I was able to find the geological map showing exactly where that is located under the city,” Danielson said.

That “fourth river” is actually called the Wisconsin Glacial Flow, an aquifer that supplies groundwater to the region.

For those who like their history slightly more recent, there are also maps showing the many City of Pittsburgh boundary changes since its incorporation in 1794, all of the “firsts” achieved in the city and trolley transit maps from the mid-20th century.

Between all of the history, geography, geology and pop culture, Danielson was overflowing with ideas for different maps.

“You pretty quickly get to a list of 50, and then as I was working, I’d be working on one and think of an idea for something else. So then I would go back and be like, ‘All right, so out of what I’ve got here, what’s the most boring one that I could cut to put in this better idea?’”

There may, in fact, be slightly more than 50 maps in the book — and there’s always hope for a revision or second volume.

Danielson hopes that every Pitsburgher finds something fun in his collection of graphics.

“Whatever thing they think is interesting about Pittsburgh, there’s probably a map in there about it. And if not, I’m hoping the book inspires people to make their own maps.”

“Pittsburgh in 50 Maps”is available on Amazon and at other major retailers.

Is Travel Resilient Enough to Withstand U.S. Policy Shifts?

Travel

Challenges loom as the Trump administration continues to impose policy changes, travel bans, and increasing tariffs, raising concerns of a potential ‘global grounding’. The new tariffs have raised a risk of a recession, with shares of travel companies plummeting in response and leading Skift Research to lower its forecast for global travel.

These spell a period of uncertainty for the industry, as geopolitical and economic tensions take center stage.

The global Skift Travel Health Index: February 2025 stands at 99, already indicating a 1% dip in travel performance in February 2025, the first year-on-year decline since the industry recovered from the pandemic. 

The global travel industry, however, has weathered difficult times and remained resilient over the past few years. 

Before the recent U.S. policy changes, our data partner Skyscanner conducted a survey on 19,000 travelers across multiple geographies to understand their travel intentions in 2025, sharing the results in its recently published Spring Travel Outlook. 

The travel industry has been facing geopolitical and economic uncertainties for some time now; despite this, Skyscanner’s report highlights robust travel demand in 2025, especially from emerging economies. 

The report reveals that, globally, 80% of travelers are willing to take more or the same number of trips in 2025 as they did in 2024. Only about 9% said that they will be traveling less. 

Travelers from India, the UAE, and Brazil in particular indicate a strong intention to travel and a willingness to spend more on flights, accommodations, and luxury travel experiences. On the other hand, large economies such as Europe and North America show a more conservative outlook, indicating they plan to travel only as much as last year.

However, the optimism in travel demand may be tested by shifting U.S. policies. The ongoing discussions around tariffs, travel bans, and immigration policy changes pose a risk to the global travel industry. Travel industry experts have expressed concerns about the “chilling effect” such policies could have on both inbound and outbound tourism from the U.S.

Although the impact on travel is still unfolding, travel intent, especially from emerging economies, indicates optimism for the industry.

The Skift Travel Health Index is a real-time measure of the performance of the travel industry at large, and the core verticals within it, which provides the travel industry with a powerful tool for strategic planning. We have been tracking travel for 22 of the largest global economies since 2020, with consistent monthly data inputs across 88 indicators that are aggregated to cover categories such as aviation, hotels, short-term rentals, and car rentals.

Read The February 2025 Highlights for more insights and the Travel Health Index dashboard to visualize the data.

Is Travel Resilient Enough to Withstand U.S. Policy Shifts?

The travel industry’s top event comes to Bangkok.

May 14-15, 2025 – BANGKOK

Neck deep in overdiagnosis: Books in brief

Arts & Culture, Books

The Age of DiagnosisSuzanne O’Sullivan Thesis (2025)In 2019, the UK health secretary praised a direct-to-consumer genetic test that revealed his 15% risk of prostate cancer, and planned its widespread use. This diagnosis was not significant — the average lifetime risk for men is 18%, notes neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan. Her riveting book argues that new technologies often lead to overdiagnosis, which both doctors and patients often welcome. “New diagnostic criteria need to be measured more by their ability to make quality of life better — not by how many patients they can find.”Mother AnimalHelen Jukes Elliott & Thompson (2025)Her first pregnancy and childbirth inspired Helen Jukes to investigate motherhood in a variety of other species, from polar bears to burying beetles. In her intimate and personal second book, the leader of creative-writing workshops warns that “if there are grounds for alarm” in the book, “I hope there is also much to inspire wonder”. For example, labour in humans takes many hours longer than in other primates, requiring the baby to rotate so that its head can — just — pass safely through its mother’s tilted pelvis. Not all babies fit through.The NeckKent Dunlap Univ. California Press (2025)The human neck is the “ultimate multitasker”, writes biologist Kent Dunlap. “It flexes, senses, vibrates, transports, and secretes every second of our lives”, using bones, muscles, cartilages, cords, tubes, nerves, glands and nodes. Ironically, he researches the neurobiology and behaviour of (neckless) fishes. The book shows Dunlap’s fascination with the neck, ranging from anatomy to Indian dancing, opening with a medical drawing from Henry Gray’s classic Anatomy (1858), showing the neck’s tortuous inner complexity.Waste WarsAlexander Clapp Little, Brown and Company (2025)

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Scientists Want Your Sourdough Starter to Help Study Gut Health

Science and Health

Key Points
Scientists across Europe are collecting sourdough starter samples from home bakers to study the health benefits of fermentation.The research aims to understand how fermented foods impact gut health and develop new plant-based options for better nutrition.Over 800 samples have already been gathered, and the study will also include human trials to test the effects of fermented foods on the microbiome.
Bakers have been making sourdough bread for thousands of years. Yet, during the pandemic, it seems that everyone and their mother rediscovered this delicious bakery staple. This newfound appreciation for an old-school classic is also benefiting scientists. 

Professor Christophe Courtin, a food biochemist at KU Leuven, the University of Leuven in Belgium, shared with JSTOR Daily that he is leading a team of food experts from across Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland, to gather an “army of home bakers” to study microorganisms and traditional fermented foods as part of their HealthFerm project. 

According to JSTOR, the group’s goal is to collect samples and microorganism data to develop new plant-based fermented foods that will enhance both human health and the planet’s well-being. They will achieve this by inviting citizens from across the continent to donate their starters — that crucial mixture of flour and water that serves as the fermented base, which is then used to help the bread rise — to the cause. 

The good news is that they are already off to a great start, having collected more than 800 samples so far.

“The samples came from all over Europe,” Professor Nicholas Bokulich, a microbiologist at ETH Zürich in Switzerland, shared with JSTOR. The team added that these volunteer bakers have also been busy testing the acidity of their home starters and providing detailed insights into how they maintain their mother dough.

And truly, this is quite important work. Fermented foods have long been recognized for their health benefits, including enhancing the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals from food. One study indicates that fermented foods may even promote better sleep, while another suggests they could help prevent depression. However, as JSTOR observed, more comprehensive data is lacking in this area, which makes this study — and the volunteers involved — all the more significant. 

“We know that if these fatty acids are produced in our colon, they are beneficial to us,” Professor Courtin added. “What we don’t know is if they are equally beneficial when produced in food.”

However, the scientists aren’t stopping at collecting samples. As explained on the study’s website, they will also test how these foods interact with the human microbiome. Thus, they are adding five human intervention studies, which include hypothesis-driven and exploratory approaches, to better understand their impact on human health.

Participants in this part of the study will consume either a mix of fermented foods or a specific one before testing their blood and stool samples to observe the effects. And honestly, if the researchers are seeking participants to eat a bunch of bread and pickles, many of the Food & Wine writers and editors are ready to volunteer as tribute.