When Damarion Spann, 18, saw an Instagram flier calling for a massive gathering on a beach near downtown Chicago, he immediately wanted to go. Thousands of others joined him that night on the sand, blasting music and dancing.The cultural trend of so-called teen takeovers has popped up across the U.S. in recent years, influencing local policing and national politics. The events, often hyped online and captured in videos on social media, have led to shootings, theft and vandalism. City officials and police are concerned about an increase over the summer, and are under pressure to prevent similar gatherings or to punish those who participate.Over the July 4 holiday weekend, several thousand young people converged in two spots in Raleigh, North Carolina, police said. Nine people, including an adult who was not part of the gatherings, were shot and wounded.There were also takeovers in Pensacola, Florida, where a 19-year-old was shot and killed; and Newport Beach, California, where more than 400 were arrested after the police chief said teens launched "explosive mortars and other projectiles” at officers ordering them to disperse.But Spann and other teens say that the events are largely misunderstood. They point to formal curfews or limits on group size at malls and movie theatres that have made it harder for teens to gather, exacerbating a feeling of disconnection they trace back to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.Communities and police across the country are trying to identify organizers, fine parents of those involved and impose curfews.In Detroit, officials say they "thwarted" 19 gatherings so far this year by monitoring time and location changes as young people coordinated across social media, said Teferi Brent, director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighbourhood and Community Safety."We have eyes on all the behaviours and activities of those who have expressed interest in trying to take over and we have done a good job of being way ahead of the curve and being able to prevent a lot of these things,” Brent said.Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, who chairs the Chicago City Council’s subcommittee on Youth Employment, said her office has tried to find solutions that don't rely exclusively on police and instead coordinate with parents and community members to prevent conflict or crimes.Blue Island, a south Chicago suburb, has taken another tact: to fine parents or guardians and use the funds to cover clean up after events. That might include debris left behind or other damages like cars dented from scores of teens clambering over them while fleeing police.Other places have taken harsher approaches, as in Florida, where state officials said prosecutors can apply racketeering laws, typically targeting criminal gangs or organized crime, if takeovers appear to be facilitated by "an organized network.”But some have pushed back on the idea that the threat of harsh legal punishment could prevent the gatherings in the first place."What we know about adolescent brain development is that the stakes are not going to be what prevents a young person from engaging in risky behaviour,” said Melissa Milchman, the executive director for the nonpartisan organization the Coalition for Juvenile Justice. Milchman added that mass arrests often ensnare those who are going for innocent fun without preventing others from breaking the law.For Spann, the recent media attention on the events has largely failed to capture the appeal to young people."You feel like a young person who has freedom, who’s not being held to something,” said Spann, who is Black. At the event he went to, he was able to catch up with people he hadn't seen since 8th grade.He said that the events are a direct result of a cascade of school closures across Black neighbourhoods over the past couple decades in Chicago. To deter people from gathering even at basketball courts, where there were sometimes fights, officials have removed the nets. Spann said that his mom, who grew up in the same neighbourhood, frequently talks about how much easier it used to be to hang out outside without a fear of gun violence.When Spann goes to malls in more affluent areas with his mostly Black group of friends, shoppers often stare and security guards question them. To avoid scrutiny, Spann and his friends sometimes sneak into outdoor shopping centres or areas downtown in smaller groups at staggered times.By contrast, in the same spaces, Spann said, "If I’m with my white friends, I feel like I belong."Despite the physical dangers that come with takeovers and the threat of getting a ticket or even arrested, the allure is strong, according to Jeffrey Bernstein, a psychologist and author."The kids still do it because they feel like it’s their second family,” which he said "really takes over as their primary sense of connection.”"They’re getting things from their peers that they can’t get from their parents.”Some cities have tried to meet that need head-on, instead of cracking down with law enforcement.In St. Louis, officers have started to bring some teens to community centers instead of jails so their parents can pick them up, and in Baltimore, officials have tried leaning on public schools to provide alternative programming. In Chicago, Spann received a $11,000 grant from the city and partnering nonprofits to host an event for his peers at the end of the summer, in an effort to give his community more places to gather.In April, Daveion Page, a 16-year-old in Detroit, was bored. He turned to his phone, creating a post on social media promoting a teen takeover. Hundreds of teens soon flocked to a site downtown and fights broke out by the end of the night. At another takeover in May, a 14-year-old was shot and wounded.After the Detroit event in April, Page told reporters that he didn't intend for the takeover he organized to result in violence."I just wanted to get out of the house, have fun, enjoy time with my family and my homeboys and my homegirls, too," said Page, who was flanked by Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield and other city officials at a news conference.He told city officials that young people might respond if there were more safe places to gather.Before the takeovers, there were already plans to use $1.5 million from the city’s budget for summer programming and to support violence prevention programs. In response to the takeovers, the city has launched an office of youth affairs, met and listened to students at schools, and created a youth advisory board comprised of teens and young adults."We have brought them to the table and made them a part of our structure in regards to identifying what the needs and concerns are of the young people in the city,” Brent said.In Detroit, a late-night basketball league has formed as an alternative hangout spot for teens and young adults. Jerseys and sneakers are provided by the city."This league just helps me find something to do,” Cameron Chandler, 21, said while playing basketball at the recreation centre.He's never participated in a takeover, but recently after practice, he stumbled on one near his home."There were a lot of cops and some people got arrested,” Chandler said. "You just have to think, ‘that could easily be me.’”

FUJAIRAH: The United Arab Emirates has achieved a new global milestone with the inscription of Wadi Wurayah in the Emirate of Fujairah on UNESCO's World Heritage List.The announcement was made at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Busan, Republic of Korea.The recognition reflects the international significance of Wadi Wurayah as one of the world's most important natural heritage sites.H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah and Ambassador of the Wadi Wurayah nomination file to UNESCO, affirmed that this historic achievement represents a significant milestone in the accomplishments of both the UAE and the Emirate of Fujairah. He underlined it as an exceptional moment in the nation's journey and global standing, reflecting the UAE's commitment to preserving its natural heritage in accordance with the highest international standards.H.H. Sheikh Mohammed said that this moment, filled with pride, embodies the vision of the Fujairah government under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, to preserve the site for its outstanding cultural and natural significance throughout history.He noted that Wadi Wurayah now stands as a global model, enjoying international appreciation and interest, and as an important addition to the UAE's reputation on the world stage.H.H. Sheikh Mohammed also affirmed that the inscription of Wadi Wurayah Reserve on UNESCO's World Heritage List underscores the reserve's significance, due to its unique environmental and geological characteristics as well as its scientific, environmental, and cultural value. He emphasised that this achievement reflects the efforts of the UAE and the Emirate of Fujairah to preserve sites of outstanding universal value, support the ecosystem, and ensure safety and sustainability for future generations.H.H. Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the value of the site as an integrated and balanced ecosystem, reflecting the harmony between humans and their environment throughout history. He noted that Wadi Wurayah forms a unique, living system that sustains vital natural processes over time, reflecting the UAE’s national vision of promoting shared responsibility, both nationally and globally, to protect natural heritage and achieve sustainable development.For his part, Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture and Chair of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, said, "The inscription of Wadi Wurayah on the UNESCO World Heritage List represents a strategic national achievement that further strengthens the UAE’s leading position in protecting natural heritage and preserving biodiversity. It embodies a national vision that places heritage at the heart of national identity, positions it as a driver of sustainable development and recognises its preservation as a shared responsibility towards humanity and future generations. As the third UAE site to be inscribed on the List and the first site to be designated for its outstanding natural value, Wadi Wurayah expands the country’s presence on the global heritage map. It reflects the success of its approach to protecting natural resources while harnessing their scientific, intellectual, and developmental value.”Al Qassimi added, "This milestone is the result of an integrated national effort, in which the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science played a pivotal role. The Commission aligned the work of the Ministry of Culture, Fujairah Environment Authority, and the relevant entities, while strengthening cooperation with UNESCO. This institutional alignment highlights Wadi Wurayah’s outstanding universal value.”Al Qassimi affirmed that Wadi Wurayah, with its rich biodiversity and rare ecosystems, holds significance that extends beyond its geographical boundaries. As a natural and scientific reference, it contributes to the advancement of human knowledge. Its World Heritage status will broaden the scope for international partnerships, the exchange of expertise, and the production of specialised knowledge, while bringing the UAE’s experience in natural heritage stewardship to global attention.Dr. Ahmed Hamdan Al Zeyoudi, Director of the Office of H.H. the Crown Prince of Fujairah, stated that this historic win is a significant achievement, reflecting the Fujairah government's strong commitment to the Wadi Wurayah and its ongoing efforts to preserve the site according to the highest international standards.Dr. Al Zeyoudi affirmed that work will continue to transform the reserve into a global destination that showcases the deep-rooted relationship between humans and nature, and to ensure its significance for future generations.Asilah Abdullah Al Mualla, Director-General of the Fujairah Environment Authority, expressed her gratitude to the World Heritage Committee, members of the advisory body, and the World Heritage Centre at UNESCO for this international recognition of Wadi Wurayah Reserve. Al Mualla emphasised that the site’s inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List holds global value, as it is a key centre of biodiversity and ecosystems in the region, and the last and most authentic of the pristine ecosystems of the arid foothill region in the Hajar Mountains of the Arabian Peninsula.Al Mualla added, "Wadi Wurayah is one of the few sources of permanent surface water in the UAE and is home to the country's only permanent natural waterfall. The reserve also shelters many rare and endangered species of animals, plants, reptiles, and insects, along with several mammals and birds unique to the site. This makes Wadi Wurayah a prime example of the vital ecological processes that have shaped the evolution of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, as well as plant and animal communities, over centuries."