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CNN —Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany amid a dispute over the import of hunting trophies. ”Twenty thousand elephants for Germany, this is not a joke,” Masisi told German tabloid Bild. Lenin Nolly/Sipa USA/AP/FileMasisi told Bild that Germany’s Green party could learn to cohabitate with elephants without hunting them. According to the ministry, Germany is one of the largest importers of hunting trophies in the European Union, and African hunting trophies already require import authorization under current rules. Trophy hunting does not come close to diminishing the elephant population, Masisi told broadcaster Sky News.

Persons: CNN —, Mokgweetsi Masisi, ” Masisi, –, Steffi Lemke, Lenin, Masisi, ”, Murat Ozgur Guvendik, “, ” Botswana’s, Botswana’s, Iris Throm, Mary Rice, Rice, Bild, you’d Organizations: CNN, Green, Getty, Botswana’s Ministry of Environment, Tourism, European Union, Germany’s Federal Agency for Nature, Environmental Investigation Agency, Sky News, Convention, International Trade, Fauna Locations: Germany, Berlin, Botswana, Masisi, Anadolu, Angola, Mozambique

☆ The best places — and best times — to take a safari
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Harriet Akinyi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

KenyaFor more than 25 years, professional safari guide Geoff Mayes has taken tourists to the best parks in Africa. Amboseli National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its massive elephant population and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro. In those three, one can track mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Another park to consider is the Kidepo Valley National Park, with its sweeping plains and valleys overshadowed by the brooding Mount Morungole. ZimbabweApart from the renowned Hwange National Park, I have also visited Matobo National Park, which has a wide diversity of fauna and plenty of white rhinos.

Persons: I've, revel, Harriet Akinyi, Geoff Mayes, Mara —, Masaai Mara, Mara, you'll, Barack Obama, It's, Luis Davilla, There's, Kruger, Addo, Nogaya, Jason Edwards, Dennis Kahungu, Christopher Kidd, Photodisc, Weaver, Clair, Nxai, Patrick J, Cecil Rhodes, Westend61 Organizations: Mara, Reserve, Kenya —, UNESCO, Heritage, Netflix, National Parks, Kruger, Park, Photodisc, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Queen Elizabeth, Lake, CNBC Travel, Getty, Nature, Kalahari Game Reserve, Kenya, Tourists Locations: Africa, Mugie Conservancy, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Nairobi, Mount Kilimanjaro, Solio Conservancy, Africa Kenya, Johannesburg, iMfolozi, Addo, Uganda Uganda, Kyambura, Lake Mburo, Mburo, Ihema, Inti St, Botswana Botswana, Okavango, Matobo

☆ Botswana reassessing HB Antwerp deal after Lucara Diamond cuts ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Brian Benza | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An over 1,000-carat uncut stone by Lucara Diamond is pictured during a press availability in New York City, New York, U.S., September 20, 2021. Lucara Diamond said on Thursday it had ended its agreement with HB Trading BV, a unit of HB Antwerp, following what it called "a material breach of financial commitments by HB". Diamond processor and trader HB Antwerp earlier this month removed one of its three co-founders, Oded Mansori, from management following differences over strategy. Mansori, who co-founded HB Antwerp in 2020 with partners Shai de Toledo and Rafael Papismedov, said he was taking them to court over his removal. HB and Lucara first entered into a diamond sales agreement in 2020, which was extended for 10 years in 2022.

Persons: Lucara Diamond, David, Dee, Delgado, Mokgweetsi Masisi, Masisi, Oded, Shai de Toledo, Rafael Papismedov, Lucara, Brian Benza, Nelson Banya, Mark Potter, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HB Antwerp, HB Trading, HB, Okavango Diamond Company, Lucara, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Rights GABORONE, Belgian, Botswana

☆ $1,850 a day? What it costs to visit the 10 most expensive vacation destinations in the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Quek Jie Ann | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The travel website FloridaPanhandle.com analyzed costs in 100 popular vacation spots, looking into average prices for accommodations, transportation, food and attractions. According to the analysis, the most expensive vacation destinations, excluding flight costs, are: Gustavia, St. Barts Gstaad, Switzerland Aspen, Colorado Park City, Utah Maui, Hawaii London, England Cocoa Island, Maldives Maun, Botswana Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Monte Carlo, MonacoThe 10 most expensive vacation destinations around the globe. Where hotels average $1,000 per nightThe Caribbean island of St. Barts is the most expensive vacation destination in the world, largely because of its high accommodation costs, which average $1,770 per night, according to the analysis. The town in the Swiss Alps also has the highest average food costs on the list, at $177 per day. Despite having higher overall average costs, St. Barts and the Maldives' attractions were valued at $0.

Persons: Barts, Switzerland's Gstaad, Nik Wheeler, FloridaPanhandle.com, Ostill Organizations: Cayman, CNBC, Aspen, Istock, Getty Locations: St, Barts Gstaad, Switzerland Aspen, Colorado Park City , Utah Maui, Hawaii London, England, Maldives Maun, Botswana, Cayman Islands Monte Carlo, Monaco, London, Switzerland's, Swiss, Aspen , Colorado, Park City , Utah, Maun, Africa's, Maldives, Monte Carlo

☆ A herd of orphan elephants could be the key to bringing back the woolly mammoth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. But a key question is whether such animals could survive if they roamed the Arctic tundra as their ancestors did thousands of years ago. Eventually, the bonded herd will make its way into the wild, where its progress can be monitored for the next decade. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

Persons: paleobiologist Jordan Mallon, It’s, Esme Ashe, Jepson, Katie Jones, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s, “ Oppenheimer, ”, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Canadian Museum of Nature, University of Cambridge, Southern Resident, for Whale Research, Virgin Galactic’s, CNN Space, Science Locations: Botswana, China, Ottawa, Chile, Chicago . Wild, Pacific Northwest, North America

☆ 3 travel agents for the world's wealthiest people share exactly where the 1% are traveling this summer, from Botswana to the Côte d'Azur
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Mark Ellwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Summer travel can be done on a budget, but for the world's wealthiest people, no expense is spared. Top travel agents shared the hottest spots they're seeing this year, from Paros to the Côte d'Azur. Instead, look to the elite group of agents who help wrangle those jaunts and cater to the wealthiest, most demanding vacationers. Courtesy of John CliffordJohn Clifford in San Diego runs International Travel Management and has expertise with LGBTQ+ travel. Insider asked these travel professionals to share the secrets of where and how the richest 1% are vacationing in summer 2023.

Persons: they've, Jules Maury, Jules Maury Jules Maury, Scott Dunn, John Clifford, John Clifford John Clifford, Edward Granville ., Edward Granville Edward Granville, Granville, Maury, I've, Clifford, he's, Côte, they're, We've, Rod, it's, Paros, It's, Cosme, Parilio, Avant, she's, she'd, Milos Organizations: Côte, Service, San Diego, Travel Management, d'Azur, Porto Heli, Italy, Avant Mar, HBO, Domenico Palace Locations: Paros, Wall, Silicon, San, Red Savannah, London, COVID, Europe, Cannes, France, Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Botswana's Okavango Delta, Kenya, Porto, Greece, Italy, Spain, Athens, Amalfi Coast, Rome, Sicily, Domenico

☆ Using AI to monitor orphaned elephants in Botswana could usher in the return of the woolly mammoth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The startup has entered a collaboration with Elephant Havens, a wildlife foundation based in the Okavango Delta that cares for orphaned elephants. The findings, the organizations hope, could provide a blueprint for releasing the elephants into the wild and mammoth hybrids to the tundra. A new system for elephant monitoringHuman-wildlife conflict is the leading cause of elephant orphans in Botswana, says Elephant Havens founder Debra Stevens. After five years in the enclosure, Elephant Havens will reintroduce these bonded herds into the wild, and monitor their progress for a decade. Biotech company Colossal wants to create a hybrid combining mammoth DNA with that of Asian elephants.

Persons: “, –, Elephant, We’ll, ”, Matt James, Debra Stevens, “ That’s, Stevens, revel, Havens, Steve Metzler, Dr, Wendy Kiso, James, Debra, ” James, Ben Lamm, ” Lamm, Lamm Organizations: CNN, Colossal Biosciences, Biotech company Colossal, Colossal Locations: Botswana, Africa, rewilding, America

☆ Botswana, De Beers agree 'in principle' to new diamond sales deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Brian Benza | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An interim sales agreement is in place until the new pact is finalised, the two partners said in a statement. "The transformational new agreements between Botswana and De Beers reflect the aspirations of the people of Botswana, propels both Botswana and De Beers forward, and underpins the future of their Debswana joint venture through long-term investment," the statement said. Botswana, the world's second largest diamond producer after Russia by output, supplies 70% of De Beers' rough diamonds. Diamond sales, almost entirely from Debswana, account for two-thirds of Botswana's foreign currency receipts and a fifth of its gross domestic product. Debswana's diamond sales hit a record $4.6 billion last year, compared to $3.5 billion in 2021.

Persons: De Beers, Lefoko Moagi, Debswana, De, Okavango Diamond, Mokgweetsi Masisi, Masisi, Felix Njini, Nelson Banya, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Botswana Mines, De Beers, De, HB Antwerp, Thomson Locations: Botswana, Russia, Nairobi, Harare, Nilutpal

July 1 (Reuters) - Botswana and De Beers Group have agreed a new diamond sales deal in which the African country, the world's No. 1 diamond producer by value, gradually increases the share of rough stones it gets from their joint venture Debswana over the next decade to 50%, the government and the mining company said on Saturday. The Botswana government and De Beers said they had agreed on a 10-year sales deal for Debswana's rough diamond production through to 2033, and on a 25-year Debswana mining licence valid until 2054. The Botswana-De Beers agreement allows the partners to advance the investment required to secure Debswana's position as one of the world's leading gem producers, De Beers said. Botswana, where De Beers has been present for 50 years, is heavily reliant on diamonds, with two-thirds of its foreign currency receipts coming from mining, sales and ancillary activities linked to the precious stone.

Persons: De Beers, Debswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, weren't, Felix Njini, Promit Mukherjee, Nelson Banya, Leslie Adler, David Holmes Organizations: De Beers Group, Okavango, Thomson Locations: Botswana, Debswana, pula, Nairobi, Harare, Nilutpal

☆ Hippo attacks: How to avoid one of Africa's most dangerous animals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +22 min

“Hippos attack not to eat people, but to get them the hell away from them,” Lewison said. Larger vessels can offer more protection from a sudden hippo attack. photocech/Adobe StockGet to know the signs of disturbed hippos, Muruthi advised, in case you wander too closely. … If you slap the water, the percussion 99.9 times out of 100 will turn the hippo,” Templer said. Remember to suck in air if on the surface.”Another hippo attack survivor in this National Geographic video also was able to conserve her breath.

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