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Putin Gifts Zoo Animals, Including Lion and Bears, to North Korea

Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov visits the city central zoo during an official transfer of more than 70 animals from Russia to North Korea within the framework of the countries' bilateral cooperation in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released November 20, 2024. Press Service of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment/Handout via REUTERS
Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov visits the city central zoo during an official transfer of more than 70 animals from Russia to North Korea within the framework of the countries' bilateral cooperation in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released November 20, 2024. Press Service of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment/Handout via REUTERS
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Putin Gifts Zoo Animals, Including Lion and Bears, to North Korea

Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov visits the city central zoo during an official transfer of more than 70 animals from Russia to North Korea within the framework of the countries' bilateral cooperation in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released November 20, 2024. Press Service of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment/Handout via REUTERS
Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov visits the city central zoo during an official transfer of more than 70 animals from Russia to North Korea within the framework of the countries' bilateral cooperation in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released November 20, 2024. Press Service of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment/Handout via REUTERS

Russia transferred more than 70 animals, including an African lion and two brown bears, to a zoo in the North Korean capital Pyongyang from Moscow's zoo, the Russian government said on Wednesday.
The animals were "a gift from (Russian President) Vladimir Putin to the Korean people", the government said.
Alexander Kozlov, Russia's natural resources minister, oversaw the relocation of the animals, who were transported by plane to the Pyongyang Central Zoo accompanied by veterinarians from the Moscow Zoo, Reuters reported
Pictures published by the Russian government showed a white cockatoo travelling in a crate and Kozlov receiving a tour of the Korean zoo from local officials.
Russia in April donated birds, including eagles, cranes and parrots to the Pyongyang Central Zoo.
Pyongyang and Moscow have forged closer ties since Putin visited the country in June and concluded a treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Kim gifted Putin a pair of Pungsan dogs, a local breed, during that trip. The two also took turns driving each other around in a Russian-built Aurus limousine.

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Greece to Create New Marine Reserves to Protect Underwater Wildlife

Greece banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs. Handout / Under the Pole/AFP
Greece banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs. Handout / Under the Pole/AFP
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Greece to Create New Marine Reserves to Protect Underwater Wildlife

Greece banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs. Handout / Under the Pole/AFP
Greece banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs. Handout / Under the Pole/AFP

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday said that his government was creating two new protected marine areas, fulfilling a promise he made at a United Nations conference on the oceans in June.

The new protected areas -- in the Ionian Sea and in the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean Sea -- would be "among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean", he said in a video message in English.

The prime minister said that the "hugely damaging practice of bottom trawling" by commercial fishing boats would be banned within the new marine reserves and in all Greece's marine protected areas by 2030, making it the first country in Europe to take such a significant step in preservation, reported AFP.

Fishing is generally allowed in protected marine areas worldwide, even by trawlers which scrape the seabed with a huge funnel-shaped net, to devastating effect.

Mitsotakis said that he had "made a promise to honor (Greece's) unique marine heritage" at last month's UN Oceans Conference in southern France, "and to protect it for generations to come".

"Today I am delivering on that promise with the establishment of two new marine national parks... because when we protect our ocean, we protect our own future."

Greece is located in the eastern Mediterranean and has around 13,600 kilometers (8,450 miles) of coastline and thousands of islands.

Greece, Brazil and Spain all used the UN conference in Nice, to announce new protected marine reserves and measures to ban bottom trawling, in order to better protect marine wildlife.

Mitsotakis said that the size of the new Greek marine reserves "will enable us to achieve the goal of protecting 30 percent of our territorial waters by 2030".

He said that the government would work with "local communities, local fishermen, scientists (and) global partners (to) make these parks examples of what is possible".

The oceans are 'life itself'

In May, Athens banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs that are exceptionally rich in marine wildlife.

Neighboring Türkiye, whose western coast is close to the Aegean islands, responded to Monday's announcement by criticizing such "unilateral action".

"International maritime law encourages cooperation between the coastal states of these seas, including on environmental issues," the foreign ministry in Ankara said.

It said that Türkiye was willing to cooperate with Greece and would soon announce its own plans to protect maritime areas.

Greece and Türkiye, both members of NATO, have historical disputes over maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea.

They signed an agreement in 2023 aimed at easing tensions.

Mitsotakis said that "Ocean", a new documentary by British natural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, had inspired Greece to accelerate efforts to protect life below the waves.

"Ocean", which features spectacular footage of undersea habitats and marine life, emphasizes the importance of healthy seas for tackling climate change and the current sweeping loss of wild species across the planet.

Mitsotakis said "Ocean" showed that the sea was "not just beautiful scenery".

"It is life itself. Delicate. Powerful. And under threat."