Record cheese for 20,000 euros: Oldest Parmesan cut after 27 years
A wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, aged for more than 27 years, was recently opened. Its value: 20,000 Euros.
Botswana's President renews his offer: 20,000 elephants for Germany. The debate on hunting trophies almost led to diplomatic tensions in 2024. Here's what's behind it.
After the nth dry spring, some landscapes around Berlin almost resemble the African savanna. What's missing are the elephants. That could change now, as Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has renewed an offer from his country from the year before last.
Lemke angered Botswana
In 2024, there was almost a diplomatic scandal because the former Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke had considered a ban on the import of hunting trophies from Africa, including Botswana. This caused great misunderstanding in the South African country because hunting and hunting tourism are considered important means of regulating the rapidly growing elephant population in Botswana. With an estimated 120,000 animals, they have become a nuisance and a real threat to crops and food supply.
Therefore, after the possible import restrictions became known, Masisi officially offered the traffic light government to ship 20,000 elephants from Botswana to Germany. However, they would also have to roam freely in the Federal Republic because he wanted to "find out how Ms. Lemke would deal with it," Masisi said at the time. The red-green federal government downplayed the incident and did not accept the offer. Botswana even threatened at one point to process the "German" elephants into food to ensure the supply of its own population in times of drought.
Offer to Chancellor Merz
The traffic light coalition is history, and the plans for a ban on African hunting trophies are off the table. Nevertheless, Botswana's President now renews in Bild the donation of 20,000 elephants. Specifically, he also addresses the Chancellor: "Mr. Merz, do you want the 20,000 elephants? If Germany takes the first five, that's a good start." As in 2024, Masisi conditions that the pachyderms must be able to move freely in Germany.
After the nth dry spring, some landscapes around Berlin almost resemble the African savanna. What's missing are the elephants. That could change now, as Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has renewed an offer from his country from the year before last.
Lemke angered Botswana
In 2024, there was almost a diplomatic scandal because the former Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke had considered a ban on the import of hunting trophies from Africa, including Botswana. This caused great misunderstanding in the South African country because hunting and hunting tourism are considered important means of regulating the rapidly growing elephant population in Botswana. With an estimated 120,000 animals, they have become a nuisance and a real threat to crops and food supply.
Therefore, after the possible import restrictions became known, Masisi officially offered the traffic light government to ship 20,000 elephants from Botswana to Germany. However, they would also have to roam freely in the Federal Republic because he wanted to "find out how Ms. Lemke would deal with it," Masisi said at the time. The red-green federal government downplayed the incident and did not accept the offer. Botswana even threatened at one point to process the "German" elephants into food to ensure the supply of its own population in times of drought.
Offer to Chancellor Merz
The traffic light coalition is history, and the plans for a ban on African hunting trophies are off the table. Nevertheless, Botswana's President now renews in Bild the donation of 20,000 elephants. Specifically, he also addresses the Chancellor: "Mr. Merz, do you want the 20,000 elephants? If Germany takes the first five, that's a good start." As in 2024, Masisi conditions that the pachyderms must be able to move freely in Germany.