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CNN  —  Colombia’s plans to relocate 70 “cocaine hippos” descended from drug trafficker Pablo Escobar’s private menagerie will cost approximately $3.5 million, officials said in a press conference Wednesday. It will form part of a deal that the local Antioquia government signed with various institutions including the Colombian Agricultural Institute, the Colombian Air Force and the Ostok Sanctuary in Mexico where 10 hippos will be transported, a statement released on Wednesday said. A sanctuary in India will provide a new home for the other 60 hippos since it is impossible to transport them back to their native Africa and risks upsetting the local ecosystem there. The deal will allocate resources to build boxes and cover air transport costs for the hippos, whose population has boomed despite the efforts of authorities to control it using castrations and “shots” of contraceptive darts. There are now between 130 and 160 of the hippos,…

Martine Vik Magnussen: Billionaire’s son admits role in death to BBC - BBC News Source

CNN  —  Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks will be the hosts of the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards. The two country legends will be live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on May 11. Parton said in a statement that she’s “thrilled” to be hosting the show with her friend, Brooks. “While I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with him throughout the years, I can’t believe we’ve never had the chance to work together,” she said. That night, Parton will also premiere the lead single from her upcoming rock album. The event will celebrate country music’s biggest stars and stream live worldwide. The nominees, performers and presenters for this year’s show will be announced leading up to the show, the Academy of Country Music said. The event will stream live on Prime Video and will be rebroadcast the next day for free on Amazon…

Two big announcements in European climate policy came Thursday. The European Union reached a provisional deal to increase itsrenewable energy targets, an important pillar of the bloc’s plans to fight climate change and end dependence on Russian fossil fuels. And the United Kingdom released its long-awaited climate strategy, promising “an energy revolution.” Negotiators fromthe European Parliament and the Council of the EU, which represents EU member states, agreed that by 2030, the 27-country bloc would commit to sourcing 42.5% of its energy from renewable sources like wind and solar, with a potential top-up to 45%. The European Union’s current target is for a 32% renewable energy share by 2030. In 2021, the bloc got 22% of its energy from renewable sources, though the level varied significantly between countries. Sweden leads with a 63% renewable energy share, while in Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and Ireland, renewable sources make up less than…

See adorable cheetah cubs born in India for the first time in 70 years The four cubs were born to cheetahs Siyaya and Freddie, six months after they were moved to India as part of the government's plan to re-introduce the big cat to the country. Source

Hong Kong CNN  —  At least 29 people were killed Wednesday night after an inter-island ferry caught fire in the southern Philippines, with many of the 250 passengers jumping overboard into dark waters trying to escape the blaze, authorities said. The Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday that search and rescue efforts are ongoing after the fire broke out on the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 at around 11 p.m. local time as it sailed southwest from Zamboanga province to Jolo, Sulu province. Emergency workers rescued 160 passengers and 36 crew members, the Philippine Coast Guard added. Around 35 passengers jumped off the vessel after they heard an explosion, Arsina Kahing-Nanoh, a municipal mayor in Basilan province told CNN affiliate CNN Philippines. Basilan residents went to shore to try and save those that jumped off the ship after seeing from afar that the vessel had caught fire and was heading toward…

Israel crisis a battle for country's identity - BBC News Source

Humza Yousaf has been confirmed as Scotland's new first minister after a vote in the Scottish Parliament.Mr Yousaf, who succeeds Nicola Sturgeon, is the country's sixth first minister and first from an ethnic minority background.The BBC's Kirsten Campbell looks back on his career in politics and at the challenges ahead for the government he now leads.Video by Morgan Spence Source

Editor’s Note: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia CNN  —  In the distant past, Muslim pilgrims came to the holy city of Mecca on foot. Now, though, they can come via high-speed train. About 50 times a day these sleek, long-nosed javelins shoot across the baking-hot deserts of Saudi Arabia, reaching speeds of up to 300 kph (186 mph) carrying pilgrims and other passengers. The trains, among the world’s top 10 fastest, are just the beginning of a rail network expected to expand right across the Middle Eastern kingdom as it invests billions in infrastructure to boost tourism and diversify revenues beyond oil. From Jeddah, the country’s second largest city, religious pilgrims and leisure travelers alike…

Four bankers who helped a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin move millions of dollars through Swiss bank accounts have been convicted of failing to perform due diligence in financial transactions. The four were found guilty Thursday of helping Sergey Roldugin, a concert cellist who has been dubbed “Putin’s wallet” by the Swiss government. The executives — three Russians and one Swiss — helped Roldugin, who is godfather to Putin’s eldest daughter, Maria, deposit millions of francs in Swiss bank accounts between 2014 and 2016. The men, who cannot be identified under Swiss reporting restrictions, were found guilty at a hearing at Zurich District Court and were given fines totaling 741,000 Swiss francs ($809,000). In Switzerland, banks are obliged to reject or terminate business relationships if there are doubts about the identity of the contracting party. A spokesman for Gazprombank, where the four executives worked, described the decision as…