https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/official-israeli-aircraft-landed-in-riyadh:-israeli-media

Official Israeli aircraft landed in Riyadh: Israeli media

The military correspondent for the Israeli Kan channel, Itay Blumenthal, reported earlier today the landing of an Israeli official aircraft in Riyadh.

The Israeli correspondent wrote via his Twitter account, "For fans of normalization: An Israeli administrative plane (T7-WZZ), in service of Shino Aviation, landed a short while ago in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia."

On August 17, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported that it had received "domestic assurances" to allow IOF soldiers to "fly over Saudi Arabia," noting that "this will provide shorter routes for destinations in the Far East and Seychelles."

On August 5, the Times of Israel reported that a commercial flight bound for "Israel" entered Saudi airspace, for the first time since Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to all flights, including Israeli flights last July.

Last July, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority announced that it had "opened the kingdom's airspace to all air carriers," including Israeli carriers that meet the requirements for transiting the country's airspace.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in July that relations with Saudi Arabia "are not Abrahamic agreements, but a process of normalization. It was important for us that the US administration bears responsibility for this matter as well."

He explained that normalization "is progressing in small steps," adding that Biden's visit "was important, not only to bring in oil but also to promote peace."

Earlier today, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, said Iran shares common interests with Saudi Arabia, pointing out that the talks between the two nations on the revival of relations are proceeding positively, driven by a mutual will to do so.

Kanaani said in his press statement this morning, "We share commonalities with Saudi Arabia, and talks to restore relations are proceeding positively."

While maintaining that "the negotiations between Tehran and Riyadh are positive," Kanaani stressed that "the process will not happen overnight."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanon-urges-respecting-deadlines-for-border-demarcation-de

Lebanon urges respecting deadlines for border demarcation deal

Regarding the agreement on the demarcation of the maritime borders between “Israel” and Lebanon, Lebanese Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab slammed all the latest negative and positive reports about the course of negotiations, whether by Israeli or international media, as “mere speculations that are not based on any information or official stances.”

During a lengthy phone call with US mediator Amos Hochstein, Bou Saab stressed the importance of working within acceptable deadlines due to the time pressure factor.

“Lebanon is carrying out the border negotiations from a position of strength,” he tersely stated.

“Hochstein briefed Bou Saab on the outcome of the latest contacts that he held with Israeli officials, the last of which took place a few days ago, stressing to him that he will continue his communication with the Israeli officials in the coming days,” Bou Saab’s press office said in a statement.

'Israel' fears military escalation, is on high alert: Israeli media

Israeli media reported, on Sunday, that “Israel” is worried that Hezbollah would carry out another "provocation" before the possible signing of an indirect maritime border agreement between “Israel” and Lebanon.

However, Israeli media didn’t give any information regarding what kind of “provocation security officials believe Hezbollah will carry out."

On July 2, the Lebanese Resistance movement Hezbollah released a statement on the three UAVs sent on a recon mission over the Karish gas field, before being shot down by Israeli occupation forces.

“Israel will give up a segment in the heart of the sea as part of the talks, while Lebanon will forgo an area close to the coast," Israeli Channel 12 reported without citing a source for the information.

Israeli mounting fear comes just a few days after Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah threatened the Israeli occupation over its attempts to forcibly extract gas from the contested region, warning, "If Lebanon does not obtain the rights demanded by the Lebanese state, we are heading toward an escalation whether or not the nuclear agreement is signed."

"The focus in Lebanon must be on Karish and the Lebanese [maritime] border, as well as the US mediator that is still wasting time amid a time constraint," he stressed.

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https://english.almayadeen.net/news/environment/rhino-poaching-horn-trade-declining-amid-unchanged-threat-st

Rhino poaching, horn trade declining amid unchanged threat status

The rhino's survival remains in grave danger despite Covid-related drops in poaching and the illegal trade in their horns, a conservation body said on Monday.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said that poaching was still "an acute threat" to the survival of the species.

A total of 2,707 rhinos were poached in Africa between 2018 and 2021, according to the IUCN, the vast majority of which were killed in South Africa, mainly in the Kruger National Park.

South Africa is home to nearly 80% of the world's rhinos.

Rhino poaching rates in Africa have declined from a peak of 5.3% of the total population in 2015 to 2.3% in 2021, the Swiss-based organization said.

"The overall decline in poaching of rhinos is encouraging, yet this remains an acute threat to the survival of these iconic animals," said Sam Ferreira, scientific officer with the IUCN African Rhino Specialist Group.

He told AFP there was no formal analysis into why poaching rates were declining.

"A number of factors could lead to this slowing, including improved local cooperation in law enforcement, an international collaboration between range and consumer states, as well as changes in the demand for rhino horn," said Ferreira.

>> Double meaning? Rhino/Rinos?