The departure of pandas will leave legions of Japanese admirers bereft, but it is also symptomatic of a dramatic deterioration in China-Japan relations The panda house at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo is not due to open for several hours, but visitors are already milling around its entrance, pausing to pose for photographs in front of murals of the facility’s most beloved residents. A short walk away the gift shop is doing a roaring trade in themed souvenirs – from cuddly toys and stationery to T-shirts and biscuits. The visitors are here to say goodbye to Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei. Early next week, the twin pandas, born at the zoo in 2021 but technically on loan from China , will be flown out of Tokyo’s Narita airport to China, where they will undergo quarantine and be reunited with their sister, Xiang Xiang, at a conservation and research centre in Sichuan province. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/XDkLYnB via IFTTT
Police have warned Lake Cargelligo and surrounds to use ‘extreme caution’ and are exploring whether Julian Ingram is receiving help to stay hidden A gunman suspected of killing his pregnant former partner and two others in remote NSW remains on the run, as police revealed he reported to local officers as part of his bail conditions only hours before the shootings. Julian Ingram, 37, was last seen driving out of Lake Cargelligo, in the NSW central west, on Thursday. Police suspect he is armed with at least one firearm, but confirmed he has never held a firearms licence. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LuXV02x via IFTTT