THE SPOKESPERSON

Four rare red panda cubs born at two British zoos are thriving, say zookeepers. In a huge success for the European Endangered Species Programme two pairs have been bred in recent months at Whipsnade Zoo and Longleat Safari Park. A male and female cub, named Alex and Priya, were born at Bedfordshire's Whipsnade Zoo, run by the Zoological Society of London in June."It is quite rare to have red panda cubs both out in the wild and in captivity - certainly a zoo setting, it's a massive success for us," said Patrick Lally, the zookeeper at Whipsnade who has been caring for the cubs since birth. "You have to provide the right environment for them to feel comfortable to breed and then become successful. And then after that stage, to survive that rearing process."The adorable pair were born technically blind, with their eyes closed, as is usual for red pandas, but have since opened them and transformed into mini versions of their parents, with russet fur and lon...

The Nepal government has taken a decisive step to impose a ban on the popular short video-sharing app, TikTok. The decision, made during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, cites concerns over the app�s adverse impact on social harmony, as per a report by The Kathmandu Post. The specific date for the enforcement of this ban is yet to be determined.The Nepalese government, while acknowledging the right to freedom of expression, expressed worries about TikTok�s alleged promotion of hate speech, leading to criticism from a significant segment of society.Previously, India had banned TikTok in 2020 as part of a broader prohibition on various Chinese applications. India�s ban on TikTok and other Chinese apps came amid privacy and security concerns, following a violent clash at the Himalayan border. The move was a response to the tragic loss of Indian soldiers� lives in the altercation with Chinese troops.According to the Kathmandu Post, discussions on the matter took place last week between th...

Secret Service agents protecting US President Joe Biden�s granddaughter opened fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in the nation�s capital, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The agents, assigned to protect Naomi Biden, 29, were out with her in the Georgetown neighbourhood late on Sunday night when they saw the three people breaking a window of the parked and unoccupied SUV, the official said.The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on Monday on the condition of anonymity.One of the agents opened fire, but no one was struck by the gunfire, the Secret Service said in a statement. The three people were seen fleeing in a red car, and the Secret Service said it put out a regional bulletin to Metropolitan Police to be on the lookout for it.Washington has seen a significant rise in the number of carjackings and car thefts this year. Police have reported more than 750 carjackings...

[1/2] People shop in a used clothing shop in Buenos Aires, Argentina May 14, 2019. Picture taken May 14, 2019. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights BUENOS AIRES, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Hard-up Argentines, tightening their purse strings with inflation topping 140%, are increasingly turning to second-hand clothing markets, both to find affordable apparel and raise extra cash from selling old garments.The South American nation, the region's No. 2 economy and a major grains exporter, is facing its worst crisis in decades. Two-fifths of people live in poverty and a looming recession is shaking up Argentina's presidential election run-off next Sunday.Rising voter anger is propelling a radical outsider, Javier Milei, the slight favorite in polls on the presidential election to beat Economy Minister Sergio Massa, the candidate of the ruling Peronist coalition, whose bid has been hobbled by his failure to rein in rising prices."You can't just go to the...

Anti-coup forces say they shot down plane, but military says crash was result of a technical problem. A fighter jet has crashed in eastern Myanmar amid increasing pressure from anti-coup forces on the generals who seized power in a coup in 2021.The Sit-Tat jet crashed in Kayah State near the border with Thailand on Saturday with the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) claiming it had shot down the plane.However, military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told state-run MRTV the aircraft came down because of a technical issue and that both pilots ejected safely. He said it had been on a training flight.The crash comes with the military facing the most serious challenge from anti-coup forces since it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.An alliance of ethnic armed groups in northern Shan state launched an offensive two weeks ago that has captured a series of towns and dozens of military outposts near the border with China, emboldening groups in...

Widodo is under pressure over the war, which has killed more than 11,000 in a month, but is likely to take a low-key approach. Medan, Indonesia � Indonesian President Joko Widodo is in the United States this week for a summit with President Joe Biden at the White House, and later to attend the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, amid the continuing Israel-Gaza war.The visit has prompted questions about whether Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, will call for a ceasefire in Gaza.The issue is particularly heated as the Indonesia Hospital, located in north Gaza, has been encircled by Israeli forces.The hospital was built in 2011 with donations from Indonesian citizens and organisations, including the Indonesian Red Cross Society and the Muhammadiyah Society, one of Indonesia�s largest Muslim organisations. It was officially inaugurated in 2016 by the then-Indonesian vice president, Jusuf Kalla.Three Indonesian volunteers with the Indonesian humanita...

Nigeria is gearing up for an "immediate" influx of multi-billion-dollar investments from Saudi Arabia following the signing of a landmark agreement. Bloomberg reported that the agreement creates a corporate council that opens the door for Saudi Arabia to finance a number of Nigerian industries, including technology, telecommunications, energy, oil and gas, and agriculture.Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Nigeria's Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, told Bloomberg, "We expect to see significant investment flow immediately" after a productive business round-table between Saudi and Nigerian officials.The reestablishment of the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Business Council, initially proposed in 2019 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, signals a new chapter in economic cooperation between the two nations.Bagudu said that Saudi Arabia wants to make a successful investment, which might cost several billion dollars in Nigeria by means of this council, similar ...