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Singapore Zoo Breeds First Panda Cub

Jia Jia was inseminated with frozen semen from 13-year-old Kai Kai. (Handout via AFP)
Jia Jia was inseminated with frozen semen from 13-year-old Kai Kai. (Handout via AFP)
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Singapore Zoo Breeds First Panda Cub

Jia Jia was inseminated with frozen semen from 13-year-old Kai Kai. (Handout via AFP)
Jia Jia was inseminated with frozen semen from 13-year-old Kai Kai. (Handout via AFP)

A panda bred via artificial insemination was born in Singapore's zoo on Saturday, the first cub to be born in the city-state.

Jia Jia, the zoo's 12-year-old female giant panda, gave birth to the cub after she was inseminated with frozen semen from 13-year-old Kai Kai, Wildlife Reserves Singapore announced on Sunday.

After several failed attempts in previous years, the zoo's animal carers -- working with experts from China -- hoped the pandas would mate naturally but ultimately decided to use artificial insemination.

"Jia Jia's first pregnancy and birth of a cub is a significant milestone for us in the care of this threatened species in Singapore," said Cheng Wen-Haur, Wildlife Reserves Singapore's deputy CEO, in a press release.

"This is the result of good animal care, assisted reproductive science and sheer perseverance on the part of our staff coupled with valuable advice from the China panda experts."

The pandas are on a 10-year loan from China and arrived in Singapore in 2012.

Panda reproduction -- in captivity or in the wild -- is notoriously difficult, experts say, as few of the animals get in the mood or, even when they do, do not know how to mate.

Further complicating matters, the window for conception is small since female pandas are in heat only once a year, for about 24-48 hours.

The giant panda is listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with fewer than 2,000 thought to remain in the wild.

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Celebrities to Join UK’s Prince William in Brazil for Earthshot Prize 

Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to a member of staff, during a visit to the London Ambulance Service's headquarters in London, on October 17, 2025. (AFP)
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to a member of staff, during a visit to the London Ambulance Service's headquarters in London, on October 17, 2025. (AFP)
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Celebrities to Join UK’s Prince William in Brazil for Earthshot Prize 

Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to a member of staff, during a visit to the London Ambulance Service's headquarters in London, on October 17, 2025. (AFP)
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to a member of staff, during a visit to the London Ambulance Service's headquarters in London, on October 17, 2025. (AFP)

Pop star Kylie Minogue and former Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel will be among celebrities joining Britain's Prince William for the next month's awards ceremony in Brazil for his multi-million-dollar environmental prize.

The British heir to the throne launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020 with the aim of finding innovative solutions to pressing environmental problems. This year's winners will be announced at a star-studded event to be held in Rio de Janeiro on November 5.

Among performers on the night will be Brazilian musicians Gilberto Gil, Seu Jorge and Anitta, along with Canadian pop singer Shawn Mendes and Minogue, who was recently picked out by William's father King Charles as an artist whose music brings him joy, organizers said on Wednesday.

The event will be hosted by Brazilian TV presenter Luciano Huck and other presenters will include gymnast Rebeca Andrade, Brazil's most decorated Olympian, Brazil's most capped soccer player Cafu, and four-times F1 world champion Vettel.

The German driver, who had become increasingly outspoken about the environment and sustainability, saying climate change had made him question his job, retired in 2022.

"With two weeks to go, we are thrilled to announce the support of global artists, performers, and exceptional Brazilian talent, joining us in Rio," Earthshot's chief executive Jason Knauf said.

As well as announcing details of the awards night, organizers released a "Meet the World's True Action Heroes" trailer which was voiced by Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey.

The goal of Earthshot is to find innovations to combat climate and other green issues, and awards five winners 1 million pounds ($1.3 million) each to drive their projects.

This year's ceremony will be held shortly before the UN climate summit COP30 which is also being held in Brazil, which William will attend in place of his father, who has campaigned on environmental issues for more than five decades.

Varieties

Fierce Winds Stoke Fires, Send Temperatures Soaring in Australia and New Zealand 

People stand near a jetty amid a stormy weather in Melbourne on October 22, 2025. (AFP)
People stand near a jetty amid a stormy weather in Melbourne on October 22, 2025. (AFP)
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Fierce Winds Stoke Fires, Send Temperatures Soaring in Australia and New Zealand 

People stand near a jetty amid a stormy weather in Melbourne on October 22, 2025. (AFP)
People stand near a jetty amid a stormy weather in Melbourne on October 22, 2025. (AFP)

Wild, hot winds swept across Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday, fueling wildfires and sending spring temperatures soaring past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Sydney.

Australia's weather bureau said a powerful mass of hot air that built up over the country’s outback on Tuesday was now moving across the southeast of the country and bringing an early heatwave.

Wind gusts of up to 100 kph (62 mph) raised bushfire threats and forced authorities to issue several total fire bans across New South Wales, the most populous state.

A total of 36 fires are burning, with nine yet to be contained, authorities said.

Temperatures in Sydney’s central business district soared past 37 C by the afternoon, while the western suburbs of Penrith and Bankstown reached 40 C.

“It is still spring and we are seeing these incredibly warm temperatures,” Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Angus Hines.

The fire season usually runs from November through February, the late southern hemisphere spring through summer.

Across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand, authorities issued rare “red” level wind warnings, reserved for only the most extreme weather events, for central and southern parts of the country.

Firefighters battled to contain wildfires near Kaikoura on the South Island and in Hawke's Bay on the North Island, fanned by the winds.

The fires have so far destroyed several properties, including five homes.

Ingka, the parent company of the Swedish furniture giant IKEA, confirmed that fire had burnt some pine trees that were intended for furniture but that it would not impact the company’s global supply chain.

The government also declared a state of emergency in the Canterbury region on Wednesday afternoon to assist in the response to the severe weather conditions.

Forecaster MetService said it expects gusts could reach 150 kph along the South Island's east coast and up to 140 kph around Wellington, the capital, on Thursday. Heavy rain is also forecast for parts of the country.

Authorities said people should stay indoors, avoid travel and prepare for possible power and communications outages.

The warnings follow strong winds and heavy rain on Tuesday that left thousands without power and killed a man in a Wellington park when a tree branch fell on him.

Varieties

Woman Plays Clarinet During Surgery for Parkinson’s, Sees Instant Results  

Denise Bacon experienced instant improvement in her finger movements as the electrical current was delivered. (X)
Denise Bacon experienced instant improvement in her finger movements as the electrical current was delivered. (X)
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Woman Plays Clarinet During Surgery for Parkinson’s, Sees Instant Results  

Denise Bacon experienced instant improvement in her finger movements as the electrical current was delivered. (X)
Denise Bacon experienced instant improvement in her finger movements as the electrical current was delivered. (X)

A woman living with Parkinson’s disease played her clarinet while undergoing brain stimulation, offering surgeons immediate, audible evidence of the procedure’s success.

Denise Bacon, 65, from Crowborough in East Sussex, experienced instant improvement in her finger movements as the electrical current was delivered.

The retired speech and language therapist underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) to combat symptoms of Parkinson’s, including bradykinesia and muscle stiffness.

Diagnosed in 2014, the condition had previously affected her ability to walk, swim, dance, and play her instrument.

During a four-hour operation at King’s College Hospital, Keyoumars Ashkan, a professor of neurosurgery, performed DBS to help relieve symptoms while Bacon stayed awake, The Independent reported on Tuesday.

DBS is a surgical procedure using electrodes implanted in the brain and is suitable for some patients with disorders such as Parkinson’s.

The DBS led to instant results on the operating table. Denise had immediate improvement in her fingers, allowing her to play the clarinet easily.

Ashkan said: “Holes half the size of a five pence piece were made in Denise’s skull after a frame with precise coordinates was placed on Denise’s head, acting as a sat nav to guide us to the correct positions within the brain to implant the electrode.”

He added: “Once the electrodes were in place on the left side of Denise’s brain, the current was switched on and an immediate improvement was noted in hand movements on her right side.”

The professor confirmed that “the same happened on her left side when we implanted electrodes on the right side of her brain.”

He noted that “as a keen clarinettist, it was suggested that Denise bring her clarinet into the operating theater to see whether the procedure would improve her ability to play, which was one of Denise’s main goals for the surgery.”

“We were delighted to see an instant improvement in her hand movements, and therefore her ability to play, once stimulation was delivered to the brain,” Ashkan said.