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Hong Kong Launches Panda Sculpture Tour as the City Hopes the Bear Craze Boosts Tourism

Part of the 2500 panda sculptures are displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport during the welcome ceremony of the panda-themed exhibition "Panda Go!" in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP)
Part of the 2500 panda sculptures are displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport during the welcome ceremony of the panda-themed exhibition "Panda Go!" in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP)
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Hong Kong Launches Panda Sculpture Tour as the City Hopes the Bear Craze Boosts Tourism

Part of the 2500 panda sculptures are displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport during the welcome ceremony of the panda-themed exhibition "Panda Go!" in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP)
Part of the 2500 panda sculptures are displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport during the welcome ceremony of the panda-themed exhibition "Panda Go!" in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP)

Thousands of giant panda sculptures will greet residents and tourists starting Saturday in Hong Kong, where enthusiasm for the bears has grown since two cubs were born in a local theme park.

The 2,500 exhibits were showcased in a launch ceremony of PANDA GO! FEST HK, the city's largest panda-themed exhibition, at Hong Kong's airport on Monday. They will be publicly displayed at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, a popular shopping district, this weekend before setting their footprint at three other locations this month.

One designated spot is Ocean Park, home to the twin cubs, their parents and two other pandas gifted by Beijing this year. The design of six of the sculptures, made of recycled rubber barrels and resins among other materials, was inspired by these bears.

The displays reflect Hong Kong’s use of pandas to boost its economy as the Chinese financial hub works to regain its position as one of Asia’s top tourism destinations.

Pandas are considered China’s unofficial national mascot. The country’s giant panda loan program with overseas zoos has long been seen as a tool of Beijing’s soft-power diplomacy.

Hong Kong's tourism industry representatives are upbeat about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping to boost visitor numbers even though caring for pandas in captivity is expensive. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the bears to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the “panda economy."

The organizer of the exhibitions also invited some renowned figures, including musician Pharrell Williams, to create special-edition panda designs. Most of these special sculptures will be auctioned online for charity and the proceeds will be donated to Ocean Park to support giant panda conversation efforts.

In a separate media preview event on Monday, the new pair of Beijing-gifted pandas, An An and Ke Ke, who arrived in September, appeared relaxed in their new home at Ocean Park. An An enjoyed eating bamboo in front of the cameras and Ke Ke climbed on an installation. They are set to meet the public on Sunday.

The twin cubs — whose birth in August made their mother Ying Ying the world’s oldest first-time panda mom — may meet visitors as early as February.

Ying Ying and the baby pandas' father, Le Le, are the second pair of pandas gifted by Beijing to Hong Kong since the former British colony returned to China’s rule in 1997.

The first pair were An An and Jia Jia who arrived in 1999. Jia Jia, who died at 38 in 2016, is the world’s oldest-ever panda to have lived in captivity.

The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 14 to 20 years, while in captivity it’s up to 30 years, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.

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Does Fasting Stress You? Here’s the Role of Cortisol and How to Manage It

Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
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Does Fasting Stress You? Here’s the Role of Cortisol and How to Manage It

Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).

Fasting during Ramadan is both a spiritual and a health practice that benefits the body and mind. Medical studies, however, show that fasting can sometimes raise levels of cortisol, the hormone commonly known as the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol may have noticeable effects on mood, including irritability, anxiety, and tension, making emotional regulation more challenging during long fasting hours.

Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands according to a natural daily rhythm, higher in the morning and lower in the evening. This rhythm, however, can be disrupted by poor sleep, dehydration, or physical and mental stress.

So how can cortisol levels be kept in balance during fasting? Here are key practical guidelines:

1. Prioritize sleep. It is central to hormonal balance. Sleep disruption increases stress and interferes with cortisol regulation. To minimize this effect:

Aim for a total of 7 to 8 hours of sleep, including nighttime rest and a short daytime nap if needed.

Keep sleep and wake times as consistent as possible.

Limit screen exposure for at least one hour before bedtime.

2. Break your fast in a balanced way to avoid blood sugar spikes. Research links blood sugar fluctuations to heightened stress responses. For that reason:

Start with fluids and a moderate amount of dates, followed by a meal that includes protein and fiber.

Avoid excessive simple sugars, which can cause a rapid rise and fall in blood glucose, triggering cortisol release.

3. Carbohydrates matter; do not eliminate them. While reducing refined sugars is beneficial, including moderate amounts of healthy carbohydrates - such as oats, whole-grain bread, potatoes, or fruit - at iftar and suhoor helps stabilize blood sugar gradually after fasting.

This balance helps prevent excessive cortisol release and reduces irritability, tension, and anxiety during fasting hours.

4. Maintain hydration between sunset and dawn. Dehydration places additional stress on the body. Health authorities recommend spreading fluid intake after iftar:

Drink water gradually between iftar and suhoor.

Limit caffeinated beverages, as they may interfere with sleep and increase stress.

5. Engage in moderate physical activity. Moderate movement supports healthy stress regulation:

Opt for light walking or stretching about two hours after iftar.

Avoid intense exercise during prolonged fasting hours.

6. Use relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may help lower stress markers.

US medical sources recommend daily relaxation practices lasting 5 to 10 minutes to support hormonal balance related to stress.

7. Be mindful of caffeine and sugar at night. Heavy coffee intake or frequent sweets during late Ramadan gatherings can disrupt sleep, affecting cortisol levels the following day. Keep your last cup of coffee before midnight and limit desserts to small portions.

8. Consult your doctor if you have a medical condition. If you have hormonal disorders, elevated blood sugar, or high blood pressure, medical guidance is important to adjust medications and dosing schedules during fasting.

Cortisol plays an essential role in energy regulation and the body’s stress response, but maintaining healthy levels depends on consistent sleep, balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and moderate activity. With thoughtful planning during Ramadan, it is possible to support energy and focus throughout the month, rather than struggling with irritability, anger, and stress.

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Jazan Marks Founding Day with 1,500 Banners and Regional Festivities

The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA
The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA
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Jazan Marks Founding Day with 1,500 Banners and Regional Festivities

The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA
The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA

The Jazan Municipality has finalized its preparations for Founding Day, decorating the region with over 1,500 banners and a comprehensive visual identity, SPA reported.

Streets, parks, and public squares across the city and its governorates have been transformed to reflect national pride and the joy of the local community.

In collaboration with various government departments, the region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances, folk arts, and heritage displays unique to Jazan.

Varieties

Scottish Antiques Auction Selling Neck Shackles Accused of ‘Profiting from Slavery’

“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)
“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)
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Scottish Antiques Auction Selling Neck Shackles Accused of ‘Profiting from Slavery’

“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)
“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)

An antiques auction selling chains linked to the enslavement of African people in Zanzibar has been accused of “profiting from slavery,” according to The Guardian.

The shackles, dated to 1780 and valued at about £1,000, are among objects listed in the auction, called “Challenging History.”

The auctioneer Marcus Salter, of Cheeky Auctions in Tain, Ross, said he wanted to ensure history was confronted with the sale of the “sensitive artifact” and did not wish to offend.

“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” Salter said. “There are certain things we’re not allowed to sell at auction. We had to check with the platform we’re selling with that we could do this. They consider the slave chains to be a historical artefact, therefore we can.

But Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group for Afrikan reparations, said trading in such items meant people were “continuing to profit from the slave trade.”

She said, “If they were to be put in a museum I would understand, but buying and selling them like oddities is the same thing that people do when it comes to human remains– treating them as collector’s items, something to be fetishized rather than items that should be looked at in horror.”

Salter said he was selling the chains for a dealer whose father had owned them for 50 years, adding: “No matter what happens there’s going to be money made out of it from somewhere.”

He claimed if the item was donated to a museum, it could be “put into storage and never seen again”, and that slavery-linked mahogany was sold and used without controversy.

In 2024, the Antiques Roadshow expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan refused to value an ivory bangle linked to enslavement.

Caecilia Dance, an associate at London law firm Wedlake Bell, has advised on the restitution of Nazi-looted art. Dance said she could not comment on the auction, but that there was “no specific law against” trading objects linked to slavery.

She added that “public interest stewardship” – donation, sale, or long-term loan to a museum with relationships with affected communities – would be the “ideal management pathway” for an item linked to slavery.