San Diego, CA
Two giant pandas en route from China — first in over 20 years — as US’s bear population diminishes
Finally, some bamboo-tiful news.
Two giant pandas are en route from China to the San Diego Zoo — rescuing the US from the creeping possibility of becoming panda-less.
Yun Chuan, a 5-year-old male, and Xin Bao, a 3-year-old female, were sent off in a heartwarming farewell ceremony in Sichuan Wednesday before being loaded onto a California-bound airplane.
“This farewell celebrates their journey and underscores a collaboration between the United States and China on vital conservation efforts,” Paul Baribault, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance president, said in a statement.
“Our long-standing partnership with China Wildlife Conservation Association has been instrumental in advancing giant panda conservation, and we look forward to continuing our work together to ensure the survival and thriving of this iconic species.”
The black-and-white pair are the first new giant pandas to arrive in the country in more than two decades.
Although they’ll be in the US soon enough, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, who are on loan for 10 years, will likely not be on view to the zoo visitors for several more weeks, officials warned.
Their arrival also marks a step forward for relations between China and the US, the latter of which has sent its pandas back in droves in the last few years as loan agreements have lapsed and tensions between the nations have mounted.
The US’s only remaining pandas — Atlanta’s beloved Lun Lun and Yang Yang and their twin offspring — are due back to their homeland later this year after more than two decades in America.
Giant pandas at the National Zoo in Washington, DC and the Memphis Zoo were shipped back to China last year.
Yun Chuan and Xin Bao will also be the first giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo since 2019 — and one of the bears has a family history at the refuge.
Yun Chuan’s mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao. The new zoo guest is described by officials as a mild-mannered boy.
Xin Bao is described as “a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears.”
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has a nearly 30-year partnership with leading conservation institutions in China focused on protecting and recovering giant pandas and the bamboo forests they depend on.
The Killer Tomatoes are loose in San Diego, and they’re ready to get sauced.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is taking over Good Night John Boy (401 G Street) in the Gaslamp on Saturday, July 25 from 7pm-11pm for the official Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence after party, celebrating the wild new chapter in the cult classic franchise that first got its start in San Diego back in 1978.
Fans can party alongside cast and crew with meet and greets, “killer” cosplay, exclusive giveaways, DJs, and dancing. There will also be specialty themed cocktails and bites available for purchase, because fighting off killer produce apparently works up an appetite.
Tickets will be available here, though they’re not yet available. We’ll update once we know more.
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Jannik Sinner is starting to make a habit of responding to adversity in Paris with Wimbledon titles.
The top-ranked Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his German opponent appeared bothered by a knee issue following a slip to the grass on a key point in the third set.
Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round meltdown at the French Open, when he wilted in a Paris heat wave.
A year ago, Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the All England Club after wasting three match points against his rival in the Roland Garros final.
It was Sinner’s 10th straight victory over Zverev, who was coming off his first Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova in an all-Czech women’s final on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.
Prince William joined his wife Kate and two of their children for the final in a star-studded Royal Box that also included actors Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Ben Stiller.
Zverev slips
The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his first break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in. Sinner produced a drop shot and Zverev slipped and appeared to hyper-extend his right knee as he attempted to change directions behind the baseline.
Zverev grasped his knee in apparent discomfort and Sinner went around the net and helped his opponent up off the grass. Zverev quickly resumed playing but he appeared slightly hampered and slung his racket across the baseline in frustration when he missed a forehand and handed Sinner the first break of the match and a 5-3 lead in the third. Sinner then served it out.
Zverev had also lost 14 straight sets to Sinner and when he claimed the opening set of the final with a forehand winner up the line to conclude a tight tiebreaker, he let out a loud roar toward his box as he bent over in celebration.
Zverev continually cranked out serves at up to 139 mph (224 kph), while Sinner produced a series of well-placed aces at a slightly lower speed.
But Sinner began to read Zverev’s serve better in the second-set tiebreaker and Zverev started to miss forehands.
Paris meltdown
Amid stifling heat and humidity in Paris in late May, Sinner had his 30-match winning streak ended after coming within one game of a straight-set victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who was ranked No. 56.
Conditions were cooler in southwest London for the final, with clear skies and a temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) but it was also breezy — which led to a series of shanked shots from both players.
Sinner went in for medical exams in Milan after the Paris defeat and didn’t play an official match again until he arrived at Wimbledon, where he twice had to come back from a set down in a five-set marathon against Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round.
Sinner then didn’t drop a set the rest of the way until the final, having dominated against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
Despite the defeat in the final, Zverev will leapfrog Alcaraz into the No. 2 spot in the rankings on Monday.
Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to a right wrist injury.
Associated Press writer Mattias Karén contributed.
Wimbledon is keeping the World Cup off its official screens, even in the players’ lounge. Fans and players can still watch on their phones, but tournament TVs will stay focused on tennis.
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