Voice of America’s immigration news

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court on Thursday night sentenced a former editor to jail for 21 months and immediately released another after both had earlier been found guilty of conspiring to publish seditious articles. In a landmark case about media freedom, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam of the now-defunct Stand News media outlet were convicted last month — the first time journalists have been found guilty of sedition since the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997. Chung was sentenced to 21 months while Lam was given a sentence that allowed him to be released immediately on health grounds. District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin noted evidence from Lam's lawyer on Thursday that he had serious autoimmune and advanced kidney disease and that prison could further endanger him. Chung smiled as the judge said his colleague Lam would be released, and Lam's wife wept. Chung would have to serve around 10 months in jail given earlier remand custody. Stand News, once Hong Kong's leading online media outlet, was known for its hard-hitting reports about the city's 2019 pro-democracy protests and later the national security crackdown. Under the colonial-era sedition law, the maximum sentencing is two years imprisonment and a fine of HKD5,000 ($642). Western diplomats that included representatives from the United States, the European Union, France, Britain, Canada and Ireland witnessed the sentencing. Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Office, said earlier that the office was calling on Hong Kong authorities to review the court's decision in line with obligations under international human rights law. Twenty-three member states of the Media Freedom Coalition, including the U.S., U.K. and Canada, have similarly signed a statement, urging "Hong Kong and China authorities to abide by their international human rights commitments and legal obligations, and to respect freedom of the press and freedom of speech in Hong Kong." A spokesperson for Hong Kong's government said in a statement that the government "strongly disapproved of and rejected the fact-twisting remarks and baseless smears" by the coalition. Hong Kong and Chinese officials have said the security clampdown was needed to maintain stability after the pro-democracy protests. Judge Kwok wrote in a verdict in August that "the political ideology of Stand News was localism" and "the line it took was to support and promote Hong Kong local autonomy." Hong Kong's mostly youthful localist movement emerged in the 2010s amid political tensions with Beijing, emphasizing local identity and culture, as well as greater autonomy. Some supporters called for Hong Kong independence. "I believe that during the offense period, the ... defendants did not carry out real media work but participated in the so-called struggle at that time," the judge said on Thursday. In August, Chung wrote in a mitigation letter to the court that some Hong Kongers "care about the freedom and dignity of everyone in the community and are willing to pay the price of losing their own freedom." Lam wrote that "the only way for journalists to defend press freedom is to report." Stand News was raided by police in December 2021, and its assets were frozen, leading to its closure.

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir — Voter turnout of just over 56% was reported Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir, the disputed, Indian-controlled territory holding its first legislative elections in ten years. Two hundred thirty-nine candidates ran for 26 assembly constituencies in Wednesday’s voting, part two of the three-phase elections.  More than 2.5 million adults were eligible to cast ballots. The elections took place under tight security arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. “The polls ended peacefully in all the six districts. However, some stray incidents like arguments et cetera occurred at a few places but there is no need for re-poll anywhere,” Pandurang Kondbarao Pole, J&K Chief Electoral Officer, told reporters in a press conference. Jammu and Kashmir is experiencing its first elections since the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party revoked its limited autonomy in 2019, downgrading its status to that of a union territory.  Some locals see the elections as a battle between the BJP and the people of Kashmir, saying the government has systematically snatched away their rights over the last decade. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. I have boycotted elections ever since I became eligible to vote. Today I feel it’s necessary to cast a vote and send a message to New Delhi,” Ikhlaq Shah, a resident of Qamarwari, told VOA. “If we fail to act now, I believe the BJP government will impose its hazardous agenda against us.” India, he said, is more interested in exploiting Jammu and Kashmir’s resources than caring for its people. Shah expressed disappointment that regional political parties, particularly the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, are competing against each other in the elections despite sharing the common goal of throwing BJP out of J&K. Muzamil Maqbool, a political analyst, told VOA that the parties have fragmented because their leaders are prioritizing personal interests.  “Most of these mainstream parties were once colleagues of each other in the past. Now they have sprouted and formed their own separated parties to fight under different names and banners,” Maqbool said.  The result, he predicted, is that none of them will win a majority in the J&K legislature.   “It’s too early to say, but J&K may see a large coalition formed to govern after the October 2024 elections,” he said. Shameem Ahmad Baba, a resident of old Srinagar, said voters are confused about the parties, who are accusing each other of being hidden allies of the BJP. “There is a mass confusion among the people about who supports us and who stands with the government, as so many candidates are running this time,” Baba told VOA. “I wish the regional political parties had agreed on seat-sharing, as this would have helped keep New Delhi’s influence at bay.” Muzaffar Shah, vice president of the Awami National Conference, or ANC, said that if all regional parties worked together under the banner of the now-dissolved Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, PAGD, it would have strengthened the movement of the local population.  PAGD was a coalition of major parties created to press the demand that India revive J&K’s special status.  “PAGD was recognized almost throughout diaspora of Kashmir and throughout the world,” Shah said. “Unfortunately, political parties in the alliance, they gave much more weightage to their organizational matters and power politics than the interests of people of region. That fact unfortunately led to the breakup.” Meanwhile, a 16-member delegation of foreign diplomats from countries like the U.S., Mexico, Singapore and Norway visited Kashmir at the invitation of the Indian government. Former Chief Minister of J&K, Omar Abdullah, lashed out at the central government for inviting foreign diplomats to observe the elections. “If these diplomats comment on J&K the Government of India immediately says it’s an internal matter and they don’t want outside interference. If that’s the case, why are they inviting them now?” Abdullah said. The third phase of the J&K elections takes place October 1. 

As world leaders gather for the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, the charity Oxfam says they are being undermined by what it calls a ‘global oligarchy’ of the super-rich who exert control over the global economy. The organization accuses them of exacerbating problems like extreme inequality and climate change. Henry Ridgwell reports.

London — As world leaders gather for the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, the charity Oxfam says they are being undermined by what it calls a “global oligarchy” of the super-rich who exert considerable control over the global economy – and who it blames for exacerbating problems like extreme inequality and climate change.   “Today, the world’s richest 1% own more wealth than 95% of humanity. The immense concentration of wealth, driven significantly by increased monopolistic corporate power, has allowed large corporations and the ultrarich who exercise control over them to use their vast resources to shape global rules in their favor, often at the expense of everyone else,” the Oxfam report says. The charity says international cooperation on issues like climate change and poverty is failing due to extreme economic inequality. “The wealth of the world's five richest men has doubled since the start of this decade. And nearly five billion people have got poorer,” said Nabil Ahmed, the director of economic and racial justice at Oxfam America, in an interview with VOA. Fair taxes The report urges fairer taxation of large corporations and the ultra-wealthy. “We live in a world in which mega-corporations… are paying next to or little to no tax basically. Not like the small businesses, not like the rest of us,” Ahmed said. “It's such a phenomenal lost opportunity because we know governments, rich and poor, across the world need to claw back these revenues to be able to invest in their people, to be able to meet their rights,” he added. Oxfam praises a campaign led by Brazil, which currently holds the presidency of the G20, to impose a 2% minimum tax on the world’s richest billionaires. Brazil’s government claims it would raise up to $250 billion from about 3,000 individuals, to pay for healthcare, education and tackling climate change.   A report by the French economist Gabriel Zucman, commissioned by Brazil, suggests billionaires currently pay the equivalent of 0.3% of their wealth in taxes. The plan is backed by other members including South Africa, Spain and France. However, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke against the move at a G20 meeting in July.   “Tax policy is very difficult to coordinate globally and we don't see a need or really think it's desirable to try to negotiate a global agreement on that. We think that all countries should make sure that their taxation systems are fair and progressive,” Yellen told reporters. Private debt Oxfam says tax revenues in the global south meanwhile are increasingly spent on servicing debt to private creditors like banks and hedge funds. “This shift has exacerbated the debt crisis, further entrenching “debtocracy.” Compared with official creditors, private entities issue debt with shorter maturities and higher, more volatile interest rates,” the Oxfam report says. Vaccines The charity also accuses large pharmaceutical companies of shaping rules over intellectual property rights to benefit their shareholders. Oxfam says that during the COVID-19 pandemic, this meant poorer nations struggled to access coronavirus vaccines, such as the mRNA vaccine made by Pfizer. “Its negative impacts are most harshly felt by countries in the Global South, which bear the brunt of “artificial rationing,” where pharmaceutical corporations keep drug costs — and thus profits — high by limiting generic manufacturing, while simultaneously failing to invest in research and development for priority diseases in the Global South deemed less profitable,” Oxfam said. Responding to VOA, Pfizer highlighted an open letter written by the company’s chairman Albert Bourla in 2021, in which he said the company had created a tiered pricing structure and had offered its mRNA coronavirus vaccine at cost price or for free to poorer nations. However, Bourla said that many richer countries moved faster to purchase the available doses. “When we developed our tiered pricing policy, we reached out to all nations asking them to place orders so we could allocate doses for them. In reality, the high-income countries reserved most of the doses,” Bourla wrote. Pfizer’s chairman also warned that losing intellectual property rights could “disincentivize” anyone else from taking a big financial risk in developing such vaccines, a view echoed by other large pharmaceutical giants.

Zimbabwean authorities are hoping tourism will help revive the ailing economy, as one government official cites new figures that show more tourists are visiting Victoria Falls, known as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. But critics say the country’s poor infrastructure is preventing the site from realizing its full potential. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — China test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday in a rare occurrence, adding to tensions in the region where multiple countries have overlapping territorial claims and both Beijing and Washington seek to project their influence. The launch was part of routine training by the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force, which is in charge of conventional and nuclear missile operations, and was not aimed at any country or target, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, landed in a designated area in the sea, the ministry said, without specifying where exactly. China rarely tests ICBMs out in international waters, with some experts tracing the last such deployment back to May 1980, when Beijing launched a DF-5 missile into the South Pacific. Usually, the PLA test-fires ballistic missiles in China's remote Xinjiang region or in the Bohai Sea. Why the Pacific, why now? China choosing the Pacific Ocean as the location for test-firing its missile comes across as both a display of its increased nuclear capabilities and as a warning to the United States and its allies in the region, experts say. "There is no other potential audience, as China does not expect to have to confront the EU or the U.K. militarily," said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London. The test also comes weeks ahead of an expected call between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden. It marks an increase in regional security tensions with U.S. allies Japan and the Philippines, and a continuation of frictions with the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said Wednesday it was monitoring the missile launch, along with other military exercises by China in the region. The launch, coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, "is a pretty blunt signal" to the international order, said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore and a former U.S. defense official. "China is signaling that its forbearance has limits, that it is prepared to use its most powerful weapons to deter adversaries or punish them if needed, if deterrence fails," he said. Wednesday's launch also follows a series of corruption arrests this year that ensnared several leading officers in its rocket corps on allegations of misconduct. Its aim could be to both provide assurances at home and signal to the world that the issues have been resolved. How strong is China's military? China boasts the world's largest standing army and the biggest navy. Its military budget is the second highest in the world, after that of the U.S. According to the U.S., China also has the largest air force in the Indo-Pacific, with more than half of its fighter planes consisting of fourth or fifth generation models. China also boasts a massive stockpile of missiles, along with stealth aircraft, bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons, advanced surface ships and nuclear-powered submarines. In his more than a decade in power, Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, has spearheaded the armed forces' modernization, with investments in high-tech military technologies from stealth fighters to aircraft carriers and a growing arsenal of nuclear weapons. China's defense budget has more than doubled since 2015, even as the country's economic growth rate has slowed considerably. A U.S. Department of Defense report last year said China has continued to strengthen the PLA's ability to "fight and win wars against a strong enemy." How do China's missiles compare to those of others? The U.S. report also estimated China had more than 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023 and was on track to accumulate more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030. China has not revealed the size of its nuclear arsenal. In comparison, Russia is believed to have a total inventory of more than 5,580 warheads — including 4,380 stockpiled warheads for operational forces, as well as an additional 1,200 retired warheads awaiting dismantlement — according to a report this year by the Federation of American Scientists. The same report put the U.S. nuclear warheads at 5,044. How common are missile tests in the region? Few countries have ICBMs in their arsenal, and testing is usually restricted to their own territory. North Korea has carried out multiple ICBM tests since 2017, including firing a developmental solid-fueled missile in December that came down in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The U.S. earlier this year fired two unarmed ICBMs equipped with reentry vehicles from California and brought them down on an American test site in the Marshall Islands.

Gaborone, Botswana — U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, is working with southern African countries to combat gender-based violence in the military. This week, AFRICOM and regional military officials are holding a series of workshops in Zambia to strengthen regional collaboration in the fight against workplace harassment. AFRICOM and its component, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, or USAFE-AFAFRICA, have united with the Zambia Defense Force to foster strategies to tackle gender-based violence in the region. Botswana and Zambia are participating in efforts to strengthen regional initiatives against sexual assault. Lieutenant Colonel Linda Jones, USAFE-AFAFRICA chief for African health engagements, said it is imperative to come up with strategies to fight gender-based violence in the armed forces. "It is the responsibility of leaders that all of us set the tone, including an environment where everyone is valued and empowered to speak up against misconduct,” she said. “This involves not only enforcing policies but also modeling respect for behavior and actively supporting those who report incidents." In 2021, U.S. Defense Department officials reported sexual violence had reached the highest level ever reported, with 8.4% of women assaulted on duty. U.S. Air Force Tech Sergeant Samara Brown said if left unchecked, gender-based violence can affect execution of military tasks. "Gender-based violence undermines the core values of any military organization,” Brown said. “It erodes trust, disrupts unity, cohesion and ultimately compromises mission readiness. We must take a firm stand against it, not just as a matter of policy but a commitment to uphold the principles of honor, integrity and respect that define our service." Retired U.S. Air Force official and workplace development consultant Keith Castille facilitated the Lusaka workshop. He said such collaborations with the Zambia Defense Force can ensure gender-based violence is addressed within regional militaries. "No military can tackle this issue alone,” he said. “By sharing knowledge and collaborating across branches and communities, we can develop more effective strategies to combat gender-based violence. Engaging in open dialogue, facilitating workshops and creating joint initiatives will enable us to learn from one another and strengthen our collective efforts." Attending the workshop in Lusaka, Zambian Defense Force Major Stephen Muleya said the military workplace must be free of gender-based harassment. "When individuals know that they can perform their duties without the threat of harassment or violence, they are more likely to focus fully on their missions,” he said. “We must actively cultivate an atmosphere where everyone can thrive free from fear and intimidation." Zambian officials said they’re planning to open a regional office for innovative gender-based violence solutions. Zambian air force legal adviser Major Glory Musonda said collaboration with U.S. partners should result in solutions to gender-based violence within the force. "We all have a responsibility to build military environments where respect and dignity are upheld,” Musonda said. “It’s not enough to simply acknowledge the issue, we must  actively work toward solutions that ensure the safety and well-being of every service member." Meanwhile, officials representing the U.S. Army War College are in Lusaka for discussions on women, peace and security, which aligns with efforts to address gender-based violence in the region.

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea announced plans Thursday to compensate famers and others in the country's dwindling dog meat industry before a formal ban goes effect in 2027, a move that is drawing opposition from both farmers and animal rights activists. South Korea's parliament passed a landmark bill in January that will ban slaughtering, breeding or selling dog meat for human consumption after a three-year grace period. It will be punishable by 2-3 years in prison. The Agriculture Ministry said that farmers would receive compensation starting from 225,000 won ($170), and rising up to 600,000 won ($450) per dog if they agree to shut down their business early. It's likely that farmers won't accept the offer, as they earlier called for 2 million won ($1,505) per dog. They've said the ban infringes on their freedom and will aggravate their economic difficulties. In a statement Tuesday, an association of dog farmers called for the law to be amended to extend the grace period and add appropriate compensation plans. Sangkyung Lee, a campaign manager at the Korean office of the anti-animal cruelty group Humane Society International, called the South Korean announcement "an important milestone in this historic ban that will see the ban through to completion and end our country's dog meat era for good." But Lee said his office is "disappointed" at the South Korean plan because it would pay farmers based on the number of dogs they have, "potentially increasing dog breeding to get more money from the scheme and more puppies being born into suffering." Dog meat consumption is a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula. Dog meat is eaten in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and some African countries. But South Korea's dog meat industry has drawn more attention because of the country's reputation as a cultural and economic powerhouse. It's also the only nation with industrial-scale dog farms. South Korea's anti-dog meat campaign received a big boost from the country's first lady, Kim Keon Hee, who repeatedly expressed her support for a prohibition. She was subjected to withering criticism and crude insults during demonstrations by farmers. Surveys have found that that around one in three South Koreans opposes the ban, though most people now don't eat dog meat and favor a ban. Vice Agriculture Minster Park Beomsu told reporters that government studies found that about 466,000 dogs are currently being raised for food across South Korea. He said officials will try to convince farmers to voluntarily phase out dog breeding ahead of the ban. After the ban comes into force, Park said, the government plans to facilitate adoptions for the remaining dogs or move them to care facilities rather than euthanize them. The agriculture ministry said butchers will also be compensated, while local authorities will be responsible for dismantling dog farms and slaughterhouses. Former farmers and butchers will also get low-interest loans if they pivot to other agricultural businesses. The ministry said authorities will also offer financial assistance to traders and restaurant owners to shut down their businesses and find new jobs.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is traveling to once-strong bastions of Christianity in the heart of Europe to try to reinvigorate a Catholic flock that is dwindling in the face of secular trends and abuse scandals that have largely emptied the continent's magnificent cathedrals and village churches. Francis stops first Thursday in Luxembourg, the European Union's second-smallest country, with a population of some 650,000 people, and its richest per capita. Torrential downpours are expected, days after the 87-year-old pope canceled his audiences because of a slight flu. He seemed in fine form at the Vatican on Wednesday, during his general audience on the eve of the trip, but his respiratory health is a constant concern and his medical team will be on hand. After meeting with Luxembourg's political leaders, Francis will speak to the country's Catholic priests and nuns. The venue is the late-Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, which was built in the early 1600s by Francis' own Jesuit order and stands as a monument to Christianity's long and central place in European history. Francis is likely to dwell on Europe's role past, present and future — particularly as war rages on European soil — during his visits to Luxembourg and Belgium, where he arrives later Thursday and stays through the weekend. The trip is a much-truncated version of the 10-day, 1985 tour St. John Paul II made through Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands, during which the Polish pope delivered 59 speeches or homilies and was greeted by hundreds of thousands of adoring faithful. In Luxembourg alone, John Paul drew a crowd of some 45,000 people to his Mass, or some 10% of the then-population, and officials had predicted a million people would welcome him in Belgium, according to news reports at the time. But then as now, the head of the Catholic Church faced indifference and even hostility to core Vatican teachings on contraception and sexual morals, opposition that has only increased in the ensuing generation. Those secular trends and the crisis over clergy abuse have helped lead to the decline of the church in the region, with monthly Mass attendance in the single digits and plummeting ordinations of new priests. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that by traveling to the two countries, Francis will likely want to offer "a word to the heart of Europe, of its history, the role it wants to play in the world in the future." Immigration, climate change and peace are likely to be themes during the four-day visit, which was organized primarily to mark the 600th anniversary of the founding of Belgium's two main Catholic universities. In Luxembourg, Francis has a top ally and friend in the lone cardinal from the country, Jean-Claude Hollerich, a Jesuit like the Argentine pope. Hollerich, whom Francis made a cardinal in 2019, has taken on a leading role in the pope's multi-year church reform effort as the "general rapporteur" of his big synod, or meeting, on the future of the Catholic Church. In that capacity, Hollerich has helped oversee local, national and continental-wide consultations of rank-and-file Catholics and synthesized their views into working papers for bishops and other delegates to discuss at their Vatican meetings, the second session of which opens next week. Last year, in another sign of his esteem for the progressive cardinal, Francis appointed Hollerich to serve on his kitchen cabinet, known as the Council of Cardinals. The group of nine prelates from around the globe meet several times a year at the Vatican to help Francis govern.

TOKYO — A Japanese court ruled Thursday that an 88-year-old former boxer was not guilty in a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder, reversing an earlier wrongful conviction after decades on death row. Iwao Hakamada's acquittal by the Shizuoka District Court makes him the fifth death-row convict to be found not guilty in a retrial in postwar Japanese criminal justice. The case could rekindle a debate around abolishing the death penalty in Japan. The court's presiding judge, Koshi Kunii, said the court acknowledged multiple fabrications of evidence and that Hakamada was not the culprit, NHK said. Hakamada was convicted of murder in the 1966 killing of a company manager and three of his family members and setting a fire to their central Japan home. He was sentenced to death in 1968 but was not executed due to lengthy appeals and the retrial process. He spent 48 years behind bars — most of them on death row — making him the world's longest-serving death row inmate. It took 27 years for the top court to deny his first appeal for retrial. His second appeal for a retrial was filed in 2008 by his sister Hideko Hakamada, now 91, and the court finally ruled in his favor in 2023, paving the way for the latest retrial that began in October. Hakamada was released from prison in 2014 when a court ordered a retrial based on new evidence suggesting his conviction may have been based on fabricated accusations by investigators but was not cleared of the conviction. After his release, Hakamada served his sentence at home because his frail health and age made him a low risk for escape. At a final hearing at the Shizuoka court in May before Thursday's decision, prosecutors again demanded the death penalty, triggering criticism from rights groups that prosecutors were trying to prolong the trial. The extremely high hurdles for retrials have also prompted legal experts to call for a revision to the system. During the investigation that followed his arrest, Hakamada initially denied the accusations, then confessed. He later said he was forced to confess under violent interrogation by police. A major point of contention was five pieces of blood-stained clothing that investigators claimed Hakamada wore during the crime and hid in a tank of fermented soybean paste, or miso. The clothes were found more than a year after his arrest. A Tokyo High Court ruling in 2023 acknowledged scientific experiments that clothing soaked in miso for more than a year turns too dark for bloodstains to be spotted, noting a possible fabrication by investigators. Defense lawyers and earlier retrial decisions said the blood samples did not match Hakamada's DNA, and trousers that prosecutors submitted as evidence were too small for Hakamada and did not fit when he tried them on. Japan and the United States are the only two countries in the Group of Seven advanced nations that retain capital punishment. A survey by the Japanese government showed an overwhelming majority of the public support executions. Executions are carried out in secrecy in Japan and prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged. In 2007, Japan began disclosing the names of those executed and some details of their crimes, but disclosures are still limited. Supporters say Hakamada's nearly half-century detention has taken a toll on his mental health. Most of his time behind bars was spent in solitary confinement, in fear of execution. He spent a total of 48 years in prison, more than 45 of them on death row. His sister Hideko Hakamada has devoted around half of her life to win his innocence. Before Thursday's ruling, she said she was in a never-ending battle. "It is so difficult to get a retrial started," she told reporters in Tokyo. "Not just Iwao, but I'm sure there are other people who have been wrongly accused and crying. … I want the criminal law revised so that retrials are more easily available." 

HONG KONG — Hong Kong welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing on Thursday with a lavish ceremony, raising hopes for a boost to the city's tourism. An An and Ke Ke are the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Their arrival came after their new neighbor, Ying Ying, gave birth to twins last month and became the world's oldest first-time panda mother on record. With the addition of the new bears, the twins, and their father, Le Le, Hong Kong now houses six pandas. Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday said An An is a 5-year-old male panda who is agile, intelligent and active, while Ke Ke, a 5-year-old female, is good at climbing, cute and has a gentle temperament. The new arrivals will undergo two months of quarantine and adapt to their new home at Ocean Park, a zoo and aquarium that has long been a favorite of residents and tourists. Lee expressed hope that the public could meet the new bears in mid-December. In October, the government will invite residents to propose new names that showcase the pandas' characteristics. Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears and newborn cubs to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the "panda economy." Pandas are widely 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. Giant pandas are only found in China's southwest and their population is under threat from development. But caring for pandas in captivity is expensive. A zoo in Finland agreed with Chinese authorities to return two loaned giant pandas to China more than eight years ahead of schedule because they were too costly for the facility to maintain amid declining visitors. Hong Kong's Ocean Park has been hosting pandas since 1999, when the first pair, An An and Jia Jia, arrived in the financial hub shortly after it was handed back to China. 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 18 to 20 years, while in captivity it's 30 years, according to the Guinness World Records.

CHIANG RAI, Thailand — The severe and prolonged flooding that has deluged Thailand is devastating hundreds of thousands of residents and prompting calls for long-term solutions, including measures to mitigate the long-term impact of climate change. Thailand suffers from an annual monsoon season from July to October. Although floods are common nationwide, authorities say this year has been the worst in decades. Thanapon Piman, senior research fellow, SEI Asia Center, says climate change has contributed to the flooding. “Climate change and La Niña ... cause heavy rainfall over the region more than normal condition. For example, the monthly rainfall in Chiang Rai in August is higher [than] normal [by] 40% to 50%. Mae Sai has faced flooding six times in a month, which never happened before,” he told VOA. The La Niña phenomenon is the natural cooling of the water in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. It occurs every few years and affects weather worldwide. Thanapon said authorities knew La Niña would make this season wetter than normal, but not that it would be so extreme. “This is certainly caused by climate changes.” The floods were exacerbated by Typhoon Yagi, which rampaged through Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries in mid-September. Upwards of 150,000 families have been affected by the floods in Thailand, with 46 killed, according to Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. “It triggered severe flash floods and mudslides over the north region. As the result of heavy rainfall since August, land turned into saturated soil. Thus, when the heavy rainfall from the Yagi Typhoon hit the region, it caused the extreme flooding,” Thanapon said. "Flooding and extreme events happen [not] only [in] Thailand but also happen in Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar.” In Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand, floods have intensified in recent days. Direct daily train service between Bangkok and Chiang Mai was temporarily affected by a landslide, while roads were flooded. In Chiang Rai itself, the flooding has been a problem for weeks, with at least 1,268 families affected. Residents told VOA that the floods were waist-deep and even though they have subsided, foot-deep water remains in the streets while buildings are clogged with sludgy mud. Chalermpon “Por” Thungkham owns a congee restaurant in Chiang Rai with his mother and father. He says the floods have ruined his home and business. “The stuff for the food to prepare got damaged, the electricity got cut, everything is ruined inside. It was like this for three days until it got back to ‘normal,’ but then there was the mud. We wanted to clean the mud, but we didn’t have the water supply,” he told VOA. He said his breakfast shop usually brings in around $30 per day, but the damage to his facilities is equal to a year’s worth of income. His family has been relying on aid trucks to bring everyday supplies. “The flooding has caused more than maybe 300,000 THB ($9,168) of damage. The car, the furniture we need to fix. It will take one month to clean and re-open the restaurant,” he added.  Fifty miles north in Mae Sai, on the border with Myanmar, relatives of the city’s residents have come from around the country to help repair and clean up ruined homes. One of those is Sky, a hairdresser who works in Bangkok. “I came back to Chiang Rai because I was worried about my mother and child who were trapped in our house for three days during the flooding,” she told VOA. “We still have mud on both sides of the house, and there is still mud in the kitchen and bathroom that needs to be cleaned. We have to wait for clean water.” The Wat Tham Pha Chom Buddhist Temple has become a makeshift shelter for hundreds of residents in Mae Sai. Situated on a hill, the religious sanctuary has been largely unaffected by the floods. “After the big flooding, the people came to stay here,” said Phra Manatcha Pothisam, a monk and acting director of Wat Tham Pha Chom, who spoke to VOA amid stacked water containers and piles of second-hand clothes for those in need.  “There was around 300 people, men and women are separated, but we provide food for meals, drinking water, and some clothes. This is from donations and government subsidies. Right now there are 150 people live here,” he said. “Many of the villagers were very scared. This temple is the place for meditation [and] has been supported by the people, so we need to give back.” Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who became Thailand’s 31st prime minister in August, has said the government’s top priority is addressing the flooding, and called for the mud to be cleared in Chiang Rai promptly. Economically, the floods could cause Thailand up to $176 million in damages, Thailand’s Chamber of Commerce has estimated. But Arisara Lekkham, a lecturer at the School of Law at the Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai insists Thailand needs a long-term plan to combat the flooding. “Flood management should become a regular, year-round effort rather than a reactive, seasonal approach,” she told VOA. “Many houses are damaged, and it will take months before people can return to their homes. It is proposed that the government implement additional relief measures for the affected people. The lessons learned from the Chiang Rai floods should be applied to other areas currently facing flood problems, especially regarding early warning systems," she added.

NEW YORK — Among the issues on the agenda for world leaders who gathered this week for the United Nations General Assembly is Russia’s war against Ukraine. In an interview in New York with VOA’s Ukrainian Service, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said his nation stands "shoulder-to-shoulder with the Ukrainians" and will provide Ukraine with military aid for "as long as it takes" to help it "stand off this aggression." He also cited intelligence findings that Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing mounting problems, with a deteriorating economy and mounting battlefield losses. The following has been edited for length and clarity. VOA: Have you had the chance to discuss with your counterparts in other countries, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the issue of lifting restrictions on Ukraine using long-range Western missiles against targets inside Russia? U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy: It was very important for me to be with Secretary Blinken in Ukraine just two weeks ago to see for ourselves, to discuss with [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy ... also to discuss Ukraine’s needs as they head out of the autumn into the winter, and that we continue as allies to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to stand off this aggression that we're seeing from Vladimir Putin. That was why I also went to the White House with [U.K.] Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer. We remain in the U.K. absolutely clear that we stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainians. It's important that Ukraine has the finances and the money, the military aid, as well as the political, diplomatic and humanitarian aid, to get through 2025. And of course, here at the U.N. General Assembly, I will meet with Zelenskyy once again today. But, also, it's hugely important that we rally the Global South to ensure that they're not falling into the trap of Russian propaganda … and efforts to destabilize [and distract] the international community … when in fact what they are doing is taking ballistic missiles from Iran to use against [Ukrainian] men, women and children. VOA: You’ve already mentioned this meeting between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington. Can you share the details of the conversation? Lammy: I do think it is very important for us in the U.K. and Europe, and of course in the United States, to understand more the details of President Zelenskyy’s "victory plan." And over the coming days, he will present that in detail to close allies. And of course, I’m not going to speculate what’s in the papers … because I don’t want to give any advantage to Vladimir Putin. But I am really clear that this is a time for Western allies to show nerve and guts, because Vladimir Putin thinks that we’ll get distracted. He thinks that we haven’t got the attention span to stand with our Ukrainian friends. That’s why we in the U.K. have found 3 billion pounds for Ukraine to buy and have the military equipment it needs, not just this year, [but] for every year as long as it takes. And that’s what I said to my G7 allies last night when I met with them. That’s the position we’ve got to ensure Ukraine is in. VOA: When do you think this crucial decision could be made? Lammy: We meet here in the U.N. General Assembly. I know that President Zelenskyy is meeting with President Biden a little bit later in the week also in Washington. We will head on to the G20 [summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 18-19, 2024] as well. So, over the coming days and weeks, I expect us to be in a very strong position to ensure that Ukraine is in the best position it can be as we head into that tough winter in 2025. And let's just be clear about what I mean by that. All of our intelligence actually suggests things are going to get a lot tougher for Vladimir Putin as he comes out of next year. His economy is in trouble. He's going to find it very problematic with the amount of losses and casualties that he's taking. And actually, when you look at what Ukraine is doing —  their ability to take back half the ground that's been lost, their ability to repel him from the Black Sea, their ability to advance in Kursk and hopefully keep the ground — this is a time for Western countries to show their nerve and to be absolutely committed as we head out of the autumn into the winter period. VOA: What do you say to people, including leaders, who warn that allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons to strike inside Russia could lead to a third world war? Lammy: Well, we’re really clear that under the U.N. Charter and under Article 51, Ukraine has the right to defend itself, to defend itself against the horrendous attacks that are coming from Russia, and we will do all we can within international law and the rules of engagement to support Ukraine to defend itself. VOA: You said that the war between Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue for at least another two years. Will Ukraine and the West will have enough to stand so long? Lammy: Let’s be clear: The war could end tomorrow if Putin left. That’s how it ends: Leave Ukraine. But in the absence of Putin showing any desire to negotiate, we have to continue to stand with Ukraine, because the cost of not standing with Ukraine would actually be financially far greater. You know, defense spending would rise substantially across all Western allies, and indeed, there will be a very vulnerable Baltic frontier in relation to Putin's threats. So, that is why we stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And I'm quite sure that ... this war will only be settled in the end politically, of course. That also gets into the security guarantees that Ukraine needs. And we've always believed in the U.K. that that path to Ukraine joining NATO is a very important dimension of that security guarantee.