- Germany's Scholz says ready to hold confidence vote this year
- Liga leaders Barca bemoan 'big mistake' in Real Sociedad defeat
- Russia and Ukraine launch biggest drone attacks of conflict
- Napoli hold Inter and keep lead in crowded Serie A title race
- Haiti governing council moves to replace PM in power struggle
- Eckroat captures US PGA World Wide Technology crown
- Liga leaders Barca stumble in controversial defeat at Real Sociedad
- Lille held by late Nice goal in Ligue 1, Lyon win 'Le Derby'
- Chiefs escape Broncos to stay unbeaten after field goal drama
- Sinner opens ATP Finals title bid by easing past De Minaur
- Erasmus warns Springboks to beware 'desperate' England
- England's Feyi-Waboso out of South Africa match
- Israel urges fans to skip France-Israel football tie after clashes
- Arsenal stretch winless run in Chelsea draw, Ipswich shock Spurs
- Troubled Arsenal must 'show their teeth': Arteta
- Ukraine must get justice under any peace deal: EU's Borrell
- Chakravarthy heroics not enough for India as South Africa win 2nd T20
- Marvellous Marmoush inspires Eintracht to thrilling win in Stuttgart
- Neto rescues Chelsea draw as Arsenal title bid suffers fresh blow
- Mapimpi at the double as South Africa again prove too strong for Scotland
- Dozens detained after defying Amsterdam protest ban
- Tottenham inconsistency 'unacceptable' for Postecoglou
- 'Venom' stays potent, again leading N.America box office
- Ferguson hat-trick stuns Sri Lanka to level New Zealand T20 series
- Kean fires Fiorentina level with leaders Napoli, crisis-hit Roma sack Juric
- Atletico scrape narrow Liga win at Mallorca
- US says to spend $6 billion for Ukraine before Trump arrives
- Van Nistelrooy thankful for 'special' period as Man Utd boss
- Wales coach Gatland shrugs off job concerns after Fiji loss
- Sane replaces Undav in Germany Nations League squad
- Lille held to draw by late Nice goal in Ligue 1
- Crisis-club Roma sack Juric amid Mancini reports
- Man Utd win to end Van Nistelrooy's interim spell, Ipswich shock Spurs
- Muntz shines as Fiji condemn Wales to record-equalling defeat
- Medvedev rages in opening ATP Finals defeat to Fritz
- Itoje wants England to make fans proud against Springboks after November woes
- 'I live in hope': A Channel drama survivor's search for missing dad
- Waring finishes with flourish in Abu Dhabi to end title drought
- Lebanon says 7 children among 23 dead in Israeli strike north of Beirut
- Test debut 'so much fun' for Suaalii as Wallabies triumph at Twickenham
- Bestaven ready to 'write a new story' as Vendee Globe yacht race starts
- Mauritius votes in poll clouded by phone-tapping scandal
- France's Dupont wary of New Zeland 'threat'
- Cycling great Cavendish wins final race in Singapore
- Lebanon says 20 killed in Israeli strike north of Beirut
- Deadly strikes on Gaza, Lebanon as Israel faces aid deadline
- Olympics star Kim takes break from shooting for family
- Gunmen kill 10 in central Mexico bar attack
- Syrians, Iraqis archive IS jail crimes in virtual museum
- N. Korea's World Cup-winning footballers get heroes' welcome home
Japan bids farewell to four pandas returning to China
Thousands of Japanese fans on Sunday bade farewell to four beloved pandas which will be returned to China this week, with some visitors shedding tears.
Visitors flocked to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo to catch a last glimpse of Xiang Xiang, who has been a massive draw for the park since her birth in 2017, and to a park in western Wakayama region for the other three pandas.
In Tokyo, the final viewing of Xiang Xiang, the zoo's first baby panda since 1988, was limited to 2,600 visitors who won a lucky lottery ticket, but some fans who did not win still came.
"I wanted to breathe the same air," as Xiang Xiang, Mari Asai told the Asahi Shimbun daily.
"Even if I cannot see her, my heart is filled with joy knowing she's there," the 48-year-old said.
Another visitor told local media, crying, that she wanted to be closer to the five-year-old panda.
"Everything about her is adorable, whether sleeping or awake," she said.
Ueno Zoo receives calls and emails every day from panda fans asking it to keep Xiang Xiang, the Tokyo Shimbun daily reported, citing a zoo official.
The panda was initially set to head to China in 2021 but its departure was postponed multiple times due to travel restrictions linked to the pandemic.
In Wakayama, visitors came to say good-bye to Eimei, which became the world's oldest to father a baby panda in 2020 at age 28, the equivalent of being in his 80s for a human, as well as his twin daughters.
"Everyone is so cute I almost cried," a woman in her 70s told public broadcaster NHK.
"I'm sad they're going back to China."
The black and white mammals are immensely popular around the world and China loans them out as part of a "panda diplomacy" programme to foster foreign ties.
There are an estimated 1,860 giant pandas left in the wild, mainly in bamboo forests in the mountains of China, according to environmental group WWF.
There are about 600 in captivity in panda centres, zoos and wildlife parks around the world.
S.Caetano--PC