Ukraine summit sees hard road to peace as way forward uncertain - CNA

Leaders including US Vice President Kamala Harris, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron gathered at the mountaintop resort of Buergenstock. US President Joe Biden, in Europe for other events last week, did not attend despite public invitations from Zelensky.

The frontlines in Ukraine have barely moved since the end of 2022, despite tens of thousands of dead on both sides in relentless trench warfare, the bloodiest fighting in Europe since World War Two.

In her closing remarks, Swiss President Viola Amherd warned that the "road ahead is long and challenging".

Russia, as it has for weeks, mocked the gathering.

"None of the participants in the 'peace forum' knows what he is doing there and what his role is," said Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and now deputy chairman of the country's Security Council.

'THINGS CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS'

After initial Ukrainian successes that saw Kyiv repel an assault on the capital and recapture territory in the war's first year, a major Ukrainian counteroffensive using donated Western tanks fizzled last year. Russian forces still hold a fifth of Ukraine and are again advancing, albeit slowly. No peace talks have been held for more than two years.

"We know that peace in Ukraine will not be achieved in one step, it will be a journey," European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen said, calling for "patience and determination".

"It was not a peace negotiation because (Russia's President Vladimir) Putin is not serious about ending the war, he's insisting on capitulation, he's insisting on ceding Ukrainian territory, even territory that today is not occupied."

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2024-06-16 18:56:29Z
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Flooding hits China's south, temperatures sizzle elsewhere - Reuters

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1. Flooding hits China's south, temperatures sizzle elsewhere  Reuters
2. Scorching heat in China is hurting summer crops, ministry says  CNA
3. Drought to some areas and flooding further south as extreme weather hits China  South China Morning Post
4. Ten photos from across China: June 7 - 13 - Chinadaily.com.cn  China Daily

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2024-06-16 09:53:00Z
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China to replace Australia's popular giant pandas - CNA

SYDNEY: China will loan Australia new "adorable" giant pandas to replace a popular pair that failed to produce offspring in more than a decade together, visiting Premier Li Qiang announced on Sunday (Jun 16).

Adelaide Zoo has been home to Wang Wang and Fu Ni since 2009 when they were loaned by China as part of a global preservation scheme that also serves as a tool of "panda diplomacy".

Breeding panda cubs is a notoriously difficult task for the low-sexed creatures, and hopes of a pregnancy in Adelaide, including through the use of artificial insemination, have been repeatedly dashed.

As one of the furry giants played with a strip of tree in the background, Li delivered the news that they will be going home.

"Wang Wang and Fu Ni have been away from home for 15 years - I guess they must have missed their home a lot - so they will return to China before the end of the year," the premier said.

"But what I can tell you is that we will provide a new pair of equally beautiful, lovely and adorable pandas as soon as possible."

China would provide Australia with candidates to choose from, said Li, who landed in Adelaide on Saturday on a four-day fence-mending trip after Beijing withdrew a string of trade sanctions on major Australian exports.

The announcement is a nod to Foreign Minister Penny Wong's efforts to stabilise Australia's relationship with China, following a diplomatic rift with the former conservative government.

Li said he remembered the Australian foreign minister had twice reminded him during a visit to Beijing last November that the panda loan agreement would expire later this year.

"We have made this announcement to fulfil the wishes of the minister," he said.

Adelaide is Wong's hometown, and she said her own children would be "very happy" at the news.

"It's good for the economy, it's good for South Australian jobs, it's good for tourism and it's a symbol of goodwill, and we thank you," she said.

There are an estimated 1,860 giant pandas left in the wild, according to environmental group WWF.

But the animals, which were removed from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's endangered species list in 2016, still face serious threats from loss of habitat and fragmentation.

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2024-06-16 03:36:28Z
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China's Li Begins Australia Trip With Symbolism Masking Tensions - Bloomberg

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. China's Li Begins Australia Trip With Symbolism Masking Tensions  Bloomberg
2. China to replace Australia's popular giant pandas  CNA
3. China Premier Li starts Australia trip with Adelaide panda announcement, winery visit  Reuters
4. Chinese Premier Li touts trade in rare Australia visit  Yahoo Singapore News
5. Li Qiang and China look to make up with Australia  The Economist

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2024-06-15 19:00:00Z
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Perikatan names late Sungai Bakap rep's aide to defend seat in by-election - Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) tonight unveiled Abidin Ismail as its candidate for the Sungai Bakap by-election in the hope to defend the seat.

Hailing from the constituency, the 56-year-old was the special officer to the late Nor Zamri Latiff, the seat incumbent.

"I want to continue the late Nor Zamri’s legacy. Pray that I can defend the seat,” he said in the candidate announcement event in Penang, which was broadcasted live on PAS social media accounts.

Abidin is also the PAS Nibong Tebal deputy chief.

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Vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad in his speech prior to the announcement said the decision to pick the former was made based on a field study and PN leadership.

"He will be able to shoulder the responsibilities left by the late Abang Zamri. We are confident and believe that many of the people's issues that have been brought up by Abang Zamri will be continued and continued by this candidate,” he said, referring to the late Nor Zamri.

The Sungai Bakap state seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Nor Zamri, 56, on May 24 due to inflammation in the stomach.

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In the state election last August, Nor Zamri, who was also the Nibong Tebal PAS chief, secured victory over Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Nurhidayah Che Rose with a majority of 1,563 votes.

PH has named 60-year-old Joohari Ariffin as its candidate for the by-election.

The Election Commission (EC) has set the polling day for the Sungai Bakap by-election on July 6, with nomination and early voting.

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Ukraine summit opens in Switzerland, seeking path to peace - CNA

SECURITY DEAL

But since mid-May, Russian progress has slowed and Zelenskyy hopes to swing the momentum further with the back-to-back G7 and peace summits.

Zelensky arrived at Burgenstock on Friday evening after the G7 summit agreed to offer a new US$50 billion loan for Ukraine, using profits from the interest on frozen Russian assets.

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich democracies said they would support Ukraine "for as long as it takes".

Zelenskyy said the new loan would go towards "both defence and reconstruction", while Putin branded the move as "theft", warning it would "not go unpunished".

Meanwhile, a landmark 10-year security deal signed by Zelenskyy and Biden on Thursday will see the United States provide Ukraine with military aid and training, with Zelenskyy calling it a bridge to joining the NATO defence alliance.

Also on Friday, the EU's 27 member states agreed "in principle" on beginning accession negotiations with Ukraine.

NUCLEAR, FOOD, HUMANITARIAN FOCUS

The summit is being held at the ultra-exclusive Burgenstock hotel complex perched high above Lake Lucerne in classic picture-postcard Swiss scenery.

The summit aims to find paths towards a lasting peace for Ukraine, based on international law and the United Nations Charter; a possible framework to achieve this goal; and a roadmap as to how both parties could come together in a future peace process.

A plenary session involving all delegations will be held on Saturday.

On Sunday, three topics will be discussed in detail in working groups: nuclear safety, freedom of navigation and food security, and humanitarian aspects.

These will look at Black Sea shipping, prisoners of war, civilian detainees and deported children.

A second summit is envisaged. Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Tuesday that Kyiv hoped Russia would attend and receive a "joint plan" presented by the other attendees.

Samuel Charap, a Russia expert at the RAND think tank, said of the Swiss summit: "Russia is clearly going out of its way to demonstrate its pique with it ... That tells you something.

"Avoiding the expansion of the pro-Ukraine coalition - they're concerned about this," he told AFP.

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2024-06-15 11:08:00Z
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Bhutan being hard to get to and expensive is a myth, says its PM - CNA

“Our culture would be suffocated, not because tourists want to (suffocate culture), but the numbers would suffocate our culture.”

Almost 100,000 visitors arrived in Bhutan last year, a third of its 2019 peak of 350,000. 

Mr Tobgay said the idea that it is hard to visit Bhutan is a misconception that somewhat hurts the country’s tourism. 

“Potential tourists would want to go to Bhutan, put it in a bucket list, but never get down there because of the myth of Bhutan being difficult to get to, very expensive to get to,” he added.

However, the “myth” is good in a way, he said. 

“Because when people eventually get to Bhutan, breathe our air, taste our water, meet our people, engage with us, connect with us, there is a tremendous sense of satisfaction.”

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2024-06-15 02:00:00Z
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