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International News

HK displays 2,500 panda sculptures to capitalize on a local bear craze

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A Japanese artist finds solace and global fans with intricate leaf-cutting

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Baby mammoth preserved for 50,000 years is unveiled in Russia’s Siberia

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Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians, dies at 73

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From The Asian Reporter, V35, #1 (January 6, 2025), page 2.

Indian teen becomes the youngest chess world champion

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion, Ding Liren of China, in the final match of their series in Singapore. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12 years old. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament last year. After securing the victory, Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms in celebration. "I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realized the dream (and made it) into reality," he told reporters after his win. Dommaraju is now the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. "It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India … and for me, a very personal moment of pride," Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, said in a post on X. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 18-year-old on his "remarkable accomplishment," calling it "the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work, and unwavering determination." "His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence," Modi said in a post on X. The match was a 14-round long-time classical event with a prize fund of $2.5 million.

Relic of the Buddha gets a warm welcome in Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — More than 2,000 people took part in a procession to escort a relic of the Buddha lent by China to a shrine in the Thai capital of Bangkok to honor the birthday of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and to celebrate half a century of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China. The tooth relic, considered sacred by Buddhists, was flown earlier in the day from the Lingguang Temple in Beijing, which normally houses it. Loans of the tooth as a show of friendship have been an effective form of soft diplomacy by China, even though competing claims from various countries on possessing the Buddha’s tooth raise questions about its provenance. The tooth was put into an ornate, golden container and placed on a flower-bedecked float as it was paraded through one of the oldest neighborhoods of the city. Attendants flanked the vehicle as it travelled about 1 1/2 miles to the relic’s temporary home, a soaring pavilion on Sanam Luang, a large field outside Bangkok’s famous Grand Palace. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and members of her cabinet received the relic amid the sounds of chanting monks. Representatives of China, including Beijing’s ambassador to Thailand, were also present, according to local media. The loan was the latest in a series of events to mark the 72nd birthday of the Thai king. It also commemorates the upcoming 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China. It was previously displayed in Thailand in 2002 to mark the 75th birthday of Vajiralongkorn’s father, King Bhumibol, who died in 2016. The relic will be on public display at the pavilion through mid-February.

Elephant in Pakistan dies weeks after family reunion

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — An elephant died of a bacterial infection at a Pakistani safari park, an official said, less than two weeks after being reunited with her sister. Sonia, who was almost 19, is the second elephant to die in two years in the southern city of Karachi, where she had lived since 2009. She was reunited recently with her sister Madhubala, who was transferred from the Karachi Zoological Garden to be with her family members. Madhubala was separated from sisters Sonia and Malika about 15 years ago. Pakistani veterinary surgeons found that a bacterial infection killed Sonia. Dr. Amir Khalil with Vienna-based Four Paws told The Associated Press that the infection spread through 19-year-old Sonia’s body from her foot, raising concerns about how Pakistani authorities handle animals "as such infections don’t spread in one day." Pakistan has a troubled history with elephants in captivity. Noor Jehan, 17, was brought to Karachi with three other elephants more than a decade ago. She died in April 2023, days after undergoing a critical medical procedure by a team of international veterinarians. In 2020, Kaavan, dubbed the "world’s loneliest elephant" after languishing alone for years in a Pakistani zoo, was sent to a Cambodian sanctuary for the much-needed company of other elephants. Efforts to transfer him from Pakistan were supported by singer and actor Cher, who campaigned for his rescue.

U.S. Navy ship makes first port call in Cambodia in 8 years

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (AP) — A U.S. Navy warship arrived in Cambodia last month, the first such visit in eight years to a nation that is China’s close ally in Southeast Asia. Cambodia’s government has suggested the port call reflects an upgrade in often-strained relations. The USS Savannah docked at the port of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand for a five-day visit. The Savannah, classed as a Littoral Combat Ship, carries a crew of 103. "It’s great to be back, returning U.S. presence to here after eight years," the ship’s commanding officer, Daniel A. Sledz, said in brief remarks to reporters. He was given a bouquet of flowers by a Cambodian officer and shook hands with a line of her colleagues. The United States for many years has had rocky relations with Cambodia, criticizing its government for political repression and human rights violations. There is particular concern about its close ties with China, which Washington fears may get exclusive access to a Cambodian naval base on the Gulf of Thailand, not far from where the Savannah docked.

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