England keeping close eye on safety before World Cup qualifier in Turkey

England keeping close eye on safety before World Cup qualifier in Turkey

Lionesses face Ukraine in Antalya on Tuesday Wiegman says ‘reassurances’ received before trip Sarina Wiegman says England’s women’s team have had reassurances they are safe in Turkey but remain in close contact with the authorities about the developing conflict in the Middle East, as they prepare to face Ukraine in a Women’s World Cup qualifier. Tuesday’s match is being played in Antalya, along Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast, on neutral ground because of the war in Ukraine. The Lionesses travelled to Antalya to begin a training camp last week, landing before the war began in the Middle East. Continue reading...

Eat, sleep, play, repeat! - Panda Katyusha melts hearts at Moscow Zoo

Eat, sleep, play, repeat! - Panda Katyusha melts hearts at Moscow Zoo

"Katyusha the panda has won hearts across Russia and around the world, as seen in the latest footage from Moscow Zoo. Video shows her eating bamboo and relaxing in her spacious enclosure. Footage captured from Friday to Saturday shows Katyusha nibbling the leaves and exploring her surroundings. In Sunday's clip, the young panda rounds off a 'busy' weekend with a lengthy nap, sitting peacefully on a raised wooden platform. Born in August 2023, Katyusha was named after the popular Russian folk song, following a public vote on Moscow city’s online portal. Her parents, Ding Ding and Ruyi, were brought to Moscow from Beijing in 2019 and reside in the 'Chinese Fauna' pavilion at Moscow Zoo, inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping. Giant pandas, native to China, are part of a worldwide conservation programme, with Ding Ding and Ruyi integral to the scientific initiative aimed at preserving and breeding the rare species. In the wild, pandas are exclusively found in China. Through co-operative agreements, pandas like Ruyi and Ding Ding are shared with other countries to support conservation and breeding programmes."