Twin panda sisters in Chengdu bring smiles worldwide with slide adventure

Footage of He Hua and He Ye, China's beloved twin panda sisters, joyfully sliding down a specially designed slide at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has captured hearts worldwide.

The video released on January 11 captures the joy and playfulness of the twin panda sisters as they slide and frolic on a specially designed slide created by their keepers at the Chengdu Research Base's No. 6 Giant Panda Villa.

He Hua, the more adventurous of the twin panda sisters, is captured sliding down the slope on her belly, while her younger sister He Ye lounges nearby on a rack, looking relaxed. Meanwhile, another clip shows He Ye taking a more leisurely approach, gliding sideways down the slide while grasping a nearby tree, creating a heartwarming moment.

The slide is part of a larger enrichment program aimed at fostering natural behaviors, preventing repetitive actions, and meeting the pandas' physiological and psychological needs.

Born on July 4, 2020, to mother Cheng Gong and father Mei Lan, He Hua and He Ye have quickly become international icons.

He Hua, the older sister, is famous for her "rice ball" shape when she sits and her calm, gentle nature, particularly when she shares bamboo with her companions. With over 880,000 followers on Weibo, China's leading social platform, He Hua has also won fans worldwide, with one of her YouTube videos amassing over 748,000 views.

He Ye, the younger sister, is known for her energetic spirit and athleticism, earning her a global following of devoted panda enthusiasts.

Located in Sichuan Province, southwest China, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a globally recognized institution dedicated to the conservation of giant pandas, red pandas, and other endangered species native to China.

The base has become a major tourist destination, celebrated for its breeding programs, educational outreach, and efforts to protect these iconic animals.

Twin panda sisters in Chengdu bring smiles worldwide with slide adventure

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the U.S. rhetoric suggesting possible intervention in the situation in Iran, urging all parties to pursue diplomacy and dialogue in line with the principles of the UN Charter, his spokesperson said on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration is weighing "some very strong options," including potential military action against Iran amid the unrest across the Middle East country.

At a press briefing Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, conveyed Guterres' alarm over the remarks.

"The rhetoric that we've heard around the situation in Iran, which is concerning to him (Guterres), and he encourages all to adopt a path of diplomacy and dialogue," said Dujarric.

"We push for dialogue, and I think the [UN] Charter is very clear on your question," Dujarric said when asked whether foreign intervention might help resolve the crisis. The UN Charter enshrines core principles including the sovereign equality of all states, non-intervention in the affairs of other states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

These norms were further reinforced by the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly, which explicitly states that no state or group of states has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other state.

Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall in the national currency rial and long-standing economic hardships. The reported death toll from the unrest on both sides of the security forces and civilians is mounting.

UN chief urges diplomacy amid US military threats against Iran: spokesperson