Wild elephant wanders through south China border crossing, heads towards Laos

A wild adult Asian elephant was recorded swaggering through a border crossing in southwest China's Yunnan Province in the early hours of Sunday morning, heading towards Laos.

Cameras at the Manzhuang branch of Mohan Border Inspection Station in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, captured the uncommon scene. The elephant strolled around the vehicle inspection lane, and spent less than three minutes at the station before moving on southward.

Staff members at the border inspection station took timely actions to avoid possible injury to people and damage to facilities.

"After we noticed the elephant, we immediately took emergency measures and opened the retractable gate to let it pass through. We also contacted the government, local police, forest police, forestry and other departments in time, and sent on-duty police officers to issue warnings to the people in the surrounding villages," said Wu Yubin, chief of the border inspection station.

Border inspection staff said it is rare for an Asian elephant to pass through the border crossing. The incident occurred late at night, and there was no direct encounter between humans and the elephant. No damage was caused to buildings or property.

Local authorities will continue to monitor the elephant’s movements and issue safety alerts to relevant areas.

Wild elephant wanders through south China border crossing, heads towards Laos

The multilateral system is "under attack" amid global turmoil, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned in her remarks on Wednesday.

In her briefing on the priorities for the resumed 80th Session of the General Assembly, the UNGA president noted that the current multilateral system does not collapse all in a sudden, but "crumbles piece by piece" in divisions, compromises, and lack of political commitment.

The president called all the UN member states to defend the UN Charter and international law and promote cross-regional cooperation.

She also urged to push forward the work of the UNGA on certain critical issues with a strong majority, rather than an absolute consensus among all member states. Such act is not a failure of multilateralism, but "an affirmation of it," she said.

The foundational principles of the institution should not be eroded by appeasement, she said, calling the member states to show courage, leadership, and responsibility at the UN's "critical make-or-break moment."

"The UN needs you. Your support, your leadership, your principle, stand, your cross-regional cooperation, if we are to preserve and modernize this institution, if we are to make it, rather than break it," she said.

UNGA President warns global multilateral system "under attack"