News brief

Pandas are on their way to San Diego. A pair of giant pandas have left China for the United States, where they will be cared for at the San Diego Zoo as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations. Officials with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance were on hand in China on June 26 for a farewell ceremony commemorating the departure of the giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao. The celebration included cultural performances, video salutations from Chinese and American students, and a gift exchange among conservation partners, the zoo said in a statement.