Two giant pandas have embarked on a long journey from China's Sichuan province to Qatar.
Soraya and Suhail, a gift from China to the World Cup host nation, will take the 12.5-hour flight on Tuesday, landing in Doha on Wednesday morning.
The Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 will run from November 20 to December 18.
At a farewell ceremony for the pandas, Qatar's ambassador to China, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Duhaimi, said the gift "symbolises the depth of relations between the two countries", Qatar's state news agency reported.
China's ambassador to Qatar, Zhou Jian, posted about the journey as it happened. "See you tomorrow," he wrote, followed by the hashtag #PandainQatar.
"Hope they will bring happiness and love to our friends in Qatar and the region."
It is the first time pandas have been gifted to a Middle East nation. Their new home at Al Khor Zoo and Park has been shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival’s Display Completed Buildings Award.
The panda enclosure at Al Khor was inspired by the Wolong National Nature Reserve in China, home to more than 150 giant pandas, designers Dar say.
"The roof of the enclosure has a mountain-like shape that provides ample natural light through its integrated skylights and that gives the enclosure a natural flow that mimics the native habitat of the pandas," it said in July.
China has given pandas as gifts to other nations for hundreds of years. One of the first recorded pandas sent to another nation was during the seventh century's Tang Dynasty. A pair of bears, thought to be pandas, were sent to Japan by Empress Wu Zeitan.
The practice was revived in 1941, when China sent two pandas to New York's Bronx Zoo.
Pandas used to be given unconditionally as gifts, but in 1984 China began entering into leasing agreements for the furry bears. Recipient nations pay a fixed rate every year for a set period. The lease can then be renewed or the pandas and their offspring will be returned to China.
"Panda diplomacy provides a momentary injection of goodwill and often coincides with major diplomatic events and trade deals," the American Enterprise Institute's Linda Zhang wrote last year. "That being said, panda diplomacy is a limited tool, and it cannot sustain positive relations between China and panda host countries in the longer term."
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
