A Chinese giant panda at the Panda Park in Al Khor, north Qatar. AFP
A Chinese giant panda at the Panda Park in Al Khor, north Qatar. AFP
Qatar on Wednesday became the first country in the Middle East to receive Chinese giant pandas – Suhail and Soraya – who, in true Arabian Gulf fashion, took up residence in luxury air-conditioned quarters. AFP
Qatar on Wednesday became the first country in the Middle East to receive Chinese giant pandas – Suhail and Soraya – who, in true Arabian Gulf fashion, took up residence in luxury air-conditioned quarters. AFP
The Chinese government sent the animals as a gift to mark the Fifa World Cup that starts on November 20. AFP
The Chinese government sent the animals as a gift to mark the Fifa World Cup that starts on November 20. AFP
A child plays with a Chinese giant panda from behind the protective glass at the Panda Park in Al Khor on October 19, 2022. - Qatar became the first Middle Eastern country Wednesday to receive Chinese giant pandas -- Suhail and Soraya -- who, in true Gulf fashion, took up residence in luxury air-conditioned quarters. The Chinese government sent the animals as gift to mark the World Cup that starts November 20. China has not qualified for the event, but is a major customer for Qatar's natural gas. (Photo by DENOUR / AFP)
A child plays with a Chinese giant panda from behind the protective glass at the Panda Park in Al Khor on October 19, 2022. - Qatar became the first Middle Eastern country Wednesday to receive Chinese giant pandas -- Suhail and Soraya -- who, in true Gulf fashion, took up residence in luxury air-conditioned quarters. The Chinese government sent the animals as gift to mark the World Cup that starts November 20. China has not qualified for the event, but is a major customer for Qatar's natural gas. (Photo by DENOUR / AFP)
One of the pandas in their enclosure at the Panda park in Al Khor. AFP
One of the pandas in their enclosure at the Panda park in Al Khor. AFP
One of the pair exploring the new enclosure. AFP
One of the pair exploring the new enclosure. AFP
A Chinese giant panda in an enclosure at the Panda park in Al Khor. AFP
A Chinese giant panda in an enclosure at the Panda park in Al Khor. AFP
All Chinese giant pandas, no matter where they are born or live, are owned by the Chinese government. AFP
All Chinese giant pandas, no matter where they are born or live, are owned by the Chinese government. AFP
Suhail, a male panda sent by China to Qatar as a gift for the World Cup, in his shelter at the Panda House Garden in Al Khor, near Doha. AP
Suhail, a male panda sent by China to Qatar as a gift for the World Cup, in his shelter at the Panda House Garden in Al Khor, near Doha. AP
A young admirer watches one of the pandas that arrived on a special flight from China. Reuters
A young admirer watches one of the pandas that arrived on a special flight from China. Reuters
Al Khor Park Panda House, Qatar. Reuters
Al Khor Park Panda House, Qatar. Reuters
Unsurprisingly, the new attractions are a popular subject for amateur photographers. Reuters
Unsurprisingly, the new attractions are a popular subject for amateur photographers. Reuters
Children pose for a photograph in front of a giant panda teddy on the day two pandas arrived from China. Reuters
Children pose for a photograph in front of a giant panda teddy on the day two pandas arrived from China. Reuters
The pair of Chinese giant pandas left their home in Sichuan province to fly across the continent to Qatar. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
The pair of Chinese giant pandas left their home in Sichuan province to fly across the continent to Qatar. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
Chinese ambassador to Qatar, Zhou Jian, before the welcoming ceremony. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
Chinese ambassador to Qatar, Zhou Jian, before the welcoming ceremony. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
Si Hai and Jing Jing are taking on more local names on arrival in Qatar. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
Si Hai and Jing Jing are taking on more local names on arrival in Qatar. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
The pair are being delivered from the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
The pair are being delivered from the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
All involved in the move hope the pandas will acclimatise seamlessly. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter
All involved in the move hope the pandas will acclimatise seamlessly. Photo: @MofaQatar_EN / Twitter

Gulf

Two giant pandas sent by China arrive in Qatar ahead of World Cup

Bears' new enclosure designed to replicate dense forests of Sichuan province

The National

October 20, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Two giant pandas sent to Qatar as a gift from China ahead of the World Cup have arrived in the Gulf state.

The bears will be kept in an enclosure designed to replicate the dense forests of China’s mountainous Sichuan province where they live.

Eight hundred kilograms of fresh bamboo will be flown in each week to feed them, AP reported.

Read more

Two giant pandas head to Qatar ahead of World Cup

The pandas were given new Arabic names before making the journey

Suhail, a 130kg male, was previously known as Jing Jing, while Soraya, a 70kg female, was called Si Hai.

They face 21 days of quarantine with two keepers after their arrival, said Al Khor's zoological director Tim Bouts.

"In a few weeks, or in a month's time, they will be ready to be shown to the world," he said.

Authorities have not yet said whether a new Panda House will be ready by the time the World Cup starts.

Qatar is expecting 1.2 million visitors for the month-long Fifa World Cup beginning on November 20. The gas-rich Gulf nation will be the first Arab country to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

A child plays with one of the Chinese giant pandas from behind protective glass at the Panda park in Al Khor. AFP
A child plays with one of the Chinese giant pandas from behind protective glass at the Panda park in Al Khor. AFP

“There was a lot of thinking that went into this building to make it, I think, the best building for pandas in the world,” Mr Bouts said.

Pandas are one of the world’s most threatened species, rarely reproducing in the wild. They rely on a diet of bamboo in the mountains of western China.

An estimated 1,800 pandas live in the wild, while another 500 are in zoos or reserves, mostly in Sichuan.

They are the unofficial national mascot of China, which has gifted pandas to 20 countries.

China’s ambassador to Qatar, Zhou Jian, said the two pandas “will live a happy life here and bring more happiness, joy and love to the people of Qatar and [the] world”.

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

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Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

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Updated: October 20, 2022, 9:27 AM`
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