WASHINGTON // A rare giant panda called Mei Xiang gave birth to twin cubs at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC on Saturday, apparently surprising zoo officials who had expected one birth.
A first tiny cub – pink, hairless and only about the size of an adult mouse – was born at 5.35pm and Mei Xiang reacted by tenderly picking her new cub up.
After the zoo announced the birth, the live internet video feed from her enclosure crashed, likely as a result of a high volume of viewers, the zoo said.
“All of us are thrilled that Mei Xiang has given birth,” zoo director Dennis Kelly said. “The cub is vulnerable at this tiny size but we know Mei is an excellent mother.”
Pandas are challenging to breed in captivity but just when conservationists thought they had heard all the good news, the zoo tweeted just a few hours later: “We can confirm a second cub was born at 10:07. It appears healthy. #PandaStory.”
The birth of the twins appeared to be a surprise because the zoo’s Twitter feed had only referred to the expected birth of a single cub.
The mother panda’s care team had started preparing after they saw Mei Xiang’s waters break about an hour before the first birth. They hope to carry out neonatal exams in the coming days and will not know the cubs’ gender until a later date.
Mei Xiang (“beautiful fragrance”), 17, had a cub in 2005 which was sent to China, and another, Bao Bao, is now two years old and lives with her in Washington.
She also lost at least two other cubs, one that was stillborn in 2013 and another that lived six days in 2012.
This year, Mei Xiang exhibited signs of pregnancy in July that included sleeping more, eating less, building a nest and spending more time in her den.
The zoo said Mei Xiang will spend almost all her time in her den for the next two weeks.
The enclosure will be closed to provide quiet, although online “panda cams” will provide a video stream of the creatures.
On Tuesday, Malaysia announced that a giant panda at its National Zoo, Liang Liang, had given birth. The newborn’s sex has yet to be determined.
There are fewer than 2,000 pandas now left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund, as their habitats have been ravaged by development.
The building of roads and railways has seen the bamboo forests they depend upon cut down in China’s Yangtze Basin, their primary habitat.
Pandas rely on bamboo and eat almost nothing else. Given their low birth rate, captive breeding programmes are key to ensuring their survival.
* Agence France-Presse
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Match info
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,00
On sale: Available for preorder now
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
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Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
