A plane flying to Lebanon gained an unticketed passenger mid-flight this week when a baby girl was born at 38,000 feet.
The Middle East Airlines flight to Beirut had just entered Iraqi airspace when a passenger went into labour in the aeroplane bathroom.
A member of the crew noticed the situation and informed the pilot in charge of flight ME435. The captain tried to establish if there was a doctor on board, but there was not.
Instead, the MEA cabin crew took over and successfully helped the mother to deliver the baby girl.
A photograph of the newborn wrapped in an MEA blanket and being cradled by one of the cabin crew has been widely shared online.
It was originally posted by an aviation interest group called Lebanese Plane Spotters. The group said they received the picture directly from the chairman of MEA, Mohamad El Hout.
A representative for the plane-spotting group said the new mother was Filipino.
The Airbus A320 was diverted to Kuwait, where mother and baby were taken to hospital. The plane then resumed its flight.
A Facebook user said the parents should name the child after the airline, writing: "I think they should call the girl Mea."
Rima Mikaoui from MEA confirmed the incident. "Cabin crew handled the situation, they assisted the lady with the delivery, the baby was born on board and was well taken care of," she said.
Pregnant women can fly until they are in their third trimester. The cut-off date varies depending on the airline, but is typically set at a maximum of about 36 weeks.
After this, women can only fly if they have medical clearance from a doctor.
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It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
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