An airline has apologised after a bear being transported on a passenger flight from Baghdad to Dubai escaped from its crate in the cargo hold of the plane.
Iraqi Airways said on Friday that the animal had to be sedated and taken off the flight on arrival at Dubai International Airport.
A return flight from the emirate to the Iraqi capital was delayed as a result.
Iraqi Airways flights land at Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport.
“The company apologises to the passengers of the flight from Baghdad International Airport to Dubai Airport for reasons beyond the control of the company,” the airline said in a statement on its website.
“The delay happened because of a shipment in the cargo hold.
“Upon arrival to Dubai Airport, the animal escaped the crate specified for its shipment.”
The statement said the bear was being transported in line with international animal welfare guidelines.
“The plane crew co-ordinated with UAE's authority who sent a specialised team to sedate the animal and take it off the plane,” it continued.
The airline did not disclose why the bear was being transported to the UAE or any further information on its well-being.
Dubai Airports have been contacted for comment.
Animal mishaps in the air
The bear's great escape is not the first time animals and aviation have proven to be an unfortunate combination.
In January, a cat slipped out of its carrier and roamed the aisles on a flight from Dallas to San Francisco.
Video showed a flight attendant picking up the cat and walking up and down the plane in search of the embarrassed owner.
In December, a dog bound for Nashville in the US instead ended up in Saudi Arabia.
The family pet, called Bluebell, was being transported from London with British Airways, as her owners were moving to the United States.
When the family were presented with a different dog, a search was launched to find Bluebell.
She was located in the Middle East and owner and pet were reunited three days later.
In 2013, a light aircraft hit a sheep during an emergency landing in Wales, but the animal escaped unscathed.
The sheep was struck by the right wing of the small craft which had to make an abrupt touchdown due to engine failure.
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Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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