An international team led by the University of Sydney has undertaken a project to decode the DNA of the Arabian oryx, in a world first.
The team aims to ensure the survival of the species by using the genetic data to design breeding programmes in close collaboration with a conservation programme in Oman.
The Arabian oryx became extinct in the wild in 1972 because of hunting and poaching. But it continued to exist in captivity through breeding programmes, including in the UAE, and by private collectors in Saudi Arabia.
UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ordered the establishment of a captive breeding programme for the endangered Arabian oryx in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, 1968.
In 1978 two male and two female Arabian oryx were transferred from Al Ain to Sir Bani Yas Island, now home to a thriving number of oryx.
Sheikh Zayed’s programme led to Arabian oryx being released inside and outside the UAE, now overseen by the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Arabian Oryx Reintroduction Programnme.
It was the first animal to be rescued from extinction in the wild and remains a cultural and national symbol in the Gulf region.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species says the Arabian oryx continues to face a high risk of extinction in the wild.
But in Sydney, Prof Jaime Gongora, his former PhD student Qais Al Rawahi, and his colleagues decided to address this by analysing the population’s DNA and proposing breeding strategies based on the results.
Their study on this has been published in Royal Society Open Science.
“There is more to the preservation of the Arabian oryx than conservation,” Prof Gongora said.
“Historically and now, it has strong cultural significance in the Arabian Peninsula due to its unique physical features and strength, enabling it to live in harsh desert environments.
"It has even become a national icon in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. That’s why we are working so hard to ensure it survives – for the oryx itself and to keep this cultural connection alive.
“This work ... could serve as a benchmark for the long-term sustainability of other conservation programmes.
"This includes those taking place at [Oman's] Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve involving the sand gazelle, the mountain gazelle and the Nubian ibex.”
Arabian oryx are unique animals distinguished by the length of their horns, which can grow up to one metre.
They can travel 75 kilometres a day searching for food, and are known for sensing the location of coming rain, towards which they travel to drink. They also consume plants that thrive in moister conditions, such as acacias.
They have a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years and are a key food source for other species on the Arabian Peninsula including striped hyena, Arabian wolves and lynxes.
As part of the project, the researchers gathered and tested genetic samples from 138 Arabian oryxes at Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve, and 36 historical samples from the Phoenix Zoo – the offspring of a herd established there in the 1970s.
They studied the maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA and biparentally inherited single nucleotide polymorphisms, which are genetic variations used to identify species.
They discovered that the Arabian oryx’s gene pool was moderately diverse, meaning that herds can respond to changing environments and maintain good health.
In fact, at 58 per cent of the total diversity, the current-day sample was more genetically diverse than the historical ones.
“This means that conservation strategies based on random mating could be reasonably successful,” said Prof Gongora, the lead author of the study.
The team uncovered three ancestral groups, but their genetics were not evenly distributed across the current-day herds in the wildlife reserve.
Based on this, they suggest a targeted breeding strategy in which females can breed with males from the other genetic lineages.
“To ensure the survival of the species, it’s not just about population size – it’s about genetic diversity,” Prof Gongora said.
He and his colleagues are working with Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve to implement this strategy.
The researchers also recommend that the Arabian oryxs' genetic samples be stored in a biobank for future genetic analyses.
And bio-banking of eggs and sperm samples could also be considered as a long-term insurance policy against extinction.
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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.
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7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
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Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
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Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
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Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.