A prominent aide to top Iraqi Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, has tested positive for coronavirus in Iraq.
Ahmed Al Safi is in a "stable" condition after having the infection diagnosed on Tuesday, a statement from his office read.
Mr Al Safi is one of two senior representatives who deliver Mr Al Sistani's messages to politicians and the public through Friday sermons.
Because of the pandemic, the Iranian-born Mr Al Sistani has halted these sermons, which draw thousands of worshippers to Karbala.
Iraq is going through its second wave of the virus as daily coronavirus cases exceeded 4,000 for the first time in weeks.
The surge in cases comes before a planned visit by Pope Francis next month, the first papal visit to the nation.
During his four-day trip, which begins on March 5, the pontiff is due to meet Mr Al Sistani in the southern city of Najaf.
This has prompted authorities to re-enforce strict national measures including a full lockdown on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
For the rest of the week, lockdown begins at 8pm and ends at 5am. Schools are suspended until further notice.
New infections peaked in late September when the country registered 5,025 cases in a day.
The highest number of daily deaths was recorded in late June at 122, health ministry figures show.
Iraq's infection rate had dropped to about 600 cases a day in early January, and less than 10 deaths a day.
On Thursday, the health ministry reported 4,074 new cases with 27 deaths. That brought the total number of confirmed cases to 684,362 and deaths to 13,351.
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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South Korea
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Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
