To understand what is at stake in the Pope's first mission to Iraq this week , it is worth looking back to a moment from his 2019 visit to Abu Dhabi.
As Pope Francis entered the stadium in Zayed Sports City, a young girl spontaneously dashed towards him from the crowd, clutching something in her hand.
Lifted up by an Emirati official, she was able to present her handwritten note to a smiling pontiff in a moment that was joyous and tender.
Any repeat of the incident in Iraq will chill the blood of onlookers, with the expectation of a tragic ending. The very real threat of a terrorist attack is just one of the perils facing the Pope in Iraq.
Another is Covid-19. The country is experiencing a second surge of the disease to a record 4,000 cases a day. A two-week partial curfew was recently enforced, closing schools and most businesses, but also mosques and churches.
Despite this dual threat, considerations of personal safety will come second to the message of peace and reconciliation Pope Francis hopes to share when he arrives in Baghdad on the afternoon of March 5.
The Pope has long been determined to visit Iraq, an unfilled invitation that dates back to John Paul II and the regime of Saddam Hussein.
For Pope Francis, this is the next stage of a personal mission that began in Abu Dhabi two years ago with a series of powerful statements about religious reconciliation, made from a Middle East country that is a byword for tolerance in the region.
In Abu Dhabi, the pontiff shared a platform with Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif University and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, signing together a Human Fraternity Document to advance a "culture of mutual respect” for all people.
The following month, the Pope travelled to Morocco, again with a well-received message of harmony, and a joint declaration that recognised Jerusalem as a holy place for Christians, Muslims and Jews.
In Iraq, though, he will meet the hard reality of religious intolerance and the scale of the hill to climb. Revered as the birthplace of numerous prophets, including Abraham and Daniel, and linked with the location of the Garden of Eden, the past decade has seen Christians fleeing in the hundreds of thousands.
A campaign of murder and intimidation by ISIS between 2013 and 2017 saw a once thriving Christian community estimated at around 1.5 million dwindle perhaps to fewer than 300,000, although exact numbers are hard to calculate.
Even today, Iraq remains a dangerous place, underlined by the rocket attack on a US airbase at Erbil on February 20 that killed a civilian contractor and wounded nine others. Erbil is one of the destinations for Pope Francis.
The attack was blamed on proxy militias loyal to Iran, but there are also fears of a comeback by ISIS, who claimed responsibility for two suicide bombers who killed 32 at a Baghdad market in January.
Vatican officials are sensitive to criticism of the decision to allow the Iraq visit to go ahead in these circumstances, recently highlighting a call from Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad for social media commentators to be “more positive and supportive of everything”.
Cardinal Sako has also tried to play down expectations of the visit, saying, in a statement issued via the Vatican, that Pope Francis “does not come to Iraq to solve all the problems”.
Rather, the Pope will “express his solidarity and stand with the Iraqis, and will carry messages of love, brotherhood, reconciliation, tolerance, peace, respect for life, diversity and pluralism”, the cardinal said.
Inevitably though, the Pope’s visit will be seen as part of a healing process. "I am the pastor of people who are suffering,” he said in an interview with the Catholic News Service last month.
"He is coming to be face to face, to show us he cares about us,” said Archbishop Bashar Warda, of Erbil.
In Iraq, he will have every opportunity to make good that promise. Today Christians make up only about one per cent of the population, although the lack of a census since 1997 makes it hard to be precise.
He is coming to be face to face, to show us he cares about us
A majority are Chaldean Catholics, a branch of the Eastern Church which shares its liturgy with Rome.
The depredations of ISIS saw at least two thirds of the Christian population flee to safety, some to Kurdish-controlled areas of Iraq, but many others to Europe and the United States from where they will likely never return.
Pope Francis will begin his visit with an official welcome at the Presidential Palace followed by a meeting with Iraqi clergy.
Saturday, March 6, takes the pontiff to Najaf, a place of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims, and a private meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, widely seen as a voice for moderation and reconciliation and a counterpoint to the angry rhetoric from Tehran.
Later he will fly to Nasiriyah, to take part in an interfaith prayer meeting at Ur, the ruins of an ancient city held to be the same place mentioned in the Book of Genesis as the birthplace of Abraham, or Ibrahim in Arabic
Bombings, murders and the wholesale destruction of holy sites and places of worship were the calling card of ISIS. To end his second day, Pope Francis will celebrate mass at Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation church.
It was here, in October 2010, that ISIS terrorists wearing suicide vests burst through the doors during evening mass, killing 44 worshippers and two priests.
On March 7, the Pope travels by helicopter to Erbil, then on to Mosul, a front-line city shattered in the war with ISIS, who destroyed sites holy to both Islam and Christianity, but where he will also see reconstruction, including the UAE-funded project to rebuild Al Nuri mosque and its famous leaning minaret, Al Hadba.
Another short helicopter ride will bring him to Qaraqosh, home to the world’s largest Syriac Catholic community, whose liturgies are conducted in a dialect of Aramaic, the language of Jesus.
In 2014, the entire community of 50,000 fled ISIS, but more than half have since returned, with the Pope praying at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, still under restoration after being set ablaze during the occupation.
From here, Pope Francis flies back to Erbil and a mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium, whose 30,000 capacity has been slashed to a third to ensure social distancing and with every guest carefully vetted.
Finally, on March 8, the Pope leaves Baghdad for Rome. The next steps in his mission to promote peace and understanding between all faiths may well be determined by what has been achieved in Iraq.
On a visit to Rome last month, Father Karam Qasha, a priest from a village outside Mosul, explained: “For us to welcome the Pope is to welcome someone whose presence will heal many wounds inside the hearts of our faithful.”
But also, he added, “This visit won’t be just for Iraq, but all of the Middle East.”
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
Specs
Engine: 2-litre
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 255hp
Torque: 273Nm
Price: Dh240,000
The%20Roundup%20%3A%20No%20Way%20Out
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lee%20Sang-yong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Don%20Lee%2C%20Lee%20Jun-hyuk%2C%20Munetaka%20Aoki%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Griselda
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
Brown/Black belt finals
3pm: 49kg female: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) v Thamires Aquino (BRA)
3.07pm: 56kg male: Hiago George (BRA) v Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA)
3.14pm: 55kg female: Amal Amjahid (BEL) v Bianca Basilio (BRA)
3.21pm: 62kg male: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) v Joao Miyao (BRA)
3.28pm: 62kg female: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR)
3.35pm: 69kg male: Isaac Doederlein (BRA) v Paulo Miyao (BRA)
3.42pm: 70kg female: Thamara Silva (BRA) v Alessandra Moss (AUS)
3.49pm: 77kg male: Oliver Lovell (GBR) v Tommy Langarkar (NOR)
3.56pm: 85kg male: Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE) v Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA)
4.03pm: 90kg female: Claire-France Thevenon (FRA) v Gabreili Passanha (BRA)
4.10pm: 94kg male: Adam Wardzinski (POL) v Kaynan Duarte (BRA)
4.17pm: 110kg male: Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE) v Joao Rocha (BRA
Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
SPEC%20SHEET
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Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed PDK
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 820Nm
Price: Dh683,200
On sale: now