World

US

Washington National Cathedral tolls bell 900 times to mark US Covid deaths

'Each soul is irreplaceable,' US President Joe Biden said of milestone

Patrick deHahn
Patrick deHahn

February 07, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

The Washington National Cathedral in the US rang its bell 900 times on Monday evening to recognise the 900,000 deaths from Covid-19 that have been registered in the country, a milestone that was reached last week.

“Our nation marks another tragic milestone — 900,000 American lives have been lost to Covid-19,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Saturday.

“They were beloved mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters, neighbours and friends. Each soul is irreplaceable.

“We pray for the loved ones they have left behind and together we keep every family enduring this pain in our hearts.

“After nearly two years, I know that the emotional, physical and psychological weight of this pandemic has been incredibly difficult to bear.”

Each ring of the cathedral's 12-tonne bell represents 1,000 lives lost to Covid-19 in what has become a national expression of grief.

“This cathedral joins you in grieving the lives lost to the coronavirus pandemic and we share the pain of anxiety and loss in these uncertain times,” organisers said in a memorial hosted on the cathedral's website.

“As a house of prayer for all people, this cathedral aims to serve as a sacred space where the nation can come together at times of both joy and sorrow.”

The cathedral is officially known as the Protestant Episcopal Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington.

The 57-acre cathedral often hosts funerals for national leaders, such as former senator Bob Dole and former US secretary of state Colin Powell.

You can watch the YouTube video stream of the bells here.

  • A 6-year-old receives a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Los Angeles. EPA
    A 6-year-old receives a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Los Angeles. EPA
  • Nurses prepare doses of Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination clinic in Los Angeles, California. EPA
    Nurses prepare doses of Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination clinic in Los Angeles, California. EPA
  • A product stall filled with free N95 respirator masks, provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, sits outside the pharmacy at a Jackson, Mississippi, Kroger grocery store. AP
    A product stall filled with free N95 respirator masks, provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, sits outside the pharmacy at a Jackson, Mississippi, Kroger grocery store. AP
  • A hospital sitter provides companionship, observation and surveillance to assigned patients at St Mary Medical Centre in Apple Valley, California. Reuters
    A hospital sitter provides companionship, observation and surveillance to assigned patients at St Mary Medical Centre in Apple Valley, California. Reuters
  • A 13-year old receives a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in Los Angeles. EPA
    A 13-year old receives a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in Los Angeles. EPA
  • A sign advises patrons of a Covid-19 restriction while long icicles grow from an awning outside a restaurant in Denver, Colorado. AP
    A sign advises patrons of a Covid-19 restriction while long icicles grow from an awning outside a restaurant in Denver, Colorado. AP
  • A registered nurse works with a Covid-19 patient inside the infectious disease unit (IDU) at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama. AP
    A registered nurse works with a Covid-19 patient inside the infectious disease unit (IDU) at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama. AP
  • A person self-tests for Covid-19 at a free drive-through testing site in Whittier, California. AP
    A person self-tests for Covid-19 at a free drive-through testing site in Whittier, California. AP
  • Workers wear protective equipment at a Covid-19 testing site in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles. AP
    Workers wear protective equipment at a Covid-19 testing site in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles. AP
  • Pupils leave a high school in Arlington County, one of several school districts which sued to stop the mask-optional order by Governor Glenn Youngkin, in Arlington, Virginia. Reuters
    Pupils leave a high school in Arlington County, one of several school districts which sued to stop the mask-optional order by Governor Glenn Youngkin, in Arlington, Virginia. Reuters
  • Protesters rally against Covid-19 vaccine mandates in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. AP
    Protesters rally against Covid-19 vaccine mandates in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. AP
  • People wearing face masks walk past a business displaying a sign requiring face coverings in Washington. Reuters
    People wearing face masks walk past a business displaying a sign requiring face coverings in Washington. Reuters
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV

Power: 360bhp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh282,870

On sale: now

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

US PGA Championship in numbers

1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.

2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.

3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.

4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.

5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.

6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.

7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.

8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.

9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.

10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.

11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.

12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.

13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.

14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.

15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.

16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.

17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.

18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).

While you're here

Ponti

Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan

How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
 

While you're here
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

More from this package
While you're here
While you're here
Updated: June 20, 2023, 10:32 AM
CoronavirusWashington