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13 Jan 2021
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Oman sultan’s eldest son Dhi Yazan to succeed him, becoming first crown prince

January 13, 2021

Oman’s Sultan Haitham will be succeeded by his eldest son Dhi Yazan, according to a new basic law published on Tuesday that creates a new position of crown prince and establishes succession from ruler to the eldest son.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said had announced plans for the constitutional change on Monday, a year after the death of his predecessor, Sultan Qaboos. The new basic law was published on Tuesday in the official gazette.According to a statement published by Oman’s Ministry of Information, Article (5) stipulates that the system of governance is hereditary in the male descendants of Sultan Turki bin Said bin Sultan in accordance with the following provisions:• The power passes from the Sultan to his first-born son and then to his eldest son and consequently the power transfers to one stratum after another.• In case the Sultan’s elder son dies before assuming power, the succession should be transferred to his elder son even if the deceased has brothers.• The Law also stipulates that in case that the first person in line of succession has no sons, the rule automatically shifts to his elder brother, and if he has no brothers the succession shifts to the eldest son of his eldest brother, and if his eldest brother has no son the succession transfers to the eldest son of his other brothers according to the age order of the brothers.Sultan Qaboos fathered no children and designated no successor publicly during his 49-year reign.Qaboos named his cousin Haitham as his preferred successor in a sealed envelope to be opened after his death should the royal family disagree on the succession line. The family went with his choice.The new law also retains an elected advisory Shura Council, the lower house of parliament.- With Reuters.Read more:Oman Sultan issues new law organizing succession, naming of crown princeHaitham bin Tariq sworn in as new Sultan of OmanOman’s Sultan Qaboos dies at 79
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Oman sultan’s eldest son Dhi Yazan to succeed him, becoming first crown prince

13 Jan 2021
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Coronavirus: UAE reports 3,362 new COVID-19 cases, total hits 239,587

January 13, 2021

The United Arab Emirates has reported 3,362 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 239,587, the official WAM News Agency reports.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The daily number of COVID-19 cases in the United Arab Emirates crossed the 3,000 threshold for the first time this week as authorities in the Middle East’s business and tourism hub urged people to accept vaccinations.The health ministry late on Tuesday reported 3,243 new daily infections and six deaths. That was the highest in the Gulf Arab region where daily cases in each of the other five states have fallen below 500.The surge in infections in the UAE, an international travel hub, prompted Britain to remove the country from its travel corridors list on Tuesday.Most coronavirus restrictions have been lifted in the UAE, but social distancing and mask-wearing in public are still required. Visitors have flocked to Dubai during its peak winter tourism season as other countries impose new lockdowns.The Gulf Arab state has also ramped up its immunization campaign, ranking second behind Israel in terms of its vaccination rate. Emirati officials have said they aim to vaccinate more than 50 percent of its roughly 9 million population in the first quarter of this year.“Taking the vaccine is every individual’s responsibility to protect their health, families and wider society,” UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who is also ruler of Dubai, said in a Twitter post on Tuesday.The UAE has approved the vaccine developed by Sinopharm’s China National Pharmaceutical Group and has made it available to the general public. Dubai emirate is inoculating people with the vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTec.The UAE is participating in Phase III trials for the Sinopharm vaccine and for Russia’s Sputnik V shot.In total, the UAE has recorded 723 deaths. The total for the six Gulf Arab states stands at more than 1.12 million coronavirus cases, with Saudi Arabia holding the highest individual count at 364,096.Read more:UAE's Mohammed bin Rashid: Taking coronavirus vaccine every person's responsibility‘Lockdown babies’ replaced by ‘anti baby-boom‘ amid vaccination rollout: UAE doctorsUAE to test citizens, pregnant women, residents above 50 for free
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: UAE reports 3,362 new COVID-19 cases, total hits 239,587