Lebanon’s spymaster, Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim, has tested positive for Covid-19 after his visit to Washington, which ended on Sunday, Lebanese authorities said.
Lebanon’s General Security made the announcement on Monday evening local time.
Mr Ibrahim is in quarantine in Boston and reports being asymptomatic, The National has learnt. His trip to Boston was scheduled for work meetings.
A planned trip to Paris for meetings with French officials has been postponed while he isolates himself.
In Washington, he met CIA director Gina Haspel, National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, who had Covid-19 last month, and undersecretary of state David Hale.
Senior US officials who met with Mr Ibrahim are self-isolating, Politico reported. CIA Director Gina Haspel has continued to test negative, according to Bloomberg.
The Foley Foundation also hosted a dinner for Gen Ibrahim on Saturday. He was in Washington on a four-day visit to meet officials from the White House, State Department and the CIA.
Gen Ibrahim leads Lebanon’s most powerful security service after the military, and has a reputation as a savvy negotiator who has helped to secure the release of US residents and nationals.
He has also brokered deals with extremists such as ISIS and militant Palestinian factions to end bouts of fighting in Lebanon.
Despite his close relationship with Hezbollah, Gen Ibrahim received a warm welcome from the Trump administration.
He is looking to young but growing relations with the US for sharing intelligence.
Gen Ibrahim was involved last year in securing the release of US citizen Sam Goodwin from Syria, and of US permanent resident Nizar Zakka from prison in Iran.
Austin Tice, an American journalist kidnapped in Syria in 2012 and believed to be in the custody of Damascus, is a top priority for the Trump administration.
In March, US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad urging him to release Mr Tice.
Gen Ibrahim is regarded as a key mediator in the Tice case and was known to be in Damascus in May, where he said he was discussing cross-border security and smuggling.
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
Brief scoreline:
Tottenham 1
Son 78'
Manchester City 0
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
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Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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