Middle East braces for Syria chaos as shock rebel offensive continues


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Countries across the Middle East scrambled to contain the fallout from a shock offensive in Syria by opposition forces who have launched an offensive in Aleppo.

Rebels cut off a motorway and threatened to topple the government of President Bashar Al Assad, as reports emerge that state forces continue to crumble. The campaign was launched by forces led by Hayat Tahrir, an Islamist group and major player in Syria’s civil war.

The Syrian military retreated from areas of Aleppo on Friday, in what the army called a “redeployment operation” but claimed it was pushing rebel forces from the area, as well as in Hama countryside on Sunday.

As news of the fighting emerged, Mr Al Assad vowed that Syria would continue to “defend its stability and territorial integrity”, state news agency Sana reported. The quick advance by the rebels nonetheless calls into question the stability of the regime, particularly during a time in which allies crucial to Mr Al Assad's survival in recent years are stretched across the region and further afield.

Anti-government fighters gather in front of the Kuweires military airfield and academy in the eastern part of Aleppo province on December 1. AFP
Anti-government fighters gather in front of the Kuweires military airfield and academy in the eastern part of Aleppo province on December 1. AFP

Regional governments braced themselves for a new round of violent instability in Syria, where Mr Assad, despite continuing fighting and strife more than a decade after the Syrian uprising in 2011, appeared to be regaining his grip on the country.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Damascus on Sunday, a day after an attack on the country’s consulate in Aleppo and Iranian reports that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general was killed in the fighting.

Both countries are staunch allies and Iranian forces and proxies have been vital to propping up his government. The Syrian government regained much of the country in 2015 and all of Aleppo in 2016, with the pivotal help of Iran and its proxies, as well as Russian forces.

“The Syrian army will once again win over these terrorist groups as in the past,” Mr Araghchi said, calling the rebel campaign a US-Israeli plot.

The US said on Saturday that it had no role in the fighting, calling Hayat Tahrir a “designated terrorist organisation”. NSC spokesman Sean Savet nonetheless added that Mr Assad's “reliance on Russia and Iran, created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in north-west Syria”.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was following updates closely and that it would defend its interests.

Israeli officials were closely monitoring developments, Israeli outlet Haaretz reported, with one official telling the paper that Israel viewed the fighting as a short-term boost to a recent ceasefire it struck with Lebanon to end fighting with Hezbollah.

Syria's President Bashar Al Assad at Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Gaza in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. SPA
Syria's President Bashar Al Assad at Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Gaza in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. SPA

The official added that the Lebanese militant group could be distracted by the events, but that a potential danger for Israel lies in the possibility that Iran would bring large numbers of forces into Syria and that chaos in the country could see terror groups gain a stronghold on Israel’s border.

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the situation. The readout of a different call between Mr Lavrov and Mr Araghchi said “strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic was reaffirmed”. Reuters also reported that Russia promised Damascus more military aid to fight rebels.

President Sheikh Mohamed held a phone call on Saturday with Mr Assad and emphasised the UAE's solidarity with Syria and its support in combating terrorism and extremism. He reaffirmed the UAE's stance supporting all efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Syrian crisis.

Mr Assad returned to the Arab fold two years ago after about a decade of isolation in the aftermath of the start of the civil war in 2011.

The office of Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said he discussed the developments with Mr Assad on Saturday, “emphasising that Syria’s security and stability are directly linked to Iraq’s national security”.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security and military officials have said that Iraqi security forces are on high alert at the borders with Syria, assuring that fortifications are enough to stop any attempts to attack or cross to Iraq. “Securing of the Iraqi borders [with Syria] is one of our priorities,” Maj Gen Yahya Rasool, Mr Al Sudani's military spokesman said.

He added that Iraqi forces are deployed deep inside the country to carry out “continuous surveillance operations” and that attacks on Iraqi borders will be met with a “firm and strong response.

Iraq stepped up efforts in recent years to secure its borders after ISIS took over about a third of Syria and 40 per cent of Iraq in 2014. Iraq, whose border with Syria is more than 600 kilometres long, has built a wall and dug a trench in some areas, which has been fortified with an integrated monitoring system, which includes fences, a concrete wall and 24-hour thermal surveillance cameras.

Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi said that his country backed Syria’s “territorial integrity” and that violence was a “cause of concern”.

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: CVT auto

Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km

On sale: now

Price: from Dh195,000 

Another way to earn air miles

In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.

An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.

“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.

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Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

Hydrogen: Market potential

Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.

"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.

Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.

The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.

Fresh faces in UAE side

Khalifa Mubarak (24) An accomplished centre-back, the Al Nasr defender’s progress has been hampered in the past by injury. With not many options in central defence, he would bolster what can be a problem area.

Ali Salmeen (22) Has been superb at the heart of Al Wasl’s midfield these past two seasons, with the Dubai club flourishing under manager Rodolfo Arrubarrena. Would add workrate and composure to the centre of the park.

Mohammed Jamal (23) Enjoyed a stellar 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League campaign, proving integral to Al Jazira as the capital club sealed the championship for only a second time. A tenacious and disciplined central midfielder.

Khalfan Mubarak (22) One of the most exciting players in the UAE, the Al Jazira playmaker has been likened in style to Omar Abdulrahman. Has minimal international experience already, but there should be much more to come.

Jassim Yaqoub (20) Another incredibly exciting prospect, the Al Nasr winger is becoming a regular contributor at club level. Pacey, direct and with an eye for goal, he would provide the team’s attack an extra dimension.

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UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

World Sevens Series standing after Dubai

1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia

Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings

1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points

2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45

9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35

10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26

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Donating your hair

    •    Your hair should be least 30 cms long, as some of the hair is lost during manufacturing of the wigs.
    •    Clean, dry hair in good condition (no split ends) from any gender, and of any natural colour, is required.
    •    Straight, wavy, curly, permed or chemically straightened is permitted.
    •    Dyed hair must be of a natural colour
 

 

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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
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Updated: December 02, 2024, 10:28 AM`