Barely had a moment passed since millions in Idlib breathed a sigh of relief before the latest disaster in Syria's war struck. Regime air defences yesterday shot down a Russian plane, reportedly mistaking it for an Israeli jet and killing 15 on board. Although Russia blamed Israel, the Syrian regime downing an aircraft belonging to its closest ally is, in many ways, the perfect encapsulation of how tangled the Syrian war has become. It was reminiscent of the day in November 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane, which, like numerous other potentially cataclysmic moments in this seven-year conflict, was eventually trumped by a series of fresh calamities.
The world's media, meanwhile, has reacted to news out of Sochi on Monday after a deal was reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to create a demilitarised zone in Idlib, in order to separate regime troops from rebel forces.
It might offer a temporary reprieve for residents of Idlib, who have been deserted by the world, bombarded with Russian and regime bombs and exploited by myriad rebel groups.
When the demilitarised zone comes into effect, Idlib’s residents might be spared the worst of the regime’s arsenal.
It also allows Ankara to negotiate with rebel groups and keep millions of refugees away from its borders. And it cements Moscow’s power over the regime of President Bashar Al Assad, guaranteeing that Russia retains its strategic military bases in Syria.
But while a humanitarian catastrophe has been temporarily averted, the Sochi deal has added yet another level of complexity. And so too has the accidental downing of the Russian plane.
Quite apart from its dreadful humanitarian consequences, the continued militarisation of the situation in Syria is a geopolitical and strategic quagmire of epic proportions.
As defenceless Syrian civilians watch on, world powers are carving up the country to no one’s benefit but their own.
Although millions have been killed and displaced, Syria is just one part of Turkish and Russian foreign policy. Meanwhile Syria’s sovereignty lies in tatters, as its lack of representation at the Sochi meeting illustrated.
It is time to draw a line and demand a concerted effort to untangle the web of interests, armies and factions that have exacerbated this brutal war at every turn.
Yet since international powers, including the US, have reverted to purely tokenistic gestures in Syria, only Russia, Turkey and Iran have retained any leverage.
All must understand that keeping Mr Al Assad in power will not improve Syria’s turmoil. Nor will a bilateral deal between two of the conflict’s pre-eminent belligerents.
Following the meeting, Mr Putin ironically declared it “will help peace to return to Syrian soil”. Although an imminent assault has been averted, today is still a tragic day for the Syrian people, who have fallen victim once again to the callous scheming of self-interested third parties.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
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The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
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'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
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Power: 905hp
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
