The coming days could prove crucial in determining the outcome of the six-year Syrian war, as three separate summits put pressure on both the opposition and president Bashar Al Assad to end the conflict.
On Wednesday, the presidents of Turkey, which backs rebel groups, and Assad allies Iran and Russia will meet in the Russian city of Sochi to discuss reducing violence and boosting the delivery of aid.
On the same day, groups opposed to Mr Al Assad meet in the Saudi capital for three days for talks aimed at reinvigorating the weak and fractured opposition and forming a negotiations team to represent it at UN peace talks in Geneva the following Tuesday.
Few have hopes the Geneva peace talks will result in a breakthrough, however, with seven previous sessions between the Syrian regime and the opposition failing to overcome the main obstacle: the fate of Mr Al Assad.
Haid Haid, a consulting research fellow at the London based think tank, Chatham House, said: "The opposition, and some other international actors, view the Sochi summit as a Russian attempt to sideline the Geneva talks, which will only be beneficial for the regime," he said
Sochi summit
On Sunday, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with his Russian and Iranian counterparts in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya to prepare for the Sochi summit.
Mr Lavrov called the meeting "very productive" and said the three men had agreed on "all the main issues".
The Sochi summit, hosted by Mr Putin, is considered to be a highly symbolic meeting of an emerging three-country geopolitical bloc — Russia, Iran and Turkey — that already has significant influence over Syria and the Middle East.
Top of the summit's agenda is reducing violence in Syria and ensuring that humanitarian aid are delivered to those in need.
'"According to previous leaks, the talks will likely be discussing a lighter version of the 2254 resolution, ie: local elections, new constitution but without a political transition," Mr Haid said.
UN Security Council resolution 2254 was adopted in December 2015 and outlines a road map for a peace process in Syria, while setting a timetable for talks between government and opposition members. It also sees an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people as the only sustainable solution to the current crisis in Syria.
Moscow, which has a military advantage in Syria, wants to focus on forming a solution with the other regional guarantors, Iran and Turkey, while avoiding the UN's peace efforts.
Mr Putin will be eager for the Sochi summit to succeed with a deal signed off ahead of the Russian new year in January and elections in March.
Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan have met five times already this year and spoken by telephone 13 times. They last met in Sochi on November 13, and agreed on the need to boost efforts for a lasting settlement in Syria.
Although Turkey has supported rebels looking to overthrow Mr Al Assad’s government, it has increasingly refrained from criticising the Syrian regime.
Riyadh meeting
Ahead of the Geneva talks, meanwhile, Riyadh will host the High Negotiations Committee — the main umbrella group representing Syrian opposition groups — along with other opposition figures.
The talks aim “to bring its [the opposition] parties and platforms closer together and unite its negotiating delegation to resume direct negotiations in Geneva under the auspices of the UN”, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
The High Negotiations Committee was formed in Saudi Arabia in 2015 to replace the Syrian National Coalition, which preceded it as the internationally-recognised representative of the Syrian opposition.
The talks come as the head of the umbrella group that represented the opposition at the previous rounds of talks, Riyah Hijab, stepped down on Monday.
Mr Hijab tweeted that he had been "forced to announce his resignation but wished the committee further achievements". He was a former Syrian prime minister under Mr Al Assad.
A number of other political opposition groups and figures backed by other countries including Russia and Egypt also exist and will be taking part in the talks.
Saudi Arabia, a leading backer of Syrian rebels, supports an international agreement on the future of Syria but maintains that Mr Al Assad should have no role in any transition to bring the war there to an end.
Astana talks
Moscow, Tehran and Ankara are sponsoring the Astana peace talks, named after the Kazakh capital where they are held. The talks have had some success in creating "de-escalation" zones in key areas of Syria.
The three countries brokered a ceasefire in Syria in December 2016, which led to the talks in Astana. The talks are being held in parallel to UN-backed discussions in Geneva to find a political solution to the conflict.
Earlier this month, Mr Putin and Donald Trump met on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam and agreed that "only a political solution will do for Syria, rather than a military one".
While Russia has backed Syrian government forces in the war, the United States has backed rebel groups. The two leaders also called for elections in Syria, without specifying whether they should be presidential or parliamentary.
European leaders along with Mr Trump have all called for Mr Al Assad to step down since the beginning of the country's civil war.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
SHAITTAN
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
Results
2.30pm: Dubai Creek Tower – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Marmara Xm, Gary Sanchez (jockey), Abdelkhir Adam (trainer)
3pm: Al Yasmeen – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: AS Hajez, Jesus Rosales, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.30pm: Al Ferdous – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Soukainah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
4pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah – Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: AF Thayer, Ray Dawson, Ernst Oertel
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: George Villiers, Antonio Fresu, Bhupat Seemar
5pm: Palma Spring – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Es Abu Mousa, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
THE%20SWIMMERS
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RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E9pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Dirt)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Mubhir%20Al%20Ain%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%20(jockey)%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%20(trainer)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%3A%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Exciting%20Days%2C%20Oscar%20Chavez%2C%20Doug%20Watson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10pm%3A%20Al%20Ain%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Prestige%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Suny%20Du%20Loup%2C%20Marcelino%20Rodrigues%2C%20Hamad%20Al%20Marar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10.30pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C800m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Jafar%20Des%20Arnets%2C%20Oscar%20Chavez%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Taj%20Al%20Izz%2C%20Richard%20Mullen%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al%20Hadhrami%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11.30pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Majdy%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Jean%20de%20Roualle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E12am%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Hamloola%2C%20Sam%20Hitchcott%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Ketbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Cheeseburger%20ingredients
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'Nope'
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Understand What Black Is
The Last Poets
(Studio Rockers)
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
