A journalist wearing a protective face mask walks on the Galata bridge on the Bosphorus backdropped by New mosque during a curfew amid the ongoing pandemic of the Covid-19 disease caused by the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus in Istanbul, Turkey, 23 May 2020. EPA
A journalist wearing a protective face mask walks on the Galata bridge on the Bosphorus backdropped by New mosque during a curfew amid the ongoing pandemic of the Covid-19 disease caused by the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus in Istanbul, Turkey, 23 May 2020. EPA
A journalist wearing a protective face mask walks on the Galata bridge on the Bosphorus backdropped by New mosque during a curfew amid the ongoing pandemic of the Covid-19 disease caused by the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus in Istanbul, Turkey, 23 May 2020. EPA
A journalist wearing a protective face mask walks on the Galata bridge on the Bosphorus backdropped by New mosque during a curfew amid the ongoing pandemic of the Covid-19 disease caused by the Sars-C

Turkey detains two opposition journalists in probe on 'political and military espionage'


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Turkish police detained two opposition journalists as part of an investigation into "political and military espionage", the official Anadolu news agency reported on Monday.

Details of the detentions were not immediately clear, but other media reported they may be linked to reporting about Turkey's involvement in conflicts in Libya and Syria.

Ismail Dukel from Tele1 TV Ankara and Muyesser Yildiz, news coordinator at OdaTV online news site, were taken into custody on Monday and are being questioned by the anti-terror police in Ankara, Anadolu said.

Telel editor-in-chief Merdan Yanardag confirmed the detentions on his Twitter account and said they were aimed at giving an "ultimatum to independent media".

"We are at the top of our jobs. We will not remain silent and we will not bow," he said.

Anadolu did not elaborate on the detentions, saying only they were for "political and military espionage".

Pro-government Sabah newspaper reported that the journalists were accused of leaking information about Turkey's war plans in Libya and Syria.

It said Yildiz held "critical phone talks" with a military personnel - identified as EB - about Turkey's military units in Libya, adding that the E.B. was also detained in Istanbul in connection with the same dossier on Monday.

Turkey backs rebels looking to oust President Bashar Al Assad in Syria and has carried out three military incursions against the Islamic State and Syrian Kurdish militia forces deemed as terror group by Ankara.

In Libya, Turkey supports the UN-recognised government in Tripoli which has recently made gains against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The latest journalist detentions are not the first in connection with reporting on Turkey's military activities.

In March, Turkish authorities arrested OdaTV news editor Baris Terkoglu, reporter Hulya Kilinc and editor-in-chief Baris Pehlivanoglu on suspicion of disclosing the identity of a Turkish intelligence agency official.

The story also said that the officer was killed in Libya in February.

Turkey ranks 154 out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders' 2020 World Press Freedom index.

According to the P24 press freedom group, there are 103 journalists behind bars in Turkey, many arrested in a crackdown after a coup attempt in 2016.

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The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate 

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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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Price: From Dh590,000

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

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
Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019