Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad. EPA
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad. EPA
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad. EPA
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad. EPA

Syria wants Arab League readmission taken off summit agenda


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Arab League members should not discuss Syria's readmission into the 22-nation organisation at the group's summit in November, the country's foreign minister has told his Algerian counterpart.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad spoke to Ramtane Lamamra by phone ahead of the Arab League summit to be held in Algiers. Syria‘s Arab League membership was suspended after the start of its civil war in 2011.

“Syria’s top diplomat said his country prefers that the question of it reclaiming its Arab League seat during the Algiers summit not be tabled for the sake of Arab unity given the challenges posed by current regional and international conditions,” Mr Lamamra's office said.

The Algiers summit is due to start on November 1 and to last for two days. Relations between the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and many other Arab nations have improved after years of tension over Damascus’s perceived heavy-handed tactics against its foes in the war.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad at a news conference in Moscow on August 23. EPA
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad at a news conference in Moscow on August 23. EPA

Syria was suspended from the Arab League in November 2011, eight months after anti-government protests erupted. The decision to suspend its membership was meant to punish Mr Assad’s regime for failing to end the bloodshed caused by its brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Syria’s civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced half the country’s population and left large swathes of the country destroyed.

However, there have been calls from several Arab nations, including regional heavyweight Egypt, for Syria to be readmitted into the Arab League as the government has regained control over most of the country, thanks to military assistance from allies Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

“Syria’s return to the Arab League as a stable and active state will be vital for maintaining Arab national security,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said last year.

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Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

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Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

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Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

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Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia on October 10

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Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.

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Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai

Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China

Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs

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Monday, Sept 30

Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)

Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)

MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10

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Uefa Nations League A Group 4

England 2 (Lingard 78', Kane 85')
Croatia 1 (Kramaric 57')

Man of the match: Harry Kane (England)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

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  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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While you're here
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Updated: September 05, 2022, 4:47 PM