Kurdish militias have ceded a significant degree of control over two strategic areas in Syria under a deal with the new regime to join the post-Bashar Al Assad order, sources said on Sunday, in a development that strengthens the fledging central authorities, but major issues remain unresolved between the two sides.
Syria's President Ahmad Al Shara and the country's most powerful Kurdish figure, militia chief Mazloum Abdi, signed an agreement on March 10 to end hostilities in Aleppo and the resource-rich eastern part of the country, and bring the two areas under the control of the new authorities. Mr Abdi heads the US-backed, mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, which played a main role in the American-led fight against ISIS.
In Aleppo, government forces started joint patrols on Sunday with SDF units in Sheikh Maqsoud, the main Kurdish neighbourhood of the city, the official Syrian news agency said. An SDF component, called the People's Protection Units, began a partial withdrawal from the neighbourhood towards eastern Syria this month.
Sheikh Maqsoud lies on a hill that overlooks the main road to Turkey. The joint patrols aim at "strengthening security in the area", the agency reported.
On the edge of Aleppo governorate, government forces on Saturday took control of the Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates river, which had been in SDF hands for a decade. Attacks in the first two month this year by the Syrian National Army, a Turkish backed militia allied with Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), failed to dislodge the Kurdish fighters from the dam.
An official in the SDF told The National that US forces were briefly at the dam on Saturday to ensure implementation of the deal, reached after talks between US and Turkish officials in Ankara. The Syrian technicians running the dam will remain but will be augmented by new staff from Damascus. The Syrian National Army has also withdrawn from the vicinity of the dam under the agreement, the official said.
Kurdish issue
The Kurdish issue has emerged as one of the most complex in the country since HTS, an armed group formerly affiliated with Al Qaeda, led the rebel offensive that toppled Mr Al Assad and installed the new government in Damascus. HTS is ideologically opposed to the secular SDF, which had given up its project for a separate canton in Syria but is still hoping for some autonomy for Kurdish areas of the country.
Asked about the wider deal between Mr Al Shara and Mr Abdi, the official said joint committees have been meeting to resolve thorny issues. Among them are SDF integration in the new army being set up by HTS, securing the east against ISIS and composition of local government that would replace the SDF-dominated administration. "None of these issues have been decided," he said.
Unlike the autonomous Kurdish zone in northern Iraq, which is overwhelmingly populated by Kurds, Aleppo and eastern Syria are mixed between Arabs and Kurds. Kurdish people constituted 10 per cent of Syria's population in 2010, the last year before the revolt against Al Assad family rule.
Kurdish militia predecessors of the SDF helped the former regime crush the peaceful protests that comprised the initial phase of the revolt. They also helped it capture rebel areas of the country in the subsequent civil war.
An alliance with the US helped Mr Abdi acquire much territory in the east, inside Aleppo and in its countryside. But these territorial gains have been diminishing since the fall of Mr Al Assad, with a large number of Arab fighters in the SDF deserting the group and joining Turkish-backed forces. However, the SDF still controls major territory in the east, near the border with Turkey, which account for most of Syria's oil and commodities production.
Turkey regards the SDF as a major security threat because of the group's links with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which launched attacks on Turkey from Syria in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2011, the PKK started returning to Syria from its base in northern Iraq.
"Shara, Turkey, America and us want to solve the issue of the east peacefully," the SDF official said. "It is all now with the committees."
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
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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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERobert%20Lorenz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Liam%20Neeson%2C%20Kerry%20Condon%2C%20Jack%20Gleeson%2C%20Ciaran%20Hinds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
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The%20US%20Congress%20explained
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')
Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')
Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
