Syrian security forces were sent to villages on the outskirts of Sweida on Saturday as sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters continued despite a ceasefire announced earlier in the day.
Fighting persisted in the Druze-majority city of Sweida on Saturday afternoon, with video showing plumes of black smoke rising over the city amid heavy gunfire and shelling.
There were no immediate reports of casualties from the renewed violence.
A witness described the situation in Sweida as “catastrophic, with homes burnt, bodies in the streets, and Bedouin fighters roaming on scooters. The witness told The National that tribal fighters had entered the centre of the city on Saturday, following days of clashes on its outskirts.
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara said the clashes in the Druze heartland of Sweida over the past week constituted a “dangerous turning point” that was worsened by Israeli intervention.
In his first address since a ceasefire was announced, Mr Al Shara said the violent clashes were “about to spiral out of control” had it not been for the intervention of Syrian forces.
“The recent events witnessed in Sweida have marked a dangerous turning point,” the Syrian leader said after his seven-month rule witnessed several waves of bloody sectarian fighting.
Days of violence in Sweida were marked by widespread reports of assaults, especially against the Druze community.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it received “distress calls” from residents who were facing “severe shortages of food, clean water, electricity and medical care”.
“The humanitarian situation in Sweida is critical,” said Stephane Sakalian, head of the ICRC delegation in Syria.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has said it is “deeply alarmed” by the violence in Sweida, quoting reports from local residents of “killings, abductions, burning of properties and looting, as well as an increase in incitement and hate speech online and in person”.
A spokesperson for the interior ministry said on Saturday that “the kidnapped and detainees will be released from Sweida in co-ordination with local forces and government officials”.
Sectarian clashes in Syria’s Sweida province began last week as tit-for-tat attacks between Bedouin tribal factions and Druze fighters.
The violence quickly escalated into indiscriminate bloodshed, drawing in government forces, which were accused of widespread violations against the Druze community, and Israel, which launched a series of strikes in southern Syria and on Damascus.
Israeli intervention
On Wednesday, Israel attacked the Ministry of Defence and the presidential palace, in what it claimed was an effort to “defend” the Druze community. But diplomats and analysts said its goal is to weaken the new Syrian authorities
“The Israeli intervention has renewed tensions and pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatens its stability as a result of the blatant bombing of the south and government institutions in Damascus,” Mr Al Shara said, shortly after his office announced an “immediate ceasefire” in the southern province.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that dozens of Israeli citizens crossed the border with Syria into Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the occupied Golan Heights.
It said the Israeli citizens used violence against Israeli forces trying to disperse a gathering in the area overnight.
Early on Saturday, US envoy to Damascus Tom Barrack announced a ceasefire between Israel and Syria. He also called on the Druze and Bedouin factions to put their weapons down.
Mr Barrack met Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Saturday in Ankara to discuss the situation in Syria, including efforts to consolidate the ceasefire in Sweida.
Mr Safadi condemned Israeli strikes on Syria as “violations of international law”, and warned they threaten Syria’s stability and civilian safety.
Mr Al Shara thanked the US for its support and for “affirming its stance alongside Syria in these difficult circumstances”.
He also vowed to protect minorities in the country. “The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country … We condemn all crimes committed” in Sweida, he said.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Saturday dismissed his renewed pledge to protect minorities after deadly sectarian clashes, saying it was “very dangerous” to be a minority in the country.
The international community had “a duty to ensure the security and rights of the minorities in Syria and to condition Syria's renewed acceptance into the family of nations on their protection”, he added.
Bloody week
While the Syrian government announced an end to its military offensive in Sweida on Wednesday, sectarian violence erupted again on Thursday evening as Bedouin clashed with Druze militia in the south-western region.
Clashes broke again when Druze fighters launched retaliatory attacks on Bedouin communities, according to Syria's National news agency, Sana.
On Friday, Bedouin fighters took control of Mazraa, a Druze-majority town on the city’s outskirts, torching homes and leaving behind graffiti accusing the Druze of being “collaborators”.
Many described harrowing scenes as they ventured back into the streets after days of confinement amid indiscriminate shelling.
The UN's migration agency said on Friday that nearly 80,000 people had been displaced by sectarian violence.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, at least 718 people have been killed in Sweida in about a week of violence.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The five pillars of Islam
SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
SQUADS
UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
'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.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
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
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
