A man displays a newspaper article about the attack in Syria that killed eight people near the Iraq border.
A man displays a newspaper article about the attack in Syria that killed eight people near the Iraq border.

Syria appeals to UN over US raid



DAMASCUS // Syria protested to the UN Security Council over a deadly US helicopter raid on a village near the Iraqi border in a letter to the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, the state news agency Sana said today. "Syria draws attention to this aggressive act and expects the UN Security Council and member countries to assume their responsibility by preventing a repetition of this dangerous violation," the letter read. It called for the Security Council "to hold the aggressor responsible for the deaths of the innocent Syrian nationals". A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the raid by US forces inside Syria on Sunday was believed to have killed a major al Qa'eda operative who had helped smuggle foreign fighters into Iraq. The United States has refused officially to confirm or deny US involvement in the raid, in which residents and Syrian officials say US troops landed by helicopter and killed eight civilians. Syria denied yesterday that the raid had targeted an al Qa'eda operative."What they are saying is just unjustified. I deny it totally," said Walid al Moualem, the Syrian foreign minister. The Syrian cabinet decided yesterday to shut down a US school and a US cultural centre in Damascus, the Sana said. The US official said on Monday that the raid was aimed at Abu Ghadiya, a former lieutenant of Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the leader of al Qa'eda in Iraq who was killed in a US air strike in 2006. "What they are saying is not accurate," said Mr Moualem, who is on a visit to London. "Do you imagine that a man with his three children are terrorists?" he said, referring to one of the people Syria said was killed in the raid. He said the people killed were civilians, and repeated his accusation that the attack was a "terrorist act" by the United States. "This is a war crime attempt by the United States against Syria." Syria has said it will ask the United States and Iraq for an investigation into the raid. Asked if Syria planned any further diplomatic steps, Mr Moualem said: "We are awaiting their response. According to what we will receive, we will decide our options." Syria says four helicopters attacked the Al Sukkari farm in the Albou Kamal area in eastern Syria, close to the Iraqi border. Soldiers emerged after the helicopters landed and shot at civilians working on farms, including a father and his three children and a fisherman, Mr Moualem said. The Bush administration, which will leave office in January after the US presidential election on Tuesday, accuses Syria of not doing enough to stem the flow of al Qa'eda fighters and other insurgents into Iraq. On Monday, Mr Moualem had denounced Iraq's initial description of the raid as targeting insurgents across the border. Asked for his reaction to the latest Iraqi statement, Mr Moualem said: "I think they start to see the facts and are going in the right direction." Iraq's government denounced the US action yesterday in an unusual rebuke of Washington. "The Iraqi government rejects the US helicopter strike on Syrian territory, considering that Iraq's constitution does not allow its land to be a base for launching attacks on neighbouring countries," said Ali al Dabbagh, a government spokesman. Mr Dabbagh said the attack was against a border area used by insurgents to launch attacks against Iraq. Mr Dabbagh also urged Syria to stop groups using its territory "for training and sending terrorists for attacks on Iraq and its people". The Iraqi parliament also denounced the strike, saying it came at a time when relations between Baghdad and its neighbours were "progressing". Syria's first ambassador to Iraq in 26 years took up his post this month, marking the official end of more than two decades of icy relations. The UAE Foreign Ministry also condemned Sunday's attack. "The United Arab Emirates stresses that it is highly concerned over the consequences of this action on the regional peace since it is a violation of international legitimacy as well as the national sovereignty of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic", the Ministry said in a statement quoted by Wam, the national news agency. A Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman voiced "Egypt's concern following the military operation carried out by American forces on Syrian territory", in a statement carried by the official Mena news agency. "Egypt considers this operation to be a serious violation of Syria's sovereignty," the foreign ministry said. Egypt called for those concerned "to refrain from any activity or measure that could destabilise the region ... and respect the principles of good neighbourliness." * Agence France-Presse

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

The biog

Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah

Date of birth: 15 November, 1951

Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”

Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray 

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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

Pad Man

Dir: R Balki

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte

Three-and-a-half stars

Tour de France Stage 16:

165km run from Le Puy-en-Velay to Romans-sur-Isère

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4