A rebel fighter takes a picture of a downed Russian Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in Syria's north-west province of Idlib on February 3, 2018. Russia and a war monitor said the pilot ehjected and was killed fighting with rebels.Omar Haj Kadour / AFP
A rebel fighter takes a picture of a downed Russian Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in Syria's north-west province of Idlib on February 3, 2018. Russia and a war monitor said the pilot ehjected and was killed fShow more

Syria rebels kill Russian pilot after downing fighter jet



A Russian pilot was killed on Saturday after his warplane went down over Syria's north-west province of Idlib and he clashed with Islamist fighters on the ground, Russia's defence ministry and a monitor said.

"The pilot was killed as he fought Islamist rebels who had shot down his plane and were taking him captive," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdel Rahman.

According to the British-based monitor, the Sukhoi 25 was shot down over the town of Maasran in Idlib and the pilot parachuted down.

He then clashed with rebels and was killed.

Mr Abdel Rahman could not immediately confirm which hardline factions were involved, but said Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, led by a former Al Qaeda affiliate known as Al Nusra Front, was active in the area.

Russia's army also confirmed the pilot's death, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility from rebel factions in Syria.

"The pilot had enough time to announce he had ejected into the zone, under the control of Al Nusra Front fighters," the defence ministry said.

"The pilot was killed in fighting against terrorists."

Troops loyal to Syrian president Bashar Al Assad launched a fierce offensive on Idlib in late December, with backing from Russian warplanes.

"There have been dozens of Russian air strikes in the area over the past 24 hours. This plane was also carrying out raids there," said Mr Abdel Rahman.

Opposition factions have shot Syrian regime planes in the past, but downing Russian warplanes is much rarer.

In August 2016, a Russian military helicopter was shot down over Syria and all five people on board were killed.

Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015.

Two months later, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane that it said had entered its airspace near the Syrian border, leading to the worst crisis in ties between the two countries since the end of the Cold War.

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In Dubai

Pakistan 418-5 (declared)
New Zealand 90 and 131-2 (follow on)

Day 3: New Zealand trail by 197 runs with 8 wickets remaining

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6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir

MATCH INFO

Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)

Charles 57, Amla 47

Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)

Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9

Bangla Tiger win by five wickets

Result

Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2

Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:

Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Game is on BeIN Sports

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Russia v Scotland, Thursday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: Match on BeIN Sports 

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Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka

Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies

Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE

UAE fixtures

Saturday, January 18, v Canada

Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan

Saturday, January 25, v South Africa

UAE squad

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TOURNAMENT INFO

Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5

8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers

Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends

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Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.

TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.

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  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
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Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

UAE cricketers abroad

Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.

Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.

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MATCH INFO

Day 2 at Mount Maunganui

England 353

Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88

New Zealand 144-4

Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28

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Company profile

Company: Rent Your Wardrobe 

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UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

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