Syria’s deputy foreign minister has urged the country’s Kurds to rejoin the government after the US appeared to abandon their main ally and endorse a Turkish offensive on their autonomous north-eastern region.
Faisal Mekdad said the Syrian Kurds should rejoin Damascus or be “plunged into the abyss” just hours after the Turkish military said it was prepared for an offensive.
Mr Mekdad's comments, published in the pro-government daily Al Watan on Tuesday, are the first since US President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to stand aside on Syria's north-eastern border with Turkey.
On Tuesday evening, Turkey’s Parliament voted to extend by another year a mandate that allows the government to order cross-border military offensives in Iraq and Syria.
In a show of hands, legislators approved the motion as Turkey said it was ready to carry out a new incursion into Syria.
Ankara has renewed the mandate every year since 2014. It allowed the country to battle Kurdish rebels, ISIS militants and other groups that Turkey considers terrorists in Iraq and Syria.
Mr Trump said he would meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on November 13.
The Syrian Kurds have reacted angrily to the US move and fear the Turkish offensive will undermine the hard-fought autonomy they gained since 2011 by battling ISIS in the territory they call Rojava.
Kurdish broadcaster Rudaw said an estimated 25,000 fighters were injured during fighting in northern Syria.
“Nobody fights for money, nobody submits his soul for money,” injured Syrian Democratic Forces fighter Goran Kobane told Rudaw.
Mr Kobane was responding to a tweet by Mr Trump that Kurdish troops had been paid “massive amounts of money” to fight ISIS.
Ankara considers the People's Protection Units (YPG) to be the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey.
But the YPG is the main element of the US-backed SDF, the internationally supported force that has carried out much of the fighting in the campaign to eradicate ISIS from Syria.
There are concerns that with the US withdrawing or moving forces to allow for the Turkish offensive, the SDF will be relocated from camps housing tens of thousands of ISIS fighters and supporters.
That risks leaving the already poorly controlled camps vulnerable to uprisings and escapes.
Without reversing his agreement with Mr Erdogan, Mr Trump on Monday tweeted that he would “obliterate” the Nato ally's economy if it took action that he considered off-limits against America's Kurdish allies.
Mr Trump appeared to back-pedal on Monday's statements, with two tweets declaring "in no way have we abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters".
After issuing another threat to Turkey to refrain from confronting the SDF, he said the US was still helping Kurdish forces with weapons and funding.
But on Tuesday, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said his country would not bow to threats.
“Where Turkey’s security is concerned, we determine our own path but we set our own limits,” Mr Oktay said.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that the UK was "deeply concerned" about a possible Turkish offensive.
Mr Trump earlier claimed that Britain was "thrilled" at the news that the US was standing aside.
On those comments, Mr Johnson's spokesman said US troop movements were a matter for Washington.
A short time later, UK Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Andrew Murrison repeated the UK's position.
"We have been consistently clear with Turkey that unilateral military action must be avoided as it would destabilise the region and threaten efforts to secure the lasting defeat of Daesh," Mr Murrison said.
The UK, like the US, has a small number of special forces in Syria to support the SDF against ISIS.
On Monday, US defence spokeswoman Carla Gleason said that Ankara was removed from the anti-ISIS coalition's air forces co-ordination system.
And a State Department official told CNN that the US controlled the airspace over north-eastern Syria.
However, it is unclear if this is a move to prevent Turkey from carrying out air strikes against SDF forces or just an attempt by Washington to distance itself from the impending offensive.
While Syrian state TV early on Tuesday aired overnight footage they said showed Turkish artillery strikes in the country’s north-east, Reuters quoted witnesses as saying there was no sign of military activity beginning.
American forces evacuated two observation posts in Tal Abyad and Ras Al Ain on Monday.
But officials played down Mr Trump's claims of a troop withdrawal.
They said only 50 special operation troops were being moved away from the area Turkey is looking to invade to other parts of Kurdish-controlled Syria.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How to wear a kandura
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
Don’ts
- 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
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Match info
UAE v Bolivia, Friday, 6.25pm, Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Andor
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
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