MURSITPINAR, Turkey // US-led coalition jets pounded suspected ISIL targets at least six times in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani yesterday after the fiercest shelling in days by the insurgents shook the town’s centre and hit border areas within Turkey.
Shelling continued after the strikes hit the centre of Kobani and several mortars fell inside Turkey near the border gate, called Mursitpinar, according to witnesses.
ISIL militants have battled Kurdish fighters for a month to take control of Kobani and consolidate a 95km stretch of land they control along the Turkish border, but stepped-up airstrikes in recent days have helped Kurds fend off the advance.
The coalition has been bombing ISIL targets in Iraq since August and extended the campaign to Syria last month after the militant group, which espouses a rigid interpretation of Islam and initially focused on fighting Syrian president Bashar Al Assad’s forces, made huge territorial gains.
Nato member Turkey is a somewhat reluctant member of the coalition, insisting it must also confront Mr Al Assad to end a civil war that has killed about 200,000 civilians since March 2011.
Yesterday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said US-led forces bombing ISIL in Syria killed 10 civilians in two separate airstrikes.
But US central command said there was no evidence to back up the report. Its forces use mitigation measures to reduce the potential for civilian casualties, a spokesman said.
In Kobani, a commander for the YPG, the Syrian Kurdish militia defending Kobani, who would only give her code name Dicle, said ISIL’s renewed attacks were aimed at severing the town’s last link with Turkey.
“They want to cut off Kobani’s connection with the rest of the world,” she said by telephone. “Turkey is not allowing in fighters or weapons, but they send aid at Mursitpinar. [ISIL] wants to destroy this gate so that we will be completely trapped here.”
Turkey has refused to rearm beleaguered Kurdish fighters, who complain they are at a huge disadvantage in the face of ISIL’s weaponry, many of it seized from the Iraqi military when it took the city of Mosul in June.
Turkey views the YPG with suspicion for its long-standing links with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a 30-year armed campaign for self-rule in Turkey.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this month the PKK was no better than ISIL in his view.
This stance sparked outrage among Turkey’s own Kurds, who make up about 20 per cent of the population. Riots in several cities earlier this month killed more than 35 people.
The Observatory said ISIL had launched at least 21 mortar attacks yesterday close to the border.
Abdulrahman Gok, a journalist in Kobani, said that the fighting was the worst in two days.
“In the past hour, the shelling has intensified. They are firing almost one every two minutes,” he said.
Gok noted that the insurgents were aiming at the east side of town towards the Mursitpinar gate.
A cloud of black smoke towered over the centre of Kobani following the latest airstrike as the roar of fighter jets could be heard from a blue sky. Gunfire popped in the west and centre of town.
Elsewhere in Syria, government forces shelled neighbourhoods in Damascus, the southern province of Deraa and the central province of Homs, opposition activists said.
Army helicopters were dropping improvised barrel bombs on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, in north-west Idlib province, which also borders Turkey, they said.
ISIL supporters circulated what they said was a nine-second video clip of a fighter jet being flown by ISIL militants.
The Observatory reported that Iraqi pilots who have joined ISIL in Syria were training members of the group to fly in three captured fighter jets over the captured Al Jarrah military airport east of Aleppo.
US central command said on Friday that it was not aware of ISIL flying jets in Syria.
Amid the escalated fighting, Turkish lorries could be seen carrying about two dozen Kurdish refugees away from the border.
Several hundred people are still sheltering in a minefield to the west of Kobani to stay with their vehicles and farm animals, which are not allowed in Turkey.
Turkey hosts about 1.5 million Syrian refugees, including almost 200,000 Syrian Kurds from Kobani.
In Britain, the families of two aid workers killed by ISIL in Syria yesterday urged people of all faiths to unite against the militants’ “hateful acts”.
In a letter published in The Guardian newspaper, Barbara Henning and Michael Haines urged everyone “to find a single act of unity – one simple gesture, one act, one moment – that draws people together”.
They said that “we will not allow the actions of a few people to undermine the unity of people of all faiths in our society. Together we have the power to defeat the most hateful acts”.
Barbara Henning’s husband Alan and Michael Haines brother David were two of the western hostages beheaded on ISIL propaganda videos.
* Reuters
England v South Africa Test series:
First Test: at Lord's, England won by 211 runs
Second Test: at Trent Bridge, South Africa won by 340 runs
Third Test: at The Oval, July 27-31
Fourth Test: at Old Trafford, August 4-8
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
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Company%20Profile
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
FIGHT%20CARD
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
2011 Novak Djokovic
2012 Novak Djokovic
2013 Rafael Nadal
2014 Novak Djokovic
2015 Novak Djokovic
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
Tips%20for%20travelling%20while%20needing%20dialysis
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EInform%20your%20doctor%20about%20your%20plans.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAsk%20about%20your%20treatment%20so%20you%20know%20how%20it%20works.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPay%20attention%20to%20your%20health%20if%20you%20travel%20to%20a%20hot%20destination.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPlan%20your%20trip%20well.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
