Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party elected two new leaders on Sunday, one of whom will replace its charismatic jailed co-chief Selahattin Demirtas, ahead of elections next year.
Mr Demirtas, the best-known face of the left-wing Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), has been behind bars since November 2016, detained on terrorism charges, and faces a possible 142-year prison sentence. In January, he appeared before an Istanbul court on separate charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Party delegates elected Former MP Sezai Temelli, 54, to replace Mr Demirtas while Pervin Buldan, 50, was elected co-chair.
Ms Buldan, a serving MP and deputy parliament speaker, replaces Serpil Kemalbay, who herself took over from another incarcerated former leader, Figen Yuksekdag.
The party says it always has a woman and man in leadership positions in the interests of equality.
There was heavy security at the congress in Ankara where the venue was filled with several thousand HDP supporters waving the party's symbol of a tree.
The new leaders take over a party isolated in parliament where many of its beliefs will likely clash with Mr Erdogan.
The HDP has regularly accused the president of "authoritarianism", many of its MPs and members have been detained, and it opposes Turkey's current offensive against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria.
The HDP has described the operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG) as an "invasion" that targets Kurds "as a people", but Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has for decades fought the Turkish state.
The YPG militia was the principal ally of the US in the fight against ISIL in Syria.
Mr Temelli and Ms Buldan will attempt to lead the party to a fresh start ahead of general and presidential elections in November 2019, aware they are operating in an increasingly restrictive political climate.
On Thursday, MEPs in the European parliament criticised the "deterioration of freedoms and fundamental rights and the rule of law in Turkey".
It called on Ankara to scrap emergency powers brought in after the failed coup in July 2016, which members said were being used to stifle "legitimate and peaceful opposition" and a free press.
Since the attempted coup, more than 140,000 people have been suspended or sacked over alleged links to coup-plotters.
More than 160 media outlets have also been closed.
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Read more:
Erdogan says 'no step back' in operation against Kurds in Syria
Turkish special forces and allied militias capture villages in Kurdish enclave
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Mr Demirtas, known by some as the "Kurdish Obama" came to prominence after leading the HDP into parliament for the first time in June 2015.
Analysts say his success was because he appealed to voters outside the Kurdish minority including non-Kurdish leftists and liberals.
But Mr Demirtas and Ms Yuksekdag were among a dozen HDP MPs detained in November 2016 as part of a clampdown that followed the attempted coup. Nine HDP politicians remain in jail.
Ms Yuksekdag was stripped of her politician status in February 2017 and stepped down as co-leader in May last year.
Last month, Mr Demirtas, 44, said he would step down from his post, fearing he would likely remain imprisoned.
"Even if Mr Demirtas … is or isn't the co-leader, he is an important figure in political life and he will continue to be involved in politics under any condition," said HDP's spokesman Ayhan Bilgen.
Mr Demirtas faces multiple legal cases including accusations that he has links to the PKK, which is also blacklisted as a terrorist group by Ankara's western allies.
The government accuses the HDP of being a political extension of the PKK, but the party denies any direct links to the group and calls for a political solution to the conflict raging in Turkey's southeast.
Since entering parliament under Mr Demirtas' leadership, the HDP has come under heavy pressure with seven of its politicians losing their MP status. The party had 59 MPs in late 2015.
"This atmosphere [of pressure] is so widespread, so systematic, so rooted, that we are conscious that we have to do politics under these conditions," said Mr Bilgen, who spent eight months in pre-trial detention last year over alleged PKK links.
The party says about 3,300 HDP members have been arrested since the collapse of a two-year ceasefire between the Turkish state and the PKK in July 2015.
Since Turkey's offensive in Syria against the YPG began in January, there have been more arrests. The HDP says 368 of its members had been detained over their opposition to the fighting.
The authorities accuse many of them of spreading "terrorist propaganda".
On Friday arrest warrants were also issued for 17 people, including Ms Kemalbay, over calls for protests against Ankara's Syria operation, state media reported.
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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.
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Quick%20facts
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
