DAMASCUS // Tanks rumbled into the central Syrian city of Homs yesterday, a day after 34 anti-regime protesters were killed, activists said, adding urgency to a United Nations humanitarian mission.
The death toll rose again when two people were killed in Rastan, a town between Homs and Hama, as security forces opened fire to disperse a demonstration, an activist said.
Meanwhile, opponents of Bashar Al Assad, the Syrian president, opened two days of talks in Istanbul to launch a "national council" to coordinate the fight against his regime, organisers said.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier put the death toll from Friday's crackdown at 34, with most of the victims falling in the Homs area where tanks took positions yesterday.
"Several tanks took up positions at dawn in the district of Al Khalidiyeh," the Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.
"Throughout the night and this morning shots were heard from Al Khalidiyeh to Baba Amr and Inshaat," he added, referring to two other central locations in the city.
Security forces were also conducting arrests in the city of Latakia early yesterday, the Observatory said, adding that many of those picked up were minors.
In Rastan "two people were killed and several wounded" when security forces opened fire to break up a protest march, an activist said.
One person was also wounded in the Al Herak district of southern Daraa province where relatives and parents had staged a protest outside a hospital demanding the return of the bodies of their loved ones, the Observatory said.
The human-rights activist, Malak Mahmud Sayed, was arrested in Aleppo in the north when she was applying for a passport and taken to military security, several rights groups said.
The Observatory said 15 people were killed in Daraa on Friday, including an 11-year-old, while 25 others were wounded. Another 16 died in Homs and three were killed in the Damascus suburbs of Harasta and Douma.
The official Sana news agency reported that three policemen and two civilians were killed on Friday by "armed men" in the Daraa district of Ghabagheb.
Friday's rallies put to the test assurances by Mr Al Assad to UN chief Ban Ki-moon the previous day that his security forces had ended operations against civilians.
On Friday, the Observatory reported that 20,000 people had marched in Al Khalidiyeh on a day of protest demanding the fall of Mr Al Assad's autocratic regime, with protests also held in other parts of the country.
The protests came as the UN said it was dispatching a humanitarian mission to Syria this week after a damning report to the Security Council on Thursday on Mr Al Assad's "apparent shoot to kill" policy.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, told the Security Council there was "reliable corroborative evidence" that Syrian forces were deliberately shooting anti-regime demonstrators.
Ms Pillay also said in an interview with France 24 television that her group had drawn up a list of 50 Syrians in senior positions that she said were responsible for the violent repression.
Another UN official, B Lynn Pascoe, the body's undersecretary general, told the council that the death toll from the security force crackdown on the protests has now passed the 2,000 mark.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to take action against member state Syria, saying it had violated its charter "by systematically and brutally suppressing peaceful civilian protests".
On Thursday, Russia and Turkey dismissed growing calls led by US President Barack Obama for Mr Al Assad to quit, offering the Syrian leader rare support.
"We do not share the United States and the European Union's point of view regarding President Al Assad and will continue to pursue our consistent and principled stance on Syria," the foreign ministry said in Moscow.
A government official in Ankara said a call for Mr Al Assad's removal must come from the Syrian people themselves.
Frustrated that international calls for a halt to the bloodletting were being snubbed by Damascus, Mr Obama had called on Thursday for Mr Al Assad to quit.
That was quickly echoed by the leaders of Britain, France and Germany, with Spain following suit on Friday.
A day after the so-called Syrian Revolution General Commission announced the creation of a coalition of 44 "revolutionary blocs", vowing to bring down the government, dissidents also met in Turkey to discuss Mr Al Assad's regime.
"The Syrian National Council will have between 115 and 150 members, more than half of whom are in Syria, with the reminder in exile," the dissident Obeida Al Nahhas said.
* Agence France-Presse
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Friday’s fixture
6.15pm: Al Wahda v Hatta
6.15pm: Al Dhafra v Ajman
9pm: Al Wasl v Baniyas
9pm: Fujairah v Sharjah
.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
THE%20HOLDOVERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlexander%20Payne%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Giamatti%2C%20Da'Vine%20Joy%20Randolph%2C%20Dominic%20Sessa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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 PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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
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.