Syrian Kurds vow to fight to the death to stop Turkey 'invading' their territory
Officials fear growing co-operation between the Syrian and Turkish governments in opposition to Kurdish separatism
The Syrian Kurdish leadership vows to defend their de facto state in north east Syria to the end, but is fearful of a growing understanding between the Syrian and Turkish governments in opposition to Kurdish separatism at a time when US support for the Kurds is faltering.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent, a senior Syrian Kurdish official says that the Kurds will fight to the death to stopTurkey “invading the region” and speaks of possible reconciliation between Damascus and Ankara on the Kurdish question.
Meet Generation M: the young, affluent Muslims changing the world
Burkinis, misery memoirs and people on camels: the caricatures of Islam don’t leave much room for modernity. The author of a new book argues that this image is absurd – and that a new demographic is about to flex its economic musclesThey say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case they’re wrong. In the foreground is a young woman with fuchsia lipstick, Jackie O-style sunglasses and a colourful headscarf. Behind her is a young man, with a hip, trimmed beard, headphones jammed in his ears and one hand casually resting in his pocket.
They are part of Generation M, and the eponymous book, subtitled Young Muslims Changing the World, is the first detailed portrait of this influential constituency of the world’s fastest growing religion. According to author Shelina Janmohamed, they are proud of their faith, enthusiastic consumers, dynamic, engaged, creative and demanding. And the change they will bring about won’t depend on the benevolence of others: instead, the Muslim pound, like the pink pound before it, will force soft cultural change by means of hard economics.
Venezuela's Maduro losing support even among Chavistas
Protesters flooded the streets of Venezuela's capital on Thursday, demanding President Nicolas Maduro face a recall referendum. Paris-based scholar Paula Vasquez says even loyalist “Chavistas” are starting to turn on his embattled leftist government.
Opponents of Maduro claimed they brought together as many as a million demonstrators in the biggest rally in the capital of Caracas in decades.
They blame the government for the country’s economic meltdown, and accuse Maduro of deliberately delaying administrative procedures for organising a popular vote on his ouster.
If the referendum is held this year and Maduro loses, it would trigger new presidential elections. But if the referendum is held after January – the halfway point in Maduro’s mandate – his vice-president would simply serve out the remaining time in office.
Al-Qaeda claims it exchanged former Pak army chief’s son for Ayman al-Zawahiri’s daughters
There are no reports of Kayani's son being kidnapped or of the hostage exchange in Pakistani news media.
By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: September 3, 2016 12:00 pm
Terrorist network al-Qaeda has claimed that it exchanged two daughters of its chief Ayman al-Zawahiri and a third unknown woman weeks ago for the son of General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, former chief of Pakistan Army. The news was featured in Al Masra, a news magazine that reports extensively on the terror group. A report in ‘The Long War Journal’ also quoted the al Masra to say the same. However, no media outlet in Pakistan has reported on Kayani’s son being kidnapped by the terror group.
The Al Masra report included tweets of a possible al-Qaeda operative using the account @muhager_o which accused the Pakistani army of capturing Zawahiri’s daughters as part of the war it is waging against al-Qaeda. The tweets announced the exchange of the daughters and the son and also bashed the “boastful” Pakistani army. The account has reportedly been suspended.
Philippines President: Explosion that killed 14 was act of terrorism
Updated 0820 GMT (1620 HKT) September 3, 2016
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte visited a morgue early Saturday to pay respects to the 14 people killed hours earlier in an explosion at a crowded market in Davao City.
At least 71 people were injured in the attack on the popular market.
Duterte described the attack as an act of terrorism, and declared the nation in "a state of lawlessness," the official Philippines News Agency reported, authorizing the police and military to search cars and frisk people at checkpoints.
He said he had not declared martial law, according to PNA.
China ratifies Paris climate agreement
China's top legislature has ratified the Paris global climate agreement, state news agency Xinhua reports.
The country is the world's largest emitter of harmful CO2 emissions, which cause climate change.
China and the US are expected to jointly announce ratification at a bilateral summit later on Saturday.
In a landmark deal struck in December, countries agreed to cut emissions enough to keep the global average rise in temperatures below 2C.
Members of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee adopted "the proposal to review and ratify the Paris Agreement" on Saturday morning at the end of a week-long session.
The Paris deal is the world's first comprehensive climate agreement. It will only come into force legally after it is ratified by at least 55 countries, which between them produce 55% of global carbon emissions.
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