Syria's new leader Ahmad Al Shara said on Thursday that he would impose the power of the state on the whole of country, as the central authorities deal with challenges in the east and west stemming from the civil war.
A rebel coalition that overthrew former leader Bashar Al Assad declared Mr Al Shara as Syria's President on Wednesday. The coalition, called the Operations Room, is dominated by his group, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a former offshoot of Al Qaeda and Al Nusra Front.
"We will concentrate in the coming period on … completely uniting the whole of Syria and bringing it under a single authority, and build institutions based on merit and free of corruption," Mr Al Shara said in a three-minute televised statement.
Syria's leader Ahmad Al Shara meets officials in Damascus - in pictures
The new central authorities will also "instil civil peace and pursue the criminals who have spilt Syrian blood and committed toward us crimes and massacres", he said, referring to loyalists of the former Assad family regime, who ruled Syria from 1970 to 2024.
The power of Mr Al Shara, who was until last month ruler of a small fiefdom in northern Syria, is being challenged on two fronts in the outlying areas of the country. Since the civil war began in late 2011, Kurdish militias have carved out large areas in the east of the country, while core loyalists of Mr Al Assad entrenched themselves in the western Alawite mountains overlooking the coast.
HTS forces have launched a military campaign to subdue members of the former regime. At the same time, Syrian militias loyal to Turkey and allied with HTS have launched an offensive against the Kurdish-led militias that control the east.
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The ascendancy of Mr Al Shara has sparked fears the country will fail to change into a system fundamentally different from the iron rule he played a main role in toppling.
He vowed that there will be free elections in Syria, without setting a time. He said the authorities will fist appoint a legislature and convene a national dialogue conference to "listen to all views about our upcoming political programme".
Mr Al Shara did not mention pluralism or democracy directly. He said that Syria, having been liberated from 54 years of "one the darkest tyrannical rules" the world had known, will be "governed by shura", a form of collective decision making in Islam.
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The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
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Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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