Syria has unveiled a new national emblem which reflects the country’s “united, indivisible” identity, according to Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara.
Mr Al Shara launched the new emblem at the People’s Palace in Damascus on Thursday, with Syrians taking to the streets in the capital and in provinces to celebrate.
The design features the golden eagle, which symbolises “strength, determination, speed, mastery, and innovation in performance”, Mr Al Shara said. Three gold stars above the bird of prey represent the “liberation of the people”.
The eagle’s tail has five feathers that represent the country's main geographic regions − north, east, west, south and central − symbolising Syrian unity.
Its wings are made of 14 feathers, representing Syria’s governorates. The “symbolic, symmetrical arrangement” of the wings aims to show “the importance of each Syrian governorate and its role in the stability of the state”, reported state-run news agency Sana.
“Syrian people … History tells us that the era of your decline has passed, the time of your rise has come, your blood was not shed in vain, your suffering was heard, your migration has ended, your prisons have been dissolved and patience has brought you victory,” Mr Al Shara said at the unveiling ceremony.
“We cannot celebrate this occasion without extending a sincere and grateful salute to all the Syrian youth who contributed to building this identity, to all those who participated in it inside and outside the country, taking the initiative, being creative, defying circumstances and believing that beloved Syria deserves more.”
Mr Al Shara, a former militant with Al Qaeda in Iraq, came to power last December, after his Hayat Tahrir Al Sham rebel group led a lightning offensive that ended former president Bashar Al Assad’s 24-year rule.
The government, which is dominated by HTS figures, is trying to unify and rebuild the country after more than 13 years of civil war.
Mr Al Shara said the new national emblem aims to restore “confidence and dignity” among Syrians, both at home and abroad, and signifies a state “that does not accept division” and where cultural and ethnic diversity is a factor of enrichment, not conflict.
However, attacks on minorities in the past six months underline the challenges it faces in creating such a state.
A suicide bombing that killed at least 25 people at a church in Damascus last month was claimed by a HTS splinter group that is said to operate like ISIS and is highly critical of Mr Al Shara.
The group also claims to have taken part in a retaliatory killing spree against members of the Alawite minority in March, in which more than 800 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to an estimate by the UK-based Syrian Network for Human Rights.
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The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
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