Syria has been thrust into unprecedented territory. Bashar Al Assad and his Baath party are gone, but the road ahead is fraught with both opportunity and danger. Since 2005, there have been several transitions in Arab countries, all of which have failed and none of which have seen these many challenges.
To state but a few: Syria now has to deal with the consequences of incredible levels of economic hardship, the displacement of half the population, continuing conflict and tensions in different parts of the country and a plethora of pre-existing armed groups that are prepared to use force to achieve their aims. There are also pre-existing territorial divisions along multiple lines, the fact that the levers of state are now controlled by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), a rebel militant group, a long list of foreign powers that have interests and military forces and proxies in Syria, some of which continue to bomb installations at will, among many others.
Given the context, it would be reasonable to expect that Syria will struggle to cope, and that it will likely face many more obstacles that we cannot yet anticipate. We can, however, look to other countries’ experiences, particularly on what not to do.
Real change is already taking shape in Damascus. The Baath party has been dissolved, and there is a new government in place. However, there are a number of unanswered questions on how Syria will be governed in the short and medium term.
Some are hoping that elections will be organised, but for now that appears to be beyond reach. Elections are complicated even under normal circumstances, but in Syria the national territory is divided. There is not a single unified electoral commission or ministry that is capable of organising and implementing such a huge operation.
It isn’t even clear if the new authorities in Damascus are in favour of elections. Their past record of governance in Idlib suggests that they are ambivalent. Efforts should be made to prepare for elections, but it would be unreasonable to expect them to take place any time soon.
This means that, at least in the initial stages, constitutional and governance reform will have to be negotiated by groups whose legitimacy has derived from the force of arms and in a country that still remains heavily divided, politically and geographically.
In the circumstances, simply trying to pursue a classical constitutional negotiation process (that is, through a constitutional committee, or by an elected assembly) is unlikely to be successful.
Given the situation today, it would be preferable to follow an incremental and flexible approach towards negotiations. This could include starting by negotiating general principles, as South Africa did, but also, as some have already suggested, by reaching smaller agreements on and implementing partial agreements on discrete constitutional issues before negotiating some of the major final status issues. Such an approach could serve to build confidence between different factions that are obviously concerned about the future.
There are different views about how fast reform should be implemented. Some have suggested that a new constitution should be adopted in six months. But no other country in the region has managed to negotiate and adopt an inclusive constitution in just a few months and Syria will not be an exception. In practice, the only way a new constitution or major reform can be implemented that quickly is if the process is not inclusive (see Iraq in 2005, and Egypt in 2012 and 2013).
As a result, immediate priority should be given to negotiating and adopting an interim constitution that should focus on how state institutions will function under current conditions. The interim constitution need not be overly long, but it must be properly conceived and reviewed by senior Syrian and Arab experts, otherwise Syrians could end up living with the consequences for a long time, as in the case of Libya.
Since its takeover of Damascus, HTS has been consistently messaging that any new governance framework must be inclusive and built through consensus.
Without parliamentary elections, there will not be any traditional form of oversight on the new government. To the extent possible, the new governing authorities could consider appointing an interim legislative assembly that is as inclusive as possible to carry out that function, and to start establishing a culture of justification and transparency. That was something that Sudan’s own revolutionary authorities planned but ultimately failed to do, and that delay had a demoralising effect on the uprising.
Since its takeover of Damascus, HTS has been consistently messaging that any new governance framework must be inclusive and built through consensus. Here again there is significant experience in the region that should be learnt from. Everyone should welcome inclusivity, but the way it is implemented usually only involves inviting people to attend meetings without giving them the means to make a real impact. This usually implies that those same people are ignored on the fundamental issues, like what happened in Yemen.
Rules requiring consensus are one way to achieve real inclusivity. The concern however is that if the required level of consensus is set too high, agreement may never be reached. As a result, all negotiating processes in the region since 2005 have included rules to allow for negotiators to move forward even if consensus was not reached.
The impact in practice was to discourage good faith negotiations altogether, as was the case in Yemen. In addition, past experience shows us that militant groups have an irrepressible urge to impose their will on constitutional negotiations and to govern on their own. That type of approach has led to disaster on many occasions. As a result, the preferable approach is to require consensus, even if this makes it more difficult to reach agreement. To mitigate that risk, support should be given to dialogue and mediation efforts at multiple levels and throughout the process.
Another question is what should be done with members of the former Baath party. HTS has already stated that those who committed crimes against the Syrian people will be punished, but the question is how far that should be extended. It is well established that the de-Baathification process in Iraq was a long-term disaster. It seriously impacted the state’s ability to deliver basic services and worsened societal and political divisions, as well as security. Some de-Baathification in Syria is inevitable, but it should be limited to the upper tiers of the Baath party only to allow for what remains of Syria’s bureaucracy to help the state carry out its functions.
Perhaps the most important priority for ordinary Syrians will be the economy, which in large part will depend on international involvement. Many countries are vying to influence developments in Syria. Economic assistance and sanctions relief are likely to be one of the principle levers.
In the past, sanctions have been used by the international community, and in particular, the US, as a negotiation tool. That was the approach in Sudan and it proved to be highly detrimental, and a contributing factor to the popular disillusionment with the uprising, to the coup d’etat and to the conflict that followed.
A different approach should be taken in Syria. To encourage goodwill and to provide Syrians with some necessary relief, a concerted effort should be made to allow relevant authorities to procure the essentials that the population needs without restriction. To the extent that specific authorities take actions that are unacceptable, sanctions can be re-imposed, but they should be lifted as a matter of urgency to provide relief to ordinary people. Given that HTS is a designated terrorist organisation, it is difficult to imagine that sanctions will be lifted fully, but a more nuanced approach should allow some state institutions to operate normally.
As Syria embarks on its new chapter, there is a glimmer of hope for a brighter tomorrow, although the road ahead is full of challenges. The journey will undoubtedly be difficult, but if there is one thing that should give us all hope it is the resilience and determination of the Syrian people, for a more prosperous future.
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
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