There is no solution on the horizon for Syria. Or for Iraq. Or for Lebanon. In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have rejected attempts to find a solution and continue to throw the country deeper into chaos, according to the columnist Abdulwahab Badrakhan in the pan-Arab daily Al Hayat.
“The common denominator between Iran supporters is their disregard for notions such as civil peace, stability and the future of their countries and communities,” the writer noted. “The only thing that matters to Iran’s rulers and their supporters is remaining in power.”
One has only to observe Iranian general Qassem Sulaimani’s excesses in Baghdad or Bashar Al Assad’s crimes and barrel bombs in Syria. In Yemen, Houthis persist in their scheme to destroy Taiz and guarantee it a fate similar to that of Aleppo. In Lebanon, Hizbollah hasn’t spared any efforts to paralyse state institutions and even tamper with the financial system, Lebanon’s only remaining pillar of stability.
For her part, the columnist Hoda Al Husseini, writing in the London-based daily Asharq Al Awsat, anticipated that the situation in Syria and Iraq would deteriorate even further.
Following the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq in 2012, there were concerns of ensuing complications. What is happening now doesn’t come as a surprise. In the past few years, the world has focused on Syria more than Iraq, perhaps because of all the bloodshed there and because of an intransigent president that insists on prolonging the war.
The United States has a role to play in Syria as well. By the end of August 2014, president Barack Obama drew the line at the use of chemical weapons in Syria, but he soon backed out for reasons that have become well-known and the Assad regime regained its bloody vigour, she noted.
The US has invested a lot of time and blood in Iraq but they seem to have chosen to forget about it in the past couple of years, especially after they handed the country to Iran, she added.
In 2010, Ayad Allawi won the elections by one vote, but it was the other contender, Nouri Al Maliki, who formed the government with the US seal of approval, an approval they acquiesced to under threats from Iran.
“The problem with the withdrawal of the US troops is that it came hand in hand with a political withdrawal and tightened the hold of Iran on the country,” wrote Al Husseini. “Obama was keen to turn his back by adopting an illogical foreign policy in Iraq, Syria and the rest of the region, feeling that his administration has an interest in allowing Iran to fill the void in Iraq and not giving heed to strategic outcomes or moral responsibility,” she added.
The outcome was an even less stable country suffering from chronic sectarian discrimination to serve political objectives. All this caused fatal damage to the Iraqi people, particularly the young population below thirty years of age.
“According to Iran, the solution in Syria is the key to the solution in Iraq, Lebanon and even Yemen but with a slight difference: Tehran could not complete its ‘sectarianism’ of the opposition as the Yemenis were not prone to take in the poison being injected into their community,” Badrakhan said.
“Any solution based on Syria’s continued unity will be a major setback for Iran’s plans and ambitions, even if such a solution ensues from negotiations where Moscow spares no effort to strip the Geneva Communiqué and any international resolutions of any substance that might refer to a “political transition,” he added.
UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura once raised the prospect of Al Assad disappearing from the scene for one reason or another to his Iranian interviewee.
“What would you do in this case?” de Mistura asked him. To which the interviewee replied: “That is an unlikely assumption and one which we do not consider.”
translation@thenational.ae
Kamindu Mendis bio
Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis
Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
The%20Roundup
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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The%20specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'Of Love & War'
Lynsey Addario, Penguin Press
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPyppl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEstablished%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAntti%20Arponen%20and%20Phil%20Reynolds%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20financial%20services%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2418.5%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20150%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20series%20A%2C%20closed%20in%202021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20venture%20capital%20companies%2C%20international%20funds%2C%20family%20offices%2C%20high-net-worth%20individuals%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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)
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
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.”
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 1
Mata 11'
Chelsea 1
Alonso 43'
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
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Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova
Rating: 3/5 stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
