Mohammed Al Bashir will supervise the creation of a transition government for Syria. AFP
Mohammed Al Bashir will supervise the creation of a transition government for Syria. AFP
Mohammed Al Bashir will supervise the creation of a transition government for Syria. AFP
Mohammed Al Bashir will supervise the creation of a transition government for Syria. AFP

Who is Mohammed Al Bashir, the man who will oversee Syria's government transition?


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Syrian militant group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, fresh from leading the ousting of long-time dictator Bashar Al Assad from office, has named Mohammed Al Bashir as the head of a transitional authority to govern the country.

The move came after a meeting between Mr Al Bashir, HTS leader Ahmad Al Shara and current Prime Minister Mohammad Al Jalali.

Mr Al Bashir has served for a year as head of the HTS-linked Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), which has been running most of the governorate of Idlib in Syria's north-west since 2017, according to a profile released by the SSG. Before this, he was Minister of Development and Humanitarian Affairs for the SSG under his predecessor Ali Keda.

Born in Idlib's Jabal Zawiya in 1983, Mr Al Bashir is a qualified engineer who has a degree from the University of Aleppo in electrical and electronic engineering, and another from the University of Idlib in Sharia Law, the profile said. He has taken a course in advanced English language, and holds certificates in project management and administrative planning.

A man takes a selfie with a policeman from the Salvation Government in Damascus. AFP
A man takes a selfie with a policeman from the Salvation Government in Damascus. AFP

Before he embarked on his political career, he worked at a gas plant owned by the Syrian Gas Company in 2011, as head of the precision instruments department.

In recent months he has given press briefings on the SSG's movements, particularly during the surprise 12-day advance which led to HTS-led forces toppling Mr Al Assad.

Pledges after his election as Prime Minister of the SSG by the local Shura Council in January this year may offer an insight into his thinking on governance. His focus in Idlib was on modernising government processes using technology, encouraging investment, strengthening the economy and focusing on the humanitarian needs of thousands of displaced people living in the area, Syrian news outlet Levant24 reported in January.

He has not yet commented on his vision and strategy for a transitional government, nor what such a transition may look like.

Where can I submit a sample?

Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.

Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:

  • Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
  • Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
  • Al Towayya in Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
  • Bareen International Hospital
  • NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
  • NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
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The%20specs
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Company%20profile
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

A German university was a good fit for the family budget

Annual fees for the Technical University of Munich - £600

Shared rental accommodation per month depending on the location ranges between  £200-600

The family had budgeted for food, books, travel, living expenses - £20,000 annually

Overall costs in Germany are lower than the family estimated 

As proof that the student has the ability to take care of expenses, international students must open a blocked account with about £8,640

Students are permitted to withdraw £720 per month

MATCH INFO

Borussia Dortmund 0

Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')

Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

ETFs explained

Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.

ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.

There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Mountain%20Boy
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zainab%20Shaheen%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Naser%20Al%20Messabi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Your rights as an employee

The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.

The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.

If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.

Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.

The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')

Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA

Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore

Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Updated: December 10, 2024, 3:17 AM