Live updates: Follow the latest on Syria
The Israeli ground incursion into Syria appeared to have stopped on Tuesday at a constellation of villages on the edge of a militarised zone near the occupied Golan Heights, while Israeli airstrikes in Damascus also stopped.
Rebel sources say that Israeli forces made an incursion of the zone until they reached the town of Khan Arnabeh, 25 kilometres south-west of Damascus. A US brokered deal resulted in the zone in 1974, a year after President Hafez Al Assad launched a failed war to re-capture the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel in 1973.
In Damascus, there have been no reports of new Israeli raids since dawn. The capital has been under Israeli air strikes on compounds belonging to the de facto defunct Syrian army for the last 48 hours. How Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), might respond to the Israeli land grabs remains to be seen.
Leader of the militant group and Syria’s de facto leader Ahmad Al Shara, formerly known as Abu Mohammed Al Jawlani, "is focused on the political transition for now," said a former dissident in direct contact with him. "He will deal with Israel later."
Mr Al Shara , the head of an offshoot of Al Qaeda with channels to Turkey that deposed long-time dictator Bashar Al Assad on Sunday, is said to be considering cabinet positions for a transitional government after naming a new prime minister on Monday, sources have told The National.
He has moved to restore services in the country as he considers choosing ministers in a new cabinet of loyalists, with little connection to the traditional political opposition to the old regime, they said. He met Mohammad Al Jalali, the prime minister of the deposed government, on Monday to co-ordinate bringing back technocrats to work and get essential services up and running.
"He received a briefing on stocks of commodities and fuel," a source told The National. "The priority is also to bring the police on to the streets and the electricity technicians to operate the grid."
Mr Al Shara has "high administrative expertise" at his disposal but will "make use" of the cadres in the defunct Al Assad government, according to excerpts from the meeting. The source said that although Mr Al Shara has designated Mohammed Al Bashir, one of his loyalists, Prime Minister of the new government, it will take several days for the ministerial posts to become official.
The new cabinet is not expected to contain any significant number of members of the main political opposition organisation, formed in 2012 with Arab and western support but riddled with divisions since.
Mr Al Shara "is not returning our calls", said a member of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, a group based in Istanbul.
Mr Al Shara is pressing on with the consolidation of power as Israel mounts intensive raids that have destroyed much of the Syrian army's abandoned military hardware. Israeli troops grabbed a long-established buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights near Damascus, with some countries in the region now fearing yet more chaos.
Mr Al Assad's ousting by HTS after a 12-day blitz through Syria's urban heartland marked the end of the country's 13-year civil war, which started in late 2011, months after the dictator's loyalists used deadly force to crush a pro-democracy protest movement.
It is changing the dynamics of the Middle East after a decade of expansion by Russia and Iran, ideological enemies of Mr Al Shara's Sunni group, which is on the US terrorism list.
In the past several weeks, Mr Al Shara has started using his real name, instead of nom de guerre Abu Mohammed Al Jawlani.
The US State Department has said that based on HTS's actions in Syria, there could be "a change in our sanctions posture".
The specs
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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HEADLINE HERE
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Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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