In politics, as in war, timing is everything. After yesterday's rambling oration in Damascus it's clear what eventuality Syrian president Bashar al Assad is preparing for.
If Mr al Assad had spent 70 minutes in March mapping out a course of political reforms and a "national dialogue" Syria's stability might not be in question. But as Mr al Assad took the podium at Damascus University, expectations for real reform were already low. And by this measure the president did not fail to deliver.
Rattling off a litany of allegations against evil forces and anti-government "saboteurs", Mr al Assad sounded very much the disillusioned dictator demonstrators accuse him of being. The president offered no timetable for vague promises to reform to the economy, nor did he elaborate on plans to loosen the Baath party's grip on power.
And while he acknowledged the "historic" nature of the unrest gripping Syria, he seemed more interested in pointing fingers than taking blame. Case in point: he said he longed for the day when Syria's military could "return to its barracks", but first, action had to be taken against "vandals" and "outlaws".
Perhaps it's no coincidence that Mr al Assad timed his talk for a Monday, about as far from Friday afternoon prayers as possible.
As such, the true test of the regime's commitment to political overhauls will again come on Friday, as Syrians will no doubt return to the streets en masse. If Mr al Assad's military forces respond with violence, as they have repeatedly done, we'll know where he stands.
Yesterday's speech was the third for Mr al Assad since protests erupted earlier this spring. Since then the unrest has spread throughout the country, from Deraa in the south to Jisr al Shughour in the northwest. There, tanks and helicopter gunships have reminded Syrians what awaits those who continue to protest.
There may still be a chance to reverse course before Syria spirals out of control, but Mr al Assad's time is clearly running out.
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
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Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
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- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
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HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
