It is now hoped to repeat the festival in 2026 and 2027.

They fear it is a sign that their voices - and those of groups and communities across the country - may not be listened to as the country develops under its new leadership.There have already been calls for protests ahead of the start of the new school term on Sunday.

Activists want to make clear their opposition to any moves by the transitional government to bring in changes to the education system - or any other state institution - without the participation of all sections of Syrian society.The new authorities have made much of the fact that they are to hold a National Dialogue Conference.Officials have been holding meetings with many different communities - from Christians to Kurds, to artists and intellectuals.

The message has been that they want to create a new Syria with the involvement of all sections of society so that all will have a stake in the country's future.But activists believe the unilateral changes in the school curriculum undercut such promises and want to make a stand right from the start for the values of freedom and inclusion that the removal of Bashar al-Assad has now made possible.

More than half of companies are planning to raise prices in the next three months as they face a "pressure cooker of rising costs and taxes", according to one of the UK's largest business groups.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said its survey of nearly 5,000 firms suggested confidence had "slumped", falling to its lowest level for two years."Increasing numbers of owners are either closing their salons or changing their employment practices and are renting chairs to contractors just to survive."

Mr Dicker said cutting VAT to 10% would "save salons across the country".A spokesperson for the Treasury said they were removing the £110,000 business rates relief cap for more than 280,000 retail, hospitality and leisure business properties.

The Sunday Times rich list has revealed Wales' wealthiest people.This year's edition of the annual shortlist sees Cardiff-born billionaire Sir Michael Moritz and wife Harriet Heyman return to the top spot with a wealth of £4.435bn - a fall of £168m compared with 2024.