• Tripoli in northern Lebanon is home to one of the country's largest populations of Syrian refugees, nine out of 10 of whom live in extreme poverty. All photos: Getty Images
    Tripoli in northern Lebanon is home to one of the country's largest populations of Syrian refugees, nine out of 10 of whom live in extreme poverty. All photos: Getty Images
  • A Syrian girl holds on to her mother.
    A Syrian girl holds on to her mother.
  • Girls play with dolls in their building compound.
    Girls play with dolls in their building compound.
  • Toys at the home of a Syrian refugee family.
    Toys at the home of a Syrian refugee family.
  • Aisha Mohammed Ali, 25, a mother of five who is a refugee from Aleppo, Syria, assists one of her daughters, who has asthma.
    Aisha Mohammed Ali, 25, a mother of five who is a refugee from Aleppo, Syria, assists one of her daughters, who has asthma.
  • Electricity switches in a building where Syrian and Palestinian refugees live.
    Electricity switches in a building where Syrian and Palestinian refugees live.
  • A mother helps her only daughter with writing at their home.
    A mother helps her only daughter with writing at their home.
  • Children play at their home.
    Children play at their home.
  • Mariam Ahmad, a Syrian refugee from Aleppo, smiles as she looks at her child at her home.
    Mariam Ahmad, a Syrian refugee from Aleppo, smiles as she looks at her child at her home.
  • A Syrian refugee stands by his cart where he sells corn, beans, pomegranate and other snacks by the sea.
    A Syrian refugee stands by his cart where he sells corn, beans, pomegranate and other snacks by the sea.

Syrian refugees in Lebanon can start to return home, says minister


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  • Arabic

Syrian refugees in Lebanon can start to return home with support from the authorities, says a Syrian Cabinet minister.

Lebanon, which has been experiencing its worst economic crisis since the civil war, hosts a million Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict since 2011. Calls for them to return home have increased during three years of financial crisis in Lebanon.

The downturn has left three quarters of Lebanese people in poverty.

“The doors are open for the return of Syrian refugees,” state news agency, Sana, quoted Syrian Minister of Local Administration Hussein Makhlouf as saying during a meeting with Lebanon's caretaker minister of the displaced in Damascus.

Mr Makhlouf said the Syrian government was ready to provide accommodation for those whose homes were destroyed during a war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half of the pre-war population of 23 million.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and rights groups oppose involuntary repatriation to Syria because they say it risks endangering the returning refugees.

More than 5 million Syrians are refugees, most of them in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

Few Syrian refugees have returned home since President Bashar Assad’s forces, backed by Russia and Iran, regained control of much of the country.

Over the past year, hundreds of Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians have migrated from Lebanon by boats to Europe in the hope of a better life.

Mr Charafeddine told the Associated Press last month that Lebanon hoped to start repatriating 15,000 Syrian refugees every month in the near future.

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Bio

Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.

Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.

Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.

Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.

Expert advice

“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”

Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles

“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”

Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre 

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”

Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
 

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Blah

Started: 2018

Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri

Based: Dubai

Industry: Technology and talent management

Initial investment: Dh20,000

Investors: Self-funded

Total customers: 40

Brief scores:

Southampton 2

Armstrong 13', Soares 20'

Manchester United 2

Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Updated: August 16, 2022, 7:13 AM