Jabhat Al Nusra militants, their families and several thousands of refugees will head back to Syria after truce with Hizbollah. Ali Hashisho / REUTERS
Jabhat Al Nusra militants, their families and several thousands of refugees will head back to Syria after truce with Hizbollah. Ali Hashisho / REUTERS
Jabhat Al Nusra militants, their families and several thousands of refugees will head back to Syria after truce with Hizbollah. Ali Hashisho / REUTERS
Jabhat Al Nusra militants, their families and several thousands of refugees will head back to Syria after truce with Hizbollah. Ali Hashisho / REUTERS

Lebanon's executive power is hijacked by Hizbollah


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After a week-long campaign in the mountainous no-man’s land near the village of Arsal in northern Lebanon, Hizbollah and the group formerly known as Jabhat Al Nusra signed a truce that ensured militants, fighters, their families and several thousand refugees could cross the Syrian border and go to Idlib.

Since 2011, several incidents at the border have been a tell-tale sign that the conflict could cross into the plains of the Beqaa Valley. This is mainly linked to Hizbollah’s active participation in the war, though several terrorist attacks have touched various Lebanese regions in the past few years.

The country’s government, held hostage by the powerful Iran-backed militia, was operating under a presidential vacuum that lasted two and a half years, in a state which the economy and security may reach breaking point at any moment. Several months into his presidential mandate, Michel Aoun has been unable to bring about the many reforms he had promised and has described Hizbollah as "an essential part" of the country's defence architecture. The country is strained by more than one million registered Syrian refugees and a sovereign public debt expected to grow to more than 160 per cent of GDP by 2021, according to the IMF.

Some say that Lebanon has served as a land of asylum for refugees ever since wars started troubling the region. The conflict between Palestine and Israel at the end of the 1940s and the beginning of the 1950s led to the establishment of several refugee camps in Lebanon, many of which are home to refugees living in precarious circumstances, under the yoke of armed factions that violate stability and often enter into confrontations with the Lebanese Army.

In the meantime, the unwanted Syrian refugees that are willingly heading back to their home country will live in the fear of the unknown, where home may no longer be home.

Stage results

1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep  4:39:05

2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08

3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time 

4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t  

5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t  

6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t 

7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t

8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t     

9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo  s.t

10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t

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Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail

THE BIO

Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.

Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.

She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.

Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring  the natural world.

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Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani

Rating: 3.5 stars

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

While you're here
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LILO & STITCH

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Rating: 4.5/5

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
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  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

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On sale: now

If you go

The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at. 
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.   

Porsche Taycan Turbo specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 1050Nm

Range: 450km

Price: Dh601,800

On sale: now

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