She is on a mission to perform in every single country of the world, and Joss Stone can now tick Syria off her list.
The British singer-songwriter revealed she "has learnt a lot" during her short time in the Middle Eastern nation, after holding an intimate gig in the war-struck nation.
The 31-year-old, who is behind hits such as Right to be Wrong and Super Duper Love, also opened up about her "scary" border crossing, though praised those who helped her show take place.
Click to play this video from Stone after she arrived in Syria:
"I’m so glad we’re here and I’m so glad nothing bad happened," Stone said in a video posted to her Instagram page.
"We just have to trust the people on the ground that are advising us and looking after us," she added in the clip's caption. "This was the beginning, it was cold and wet but also so nice to meet such welcoming kind people."
Though details on the star's concert are scant, Stone performed to a crowd of around 70 in Derika, also known as Al-Malikiyah, a Kurdish-controlled city in north-eastern Syria, according to the BBC.
The singer remarked on the conflict in her social media post, telling her 238,000 fans that "Syria deserves not to be ignored, Kurdistan deserves not to be ignored".
"There is a lot of hurt here coming from all sorts of different directions," Stone added. "It is so complicated, a story I’m not in a position to tell you, but all I can say is that I have learnt a lot from my short time there and I hope that peace will come to every one on all sides soon."
The singer is believed to have been accompanied by war photographer Paul Conroy, according to Sky News, and the next destination on her ambitious total-world tour is not yet known - though she is set to perform in Poland in July, according to her official website.
Stone also shared a clip of some local musicians she met, as one man played the oud.
"This is one of the many moments I didn’t know what was going on or what was being said but I was just happy to be there," added the singer, revealing she collaborated with the band, named Judi, during her visit.
In another picture posted to her Instagram account, Stone revealed that her visit to Syria was an "experience we shall never forget".
"Thank you to those who looked after us along the way. And to those who welcomed us into your home and taught us about traditional music and instruments and language," the Fell in Love With a Boy singer wrote.
"Thank you to those who fed us and gave us your time and smiles and good feeling in a place we were once afraid to go. I hope to meet again in the future. Keep smiling and loving and making music and sharing your light."
Stone has already visited more than 170 countries on her tour/mission - you can read a full list here.
Her most recent stops include Suriname, Guyana, Haiti, Dominica, Barbados, Cuba, Belize, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles and Malta.
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
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The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
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Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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