Retired footballer Khalil Salman rose to stardom as a midfielder for a premier football club in the Jordanian capital Amman in the 1990s, after he and his family had to leave Kuwait.
Today he coaches children, including refugees from Syria, at Makani, an internationally funded learning centre in a low-income district of Amman.
“They play really well,” Salman says, pointing out Bilal, 12, a winger from the Syrian city of Homs, whom he considers as one of the best in the group, along with the Jordanian Bakkar twins, also 12, who play midfield.
The centre encapsulates the different array of people working in Jordan to help about 620,000 Syrian refugees in the country.
Jordan's economy, particularly its vital travel and tourism sector, was hit hard by the global coronavirus pandemic, which affected the ability of the government and international agencies to assist refugees.
The continuing conflicts and economic crises in parts of the Middle East, as well as western focus on the Ukraine war, have further disadvantaged refugees in Jordan and across the Levant.
The civil war in Syria is in its 12th year.
It started with peaceful protests against five decades of Al Assad family rule in March 2011. The demonstrations turned into armed revolt by the end of the year, after the regime used deadly force on a large scale against civilians.
Finding their place
The Amman centre first opened in the 1950s as a shelter for Palestinian refugees after Hasan Hamlan Al Daaja, who was a Jordanian tribal leader, donated the property to charity.
Makani, the Arabic word for "my place", is part of the Jordanian operation of the UN's children fund, Unicef.
Emirati billionaire-philanthropist Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair partly funds the centre, along with western governments. A Jordanian psychology specialist manages it, with many of the staff being from refugee backgrounds.
Children take maths, computer, languages and other courses at the centre to improve their performance in school, or compensate for not attending any classes at all.
About two-thirds of the refugees in Jordan grew up without attending school.
They have little chance to reach university, partly because of the costs. Finding a job in skilled sectors is also difficult because of labour and other restrictions on refugees in Jordan.
Mr Salman in the past coached a Syrian boy called Abdulrahman Al Baba, who may become an exception.
He says Abdulrahman was so good in football that a private English school in Amman took him to study free of charge.
“I am hearing that he will be going to Britain. He could make it big there,” says Mr Salman, whose family is originally Palestinian.
They fled to Jordan when Israel was created in 1948 before making their way to Kuwait. They were forced to return to Jordan as a consequence of Yasser Arafat having supported the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
"I am familiar with some of what these kids go through," Mr Salman says.
Many of the children were not born when the revolt started in southern Syria in 2011.
Jordan closed its borders to Syrian refugees in 2014, but normalised ties with the government of President Bashar Al Assad two years ago.
The authorities in Amman, however, have not pressured the refugees to return home, unlike in Lebanon and Turkey, which signalled last month that it could also normalise ties with the Al Assad government.
The centre held an open-day on Friday, during a visit by Mr Al Ghurair. He was accompanied by Muhammad Al Jasser, head of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank and another influential advocate for supporting refugee education.
Solace in music
The centre has a band that gives music therapy. Music and art lessons are also available.
"It helps the kids gain confidence," says music teacher Mohammad Brayk.
He grew up in Baqaa, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, and worked as a primary schoolteacher in Al Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia.
“Music teaching was banned at that time, but I brought an organ and played Jordanian folk music while the students exercised during the sports class,” Mr Brayk says.
His assistant, Aya Al Hariri, 25, was born in Busra Al Harir, a rural town in southern Syria. She fled to Jordan when she was a teenager early in the conflict.
At that time Al Hariris were one of the main families in southern Syria who led the peaceful resistance to the regime. Many of them were killed or disappeared. Al Hariri's uncle, a teacher, vanished after he was seized at a regime roadblock.
“Music helped me cope with my new life,” says Al Hariri, who is learning the guitar. She has large brown eyes.
A hint of sadness runs through them.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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BMW%20M4%20Competition
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Company%20profile
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- 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
World%20Food%20Day%20
%3Cp%3ECelebrated%20on%20October%2016%2C%20to%20coincide%20with%20the%20founding%20date%20of%20the%20United%20Nations%20Food%20and%20Agriculture%20Organisation%2C%20World%20Food%20Day%20aims%20to%20tackle%20issues%20such%20as%20hunger%2C%20food%20security%2C%20food%20waste%20and%20the%20environmental%20impact%20of%20food%20production.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Company%C2%A0profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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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
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
