Syrian refugee Rateb Hasan tried for years to obtain Jordanian approval for his mother-in-law to visit, until restrictions on the entry of Syrians into the kingdom were eased three months ago.
Security clearance for Syrian visitors to Jordan now happens almost routinely, travel agents say, after Damascus was readmitted to the Arab League in May.
“It cost a fortune but she is with us now,” says Mr Hasan, who works odd jobs on farms on the outskirts of Amman.
He paid $300 to a travel agency in Amman, which obtained on his mother-in-law’s behalf the security clearance, and transported her on a bus across the border.
The easing of cross border travel is a culmination of an Arab rapprochement with President Bashar Al Assad.
Jordan, which supported the regional accommodation with Mr Al Assad, made it clear that a core of the new relationship with Damascus is to resume legal flows of goods and people, regardless of the political differences between the two sides.
The kingdom, however, is pursuing what officials call a step-for-step approach to solving problems emanating from Syria. It wants to see co-operation from Damascus before it can support Mr Assad in his wider goal of lifting western sanctions and obtaining funding for reconstruction projects in government-controlled areas.
Foremost among Jordanian concerns is the smuggling of narcotics to the kingdom from areas in southern Syria under the control of Syrian security forces and allied militias supported by Iran.
This position has made Jordan a barometer of the new Arab approach to dealing with Mr Al Assad.
So when senior Jordanian and Syrian security officials met in Amman last month to discuss curbing the narcotics flows, mainly the amphetamine known as Captagon, observers were watching for any signs of a breakthrough.
“The Jordanians have been tight lipped. They know that they could end up being played up by Damascus”, says a western diplomat in Amman.
His country is one of several allies who have been helping the Jordanian military seal the border with Syria and install reconnaissance equipment along it.
No signs have emerged of moves in Syria against the main sponsors of the smuggling, he says.
Among the military units on the Syrian side of the border is the Fourth Division, a Praetorian Guard-style unit led by Maher Al Assad, the President's younger brother, and pro-Iranian militias supervised by Hezbollah, the Lebanese guerrilla group that controls a large bloc in parliament in Beirut.
But sources in the Syrian opposition to Mr Al Assad, who have been monitoring the Syrian side of border, say some action was taken against smaller players in the narcotics business over the last month.
Military Intelligence arrested Zaid Al Dunhah, a drug trafficker, at a roadblock near Lajat, an area of volcanic rock that is a main conduit of drugs to Jordan.
But he was released after a commander in the loyalist Liwa Al Quds militia intervened on his behalf.
In areas around Nasib, the main border crossing with Jordan, a Russian-supported militia, known as the 8th Brigade, has been clashing sporadically with smugglers. In other areas, the Syrian military has marked out “exclusionary corridors” to prevent people from reaching the Jordanian side, but it seems that they have been only sporadically enforced.
Smuggling in winter gloom
One of the sources says that it is difficult to gauge the effects of these measures.
This is because large-scale trafficking operations often take place in sandstorms or fog, and in the border region, summer weather is typically clearer with good visibility for security forces.
Some operatives were also scared off by a reported Jordanian air strike that killed a drug dealer and several of his children at his home near the border in May.
The source said the regime could be co-operating in the talks on the assumption that it will ultimately be rewarded by money from Jordan's Gulf allies, to compensate for the revenue lost from the narcotics.
“It is an unrealistic expectation,” says the source, who is in Amman. “The Arabs know that if money is paid, it will go to Iran, which wants compensation for having spent so much money on the regime.”
Regional rapprochement with Mr Al Assad was accelerated after a Chinese brokered deal in April for a detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Tehran has sent officers and proxy militias to Syria, as well as billions of dollars' worth of oil, to keep Mr Assad in power since the Syrian revolt against his rule militarised in late 2011, and wants him to re-emerge as an actor in the region.
Wael Alwan, a head of information at the Jusoor information centre in Istanbul, says the Jordan-Syrian security talks are ultimately linked to a fluid geopolitical situation in the region.
He says the Saudi accommodation with Iran, and in turn with Mr Al Assad, is linked to Saudi misgivings about US reliability as an ally. China has also been supporting more regional collaboration with Iran, which has in turn benefited Mr Al Assad.
But in the past several weeks there has been a US diplomatic push to reassure Saudi Arabia and boost US security guarantees to Riyadh. Mr Alwan says domestic troubles in Russia, after an attempted insurrection against President Vladimir Putin in June, has also weakened Russia's sway.
He expects the Arab rapprochement with Mr Al Assad to “stumble” as a result, undermining the Jordanian-Syrian talks.
“The Syrian regime has achieved a symbolic victory, but it does not consider it enough because it wants the Arab countries to cure the economic collapse it is suffering,” Mr Alwan explains.
“Jordan wants a real response from the regime and not just protocol talks.”
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Indika
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North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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57%20Seconds
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'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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