Live updates: Follow the latest on Syria
Samira Abdel Reza last saw her siblings eight years ago. Her family was separated when the Syrian army took over Ghouta – a rebel-held area in the suburbs of Damascus that fell victim to deadly chemical attacks.
After years of displacement, separation, and the loss of more than a dozen family members, they finally reunited in an atmosphere filled with overwhelming joy, which they struggled to put into words. “There is no better feeling. Now we’re happy, now we’re glad."
There is nothing better than this, Ms Abdel Reza repeated with a big smile, moments before embracing her relatives.
But words were not needed. Smiles, long embraces, the celebratory zaghareet – the high-pitched ululation used by women in the region – and the tears of joy tell of their happiness of being together again and the pain of having been apart.
Ms Abdel Reza said the house had not been this full since the Syrian civil war started. “People have come back. And we will celebrate, stay with us, you'll see."
Some members of the Abdel Reza family have remained in Ghouta, like Samira. Others left for Turkey, including her children, while others fled to Idlib.
As the rebels took control of Damascus on Sunday, ending five decades of Al Assad rule over the country, many families like the Abdel Reza family hope to finally reunite, bringing an end to their exile.
For years, many Syrians feared returning to their hometowns, afraid of being arrested. That fear is now gone. “This is my brother,” a man said, sobbing, as a woman showered him with pink flowers. Children had grown into young adults, barely recognisable to the older generation.
Some began to dance while cheerful Arabic music played in the background, covered by relentless celebratory gunfire. A man embraced one of his relatives in a military uniform, who dropped his weapon to welcome the emotional hug.
Returning to normal lives
Some of those returning to Ghouta that day are fighters from the northern front while others are simple civilians. Abu Bilal, Samira’s brother, has been fighting the government forces for more than a decade. This is his first time seeing his town – or what is left of it – in six years.
The drive through Ghouta felt like the end of the world. The town, heavily bombarded by the Assad regime, lies in ruins. Collapsed buildings line the deserted roads. Rubble from almost a decade ago remains untouched, while rockets from past attacks litter the floors of empty houses. Bodies, now likely skeletons, are still buried beneath piles of debris, Abu Bilal said. Ghouta, it feels, has been frozen at the darkest moment of the civil war.
Abu Bilal, who used to run a restaurant, said he took up arms to “defend his country and his children". He fought in Douma, the last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta, where he said he survived chemical attacks.
“They bombed us with chemicals, five days before we left, they killed mostly women and children, no one could take their corpses out, they stayed in their houses, in cars."
The Syrian people will rebuild with their own hands
Abu Bilal,
Syrian rebel
In 2023, the world chemical weapons watchdog said that the Syrian regime was responsible for carrying out a poison gas attack in Douma that killed 43 people.
Abu Bilal was among the thousands sent from Eastern Ghouta to Idlib in 2018 as part of a deal with the Assad regime, which included fighters and civilians. Abu Bilal said he never doubted that the day of his return would come. “I had faith in God that I will come back."
Now that the fight is over, he wants to return to civilian life. “When the army will be appointed, we will surrender our weapons, we have one wish: returning to our normal lives”.
But first Syrians have to rebuild. “The Syrian people will rebuild with their own hands," he said. He pointed to a barren landscape. “Here in Ghouta, there were only trees, you see here, when you used to walk in the shade.”
“Come back in a year and you will see – we will make it green again.”
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Naga
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Wonka
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Teams
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
