Restaurant manager Bashar Yassine fled his home in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta in 2018 after the government of Bashar Al Assad carried out some of its worst attacks against the Syrian people in the area, including a sarin nerve gas attack.
Mr Yassine fled the Assad regime's bombs to Idlib, the north-western city where he now runs Salleh, a breakfast venue serving fatteh and felafel. His neighbourhood of Sakhba, in Eastern Ghouta, was under siege for four years by the Syrian army and his mother and sister were killed by bombardments.
Millions found refuge in Idlib under its rebel rule as Mr Al Assad sought to crush all opposition during the country's 13-year civil war. With the end of Assad family rule after half a century, Mr Yassine yearns to move back to Eastern Ghouta, but there would be only ruins to greet him.
“I went there with my father, I couldn’t recognise where my home was,” he says of his first visit in eight years. “I’d love to return but the infrastructure and homes are destroyed.
"When we went to see the graves, we were full of sadness. I asked my father if he wanted to go back to Damascus, but he said ‘I didn’t rebuild my home so where else can I go?’”
So devastating was the damage in Eastern Ghouta that some houses did not resemble buildings, just pebbles and dust on the ground. Mr Yassine is one of many who now face the mammoth task of rebuilding. He said he would need at least a year to reconstruct his home, even if he were not facing the financial difficulties of many displaced Syrians.
While there is widespread joy at Mr Al Assad's fall, the task of moving ahead is daunting. Millions have been displaced, many of whom ended up in Idlib governorate, the final bastion of the rebels before they launched their lightning offensive on Syria a month ago.
Among them is Hussein Amine Hajj Abdullah, who runs an education centre for orphans in Idlib, but is originally from rural Hama. “I have many responsibilities here, I’m the manager of the institutions, for the orphans,” he said. “As for my town, my home is destroyed, my farm damaged, the wells are destroyed. I can’t go back – all at least for now.”
Mustafa Ibrahim from Ma’arat Al Nu’man concurs. “The one who can rebuild his house, will rebuild. But those without money can’t and sleep in tents.”
Syria's economy has been shattered by the conflict, salaries are dismal and the value of the Syrian pound has plunged. Significant investment and skills from abroad will be needed to get the country back on its feet, analysts say.
Moustafa Soufi, 57, told The National that his hometown of Ma’arat Al Nu’man in Syria's north-west was so bad that there are craters in city centre streets. In 2019, the Syrian army advanced on Ma’arat Al Nu’man, forcing many residents such as Mr Soufi to flee to decrepit refugee camps in the countryside around Idlib.
“I feel happy – it’s like when someone is about to suffocate you but at the last minute they relieve you and you take a breath,” he said, referring to the end of Mr Al Assad's regime on December 8.
But outside the city's Umayyad Mosque on his first visit home in five years, he reminisced with sadness about the bustling city it used to be. “All morning I’ve been walking around looking at the streets and buildings,” he explained.
“In the past on Fridays, a lot of people came to this mosque and then would go to the markets and buy anything. This one is for shoes, this one for food, this for carpenters,” he said, pointing to different areas of the town. We had doctors, clinics in this building. On Saturdays, this building would see many people come from the villages to buy things.”
In Saraqib, another town near Idlib, Ammar, 35, stood by a motorway selling petrol, snacks and water on Sunday. He left his home six years ago, like many in the villages and towns of Idlib governorate, fleeing a military advance.
His home has also been flattened by bombing. None of his family or neighbours have been able to return, except for his uncle whose home was occupied by Assad government soldiers and so was spared.
“I can't go back; it's destroyed,” Mr Ammar said, describing contrasting emotions of joy at the fall of Mr Al Assad and sadness at being unable to return. “Maybe in the future this country will be rebuilt.”
He took The National on a tour of Saraqib, pointing out its old souq, homes and schools that are now crumpled. Many across the Idlib governorate say regime soldiers stole everything they could from their communities, even iron and plastic used to make taps for washing in the local mosques.
Houthayfa Hamoud, 23, showed The National where he used to relax at his grandparents' home in Al Ghadfa, another destroyed town.
“That home, in the front, is my uncle's house. It was severely attacked,” he said of the area, which until a month ago was occupied by the former regime. “I need to go back to my village, to my home, to my house. But we don't have the financial support.”
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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Scoreline
Ireland 16 (Tries: Stockdale Cons: Sexton Pens: Sexton 3)
New Zealand 9 (Pens: Barrett 2 Drop Goal: Barrett)
57%20Seconds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20fixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2017%20v%20Oman%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%2018%20v%20Singapore%3Cbr%3EMonday%2C%20June%2020%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2C%20June%2022%20v%20Qatar%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2024%2C%20semi-final%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%2025%2C%20final%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chaya%20Mughal%20(captain)%2C%20Esha%20Oza%2C%20Indhuja%20Nandakumar%2C%20Kavisha%20Kumari%2C%20Khushi%20Sharma%2C%20Lavanya%20Keny%2C%20Priyanjali%20Jain%2C%20Rithika%20Rajith%2C%20Samaira%20Dharnidharka%2C%20Sanchin%20Singh%2C%20Siya%20Gokhale%2C%20Suraksha%20Kotte%2C%20Theertha%20Satish%2C%20Vaishnave%20Mahesh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000
2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000
3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The%20Roundup%20%3A%20No%20Way%20Out
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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Breast cancer in men: the facts
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.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
Scorecard:
England 458 & 119/1 (51.0 ov)
South Africa 361
England lead by 216 runs with 9 wickets remaining
65
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ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
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How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
