It’s a sight that’s common in theatres around the world on any given evening: nervous performers cram in one final run-through, while the crowd mill about outside as the sun begins to dip beneath the horizon.
However, it’s not been seen for years at the historic theatres and picture houses in Lebanon’s second city Tripoli, a place more recently known for intercommunal violence and some of the worst poverty levels in the country, which continues to battle an economic crisis.
In Tripoli’s Ottoman-influenced Al Tal square, one of those arenas — the Cinema Ampere, also known as the Cinema Empire — has finally reopened 28 years after it closed its doors, bringing a cultural boost to a city that has often been unfairly maligned by the rest of Lebanon.
First built in the 1940s, the Ampere’s faded facade has now been repainted a rusty brown and its interior brought back to life. Black-and-white photos of stars from the golden era pepper the walls, as do old movie posters, film reels and new pictures of the next generation of actors and actresses.
“Tripoli, in the golden times — the '60s, '70s and '80s — was the city of the cinema,” says Kassem Istanbouli, the actor and director who has led the transformation of the Ampere.
It's believed to be the last of five historic cinemas that still stands in the Al Tal square, which encircles a clock tower given as a gift by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II in the early 20th century. Many theatres in Lebanon have been abandoned and fallen into disarray.
To mark its reopening, Istanbouli has helped organise a four-day international theatre festival with performers from Lebanon, the region and around the world.
“It's a personal dream, but also a dream for the city, a dream for everyone to have this space, to have arts for everyone,” he says.
The Ampere is not the first theatre he has brought back to life. Originally from southern Lebanon, and head of the Tiro Association for Arts, he's also restored abandoned spaces in Sour and Nabatieh.
It took months of difficult endeavour to refurbish the Ampere, Istanbouli says. It smelt bad and many said it was “impossible” to restore.
“You see how beautiful this space is. It has a history. It's not like any building," he says, while acknowledging the memories contained inside.
And, he doesn't want the theatre to be solely for arts performances, but also training and there are plans for a small museum and library.
For Istanbouli, part of his motivation is connecting the divided Lebanese nation and giving Tripoli a cultural centre. He describes the theatre as a “space of freedom”.
“We have different religions, different nationalities in this country. We are all together, we are human, we are all from this land. We don't believe in borders. We share humanity, we share beauty, love, emotions together when we are watching cinema or movies,” he says.
“We share the same pain. The people who have pain in the south, it's the same as people in the Bekaa or in Beirut who are in pain, who have no food in their house. We all need hope, and this is a space of hope.”
A devastating economic collapse, which first became apparent in 2019, has plunged much of Lebanon into poverty, with the local currency losing more than 90 per cent of its value. There are widespread shortages in basic necessities including water, fuel, medicines and bread. However, even before the crash, Tripoli was already suffering. Istanbouli believes the theatre will be something good and add to the “beauty” of the city.
“This is what we need in Lebanon. All that's happened for many years, the civil war — why? People hate each other, kill each other. For what, for nothing?" he says.
“By arts and by culture, this is a way that we love each other. We meet together, we understand each other.”
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
SQUADS
UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
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).
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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
