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Dreams on hold for Syria refugee students in Lebanon

Forced by Syria's war to sit her secondary school diploma exam in northern Lebanon, Riham Othman, 19, bursts into tears, fearing the Lebanese authorities will never recognise the test results. Worse still, she dreads her dream of becoming a journalist may also never come true. Her eyes fixed on the desk, Othman's anxiety is written all over her face. "I know that when I finish my tests, no university will accept me," says Othman, who lost a year of schooling to Syria's war.

Lebanon army deploys after gunmen open fire near Sidon

The Lebanese army deployed on Tuesday near the southern town of Sidon, a security source said, after shooting by gunmen loyal to a controversial Salafist sheikh opposed to Hezbollah. The violence comes amid soaring sectarian tensions in Lebanon that have escalated because of the raging war in neighbouring Syria. The army said several people were wounded by the gunfire. "Gunmen loyal to Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir opened fire on Abra," a security source told AFP, referring to an eastern suburb of the coastal town of Sidon.

Lebanese minister accuses Syria of "ethnic cleansing"

By Erika Solomon BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have begun ethnically cleansing Sunni Muslims and deliberately pushing refugees across the border into Lebanon, the Lebanese caretaker minister for social affairs said on Tuesday. Assad is battling a Sunni-led revolt in Syria, which he and his father before him have ruled for four decades. He belongs to the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.

Lebanese minister accuses Syria of 'ethnic cleansing' of Sunnis

By Erika Solomon BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have begun ethnically cleansing Sunni Muslims and deliberately pushing refugees across the border into Lebanon, the Lebanese caretaker minister for social affairs said on Tuesday. Assad is battling a Sunni-led revolt in Syria, which he and his father before him have ruled for four decades. He belongs to the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.

EU's Ashton talks Iran and Syria in Iraq

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton landed in Baghdad on Monday for talks with Iraqi officials, with Iran's disputed nuclear programme and the bloody conflict in Syria high on the agenda. Ashton met with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Deputy Prime Minister responsible for energy affairs Hussein al-Shahristani, and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, according to their offices and an AFP journalist. Her one-day visit to Iraq will also see her make a brief trip to Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region.

Canada to provide $98.4 million in aid to Jordan to cope with Syrian fallout

AMMAN, Jordan - Canada will give Jordan an additional $98.4 million in aid to help the Arab country cope with the costly fallout from the worsening crisis in neighbouring Syria. A statement from Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird released on Monday, after his visit to Jordan, says that "compassion for Syrians fleeing the death and destruction cannot be Jordan's undoing." Jordan hosts more than half a million Syrian refugees. It has complained that growing numbers of refugees are straining its fragile economy and scarce resources.

AFP 1900 GMT news advisory

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Canada boosts aid to Jordan to help cope with Syrian refugee influx

OTTAWA - Canada is providing $100 million to help Jordan cope with the fallout from the brutal civil war raging in neighbouring Syria. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird calls the aid "unprecedented" and says it is aimed at helping Jordan take care of the thousands of Syrian refugees streaming across its borders while dealing with its own economic challenges. The support consists of $75 million over three years to help Jordan promote job creation and economic development.

Jordan can protect itself from Syria war threats

King Abdullah II vowed Sunday to protect Jordan from the war in Syria, after the United States announced its warplanes and missiles will remain in the kingdom at the end of military exercises. "Should the world not act and help us adequately address this issue, and should this issue become a threat... then we are capable at any time to take the necessary measures to protect our country and people's interests," said the Jordanian ruler.

Canada pledges Jordan $24 mn to help Syria refugees

Canada on Sunday pledged 25 million Canadian dollars ($24.58 million) to Jordan to help the kingdom cope with the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled there, state media reported. "Following a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird announced today a direct assistance of $25 million to the government help the refugees," state-run Petra news agency said.
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