A British man who travelled to Syria to fight against Isil has died while clearing mines in Raqqa. Oliver Hall, 24, had been serving with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) having arrived in the country in August.
Mr Hall was helping to remove mines left by Isil after they were defeated and fled the city when he was fatally injured in an explosion when a piece of ordinance was triggered.
Mark Campbell, co-chairman of the Kurdish Solidarity Campaign, released a statement on Thursday in which he noted with “deep regret and sorrow” that Mr Hall, who came from Portsmouth, had died on November 25.
“It is with deep regret and sorrow that I can confirm via Kurdish sources in Syria that Ollie Hall, a UK national who travelled to Syria in August to help in the liberation of the ISIS city of Raqqa with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), fell on 25 November from an explosion of ordnance left by Daesh after the liberation of the city.
“Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Ollie at this time,” Mr Campbell said.
Mr Hall is reported to have undergone the routine month-long training with the YPG, which included military training as well as education in the political aims of the movement. He was given the name Canşêr Zagros and served with other international fighters in an infantry division.
The YPG released a statement paying tribute to Hall, saying: "On November 25th, 2017, Canşêr Zagros, who was involved in mine clearance work, martyred as he was trying to defuse a booby-trap.
“Comrade Canşêr Zagros, who joined the ranks of People’s Defense Units from United Kingdom when the Raqqa Campaign was going on, actively took part in various fields of work.
“Like many other Internationalist comrades who made ultimate sacrifice during Raqqa Operation, Comrade Canşêr had been trying to fulfill his duties and responsibilities for months and had a great labor.
“We’d like to extend our sympathy to our martyr’s family.”
Mr Hall’s death comes a month after the death of Jac Holmes, another British volunteer who died in Raqqa just days after its liberation.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
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GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
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These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
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An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
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Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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