As the battle for the city of Raqqa ends, aid organisations and activists are calling attention to what appears to be the most significant humanitarian crisis of Syria’s six-year civil war.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from the northern city, which was ISIL’s de facto capital of its self-declared caliphate.
Eighty per cent of the city was destroyed, according to some estimates, and many of the displaced are living in rudimentary camps outside Raqqa, where access to the most basic services is limited.
Nonetheless, tens of thousands of Syrians are reported to be joining those already displaced as fighting intensifies around the city of Deir Ezzor, about 140 kilometres southeast of Raqqa.
An International Committee of the Red Cross in Damascus spokeswoman said that an ICRC delegation visiting one camp on Tuesday found that its population had more than quadrupled since August.
“The number has gone from 6,000 to 26,000,” said Ingy Sedky, referring to the Arisha camp near the city of Hasaka, about 200 kilometres east of Raqqa.
“There are an additional 7,000 people waiting for a place to stay. They are waiting in the open without shelter, without tents and without access to basic needs.”
She said that 15 buses carrying people were arriving in the space of an hour.
“The increase in the number is beyond the ability of any actor to respond,” Ms Sedky said.
“The Syrian Arab Red Crescent and ICRC have been able to provide bottles of water for the people who are waiting, and we will begin very soon trucking in water.
“We have been sending some supplies, including food and winter clothes, also mattresses, but we have not been able to begin distribution.”
Save the Children, a non-governmental organisation, echoes the ICRC’s concerns, saying that some 270,000 people who left Raqqa were in critical need of aid and the camps are “bursting at the seams”.
“With high levels of destruction reported in and around Raqqa, most families have little or nothing to return home to and will likely be stuck in camps for months or years to come,” it said in a statement released on Tuesday. “In addition, more than 10,000 people a day are now fleeing ongoing fighting in ISIS strongholds around Deir Ezzor.”
Save the Children also referenced the psychological damage suffered by Raqqa’s residents.
“Children in camps around Raqqa have told Save the Children of witnessing executions and decapitations, seeing friends and relatives blown up by landmines, and homes reduced to rubble by bombing,” the statement said.
Abdulkarim Al Huaidi, who is involved in humanitarian aid projects, said there was not enough organisation to cover the needs of civilians.
“The water network has been destroyed because of bombing,” he said. “No hospitals can deal with the number of injured.”
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, more than 1,000 civilians had been killed since June, along with at least 2,000 combatants.
Mr Al Huaidi expected the toll from the fighting to rise, saying: “There are still civilians under the rubble.”
The political situation is also a concern for Raqqa residents who hope to return in spite of the destruction. It was the Syrian Democratic Forces — a militia backed by US air power, artillery and advisers — that defeated ISIL.
The SDF is dominated by Syrian Kurds, many of whom have an affiliation with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia that serves as the military wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Though PYD’s exact intentions are unclear, they now control large parts of northeastern Syria and have been accused of systematically displacing Arabs. PYD advocates greater autonomy for Syrian Kurds, who make up about 10 per cent of the country’s population and have been oppressed for decades by the country’s Baathist government.
“I expect to come back to Raqqa after six months and work politically against PYD and YPG,” Mr Al Huaidi said.
Others from Raqqa went further, referring to the People’s Protection Units and the Syrian Democratic Forces as “occupiers”.
Col Ryan Dillon, the spokesman for the US-led coalition fighting ISIL in Iraq and Syria, put the SDF’s numbers at 57,000, about 31,000 of whom are Kurds. He acknowledged that in some cases, YPG units had been incorporated wholesale.
The SDF also controls many of the refugee camps, including Arisha.
One source, who asked to remain anonymous, said that because the SDF screens displaced Syrians waiting to enter camps under their control, as many as 40,000 additional people were waiting at SDF checkpoints for permission to enter the camps.
Company%20Profile
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
