Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
September 08, 2021
A new investigation by Amnesty International, You’re Going to your Death, focuses on the abuse of 66 Syrians, 13 of whom are children. Their story stands out because they were former refugees who had returned to their homeland, most believing it was safe. Some were forced by host countries who assumed the same.
On a military level, pockets of the country are stable. But many are not free from regime abuse.
The victims were returning from across the Middle East and Europe, countries where for years public opinion and government rhetoric has often been hostile towards refugees.
Today, the situation seems no different. Migrant and refugee crossings over the English Channel reached record levels on Monday, at more than 1,000 people. The UK’s Home Secretary is now threatening to withhold millions promised to France if it does not stop more of these illegal journeys. It is the latest development in an ongoing diplomatic rift between two allies that is being fuelled by the crisis.
People prepare to board a US Air Force aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo: US Department of Defence
People who fled Afghanistan arrive at Naval Station Rota in Spain. Photo: US Department of Defence
A command master chief assists an Afghan woman deplaning a US Air Force carrier in Sigonella, Italy. Photo: US Department of Defence
A National Guard soldier welcomes a young child to Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Photo: US Department of Defence
A sailor helps a young child try on a new pair of shoes. Photo: US Department of Defence
A US Air Force servicemember assists an Afghan woman at Naval Air Station Sigonella. Photo: US Department of Defence
Afghan children interact with a Muppet during a 'Sesame Street' event in Liberty Village, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Photo: Tech Sgt Matthew B Fredericks / US Air Force
An airman assigned to Task Force Holloman paints Afghan children’s faces during the autumn safety festival at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Photo: Spc Ashleigh Maxwell / US Army
An Afghan pupil writes her ABCs during the first day of community-based education in Liberty Village, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Photo: Sgt Rion Ehrman / US Air Force
In Turkey, a country that for years has hosted millions of migrants and refugees fleeing instability in the Middle East and beyond, authorities are in the middle of an immigration crackdown. Last month, a raid in the eastern province of Van, an area that has seen a sharp rise in migrants fleeing Afghanistan's current crisis, 115 people, mostly Afghans, were detained in just two apartments.
With each new wave, rhetoric seems to centre less on the legal responsibilities of safe countries and more on political anger. But international criminal gangs who organise illegal journeys, or the occasional terrorist who enters a country under the guise of being a refugee, while being important matters, are not the core issue of the migration crisis. It is, instead, the safety of vulnerable people.
There is a slim chance, however, that the situation in Afghanistan could be the moment public opinion starts to view helping refugees and migrants as more of a moral issue, not a political one. The West's tardiness, sometimes failure, in resettling Afghans who worked with Nato forces and those most endangered by a return to Taliban rule, notably rights activists, particularly female ones, saw intense criticism from politicians, media outlets and the public. Boris Johnson, the UK's Prime Minister, has now announced that the country will house an extra 20,000 Afghans currently stranded in their homeland, in addition to the 15,000 that have already been extracted from Kabul.
After last month's stream of images from the capital’s airport of mothers passing babies to Nato troops, young men falling to their deaths from airplane landing gear in an attempt to flee and a suicide bombing that, once again, saw Afghan civilians dying, perhaps it is becoming more difficult for people to draw up the moral and political drawbridge.
Everyone deserves safety and a home in which they can fulfil their potential, not just those who have proved their loyalty on the battlefield. There is no "right" type of refugee. Revisiting global moral responsibilities after years of politics will hopefully stop yet more preventable tragedies, such as the one detailed in Amnesty International's new report.
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
LILO & STITCH
Starring:Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”