The world is awash in elections this summer, with recent or looming votes in India, South Africa, Mexico, Europe and the UK, plus the US’s endless campaigns. But one regional democratic process has mostly gone under the radar.
The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), often called Rojava by Kurds, is set to hold local elections next week, on June 11. About 5,000 candidates are running for key positions in more than 190 municipalities across Jazira, Deir Ezzor, Raqqa, Manbij and part of Aleppo.
The region began gaining autonomy in 2012, in the early days of Syria’s civil war, before forming a military and its legislative Syrian Democratic Council a few years later. Its leadership has been criticised for forced disappearances and media censorship, but Rojava is widely seen as the most tolerant and democratic region of Syria, with a stated commitment to gender equality and religious and cultural diversity.
Despite the vote being controlled by AANES’s armed wing, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), it is a hopeful moment for Syrian Kurds – though their northern neighbour takes a different view.
“Turkey will not allow the creation of a ‘terroristan’ across its southern border,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week, calling it a “pretext” of an election.
Ankara sees the SDF as part of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency in Turkey for decades and is designated a terrorist group by the US, EU and Turkey. The US and EU have, since 2015, been allied with the SDF, which played a key role in ISIS’s defeat in Syria and remains the main anti-ISIS fighting force there.
The region today is much more of a tinderbox. One wrong move, one minor misstep, could set it alight
From 2016 to 2020, Ankara launched three ground incursions into SDF-held regions, seeking to create a safe zone along its southern border to resettle Syrian refugees and secure against possible attacks. Turkish officials say SDF forces have plotted attacks on Turkish positions in Syria and blame a deadly 2022 Istanbul bombing on a Syrian woman sent from SDF-controlled Kobani, though the PKK and SDF denied involvement.
Earlier this year, AANES approved a constitution and formed an elections commission and constitutional court. The region previously held local elections in 2017, but one vote alone cannot prove a willingness and ability to make election-prompted leadership transitions.
Thus, Ankara sees this second vote as solidifying a Kurdish state that poses a clear threat. Turkish officials have been talking of staging another incursion into Syria for years, and already several regions of Rojava, such as Afrin, Al Bab and Jarabulus, are unable to join the vote due to Turkish occupation. The main obstacle to Turkey taking more Kurdish-controlled territory is the presence of US troops. Ankara has repeatedly urged the US to end its SDF alliance and withdraw its 1,000 troops from the area. Prominent pro-government columnists in Turkey have argued in recent days that the looming vote is part of an American plan, comparing Rojava to the territory previously held by ISIS.
With all eyes on Gaza, Iran-backed militias have in recent months increased strikes on US targets in Iraq and Syria, probably hoping to spur a US withdrawal. The US is loath to do so as it views its regional troop presence and alliances with Kurdish militias as a beachhead against Iranian influence in the region. Since last autumn, the SDF has clashed with several Arab tribes aligned with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. Iran has reportedly been backing some of these tribes in an attempt to erode SDF control.
Turkey has also increased its Syria campaign. Just last week, Turkish strikes on Manbij and Ain Issa sparked fires that burnt wheat fields and another near Qamishli killed four SDF fighters and injured 11 civilians. In a region facing growing poverty, Turkish strikes have left millions without stable electricity or access to clean drinking water.
The Pentagon has expressed fears that Turkey’s strikes are driving a wedge between US troops and SDF forces, who are convinced Washington could put a stop to them. Amid these tensions, the US State Department last week urged AANES not to proceed with its vote as it views the conditions in north-east Syria as unfit for elections.
By withholding approval but not acting to stop the vote, the US seems to hope it can satisfy Turkey, its Nato ally, without betraying its anti-ISIS partner. Mr Al Assad has yet to recognise AANES and has made no comment on the planned election. But a few weeks ago, he expressed a willingness to open talks with Rojava officials, perhaps hinting at a potential peace deal after the elections.
Ankara has a lot of balls in the air along its southern border. Following Mr Erdogan’s April visit to Baghdad, Turkey is reportedly planning a military operation in northern Iraq and has been in talks with Iraqi officials to jointly crack down on PKK hideouts there. Such an operation could put Turkish troops in position to squeeze the SDF from across the Iraqi border.
In north-west Syria’s Idlib, Ankara has been working to establish a semblance of security and stability. To that end, Turkey-backed militant group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) hopes to hold elections soon following the formation of a Supreme Elections Committee in March. The hitch is that locals have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against HTS rule, calling for major political reforms, a leadership change and an end to torture and human rights abuses.
But Rojava is the most urgent. If the elections go ahead as planned, will Turkey launch a major military operation in response? It may seem unlikely given the US presence, but it would not be unprecedented. In AANES’s first local elections, in 2017, many Arab voters were disenfranchised and a Kurdish opposition leader called the vote “a farce”.
Weeks later, Turkey launched a major assault on Afrin, delaying Rojava’s planned parliamentary elections and displacing hundreds of thousands of locals. “We did what needed to be done before,” Mr Erdogan said last week. “We will not hesitate to take action again.”
The difference is that the region today is much more of a tinderbox. One wrong move, one minor misstep, could set it alight.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE%C2%A0SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.4-litre%20four-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20210hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starting%20from%20Dh89%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Boston%20Strangler
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Matt%20Ruskin%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKeira%20Knightley%2C%20Carrie%20Coon%2C%20Alessandro%20Nivola%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
%3Cp%3E1.%20Singapore%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Switzerland%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Denmark%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Ireland%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Hong%20Kong%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Sweden%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Taiwan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Netherlands%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Norway%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs: 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 60kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed Electronic Precision Shift
Power: 204hp
Torque: 360Nm
Range: 520km (claimed)
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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