Dec 15, 2014 – Our Weekly Selection

Our weekly selection includes articles on gains against ISIS’ oil trade, Syrian refugees in Lebanon, challenges to humanitarian aid, an assesment on the situation in Syria…from the space, etc.

The Syrian Civil War, From Space: “The view of Syria from space, they argued, provides “one of the few sources of objective information” on the crisis. Assessing composite satellite images, they concluded that nighttime light declined by around 74 percent across Syria between March 2011 and February 2014.”

Economic Impact of Syrian Displacement Endured Primarily by Lebanese Poor: “Eighty six percent of refugees live in the most marginalized areas in Lebanon where 66 percent of the Lebanese population is marginalized.”

US official claims gains in curtailing IS oil smuggling: “”If a few months ago, IS was able to produce about 50,000 barrels a day, “I believe today they are producing far less than that,” he said.”

Syria Is Breaking the Planet’s Bank: “Syria is by far the biggest problem, accounting for 40 percent of the appeal. Combine that figure with the appeals for Iraq, and the Middle East’s worst war in decades accounts for more than half of next year’s humanitarian needs.”

UN still struggling to move aid into Syria: “Five months later, aid workers are dismayed that more trucks loaded with U.N. aid aren’t moving into Syria, where civilians are dodging bullets and barrel bombs in the crossfire of a war that has killed 200,000.”