Month: October 2025

Damascus – Syria is conducting its first parliamentary elections on Sunday, ten months after insurgent groups, led by Ahmed al-Shara—the current president—defeated Bashar al-Assad, ending a brutal civil war, reports 24brussels.

Experts view the elections as a significant step toward democracy following decades of authoritarian rule by the Assad family, which has maintained strict control over the country for over fifty years.

How are Syria’s first elections after the war being conducted?

The government established an electoral committee to oversee the election process, appointing regional bodies responsible for selecting members of local electoral councils that vetted candidates.

Approximately 6,000 members will select from 1,578 candidates at regional electoral colleges, with polling stations closing at 5 PM local time. While two-thirds of the representatives will be elected through this process, the remaining seats will be filled by Syria’s interim President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who will appoint a third of the 210 members of Parliament directly.

The election will not be conducted nationwide, as the government cites significant administrative challenges following the end of the civil war. A considerable number of citizens lack identification and remain displaced from their homes.

The northeastern regions of Raqqa and Hasakah, controlled by a Kurdish-led administration, will be excluded from the voting. Additionally, the entire southern province of Sweida will not participate in the elections.

Why are many former Assad allies disqualified from running?

The electoral committee has disqualified several individuals from running for Parliament, including former supporters of the Assad regime unless they had resigned or defected. This includes many former parliamentarians.

The disqualification list extends to individuals with criminal records, those under 25 years old, those involved with terrorist organizations, and individuals who have promoted separatism or foreign intervention. Candidates who did not have Syrian citizenship prior to 2011, the year the civil war began, have also been excluded.

When were the last parliamentary elections held?

The last legislative elections in Syria took place on April 13, 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflict, with only a 33.17% voter turnout among eligible voters in approximately 70% of Syrian territory. The pro-government National Progressive Front and its allied parties maintained a legislative majority, with the Ba’ath Party continuing its control of the People’s Council.

In that election, the National Progressive Front captured 183 of the 250 parliamentary seats, with the Ba’ath Party securing 66.8% of the seats and thus retaining its dominant influence. Independent candidates won 67 seats.

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• For Love & Money is a column from Business Insider answering your relationship and money questions.
• This week, a reader is having roommate problems after moving in with a close friend.
• Our columnist suggests scheduling regular roommate meetings rather than relying on reminders.
• Have a question for our columnist? Write to For Love & Money using this Google form.

Dear For Love & Money,

I just moved into an apartment with two college friends. We’re all on the lease. One of them is my close friend, and the other is her good friend whom I don’t know as well.

I knew going in that my friend and I have very different styles. I like things tidy, and I don’t like other people touching my stuff. Messes don’t bother her at all, and she’s very generous and always assumes it goes both ways. I knew we needed some boundaries, so I made a chore chart and labeled my food, and we had a meeting the first week to go over expectations.

Our third roommate and I have followed our agreements respectfully, but my friend uses my stuff constantly and never does her chores. When I ask her about it or remind her to do her chores, she either promises to do them or says I can borrow her stuff anytime, too.

I don’t want to use her stuff. I just want her to stop using mine. I know our third roommate agrees with me because we’ve had long conversations, but when I need her to back me up, she acts like I’m overreacting and says she doesn’t have a problem. We are a month into a year lease, and I already want out. How can I fix this?

Sincerely,

Disgusted Roomie

Dear Disgusted,

Eighteen years ago, I made the classic mistake of being roommates with my best friend. We were freshmen in college, and neither of us had any sense of boundaries, and very different cleaning styles.

She was comfortable living with a moderate level of mess and doing small chores to keep our room from devolving into anything too gross. I wanted to keep things museum-level clean because I knew that if anything were out of place, I’d let the whole thing spiral into chaos until I finally had the willpower to spend five straight hours cleaning the place back to perfection.

She never helped, and seemed to like to return to my masterpiece, toss her coat over the back of her chair, and leave her book bag in the middle of the floor.

The rage we felt toward one another but refused to express eventually came out in a showdown over winter break travel plans that terrified our suitemates to the point of tears. We only salvaged our friendship by taking an extended break from one another and never living together again. It’s an event I still count among my greatest regrets.

I share this story because I made the two major mistakes it’s essential you — and anyone with roommate problems — avoid: not saying enough, and then saying entirely too much, much too aggressively.

While I know you want to fix this and don’t plan to take the nuclear option, your mention of “long conversations” with your other roommate makes me worry that you’re on your way to a showdown of your own. Having long conversations about conflicts like these with anyone other than the person you’re having issues with fuels the fires of resentment.

And while I’m sure your reminders to your friend have been reasonable, they seem a tad weak in comparison to your frustration. Reminders are for people who understand their responsibilities but get off track occasionally. They aren’t for people who’ve never been on track. I’m not suggesting you express the full extent of your rage. Rather, think through what you need from your friend and gauge how well she’s meeting those expectations. Once you have a stronger sense of the situation, you can address it with her more effectively.

Also, consider areas where you can flex to meet her needs. Sure, all these years later, I still think my way of cleaning was superior, but in hindsight, I recognize how my approach wasn’t working for my friend either. She didn’t share my all-or-nothing mindset, and I’m sure she found my anxiety around housekeeping obnoxious. Now that I have my own house, I can run it with a slightly obsessive emphasis on routine upkeep because that method works for me. But when you live with other people, you have to recognize that your version of “the best way” isn’t theirs, and any frustration over these differences is likely mutual.

This is why I suggest swapping out your “reminders” with weekly roommate meetings. In a meeting format, you can ask her what would help her keep up with chores. Maybe the ones she agreed to aren’t a good fit, and she could trade them for ones you or the other roommate want to give up. Or, perhaps money is easier for her to give than time, and she could hire a cleaning service to cover her share. This way, you can treat her neglected chores as a matter of business, not a passing gripe, and reset expectations.

A standing roommate meeting will also create space to directly discuss her habit of borrowing your things without permission. You didn’t mention if you have any financial concerns about her doing so, but it would be valid if you do. Her generosity makes me wonder if she can afford it and assumes everyone else can, too. To show how this affects you, lay out the costs. Perhaps you run a tight budget, and her borrowing your food has thrown it off; explain that.

Just like cleaning differences, her openhanded mentality isn’t superior or inferior to your preference for clear boundaries — it’s just a difference. Disrespecting another person’s style by using their things without permission, though, isn’t OK. Sharing the underlying reasons for your preferences, which could come from a personal approach to money rather than stinginess, will hopefully soften her passive-aggressive attitude.

If I could go back and tell my freshman year self one thing when I was having roommate problems, it would be this: Assertive, honest, ongoing communication is the best prevention for melodramatic blowups. And it will likely save your friendship.

Rooting for you,

For Love & Money

Looking for advice on how your savings, debt, or another financial challenge is affecting your relationships? Write to For Love & Money using this Google form.

• Wall Street veteran John Studzinski outlined four career lessons to help you succeed at work.
• The author and philanthropist said time management, tenacity, humility, and trust are crucial.
• Pimco’s vice chair said mastering the “Three D’s” — data, details, and deadlines — is critical.

Whether starting a new job, founding a company, or volunteering, you’ll boost your chances of success if you get a few things right, John Studzinski said.

The veteran financier and philanthropist, who published a book titled “A Talent For Giving” this month, shared with Business Insider four crucial lessons he’s learned during a career spanning five decades and stretching from Morgan Stanley to HSBC, Blackstone, and now Pimco as the bond giant’s vice chair.

1. Data, details, deadlines

Studzinski, 69, said he’s long told young people the importance of the “Three D’s”: data, details, and deadlines.

“You have to understand the numbers,” he said. “You have to understand the facts, the details. And you really need to be very good at deadlines, namely time management.”

Studzinski said that smartly managing his time has been key to reaching the highest echelons of Wall Street and the nonprofit sphere.

He added that a key aspect of allocating time well is ask whether to “do it yourself, collaborate or partner, or delegate.”

2. Persistence is a virtue

Studzinski said that “knocking” is an important skill, whether you’re an investment banker drumming up business or a volunteer fundraising for a charity.

Studzinski said that you may have to “knock on the door” 19 or 20 times before it opens, adding people need an “element of tenacity” to succeed.

3. Keep your ego out of things

Focusing too much on your status or reputation can lead to costly mistakes, Studzinski said.

Studzinski added that egos drive “a lot of decisions,” and people need to ask themselves what’s driving their actions.

Whether you’re picking a path, choosing investments, or advising clients, “don’t do it based on your ego,” he said.

4. Trust is key

Whatever you’re trying to do, the person in front of you wants to feel they can trust you, Studzinski said, adding, “Trust is key.”

“We all take trust for granted, but it’s one of those things that takes years to build, it’s very fragile, and you can destroy it immediately,” he said.

Studzinski said his lifetime of giving has contributed to people perceiving him as ethical and trustworthy, which he said had helped in finance and philanthropy.

• Wilma Ramony de Souza worked at JPMorgan for 14 years at offices in Brazil, New York, and London.
• She was an executive director in her 30s and quit due to burnout, but doesn’t just blame the bank.
• de Souza and her mentor figured out how to excel in a male-dominated space.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 37-year-old Wilma Ramony de Souza. Business Insider has confirmed her employment and roles at JPMorgan. The following has been edited for length and clarity. JPMorgan declined to comment.

Growing up in Maceió, a beach town in Brazil, I never imagined I would work at one of the world’s most powerful banks. Yet, after four years at the Brazilian Financial and Capital Markets Association, a colleague invited me to join him at JPMorgan, and I became an analyst at the São Paulo branch at the age of 24.

It felt like a dream, and part of me wondered how I got there, especially because I had failed to get an internship at the company years ago. About a year after I joined the bank, a woman with a strong presence, colorful style, and Spanish accent caught my attention. I felt this amazing energy with her, and she eventually brought me onto her team in a front-office role as her first hire. She became my mentor and direct manager over the next 12 years, and uniting forces was one of the most important parts of my career.

People called us the cowgirls — two foreigners in an American bank, trying to build a business in the male-dominated Latin American market.

I worked in a male-dominated culture

JPMorgan helped me build my corporate persona, with trainings on everything from American business culture, to executive presence, to language support, to technical skills. The learning was overwhelming at times, but I figured out how to adapt American techniques to the Brazilian culture.

My boss and I were outliers, bringing a different flavor and type of client relationships to the business. We got a lot of support, but also a lot of resistance. The first 15 minutes of every conversation were crucial, because I had to really prove myself.

I was in my mid-twenties, blonde, and not even 5’2, so some of the guys on the trading desk questioned why I was excelling. At one point, I got laser eye surgery, but I kept wearing glasses for a while to look a bit older.

Travel was exciting, but it took a toll

In Brazil, our team worked on investor services, so I interacted with many companies and funds — the guys would usually choose to go to barbecue dinners, the club, and golf games with clients, and I learned how to relate to these topics to remain included. In the early years, travel was thrilling, as I went from trips within Brazil to global journeys.

At that time, I generally had a nine-to-seven schedule (except for the nights when I worked until 1 am), but the travel started to take a toll. My six-year relationship ended because I rarely saw my boyfriend; I missed birthdays and Mother’s Day; I never wanted to take trips during my time off.

The pay was great, but I didn’t have time for hobbies or the gym, so I’d overdo it with sports on the weekends. Then I’d spend money at the spa trying to relax, or on acupuncture to compensate.

Success in New York was addictive

The accomplishments were like a drug: the more I conquered, the more I wanted.

My boss and I were securing big clients, and I didn’t mind approving things at 1 am as long as we got the accounts open. All I saw was more opportunity.

On the other hand, the more successful we became, the more attention we received, and some questioned whether we were asking for or doing too much. The recognition was amazing, but it also left no room for mistakes.

When I moved to New York City in 2019 as a Vice President, I went from my comfort zone to the eye of the storm, and had to prove myself even more as a foreigner. Soon, the pandemic hit, and I moved to Miami. By the time we returned to the office, I was flying from Florida to New York, until eventually the company said I had to come back to New York full-time or look for something else.

At that point, I began searching for jobs on the private banking side of the business and decided to move to London with my significant other. I felt like I was betraying my boss when I told her I was leaving the team, but I didn’t want her job one day or the life of a Managing Director.

Burnout caught up to me in London

I felt signs of burnout before even arriving in London: I had a mild panic attack in the office in December 2022 while managing a major deal. On top of that, my relationship was struggling, and my mom thought I’d never be back for another Christmas.

After that panic attack, I realized I was starting to lose both my health and myself. The bank would always give me more, but it was my job to know how much was enough. It was hard, though, being in a place where asking for help could be seen as a sign of failure.

So I moved to London in 2023, and it was a huge culture shock. People and the weather were colder, and the society was more closed off. I found it harder to make friends, and work started to feel meaningless. My spark diminished, I’d feel nauseous at my desk, and depression crept up.

I spent a year in therapy realizing I was no longer happy in banking, and another two months gathering the courage to resign. There wasn’t a planned date, but I just walked in one day and told my boss that I needed to leave. I don’t just blame the management or the structure in London. I take full responsibility for my part, having accumulated so much baggage.

Rediscovering myself

After leaving for good in November 2024, I didn’t know what to do with myself. There was no other job, no alternate dream. I spent six months traveling, figuring out who I was and what I loved. I was so used to introducing myself as, ‘Wilma, who works at JPMorgan.’ I didn’t know who Wilma was otherwise.

I wouldn’t change a single thing about my 14 years at the bank, though. Obviously, I had my struggles, my stress, my lost relationships, but the company taught me what it means to challenge myself every day and, in the end, be excellent. Now, I’m living mainly in Miami, serving as a CEO and starting a consulting company for founders and small businesses — I even gladly refer some of them to JPMorgan.