Syrian children watch a puppet show performed by a local theatre group amidst the ruins of buildings destroyed during Syria's civil war. AFP
Syrian children watch a puppet show performed by a local theatre group amidst the ruins of buildings destroyed during Syria's civil war. AFP
Syrian children watch a puppet show performed by a local theatre group amidst the ruins of buildings destroyed during Syria's civil war. AFP
Syrian children watch a puppet show performed by a local theatre group amidst the ruins of buildings destroyed during Syria's civil war. AFP

EU ministers vow Syria 'war criminals' won't go unpunished


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

EU foreign ministers on Wednesday said they would demand "accountability" from Syria's government and militias over any crimes committed since the 2011 uprising plunged the nation into civil war.

"Our countries are committed to ensuring that war criminals and torturers will not go unpunished," the 18 ministers said on the French Foreign Ministry website.

In the past 10 years nearly 400,000 people have been killed and more than six million have been forced to flee the country to escape "countless violations of human rights", the ministers said.

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has also been accused of using chemical weapons in breach of international law as he retook control of the country.

"Full light must be shed on this decade of atrocities," the ministers said.

"We continue to call for the International Criminal Court to be allowed to investigate crimes alleged to be committed in Syria and prosecute the perpetrators."

Cases have already been filed in several European countries on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows suspects to be tried outside the territory of where the crimes were committed.

A German court in February convicted a former Syrian intelligence service agent for complicity in crimes against humanity, in the first such court case worldwide.

International donors on Tuesday pledged $6.4 billion in aid for Syria and Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, missing the $10bn target urged by the UN.

The need for aid has increased after the coronavirus pandemic and a slump in the value of the Syrian pound, which has sent food prices soaring.

Efforts have stalled to find a lasting peace deal to end a conflict that has pitched world powers against each other and fuelled the rise of the ISIS.

European countries insist they will not spend money on a broader rebuilding in Syria until Mr Al Assad commits to a genuine process to resolve the conflict.

RESULTS

West Asia Premiership

Thursday
Jebel Ali Dragons 13-34 Dubai Exiles

Friday
Dubai Knights Eagles 16-27 Dubai Tigers

LIVING IN...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
Analysis

Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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.

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

The Freedom Artist

By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)

Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
  • Park in shaded or covered areas
  • Add tint to windows
  • Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
  • Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Fireball

Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.

A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.

"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.

Results

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).

7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m

Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m

Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.

Coal Black Mornings

Brett Anderson

Little Brown Book Group 

Tonight's Chat on The National

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Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

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WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5