Amphetamine pills made in Lebanon and Syria are increasingly turning up in Africa, Europe and Asia, pointing to a worrying expansion for Levantine crime networks, a UN narcotics watchdog said in a report on Thursday.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) study highlights recent seizures in Austria, Italy, Malaysia, Sudan and Egypt as “potentially indicating new markets and trafficking routes” for so-called “Captagon” pills, a cocktail of fenethylline and other drugs.
“Police in Austria dismantled an international drug ring suspected of smuggling around 30 tonnes of Captagon tablets originating in Lebanon via Austria to Saudi Arabia in recent years,” said the INCB's 160-page annual report.
“In March 2021, customs authorities in Malaysia seized 94.8 million Captagon tablets containing amphetamine, worth $1.26 billion, in the country’s largest ever drug operation.”
Africa may be another new frontier for Levantine Captagon exports. Egypt and Sudan both reported seizing more than 14 million tablets in 2020, while reported seizures as far afield as Namibia and Mozambique are on the rise, the report says.
Captagon — also known as the “poor man’s cocaine” — takes its name from a once-legal treatment for hyperactivity disorder. The pills have proliferated, owing in part to an industrial boom in government-held and recaptured areas of war-torn Syria.
Gulf countries have criticised Beirut for not co-operating in the war against Captagon and other drugs, even as Lebanon — which is in the midst of its worst ever economic crisis — looks to repair ties with the oil-rich region.
Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah has denied involvement in the trade, though members of the group have been hit by US sanctions for running criminal enterprises to finance their operations.
Captagon pills are popular among night workers, dieters, students cramming for exams and others, and are a drug of choice for armed militants in Syria and elsewhere, who say they sharpen wits on the battlefield.
INCB researchers also say drug gangs’ illicit financial flows is hurting developing nations, while social media posts “glamourising negative behaviour” attract newcomers to hazardous controlled substances.
“Social media not only promote negative behaviours … but also offers users the opportunity to buy cannabis, prescription painkillers and other controlled substances,” said INCB president Jagjit Pavadia.
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Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Scoreline
Man Utd 2 Pogba 27', Martial 49'
Everton 1 Sigurdsson 77'
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
