United Nations vehicles are seen outside the hotel where the international experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are staying in Damascus in April. Louai Beshara / AFP   
United Nations vehicles are seen outside the hotel where the international experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are staying in Damascus in April. Louai Beshara Show more

Chemical weapons experts to exhume Douma bodies



Chemical weapons experts want to exhume the bodies of the victims of a chemical attack last month on the city of Douma, a former rebel-held enclave on the outskirts of Damascus.

The unprecedented move will see inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) gather samples in a bid to amass indisputable proof of whether chlorine or sarine were used in the attack.

The inspectors have already gathered over 100 "environmental samples," the head of the OPCW told the Financial Times on Thursday.

However, say experts, two weeks of Syrian and Russian alleged obstructions may have resulted in vital chemical evidence "slipping away."

In an interview with The National last month, Jerry Smith, who helped oversee the OPCW-led withdrawal of much of Syria's sarin stockpile in 2013 said that every hour, day or week of delay may have diluted what the inspectors will eventually uncover in Douma.

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Read more:

Editorial: Scrubbing evidence of chemical weapons' use is as bad as using them

Douma evidence may have 'slipped away' because of Syrian and Russian delays

Belgian companies to be prosecuted for exporting chemicals to Syria 

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OPCW experts have in past carried out autopsies, explained Mr Uzumcu. But the exhumation of bodies is an unprecedented move for the watchdog.

The organisation has been critcised for not doing enough to prevent President Bashar Al Assad's use of chemical weapons.

For weeks Douma and the larger Eastern Ghouta area came under heavy bombardment from regime and Russian strikes. According to Airwars, a UK-based non-profit organisation that tracks reports of civilians deaths in Iraq and Syria, there were 250 civilians casualties in March alone attributed to Russia and centred around the area of Eastern Ghouta.

North of Douma, in the countryside north of Homs, rebels agreed on Wednesday to a Russia-brokered withdrawal deal. The deal would restore state rule, with fighters handing over their heavy weapons. The agreement also states that the Russian police and Syrian civil police would enter after the evacuation of the last bus.

Each fighter may take one rifle and three reserve bullets as well as their personal belongings and lorries can be used to transfer possible furniture. No money or jewels to be taken by evacuees and the authorities have the right to decide the route of the evacuation journey and should expect inspections by the Russian military police .

The deal is valid for six months and civilians who stay behind will be subject to be drafted into the Syrian military.

What the Russians want, said Col. Fatih Hassoun of the Free Syrian Army, is surrender and forced displacement.

"They preceded it with heavy shelling and the preparation of agents to help them disperse the resistance of the region," he told The National.

Meanwhile on Thursday in the western Syrian province of Latakia, a Russian fighter jet stationed in Syria crashed, killing its pilots, Moscow's Defence Ministry confirmed.

State news agency Tass cited the ministry as saying the Su-30 jet crashed after climbing from takeoff at the Russian Hemeimeem airbase in the western Syrian province of Latakia.

"As it was climbing after taking off from the Hmeimim airbase, the Russian fighter Su-30SM crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. Two pilots, who fought until the last minute to save the plane, died, according to reports from the scene", his statement said.

Russia said the aircraft had not come under enemy fire, but that a bird could have fallen "into the engine", according to preliminary information.

The plane was among Russia's most advanced and performed its maiden flight in 2012. In Syria, it was used to launch air-to-ground missiles at rebel targets and to escort attack jets and strategic bombers.

The country that is supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has suffered 86 military deaths since it intervened in Syria in October 2015.

With additional reporting by Jacob Wirtschafter 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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What is tokenisation?

Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets. 

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

Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest

Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.

Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.

Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.

Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.

Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.

Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia

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Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
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How to turn your property into a holiday home
  1. Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
  2. Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
  3. Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
  4. Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
  5. Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.

 

Company: Instabug

Founded: 2013

Based: Egypt, Cairo

Sector: IT

Employees: 100

Stage: Series A

Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors

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Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5