Live updates: Follow the latest on Syria
A team of international chemical weapons experts should be sent to Syria “as soon as possible", a leading analyst on the weapons of mass destruction has said, amid fears ousted dictator Bashar Al Assad had secretly built up stockpiles.
On Monday, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said there remained "serious concerns" about "the fate of significant amounts of chemical weapons unaccounted for" and that "the Syrian declaration of its chemical weapons programme still cannot be considered as accurate and complete".
France and the US separately raised similar concerns on Saturday, as Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a organisation formerly linked to Al Qaeda, and allied militant groups advanced towards the Syrian capital Damascus. Robert Wood, the US deputy ambassador to the UN, said Mr Al Assad's chemical weapons were "not a relic of the past".
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a leading expert on chemical weapons, on Monday told The National efforts to secure and destroy suspected toxic agents should not be delayed.
“We need to get the experts into Syria as soon as possible to verify destruction and to secure those which still exist,” said Mr de Bretton-Gordon, who led investigations into chemical weapons use in Syria and has advised the UK government on the toxins.
An OPCW statement said it was "closely monitoring" information about "the security and integrity of declared chemical weapons research, development, production, storage and testing sites".
Syria promised to give up its chemical weapons after international experts said the Assad regime had fired sarin nerve gas rockets into the Ghouta area near Damascus in August 2013, with estimates of the death toll ranging from about 300 to 1,700. The following month, Damascus agreed to join the Chemical Weapons Convention and to hand over its stockpiles for destruction under the supervision of the OPCW.
Sarin, a liquid dispersed as vapour, kills by disrupting the nervous system, causing fatal seizures and an agonising death. It has been used by terrorists before, in 1995, when an extremist cult dropped a small amount on the Tokyo subway in 1995, killing 13 people and injuring 1,000, but scientists say it is difficult to weaponise without significant expertise.
Experts say Syria has used chemical weapons throughout the civil war that began in 2011 – more than 300 times by some counts, including nine suspected attacks – after agreeing to destroy them. Syria was previously accused of having VX, the world’s most lethal nerve agent, after inspectors found traces of the chemical at a site that had not been declared. VX is 100 times deadlier than sarin and can kill with a tiny amount on the skin.
The OPCW has repeatedly expressed concerns that Syria retained significant quantities of chemical weapons, or continued research on them covertly. On Friday, two days before Mr Al Assad fled Damascus, it said there were “outstanding issues related to potentially undeclared full-scale development and production of chemical weapons at two declared chemical weapons-related facilities, which were previously declared as having never been in operation".
In a previous report in June, the watchdog warned of “undeclared research; the production or weaponisation of unknown quantities of chemical weapons; and significant quantities of chemical-warfare agents, precursors or chemical munitions whose fate has not yet been fully verified by the OPCW”.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar at the weekend said its military had carried out strikes on suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria. “We attacked strategic weapons systems, for example, remaining chemical weapons ... in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists,” he said.
Burning chemical weapons
It is not yet clear whether such strikes – on Khalkhakah Airbase and a scientific research centre in Damascus so far – might affect nearby populations if the targets were indeed chemical weapons sites. Israeli special forces, according to multiple accounts, raided Masyaf in September, one of the regime’s critical weapon research sites, in an apparent attempt to destroy underground infrastructure.
“The best way to get rid of them is for an OPCW team to go in and remove them to be destroyed elsewhere but if that is not possible, blowing them up is viable to destroy them, " Mr de-Bretton Gordon said.
“There is a danger of spreading contamination but [it is] fairly small, especially if there are large explosions and fires. Fires will incinerate the chemical weapon, which is how we would destroy them anyway.”
Syria’s deadliest chemical weapons are what experts refer to as “binary”, meaning their constituent parts are stored separately and usually mixed as the weapon is in flight. This is because nerve agents such as sarin last only weeks or months when prepared for use – after that they can become corrosive, difficult to store and lose potency.
“If there's binary components to sarin, one of them is extremely flammable. Biggest risk, to me, is loss of information to be exploited from the sites,” says Dan Kaszeta, an expert on chemical weapon proliferation who has worked with the US government.
“Bear in mind, we're at a point where Israel can say ‘oh, look a CW site’ and bomb anything. So we have to exercise a bit of rigour on these claims.”
If Israel has struck ready-to-use nerve agents, the risk to civilian populations could be much higher than if binary weapons are struck and burnt up. In 2022, scientists at the University of Texas completed decades of research into Gulf War Syndrome, a collection of symptoms in veterans from the 1991 Gulf War in Kuwait and Iraq.
About 100,000 US and British veterans reported “fatigue, persistent headaches, muscle pain, confusion and even difficulty speaking”, for years after the conflict. Robert Haley, one of the researchers into the syndrome, said his team believed coalition bombing of Saddam Hussein's sarin gas stockpiles had caused the mysterious illness, with minuscule amounts of vapour from the strikes travelling thousands of kilometres.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
What should do investors do now?
What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor?
Should I be euphoric?
No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.
So what happened?
It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.
"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."
Should I buy? Should I sell?
Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.
"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.
All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.
Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.
Will the rally last?
No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.
"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."
Brief scoreline:
Wolves 3
Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45' 2
Arsenal 1
Papastathopoulos 80'
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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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.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RACE CARD
6.30pm Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.40pm Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m
8.15pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Scoreline
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 17
Jebel Ali Dragons 20
Harlequins Tries: Kinivilliame, Stevenson; Cons: Stevenson 2; Pen: Stevenson
Dragons Tries: Naisau, Fourie; Cons: Love 2; Pens: Love 2
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
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