KABUL // Afghanistan's former president Burhanuddin Rabbani was chosen today to lead a council tasked with starting peace talks with Taliban-led insurgents, an official source said.
A cleric, like many of the Taliban, but an ethnic Tajik like many of their opponents, Mr Rabbani has said in recent years that he has had contacts with some militants willing to consider negotiations. He was once the leader of a powerful mujahideen party during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, and served as president in the 1990s when mujahideen factions waged a war for control of power that ended with the Taliban's rise to power.
Mr Rabbani subsequently became the political leader of the alliance of Afghan factions which, with the help of the United States, overthrew the largely Pashtun Taliban in 2001. With the war entering its 10th year, in June President Hamid Karzai won approval from a tribal gathering to form a "high peace council" to start seeking a negotiated end to the conflict. Today the 68-member council chose Mr Rabbani as its chairman, a senior official at President Karzai's office told Reuters.
Mr Rabbani's first step for opening the way for talks will be establishing a working mechanism acceptable to other members of the council, dominated by powerful former factional leaders, power brokers and some ex-Taliban members. The insurgency is now at its bloodiest since 2001, despite the presence of 150,000 foreign troops, and there is a growing sense both at home and among many of Afghanistan's allies that talks may be the only route to peace.
Mr Karzai had repeatedly said he wanted Taliban leaders to renounce violence and links with al Qa'eda, accept Afghanistan's new constitution and surrender their arms. But on Thursday, he said the government would not interfere in the council's efforts as it tries to start the talks. Oobservers and the Taliban say Mr Karzai's longstanding conditions imply a surrender for insurgents, which they are unlikely to accept as they gain strength around the country.
The Taliban have repeatedly said they will engage in no talks as long as foreign troops remain in Afghanistan.
*Reuters
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The specs: 2019 Audi A8
Price From Dh390,000
Engine 3.0L V6 turbo
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 345hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy, combined 7.5L / 100km
