After nearly 17 years of armed conflict, the government controls around 55 per cent of the total territory of Afghanistan while the Taliban control around 11 per cent, with the rest being disputed area, according to the United States Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. EPA
After nearly 17 years of armed conflict, the government controls around 55 per cent of the total territory of Afghanistan while the Taliban control around 11 per cent, with the rest being disputed areShow more

Taliban cancel Afghanistan peace talks with the United States



The Taliban and the United States have cancelled the latest round of peace talks after it was unexpectedly moved to Qatar, citing disagreements over the agenda.

Two days of talks were cancelled on Tuesday over the US's push for the involvement of Afghan officials, discussions over a ceasefire and the details of the Taliban's request of a prisoner exchange.

"The US officials insisted that the Taliban should meet the Afghan authorities in Qatar and both sides were in disagreement over declaring a ceasefire in 2019," a Taliban source told Reuters.

"Both sides have agreed to not meet in Qatar."

The two sides were due to meet for two days starting on Wednesday in Qatar where the Taliban have their embassy.

It would have been the fourth round of talks between the Taliban and the United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, in recent months.

The Taliban wanted a US withdrawal, a prisoner exchange and a lifting of the ban on movement of their leaders, one told Reuters.

They said they demanded the release 25,000 prisoners and they would free 3,000 but the United States were not ready to discuss that.

But the Taliban refuse to agree to US demands that the Afghan government attend, saying they are simply a proxy of America – their real enemy.

The US is seeking a lasting peace to the country's longest war, which as cost nearly 1 trillion dollars and thousands of lives.

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Zalmay Khalilzad was appointed US special envoy to Afghanistan in September 2018, but the Taliban say they do not think he has enough power.

Mr Khalilzad still intends to visit the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China to continue the discussions, the Taliban said, but his office was not available to confirm the details.

Previous talks in Qatar and the UAE have focussed on confidence building and leading to an intra-Afghan peace solution.

The next round of talks were supposed to take place in Saudi Arabia in February, but on Tuesday Taliban officials said they would take place on Wednesday in Qatar.

Wednesday’s discussions were also due to only include the United States and the Taliban, contrary to previous talks in which Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were involved.

Iran says they are holding parallel talks with the Taliban.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani is anxious to meet with the Taliban ahead of presidential elections taking place in June this year.

The country is going through a particularly bloody period and civilians are bearing the brunt of the diplomatic impasse.

Suicide bombings are a near daily occurrence and as much as 45 per cent of the country is disputed or under Taliban rule.

The war was waged by an international coalition led by the United States in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks. The Taliban were ousted from power but quickly developed a potent insurgency, using porous borders with Pakistan for shelter.

At their peak, the United States had 100,000 troops stationed in the country, but in 2014 they withdrew most of their forces, handing over the principal security operation to the Afghan National Army.

Now a US-led Nato operation, Operation Resolute, provide counterterrorism and air support to the Afghan army.

As peace talks gained momentum a draft agreement drawn up by the influential US think tank RAND Corporation outlining the clauses for a potential peace deal was circulated among Afghan officials and diplomats in Kabul.

The document, reviewed by Reuters, suggests that the United States and Nato withdraw their military missions in phases over an expected period of 18 months, but the United States may continue providing civilian assistance.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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Tips to avoid getting scammed

1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday

2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment

3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone

4) Try not to close the sale at night

5) Don't be rushed into a sale 

6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour

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World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes 

Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

PROFILE OF INVYGO

Started: 2018

Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo

Based: Dubai

Sector: Transport

Size: 9 employees

Investment: $1,275,000

Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri

Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE

Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:

• Buy second hand stuff

 They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.

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 Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.

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Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.

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Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

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

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Three trading apps to try

Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:

  • For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
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  • Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins