Displaced Afghan families at a refugee camp in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after fleeing the fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces. AFP
Displaced Afghan families at a refugee camp in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after fleeing the fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces. AFP
Displaced Afghan families at a refugee camp in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after fleeing the fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces. AFP
Displaced Afghan families at a refugee camp in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after fleeing the fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces. AFP

Anger as EU nations say Afghan deportations must continue


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Six EU countries have triggered an outcry by insisting that deportations to Afghanistan must continue in order to deter refugees.

A leaked letter from the Austrian, Belgian, Danish, Dutch, German and Greek interior ministers said stopping deportations would “send the wrong signal”.

They told the European Commission that a lenient stance was “likely to motivate even more Afghan citizens to leave their home for the EU”.

Gains made by the Taliban in Afghanistan after Nato troops all but ended their 20-year mission have raised fears of an imminent refugee crisis.

More than 200,000 Afghans have been displaced in three months.

Afghanistan wants a three-month halt to deportations because of the deteriorating security situation in the country, while NGOs are urging Europe to reconsider failed asylum claims.

While some countries including Sweden and Finland have agreed to pause deportations, other EU countries are determined to continue them.

The letter by six EU ministers, first reported by Belgian newspaper Knack, led to fierce criticism from watchdogs who said Europe had its priorities wrong.

“Afghanistan is on fire, but let’s keep sending refugees back, EU members say,” said Rik Goverde of Save the Children. “Humanity at its finest.”

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles, a network of NGOs, took issue with the ministers’ call for neighbouring countries to take in more refugees.

It said that only a small proportion of Afghan refugees would come to Europe and that the EU should focus on ensuring security and humanitarian aid.

“The vast majority of displaced Afghans will be hosted in neighbouring countries as is currently the case,” it said.

“Turmoil and violence in Afghanistan, escalating alarmingly. Priority for six EU states: returning people and preventing displaces Afghans arriving in Europe.”

Jan Kooy, a deputy media director at Human Rights Watch, pointed out that some countries saw Afghanistan as too dangerous for their own citizens.

“This letter went out as Taliban extremists are winning ground all over Afghanistan, and many countries urge their nationals to leave because their lives may be at risk,” Mr Kooy said.

'Genuine needs'

The ministers said in their letter that Brussels should press Afghanistan to take back nationals who do not have “genuine protection needs” in Europe.

They said some Afghan nationals had committed serious crimes in Europe or merited “particular attention when it comes to integration challenges”.

Hannah Neumann, a German member of the European Parliament, criticised her country’s government for putting its name to the letter.

“It’s Taliban slaughter that motivates people to run away from Afghanistan, not EU member states stopping forced returns,” she said. “Why is the German government signing this disgraceful letter?”.

About 400,000 Afghans have been forced from their homes since the beginning of the year, more than half of them in the last three months, it is estimated.

Iran hosts about a million Afghans, with another 1.4m living in Pakistan, according to the UN’s refugee agency.

Responding to criticism of the letter, Belgium’s Asylum and Migration Minister Sammy Mahdi said those who did not need protection should be deported.

“The fact that regions of a country are not safe does not mean that every national of that country is automatically entitled to protection,” he said.

The European Commission said it had received the letter from the six countries and would reply in due time.

The Light of the Moon

Director: Jessica M Thompson

Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David

Three stars

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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MATCH INFO

Tottenham 4 (Alli 51', Kane 50', 77'. Aurier 73')

Olympiakos 2 (El-Arabi 06', Semedo')

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Changing visa rules

For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.

Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.

It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.

The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.

The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare

Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.

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Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

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Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal

Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.

School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.

“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.  

“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”

Nick's journey in numbers

Countries so far: 85

Flights: 149

Steps: 3.78 million

Calories: 220,000

Floors climbed: 2,000

Donations: GPB37,300

Prostate checks: 5

Blisters: 15

Bumps on the head: 2

Dog bites: 1

Updated: August 10, 2021, 12:33 PM`