The UK government will work with the Taliban's leaders if they took places in the government in Afghanistan, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.
After 20 years of war, the UK would accept their former enemies sharing power in Afghanistan, as long as certain international obligations were upheld, Mr Wallace said.
Speaking in Washington, where he was visiting US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, he said the Taliban would be unlikely to make the mistakes of the past.
Mr Wallace said the Taliban would understand that if they gave terrorists havens from which to attack the West, they would be subject to overwhelming military action, as they were after the 9/11 attacks when they were driven from power.
The lessons of the past 20 years “will not have been lost on the Taliban", he said.
Mr Wallace acknowledged that the group would probably have a role in the future governance of Afghanistan.
“Whatever the government of the day is, provided it adheres to certain international norms the UK government will engage with it,” he said.
“Just like other governments around the world, if they behave in a way that is seriously against human rights we will review that relationship."
Mr Wallace recognised that the prospect of the UK working with the group responsible for the deaths of 457 British personnel would be controversial, but said pragmatism could be the foundation for lasting peace.
“Afghan veterans will be asking themselves about the Taliban," he said. "All peace processes require you to come to terms with the enemy. Sometimes, that's what it is.
He said the Taliban was desperate for "international recognition".
"They need to unlock financing and support for nation building, and you don't do that with a terrorist balaclava on," he said.
“You have to be a partner for peace otherwise you risk isolation. Isolation led them to where they were last time.
“The poverty of their own people is an important issue to be dealt with and you cannot deal with that on your own in isolation. When you're one of the poorest nations on earth, you need the help of the international community.”
The Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, has been fighting for 20 years to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul.
A Taliban offensive has put Afghan security forces on the back foot as the US and its Nato allies end their 20-year military presence.
The Nato withdrawal led to fears that Afghan security forces would be overrun in a "Saigon moment" echoing the fall of South Vietnam in 1975.
Taliban officials said last week the group had taken control of 85 per cent of territory in Afghanistan.
Not all opponents to the existing government were “card-carrying Taliban”, he said. Referring to recent reports that China may be trying to extend its influence in Afghanistan, he said: “Two superpowers learnt Afghanistan is not to be taken for granted.”
“China has been quick to offer itself as a superpower. I don't need to remind them of the consequences.”
Mr Wallace urged the Taliban and Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani to work together to bring stability to the country after decades of conflict.
“Now is the time for both of them to show leadership and bring together Afghanistan," he said. “The Taliban is not one single unit. There are lots of views within the Taliban, lots of tribes.
“The best way to gauge the Taliban, from our point of view at the moment, is formally through the international system. The Americans have been engaging with them and on behalf of their allies as well.
"We speak regularly to the Pakistani government, the Pakistani military and intelligence services, and they understand how to use their influence, hopefully in a way that is in agreement with us.
“But in the end, if there is a government, and it is a government of both, and we have committed to a diplomatic relationship, then that's exactly what it will be.”
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
Five expert hiking tips
- Always check the weather forecast before setting off
- Make sure you have plenty of water
- Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Take your litter home with you
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
More on Quran memorisation:
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets