Many Afghans predict that the Taliban will return to formal power in Afghanistan, either through a peace settlement or a bloody military takeover once foreign troops are gone. But it remains a mystery to what extent the Islamist militant group has moderated its extremist beliefs and is willing to embrace major change.
During its brutal rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban established a fundamentalist regime that oppressed women, massacred religious and ethnic minorities and banned free speech. It has adopted a more conciliatory public image in recent years, claiming that it is not seeking a monopoly on power, nor does it want to re-establish its rule of the 1990s, which even it now describes as “harsh”.
But the Taliban’s desire to establish a “truly Islamic” system in Afghanistan remains vague on many issues, including women’s rights, freedom of expression and the country’s future political structure. The group’s former regime was a theocracy, in which power was centralised in the hands of a so-called "Commander of the Faithful”. This supreme leader was the head of state and had ultimate authority. The regime’s governance was based on what it claimed was a strict interpretation of Sharia.
“Apart from a few statements, the Taliban has barely revealed its positions or plans on important issues,” Rahmatullah Amiri, an Afghan researcher who studies the Taliban, has told me.
The Taliban’s ambiguity on key issues could be down to strategy or reflect divisions within the group. Many Afghans have interpreted their ambivalence as proof that the militants intend to roll back democratic gains made in Afghanistan since they were toppled from power in 2001. Experts say the best way to gauge future Taliban behaviour is by looking at how the militant group administers areas under its command in Afghanistan, where it controls or contests around half of the country.
My colleagues and I spent several days this year interviewing Afghans who live in areas currently under Taliban rule. Many of them told us that the group continues to preserve its radical ideology and many of its draconian laws. They recounted to us the ways in which the Taliban has not changed.
The Kabul administration controls all provincial capitals and major cities while the Taliban commands swaths of the countryside. Written permission from the Taliban is needed to visit areas under their control. But the militants restrict where reporters go and to whom they speak. They are often at pains to show Taliban rule in a positive light.
My colleagues in the field had to meet many of the interviewees at bus stops in government-held areas as they were returning to their villages in Taliban territory. Some agreed to speak on the phone. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity, out of fear of retribution from the Taliban. Even then, the fear was palpable in their voices.
When the Taliban first ruled Afghanistan, it banned TV and music, forced men to pray and grow beards, compelled women to cover themselves from head to toe and prevented most women and girls from working or going to school. It amputated the hands of thieves, publicly flogged people for drinking alcohol, and stoned to death those who engaged in adultery. Executions were common.
Little of that has changed. Today, locals say public executions and floggings are still common in Taliban-controlled areas. Women remain largely confined to their homes, many girls are still denied schooling and free speech remains a punishable offence.
Afghans living under the Taliban’s thumb describe an intensely religious group that still rules by fear and intimidation and crushes dissent.
Women are still largely banned from working outside the home, locals say. In some areas, there are exceptions for those working as teachers, doctors or nurses. Even then, male and female patients have to be segregated and female medical staff must comply with strict dress codes. All women must still be accompanied by a male relative when they leave their homes.
The Taliban continues to curtail girls’ education severely. In some districts under its control, there is not a single school for girls. In other districts, the Taliban restricts education to prepubescent girls.
Ironically, the government or foreign organisations pay the salaries of teachers at schools in Taliban-controlled areas. Even then, the Taliban sets the curriculum. Often, subjects such as science and English are replaced by Islamic studies.
In some areas where there are no girls’ schools, locals, on rare occasions, have successfully lobbied for the militants to permit education.
But brutal public punishments are also still commonplace in Taliban-held areas. The group’s courts continue to use draconian interpretations of Sharia, relying on punishments such as stoning. Thieves often have their faces blackened and are paraded in public before they are beaten. In many Taliban-controlled areas, men or women found guilty of having a relationship outside of marriage or an extramarital affair are publicly lashed or executed.
The Taliban also suppresses free speech in areas under its rule. Smart phones and social media are banned to prevent access to independent information. Some Afghans have said they were beaten by the Taliban for posting critical comments on Facebook. Members of civil society groups in Taliban areas have been intimidated and detained.
The Taliban has also killed dozens of journalists and targeted independent media outlets that report critically about them. Eleven journalists and media workers have been murdered this year alone, with many of the killings blamed on the Taliban. On May 5, the Taliban accused independent media outlets of "one-sided propaganda" and threatened journalists with “consequences”.
Four of my colleagues have been killed in recent years in attacks attributed to the Taliban. Threats and intimidation by militants have forced other colleagues to quit their jobs or seek safety abroad. During reporting assignments in Kabul, my own movements are restricted. I often change my routes to and from the office, use different means of transport and try to avoid peak traffic, when suicide bombers often strike to inflict maximum casualties. For visitors, the dread of bombings in the overpopulated city is often overwhelming. Many Afghans, though, have become numb to the threat of danger after more than 40 years of grinding war.
The killing of reporters has forced local media outlets to adopt new security measures and self-censor over fears their stories could have security implications. Some employers have even offered journalists weapons to protect themselves. A growing number of them, especially women, are quitting their jobs or fleeing abroad.
Taliban's desire to establish a 'truly Islamic' system in Afghanistan remains vague on many issues
But while the Taliban’s red lines on its notion of religion and morality appear to be intact, the group has changed in other ways. It has toned down at least some of its repressive laws. Afghans living under Taliban rule say listening to music or watching television is tolerated in some areas. Rules on the length of one’s beard have been relaxed in some areas.
“They are more diplomatically engaged,” Ibraheem Bahiss, an independent Afghan researcher, has told me. “They are also technologically savvier, utilising new tools to amplify their message and undermine that of their rivals.”
The Taliban’s governance has also become more decentralised and ad hoc, says Mr Bahiss. It has even expanded its co-operation with foreign aid groups, allowing them to provide health care and educational services to areas under its command.
The Taliban’s religious teachings and promotion of tribal codes local to their rural heartland have struck a chord with some currently living under the group’s thumb in the countryside, which has borne the brunt of the war and where life has improved little since 2001. But those ideas are largely alien in Afghanistan’s major urban centres, which have witnessed major social, economic and democratic gains over the past 20 years.
As Mr Amiri puts it: “The Taliban has changed compared to pre-2001, but whether these changes go far enough for the international community and the Afghan population, in particular for women, minorities, and the educated, is the question.”
Frud Bezhan is a correspondent covering Afghanistan for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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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.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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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
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Company%20Profile
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How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Sugary teas and iced coffees
The tax authority is yet to release a list of the taxed products, but it appears likely that sugary iced teas and cold coffees will be hit.
For instance, the non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Cold coffee brands are likely to be hit too. Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
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
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
