Since the beginning of the year, Afghanistan has swayed between the promise of peace and horrific spikes in violence, with one seemingly prompting the other. On Sunday, one such positive development – a long-awaited power-sharing deal between President Ashraf Ghani and his arch-rival Abdullah Abdullah –materialised just days after an unclaimed militant attack at a maternity ward in Kabul killed 24 people, many of them nurses, pregnant women and new-born babies.
These senseless deaths shocked Afghanistan and the world even as violence has become a fact of life for Afghans. It should not require violence to prompt Afghan leaders to solve their differences, and put the interests of Afghans first.
The government deal gave Dr Abdullah the leading role in the peace process with the Taliban and the right to appoint half of the Afghan Cabinet – a solution that had been on the table for weeks.
When the US and the Taliban signed a peace deal in February, conditioning American troop withdrawal with peace talks between the government and the insurgents, Afghans celebrated.
But in the weeks that followed, optimism turned to scepticism – and then desperation. The deal fell through last month, as the Taliban walked out of negotiations they deemed "fruitless". The government, meanwhile, was riven by bitter rivalries.
Mr Ghani and Dr Abdullah both claimed victory in a contested presidential election, and Kabul stalled a Taliban prisoner release programme meant to pave the way for negotiations. The dispute weakened the government at a time when it should have projected strength, and slowed efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Taliban took advantage of the situation to increase violent attacks, pressuring the US to leave before intra-Afghan peace talks are held.
Even as the government stands united, Kabul faces immense challenges to peace – not least because the Taliban is an extremist group that cannot be trusted.
Despite committing to a reduction of violence, it has launched more attacks since signing the deal with the US three months ago. And although it has denied involvement in the maternity ward attack, groups such as itself, Al Qaeda and ISIS are notorious for targeting women and stripping them of their fundamental rights.
Even as the government stands united, Kabul faces great challenges to peace – not least because the Taliban cannot be trusted
When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, women were not allowed to go to school or receive proper health care.
If the US departs, there are fears that the Taliban would seize this opportunity to overrun the country, whether a deal is reached with the government or not.
Afghans now have a chance at peace and it must not be squandered. But for any political solution to take hold, the US must keep its promise not to leave the country before the two warring sides engage in peace talks, and the Taliban must commit not only to a reduction in violence but to a complete cessation of hostilities. When such a deal is reached, it would be wise for Nato to maintain boots on the ground, not least for its dissuasive power against a potential Taliban takeover.
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Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
Drones
Animals
Fireworks/ flares
Radios or power banks
Laser pointers
Glass
Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
Sharp objects
Political flags or banners
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE) TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
