Ghulam Isaczai, Afghanistan's UN ambassador, has applied to renew his accreditation. AP
Ghulam Isaczai, Afghanistan's UN ambassador, has applied to renew his accreditation. AP
Ghulam Isaczai, Afghanistan's UN ambassador, has applied to renew his accreditation. AP
Ghulam Isaczai, Afghanistan's UN ambassador, has applied to renew his accreditation. AP

Afghanistan will not address the UN General Assembly


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No representative from Afghanistan will address the annual UN General Assembly in New York after the ambassador for the government overthrown by the Taliban – who was due to speak on Monday – withdrew his name.

The move comes amid competing claims for Afghanistan's UN seat in New York after the Taliban seized power last month.

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi last week asked to address the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations and nominated the group's spokesman Suhail Shaheen, who is based in Doha, as Afghanistan's UN ambassador.

Ghulam Isaczai is the current UN ambassador, who represents deposed Afghanistan government of president Ashraf Ghani, and has also asked to renew his accreditation.

Mr Isaczai was scheduled to address the UN meeting on the final day of the gathering on Monday, but withdrew late on Sunday, diplomats said.

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rival claims have also been made for Myanmar's UN seat after a military coup in February ousted the elected government. No representative from Myanmar will address the meeting.

UN accreditation issues are dealt with by a nine-member committee, with representatives from countries including the US, China and Russia. It traditionally meets in October or November.

Until a decision is made by the credentials committee on both Afghanistan and Myanmar, Mr Isaczai and Myanmar's UN envoy representing the ousted government, Kyaw Moe Tun, will remain in the seats, according to the General Assembly rules.

HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

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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."
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Uefa Nations League: How it works

The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.

The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

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Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m

Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m

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War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

Updated: September 27, 2021, 2:49 PM`