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Taliban insurgents isolated Afghanistan's capital on Sunday with the capture of the eastern city of Jalalabad, leaving President Ashraf Ghani's government with few options after the country's armed forces were routed in the space of 10 days.
In a special meeting at the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Saturday, Mr Ghani announced the formation of a negotiating team aimed at unifying the government against the Taliban advance.
But it did not take long for fissures to emerge within the negotiating team, with a senior security source in Kabul telling The National that Mr Ghani was "under a lot of pressure" and that the US and other international leaders were urging him to resign.
Mr Ghani's hopes of resisting the insurgents all but crumbled after they captured the northern stronghold of Mazar-i-Sharif later on Saturday and Jalalabad on Sunday.
Unconfirmed reports from Paghman, a city in Kabul province to the west of the capital, said Taliban fighters had been seen in the area on Sunday.
The Taliban advance comes amid the withdrawal of US and Nato troops from Afghanistan almost 20 years after a US-led invasion toppled the insurgents' regime.
A Taliban offensive was launched in May and rapidly picked up momentum with their first capture of a provincial capital on August 6.
On Saturday, US President Joe Biden stood by his decision to swiftly end the US military presence in Afghanistan.
"I was the fourth president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan – two Republicans, two Democrats. I would not, and will not, pass this war on to a fifth," Mr Biden said.
Chinook helicopters were seen flying to and from the US embassy on Sunday after thousands of troops were sent to Kabul at the weekend as US citizens and staff left Kabul.
On Saturday, Mr Biden ordered that another 1,000 soldiers be sent to support 1,000 troops already in the country, and the 3,000 sent a few days ago.
"I have authorised the deployment of approximately 5,000 US troops" to oversee both the removal of citizens and the final withdrawal of US forces, he said after meeting with his national security team.
Other western countries, including the UK and Germany, are also flying their diplomats and citizens out of the country.
Mr Ghani made a short televised address on Saturday after the Taliban arrived at the doorstep of the capital with the capture Pul-i-Alam, capital of Logar province about 60 kilometres south of Kabul, and intensified their assault on Mazar-i-Sharif.
Mr Ghani said he was on a “historic mission” to stop the violence.
“I will not let the imposed war on people cause more deaths,” he said.
A key priority was to remobilise forces loyal to the government, he said.
The address was followed by meetings with officials including national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib, former minister of interior Mohammed Hanif Atmar, director of the Office of the President, Fazel Fazly, and former president Hamid Karzai.
Several former Afghan mujahideen commanders, known for resisting Soviet forces in the 1980s, as well as other key Afghan politicians, joined the discussions.
Another security meeting with Mr Ghani was attended by US ambassador Ross Wilson. Sources from inside the presidential palace told The National that many meetings were under way to discuss the next steps.
But no concrete plans had been formulated yet. The sources said the situation in the palace was "very chaotic".
Andrew Watkins, senior Afghanistan analyst at the International Crisis Group, said Mr Ghani’s political efforts may have already been outpaced by military developments.
“The team members won’t matter as much as this fact will: the Taliban are in a position to set all the terms. And even if they offer terms that everyone in the political elite can accept, it isn’t certain the Taliban would abide by what they might agree to,” Mr Watkins said.
Officials have also said Abdullah Abudullah, who led a unity government until May last year, held similar meetings with political leaders.
Issues such as a ceasefire and an interim government were discussed, sources said.
Meanwhile, Sami Sadat, one of the army's youngest generals, was appointed as chief of Kabul Security on Saturday.
Gen Sadat, 36, commands the army's 215th Corps and formerly led Special Forces units, regarded as the government's most capable fighters. He will be hard-pressed to stem the Taliban's seemingly inexorable march on Kabul.
Early on Sunday, there were unconfirmed reports of heavy gunfire and fighting in Kabul, while Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh said a riot in the capital's Poli Charkhi prison had been quelled.
Watch: people flee as the Taliban advance
Afghanistan threatened with economic collapse
As the Taliban advance continued, Afghans with the means to leave areas under threat rushed to banks to withdraw savings.
The Afghan currency lost more than 15 per cent of its value overnight, falling to 94 Afghani to the dollar from 80 on Friday, and banks were crowded with people trying to make withdrawals in US currency.
An official at a branch of a private bank said it received about 1,500 customers, compared with about 100 on peak days previously. Most of the customers wanted to withdraw their funds.
The demand led the head office to order a withdrawal limit of $5,000 for every customer, the official said. Airports across the country were crowded with people trying to leave.
Commercial flights continued to operate but there were no economy seats available and in Kabul business-class tickets were being sold for more than $2,000.
Some people at the airport told The National they hoped to find space on some of the special evacuation flights operated by western countries.
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
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Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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
