Follow the latest updates on Afghanistan here
The Taliban have promised to improve Afghanistan's economy, but to do that the new regime will need foreign aid and there is no guarantee of that.
Some major donors already stopped their support for the country, one of the world's poorest, and the World Bank and International Monetary Fund also may freeze aid if major governments fail to recognise the new leadership.
"Afghanistan is tremendously dependent on foreign aid," said Vanda Felbab-Brown, an Afghanistan specialist at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
"Foreign aid is about 10 times or even more than the Taliban has been able to obtain from its own finance.
"International economic aid and access to international economic funds will be crucial."
In 2020, aid flows represented 42.9 per cent of Afghanistan's $19.8 billion GDP, World Bank data shows.
"Afghanistan's economy is shaped by fragility and aid dependence," said the development lender, based in Washington.
The Taliban gets much of its revenue from criminal activities such as cultivating poppies used to make heroin and opium, and from drug trafficking, a May 2020 report from a UN Security Council sanctions committee said.
Extortion of businesses and ransom from kidnapping also provide income, said the report, which estimated the group's revenues at between $300 million and $1.5bn a year.
The Taliban is expert in taxing just about everything in areas they control, from government projects to goods, and "they will continue to use that as a source of funding", said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
The international community has spent billions of dollars over the years to help Afghanistan eradicate poppy cultivation, but the country still produces more than 80 per cent of the world's opium.
The industry employs hundreds of thousands of people in a country with high unemployment after 40 years of conflict.
The Afghan economy has taken a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Taliban has acknowledged that it cannot improve the situation without foreign help.
"We have spoken to many countries. We want them to work on our economy. We want them to help us," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Tuesday.
But as they did when they ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, the group will ban opium production, Mr Mujahid said.
The reception the group received after its shock takeover of the capital Kabul appears less reserved than during the first stint in power.
Russia, China and Turkey have all welcomed the insurgents' first public statements. But many donor countries, starting with the US, are wary.
Washington has insisted that it expects the Taliban to respect human rights, including those of women.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country had "no plans" to recognise the Taliban.
Germany announced the suspension of its development aid on Monday. Berlin was going to provide €430m ($503.1m) in aid this year, including €250m for development.
"They have an interest in trying to preserve at least a measure of good standing in the international community, because they want ... political support and economic assistance," Mr Kupchan said.
It is not clear if neighbouring China, the world's second-largest economy, will fill the void should relations with western nations remain cold.
"The Chinese are very mercantilist. They tend to be more interested in countries with good business environments," Mr Kupchan said.
Beyond their cash on hand, the Taliban may have few other funds to draw on. Most of the country's reserves are held overseas, Afghanistan's central bank chief said Wednesday.
Most are in the US, where President Joe Biden's administration said the Taliban would not have access to them.
And Western Union announced it was temporarily cutting off wire transfers to Afghanistan, which are another vital source of cash for the people.
The World Bank's most recent estimates, from May, show remittances to Afghanistan from overseas were worth $789m in 2020.
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Remaining fixtures
- August 29 – UAE v Saudi Arabia, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
- September 5 – Iraq v UAE, Amman, Jordan (venue TBC)
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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
Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships
2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds
2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58
2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified
2012 London Olympics 9.63
2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77
2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79
2016 Rio Olympics 9.81
2017 London World Championships 9.95
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
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
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
57%20Seconds
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
