The Taliban on Thursday freed an American citizen who had been detained in Afghanistan for more than two years, following talks in Kabul, the State Department said.
George Glezmann was taken into Taliban custody in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist. The State Department credited Qatar with being “instrumental” in his release.
“George’s release is a positive and constructive step,” the State Department said in a statement. “It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President [Donald] Trump will continue his tireless work to free all Americans unjustly detained around the world.”
Mr Glezmann follows Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, who were released from Afghanistan in January.
A Taliban spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X a series of photos showing Amir Khan Muttaqi, the group's Foreign Minister, meeting Washington's special envoy for hostages Adam Boehler and former US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in Kabul.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country welcomed the delegation and described their arrival in Kabul as a good development in bilateral relations,” the post stated, adding that prisoner release was discussed during the meetings.
“The Foreign Minister added that it is important that Afghanistan and the United States are able to resolve issues through dialogue … that both countries need to overcome the effects of the 20-year war and engage in political dialogue with each other.”
The US and the Taliban do not have diplomatic relations, and direct meetings between delegations from the two countries have been rare – and typically held in Qatar.
But Mr Boehler is no stranger to breaking with diplomatic tradition when it comes to hostage release. Mr Trump has previously praised him as having “negotiated with some of the toughest people in the world, including the Taliban”. He also met directly with officials from Hamas in recent weeks in an attempt to secure the release of American hostages, causing outcry in the Israeli government.
Mr Khalilzad was part of Mr Trump's first administration and was responsible for dealing directly with the Taliban. He was instrumental in forging the Doha Agreement between the US and the Taliban in 2020, which kick-started what ultimately became a chaotic withdrawal of American forces. Mr Khalilzad became the focus of congressional anger early last year, with politicians accusing him of giving up US leverage in the 2020 deal.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
More on Quran memorisation:
Company%20profile
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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