It was five years ago this month that President Donald Trump's first administration signed a deal with the Taliban that cemented the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces from Afghanistan and the full return to power of the militant group after nearly two decades of insurgent warfare.
I was working in Kabul at the time and had spent the previous year covering the secretive negotiations with a growing sense of astonishment, shared by my Afghan colleagues, as Mr Trump and his special envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, forged an agreement in Doha that many came to see as a betrayal.
After the US had spent about $2 trillion and lost more than 2,400 troops in Afghanistan, Mr Trump, who prides himself on his deal-making abilities, appeared eager to end the war, regardless of the consequences. His agreement arguably amounted to a total surrender to the Taliban, 19 years after the US-led invasion to remove the militants for harbouring Al Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden as they organised the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The US-funded Afghan government was blocked from taking part in the talks and Nato was completely sidelined. The deal glaringly omitted any sort of protection for the many US-backed reforms to Afghan society that had been implemented over the years, such as basic freedoms for women and girls. Yet so pleased was he with the deal that Mr Trump wanted to invite the Taliban to Camp David to sign it – before his advisers convinced him the optics of having former insurgents in the hallowed home of American diplomacy wouldn't be awesome.
The primary concession the US extracted from the Taliban was a commitment they would not allow Afghanistan to become a safe haven for terrorist groups to plot against the West. The Taliban also committed not to shoot at foreign forces as they left. Ending wars is a good thing, but the current state of Afghanistan, where women are once again barred from public life and the country is, by some measures, now the world's poorest, underscores the consequences of sloppy deal-making.
I'm reminded of the US-Taliban deal today as I watch events unfold at breakneck speed in Saudi Arabia, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to commence talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Now, as then, it is clear that Mr Trump's primary concern is making a deal, no matter the cost to a hitherto US ally. Most people want the war to end, and he rightly points to the carnage being inflicted in Ukraine and on civilians and combatants, claiming that Russia alone has lost “millions” of troops.
But sustainable peace must include all stakeholders. If Mr Trump genuinely wants to end the conflict, he can't simply pretend that one of the two warring sides doesn't exist. Any negotiations affecting Ukraine's future have to include Kyiv's participation, or else they are destined to fail.
Like the Afghan government before it, Ukraine has now been shut out of talks about its own future. Making matters worse for Kyiv, Mr Trump telegraphed that he is happy to give Russia a lot, even before negotiations began. On Tuesday, he said Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia, had started the war by refusing to make a deal back in 2022.
Moscow comes to the negotiating table with powerful bargaining chips already tossed on the floor: Mr Trump and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have said Ukraine should make territorial concessions and suggested that future membership of Nato is a non-starter. A pre-emptive gift for Russia and talking points that were echoed by Mr Lavrov in Riyadh on Tuesday.
In Afghanistan, the corrupt government led by Ashraf Ghani now seems destined to have failed. Equipment and money that should have gone to Afghan soldiers was siphoned off at every stage of the supply process, leaving a demoralised and ill-equipped force that didn't want to fight the Taliban once the US had left.
But in Ukraine, a more disciplined and (for now, at least) well-equipped army is unlikely to yield to Russia any time soon, especially if Kyiv continues to be excluded from talks.
Ending the war in Ukraine is a noble goal, but in his rush to get it done Mr Trump is undoing everything the US, Europe and Kyiv have worked towards for three years at huge cost. He is refusing to lay the groundwork for a durable peace.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
PETER%20PAN%20%26%20WENDY
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The%20specs
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Under-21 European Championship Final
Germany 1 Spain 0
Weiser (40')
Super Bowl LIII schedule
What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
more from Janine di Giovanni
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
