Ex-Taliban envoy 'bound for UAE'



DUBAI // A former Taliban statesman has claimed he is emigrating from Afghanistan to the UAE to escape persecution at home.

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, former ambassador to Pakistan and inmate of Guantanamo Bay, said in a letter to the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) he wanted to move to Dubai for a secure life.

"Due to security reasons, I have been in search for the last two years to live a peaceful life in these areas or countries," he wrote. "My travel to Dubai is neither at the directives or with the support of anyone, nor on anyone's advice."

Mr Zaeef also wrote about his hopes for peace in Afghanistan, but said it was beyond his abilities to usher it in.

Earlier media reports claimed Mr Zaeef left the country after US forces twice attempted to raid his home in Kabul over allegations of involvement in an international terror plot. But a spokesman for the international coalition in Afghanistan said they were unaware of any alleged raids on his home.

The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department could not be contacted, but Afghanistan's embassy in the UAE said it was not aware of the presence of Mr Zaeef in the country.

Mr Zaeef was the Taliban's ambassador to Pakistan at the time of the September 11 attacks. He was arrested in Islamabad in late 2001, then detained at Guantanamo Bay for four years.

Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

Results

6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m 

Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer) 

6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m 

Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor 

7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m 

Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer 

7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m 

Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor 

8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m 

Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby 

8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m 

Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons 

9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m 

Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor  

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Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

World Cricket League Division 2

In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.

UAE fixtures

Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final

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Director: Brady Corbet

Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn

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Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
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