Take a car ride 25 minutes south, east or west outside Kabul, the capital, and the mountains soon rushing by will be under the control of an alternative government, one that exists in the shadows until night falls and authority is handed over entirely.
Drive around the capital itself, to the old city and the slum areas, and hear people say that, if they are given enough money, they will kill or kidnap in the name of any cause to help feed their families.
Then travel through the wealthy part of town, where corrupt officials and expats live behind razor wire and blast walls, safe in the knowledge that the country can go to hell because they can escape abroad whenever they want.
Welcome to Afghanistan. It is in this environment that Hamid Karzai has announced he wants to hold presidential elections. Either he is bluffing and hopes to broker an alternative deal or he really does not mind what happens to the world around him, as long as he can retain power.
His decree came on Saturday evening, when the streets of Kabul were emptying fast as they usually do after sunset. Beneath the dry legal language that talked about preserving the "stability and legitimacy of the state", it effectively said the vote should be held in April, four months earlier than planned.
Given that the Independent Election Commission had already ruled out such a move and set a date for August, he is gambling with his and Afghanistan's future.
Under the constitution, Mr Karzai's five-year term expires on May 21 and a new vote must occur 30 to 60 days before then. There had, therefore, been some concern about his keeping his position for a few weeks longer than is legally allowed.
But with winter just starting to fade and violence at worse levels than at any time since the US-led invasion, the electoral commission recently took the sensible view that it would be impossible for people to go to the polls freely and fairly in the spring. Instead, the idea was that the slight delay would allow a surge in foreign troops to establish some kind of security.
Quite why Mr Karzai has decided to bring that whole process into question is now the subject of much speculation here.
One theory is that he wants to catch potential rivals off guard, giving them little time to prepare their campaigns and running his own race with access to all the resources that exist for the incumbent.
Another is that he does not genuinely want an early vote, but believes he must be seen trying to follow the constitution. If that is his motive, a compromise might be reached allowing him to be appointed an interim president when his term ends.
Whatever the reason, Afghans across the country must be feeling a mixture of bemusement and anger as all this unfolds. The bloody events of the past seven-and-a-half years have hardly strengthened their faith in the democratic process and they will now wonder why their politicians cannot agree on the most basic of matters.
The loudest critics of the August date have come from an opposition bloc made up of Islamic fundamentalist leaders and former Communists, among others. With their power base largely in the north, an early election that makes voting a death sentence across parts of the south and east could produce the result they are looking for, yet they are now complaining. If Mr Karzai wants to appease them somehow, he is playing with fire.
What matters is that when Afghans go to the polls, they can do so freely, fairly and relatively safely. That will not be possible in the spring. With security likely to deteriorate throughout the summer, it may not even be possible in August.
All of this could just be the early stages of a broader struggle that culminates in a nationwide civil war, regardless of what date is finally set. The president is trying to cling to power in any way he can, members of the old Northern Alliance are re-exerting their influence and the country's biggest ethnic group could soon be led by a man it had little say in electing. Afghans are sadly used to this kind of brinkmanship and once again they are destined to come out on the losing side.
csands@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Blue%20Beetle
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
Company%20profile
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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.
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
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