Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:252 Price: Afs.20

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SATURDAY . APRIL 15. 2017 -Hamal 26, 1396 HS

Former President Hamid Karzai

this was not an ordinary weapon. Trump skirted a reporter’s ques- It is the most destroying bomb af- tion concerning whether Trump ter nuclear weapon that has not himself authorized the strike. He yet been used anywhere,” Ama- pivoted by saying, “everybody rkhil said. He said that he did not knows what happened,” which is expect the government to condemn factually not true — it’s why he this attack, but is happy that was being asked the question. He former president Hamid Karzai followed up by stating that “what raised his voice against this deadly I do is authorize my military,” bombardment. which is true, of course, but only US forces dropped a huge GBU- because the legal framework of the 43 bomb on a series of caves fight- US grants the presidency singular ers loyal to Islamic State-Kho- sovereignty over the use of armed rasan or ISIS-K group used in east- forces. ern Nangarhar province on Thurs- The Afghan Presidential Palace in day, the military said. The GBU- a statement on Friday said Daesh 43 bomb, known as mother of all rebels also known as Islamic State bombs, was dropped from a US (IS) were inflicted heavy losses in aircraft to minimize the risk to the overnight bombing by the US/ Afghan and US forces conducting NATO forces in the Achin district Karzai’s office said in a statement. clearing operations in the area, the of eastern Nangarhar province. “This attack is the clear viola- military said. Afghan security forces in close tion of Afghan territory, environ- “As ISIS-K’s losses have mount- coordination with NATO Resolute ment and national integrity.” ed, they are using IEDs, bunkers Support (RS) mission have been The former president said the and tunnels to thicken their de- fighting terrorist groups, including attack was not against terrorism, fense,” said General John W. hardcore Daesh insurgents, in Af- but was a test of the US new mass Nicholson, Commander, US Forc- ghanistan, the statement said. killing weapons, adding that it was es - Afghanistan. Afghan government was aware a upon Afghans to stop such US at- “This is the right munition to re- head of dropping the largest non- tacks. Also, the association of the The GBU-43 bomb, known as mother of all bombs duce these obstacles and maintain nuclear bomb in Achin the target governors condemned the use of the momentum of our offensive militants hideouts and tunnels. mother of all bombs on Afghan AT News Report and abroad,” Retired Army Gen- their ability,” he said, suggesting against ISIS-K,” Nicholson said. Thirty six Daesh rebels have been soil. “The use of a bomb cost 15 eral, Atiqullah Amarkhil told Af- that the US should use its bombs Meanwhile, President Doland killed and huge caches of weapons million dollars is never against Trump called the bombing in Achin and explosives destroyed in the KABUL: The United States is to ghanistan Times. in some other place. “Afghanistan Daesh and terrorism, but the US is He said that the US by dropping is not the US polygon to test its district as a very successful mis- overnight world largest non-nucle- using Afghanistan as a lab for its turn Afghanistan into a polygon sion, but declined to take respon- ar bombing of Achin district in east- for testing its nuclear and other this heavy bomb sent Russia where deadly weapons. new weapons and threatens the a meeting is going on that it has He slammed the Afghan govern- sibility for the use of the giant ern Nangarhar province, the Min- regional countries,” the association deadly weapons, said a political bomb, APA reports quoting Sput- istry of Defence (MoD) said on and military analyst. such military power, adding that ment’s stance, saying that the gov- said in a statement. the use of this bomb has more loss ernment was forced to confirm. nik. Friday. “We strongly condemn this The Thursday’s US aerial attack AT News Report on a village in Nangarhar province than achievement. “This means that the US can do false act of the US that is against that a 10-ton non-nuclear bomb “Thousands of people will join the whatever it wants in Afghanistan all the international norms and call was apparently dropped on the Taliban or Daesh rank, more dete- and the government of Afghanistan KABUL: Former President Hamid it a violation of our people’s hu- caves of the Daesh terrorist group riorating the situation.” cannot raise any opposition Largest bomb tested Karzai, vehemently condemned man rights. We condemn the US has raised huge criticisms in the Amarkhil believes that the US voice.” dropping the largest bomb by the power display in a country, where country. could damage the Daesh terrorist “The attack may have killed some US military on Nangarhar prov- the US has presence under the pre- “The usage of such bomb has no group by dropping smaller bombs. Daesh terrorists, but it is not clear in Afghanistan ince, his office said on Friday. text of combat against terrorism.” justification and will raise tough “But they (the US) intentionally yet how many houses and farm- The US air force dropped its The statement said that the frictions both inside the country dropped this bomb to show off lands have been damages, because Editorial P6 largest non-nuclear bomb called as use of this big bomb would em- ‘mother of all bombs’ on Thurs- power Afghans’ minds regarding day on the Achin district, claiming the US military presence as a he- UN Committee it targeted the Daesh terrorist hide- gemonic power. It criticized the outs. “Karzai strongly condemns government for confirming the at- reviews human the ‘mother of all bombs’ that is tack, calling its act a taint for the the strongest bomb after the nu- government. “The government’s rights situation clear bombs on Afghan soil, used confirming does never represent in Afghanistan for the first time in the battlefield,” the patriotic Afghans.” AT Monitoring Desk during the Afghan war. ministrative around 350 million KABUL : The UN Committee Edward Joseph Snowden, ex- dollars, Snowden quoted by a lo- against Torture would be meeting KABUL: A former Central Intelli- CIA personnel, has said that these cal radio station, as saying. in Geneva from 18 April to 12 gence Agency (CIA) operative has hideouts were constructed for He added that US forces in US blunder results in May to review human rights situ- said that the hideouts of the Is- Mujahideen in 1980 to use it Afghanistan has tested the most ation in the following countries in lamic State (IS), which is also against Russian forces to under- dangerous bomb ever. “US have sessions that would be webcast known as Daesh terrorist group in mine Moscow mission in Afghan- never tested this bomb in other Taliban resurgence: live, a Statement from the UN com- Nangarhar province, which bom- istan. country during period of war, and mittee against torture said on Fri- barded by US forces recently, were “Construction and demolition it is for the first time in Afghani- Musharraf day. The committee would review once constructed by the US itself of these hideouts has cost US ad- stan.” human rights situation in Pakistan WASHINGTON : The United by the School of Advanced Inter- (18-19 April); Lebanon (20-21 States committed a blunder in post national Studies of the Johns Hop- April); Bahrain (21 and 24 April); Achin bombing in complete coordination with Afghan forces: Nicholson 9/11 Afghanistan ‘by not giving kins University. Afghanistan (25-26 April); Argen- enough representation to the ma- “The military victory (over tina (26-27 April) and Republic of support to Afghan government and Bombs (MoAB) was done in com- said it was the right weapon used jority Pashtuns’, former Pakistani Taliban and Al Qaeda post 9/11) Korea (2-3 May). security forces in fight against plete coordination with Afghan against the right target. military ruler Pervez Musharraf created a vacuum in Afghanistan The above are among the 161 Daesh and said the overnight forces. “Units of Afghan and Nicholson claimed around 400 alleged Thursday. for one and half long years,” he States parties to the Convention heavy bombing was carried out in NATO forces are present at the square kilometer area in the south Musharraf told a Washington said. against Torture and Other Cruel, complete coordination with Af- site of overnight bombing and there of Nangarhar province had been audience the mistake resulted in The retired general said the re- Inhuman or Degrading Treatment ghan forces. was no report of civilian casual- cleared of Daesh and NATO would resurgence and re-emergence of quirement after the defeat of the or Punishment, and so are required Gen. Nicholson told reporters ties,” Nicholson told the media continue its support from Afghan Taliban and Al Qaeda, which is re- Taliban “was to convert the mili- to undergo regular reviews by the Afghan security forces were fight- persons. He said Daesh regroup- forces in this fight. sponsible for the current situation tary victory into a political victo- Committee on how they are im- ing terrorism to secure their coun- ing in Afghanistan forces the deci- Earlier, he Ministry of De- in Afghanistan. ry.” plementing the Convention and the try, neighbor and the region. sion to drop the largest non-nucle- fence (MoD) said in a statement “After 9/11 the Taliban and Al “In Afghanistan, in Kabul Committee’s previous recommen- The US/NATO forces com- ar bomb on the hardcore militants’ that 36 Daesh rebels have been Qaeda were defeated in Afghani- there ought to have been an ethni- dations. The Committee, which mander while stressing the impor- positions. He said Daesh rebels killed and huge caches of weapons stan. This was military victory. cally balanced government,” he is composed of 10 independent ex- tance of Afghan security forces in kidnapped tribal elders and killed and explosives destroyed in the This military victory was to be said, ruing that the Pashtuns who perts, will engage in a dialogue with KABUL : NATO Resolute Sup- fight against terrorism said the last them and tied the knot with their overnight world largest non-nucle- converted into a political one,” he were in majority were not given a port (RS) mission commander in night dropping of conventional larg- daughters by force. He termed the ar bombing of Achin district in east- said in his key note address to a proportional say in the new gov- the respective government delega- conference on Pakistan organized ernment. (Pajhwok) tions. (Pajhwok) Afghanistan on Friday renewed est bomb also called Mother of All overnight bombing a success and ern Nangarhar province. SATURDAY . APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Afghan women embrace a new empowerment: Divorce or take her with him, prompting Nafisa to leave her father-in-law's house and demand divorce. Nafisa's male relatives refused to let her talk to AFP, with her uncle only saying that the acrimo- nious divorce proceedings in court had brought great shame to the family and made her remarriage prospects difficult. - Compromise - It is partly for this reason that divorce is strongly discouraged. Divorced women living inde- pendently are rare in Afghan soci- ety, and are often viewed with sus- picion and become targets of abuse. Mediation is often the last hope to prevent the split -– and women are almost always encour- aged to compromise. AFP sat through one media- tion session in Kabul at the organ- isation Women for Afghan Wom- en, where 24-year-old Zahra met with her estranged husband and This city lives on its motorcycles. mother-in-law. Here in Kandahar, Afghanistan, The mother-of-four is seeking the brief minute stopped at the divorce on the grounds that he is a light is often intimate. A man reach- drug addict and took a second wife es back to make sure the groceries after falling in love with their neigh- he tied to the rear rack don’t fall. A bour's daughter. Divorced women child wrapped around his father’s When Nadia's heroin addict hus- a greater taboo than domestic bally relaying the decision to their living independently are rare in waist adjusts his falling sandal. A band began assaulting her with a abuse and the culture that remains wives. But women must go to Afghan society and are often woman fixes her burqa, making metal rod, she did something un- unforgiving to women who leave court, and can only seek separa- viewed with suspicion ... Divorced sure it covers as much of her as thinkable for many women in Af- their husbands tion based on specific complaints women living independently are possible. ghanistan -- she left him. "God has given rights to wom- such as abuse or abandonment. rare in Afghan society, and are of- Then the light turns green. The Domestic abuse is endemic in en -- divorce is one of them," said Retaining a lawyer is no easy ten viewed with suspicion and be- engines, soft and still for the the deeply patriarchal country, but Nadia, who is seeking legal sepa- task even for those who can afford come targets of abuse. "He takes minute, roar. Mujib Mashal/The for the first time a growing num- ration with the help of Legal Aid one: death threats against those drugs in front of our baby. Then New York Times ber of Afghan women are embrac- Grant Facility (LAGF), part of a representing women in divorce he starts abusing me," Zahra said In this city alone, there are ing divorce as a new kind of em- UNDP project established in 2014. cases are not uncommon. as her children hung around her. about 130,000 motorcycles, more powerment. Her husband has since left "Divorce is one of the clearest "Don't ruin your life. Think about than twice the number of cars, ac- Divorce is Islamically deemed home, his whereabouts are unclear. examples of discrimination still the kids," her mother-in-law de- cording to the traffic department. as halal (a permissible act) -- but National statistics are hard to written into law in Afghanistan," murred before adding: "His other Most are produced by manufac- the worst sort, still a greater taboo come by, but in a sign of the up- Barr told AFP. Afghanistan has wife says it is your fault that he turers like Honda or Yamaha and than the abuse itself in a culture ward trend LAGF says it has han- been a battleground for women's married another woman." The hus- imported secondhand. that remains unforgiving to wom- dled a 12 percent increase in di- rights since the misogynistic Tali- band sat impassively nearby as The motorcycle is a fixture in en who part with their husbands. vorce cases across Afghanistan ban were ousted from power in recriminations flew. "People say the streets, blending in among the "He is a drug addict and an al- over a period of three years. 2001, but divorce cases illustrate you live in a shelter and do bad vendors and the pedestrians. coholic. I cannot live with him any- "Divorced Afghan women how gender parity remains a dis- things," the mother-in-law insist- Mujib Mashal/The New York more," Nadia said of her husband who have the chance to start a new tant dream. "Given the difficulty ed. Since moving out, Zahra has Times The Taliban, who have ex- of two years as she sobbed quiet- life are becoming models for other in finding a lawyer, corruption and panded their control in the south us now to take a second person — Mohammed, who sells mostly im- been living in a women's shelter the police stop you and give you a ported, secondhand motorcycles in ly behind the billowing folds of her women, showing that an unhappy misogyny in the courts, and the for battered women, which con- in recent years, are also fond of burqa. Her father, sat next to her, or abusive marriage does not have low rate of literacy among wom- the motorcycle. Although they in- hard time,” said Bismillah Khan, a crowded market. Kandahar resi- servatives liken to a "whore who bought his motorcycle for dents use motorcycles for mun- also welled up with tears. to be a life sentence," Heather Barr, en, the result is that for many house". creasingly use pickup trucks and Tribal elders from Nadia's a Human Rights Watch researcher, women divorce is all but impossi- Humvees taken from Afghan forc- about $300 two years ago. Chil- dane transport, as well as for fam- "One day he beat me so much dren and women, he added, are not ily picnics on the outskirts of the community attempted to inter- told AFP. - Great shame - ble." Some like 22-year-old Nafisa that I went to my brother-in-law es, the motorcycle remains a sta- vene, cajoling her to go back to her Afghanistan has been a battle- are stuck in limbo as her husband ple of their offensives. The Tali- a problem. Mujib Mashal/The city on weekends. Some motorcy- and begged him to give him money New York Times For motorcycle cles are used as taxis, with wagons abuser. Instead, she became the ground for women's rights since the refuses to divorce her. After being for drugs," Zahra said, tears streak- ban’s use of the motorcycle in hit- first woman in her family to ask misogynistic Taliban were ousted engaged for 11 years, he married and-run assassinations led to a sellers in Kandahar, however, the attached to the back for passen- ing her face. The mother-in-law ban on multiple riders increased gers. Mujib Mashal/The New York for divorce. from power in 2001, but divorce her in absentia. Based in London, changed tack, attempting to coax crackdown. A former police chief In Afghanistan divorce is still cases illustrate how gender parity he authorised an Islamic guardian in Tirin Kot banned the use of sales. “Before the ban, one motor- Times “It has become part of life Zahra home. "Come back," she cycle was enough for a small fam- here,” Mr. Khan said. “Without a a greater taboo than domestic remains a distant dream. to solemnise their marriage cere- said, later insisting: "He won't beat motorcycles for several months. In abuse and the culture that remains It is relatively easy for men to mony in Jalalabad. But he has since Kandahar, the police banned dou- ily, but now each family has to buy motorcycle, you are like a prison- you again." two or three bikes,” said Akhtar er.” (NYTIMES) un... In Afghanistan, divorce is still initiate divorce, often just by ver- refused to return to Afghanistan (DIGITALJOURNA) ble-riding. “It’s a bit difficult for ‘I mport duty hike to salvage Nangarhar factories’ JALALABAD : Factory owners es the low duty on imported for- ucts if import duty was increased. Commerce and Industry De- crease in taxes on foreign goods has ries improved and developed, they and thus crimes rate would plum- in eastern Nangarhar province on eign goods also hurt their business. He also urged people and traders partment head, Shir Alam Amlaw- been shared with the relevant min- would employ thousands of youth met. (PAJHWOK) Thursday said they might go bank- “If the government cannot support to prefer domestic products over al, told Pajhwok he had shared the istry and check posts have been rupt if duty on imports was not us, we want it to at least increase foreign made. problems businessmen faced with established for security reasons increased. tax on imports so we can compete,” Mohammad Nader Bakhtani, the ministry concerned. and more posts will also be set up. They criticized the government he said. who owns a factory of Greek The issues led to closure of The issue of electricity will also for not supporting local factories Sher Mohammad, owner of Medicine in Nangarhar, said the most of the factories in Nangar- be resolved.” sEconomic affairs ex- and resolving their problems con- Gift to Zest Food Process Com- electricity shortage and insecurity har, he said. Amlawal said 180 small perts believe factories play a key cerning electricity, land and secu- pany in Jalalabad, said 35 people had forced them to increase pric- and big factories existed in Jalala- role in a country’s economical de- rity. If supported by the govern- worked in his factory and hun- es, thus their inability to compete bad and neighboring districts. velopment and prevention of ment, local factories would offer dreds more indirectly benefitted. with imported goods. Nangarhar governor’s spokes- crimes. A professor at Nangarhar jobs to the jobless youths, said Mohammad said he would Nangarhar local officials con- man, Attaullah Khogyani, said the University, Ilhamuddin Sapai, said Toor Malang, who owns a metal create jobs if the government re- firmed issues mentioned by indus- provincial administration was try- if the government increased tax on melting and agricultural tools man- solved security and electricity trialists regarding security, electric- ing to resolve problems being foreign goods, the situation of lo- ufacturing factory in Nangarhar. problems they faced. He said they ity and taxes, saying efforts were faced by factory owners. cal small factories would signifi- He said besides other challeng- could compete with foreign prod- underway to resolve them. “Their request concerning in- cantly improve. Once small facto-

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian Agency, fighting hunger worldwide. WFP has been working in Afghanistan since 1963. WFP food assistance aims to help the most vulnerable, food insecure Afghans, including women and children, as well as families affected by conflict and natural disasters. In 2016, WFP fed over 3.6 million vulnerable Afghans through various programme activities such as general distributions (food, and/ or cash and voucher as the transfer modality); nutrition programmes, through targeted supplementary feeding; school take-home rations; food for assets creation, Purchase for Progress (P4P), training and capacity development activities. WFP Afghanistan employs about 500 staff in six locations around the country whereas about half are located in Kabul. For more information, see www.wfp.org

Vacancy: 1: Programme Policy Officer (Disaster Risk Reduction) 2: Programme Policy Officer (Asset Creation) WFP Afghanistan is looking forprofessionalsin Disaster Management and Asset Creation to support the implementation of the strategy for WFP’s DRR/Asset Creation activities in 2017 including the establishment of WFP DRR Unit. Design and contribute to the development of DRR projects aligned with Project Cycle Management and Logical Framework. This position reports the international Head of Programme Unit. You have: ·Sound judgment; ability to coordinate, extract, interpret, analyse and format data and to resolve operational problems; · Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those under his/her supervision. · Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing · Ability to work with minimum level of supervision; · Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships withcounterparts and staff within the office, host population, donors, NGOs and other UN agencies · Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with people of different national and cultural backgrounds; · Ability to cope with situations which may threaten health or safety; ·Flexibility in accepting work assignments outside normal desk description; We can offer: International professional working environment. Fixed-term contract (UN NOBProgramme Policy Officer) - One-year renewable with salary starting at approximately USD 45,000 net per annum (exempted from Afghanistan income tax); USD denominated pension plan; International valid medical plan also covering spouse and dependents children, 30 days of annual leave Full information and how to apply can be found here:www.wfp.org/careers/job-openings,ACBAR and Jobs.af This vacancy is open to Afghan nationals only. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Vacancy will close on 23April 2017. SATURDAY . APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

TO FIGHT CORRUPTION, Scare AFGHANISTAN MUST tactic STRENGTHEN leaves AND REFORM ITS ANTI-CORRUP- damaging TION AGENCIES Afghanistan’s system for fighting impact on corruption has too many separate anti-corruption agencies (ACAs) and not enough coordination or children's independence to be effective, ac- cording to new research by Trans- future parency International, which is recommending an overhaul of the KABUL : Religious scholars and current structures. psychologists say scaring children EMERGENCY Bridging the gaps: enhancing by their parents can have damag- the effectiveness of Afghanistan’s ing consequences on their future. CALLS anti-corruption agencies analyses Making children afraid by par- the nine anti-corruption agencies, ents and other family members is Police identifies the deficiencies in the an old culture. Whenever children system, and puts forward three play, cry or act naughty their par- options for consolidating the cur- ents, especially mothers, try to 100 - 119 rent systems in order to strength- scare them. en the government’s fight against Some scare their little one by corruption. “The lives of ordinary naming some imaginary characters, Hospitals Afghan citizens will improve ex- some others shout and some beat ponentially if they do not have to or tell that they will be eaten by FMIC Hospital face corruption at every turn for ghosts, dogs, and others if they go Behind Kabul Medical every public service. This is why out of home University: it is critical for the government to Zahra, 20, a student, said: act on its commitments to fight “When I was a little child, my 0202500200-+93793275595 corruption and put in place a sys- mother would scare me no to go tem that works,” said Jose Ugaz, out in dark or I will face goblin, Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital chair of Transparency Internation- monster. These things still haunt al. Afghanistan ranks 169 out of me though I have grown up.” Pule Bagh-e- Umomi 176 countries on Transparency She said the practice of scar- 070263672 International’s Corruption Percep- ing children by their parents re- tions Index 2016 and surveys mained common in most families show that almost 80 per cent of On Thursday night, U.S Forces without knowing its consequenc- Khairkhana Hospital citizens say that corruption is a dropped what is dubbed the Moth- es. “Most families scare their chil- 0799-321007 serious problem in their daily lives. er of All Bombs on a Daesh strong- dren with words like: ‘Dog is com- To be effective, any anti-corrup- hold involving caves and tunnels ing to bite you. Do not go out of 2401352 tion agency must be independent in eastern Nangarhar province. home or evil women would take and have the resources to investi- The bomb was a GBU-43/B you away in order to make them gate and prosecute free from po- Massive Ordnance Air Blast stop crying or eat food,” she said, Indira Gandhi Children litical interference. This presup- (MOAB), which is also common- adding that using such words poses a strong and independent ly known as the Mother of All caused emotional insecurity in chil- Hospital, Wazir Akbar judiciary. The new study shows Bombs, as it is one of the most dren’s minds and could prove dan- Khan, Kabul 2301372 that the lack of independence in powerful conventional – or non- gerous in future. the judicial system hampers the nuclear - weapons in existence. Tamanna, 18, a high school fight against corruption in Afghan- MOAB is a concussive bomb, graduate, also said she her child- Ibn-e- Seena istan. In addition, the overlapping meaning it detonates above ground hood memories were not too good and badly defined roles of the nine rather than penetrating hardened because her mother would shout Pul-e-Artan, Kabul agencies currently mandated to defenses, and was designed in 2002 at her when she would act naugh- 2100359 fight corruption mean that there is for "psychological operations." ty. She said now she was well poor communication between agen- Anyone within 300 meters will grown but still she was not a cou- cies and a lack of accountability. be vaporized, experts say, while rageous person and did not feel Wazir Akbar Khan The Transparency International those in a 1km radius outside good among crowds and new peo- Hospital research takes a pragmatic ap- ground zero will be left deaf. ple. proach, outlining three options for The aim at the time of its de- Marwa, a 13 years old girl, re- 2301741, 2301743 strengthening the fight against cor- velopment was to create such a membered: “Once I frightened my ruption based on a study of best large blast it would scare then Ira- cousin who was then two and a practice. Ideally, Afghanistan qi leader Saddam Hussein's troops half years old. Ali Abad should establish a new, indepen- into surrendering to U.S forces, and “My cousin’s hands, feet and Shahrara, Kabul dent ACA to replace all current was touted as being the most pow- lips crooked, her eyes were open, ACAs. However, this would re- erful non-nuclear weapon ever de- she could not talk, she was im- 2100439 quire an amendment to the consti- veloped. moveable for several minutes. We tution and would face a major chal- However, it was never used – ward momentum. The grid fins on 300-meter crater. scrubbed her feet and chest and lenge to ensure that it functions as where conventional bombs can’t until Thursday – against Daesh in the tail of the MOAB then open Bill Roggio, of the Foundation reach.” sprayed water on her face and fi- Malalai Maternity an independent watchdog without Achin district of Afghanistan. and begin guiding the weapon to for Defense of Democracies and Charles A. Horner, a retired 4- nally she came into senses.” Hospital fear or favour, regardless of the The bomb was designed to be its target using GPS. The bomb editor of the Long War Journal, Alia, a mother of five children, position or status of those being star Air Force general, also told the 2201377/ 2301743 delivered by a C-130 Hercules. weighs more than 10,000kgs and told Military Times Thursday Military Times that such a bomb said she also scared her son, her investigated. To avoid the need to The bomb itself rests in a cra- contains 8,164kgs of explosives night that the weapon is effective could destroy an underground in- first born, when he was a baby. seek a constitutional amendment, dle on a platform inside the air- and each bomb costs an estimated on softer targets such as caves and frastructure. Now her son had grown up but he Transparency International recom- Banks craft. Due to its sheer size, the $16 million USD to build. It’s ex- tunnels opposed to hard, infra- "They (U.S Forces) were still afraid of dogs and felt uncom- mends Afghanistan set up a two- MOAB is extracted, on a platform, plosion is equal to 11 tons of TNT structure. wanting to collapse tunnels, and fortable among people, she said. agency model by merging the cur- Da Afghanistan Bank using a parachute. The parachute and the blast radius is about “What it does is basically suck they don't know exactly where the In some cases, a baby may lose rent ACAs: this would consolidate pulls the bomb, cradle and plat- 1.6kms. The bomb measures nine out all of the oxygen and lights the tunnel is so they want to cause an life when scared 2100302, 2100303 the nine agencies and better define form out and then it is quickly re- meters long, detonates about 1.8 air on fire,” Roggio said. earthquake to cave them in,” he Jamila, a 45 years old mother their roles and objectives. leased to maintain maximum for- meters above ground and creates a “It’s a way to get into areas said. (ToloNews) in Kabul who has four sons, told Bakhtar Bank (TRANSPARENCY) about one of her bitter memories, “Twenty years ago, I attended a 0776777000 wedding, my baby was crying too Azizi Bank much, I tried a lot to calm him, but he was still crying, then I angrily 0799 700900 shouted at him laudly and slapped him twice, he was shaking after I Pashtany Bank beat him and died in few minutes.” 2102908, 2103868 While shedding tears, she said: “I never tried to scare my children after that incident, I will never for- Air Services get my son’s pain, I killed my baby with my own hand.” Safi Airways Family teaches children basics of social understanding 020 22 22 222 Anjila Babakrkhel, a school- Afghan religious leaders on Thurs- foreign guests, celebrated the 100th have been educated in hundreds of "It is a hostile stance against Af- tively helping achieve Pakistani teacher and mother of five children, Ariana day strongly refuted pro-Taliban anniversary of the establishment religious seminaries run by the ghanistan." military policy goals in the region. said: “I have always tried not to 020-2100270 remarks by a top Pakistani reli- of the conservative party. party across Pakistan. Haleemi said that ironically, "Pakistan's security establish- place fear in my children’s minds, gious and political leader, classi- The JUI-F is an offshoot of a The Islamic Scholars Council Fazl-ur-Rahman and his party ment would want to combat In- whatever they do, I do not make fying them as an "intelligence spin." Muslim Sunni clerics' political of Afghanistan argues that the JUI- want peace in Pakistan but insti- dia's influence in Afghanistan them scared. I softly tell them do Kam Air In response to recent remarks movement founded in former Brit- F leader lacks the credentials to gate people against a legitimate through Afghan Taliban. Maulana not do this, if something is fearful 0799974422 by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman, lead- ish India by the Deobandi madras- issue jihadi verdicts (fatwa) legiti- government in Afghanistan. Fazl-ur-Rehman and many other for children, I explain it how sim- er of Pakistani's Jamiat Ulema-e- sa, or religious school, in 1919. mizing the insurgency in Afghani- Last week, the JUI-F secretary politicians support the security ple is it.” Islam (JUI-F), a conservative reli- Rahman's father, Mufti Mah- stan. 'A hostile stance' general, Abdul Ghafoor Haidari, establishment and thus keep a dif- Mohammad Ehsan, father of Hotels gious party accused of maintain- moud, was one of the leading "We do not recognize Fazl-ur- who was denied a U.S. visa in Feb- ferent stance for Afghan and Paki- three children and a resident of Safi Landmark ing links with various militant members who parted ways with Rahman as a religious scholar, but ruary, called on the Pakistani Tali- stani Taliban," said Khadim Hus- Kabul, saidL “I had never scared groups, the Islamic Scholars Coun- the movement in 1945 and estab- rather he is closely associated with ban (TTP) to lay down their arms sain, a political and security ana- my children and also do not let my cil of Afghanistan called for an Is- lished what was originally known Pakistan's military establishment," and join his Islamist political par- lyst in Peshawar. Pakistani offi- wife scare them. Fear makes chil- 020-2203131 lamic conference to be held in Kab- as JUI after the creation of Paki- Mohammad Qasem Haleemi, the ty to pursue its objectives through cials deny having used these polit- dren coward, I have seen people ul to debate the religious legitima- stan in 1947. The party has been spokesman for the Islamic Schol- political means. ical parties to lure militant groups who were frightened in childhood SERENA cy of the Taliban insurgency in an adamant supporter of the Af- ars Council of Afghanistan, told Analysts charge that several to violence in places like Afghani- lack no social courage.” Afghanistan. ghan Taliban, a majority of whom VOA's Afghan service last week. religious groups like JUI-F are ac- stan and India. (VOANEWS) Frightening children results 0799654000 "Genuine and pious clerics into unwanted consequences from Pakistan, along with re- Psychologists warn that be- New Rumi Restaurant nowned Islamic scholars from the sides other dangerous consequenc- Muslim world, should convene for es, scaring children sometimes 0776351347 a religious debate with Afghan re- cause babies’ hearts to stop beat- ligious scholars to assess the situ- ing and lose lives. Internet Services ation in Afghanistan, based on the Mohammad Naser Habibi, a UA Telecom book of Allah [Quran] and teach- psychologist in Kabul University, ings of the Prophet [Muhammad]," said families frightened children to 0796701701 / 0796702702 the Afghan clerics council said. prevent them from playing and The statement added that the make them quiet or stop demand- Exchange Rate Pakistani cleric has attempted to ing something. legitimize the "inhumane and hei- He said scaring children caused Purchase: nous" actions of militants who mental problems, lack of courage, have targeted schools, hospitals fear and weakness among them. “A and mosques throughout the coun- baby’s heart may stop beating and One US$ = try in their bloody insurgency, kill- even die if severely frightened,” he ing tens of thousands of innocent 66.75Afs said. Habibi asked families, par- One Pound Sterling= Afghan civilians over the last de- ticularly parents, to avoid making cade. their children afraid and denying 80.87Afs The JUI-F leader last week their rights. Rohullah Rezwani, linked the Afghan Taliban's insur- One Euro = who teaches psychology in a uni- 70.05Afs gency to the presence of U.S. and versity, said whatever children NATO forces in Afghanistan, in heard from their parents and el- 1000 Pak Rs = an effort to justify the Taliban's ders, they believed it the rule of 611Afs continued violence in the country. life. Frightening impacted chil- Rahman said peace in Afghan- dren’s habits of sleep, eating, rela- Sale: istan would not be achieved as long tions and others and isolated them One US$ = as foreign troops were in the coun- from others, he said. Scaring chil- try. 68.30 Afs dren may also cause enuresis, emo- One Pound Sterling= "International forces must tions, heart pain, problems in withdraw from Afghanistan for breathing and other problems, he 81.67Afs stability and peace in the region," said, adding parents should learn One Euro= said Rahman, while speaking at a positive methods of treating and 72.50 Afs formal gathering where more than FILE - Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman, left, leader of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, is received by followers as training their children. 1000 Pak Rs= 631 a quarter-million people, including he arrives in Pakistan at a border post near Lahore after a trip to India, July 24, 2003. (PAJHWOK) SATURDAY. APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Imran Khan condemns lynching of Mardan student: 'law of the jungle cannot prevail'

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) another student of the university, Chief Imran Khan on Friday con- Abdullah, were attacked by a vig- ship set to become even more bi- dia. Trade secretary Liam Fox has demned the lynching of a 23-year- ilante mob for allegedly "publish- zarre, thanks to British politics. also been doing the rounds. And old student of Abdul Wali Khan ing blasphemous content online", Every year Indians consume these visits come after British University, Mardan by an enraged local police had said. more whisky than any other coun- Prime Minister Theresa May her- mob a day earlier. Mashal was first shot, then try in the world. Yet the Indian self came to meet Prime Minister Khan, in a tweet, said: "I am in beaten up with wooden planks by government imposes a 150% tar- Narendra Modi in November. So touch with the Khyber Pakhtunkh- an enraged mob of university stu- iff on Scotch whisky, far higher why are British politicians sud- wa Inspector General since last dents. than most products imported from denly so interested in trade with night on condemnable lynching of The incident occurred within Britain, which on an average have India? It’s because of the state of student in Mardan." the university premises. The cam- a 15% import tax. British politics. The PTI chief noted, "Law of pus was shut down following the We don’t know exactly why The cold reality is that with the jungle can't prevail," and said incident until further notice and its whisky connoisseurs in India are Britain poised to leave the Euro- that firm action is necessary. hostels vacated to avoid a further punished — a mixture of anti-al- pean Union, its government is des- Condemning the act, PTI escalation of violence. No case had cohol morality and lobbying from perate to show that Brexit can be a MNA Asad Umer also tweeted: been filed against the two students local producers are usually blamed success. This is no longer about "Mardan lynching yet anoth- prior to the incident and police had — but we do know Britain is des- national survival. For the pro-Brex- er example of how increasing in- not been investigating the two on perate to change the situation. it figures who have conducted a tolerance is destroying the fabric blasphemy charges. The mob in- This haggling over the price of hostile takeover of the govern- of society" stead seems to have been incited whisky illustrates something big- ment, this is a matter of personal Khan and Umer were among by rumours circulating among the ger: An attempt by Britain to find pride. If Brexit fails, then so do only a handful of prominent poli- university's student body. A First a new place in the world. their political dreams. So they have ticians who issued a strong state- Information Report was lodged on Scotch, automobile tariffs key created an alternative reality in ment in the Abdul Wali Khan Uni- Friday against 20 suspects, eight challenge to UK-India trade agree- which Britain will recapture its versity attack. of whom have been arrested, po- ment post-Brexit former glory by trading aggressive- On April 13, Mashal Khan and lice said. (DAWN) A fortnight ago the British ly across the world. Such is their Ever wondered why authentic asked why in god’s name a glass of stumbled across an illustration of chancellor and business secretary arrogance that some in government Scotch whisky is so expensive in good alcohol costs that much? If India’s peculiar trade relationship both flew over to try and set the have dubbed the project “Empire PPP boycotts India? Have you sat at a bar and the answer is yes then you have with Great Britain. It is a relation- stage for a big trade deal with In- 2.0”. (HINDUSTANTIMES) NA over ‘ From Sri Lanka, firm Hasina invites disappearance’ message to China about its Russian prime of Zardari’s aides ports: No military activity minister to ISLAMABAD: Following a heat- Islamabad or Sindh police, but the ed debate on increasing loadshed- government is incapable of finding ding in different parts of the coun- out why they were picked up and all these ports are used for com- try, especially in Sindh, the main why they are not being produced mercial activity, transparent activ- ity, and will not be available to Bangladesh opposition Pakistan Peoples Par- in court.” He said some elements ty on Thursday boycotted pro- were trying to weaken the federa- anyone for any military activity." ceedings of the National Assem- tion as the provinces were being Wickremesinghe did not men- bly over ‘government’s silence’ on ignored and victimised by the Cen- tion any specific countries. Chi- the disappearance of three aides tre. “Let us sit together to find out na's investments in transportation to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zard- who is trying to weaken the feder- infrastructure in Sri Lanka are con- ari. The party was of the view that ation.” Mr Shah said that not only sidered part of its ambitions to the government was itself violat- the three PPP men but all missing build maritime routes to the oil- ing the recently passed Military persons of Balochistan and Khy- rich Middle East and on to Europe. Courts Act 2017 under which a ber Pakhtunkhwa should also be That makes some countries, includ- person picked up by the authori- produced in court immediately. ing India and the United States, ties would have to be produced in Remarks against women nervous. Sri Lanka sits near ship- court within 24 hours of arrest. The opposition leader faced a ping lanes through which much of “The government is reluctant critical situation when Aseefa the world's trade passes on its way to give reasons for their arrest and Bhutto, daughter of the PPP co- to China and Japan. "The era of the Indo-Pacific is now being ush- why they are not being produced chairman, tweeted against his re- TOKYO: Sri Lanka will make sure since the end of the country's civil in a court of law,” Leader of the marks about women members of ered in. no military activity is conducted war in 2009, when Colombo was Yet, however, true regional Opposition Syed Khurshid Shah the National Assembly. at its ports, Prime Minister Ranil shunned by Western investors over said on the floor of the house. Mr Shah later tried to clarify prosperity cannot come into be- The visit will take bilateral ties to Minister Medvedev would visit Wickremesinghe said in Tokyo on its human rights record. "Sri Lan- ing without the realisation of a free He said Minister of State for in the media that he was talking in Wednesday, as China invests heavi- ka hopes to become the regional a new high, Sheikh Hasina says Bangladesh some time in the sec- Interior Baleeghur Rehman had a lighter mood not only about the and open Indo-Pacific," Abe told Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ond half of this year. ly in roads and harbours on the hub of the Indian Ocean again," the same news conference. "To assured the PPP on Wednesday women parliamentarians but also island nation. Beijing, which is for- Wickremesinghe told a joint news has invited Russian Prime Minis- “The two countries are dis- that he would inform the assem- his own wife and women of his make this happen, it is indispens- ter Dmitry Medvedev to visit cussing about 25 deals and memo- tifying islands in the South China conference following a meeting able for Sri Lanka to achieve sus- bly about the whereabouts of the family. When Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sea to which it lays claim, has with his Japanese counterpart, Bangladesh, marking the 45th an- randums of understanding and detained persons but he did not Sadiq snubbed some women tainable growth as a hub, and de- niversary of diplomatic relations about half of them are in the final pumped hundreds of millions of Shinzo Abe. "We want to ensure velop ports that are open to all." turn up on Thursday. MNAs of the ruling PML-N that dollars in Sri Lanka's infrastructure that we develop all our ports, and between the two countries. stage,” the official, who was not “We are staging a walkout and they should stop talking or leave (NDTV) Foreign Minister AH Mah- authorised to give his name, told if the government fails to reply in the house, the opposition leader mood Ali, currently visiting Mos- the Bangla Tribune. half an hour, consider our protest had said: “Mr Speaker, do not cow, handed over Hasina’s person- The official said they were as a boycott of the proceedings of stop women from talking other- al letter to his Russian counterpart working to make sure the deals and the house,” Mr Shah said and left wise they will fell ill.” Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, the MoUs are signed during the house along with other mem- Daycare centre Foreign Ministry said in a state- Medvedev’s Dhaka visit. bers of the PPP. Pakistani parliament has be- ment. Hasina wrote that Bilateral trade between Bang- Earlier, he said his party had come the first one in South Asia Medvedev’s visit to Dhaka would ladesh and Russia has increased rendered sacrifices for the sake of which has its baby daycare centre take bilateral ties between Bang- significantly since Hasina’s 2013 democracy, the country and su- to facilitate women parliamentari- ladesh and Russia to the next lev- Russia visit. In 2015-16, the two- premacy of parliament, but now ans and their infants. el. The then USSR recognised way bilateral trade volume sur- decisions of parliament were not Speaker Ayaz Sadiq inaugurat- Fifteen Sixth Form girls at Godol- to the stricken country. and, once part of the new block Bangladesh as an independent passed $1.5 billion, according to given any importance. “If institu- ed the centre set up in the Parlia- phin, Salisbury, have recently re- The primary aim of the trip was complete, knocking down the country in January 1972. Lavrov, whereas it was about $300 tions do not respect parliament, it ment House in collaboration with turned from the trip of a life-time was to help paint and reconstruct old walls in order to make space A Foreign Ministry official million prior to Hasina’s 2013 vis- means that it has become a mere Unicef. The women parliamentar- to Nepal. a sanitation block at a local school for a new teachers' block. They said they hoped Russian Prime it. (DHAKATRIBUNE) ‘debating society’,” he added. ians had been demanding that there Having heard about the devas- in Kathmandu. Although the main even managed to move a 2000 litre Aseefa tweets against oppo- should be a baby daycare centre in tating effects of the major earth- school building demolished by the water tank to a new position, sition leader’s remarks about parliament so that they could leave quake in 2015, the whole school earthquake has been rebuilt, the which took considerable grit and women MNAs their infants there while attending decided that they wanted to do sanitation block was very basic determination. The PPP leader said the min- proceedings of the National As- something to help. The immediate with staff, girls and boys having The girls also improved the ister should have come and in- sembly and the Senate. The centre response was a generous donation to share the same facilities. outside environment of the school UN expects formed the house about the miss- was set up in two rooms on the sent to the relief agencies. Some The Godolphin girls immedi- by plastering walls and then paint- ing persons. “We know that these third floor of the parliament build- however wanted to do more and ately got stuck in by clearing rub- ing a mural to bring some colour to persons were not picked up by ing. (DAWN) so began 18 months of fundraising ble, repainting the walls inside and the area where children play. and planning for a two week trip out, sifting cement, stacking bricks (BLACKMOREVALE) Sri Lankan India takes flawed first step towards peacekeeping ending HIVand Aids prejudice troops to be crimination in the country’s cities, state governments must establish Delhi.” Global Development - The vetted before but hostility towards HIV-posi- an ombudsman to investigate vio- Guardian Why is east Africa fac- tive people remains entrenched in lations of the new law, while a stip- ing a hunger crisis and what can be small towns and rural areas, which ulation that the government must done? – podcast tend to be more socially conserva- provide free treatment “as far as As hunger spreads in east Af- deployment tive. Hope for 'end of Aids' is dis- possible” has also met with resis- rica, famine threatens to take hold appearing, experts warnChildren tance. beyond South Sudan. Lucy Lam- living with HIV have been thrown Anand Grover, senior advo- ble explores the background and The United Nations expect the who were alleged in an AP investi- out of school, while adults have cate with the Lawyers Collective, response to the crisis member states contributing troops gative report of sexually abusing been sacked from their jobs, re- said: “This ‘As far as possible’ is “This is like opening the door to peace keeping operations to children, ever prosecuted, and if fused homes and even denied hos- a loophole which will turn the clock and wondering why the horse bolt- ensure that none of the soldiers not why the Department of Peace- pital treatment by doctors who back to the mid-1990s. Without ed. How do we hold anyone ac- being deployed to UN missions are keeping Operations continues to refuse to touch them. the guarantee of treatment, HIV countable with a clause like this? not implicated in any sexual abuse, deploy Sri Lankan soldiers to three On Tuesday, the health minis- will once again become a death sen- Yes, discrimination is a bad thing the Spokesman for the Secretary- UN missions, the Spokesman said ter JP Nadda hailed the bill – first tence. As for the ombudsman, it is but it is likely to continue in some General Stéphane Dujarric said there was no deployment of Sri mooted 15 years ago – as historic neither a full-time post nor is the form or another given what soci- Thursday. The Spokesman said Lankan peacekeepers for a long and promised action “against those person required to have any judi- ety is like. For us, treatment is the the UN expects Sri Lanka to do time. He said the new UN Secre- who create hatred against HIV pa- cial training.” absolute priority, so that we can the same and ensure that everyone tary General António Guterres has tients”. Paul Lhungdim, project coor- be healthy and live. This clause di- being deployed is vetted for past pushed for greater accountability implication of sexual abuse. "Ev- from member states but member A landmark law banning discrimi- and hospitals particular areas of Steve Kraus, director of UN- dinator for the Delhi Network of lutes the impact of the law,” said Aids’ regional support team for Positive People, questioned where Lhungdim. eryone is, is vetted, and the troop states always don't provide the nation against people living with focus. contributors have a responsibility UN with the information. "The HIV in India has sparked criticism, The HIV and Aids prevention Asia and the Pacific, said: “This is the money would come from to Anjali Gopalan, founder of the an important step forward for peo- pay for an ombudsman. “Where Naz Foundation (India) Trust, to certify that none of the soldiers issue of impunity of peacekeep- with one lawyer claiming the leg- and control bill, passed by Parlia- that are being deployed from wher- ers who committed horrendous islation could turn back the clock ment on Tuesday, also bans staff ple living with and affected by HIV will the state government, partic- which runs a home in New Delhi in India and around the world. ularly if it is small and financially for orphans who are HIV-positive, ever they come from have ever crimes, who violated the trust giv- on tackling the virus to the mid- in public places such as restaurants been implicated in any sexual en to them and were not persecut- 1990s. and shops from refusing entry to “This legislation begins to re- weak, get the funds to set up and said: “These are significant loop- move barriers and empowers peo- maintain such a post?” he asked. holes. When state governments abuse, and we would expect Sri ed is one of the reasons, and one of India is the first state in south anyone with HIV or Aids. Lanka and all other troop contrib- the many reasons, this Secretary- Asia to pass legislation prohibit- Last year, the UN reported that ple to challenge violations of their “It might just leave the post implement federal laws, they make human rights.” vacant. We would have preferred their own rules and these can eas- utors to do the same," the Spokes- General and his predecessor have ing discrimination against the coun- 1 million people in India are now man said. Responding to media pushed for greater accountability try’s 2.1 million HIV-positive peo- receiving treatment for HIV. There However, there has been op- this responsibility for the ombuds- ily water down position to a requirement that all man to have stayed with New . (THEGUARDIAN) query whether any of the over 100 and have pushed for greater part- ple, with jobs, housing, education has been a drop in cases of dis- Sri Lankan peacekeepers in Haiti, nership for Member States SATURDAY . APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief Fifth person Intellectuals criticise law dies in protests targeting CEU university against A group comprising leading writ- ers, poets and academics from across the world is calling for an Nicolas Maduro investigation into a law that could shut the Central Europe- an University (CEU) in Budap- est. The bill is seen as part of a wider crackdown on dissent in killed in Khan Sheikhoun. Were Hungary. Award-winning poet they dead at all?" and translator George Szirtes, a An open source investigation Briton who was born in Hunga- by journalist Elliot Higgins pieces ry, published the open letter to together the timeline of the Khan Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime Sheikhoun attack and attempts to minister, on April 10 - the day debunk previous claims by the the law was signed. government in Damascus and Rus- By time of publishing early sia that the chemical cloud was re- on Friday, more than 600 peo- leased after Syrian jets targeted a ple - including the Irish novelist rebel weapons depot in the town. Colm Toibin, Indian poet K Sa- US military officials said they chidananda and Kurdish poet, observed a drone flying over a hos- translator and painter Choman pital in Khan Sheikoun that was Fresh clashes have erupted be- "another victim of the dictator- Hardi - had signed the petition. providing treatment for gas vic- tween police and protesters rally- ship". The law "reduces Europe", tims. "About five hours later, the ing against the Venezuelan govern- Marquina and officials earlier the letter reads. "It weakens it. UAV [drone] returned, and the ment as a fifth person reportedly said a 13-year-old boy was shot It takes it one step further to the hospital was struck by additional dies after being shot during earlier dead in protests on Tuesday in edge of disintegration. It is vital munitions," one official said. unrest. Thousands of Venezuelans Barquisimeto. Maduro supporters to act quickly. The Organisation for the Pro- took to the streets in eastern Car- blamed Marquina blamed that kill- "We ask for a period of in- hibition of Chemical Weapons acas amid a tropical downpour on ing on so-called colectivos, armed tensive fact-finding into the le- (OPCW) has begun an investiga- Thursday to support a protest supporters of the government gality of the Hungarian govern- tion into the alleged attack, but movement that appears to be gain- whom the opposition accuses of ment's law ... and its consequenc- Russia on Wednesday blocked a ing steam even as it turns more attacking them during demonstra- es for freedom of education, and UN Security Council resolution deadly. tions. A 36-year-old man was killed for a process of mediation, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hand-in-glove with the terrorists. affected by this strike," Assad said. demanding Syria cooperate with Venezuela officials confirmed the same night in Barquisimeto, bringing the parties together said a suspected chemical weap- They fabricated the whole story The chemical attack killed at the probe. later in the day that a fifth person prosecutors said. around the principle of Europe- ons attack was a "fabrication" to in order to have a pretext for the least 87 people, including many A British delegation at the had died in the wave of anti-gov- Two 19-year-old students an rule of law." justify a US military strike, AFP attack," added Assad, who has children, and images of the dead world's chemical weapons watch- ernment protests now entering its were shot by police in earlier un- The new rule bars institu- news agency reported. been in power for 17 years. and of victims suffering from gas dog said on Thursday that sam- third week. rest, one on April 6 and one on tions based outside the Europe- In his first interview since the Western leaders including US poisoning provoked global out- ples taken from the attack site test- The public prosecutor's office April 11, according to authorities. an Union from awarding Hun- April 4 incident prompted a US President Donald Trump have ac- rage. At the time of the incident ed positive for the nerve agent says it will investigate the death Also on Thursday, Jose Man- garian diplomas without a bind- cruise missile attack on Syrian forc- cused Assad of being behind last Syria denied any use of chemical sarin. Assad said Syria would only of Miguel Colmenares, 36. uel Olivares, another opposition ing agreement between national es, Assad insisted his army gave week's attack in the rebel-held weapons, and Moscow said the allow an "impartial" investigation He was shot at during a pro- legislator, said police fired tear gas governments. (Al Jazeera) up all of its chemical weapons town Khan Sheikhoun, saying his deaths had been the result of a con- into the poison gas incident. test in the central city of Bar- "point-blank" at demonstrators in three years ago and that Syrian forces unleashed a chemical weap- ventional strike hitting a rebel arms He insisted several times his quisimeto on Tuesday. the state of Vargas. "If they think military power was not affected on during an air strike. depot containing "toxic substanc- forces had turned over all chemi- Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's they will scare us that way they Passenger by the US strike. Assad said his forces had not es". cal weapons stockpiles in 2013, socialist president, is fighting off are wrong. We will stay in the "Definitely, 100 percent for us, been diminished by the 59 US But in his latest interview, under a deal brokered by Russia to efforts to topple him as Venezuela street!" he wrote on Twitter. dragged off it's fabrication," Assad said of the cruise missiles launched at an Syr- Assad insisted it was "not clear" avoid threatened US military ac- struggles with shortages of food While demonstrations are of- United flight poison gas incident. ian airbase in Homs in retaliation whether an attack on Khan tion. The OPCW has blamed As- and medicine. ten held in middle-class neighbour- Chemical attack survivors for what Trump called a "very bar- Sheikhoun had even happened. sad's government for at least two Dozens of people have been hoods, this most recent wave of plans legal action pledge to fight for justice baric" attack. "You have a lot of fake videos attacks in 2014 and 2015 involv- injured and more than 100 arrest- unrest for the first time has "Our impression is that the "Our firepower, our ability to now," he said. "We don't know ing the use of chlorine. ed over the past week in clashes in prompted protests in the slums The man dragged off a United West, mainly the United States, is attack the terrorists, hasn't been whether those dead children were (Al Jazeera) various cities, according to author- that have historically been bastions Airlines flight in an incident that ities. Alfonso Marquina, an oppo- of support for the socialist revo- sparked an international uproar sition politician, on Twitter iden- lution launched nearly two decades suffered a broken nose and con- tified the latest death as Antonio ago by Hugo Chavez, the late pres- cussion, his lawyer said, adding Second Gruseny Calderon and called him ident. (Al Jazeera) that he is planning to sue. Dav- id Dao has been released from the hospital, attorney Thomas church Demetrio said at a news confer- ence on Thursday during which a member of Dao's family spoke bomber out for the first time. Dao's law- North Korea vows to respond yers filed a petition in court re- to 'reckless' US moves questing that the city, which South Korean Foreign Minis- identified operates O'Hare International ter Yun Byung-se told parliament Airport, and United Airlines in Seoul he believed Washington preserve evidence related to the would consult Seoul if it was con- in Egypt Poland on Thursday welcomed the NATO deployed more battalions incident. They also said a law- sidering a preemptive strike. The first US troops in a multinational in Poland and the Baltic states, suit was forthcoming. "This law- United States has about 28,500 force being posted across the Bal- adding it would reinforce its west- suit, among other things, hope- troops in South Korea. following tic region to counter potential ern and southern flanks with new fully, will create a not just na- A Washington-based think- threats from Russia. divisions. tional discussion, but interna- tank that monitors North Korea, More than 1,100 soldiers - 900 Moscow has reacted angrily to tional discussion, on how we're 38 North, said satellite images on Sisi pledge US troops as well as 150 British the alliance's military presence in going to be treated going for- Wednesday showed activity and 120 Romanians - are to be de- countries that were once part of ward," Demetrio said. "For a around the North's Punggye-ri nu- The authorities in Egypt said on ployed in Orzysz, about 57km the Soviet Union and to exercises long time, airlines, United in par- Thursday they had identified the south of Russia's Baltic Sea enclave close to its borders. Russia said it clear test site on the east coast that second of two jihadist bombers ticular, have bullied us." David indicated it was ready for a new of Kaliningrad, where Moscow has would install S-400 surface-to-air Dao, a 69-year-old Vietnamese- Military force cannot resolve ten- aircraft carrier deployment who targeted Coptic Christian stationed nuclear-capable missiles missiles and nuclear-capable Is- test. South Korean officials said Palm Sunday services last week. American doctor, was hospital- sion over North Korea, China said "Military force cannot resolve there were no new signs to indi- and an S-400 air missile defense kander systems in the exclave of ised after Chicago aviation po- The interior ministry made the system. Kaliningrad, in retaliation for the on Thursday, while an influential the issue," Chinese Foreign Min- cate a test was more likely, al- announcement after President Ab- lice dragged him from the plane Chinese newspaper urged the ister Wang Yi told reporters in though they also said the North Three other formations are due NATO deployment of its so-called to make space for four crew del Fattah al-Sisi pledged as he vis- North to halt its nuclear pro- Beijing. "Amid challenge there is appeared ready to conduct a test ited Coptic Pope Tawadros II to to become operational by June "defence shield" in Eastern Eu- members on the flight from the gramme in exchange for Chinese opportunity. Amid tensions we at any time. influential state- hunt down the perpetrators of the across the region. rope. (Al Jazeera) city's O'Hare International Air- protection. will also find a kind of opportuni- backed Chinese newspaper said bombings. ISIS claimed the Sun- "Deploying of these troops to port to Louisville, Kentucky. With a US aircraft carrier group ty to return to talks." the best option for North Korea day attacks, which killed 45 peo- Poland is a clear demonstration of (Al Jazeera) steaming to the area and tension While US President Donald and its leader, Kim Jong-un, was ple and followed a December 11 NATO's unity and resolve and rising, South Korea said it believed Trump has put North Korea on to give up its nuclear programme, suicide bombing that killed 29 in a sends a clear message to any po- the United States would consult it notice that he would not tolerate and China would protect it if it Cairo church. Sisi’s visit to the pa- tential aggressor," NATO Supreme Sheila before any preemptive strike any provocation, US officials have did. "As soon as North Korea com- pal seat in the capital came a day Allied Commander Europe, Gen- against the North. said his administration was focus- plies with China's declared advice after the interior ministry identi- eral Curtis Scaparrotti, said at a Abdus-Salaam: Fears have been growing that ing its strategy on tougher eco- and suspends nuclear activities ... fied the bomber who struck out- welcoming ceremony for the first the reclusive North could soon nomic sanctions. China will actively work to pro- side Saint Mark’s church in Alex- arrivals at Orzysz, 220km north- New Yorkers conduct its sixth nuclear test or Trump has, however, divert- tect the security of a denuclear- andria, killing 17 people. Sunday’s east of the capital Warsaw. more missile launches in defiance ed the USS Carl Vinson aircraft ised North Korean nation and re- first bombing at the Mar Girgis Poland, alarmed by Russia's mourn judge's of UN sanctions and stark warn- carrier group towards the Korean gime," said an editorial in the Glo- church in Tanta, north of Cairo, assertiveness on NATO's eastern ings from the United States that a peninsula, which could take more bal Times, which is published by killed 28 people. Sisi said “state flank, has lobbied hard for the sta- policy of patience was over. than a week to arrive. the Communist party's People's agencies were exerting their utmost tioning of NATO troops on its soil, death China, North Korea's sole ma- Wang warned that history Daily. Japanese Prime Minister effort to chase down the perpetra- especially since Moscow's annex- Tributes were paid on Thurs- jor ally and benefactor, which nev- would hold any instigator to ac- Shinzo Abe underscored fears tors of those vile acts,” the presi- ation of Crimea in 2014. day to Sheila Abdus-Salaam, the ertheless opposes its weapons count. about threats from North Korea, dency said in a statement. On Polish President Andrzej Duda first African-American woman programme, has called for talks "Whoever provokes the situa- telling parliament in Tokyo that Wednesday, the interior ministry called the deployment a historic to serve on New York's highest leading to a peaceful resolution and tion, whoever continues to make Pyongyang could have the capaci- identified the perpetrator of the moment "awaited for by genera- court. Police pulled Abdus-Sa- the denuclearisation of the Korean trouble in this place, they will have ty to deliver missiles equipped Alexandria attack as Mahmud Has- tions". laam's fully clothed body from peninsula. to assume historical responsibili- with sarin nerve gas. san Mubarak Abdullah, born in the Russia vowed to take retalia- the Hudson River on Wednes- North Korea warns US over ty," Wang said. (Al Jazeera) southern province of Qena in 1986. tory measures in May 2016 if day, a day after she was report- ed missing. The 65-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. No cause of death has been an- Evacuation from nounced. There were no signs a crime had been committed in her death, a police spokesman said on Thursday. Syria's Madaya and Law enforcement officials speaking on condition of ano- nymity told US media that in- Zabadani begins vestigators were treating the death as a suicide. The transfer has begun in Syria of daya resident, was in one of the 60 One of the officials said both residents of two rebel-held towns buses taking civilians to Idlib on the judge's mother and brother in exchange for moving rebel fight- Friday. had died in recent years around ers and civilians out of two other "I left my mother behind. She Easter, the brother by suicide. towns under an evacuation agree- refused to leave her home and her The transfer was scheduled to controlled areas because there is a ated from Zabadani and Madaya tection threats. In January 2017, Results of an autopsy con- ment. land," he told Al Jazeera by Skype begin last week, but has been post- lack of trust between the two sides. and transported to Idlib. the UN said at least 644,000 live ducted on Thursday were incon- Zabadani and Madaya, both from the bus. Syria evacuations poned at least four times. "The ones who have reached The transfer is part of a deal in UN-declared besieged locations. clusive. located near the capital Damascus, under way after deal In advance of the population Aleppo will stay where they are brokered by Iran and Qatar that As the Syrian conflict enters "The cause and manner of are besieged by the army of Syrian "Two years under siege, hun- transfer, at least 50 buses entered until the others moving from Za- will see more than 10,000 people its seventh year, more than death are pending further stud- President Bashar al-Assad and al- ger, air strikes, cold and rain [has] Zabadani and Madaya while 100 badani and Madaya reach rebel- evacuated and hundreds of pris- 465,000 people have been killed ies following today's examina- lied fighters from Hezbollah, the ended with displacement. We do buses and 20 ambulances arrived controlled areas. This is a staggered oners exchanged. in the fighting, more than a million tion," Julie Bolcer, a spokes- Lebanese Shia group. not know where we are going to in Fouaa and Kefraya on Thurs- movement of population." According to the UN, at least injured and over 12 million Syri- woman for the city's medical Convoys of buses began trans- live." Other departures planned for day. From Idlib to Aleppo An activist in Fouaa, who re- 4.7 million people are living in ans - half the country's prewar examiner, said in a statement. porting people from the two Friday have been postponed till Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Ha- quested anonymity, told Al hard-to-reach and besieged areas in population - have been displaced Abdus-Salaam was widely re- towns on Friday under a coordi- Sunday. mid, reporting on Friday from Jazeera that rockets targeted some Syria and are exposed to grave pro- from their homes. (Al Jazeera) ported to have been the coun- nated population swap that in- "We have been living in the Hatay in southern Turkey near the of the buses on their way out, caus- try's first female Muslim judge. volves a total of four towns. unknown, only to be displaced to Syrian border, said the buses start- ing damage to one bus and injuring Democratic Governor Andrew Fouaa and Kefraya, in north- another unknown," said Mahm- ed to move early in the morning. two people. Cuomo hailed Abdus-Salaam as western Idlib province, are home moud. "The first buses that moved "There are at least 7,500 peo- "a trailblazing jurist whose life to mostly Shia Muslims but have "[The coordinators] told us to were the ones leaving Idlib. They ple expecting to be evacuated, in public service was in pursuit been encircled by Syrian rebels pack one bag only. Each person have arrived in Aleppo province. among them are at least 1,500 rebel of a more fair and more just New since March 2014. was given one bag to pack his life "They are still in rebel-con- fighters," he said. York for all". "As the first Afri- Residents leaving them will be and move away. trolled areas in western Aleppo and The Syrian Organisation for can-American woman to be ap- taken to government-held areas in "They woke us up at around will stay there for a while. Human Rights (SOHR), the Brit- pointed to the state's Court of adjoining Aleppo province. 3am and told us we have to hurry. "Those moving from Zabadani ain-based monitoring group, said Appeals. (Al Jazeera) 'Living in the unknown' We ran like crazy trying to find and Madaya have a much longer at least 2,100 residents, including Houssam Mahmmoud, a Ma- our buses." way to go through government- rebel fighters, are due to be evacu- SATURDAY. APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

We a r e a n a t ion a l in st it u t ion a n d n ot t h e voice of a gov t or a p r iva t e or ga n iza t ion

AFGHANISTAN TIMES Editor: Mansoor Faizy Phone No: +93-797070563 E-mail: [email protected] By M Neelika Jayawardane Email: [email protected] M Neelika Jayawardane is an Associate Pro- www.afghanistantimes.af fessor of English at the State University of New York-Oswego. Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi he strutted on the aircraft carrier Advisory editorial board USS Abraham Lincoln to the roar George W Bush, the former US pres- of cheering military personnel, with Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, ident, is promoting a book of paint- a now infamous banner proclaiming ings, entitled Portraits of Courage: "Mission Accomplished" in the Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal, Saboor Sarir A Commander in Chief's Tribute to background, to the fact that the America's Warriors, depicting Amer- people he was sending to war were Graphic-Designers: ican soldiers - veterans from the not "liberating" anyone. He also ongoing "war on terror". The George didn't pay any attention to the fact Bilal Yusufi and Basir Qazizada W Bush Presidential Center tells us that the US military was ill-prepared Marketing & Advertising: that the book "brings together six- to deal with the inevitable push-back ty-six full-color portraits and a four- from insurgents and their homemade Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 panel mural painted by President IEDs, hell-bent on ridding them- Bush of members of the United selves of an invading army that has States military who have served our Holy week for Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan destroyed their cities and engaged Nation with honour since 9/11 - and in well-documented human rights Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 whom he has come to know per- violations, murder-for-entertain- Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press sonally". The hardcover edition ment, and sexual violence. Bush's Egypt’s copts will costs an affordable $35; the deluxe, decision to go to war caused chaos signed and personalised edition sets and destruction in Iraq and Afghan- you back $350, with proceeds from istan, as well as in other countries sales going to a non-profit organi- surrounding the two. A Physicians never be the same The constitution says sation that helps veterans. Bush's for Social Responsibility report es- latest efforts received a largely pos- timated, in 2015, that at least 1.3 By Adam Makary itive review from Mimi Swartz in million - possibly more than 2 mil- the New York Times. The title of lion - people have been killed in Iraq, Article 119: her article, Art of Redemption, hints Article One Hundred Nineteen: Members of the Supreme Court shall take the following oath of office in Afghanistan and Pakistan from both Adam Makary is an Egyptian-Amer- - in its use of the word "redemp- direct and indirect consequences of the presence of the President: “In the of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, I swear in the name of God tion" - that having sinned and fall- ican filmmaker. Almighty to attain justice and righteousness in accordance with tenets of the Holy religion of Islam, the US "war on terror". Three mil- en from grace, "W" is trying to re- lion Iraqis have been displaced, and provisions of this Constitution as well as other laws of Afghanistan, and to execute the judicial duty with gain possession of his soul and his 2.5 million Afghan refugees are liv- being deliberately eroded by the utmost honesty, righteousness and impartiality.” humanity through his paintings. ing precariously in Pakistan alone. Bush, who is famously a "Born- state. In addition to this, Egyptian Rather than pulling out our pocket- citizens must carry a national iden- Again Christian", does not need to books, we should be taking off our Immediately following the twin make these paintings in order to seek bombings in Egypt that killed at least tification card where the religion of shoes, and lobbing them at Bush for the cardholder is clearly indicated. absolution from his God. However, his naked attempts to elide his re- 40 Christians last Palm Sunday, the he clearly feels the need to do some- country's president Abdel Fattah El This automatically facilitates dis- sponsibility for the enormity of suf- crimination against the Copts and thing to gain favour from his earth- fering he created for those in 'other' Sisi released a statement saying "the ly critics. Admittedly, Bush's por- attack … will only harden the de- other minorities which are already lands he had no trouble ravaging, as shut out of the higher echelons of traits depict thoughtful engagements well as for his own countrymen and termination (of the Egyptian peo- with his subjects - their contempla- women. In Portraits of Courage, ple) to move forward on their tra- political, state and security appara- tive expressions sometimes hinting there is no mention of these mil- jectory to realise security, stability tuses. Unless President Abdel Fat- that they have turned inward, sit- lions of people whose lives have and comprehensive development." tah el-Sisi starts viewing Copts as a ting before the man who sent them been laid to waste by America's im- But just four months ago, another minority in need of state protec- to war. However, these paintings - perial wars.Their existence - and the attack in Cairo's Coptic Cathedral tion and implements the necessary with each painful stroke attempt- worlds they inhabited - are erased that killed at least 25 Christians did measures to proactively protect ing to honourably depict individual from Bush's image-redemption tour. not bring Egyptians closer to secu- them against attacks, Egypt's Chris- American "warriors" - are also about In this project, Bush puts himself to rity or stability. December's attack tians will continue to suffer on the recapturing Bush's legitimacy as the the foreground and damningly in- margins of society. Egypt also has former Commander in Chief of US was the first time a sectarian inci- strumentalises American soldiers as dent hit home for me, not only as a been receiving $1.5bn in aid from Armed Forces. Swartz, in her New image-rehabilitation tools. He uses the United States annually, most of York Times article, notes that audi- Copt but as someone who knew a their painful experiences - through couple of the victims personally. I it in the form of military equipment ences and art critics were in "shock code-words such as "courage", "pa- to Egypt's army, the 10th largest in and awe" at Bush's growth as a paint- arrived in Cairo during a winter break triotism" and "sacrifice" - to avoid on the day the attack happened. The the world - but not large enough to er - tastelessly referencing the name answering difficult questions about protect its own people. In fact, in that US military gave the 2003 usual protocol was set in place: the The United States military dropped Thursday the largest “non-nuclear” bomb the millions killed in the arenas of government had declared three days October 2011 the military became bombings of Baghdad using Toma- war. Their erasure is justified by us- directly involved in the violence apparently targeting the hideouts of the Daesh terrorist group in the eastern hawk cruise missiles, killing more of mourning and vowed to find the ing potent references to "threats to culprits. In the aftermath of this against Egypt's Christians. During a than 6,700 civilians during the ini- freedom" and "terrorists". Back in peaceful protest against the demo- Nangarhar province, according to both US and Afghan officials. The 10-ton tial phase of the invasion. But even attack discussions on state radio cir- 2013, some of Bush's early paint- cled around the need for Egyptians lition of a church in Southern Egypt, ‘Mother of All Bombs’ was dropped from transport airplane in Achin dis- she admits that these wars are "oth- ings went viral after a hacker ac- 27 Copts lost their lives - some dis- erwise known as Mr Bush's disastrous to stand united against terrorism - cessed Bush's sister's email account. but there was little to unite us on. appearing under the wheels of mili- trict. venture in the Middle East". The These paintings appeared to be self- tary armoured vehicles - after the number of US military casualties portraits. In one, Bush contemplates Many doubted whether the govern- A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani has said that the government ment cared enough to prevent more military launched a crackdown. As a from Operation Enduring Freedom, his own pale feet, peeking up from way of washing their hands of what was aware of the attack, adding that it followed no “human casualties” as the Operation Iraqi Freedom and Oper- above a bathtub; the tap is still run- of such attacks. They didn’t. Four months later we found ourselves in came to be known as the Maspero ation New Dawn, as confirmed by ning at full speed, filling the tub to massacre, the authorities pointed the US Central Command, is now at the same rabbit hole. So rarely has villagers had already fled the area. the brim. In another, he stands to fingers at mysterious external forc- 6,877, according to Military Times. the right side of a running shower, the state thought to properly se- The defense ministry has also said that the attack was carried out in the In March 2013, Veterans Affairs - cure Egypt's churches on religious es that they claimed were trying to with his back to the audience, fac- destabilise the country. This only Mohmand Dara village, killing 36 Daesh terrorists including a senior com- the body responsible for providing ing the wall. In an odd play in per- holidays that it's hardly surprising vital services to US veterans - that the attackers on Sunday made manufactured more public consent spective, a blurry reflection of his to continue treating Copts the same mander. stopped releasing statistics on non- visage can be seen on a small, round it to the two churches. There is a fatal war casualties to the public, disturbing trend of neglect that dom- way. Needless to say, the brutal at- The airstrike was carried out in the wake of the NATO statement that the shaving mirror hung to his left. The tacks on Christians and their claiming unspecified "security" rea- reflection stares back at us, while inates every government response sons; what is known is that 900,000 towards such deadly attacks, and it churches have persisted, whether in organization intended to remove Daesh terrorists in Afghanistan by the end the stream of water runs on waste- the form of bombings or communal service personnel were treated by fully. It may be true that Bush has - points to the same recurring reality of this year. December 2012 after returning about the status of Egypt's Copts, violence. When we talk about so- since completing his own two tours lutions to this problem, the discus- from Iraq and Afghanistan. And of duty as President of the United which has for the most part re- The chief executive Abdullah Abdullah has welcomed the attack, saying: while the budget allocated for Vet- mained unchanged since the late sion should then start with the idea States - spent many hours in bath- of inclusion. One story I remember “our joint operation is the indicator of our efforts to remove Daesh, terror- erans Affairs in 2014 was an aston- tubs and showers, contemplating the President Anwar Sadat came to pow- ishing $152.7bn ($182.3bn for er in 1970. Egypt's Copts are said documenting involved a church that ways in which resources of his coun- was set ablaze in the governorate of ism and their safe havens in Afghanistan”. 2017), it was estimated that 40 vet- try went down the drain as he at- to make up 10 percent of the coun- erans died while waiting for health- tempted to fashion himself as a de- try's population. But the Egyptian Qalyubiya. Four Christians were But questions are rising that is the US really decisive to remove terror- care. The scandal exposed systemic cisive leader. It may be true that authorities have repeatedly pre- killed. Days later, local authorities ism in Afghanistan or the aerial attack is just to test its sophisticated weap- incompetence, mismanagement and Bush cares for the men and women vented researchers who carry out set up a town meeting aimed at rec- corruption. Given these statistics, who served on the front lines of the surveys from asking citizens about onciliation, but not a single repre- ons and show off its military power to its rivals in the region? it is troubling that the man who sent so-called global "war on terror". It their religion and ethnicity, thwart- sentative from the Coptic church The latter question is closer to the US aim. The US and its allies have millions of US troops to a battle- may even be true that he regrets ing efforts to establish a collective was present. The Coptic clergy had front is now attempting to re-in- sending these military personnel to understanding of the size and make- not been informed, I later learned. troduce himself as a person who a battlefront with little cause: no Many argue the topic of equal military presence in our country for almost 16 years under the aim of com- cares deeply for their wellbeing. up of Egypt's minorities. Whether evidence that Iraq held weapons of they are more or fewer than 10 per- rights for Copts is a foregone con- bating terrorism. Perhaps, Bush wishes to create a mass destruction has ever been clusion, that nothing can be done to space for military veterans in the cent, Copts still get less than 1 per- found. Yet, he has done little to call cent representation in parliament. pull Copts out of the social inequal- Taliban who were ousted from power in the US-led 2001 invasion, were American public's minds through his attention to the veterans' services ity they have come to accept. Un- paintings. Perhaps he wants to cre- Copts must also fight through a web significantly weakened. But the group became stronger after a couple of that have failed them, leaving of bureaucracy to secure permission less President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ate understanding, and to elevate PTSD-affected soldiers untreated, starts viewing Copts as a minority these men and women's struggles. to build places of worship. Mean- years, carrying out deadly attacks against the Afghan security forces and the and their healthcare in shambles. He while, their Muslim counterparts can in need of state protection and im- Perhaps he paints veterans in order also did little to help people who plements the necessary measures to innocent people. to learn what it might mean to in- build and renovate mosques freely, are still trying to survive the after- and in some cases, get tax breaks proactively protect them against habit their damaged bodies and trou- math of America's imperial wars. attacks, Egypt's Christians will con- Daesh appeared in Afghanistan during the presence of the US and NATO bled psyches. But this exercise seems for it. This sets a certain public atti- The nostalgia that is so desperately tude which leads Copts to believe tinue to suffer on the margins of troops. If the US really wanted to help Afghans in removing terrorists, it so little, so late. Bush didn't pay any being mined at this juncture in Amer- society. attention back in May 2003 when that their identity as Egyptians is could easily do it as it enjoys the world’s strongest economy and modern ican history.(Aljazeera) (Alarabya) arms. The Achin attack as former president Hamid Karzai said “is not the war on terror”. It is a brutal misuse of Afghanistan as testing ground new and dangerous weapons. The relationship between the United States and Russia is worsening since the war in Syria. The White House is not happy with China regarding the North Korea issues. Iran who is against the US and West policies on the Syrian war is also located in the region. So, it seems that Afghanistan could be a suitable place to use the sophisticated weapons to warn and threaten the regional powers. The United States has to stop financial resources of terrorism and close its havens outside Afghanistan if it is serious to save human being from the inhuman phenomenon. Subscription Rates Note:The following rates will apply from January 01, 2017. Fee Categories Afghanistan Times Annual Afg: 5400 at your door step For fast delivery service Six Months Afg: 2700 Afghanistan Times seeks the names, addresses of your International Organization $240 per year organizations and the number of copies you want. SATURDAY . APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES How the BJP has come to dominate lower-caste politics

the course of 19th century debates, By Ketan Alder Hindu activist organisations such as Arya Samaj turned their attention Indian politics is headed in a most to the issue of caste and, in particu- By Salaudeen Hashimu challenging direction, one which lar, the position of lower-caste could have momentous implications groups within the Hindu society. for the country's pluralistic society This raised questions over where the Salaudeen Hashimu is a program officer for Civil Society Legislative Ac- and the world. This sharp political boundaries of Hinduism were, con- tion Centre (CISLAC). turn in India has been most starkly sidering that caste practices often visible in the growing political suc- cut across religious traditions, and cess of the Bharatiya Janata Party "Hindu" as a religious identity was (BJP), founded in 1980. In 2014, unfamiliar to many, who now found the BJP won a landslide electoral themselves categorised within it. A victory, bringing Prime Minister central tenet of diversity in Hindu Narendra Modi to power. In March politics was the idea that numeri- By James Ancell this year, the party swept to victo- cally large lower-caste groups were ry again in local elections across a key part of the Hindu society, and India, including in the country's it was this shifting consciousness James Ancell is a project manager for Transparency International (TI). most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, which allowed for the imagination where the BJP won over three quar- of a Hindu majority in the region. ters of the seats on offer. The new The BJP seeks to mobilise this di- versity into a consolidated idea of exception. At the 2016 Anti-Cor- chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi ruption summit in London, David Adityanath, has attributed the par- Hindu identity and nationhood. ty's success to the prime minister's While the BJP's campaigning in re- Cameron whispered of Nigeria's sta- strongman image and popularity. cent elections around symbols such There is a stereotype of bustling tus as a "fantastically corrupt" coun- Supporters of Modi point to his fo- as the cow have played a role in try. Buhari's response to the gaffe Will Neil Gorsuch make the this, grassroots movements affili- internet cafes in Lagos full of op- cus on economic development and portunist young men earnestly try- was accurate, if deflective; "I am not growth to explain his popularity. ated with Hindu nationalism that going to demand an apology" he said, have been operating outside, poli- ing to dupe recipients into supply- India was the fastest-growing major ing their credit card details. Three "I am demanding a return of assets". supreme court the handmaiden tics and whose activism is often in- economy last year, posting a GDP thousand miles away, a very differ- He has a point. Whether it's the five growth of 7 percent, compared to correctly seen as of little conse- million Nigerians facing starvation, quence to India's social landscape, ent breed of Nigerian scammer can 6.8 percent for China. Critics, on be found in the cafes of Knights- an elderly patient unable to gain the of corporations? the other hand, claim the so-called also played a role. My own research medical access they desperately need demonstrates how these seva (ser- bridge, central London, funded by "Modi-wave" is based on an appeal the very tax dollars that are so bad- - or indeed a mother of a young girl to divisive Hindu majoritarian poli- vice) projects, including approxi- that has been cruelly snatched from By Ciara Torres Roberts court, this was going too as a treasurer for terrorists, holding mately 14,000 schools and cultural ly needed to develop their home- far, because there is a "presumption accounts for organizations such as tics. At the centre of this contro- land. Between the two cafes is a web school by Boko Haram, corruption societies, link the histories and he- is not a victimless crime. Corrupt against extraterritorial application" Islamic Jihad. "The Bank has served versy is the BJP's ideology of Hin- of corruption, in the middle of which Despite Sen. Majority Leader Mitch dutva, or "Hinduness," which is root- roes of lower caste groups into a officials cannot steal public money of US law. Two years ago, Nestle as the 'paymaster' for Hamas and broader story of Hindu society. For are the Chibok schoolgirls, now en- McConnell's negative charisma, he USA tried to get the Supreme Court other terrorist organizations, help- ed in a belief that a Hindu majority tering their fourth year of captivi- without a place to hide it. Accord- has masterminded the legal coup of example, in dramatic folk plays ing to Transparency International to take up issue of corporate liabil- ing them identify and pay the fam- in India is united around a common ty. Dismantling the web will be slow the century: refusing to even con- culture which forms the basis of the about the Hindu God-King Rama in research, at least £4.2bn of proper- ity, but it was denied cert. As I wrote ilies of suicide bombers and other Uttar Pradesh, lower-caste groups and there is more to be done, not sider President Obama's mild-man- before the Court denied the peti- terrorists," the plaintiffs told the nation. This claim is a contested only in Nigeria, but also here in the ty in London is owned by individu- nered Supreme Court nominee Mer- such as Nishads are placed at the als who are a high corruption risk, tion, if Nestle's argument was suc- Supreme Court. But none of that one, and has its roots in the region's UK, to make that happen. Three rick Garland. Instead, he orchestrat- encounters with colonialism during forefront of the myth and celebrat- of which at least £77.5m comes from cessful "it could free every corpora- mattered to the Second Circuit, ed for their masculine and ethical years after the world reeled in shock ed a break with long-standing Sen- tion from worrying about suit in which dismissed the case. Their first the 19th and 20th centuries. During as 276 female school pupils were Nigerians. General Sani Abacha re- ate rules about the filibuster to seat qualities, in a manner similar to the portedly moved millions through American courts for human rights line of analysis was simple. Arab this time, a Western, orientalist kidnapped from their classroom, the a jurist who was sloppy with his image of India as essentially reli- BJP's presentation of an "angry British bank accounts controlled by abuses abroad, no matter how hei- Bank is a corporation and corpora- Rama" in colourful badges, stickers media attention may have gone sourcing at best, and a plagiarist at nous." How heinous? In the case of tions can't be sued under the Alien gious was pervasive, and ushered in away, the celebrity outrage faded, him and his family. The former na- worst. Moreover, the appointment and posters. Alongside this incor- tional Security Adviser Sambo Da- Nestle, and co-defendants Archer Tort Statute. Quoting a prior ruling the birth of a public sphere in which but the vast majority of those girls of Neil Gorsuch is likely to push the different parts of the elite claimed poration, in the neighbouring state suki has been accused of stealing mil- Daniels Midland and Cargill, it's us- on the Alien Tort Statute, the Sec- of Jharkhand, tribal and lower caste still remain in the hands of Boko Roberts Supreme Court – already ing child slave labor to harvest co- ond Circuit panel wrote, "[N]o cor- to speak on behalf of distinct and Haram. Fuelling the original atten- lions intended to buy military equip- dubbed the "Corporate Court" -- to groups use these ideas of moral com- ment to fight Boko Haram; he al- coa in the Ivory Coast. The child poration has ever been subject to competing religious constituencies. tion was one fundamental question: a new low in obsequiousness toward The defining Hindu nationalist con- portment to shatter stereotypes and legedly spent it on properties in slaves worked "up to 14 hours a day any form of liability (whether civil, create a space for themselves in the how on earth can a militant extrem- corporate litigants. Gorsuch will get six days a week, given only scraps criminal, or otherwise) under the tribution to these debates was to ist group kidnap hundreds of school- Dubai and London. More worrying- his chance early. Sometime next fall Hindu nation. These stories present ly, James Ibori, a former Nigerian of food to eat, and whipped and beat- customary international law of hu- envision the boundaries between the girls, and get away with it - for three the Supreme Court will hear Jesner Hindu majority and the Indo-Islam- the cultural ethos of marginal Hin- governor. who is one of the only en by overseers. They were locked man rights." It will be curious, but dus as central to building any Hindu years and counting? v. Arab Bank, where the question is in small rooms at night and not per- not surprising, if the Court rules that ic or Christian minorities as not only Nigeria's battles with the scourge overseas officials to be found guilty whether corporations can be sued nation, claiming that its decline is in UK courts of money laundering, mitted to leave the plantations, corporations are immune from the religious, but national as well. This of corruption are no secret and its under the Alien Tort Statute. Passed allowed for the reframing of upper- the responsibility of more powerful has now been released and is aggres- knowing that children who tried to Alien Tort Statute. Such a decision Hindu figures, whose actions, such link to insecurity, and in particular in 1789, the Alien Tort Statute gives escape would be beaten or tortured," would defy the rationale of Citizens caste Hindus not as a powerful mi- the rise in extremism, is increasing- sively pursuing an appeal against his federal courts jurisdiction to hear as alcohol consumption, are corrupt charges, employing top lawyers with according to a Ninth Circuit opin- United, which said corporations nority, but as part of an imagined ly being understood. This is espe- suits brought by non-citizens for vi- national Hindu majority. The vision and quite inimical to the demands the same money that it is claimed ion that allowed the suit to proceed. have the same free speech rights as of an ethical Hindu identity. While cially true of the defence sector. olations of international law. The And for those wondering if the de- people, because corporations are of a Hindu nation was built around Defence corruption is more than just he stole. Last year the UK and Ni- modern era of this litigation began these ideas of Hindu organisation and geria signed a memorandum of un- fendants knew what was going on, nothing more than a collection of ideas of Hindu unity and organisa- a waste of public money - it can in the 1980's when foreign nation- tion, or Hindu sangathan. nationalism have been on the rise, derstanding on the recovery of cor- the appellate panel quickly dis- individuals. As I described in my they have been increasingly chal- actively enable the insurgent. In als were allowed to sue a former patched with that one. "The defen- book, Corporate Citizen?, the Rob- One influential and controver- Nigeria, corruption fuels Boko rupt money, but there is no public sial symbol of this vision can be seen lenged by thinkers who assert an al- Paraguayan police official living in dants are well aware of the child sla- erts Court is giving corporations ternative and independent lower- Haram's narrative that the state is information to suggest that progress in the contemporary politics of cow has been made since then. Howev- the US for alleged human rights abus- very problem in the Ivory Coast. rights without concomitant respon- caste identity. These activists claim corrupt, and that only with Islamic es. Soon, multinational corpora- protection. While the cow is con- er, plans to introduce a public regis- They acquired this knowledge first- sibilities. sidered to be a sacred animal by some the legacy of BR Ambedkar, the prin- law can Nigeria provide a fair and tions were being sued for aiding and hand through their numerous visits If corporations are treated as peo- cipal framer of the Indian constitu- just society. The conclusion is shaky, ter of the real owners of overseas Hindus, the BJP and other Hindu na- companies that own property in abetting human rights violations all to Ivorian farms," the judges wrote. ple for the purposes of free speech tion. but the premise that states corrup- over the globe. Corporations fought tionalist organisations have long London will bring much needed Yet, last month a federal district and religious rights, those rights presented beef consumption and cow An important leader of the tion in Nigeria is a problem isn't; these cases tooth and nail, general- court dismissed the case, relying in should come with responsibilities as Dalit, or the former "untouchable", more than $15bn of Nigerian pro- transparency that will make it harder protection as a dividing line between for corrupt foreign officials to use ly claiming they couldn't be sued in part on some of the reasoning in well. And one responsibility for a Hindus and non-Hindus. During their caste, Ambedkar's work helped in- curement funds are missing at the US courts or that the Alien Tort Stat- spire the rise of the Bahujan Samaj London property to hide their dirty the earlier Supreme Court decision. human defendant is being held ac- electoral campaign in Uttar hands of military officers. This is ute didn't apply to corporations. Judge Stephen Wilson, a Reagan countable for causing grave harm. Party (BSP), or the "Majority Peo- money that was needed to address cash. Likewise, new powers that Pradesh, the BJP pledged to pass laws Transparency International has The Supreme Court had the chance appointee, found that the defen- My prediction for Jesner v. Arab to end the "river of blood of cows, ple's Party". Since the 1980s, the Boko Haram 10 years ago, and that to rule on whether the Alien Tort BSP has put forward a forceful cri- been campaigning for, Unexplained dants' alleged conduct in the US were Bank is that the newly reconstitut- oxen and buffalo". Abattoirs, many is still needed now to contain them. Statute applies to corporations in ordinary business practices and did ed Supreme Court will adopt the tique of Hindu nationalism, and from Training, intelligence, administra- Wealth Orders (pdf), will provide law of which are run by Indian Muslims, enforcement agencies with a sharp 2013, but despite hearing two rounds not involve the planning and direc- corporations' point of view and in- have since faced a crackdown by this period onwards lower-caste pol- tion and communications have all of arguments in the case, it ducked itics have developed into a major new tool to investigate suspicious tion of the child slave labor. Which sulate them from the Alien Tort state authorities. been hindered, and in return Boko the issue. Instead, the court noted brings us to the Arab Bank case Neil Statute. Aided by Gorsuch, the Su- aspect of Indian life. This brings us Haram has killed thousands of Ni- assets. UK companies can also be A central tenet of diversity in complicit in Nigerian corruption. that an overseas defendant, Neth- Gorsuch will hear this fall. Arab Bank preme Court will turn its back on Hindu politics was the idea that nu- back to the 2014 and 2017 elec- gerians and captured many more. erlands-based Royal Dutch Shell, was tions. An investigation by Global Witness is one of the largest financial insti- victims of human rights violations. merically large lower-caste groups President Muhammadu Buhari was being sued by foreign plaintiffs for tutions in the Middle East, with more Those who once saw the US as a Of all the competing views of elected in 2015 on an anti-corrup- has recently alleged that Shell paid were a key part of the Hindu soci- $1.1bn to the former oil minister activities taken outside the US, than 600 branches on five conti- source of equitable legal norms and ety, and it was this shifting con- community, religion and nationhood tion platform, but his results have which in this case was Nigerians offered during the campaigns, it was and convicted money launderer, Dan nents, including New York. The a moral high ground for human dig- sciousness which allowed for the been mixed. His "war on corruption" claiming the oil giant committed plaintiffs claim that the bank, in- nity will have to adjust their beliefs. the BJP's invocation of the sym- borrowed its nomenclature from Etete, in order to gain access to one imagination of a Hindu majority in of Africa's biggest oil fields. That's atrocities in their country. To the cluding its New York branch, acted (Truthout) the region. bols of Hindu unity which gained Bush's "war on terror" and Nixon's popular support and caused lower- "war on drugs", and like its prede- more than the entire Nigerian At times, Hindu organisation health budget in 2016. If Buhari re- has been accompanied by a violent caste parties to regress. cessors, results have not reflected In the most recent polls, the the vociferousness of its proponents mains healthy, there'll be a champi- activism directed towards anyone ac- on of this crusade inside Nigeria, but cused of eating beef or slaughtering Hindu nationalists successfully cap- nor the industriousness of its foot tured 69 of the 89 seats reserved for soldiers. Criticisms of his efforts global financial centres need to also cows. Many leading thinkers prima- ensure they are not acting as safety rily view the growing power of Hin- lower-caste representatives, com- have ranged from politically-moti- pared to just two for the BSP. vated prosecutions to ineffective deposit boxes for those stealing from du nationalism through its encour- the Nigerian public purse. Whether agement of Hindu and Muslim in- Tracing India's difficult and reforms. The scale and depth of the momentous turn towards Hindu na- problem makes setting priorities for it's the five million Nigerians facing tra-communal conflict. Yet, this ig- starvation, an elderly patient unable nores the much-contested place of tionalist politics allows us to con- reform difficult - last year, we pub- sider an increasingly powerful para- lished our recommendations for how to gain the medical access they des- lower-caste groups within Hindu perately need - or indeed a mother nationalism. Addressing the politics digm at work in the world: one which to tackle the problem. And some twists the kaleidoscope to reveal not positive change has happened, in- of a young girl that has been cruelly sparked by these conflicting views snatched from school by Boko all Venezuela can do is keep putting ing the moral conscience even of provides another compelling prism the messy entanglements of human cluding amending the Public Pro- history and belonging, but instead Haram, corruption is not a victim- By Francisco Toro the inevitable off a little longer, some Wall Street bond investors. through which to understand the sig- curement Act so that defence is in- borrowing against collateral and BlueBay Asset Management has cut sharp divisions and monopolised cluded alongside other sectors, in- less crime. nificance of Hindu mobilisation and (Aljazeera) squeezing its population harder and its exposure to Venezuelan bonds, recent electoral victories. During spaces. stead of being treated as a secretive (WP) harder to keep bondholders happy. even though they were returning an That can only last as long as it has astronomic 50 percent per year, assets it can pawn off — which is after realizing the import crunch the clearly not much longer. The low- government has to impose to pay hanging fruit was picked clean long them back is leaving millions hun- ago, leaving Venezuela to make more gry. Diego Ferro, the investment co- LETTER TO THE EDITOR and more distressed deals to borrow chief for Greylock Capital, a major less and less money on worse and Venezuela bond investor, has dubbed worse terms. its strategy “Suicidal Willingness to The unseemly last minute scramble Pay”. So why does the government for cash only adds to an already un- insist on paying Wall Street, no manageable pile of debt, and purely matter what? It’s an open-ended to pay off existing debt. It’s like mystery. turning to a loan shark to make your There’s no shortage of cynics out Unemployment is the core reason behind drug addiction in the country. A number of youth across the credit card payments. The strange there convinced that many Venezu- country blamed government for ignoring them by not creating jobs. According to several youths, jobless- thing is that it’s not even all that elan bonds have been gobbled up, ness has forced young men into using drugs and migrating to foreign states. The government should pay clear why the government fears de- for cents on the dollar, by the re- serious heed to this issue and spare no efforts in a bid to generate jobs for them. The young generations are fault so much. For one thing, since gime’s own leaders. That would make playing key role in building or damaging of a country. it’s so visibly strapped for cash, and sense. The government should leave no stone unturned to create jobs for the youths as they are the future Venezuela is living through a second cuts to everything else: government so far behind on so many of its non- Venezuela bonds are cheap, because maker of this war-turn country. Putting a glance to every development countries, you would find that all week of rowdy anti-government services, public investment, even Wall Street obligations, foreign part- nobody believes they’ll really be re- credits for that progress directly goes to its youth’s indefatigable efforts. We want the government to pay street protests, with demonstrators food and medicine imports. These ners have been treating Venezuela paid. Many believe regime officials serious attention in providing jobs for youths. fighting running battles with riot are the kinds of cuts that make as though it’s already in default for use the proceeds of Venezuela’s ram- Omar Khan, Kabul, Afghanistan police employed by a government themselves felt not just in an econ- quite some time. After all, Venezue- pant corruption to snap up their own that has virtually run out of money. omist’s equations, but in people bel- la is already shut out of regular cred- bonds for pennies on the dollar, only Nothing is as revealing as how you lies: Last year, three out of four Ven- it markets: to make sure it gets paid back at full spend when money’s really tight. ezuelans reported losing weight be- That’s why it has to keep making value a few years later. In this tell- That’s when you reveal your down- cause they couldn’t find enough food those exotic, last-minute deals. Nor- ing, the rest of Wall Street getting at-the-core commitments, the to eat. It’s the central paradox of mal countries can buy imports paid is a side-effect of a ploy to es- things you really believe in. For Ven- the Bolivarian Socialism. against an invoice to be paid in 30 sentially loot the country. Who Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must ezuela’s Socialist Revolutionary By this point, the revolution has or 45 days. But burned again and owns a given bond is not a matter of have the writer’s name and address. You may send your letters to: government, that turns out to be now stiffed everyone it could have again on their accounts receivables, public record, so it’s impossible to [email protected] Wall Street. possibly stiffed: the United Nations, Venezuela’s partners insist on up- tell how much Venezuelan debt is On Wednesday, even as protesters small-scale miners, airlines, the all- front payment to sell it even the held by the regime’s own hierarchs in Caracas dodged tear gas canisters important oil service contractors most routine supplies. That’s exact- —or, more likely, by their front and water cannons, Venezuela’s that keep its oil industry running, ly the kind of treatment you’d ex- men. What we know for sure is that state-owned oil giant, PDVSA, will its own diplomats, even newborn pect after default — meaning Vene- this kind of shenanigan can be hugely be dishing out $2 billion to pay in- babies. Everyone, pretty much, ex- zuela ends up with the worst of both profitable, as long as you can stom- Disclaimer: ternational bondholders. This, it cept Wall Street. This is bizarre: worlds: It keeps nickel-and-dime-ing ach some nasty side-effects, includ- turns out, is sacrosanct. In 18 years Absolutely everyone can see that its own people to save money to ing the collapse of democracy, the The views and opinions expressed in the articles are of revolution, Venezuela has never on its current policy path, Venezue- make payments, but it doesn’t get economy, society and basic decen- those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or missed a bond payment. It’s hard to la will not be able to keep servicing even the courtesy of a 30-day grace cy, along with the hell of tear gas overstate the hardships Venezuelans its debt much longer. Barring funda- period when it buys food. and riots Caracas has turned into this opinions of the Afghanistan Times. have had to endure so the payment mental changes in economic policy It’s a hideous Catch-22. So hideous, week. could be made. It meant draconian or an unexpected surge in oil prices, it’s achieved the impossible: touch- (WP) SATURDAY.APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES Syrian army using most advanced China says force cannot resolve force cannot resolve the issue," Washington would consult Seoul zo Abe underscored the tensions over North Korea, as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi if it was considering a pre-emp- fears about threats from Seoul says the US will consult it told reporters in Beijing. "Amid tive strike. A Washington-based North Korea, telling tanks in before any pre-emptive strike challenge there is opportunity. think tank that monitors North parliament in Tokyo against Pyongyang. Amid tensions we will also find a Korea, 38 North, said satellite im- that Pyongyang could Military force cannot resolve kind of opportunity to return to ages on Wednesday showed activ- have the capacity to de- tension over North Korea, China talks." While US President Donald ity around the North's Punggye-ri liver missiles equipped anti says, while an influential Chinese Trump has put North Korea on nuclear test site indicated it was with sarin nerve gas. newspaper has urged the North to notice he would not tolerate any ready for a new test. South Kore- Scores of foreign jour- halt its nuclear program in exchange provocation, US officials have said an officials said there were no new nalists gathered in Py- terrorism for Chinese protection. With a US his administration is focusing its signs to indicate a test was more ongyang for North Ko- aircraft carrier group steaming to strategy on tougher economic sanc- likely, although they also said the rea's biggest national the area and tension rising, South tions. Trump has diverted the USS North appeared ready to conduct day, the "Day of the war Korea says it believes the US will Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group a test at any time. An influential Sun", were taken to consult it before any pre-emptive towards the Korean Peninsula to state-backed Chinese newspaper what officials billed as strike against the North. Fears have deter North Korea from conduct- said the best option for North a "big and important been growing that the reclusive ing another nuclear test or launch- Korea and its leader, Kim Jong Un, event" early on Thurs- North could soon conduct its sixth ing more missiles to coincide with was to give up its nuclear program, day. It turned out to be nuclear test or more missile launch- important events and anniversa- and China would protect it if it the opening of a new es in defiance of UN sanctions and ries. Speculation about US military did. "As soon as North Korea com- street in the centre of stark warnings from the US that a action grew after the US Navy fired plies with China's declared advice the capital, attended by policy of patience was over. Chi- 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian and suspends nuclear activities ... leader Kim. North Ko- na, North Korea's sole major ally airfield last week in response to a China will actively work to pro- rea marks the 105th an- and benefactor, which nevertheless deadly gas attack. Wang warned tect the security of a denuclear- niversary of the birth of opposes its weapons program, has that history would hold any insti- ised North Korean nation and re- state founder Kim Il called for talks leading to a peace- gator to account. South Korean gime," an editorial in the Global Sung on Saturday. ful resolution and the denucleari- Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se Times said. (SBS) sation of the peninsula. "Military told parliament in Seoul he believed Japanese Prime Minister Shin-

Russia slams US Russian media sources reported that the Syrian army is using the state-of-the-art T-72 tanks in its campaign against the ter- rorist groups. The Russian language approval of Russkaya Gazeta newspaper said in a re- port on Thursday that at least two T-72 tanks have been monitored in Syria that Montenegro’s enjoy some capabilities of the T-14 tanks that are among the latest state-of-the-art Abuja, Nigeria - Enoch Mark shuffles along the main corridor in tanks in the world. According to the re- his apartment in a busy neighbourhood in the Nigerian capital. port, one of the two tanks monitored in NATO accession He walks with a slight limp and has a stiff upper lip after a Syria is equipped with night vision sys- massive stroke last year. This is just one of the many ailments tems and it can still be used for daylight Russia to increase military he's suffered from in the past three years since two of his daugh- missions if the tank's surveillance system ters were abducted by the Boko Haram armed group from their is damaged in clashes. The second tank is equipment supplies to high school in the northeastern town of Chibok. "I lost my two equipped with a camera and active pro- daughters. I lost my peace. I lost my job," he says. He perches tection system (Sarab) that makes the ar- on a balcony, overlooking the street below where a handful of mor resistant to a variety of enemy mis- Uzbekistan people gather outside a church. After a while, Mark sighs. "Time siles. Also a Viper-72 system has been Russia will increase supplies of countries on mutual supplies of will tell. They will be free one day one time. I'm still hopeful. I'm military equipment to Uzbekistan. military equipment, military assis- mounted on the tank which can trace tar- still hopeful." To date, the Nigerian government has not found gets some 4km away. The relevant agreement has been tance and conducting research and any of the 276 schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram ratified by the Federation Council consultative works. "Implementa- Other reports said in March that the on April 15, 2014. Fifty-seven of them escaped on their own. Syrian army has optimized its T-72 bat- of Russia, reports Parlamentskaya tion of the agreement will allow to Three more were found by locals. With the help of the Interna- Gazeta. The document was signed create favorable regime of cooper- tlefield tanks to resist against anti-tank tional Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government, missiles. According to the Arabic-language in 2016 in Moscow to facilitate ation of Russia and Uzbekistan in the Nigerian government were able to secure the release of 21 effective implementation of the the field of production, develop- al-Hadath news website, an optimized T- girls last year. But that's not enough, Mark says. "If [President] 72 tank was hit by an anti-tank missile in supply of military and technical ment, technical service, repair," Buhari will be sincere with himself, why can't he put this insur- products between Russia and said Deputy director of the Rus- a test field in Damascus province, but the gency under control?" Mark asks. "How many girls has his gov- tank remained unharmed and continued Uzbekistan. The document deter- sian Federal Service for Military- ernment rescued among the Chibok girls? If he will tell himself mines the legal foundation of im- Technical Cooperation Vladimir operations. Diyana Mikhailov, a military the truth, does he really mean business as the president of Nige- expert, said that the T-72 tank merely plementation of military-technical Drojjov. ria?" Esther Yakubu looks at a photo of her daughter Dorcas, cooperation between the two (Akpress) sustained some small damage during the Russia’s Foreign Ministry on tions, which saw a group of Serbi- who remains missing and appeared in a Boko Haram video last test, adding that the optimization process Thursday called the approval by an nationals jailed last month. year [Chika Oduah/Al Jazeera] 'I will fear no Boko Haram' De- was successful. the US of Montenegro’s accession The country hopes to become spite claims from the Nigerian government that Boko Haram has The Syrian army had deployed the Petrol production to NATO a “deeply mistaken” a NATO member later this year, been defeated, the group continues to commit atrocities. Accord- Russian T-90 tanks against the terrorists move that creates divisions in Eu- which would reinforce the bloc’s ing to Human Rights Watch, since the group began its attacks in in Aleppo Front in Northern Syria in Feb- rope. The decision by US Presi- presence in the Balkans as Greece, 2009, an estimated 10,000 civilians have died in Nigeria as a ruary 2016 after the T-72 tanks failed to increased by 18.2pc in dent Donald Trump to sign off on Croatia and Albania are already result. A recent report from UNICEF indicates that nearly one in resist against the terrorists' anti-tank mis- the accession by the Balkan coun- members. five suicide bombers used by Boko Haram in the past two years siles. The T-90 and its outstanding capa- Q1 in Kazakhstan try to the North Atlantic Treaty Meanwhile, former director of has been a child. Girls continue to be used in high numbers to bility to destroy incoming TOW and M79 Petrol production amounted to data kerosene production amount- Organization on Tuesday “reflects the CIA and former supreme com- carry out attacks. Video footage released by Boko Haram shows missiles appears to be perfect for a the- 810.3 thousand tons in January- ed to 52.6 thousand tons (8.5% the logic of confrontation on the mander of NATO will join other its members stoning people, cutting off body parts and burning ater of war like the one in Syria. In 4 and March 2017, 18.2% up year on up), liquefied propane and butane- European continent and creates former high-ranking officials in the down buildings. Mark says he was worried that the militants a half years of conflict, more than 9,000 year, reports the statistics com- 582 000 tons (+17.2%), gasol- new dividing lines,” the ministry Romanian capital to discuss a wide had even beheaded one of his abducted daughters. "It was a BGM-71E3B TOW and M79 anti-tank mittee of the Ministry of National 1117.6 thousand tons (+28.8%), said in a statement. “We consider range of issues from migration to rumour that was going around, that my daughter had been be- systems have been introduced in the coun- Economy. oil fuel- 782.8 thousand tons the course toward including Mon- terrorism. headed because she refused to denounce her Christian faith," he try. Their capability to easily penetrate According to the statistics (+38.5%). (Kazaq) tenegro in NATO is deeply erro- The May 4-5 meeting orga- says. He requests not to name his daughters for security rea- T-55 and T-72 tanks was the main reason neous, goes fundamentally against nized by Romanian think tank sons. But he says one of the 21 Chibok girls who were released why the Syrian Arab Army has had so the interests of people in this Strategikon will also focus on pop- last year through negotiations assured him that his daughters are many problems gaining ground in Aleppo country and harms stability in the ulism and Britain’s decision to still alive. As daylight wanes, Mark goes to his room to bring out province prior to using T-90 tanks. Now, Balkans and in Europe as a whole,” leave the European Union. his Bible. It's heavy, leather-bound with fraying pages. Every after optimization process, the Syrian Turkmengas state concern it said. It added that the accession A statement sent to The As- evening he reads from it with his wife. This evening, he reads army troops will be able to use the T-72 was forced upon Montenegro sociated Press Thursday said there one of his favourite passages, Psalm 23:4. "Even though I walk tanks again. names acting chairman through what it called “puppet will be discussions on the need for through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no Boko (Farsnews) NGOs” that work to “create the officials to cooperate with the pri- Haram," he says in a booming voice, substituting "evil" for "Boko Deputy chairman of Turkmeni- energy complex in the country. illusion of public support for the vate sector and academics. Haram". Stress and heartache for families On the other side of stan’s Turkmengas state concern Turkmenistan is one of the main one-sided policy of the Montene- Former CIA director David town, Esther Yakubu prepares a meal for her children. Her daugh- Myrat Archayev has been ap- gas suppliers in the Caspian Sea grin authorities.” The population Petraeus and retired U.S. Air Force ter, Dorcas Yakubu, is one of the missing girls. In one of Boko pointed the acting chairman of the region. Turkmengas state concern of Montenegro, on the Adriatic Sea, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, who Haram's videos released last year, Dorcas appeared, standing concern, according to Turkmen is developing gas and gas conden- is mostly Orthodox Slavs and oversaw sweeping changes at next to a masked man in army fatigues, and pleaded for the President Gurbanguly Berdimu- sate fields, extracts gas and gas con- Moscow has long considered it to NATO to deal with a resurgent government to meet Boko Haram's demands so that she and her hamedov’s decree. Earlier it was densate, transports gas, gas con- be in its sphere of influence. Russia and the threat of armed Is- friends would be released. Yakubu says Dorcas was the light of reported that Maksat Babayev, densate and liquefied gas, sells gas The White House on Wednes- lamic extremism in the Middle East her life. "I have not been the same without her," she says. Seeing head of Turkmengas state concern, for export and within the country. day moved to accuse Moscow of and Africa, will also attend. Breed- her daughter in the video gave her a sense of relief that she may has been appointed deputy prime (Trend) being behind an attempted coup love left the post in 2016. still be alive. On a Tuesday afternoon, Aisha Yesufu rouses up a minister, who oversees the fuel and during Montenegro’s October elec- (Arabnews) crowd of activists from the Bring Back Our Girls group. Yesufu has become a familiar face in the group. (Al Jazeera) Tajik police officers India lifts its defense posture by signing arms Brittle economy risk for ordered to attend theater Erdogan ahead of Turkey poll Tajikistan has already told its po- "This applies to all Interior deal with Israel lice to lose extra weight. Now it's Ministry employees on the terri- Israel and India have signed a deal ing solidarity with an oppressed At rallies ahead of Sunday's refer- ty among some of the AKP's tra- lost nearly four percent of its val- ordering them to squeeze them- tory of the country." Emomali said endum on expanding his powers, ditional electorate. "AKP's base is ue against the US dollar since the selves into theater seats, reports that Rahimzoda personally con- for the provision of an advanced people for its position. But there defense system of medium-range were pragmatic reasons, too. India Turkish President Recep Tayyip Islamist and conservative, but they start of the year, the worst per- the RFE/RL. gratulated the artists on their per- surface-to-air missiles, launchers did not want to anger Arab coun- Erdogan is fond of reciting the eco- are also small business owners" forming emerging markets curren- In the latest move aimed at improv- formance of a play last week by and communications technology. tries because they accounted for nomic achievements of his one- and current economic policy is cy so far. Yet the Turkish econo- ing the image and performance of writer and former Culture Minis- The US$2 billion contract, billed the bulk of its oil imports. Addi- and-a-half decades in power. High "not good for business", the ana- my is still showing signs of the the police force in the impover- ter Nur Tabarov. as the “largest in the history of tionally, India needed Arab sup- growth rates of up to nine percent, lyst told AFP. A Turkish econo- resilience that became its trademark ished Central Asian country, the The minister told them that, Israel’s defense industry,” will port in its conflict with Pakistan a stream of foreign investment, mist who spoke to AFP on condi- over past years. The Istanbul Tajik Interior Ministry has ordered going forward, "We intend to at- boost India’s defense capability. over the disputed region of Kash- ambitious infrastructure projects tion of anonymity said the weak stock market has rallied this year, police officers and other ministry tend the republic's theaters every Importantly, it would draw India mir. India was at the forefront of and precious stability that fol- economy was "already hurting" climbing 15.3 percent since Janu- employees to attend the theater at month," Emomali added. The ini- into a tighter relationship with Is- the campaign to mobilize interna- lowed the near financial meltdown Erdogan and the 'Yes' campaign. ary and reached two-month highs least once a month. The directive tiative comes on the heels of an- rael which is complicated. India tional support for the Palestinian of its 2000-01 crisis. "We did this," The economist said "winning this on Tuesday. In 2016, a year was handed down last week by other Interior Ministry directive voted against the UN Partition Plan cause. Not only was it the first the president says proudly. But referendum should have been very marked by the failed July 15 coup, Interior Minister Ramazon Rahim- aimed at combatting obesity among in 1948 and although it extended non-Arab country to recognize the the country's referendum on easy" for the AKP given that in the Turkish economy grew by a zoda, after he and other senior of- police and cleaning up their image. recognition to the newly created Palestine Liberation Organization whether to agree a presidential November 2015 parliamentary robust 2.9 percent, beating ana- ficials attended an apparently in- Police officers were given a set state of Israel in 1950, it did not as the sole and legitimate repre- system is taking place against the polls it and its allies in the Nation- lysts' expectations. The presence spiring performance at the Ab- amount of time to shed excess follow that up with full diplomat- sentative of the Palestinian peo- background of the first sustained alist Movement Party (MHP) won of almost three million Syrian ref- dulkasim Lahuti State Drama The- weight or risk being fired. The min- ic relations. Thus “recognition- ple in 1974, but it was among the signs of weakness in the Turkish a combined 62 percent of the vote. ugees and aggressive measures by ater in Dushanbe. Ministry istry recommended that they work without-relations” was the hall- first countries to recognize the economy. Turkey's President Er- "That the polls are still extremely the government to raise consump- spokesman Umarjoni Emomali out in their off hours in order to mark of India’s Israel policy from state of Palestine in 1988. In 1992, dogan has encouraged businesses tight shows -- at least to some ex- tion have also helped provide a told RFE/RL on April 11 that at- comply. 1950 to 1992. However, India did India and Israel established formal to offer incentives like free meals tent -- the impact the weak econo- boost. However growth is already tending plays will help police Tajikistan, a predominantly engage the Israelis covertly in this diplomatic relations. The end of to cus... What has so far proved a my has," the economist added. much lower than the rates seen boost their spiritual and moral Muslim former Soviet republic, has period. Its external intelligence the Cold War, India’s growing ties pillar of strength for Erdogan and - Tourism under strain - Last before 2011 and clouded by un- awareness, and unwind after a dif- been ruled by President Emomali agency — the Research and Anal- with the US, and its mounting the ruling Justice and Development month inflation hit 11.3 percent -- certainty over a complex restate- ficult working day. Rahmon since 1992. Rights groups ysis Wing (RAW) — was in touch problem with terrorism prompted Party (AKP) could prove to be an a level unmatched since October ment of the GDP statistics that "The decision has been made and opponents say he tolerates lit- with the Mossad, Israel’s intelli- Delhi to reach out to Israel. The Achilles heel, economists say. Atil- 2008 -- while unemployment was has bewildered some observers. that police officers will attend the tle dissent and suppresses his crit- gence agency. During this period, start of Israel-Palestine peace talks la Yesilada, Turkey specialist at 10.9 percent in 2016. Youth un- The government has blamed the theater at least once a month, on ics. India was strongly pro-Palestine made it easy for India to justify Global Source Partners, said the employment was even worse at weak economy on investors' 'wait- different days," he said. (BBC) in the Israel-Palestine conflict, cit- the new relationship with Israel. (Reuters) weakness had added to uncertain- 19.6 percent. The Turkish lira has and-see' attitude ahead of the vote. SATURDAY.APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Top negotiators from China, Ja- pan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) met Thursday on pushing forward trade in goods and servic- es as well as investment at the 12th round of talks on a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA). Wang Shouwen, Chinese vice minister of commerce, said at the meeting that while global econo- my is facing a slowdown and un- certain future, and world trade and investment are encountering im- pediments, China's economic growth in the past decade under- scores the fact that global trade has played and will continue to play a key role in driving the world econ- omy. Wang said that if China, Ja- pan and ROK could make substan- tial headways in the FTA talks, it will send a positive signal to the world on anti-protectionism and safeguarding economic globaliza- tion. The experiences gained from the talks on the trilateral FTA will also contribute to the negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Chinese vice minister said. Keiichi Katakami, Japan's dep- uty minister for foreign affairs, and Lee Sang-jin, assistant minister of ROK Ministry of Trade, Indus- try and Energy, attended the meet- ing. Trilateral talks on China-Ja- Now Saudi health pan-ROK FTA, launched in No- vember 2012, were aimed at forg- ing a comprehensive, high-level A group of Tesla shareholders has definition of independence, five of months ago, and expect to an- and mutually beneficial free trade insurance covers all urged the electric-car maker to re- the six current non-executive di- nounce new additions fairly soon,” agreement with unique values. cruit two independent directors to rectors have professional or per- the spokesman said. Tesla on (CHINA) add to the company’s board to lim- sonal ties to Mr. Musk that could Monday overtook General Mo- it the influence of co-founder and put at risk their ability to exercise tors to become the largest US au- private sector employees chief executive Elon Musk. independent judgment,” the letter tomaker by market capitalization. The shareholders, who togeth- said. “A thoroughly independent However, Tesla slipped back be- Egypt er manage $721 billion through board would provide a critical hind GM on Wednesday when its public and private investment or- check on possible dysfunctional shares slid 2.3 percent The share- imposes ganizations, said in an April 10 let- group dynamics, such as holder letter was signed by offi- ter to Tesla lead independent di- groupthink.” cials from a New York city office sugar export rector Antonio Gracias that the Tesla’s board includes Gracias, overseeing public investment electric car maker needed to up- a shareholder and board member funds, retirement funds from the date its seven-member board, of SpaceX, another Musk compa- states of California and Connecti- tariff of which is largely unchanged from ny; Musk’s brother, Kimbal cut, Hermes Equity Ownership the days before the company went Musk; and Brad Buss, a former Service and CtW Investment 3,000 public and remains dominated by chief financial officer at SolarCity, Group. Musk allies. also founded by Musk and later The group also called for an- Since the initial public offer- bought by Tesla in a move that was nual elections for all board mem- pounds per ing in 2010, the company has criticized by many on Wall Street. bers, replacing the current system broadened its operations and soon A Tesla spokesman said the com- of staggered votes, in order to en- tonne faces a “defining moment in its pany is looking to add new board hance director accountability. development,” with the launch of members. The investors requested a re- Egypt will impose a sugar export the Model 3 sedan, Tesla’s first “We are actively engaged in a sponse to the letter by April 24 tariff of 3,000 Egyptian pounds car aimed at the middle market, the search process for independent and a meeting with the board to ($165.47) per tonne, the state’s letter said. board members, which is some- discuss the issue. official gazette said on Thursday. “While meeting the technical thing we committed to do several (BBC) Egypt expects to produce about 2.4 million tons of sugar from its harvest this year, less than the roughly 3 million tons it consumes each year, with the gap made up by a mix of private and public sec- 2.5m Dutch households tor imports. Egypt last month re- moved a tariff on raw sugar im- ports through the end of 2017. don’t have enough savings Traders have said that tariffs ap- plied to raw and white sugar im- The Council of Cooperative ees’ sons below 25 years of age included companies with 49-25 peded private importers from se- Health Insurance (CCHI) has an- and daughters until they are mar- employees. With the implementa- Government rules meant to soften curing supplies and contributed to nounced the start of the final phase ried. It is now illegal for any em- tion of the final stage that includes the impact of local taxes on the a sugar shortage last year. One of implementing unified health in- ployer to exclude his employees companies with 25 or less employ- country’s poorest families stop Middle East sugar trader said the surance which became effective from health insurance. This final ees, all private sector companies them from building up a responsi- new export tariff “won’t change from April 10 (Monday). This phase is part of a CCHI plan have been brought under unified ble amount of savings, the family anything on the ground as no lo- phase includes all companies which started last July to imple- health insurance cover. Mean- spending institute Nibud said on cally produced sugar is being ex- which have 25 or less employees. ment a unified health insurance that while, the CCHI stopped a medi- Thursday. In many cases, families ported at the moment”, with the Such companies will have to pro- includes all employees and their cal complex and a private hospital lose all sorts of benefits if they exception of sugar produced by vide health insurance cover to their dependents. from health insurance after it not- have more than €1,500 to €2,000 Savola, which will be unaffected Saudi and non-Saudi employees The first stage included com- ed violations of CCHI regulations. set aside for emergencies, but because its operation is based in a and their dependents, said CCHI panies with more than 100 em- Similarly, some insurance com- Nibud says they should have at free zone. The export tariff will Secretary General Muhammad Al- ployees. The second stage target- panies were stopped from operat- least €3,500 in savings. The insti- take effect on Friday, the gazette Husain. ed companies having between 99- ing after they were found to be vi- tute says the maximum amount of said. The children to be covered 50 employees. The third stage, olating the system. savings should be raised to €5,940 (CNN) under health insurance are employ- which started in January this year, (Alarabya) for a single person and €11,800 for a couple, in line with the limit to qualify for welfare benefits (bij- stand). The institute, which advis- Saudi Arabia’s order es the government on all sorts of US government family spending issues, says that 2.5 million Dutch households books at about don’t have sufficient savings to pay for emergencies and that more ‘open’ to IMF’s should be done to encourage peo- nature to worry about the future,’ Nibud said. The fact that many sav- $25b for debut ple to put cash aside. ‘Most house- ings accounts are paying hardly any interest is an added problem, the holds are aware that saving is im- institute said. dollar sukuk participation in portant but it is not in people’s (Dutchnews) Greek bailout World trade seen growing The US, the largest shareholder in the IMF, will likely not rule out new funding for Greece by the Order books for Saudi Arabia’s in October last year and maturing Fund, despite the criticism of many 2.4pc in 2017, uncertainty debut international sukuk were in in 2012 and 2026. Price guidance Republicans regarding the two pre- excess of $25 billion on Wednes- tightened by only 10 basis points vious bailout programs in 2010 and day, lending support to expecta- on Wednesday, which means the 2012. “We’re looking for the Eu- weighs: WTO tions that the kingdom could push Islamic bonds still offer a consid- ropeans to help Greece to resolve for a deal of at least $10 billion, erable premium to their conven- its economic problems, and we World trade is on track to expand “keep resisting the erection of new trade could all undermine higher fixed income investors said. Saudi tional counterparts, investors said. think the IMF can play a support- by 2.4 percent this year, though barriers to trade”, he said. The trade growth over the next two Arabia is raising funds internation- Saudi Arabia could have targeted ive role,” the official told report- there is “deep uncertainty” about WTO has repeatedly revised pre- years,” it warned. US President ally to diversify its revenues and Islamic investors, or it could have ers, adding that Washington looks economic and policy develop- liminary estimates over the past Donald Trump has made reducing to plug a budget deficit caused by opened the deal up to other inves- at any potential future agreement ments, particularly in the United five years as predictions of eco- US trade deficits a key focus of a slump in international oil prices. tors too in order to increase the “with an open mind”. Berlin is States, the World Trade Organiza- nomic recovery prove overly op- his economic agenda to try to grow Its debut Islamic dollar bond, size, said one Dubai-based debt try’s €86 billion bailout program, tion (WTO) said on Wednesday. timistic. Global trade grew by “an American manufacturing jobs. He weighing up the possibility of the if Greece does not commit to fur- which is set to be the largest sukuk capital markets banker away from EU taking over the Greek bailout The range for growth this year has usually low” 1.3 percent in 2016, has taken particular aim at renego- ever, would be Saudi's second the deal. “I think they went for ther reforms and the EU does not been adjusted to between 1.8 and the slowest pace since the finan- tiating trade relationships with in the event that the International come up with specific details for a record-breaking debt sale, after its the latter option, which implies Monetary Fund decides to end its 3.6 percent, from 1.8 to 3.1 per- cial crisis, failing to match even its China and Mexico. He is consider- first $17.5 billion conventional they would need to price in line or debt relief. Last week, Greece and cent last September, it said, point- revised forecast of 1.7 percent of ing an executive order to launch a role in it, German Minister of Fi- its European partners reached an bond issued in October last year - slightly above the conventional nance Wolfgang Schäuble said on ing to a risk that trade activity last September. “The poor per- trade investigation that could lead the largest ever bond sold across curve in order to give it a modest agreement “in principle” over fur- could be “stifled” due to lack of formance over the year was large- to supplemental duties in certain Friday (13 January). EURACTIV ther pension and tax reforms for emerging markets. The sovereign new issue premium.” Books will Greece reports. IMF chief Chris- clarity about government policies. ly due to a significant slowdown product categories, a Trump ad- had released initial price guidance close at 1000 GMT for European, the disbursement of the next “We should see trade as part of in emerging markets where imports ministration official told Reuters tine Lagarde on Wednesday said tranche of the program. A new rift on Tuesday in the 115 bps over Middle Eastern, and Asian orders, Greece and its eurozone creditors the solution to economic difficul- basically stagnated last year, bare- on Monday. “If policymakers at- mid-swaps area for the five-year while books will close at 1230 between Athens and the Interna- ties, not part of the problem,” ly growing in volume terms,” Aze- tempt to address job losses at have made progress towards a new tional Monetary Fund over pen- tranche of its Islamic bond and 155 GMT for US orders. Citi, HSBC loan package that includes debt WTO director-general Roberto vedo said. In 2018, global trade is home with severe restrictions on bps over mid-swaps area for the and JP Morgan are the global co- sions and labour reforms has dealt Azevedo said. “Overall cautious forecast to grow by between 2.1 imports, trade cannot help boost relief, but that is something the a blow to an initial accord, dashing 10-year tranche. That was higher ordinators, joined by BNP Parib- fund has been saying for months optimism but trade growth remains percent and 4 percent in WTO’s growth and may even constitute a than expectations, putting the new as, Deutsche Bank and NCB Cap- hopes for a bailout review deal fragile and there are considerable latest analysis. “A spike in infla- drag on the recovery,” Azevedo said without a final deal. Despite before a meeting of eurozone fi- Islamic bonds more than 20 basis ital as joint lead managers and book- mounting pressure from all sides, risks on the downside. Much of tion leading to higher interest rates, in a statement. Asked by report- points wider than Saudi Arabia’s runners. nance ministers this week. uncertainty is political,” he told a tighter fiscal policies and the im- ers about US policies under the IMF refuses, for now, to par- (Euractiv) existing conventional bonds issued (Alarabiya) ticipate in the financing of the coun- news conference. The world must position of measures to curtail Trump. (AP) SATURDAY . APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Shakti... Astitva Kareena Ke Ehsaas Kii sweeps 5th Kapoor Colors Golden Khan’s fans Petal Awards run a # Poutlikebebo contest in tribute Kareena Kapoor Khan is famous for her pout. Her fans have now started a contest called #Poutlikebebo on social media to find the best looking pout.

Kareena Kapoor Khan is fa- mous for her pout, and has been Saba Qamar took instrumental in popularising the pout in the industry. In fact, her fans love her pout so much, special dialect lessons they have started a contest called #Poutlikebebo on social media to find the best looking for Bollywood debut pout. A source says, “Karee- na’s fans post regularly about her and publish details about The women-centric TV show Shakti... Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii won the ‘Hindi Medium’ the events, brands and projects maximum awards at the 5th Colors Golden Petal Awards here at a glitzy that she is associated with. event. Set against the backdrop of a culturally rich and vibrant Punjab, They are quite active on the the show portrays the power of a family to dictate the fate of its digital medium even though the daughters. Vivian D’Sena won the Best Actor for his role as Harman in actor doesn’t have an account the show, while Rubina Dilaik who plays Saumya won Best Personality on social media. (Female). The show also bagged the title of Best Innovation in a TV Now, her fans clubs are go- Series (Fiction) and Shanti Bhushan and Rashmi Sharma were awarded ing to run a #Poutlikebebo con- for Best Story. Winners were chosen by the viewers, and the announce- test on various platforms. Ba- ment was made at a grand gala here on Wednesday night. Karan Johar sically, they would be upload- and Farah Khan with the stars of Colors. Mouni Roy was chosen as ing selfies of themselves pout- Best Actress for essaying Shivangi in Naagin 2, and Favourite Jodi ing on these fan clubs,” says a honour was shared by Sidharth Shukla (Parth) and Rashmi Desai (Shor- source. vori) for Dil Se Dil Tak and Kratika Sengar (Tanuja) and Ssharad Mal- Apparently, one of the ad- hotra (Rishi) for Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki. The Best Actor in a Negative mins of these fan clubs has also Role title was also shared by Karuna Pandey (Kusum Sundari) for reached out to Kareena’s team Devanshi and by Monica Khanna (Shraddha Pandey) for Thapki Pyaar to ask the actor to help them Ki. Prachee Shah Pandya (Sharda) won Best Supporting Actress for Ek Shringaar Swabhimaans, which also won the Best Director (Fiction) shortlist the best candidates Award for Vikram. In the Non-Fiction category, Huzaifa won it for and select the winners. It seems Rising Star. Sidharth Shukla and Rashami Desai. The Favourite Child Kareena consider announcing Artist Award went to Kartikey Malviye (Shani) for Karmphal Data the winner and meet and click- Shani. Kartikey Malviye in his Karmphal Data Shani costume. The ing pictures with them. The ac- Best Show (Fiction) Award went to Karmphal Data Shani, Best Enter- Saba Qamar is all set to make her accent and pronunciation. Saba, tor will begin shooting for her tainment Series (Non-Fiction) trophy went to Bigg Boss, Udaan was much awaited Bollywood debut in who also starred in Sarmad next movie, Veere Di Wedding, recognised as the Successfully Long-Running Show, and Rising Star was Hindi Medium opposite Irrfan Khoosat’s Manto, roamed the next month. Kareena couldn’t found to be the Best Innovation in a TV Series (Non-Fiction) category. Khan. The duo will be portraying streets of Delhi to observe peo- be reached for a comment. The Actor Manish Paul got the Best Host accolade for Jhalak Dikhhla a Delhi-based couple living in ple, their body language, behaviour actor will next be seen in Veere Jaa, for which filmmaker Karan Johar was adjudged the Best Judge. The Chandni Chowk, who aspire to and attitude. Talking about it, Saba Di Wedding, that co-stars Best Parivaar award went to Chauhan family from Ek Shringaar Swab- move with the upper echolons of stated, “It wasn’t easy for me to Sonam Kapoor, and will be pro- himaan and the entertainer Bharti Singh laughed her way to home with society. While it’s not a big secret learn the dialect, simply because I duced by Ekta Kapoor and the Best Comedian honour. that Saba always gives her utmost usually speak in a typical Urdu Rhea Kapoor. best to every role, this time, the lehja, like aap, hum and tum. Also, (Hindustan Times) actor seems determined to outdo the way Delhi girls are so bold and herself. According to a report in confident in themselves was a re- DNA, the Lahore Se Aagay star ally nice thing to see.” Presented took special lessons to learn the by T-Series and Maddock films, Tribute to Cannes: Films in the Delhi dialect and do justice to her the movie has been produced by role as a Delhi girl. The latest buzz Dinesh Vijan and Bhushan Kumar. Shah Rukh is that the actor was so dedicated Hindi Medium is slated to release running in 2017 to her role that there was a coach on May 12th. Judging by how present with her all the time on good the trailer looks, we really Khan in San the sets of Hindi Medium. She uti- can’t wait for this one! lised her free time to perfect the (Tribune) Francisco to be live How Thor: Ragnarok streamed beat Beauty and the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s conversation with Brett Beast, Captian America, Ratner at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival and Star Wars (SFIFF) will be live streamed on The saw celebrities like Twitter. Jacqueline Fernandez, The first trailer for Thor: Ragan- The film gala is paying a tribute to Malaika Arora, Diljit arok has been watched 136 million the actor, whose My Name Is times in just 24 hours -- a new Khan will be screened in San Fran- Dosanjh, Mouni Roy, record for Disney and Marvel Stu- cisco on Friday. Global fans of From the tale of a mysterious gi- victim. Twilight heartthrob Rob- Rubina Dilaik, Juhi Parmar, dios. Shah Rukh, who has more than 24 ant beast to a family drama set ert Pattinson stars in this crime Ssharad Malhotra, Salil This unprecedented enthusi- million followers on Twitter, will against the European migrant cri- flick by indie director brothers Ankola, Sidharth Shukla, asm for the movie sees Thor: Ragn- be able to join the audience for the sis, here are the movies appearing Benny and Josh Safdie, about a Jasmin Bhasin, Mohan arok smash the previous Marvel interview. in the main competition at next bank robber struggling to evade the record, held by Captain America: SFFILM’s Executive Director month’s Cannes film festival: police. Fresh from winning a string Kapur, Adaa Khan, Sudha Civil War, which scored 94 million Noah Cowan said in a statement, Among the titles causing the of accolades for Elle, Isabelle Hup- Chandran, Roshni Sahota, online views in its first 24 hours “We are thrilled to be able to share most buzz at Cannes this year is pert is back in Michael Haneke’s Helly Shah, Jigyasa Singh online. The trailer for the third this special conversation with au- Sofia Coppola’s American Civil new family drama, set in northern on the red carpet. Thor movie also becomes is also diences worldwide through our War thriller, a remake of the 1971 France against the backdrop of the Hosted by Farah Khan now the world’s most-watched partnership with Twitter.” version starring Clint Eastwood, European migrant crisis. trailer for a Disney film, overtak- The experience integrates live featuring Colin Farrell as a wound- The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Karan Johar, who ing Beauty and the Beast with conversations utilising Twitter ed soldier who seduces the wom- For the second time at this were joined by Raghav 127.6 million views and Star Wars: polls and questions from the Twit- en around him, including Nicole year’s Cannes, Nicole Kidman and Juyal, Rubina, Bharti and The Force Awakens with 112 mil- ter audience using the hashtag Kidman and Kirsten Dunst. Net- Colin Farrell team up for the tale Manieshm the show had lion views. #SRKSFFILM, providing the op- flix is premiering two movies at of a boy attempting to bring a tal- (Tribuen) portunity to connect and partici- Cannes for the first time as the ented surgeon into his family, with performances by Mouni streaming giant makes increasing disastrous consequences. Roy and on screen couples pate from anywhere in the world. Is Ankita Lokhande dating inroads to Hollywood alongside its Le Redoutable and Rodin Vijayendra Kumeria and Will Deepika-Ranveer’s Mumbai businessman Vikas Jain? rival Amazon. Two French biopics have Meera Deosthale, Vivian “Film is one of the most pop- Okja, starring Jake Gyllenhaal made it into the main competition. Padmavati get delayed after the and Tilda Swinton, tells the tale of Rodin stars Jacques Doillon as the and Rubina, Sidharth and ular subjects discussed on Twit- a girl who risks everything to pro- famed sculptor. Redoutable (Re- Rashami Desai. ter, from reviews to premieres to tect a shy giant animal. Adam San- doubtable), about legendary mov- repeated attacks? the industry’s biggest stars,” said Diljit performed some Viacom 18, one of the production dler, Ben Stiller, Emma Thomp- ie director Jean-Luc Godard, is the Anthony Noto, COO, Twitter. son and Dustin Hoffman mean- latest offering from Michel Haza- of yesteryears’ chart- houses of Padmavati, has refuted (Santa Banta) busters, while Monali reports that the film’s release date while star in The Meyerowitz Sto- navicius, the man behind five-times Thakur grooved to remixed has been pushed to 2018, saying ries, a comedy about siblings deal- Oscar winner The Artist. the period drama will hit the the- ing with an ageing father. Two Am- Les Fantomes de Ismael (Is- songs. Young Shani atres as per schedule. There were azon-backed movies have also mael’s Ghosts) (Kartikey) also charmed reports that Sanjay Leela Bhansa- made the cut for the main compe- This drama about a filmmaker the audience with a li-directed movie has been shifted tition. Julianne Moore and disturbed by the return of a former to next year after its sets were van- Michelle Williams star in Wonder- lover features A-list French talent performance on Har Har struck, the story of two deaf chil- in the form of Marion Cotillard, Mahadev alongside dalised twice in Jaipur and Kol- hapur, respectively. “Padmavati is dren living parallel lives in the Charlotte Gainsbourg and Mathieu choreographer Salman not postponed. Not shifting to 1920s and 1970s. You Were Never Amalric. Yusuf Khan. 2018 either. It will release on No- Really Here, the latest feature by In The Fade (Hindustan Times) vember 17, 2017,” Viacom 18 We Need To Talk About Kevin di- Fatih Akin presents a story of Motion Pictures said in a state- rector Lynne Ramsay, stars revenge in Germany’s Turkish ment. Joaquin Phoenix as a war veteran community. (Santa Banta) who tries to save a sex-trafficking (Tribune) SATURDAY.APRIL 15, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Europa League round-up: Afghanistan's Mohammad Ajax, Lyon and Celta Vigo Shahzad fails drug test, win quarter-final faces ban first-leg ties Ajax dominated proceedings 83rd minute through Corentin To- against Schalke in Amsterdam to lisso. Afghanistan wicketkeeper-bats- mad Shahzad has been charged win their Europa League quarter- And a minute later they found man Mohammad Shahzad faces a with an anti-doping rule violation final first leg 2-0. Captain Davy a winner from an unlikely source provisional ban under the Interna- under the ICC anti-doping code. Klaassen scored both goals, the as Jeremy Morel pounced on a ter- tional Cricket Council's anti-dop- "The sample Shahzad provid- first from the penalty spot in the rible mistake by goalkeeper Fabri- ing rules. ed in an out-of-competition test, 23rd minute and the second in the cio. It will be all to play for in the Big-hitting Shahzad will be sus- which was conducted on 17 Janu- early stages of the second half. second leg in Genk after the Bel- pended as of April 26 unless he ary 2017 at the ICC Academy in Two late goals earned Lyon a 2-1 gians lost an entertaining clash challenges the decision before that Dubai and analysed at the WADA- victory over Besiktas in a match against Celta Vigo 3-2 in Spain. date. The ICC announced on accredited laboratory in Salt Lake delayed by crowd trouble. Genk took the lead in the 10th Thursday that a sample provided City, was found to contain the Lyon supporters spilled onto minute through Jean-Paul Boetius by the 29-year-old in an out-of- presence of clenbuterol, a prohib- the pitch ahead of kick-off, with but found themselves behind sev- competition test in January was ited substance which appears in the club claiming they were being en minutes later after goals from found to contain the prohibited Section 1.2 of the WADA prohib- targeted by projectiles and fire- Pione Sisto and Iago Aspas. John substance clenbuterol. ited list (in the category of other crackers thrown from the top of Guidetti grabbed a third for Celta A statement from the world anabolic agents). the stands. When play did eventu- before half-time but Thomas governing body read: "The Inter- challenge the imposition of the ally begin 45 minutes late, it was Buffel's 67th-minute header national Cricket Council today provisional suspension before the Turkish visitors who took an changed the complexion of the con- announced that Afghanistan's such date." early lead through Ryan Babel. test. In Brussels, Manchester Unit- wicketkeeper-batsman Moham- (Sky Sport) Scotty Cardle is targeting a Euro- Lyon pushed hard for an equ- ed were pegged back late on as they pean title shot, but not before he aliser that eventually came in the drew 1-1 with Anderlecht. aims to win a Lonsdale Belt out- (Sky Sport) right this weekend, live on Sky Sports. Lightweight Cardle's fight Luke Donald with Robbie Barrett in Glasgow is his fourth British title defence, but a draw in last year's rematch with Juan Sean Dodd means he needs one makes customary more win to claim the belt perma- nently. The unbeaten 27-year-old Martin insists his "mind is totally focused flying start to on Robbie", but the hope is this will be his last fight at domestic level - and a meeting with Europe- del Potro an champion Edis Tatli appeals. RBC Heritage "This is my last defence and i want to go out with a bang," Car- hold the title for good, but I'll be very upright and strong, he's built joins star dle said. "I need to prove that I'm looking further as soon as I can big for a lightweight but his style above British level and prove that and that next step in my eyes is is straightforward. "He throws my aspirations at a higher level are the European title. straight shots and he's a bit robot- studded achievable. "I never look past any I don't want to hang around ic, but he's got power and it would fight, especially one that means so and get the Commonwealth title be a good fight. Sean Dodd III? It much to me, but I'm not satisfied or anything like that." could happen, I'd never rule it out just with this level. "Don't get me Kosovo-born FinnTatli is the - but I want it to happen up here line-up at wrong, I'm honoured to be British man in possession of the Europe- in Glasgow." champion and I'll be so proud to an belt, and Cardle said: "Tatli is (BBC Sport) Queen’s

Juan Martin del Potro is the fourth some very special memories from Grand Slam champion to join the reaching the Wimbledon semi-fi- Aidan O’Brien on Aegon Championships line-up at nals in 2013, winning the bronze Queen's Club this summer. The gi- medal at the Olympics in London ant Argentine joins world No 1 2012, and playing the Davis Cup Andy Murray, 14-time Grand Slam in Scotland last year. title winner Rafael Nadal and the "The people were good to me Churchill’s Guineas bid reigning US Open champion Stan even when I was playing Andy Wawrinka at the event. "I am so (Murray)! I want to try to bring happy to be coming back to the my best tennis to the grass at Aidan O'Brien insists the next two Aegon Championships at Queen's Queen's this year and if I do, I think weeks are key as Churchill pre- Club," said Del Potro, who won I can make some good results." pares to tackle a mile for the first the US Open at Flushing Mead- Del Potro also joins last year's time in the Qipco 2000 Guineas. ows in 2009 after defeating Roger runner-up Milos Raonic, Grigor Luke Donald continued to thrive Month Pass and watch the race O'Brien reports the Dewhurst Federer in five sets. "It is a great Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios in the winner to have grown considerably at Harbour Town Golf Links as he for silverware hot-up for just £25. event, to me a very traditional singles draw, with Jamie Murray opened the RBC Heritage with a The former world No 1 added and that the trip should prove no moment of the calendar, such a nice committed to playing doubles. problem to him in the first colts' classy six-under 65. one further birdie at the par-five place to play in front of fans that (BBC Sport) Donald has a remarkable record fifth and parred safely in to set the Classic. have always been nice to me. I have "He's doing everything unbeliev- on Hilton Head Island in South clubhouse target, which was later ably well at the moment. From this Carolina, finishing runner-up four matched by Canadian DeLaet and coming weekend it's three weeks times with two third-places since Saunder, the grandson of the late to the 2000 Guineas, so the next 2009, and he put himself on course Arnold Palmer, who emulated two weeks will be key, but he's Katy Marchant for another big week after the first Cauley in making birdies at each doing unbelievable at the moment," round. Bud Cauley earned a two- of the last three holes. "This place said O'Brien of the champion Eu- shot advantage over the field as he has been kind to me and it's nice to ropean two-year-old. eliminated at track surpassed the clubhouse lead get off to a great start again," said "He looks a different creature shared by Donald, Graham DeLa- Donald, who has tumbled to 96th altogether. He's big, he's powerful, et and Sam Saunders, while Ire- in the current world rankings. "It's he has a good mind and he's a great land's Shane Lowry fired an excel- always nice to come back to plac- mover. He's physically very big, cycling World lent 66 and Ian Poulter boosted his es you feel comfortable and you've but he's not a big long yoke, he's hopes of retaining his PGA Tour had success. "Obviously I've had compact, strong and well made. "In card as he matched Lowry's five- a lot of success here in the last eight terms of trip, I always thought Vitality Superleague Championships under round. years, and I've done everything but he'd be fine at a mile and maybe up Cauley birdied the first two win. So it would be nice to give to a mile and a quarter. I wouldn't holes and cruised to the turn in 32, myself another chance to try and be sure about a mile and a half for week nine preview and he suddenly jumped into the finally get over that hurdle." Low- him, but his temperament will give outright lead when he picked up ry raced to four under after seven him every chance if he's ever asked four more shots over the final five holes before a bogey at nine stalled to try it." Caravaggio won the Cov- The storylines are in plentiful sup- nal. Other than the league leading holes to cap a faultless 63. Luke his charge, and he dropped anoth- entry Stakes and the Phoenix ply as Week Nine of the Vitality Loughborough Lightning no-one is Donald set the early target at six er at 14 before responding with Stakes before missing the back-end Superleague continues with a re- hotter than Karen Greig's youth- under par at the RBC Heritage and birdies at 15, 16 and 18, where he of the season, but O'Brien is not peat of last year's Grand Final, the ful Thunder who have charged into discussed his remarkable record in holed a monster putt for a three as confident about him staying a only remaining 100 per cent record the top four on the back of six the event at Hilton Head from just inside 60 feet. Poulter is mile. on the line and an unexpected re- straight wins. After an off-season Donald was one of the early still playing on a medical exten- Nevertheless, the French Guin- turn to the court for a familiar face. that saw Sara Bayman, Natalie starters, and he took advantage of sion and needs a tie for 12th to eas is on his agenda. Speaking in a Sky Sports kicked off the live ac- Haythornthwaite and Helen Hous- excellent scoring conditions as he retain his full PGA Tour privileg- stable tour for tion on Monday night when Celt- by among the big names to depart, began at the 10th and birdied two es, and he recovered from a bogey www.attheraces.com, the Bally- ic Dragons ended a run of eight an understandably slow start of his first three, although he did at the opening hole with six bird- doyle trainer said: "He's working successive defeats to start the sea- turned in week three with a win drop a stroke at the 11th. But that ies to join Lowry and Shell Hous- great. We brought him to Naas to son with a victory over a Sirens over Sirens and they have not proved to be his only blemish of ton Open champion Russell Hen- work the other day and he's plen- team who had won their previous looked back. In contrast, defend- Katy Marchant was eliminated world stage was in the Olympic the day as he rolled in further bird- ley on five under. Andrew "Beef" ty fit so we didn't feel we needed two games. And the drama is like- ing champions Storm have lost from the sprint competition in the Games and I was winning a bronze ie putts at 17 and 18 before hitting Johnston once again attracted big to do a lot more with him. ly to continue over the weekend their last two games having start- first round on the second day of medal. "I know to get knocked out the shot of the round at the long galleries as he carded five birdies "We're just not sure about him with the remaining four matches ed the season with six victories that the track cycling World Champi- in the first round is not what we second, a stunning 209-yard iron and two bogeys in a solid 68 along getting a mile. He's a very fast, very of the round set to take place on had them keeping pace with Light- onships in Hong Kong. Britain did expect from a medallist, but the from the pine straw which bound- with Ryder Cup star Martin quick horse. What is very unusual Friday and Saturday before all 10 ning. not enter the team sprint on preparation coming into this com- ed onto the green and set up an Kaymer and Matt Kuchar, who is about him if you go back and watch teams play on Bank Holiday with But having lost to Wasps in Wednesday's opening day, and the petition is about the process lead- eagle from inside four feet. New without a PGA Tour victory since footage of him is that when he a quickfire turnaround for week 10. week seven, defeat in Glasgow to 24-year-old Leeds rider, who won ing on to Tokyo." (Sky Sport) NOW TV customers: Grab a winning this title three years ago. quickens, he nearly knocks him- However, it's Friday and Sat- Sirens followed and Tania Hoff- Olympic bronze in Rio, was the (Sky Sport) self over. urday where the focus begins, with man's team will have it all to do as only female sprinter to travel. The "A lot of those sprinters are the highlight being Saturday a win for Thunder will take them top four qualifiers - Australia's about relentless speed, but this evening's showdown between the above their rivals and potentially Stephanie Morton, Hong Kong's Sky Scholar Sam Oldham on his fella can really quicken. He has big red-hot Manchester Thunder and into second pace. Lee Wai Sze, Vogel and Mathilde shoulders, a big backside, a great Surrey Storm - the two teams who (Sky Sport) Gros of France - received a first- head and he's long too. Physically, contested last season's Grand Fi- round bye. Former heptathlete performance at the World Cup he looks more like a sprinter. "We Marchant qualified in 16th place are training him for the Poule and met 17th-fastest qualifier Lin d'Essai des Poulains at the mo- Junhong of China in the first round Of Gymnastics ment, but if we see anything that on Thursday. Morton clocked makes us think that asking him to 10.724 seconds, while Marchant's The Sky Sports cameras were there, along with try a mile is the wrong thing be- 11.151secs was 0.018 quicker than his family and thousands of screaming fans. Pres- tween now and then, we'll run him Lin. The Chinese rider led out the sure was on Sam Oldham at the O2 Arena for the elsewhere. Briton, but Marchant was unable World Cup of Gymnastics, but after a series of "He bends his knee a bit, but to round her and exited the com- niggling injuries and missing out on Rio last sum- the ground probably isn't a big is- petition. "I'm really disappointed," mer, it was an event to savour. Here are the sue for him and dirt would proba- Marchant said. "I feel like I'm just thoughts of the 24-year-old from Nottingham, bly be fine for him too. O'Brien missing a little bit of zing, which is supported as a Sky Academy Sports Scholar also mentioned that Yucatan and something that coming off Rio is since London 2012. The World Cup Of Gym- Capri, third and fourth in the to be expected, I guess. nastics - what at an event to be part of! From Ballysax Stakes last weekend, "It's hard to comprehend, but that's bike racing. I didn't get the walking out to Stormzy's 'Big for your career to compete in big sta- and have it broadcast live on Sky would head for the Derrinstown your boots' in front of a home diums like that. I still remember Sports shows just how far the Derby Trial, with Orderofthegar- roar when I got the number on my back today - maybe the fact it's crowd at the O2 Arena in London... competing at the British Champi- sport has come in recent times. I ter heading for the Irish Guineas to sticking my final dismount on onships less than a decade ago to competed well with solid routines and Lancaster Bomber a possible not an Olympic Games or some- thing in the back of my mind tell- the high bar. I loved absolutely ev- the cheers of 200 supporters, most across the board and I finished for either the Kentucky Derby or ery minute of it. As a gymnast you of whom were family. So to be able strong on my final two events. the Preakness. ing me that I'm not feeling great. "Last time I was up on the don't get many opportunities in to sell out a stadium like the O2 (Fox Sport) SATURDAY . APRIL 15. 2017-Hamal 26, 1396 H.S Vol:XI Issue No: 252 Price: Afs.20

AT Monitoring Desk ince, local officials said on Friday. cial capital. He pointed out that in- civilians. Kunduz is a strategic prov- province. Afghan security forces Police Chief Brig. Gen. Abdul surgents are fleeing from the area af- ince where the Taliban insurgent are bravely chasing insurgency KABUL: A wide-range military Hameed Hamidi told Pajhwok Af- ter two militants were killed in pro- groups plotting terrorism and de- across the country. The recent of- operation, codenamed Khalid-1 ghan News the operation has been vincial capital. He added during the struction against security forces and fensive in Kunduz would be help- has been launched against terrorist jointly launched by security forc- operation, there were zero casualties civilians. However, insurgents have ful to completely root-out all in- outfits in northern Kunduz prov- es from Kunduz City, the provin- on the part of security forces and continuously failed to capture the surgent groups in the province. Working towards a winning strategy in Afghanistan,

AT Monitoring Desk mother of bombs as reprehensible says Amb Mohib and counterproductive. fast. When it is completed, we'll AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: Government’s envoy t “I find the use of the largest be able to talk about it more then. Pakistan, Omar Zakhilwal on Fri- non-nuclear bomb, the so called But we are coordinating quite KABUL: Provincial officials of day denounced dropping of world “mother of all bombs” on our soil closely on making sure that we have eastern Nangarhar province have largest non-nuclear bomb in east- reprehensible and counterproduc- a winning strategy in Afghanistan,” said that at least 951 have been ern Nangarhar province. He tive, he wrote. The envoy ques- Mohib said in response to a ques- detained over various crimes last strongly condemned the bombing tioned if big bombs were the solu- tion. year across the province, provin- in the strongest possible terms. tion to the Afghan conundrum, the The top Afghan Ambassador cial officials said. In his social media account, war-torn country would have been welcomed the use of mother of all Provincial Police Spokesman, Zakhilwal termed the bombing of the most secure place in the world. bombs by the US against ISIS-K Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal, told tunnels in the country. Pajhwok Afghan News 596 crimi- “Well, there had been an oper- nal cases were registered last year ation in Afghanistan in this area at the police headquarters. US bombing 2 rebels killed WASHINGTON : The Trump for over six weeks, and the last The charges against detainees Administration which is currently week it intensified, but our securi- were included of drug smuggling, in Nangarhar in their own conducting a review of its Af-Pak ty forces along with the U.S. spe- kidnapping, armed robberies, policy is working with the Gov- cial forces couldn't make any fur- armed activities and others crimi- met with ernment of Afghanistan to devel- ther progress because dash had nal activities. mine blast op a “winning strategy” in the mined the area with IEDs quite Mashriqiwal added, total of mixed PUL-I-ALAM : Two militants country. Kabul’s top diplomat in heavily, and that resulted in drop- 951 suspects were detained and were killed when a mine they were the US said Thursday. ping the bomb that would clear the most of them referred to judicial eeactions making exploded in a Mosque in “It's both Afghanistan and the tunnel complex and prevent them organs in connection with the 596 central Logar province on Friday, United States' top priority to elim- from being freely able to move,” cases. He also praised the efforts an official said. Governor spokes- inate ISIS from Afghanistan or what he said. Mohib said there have been of the well-trained and equipped Nangarhar residents said pow- ordinary people and didn’t com- man Saleem Saleh told Pajhwok we call Daesh this year, and hence four tunnels, a complex that was Afghan police forces in curbing erful individuals are still commit- mittee serious crimes. Police is the Afghan News the incident hap- this intensified operation against used to go undetected, to move free- crimes in the province. ting crimes because they are en- frontline and judicial organs are the pened this morning in Ahmad Sa- Nangarhar Provincial Council joying impunity. According to foundation to overcome all types hib Mosque in Pul-i-Alam, the all of their bases. The review is ly undetected. “Having destroyed still ongoing,” the Afghan Ambas- the tunnel complex and the terror- Member, Obaidullah Shinwari, them, security forces lacked cour- of crimes and violation of law. Ev- provincial capital. “Two militants slammed government for always age to arrest powerful wings in the eryone is equal before law and law were making a mine in a Mosque sador to the US, Hamdullah Mo- ists that were inside, in there, hib, told the CNN in an interview. would now make -- force them to claiming achievements. He said that province. should be implemented equally on when the blast happened. Parts of crimes in the province are getting A resident of Jalalabad city, weak and powerful individuals to the Mosque and Madrasa were “There hasn't been a decision move on surface that would be made yet, but from our conversa- detectable,” the Ambassador said. increase day by day instead of de- Gul Agha, said, “all the individu- make sure easy justice for all at damaged in the blast,” he said. als, arrested by the police were their doorstep. (Pajhwok) tions so far it is moving along quite (Pajhwok) creasing.

The move by U.S Forces on Thursday night, targeting an im- portant stronghold of Daesh, has been met with mixed reactions by Afghans. As the biggest non-nuclear bomb to be used in combat, the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), also commonly known as the Mother of All Bombs, was dropped by U.S Forces on Achin district in Nangarhar as part of ongoing efforts to eradicate Daesh. A number of Kabul residents saw this as a positive step, saying they believe after this U.S Forces will step up efforts to fight insur- ISLAMABAD : Afghan refugees gents. living in Pakistan’s northwestern “This a good news for Afghan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on people that the U.S carried out Thursday said the ‘refugee card’ such an attack to eliminate Daesh, had no benefit except their identi- Taliban and other terrorist groups,” fication. The refugees, who had said Dor Mohammad, a Kabul res- gathered in Kohat town of Khy- ident. ber Pakhtunkhwa, urged the Paki- “If America wants to stop the stani government to provide them war in Afghanistan, peace will needed facilities under the card. come to the country within 24 The gathering in Kohat was hours,” said Mirwais, another arranged by the Afghan Refugees Kabul resident. Consultative Council. Muallim But others said the U.S is not Wilayat Khan, the council head, honest in fighting terrorists in Af- told the gathering that the Paki- (UNHCR) in Islamabad through a letter. He said ghanistan and that there are other stani government had issued them in the letter, the UNHCR office had been asked to reasons behind the bombing. refugee cards for their identifica- talk with the Pakistani government about facili- “They (U.S) think of their own tion. He said the government ties for documented Afghan refugees. But UNH- goals and the attack in reality was should provide them needed facil- CR head in Islamabad Abdul Hamid Jalili told carried out against Russia,” one ities to refugees who held the cards Pajhwok Afghan News Pakistan could not pro- Kabul resident, Zahir said. like opening a bank account, stay vide facilities to the Afghans based on the refugee “America has just come here in hotels, driving license and board- card. “With the cards, we have just allowed the to test its weapons,” another Kab- ing domestic flights. Afghans to live in Pakistan, we have promised no ul resident, Wali Jan said. Khan’s deputy, Abdul Rahman other facility in the card.” Jalili asked the Afghan Others sharply criticized the Afghanyar, said they had shared refugees in Pakistan to voluntarily return to their move and condemned the U.S’s the issue with the United Nations home country and take part in Afghanistan’s re- actions, saying foreign forces High Commission for Refugees building. (Pajhwok) should target insurgent strongholds outside Afghanistan. “Terrorist strongholds are on the other side of the border and Russia hosts global conference America knows it,” said Abdulwa- hab, a Kabul resident. “They (U.S) bombed for their on Afghanistan own reasons. Why does the U.S ported all efforts for peace and stability in Af- not use an 11 ton bomb on Daesh’s KABUL : Russian hosts peace ghanistan. Senior Foreign Ministry official Ashraf main strongholds,” said Siyal Mo- conference on Afghanistan on Fri- Haidari is representing Afghanistan in the event. hammad, another Kabul resident. day to discuss ways of ending de- It would be the third conference on Afghanistan Many of these people said that cades old conflict in Afghanistan arranged in Moscow in the past five months. if the international community, and establish durable peace. Mos- Russian had said it was no taking more interest in especially the U.S, cooperates fully cow invited Iran, Pakistan, India, the Afghan conflict. Moscow established links with the Afghan government in ef- China and five Central Asian States with the Taliban to coordinate efforts against hard- forts to eliminate terrorists, sus- to the crucial conference. The US core terrorist group Daesh in Afghanistan. Mos- tainable peace will come to the is not part of the conference, but cow was recently accuse of assisting the Taliban, country. (ToloNews) the white house had said US sup- a claim the kremlin rejected. (Pajhwok)