How Close to ‘Fully Withdrawn’ from Iraq Page 2 | NATIONAL and Afghanistan Are We? Page 3 | ECONOMY Winners and Losers as Over on the home page, Michael Brendan Dougherty writes an Iran Expresses Afghan Peace Process assessment of “Trumpism after Trump,” and it is typically astute ... Readiness to Build Herat- Enters Its Endgame Mazar-i-Sharif Railway Page 2 | NATIONAL

Kabul Herat Nangarhar Balkh 14 / -1 21 / 9 23 / 5 12 / 2

Your Gateway to Afghanistan & the Region Wednesday, January 20, 2021 Issue No. 907 www.heartofasia.af 10 afs Taliban urge Joe Biden to honour Donald Trump’s deal to leave Afghanistan EU Announced While it is unclear whether Mr Biden will withdraw all U.S. troops by the Support for Success of deadline, his nominee for national Afghan Peace Process security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told CNN this month that the new The Minister of Foreign Affairs administration would support Mohammad Haneef Atmar had diplomacy with the Taliban. a telephone conversation with Mr Sullivan urged the insurgent group the European Commissioner for to cut ties with terrorist organisations International Partnerships, Ms. Jutta such as Al Qaeda, ensure a reduction Urpilainen. in violence and participate in “good- The Ministry of Foriegn Affairs (MoFA) in faith negotiations” with the Afghan a press release said that the two sides government. discussed the latest developments The Biden transition team declined in the peace talks in Doha, and the to weigh in. EU’s partnership with these Afghan Andrew Watkins, a senior analyst Government. with International Crisis Group, said According to the press release, FM Atmar the May 1 troop withdrawal deadline conveyed his appreciation for the EU’s was the biggest early challenge for the support of Afghanistan’s peace process peace process and one of the most and thanked the Commissioner for the urgent problems facing the Biden EU’s observers’ work at Doha and the team. union’s support for the need for the “If the Biden administration ignores preservation of the last two decades’ the deadline set down in the gains in the Afghan peace talks. U.S.-Taliban agreement without Minister Atmar noted that ensuring an The Taliban called on president-elect “The agreement was made for the The call from the insurgent group discussing and clearing a delay with immediate ceasefire, a lasting peace Joe Biden to honour a U.S. agreement purpose,” he said. came days after the U.S. reduced its the insurgents, the Taliban will almost settlement and bringing an end ... P3 to withdraw all American forces from He was referring to an accord the U.S. troop levels from 4,500 to 2,500 at certainly respond by escalating their Afghanistan by May to secure intra- signed last February that paved the President Donald Trump’s direction, use of force – either via attacks on Afghan peace talks and end the two- way for a complete withdrawal of despite opposition from Republican population centres, facilities housing decade war. troops by May in exchange for security and Democrat politicians who international troops or both,” Mr Mohammad Naeem Wardak, a senior guarantees from the Taliban. said the decision could affect Watkins said on Monday. spokesman in the Taliban’s political “The lack of complete implementation counterterrorism operations. A reduction in U.S. troops – who office in Doha, said on Monday that of the agreement can affect the Mr Naeem Wardak welcomed the provide air support to Afghan forces “steps must be taken to end the war, ongoing process of negotiations,” Mr troop reduction and said it was a – will not affect the ability of Afghan not to prolong it”. Naeem Wardak said. “good advancement”. forces to push back ... P3 26 Afghan Forces Killed in Kunduz IFJ Condemns Attack 18.4 Million Afghans Need Clashes on Radio Station in Afghan local officials in Kunduz province Kunduz Province Live- Saving Help: NGO say at least 26 Afghan security forces The International Federation of Save the Children says there are calls were killed in Taliban’s attacks in Kunduz journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the province. for urgent increases in humanitarian Afghan Independent Journalists’ A Provincial Council member of Kunduz, funding to Afghanistan, as figures Association (AIJA) condemned the Safiullah Amiri told Reporterly that the reveal that just over 18 million attack on a Radio station in Kunduz Taliban carried out a widespread attack people, almost half the population, province and urged the Afghan on security outposts in Dasht-e Archi desperately need life-saving district last night. government to investigate the case. support. According to Amiri, 13 Afghan army A mob of nearly a dozen people led by Save the Children in a press release forces and 4 of the uprising forces were the imam of a local mosque attacked said that data reveals humanitarian killed and two others were wounded in Zohra Radio in north eastern Kunduz needs in Afghanistan includes Taliban’s attack in the center of Dasht-e province on January 15 damaging the 9.7million children. Archi district. radio’s equipment and vandalizing the With no immediate end in sight to He cited that an outpost has collapsed to office. the decades-long conflict, Save Taliban after killing of 13 security forces. According to AIJA, the angry crowd the Children’s Country Director in In the meantime, Amir noted that eight also attempted to attack Radio Kaihan Afghanistan Chris Nyamandi said, physical and psychological harm, of the harsh winter conditions and government forces were killed after and Radio Chiragh but were ... P2 “Millions of people are suffering forcing hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 restrictions and they won’t Taliban attacked the security outposts every day because of poverty and people to flee their homes every reopen until March. Meanwhile, the in Bagh-e Sherkat area of PD3 in Kunduz conflict. It’s especially hard on year. The fighting will continue to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic city. children many of whom have known fuel humanitarian needs this year. is exacerbating the humanitarian He added that a security forces was killed nothing but violence. According to This will threaten people’s wellbeing crisis,” he added. by a Taliban sniper in Char Dara district the latest UN figures[ii], nearly 6,000 and limit access to essential services As Mr Nyamandi explains, the plight during the clashes. people, a third of them children, like hospitals and clinics as well as of the Afghan people is threatened Meanwhile, the spokesman of Pamir 217 were killed and injured between humanitarian assistance,” said by inadequate humanitarian Corps Abdul Hadi Nazari in a statement January and September last year.” Chris Nyamandi. funding pledged by wealthy nations confirmed the Taliban’s attack ... P2 “Conflict continues to cause extreme “Now the schools are closed because at a Geneva based conference ... P3 January 20, 2021 Heart of Asia NATIONAL WEDNESDAY 2 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost IFJ Condemns... By Mark S. Cogan and Dr. Stephen Nagy prevented and stopped by security forces as they attempted to enter into the radio stations. Zohra Radio is Winners and Losers as Afghan Peace planning to file case against the perpetrators. Meanwhile, Afghan Journalists Process Enters Its Endgame Safety Committee and Afghanistan Ministry of After more than two months of negotiations, the Afghan Information and Culture issued peace process has resumed in Doha, Qatar, with the statements condemning the Afghan government and the Taliban having finalized attack. a set of procedures and principles that will govern From January 2020, 11 media the process going forward. With the business of finite details out of the way, the second stage of the peace workers were murderedin process will focus on the creation of a political path to a Afghanistan including one on nationwide ceasefire, and ultimately a lasting political January 1, 2021. settlement. The peace talks take on a growing sense Attacks on journalists, threats of urgency as fighting in the country continues—a from militant groups, gender- development that strains the integrity of the U.S.- based violence against women Taliban agreement that was signed in February 2020. journalists, government The Trump administration’s post-election pull-back controls on information of U.S. troops further destabilizes the chances for a have also been documented, sustainable agreement, as the Taliban may just outwait according to AIJA. the U.S. until troops are not a significant leverage in The AIJA said: “The attack any negotiation process U.S. forces from Afghanistan—without expecting any a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. It to the Zohra radio indicates On the ground, violence has increased across most of equivalent moves from the Taliban—from 8,600 to could also lead to the U.S. being denied access to that media in Afghanistan are Afghanistan’s provinces. In November, the U.S. Special 4,500, and now to 2,500 before Biden’s inauguration. Afghanistan’s rich natural resources. While the latter unsafe not only from militant Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) reported to The fear for the United States is the prospect of could be tolerated economically, Afghanistan falling groups but also from different Congress in a quarterly report that violence increased perpetual war, as the Trump administration’s deal into the Beijing’s geopolitical orbit would be much less interest groups. AIJA demands 50 percent in the third quarter of 2020 compared to has sent the Taliban mixed signals. Ultimately, palatable, especially after investing so much blood and the Afghanistan government previous years, with 2,561 civilian casualties and 875 they now have the opportunity to renege on their treasure over past two decades in Afghanistan. to end the culture of impunity deaths. commitments or simply wait until the United States China on crime against journalists.” As the “Afghan-only” peace process resumes, there are pulls out completely. While most Afghans clearly do not China’s strategic interests in Afghanistan are fourfold: The IFJ said: “The safety a number of concerns for international actors, including want the presence of American forces in the country enhancing its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), domestic situation for journalists in the United States, China, as well as from neighboring indefinitely, most expected the withdrawal to come and international security, resource acquisition and at a more opportune time or in coordination with development, and economic integration. Integrating Afghanistan must be a major Pakistan and India. While some concerns from India and Pakistan are the byproducts of a regional rivalry, the acceptance of a political settlement. With these Afghanistan into the BRI would help to open up new priority for the Afghanistan others are reflective of lingering uncertainties over uncertainties in mind, concern in the United States markets in a country with vast resource and human government.” the possible outcome of the Doha talks—a process should fall on whether Afghanistan could become potential. A successful Afghan peace settlement that cannot ultimately be completely influenced by an international safe haven for terrorist groups such may open the doors to such a possibility, especially outside actors. This is especially salient in how the as Islamic State. As a part of the deal signed with if the U.S.’s presence in the country is significantly 26 Afghan... Afghan peace process may impact the U.S. and China’s the United States last year, the Taliban “will take the downgraded in any settlement. in Kunduz province. ongoing presence in the tattered state, with obvious following steps to prevent any group or individual, Furthermore, through the BRI Beijing aims to Nazari said that more than 15 implications for deepening Sino-U.S. great power including al Qaeda, from using the soil of Afghanistan reshape regional integration such that its economy competition. to threaten the security of the United States and its is re-oriented away from its east coast and toward its Taliban militants were killed The United States allies.” While the strength of al Qaeda appears to be southern regions, positioning the Chinese economy as and 12 more were wounded The United States has the most to lose and the most to limited to about 600 fighters within Afghanistan, the a hub in a regional network of trade flows. A peaceful during last night’s clashes. fear, having been involved in Afghanistan since 2001. Taliban, which number as many as 85,000, could try and stable Afghanistan would be a critical link in He only confirmed that three The country has spent over $1 trillion on war funding for a military victory if negotiations were to fail and that project. For Beijing, Afghanistan’s instability is of Afghan soldiers were and a staggering $6.4 trillion in post-September 11 war U.S troops withdrawn. also tangentially connected to security concerns in killed and four others were efforts. It has been reported that some Taliban now see While extremism remains a core concern for the U.S., China’s periphery. Specifically, China sees itself as wounded. an end to its long war with the West, having claimed Washington also sees Afghanistan through the lens beset by what it calls “internal security” problems This comes as the Taliban a second “superpower scalp.” The incoming Biden of U.S.-China great power competition. A settlement associated with the Turkic-speaking Uighur Muslims group has increased attacks administration has been placed in an uncomfortable that results in the ejection of the U.S. from Afghanistan from northwestern Xinjiang province. Falling under on government forces’ and precarious situation, as the departing Trump would create a geopolitical vacuum that China would the so-called three evils of extremism, separatism, and positions in Kunduz province. administration has accelerated the withdrawal of be happy to fill, complicating U.S. efforts to advance terrorism, Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in ... P3

By JIM GERAGHTY Biden plans to... without legal permission. How Close to ‘Fully Withdrawn’ from Iraq forged five years ago among * Reinstate the program allowing nearly 200 nations to avoid “Dreamers,” people who were and Afghanistan Are We? the worst impacts of climate brought to the United States change. Trump vowed in 2016 illegally as children, to remain in Over on the home page, Michael The host governments of Afghanistan the situation on the ground has the country. Brendan Dougherty writes an and Iraq may still be fighting the changed considerably. to pull the United States out of * Reverse Trump’s policy that assessment of “Trumpism after Taliban, militants, ISIS dead-enders, To argue that the U.S. needs fewer the agreement, making good on Trump,” and it is typically astute and and the rest, but America’s role in troops in Iraq and Afghanistan than that promise in November 2020. separated immigrant parents thought-provoking. But there’s one those conflicts has been reduced it currently has in those countries is * Reimpose methane pollution from their children at the border, point I would quibble with, when to the bare minimum. The last U.S. to argue that the U.S. should have limits for new and existing oil including ending the prosecution Michael writes, “We haven’t fully casualty in Iraq driven by hostile action no military presence in the country and gas operations repealed by of parents for minor immigration withdrawn from long wars where there was on March 11, 2020. Six servicemen beyond the Marines to guard the Trump. violations, and prioritize the is no reasonable hope of a satisfying have died since then in non-hostile embassy and military attaches working * Using the federal government reunification of any children still conclusion or national objective to be actions (vehicle accidents, etc.). The there. The problem is, U.S. embassies procurement system – which separated from their families. achieved.” last U.S. casualty in Afghanistan driven and the people who work there walk spends $500 billion every year – * Reverse Trump’s more Fully withdrawn, no. But we’re getting by hostile action was February 8, 2020. around with bullseyes on their backs to make facilities more reliant on restrictive asylum policies, pretty close; the U.S. military presence Five servicemen had died since then in — to say nothing of other Americans such as imposing additional in these countries is now about as non-hostile actions. living in those countries. Either we clean energy and purchase zero- restrictions on anyone traveling minimal as it can get. As of January The total U.S. casualties from hostile maintain a small military presence emissions vehicles. 15, the Pentagon says the U.S. now has action in Iraq and Afghanistan for to assist the host governments in * Ban new oil and gas permitting through Mexico or Guatemala just 2,500 service members in Iraq and the entirety of 2020 were . . . nine counterterrorism operations out of on public lands and waters, and attempting to prevent 2,500 in Afghanistan. An estimated 900 servicemen. If this constitutes prudence, or we leave our civilians including the Arctic National victims of gang and domestic troops are in Syria. “Forever Wars,” that’s an awfully low in those countries at greater risk. I Wildlife Refuge. violence from receiving asylum. Those numbers are smaller than our bar. The ambush in Niger in 2017 suspect there are some people who * Cancel the permit for the * End Trump’s National presence in allied countries such as killed four Americans; you don’t hear think the U.S. should just wash its Keystone XL Pipeline, which Emergency declaration that Bahrain (4,000), Germany (33,000), any calls for the withdrawal of all U.S. hands of those countries entirely, shut would carry oil from Canada to allowed him to shift federal funds Italy (12,000), Japan (53,000), military personnel from Niger. (As of down our embassies before anyone the United States. from the Department of Defense South Korea (26,000), Spain (3,100), September 30, that’s 11 Marines and can attempt to reenact Tehran or IMMIGRATION to build a wall along the U.S. the United Kingdom (9,000), and three Air Force personnel, although Benghazi, and simply not deal with border with Mexico. comparable to our presence in Belgium some portion of the 5,000 personnel those countries anymore. * Repeal the ban on almost * Order an immediate review (1,100), Kuwait (2,100), Turkey (1,600), categorized as “unknown” may be The United States closed its embassy all travel from some Muslim- and Australia (1,000). (All figures are operating in that country.) in Kabul in 1989 and largely ignored majority countries. of Temporary Protected Status from the Pentagon and represent the I find a lot of the rhetoric about the country for the next decade and * Send to Congress a sweeping (TPS) for vulnerable populations number of troops in a country as of “Forever Wars” hasn’t changed since change . . . and we all remember how immigration bill that could who cannot find safety in their September 30, 2020, rounded down.) the Bush administration, even though that turned out. legalize millions of immigrants countries ripped apart by living in the United States violence or disaster. January 20, 2021 Heart of Asia ECONOMY WEDNESDAY 3 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost

Iran Expresses Readiness to Build Exchange Rates Herat- Mazar-i-Sharif Railway 77.1 77.2 Iranian Minister of Road and Peace and security in regional Urban Development Mohammad states are in fact like those in Iran, 93.2 93.3 Eslami referred to sustainable he added. development as Iran’s strategy The Iranian minister said that 103.7 103.8 in the region, saying Iran is ready Iran has always tried to establish to connect Khaf-Herat railway to sustainable peace in the region and 478 479 Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan. to remove foreigners’ intervention. Speaking at the inauguration Referring to Iran’s support for 20.9 21 ceremony of training Afghanistan Afghans, Eslami said that countries railway staff, Eslami said Iran’s with cultural commonalities will 1035 1045 development is intertwined with be able to develop by using human that of its neighbors. resources. Contact Numbers Taliban urge Joe... Winners and... When the U.S. special envoy for one that will be sensitive to against the Taliban, according to a spokesman for the China’s far Western provinces, Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, Pakistan’s strategic interests Kabul Police -119 country’s National Security Council, Rahmatullah Andar. including Xinjiang, have been visited Pakistan in September and not provide safe haven for The Afghan government and the Taliban resumed targeted by Beijing in terms 2020, he expressed his gratitude anti-Pakistan militant groups negotiations early this month under the shadow of violence, of culture, identity, political for the role Islamabad has to launch cross-border attacks Kabul Ambulance - 112 after several journalists, government employees and and religious freedoms, and played during the reconciliation from Afghan territory. independent human rights advocates were killed. human rights. As a result process. Pakistan, while not India Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital Two female Supreme Court judges were killed on Sunday Uighur Muslims have begun to a party in the ongoing talks Finally, India’s contributions on their way to work in the latest unclaimed gun attack in make their way into Afghanistan in Doha, is still a critical actor, to the peace process are both 0202301360 the capital Kabul. using fake passports and are sharing a 2,600-kilometer border economic and political in The latest wave of violence fostered fear and anxiety among becoming absorbed into jihadist with Afghanistan. It also shares nature. New Delhi has become Ata Turk Hospital Afghans and forced some prominent journalists to flee the movements in Central Asia, a complicated relationship with a prominent investor in Afghan country. fighting alongside the Taliban Kabul and Washington. The 2019 infrastructure development, as 0202500312 Since November, five journalists have been killed in attacks and al Qaeda. Country Report on Terrorism well as supporting governance and two others died in Kabul from unknown causes. China’s aims in Afghanistan, for Pakistan accused Islamabad and ICT initiatives. However, Corona call center - 166 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the U.S. blamed the while dominated by economic of providing a “safe harbor” India’s fears are glaringly Taliban for the killings. The insurgents deny the allegations. interests, cannot afford to for regional terrorist groups, obvious—that it benefits the Attempting to end the bloodshed, Mr Ghani’s negotiating ignore the consequences of an including the Afghan Taliban, most from the political status team is pushing harder for a ceasefire agreement before emboldened population, fed by the Haqqani Network (HQN), quo. Any changes to the negotiating other key agenda items – including a power- a huge source of internationally- Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), current arrangement would sharing deal – with the Taliban. verified documentation of and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), mean difficulties in neighboring However, the group wants to declare a ceasefire in the final abuse, from seeking violent the latter two of which have Kashmir and unsettle regional stages of the talks. forms of retribution in Western conducted numerous attacks security in favor of Pakistan. “The Taliban should understand that such actions for which Xinjiang and beyond. The into neighboring India. When India also wants, with as much it bears responsibility outrage the world and must cease if radicalization of the Uighurs deputy Taliban leader Abdul certainty as possible, to work Shigal peace is to come to Afghanistan,” the U.S. ambassador to would surely exacerbate Ghani Baradar visited Pakistan toward a regional consensus English Academy Afghanistan, Ross Wilson, said on Sunday, condemning the political differences between in late December, he was met that is centered on the growing attacks on the female judges. Beijing and the minority group, with criticism from India, who bilateral relationship between who see themselves as natives cited several released videos itself and Kabul. India is also to Xinjiang province or to what that claim that Baradar told a concerned with the pace of Easy they commonly refer to as East group of men that the Taliban U.S. troop withdrawals, which 18.4 Million... Turkestan. makes all decisions relative benefit the Taliban—in turn English to the peace talks only after benefitting China. Concerns over last November. Thus, China’s interests in consultation with clerics and India’s future relationship with “Aid to Afghanistan has alarmingly dropped at a time when Afghanistan are both economic Learning leadership in Pakistan. Taliban Afghanistan have prompted it to the humanitarian need is rising. We’re now in the unenviable and political. The country is leader Mullah Fazal Akhund was open up to bilateral talks, which position where aid falls far short of what’s needed to meet willing to offer an unlimited also filmed greeting Taliban are now essential if New Delhi the needs of the people,” said Nyamandi. supply of cheap credit to the Western Street of fighters in Pakistan. For the wants to preserve its economic Kabul University Close to The press release said that COVID-19 in Afghanistan is having new Afghan government, Pakistani leadership, fears are and political objectives going Dehbori Park. a catastrophic impact on millions of vulnerable families. which would surely have divided between these groups forward. According to the press release, in 2020, World Bank Taliban influence, in exchange +93 (0) 789 98 9696 it has harbored and its renewed As the peace process resumes, estimates revealed that the pandemic had led to massive for contracts to build a massive but fragile relationship with regional rivalries will again be disruptions to imports including vital household items, highway network through [email protected] Washington. Many have accused tested by whatever political which in turn is leading to rapid inflation. the mountainous Wakhan Pakistan of backing the Taliban’s solution can be achieved by the In response, Save the Children is calling for at least another Corridor, which would facilitate Shigal English Academy efforts in Afghanistan out of fear Afghan talks. The United States US$3bn in humanitarian assistance to help the Afghan access to untapped Afghan that its rival India could gain and India have the most to lose www.shigal.edu.af people in 2021. mineral wealth. China is also an upper hand. These divided in the political settlement, one The press release cited that without it the humanitarian interested in expanding the loyalties are reminiscent of the where the Taliban clearly have community will struggle to meet the growing needs of an China-Pakistan Economic 1990s, when Islamabad favored the upper hand. China and entire generation of children whose lives have been blighted Corridor (CPEC). Beijing is Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Pakistan benefit the most by by conflict. interested in mitigating regional providing resources and training some changes to the status quo, “Millions of people are suffering every day because of insecurities—Afghanistan in to founder Mullah Omar, and although both have lingering conflict, poverty, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a particular—because doing so giving full recognition to the vulnerabilities to extremism. desperately sad situation that needs urgent attention from will accelerate BRI projects. Yet Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, In the interim, the pending the international community,” added Mr Nyamandi. China’s interests in Afghanistan are balanced on what seem to as it was then called. Pakistan U.S. troop withdrawal gives the WAYGAL Printing Co. be contradictory claims, that cannot hope for a strong Taliban additional leverage over their “internal” security problem relationship with the United the government of Afghanistan, If You Can Think It, with the Uighur minority will States under the incoming which remains trapped by a We Can ink it. not experience blowback in an Biden administration intact reality that has brought the environment that will be more while balancing a favorable country only perpetual war Chief Editor : M. Hamid Hamdard favorable to the Taliban, who relationship with the Taliban. It and suffering—and now the Reporters: Safiullah Nasary, Shafiq Amirzay, have expressed support for the is Pakistan’s hope (and fear) that possibility of peace. Both roads, Uighur Muslims’ cause. they will be able to be architects all sides fear, will be guided by Jawad Temori & Hameedullah Hamidi Pakistan of a new regime in Afghanistan, the Taliban. Graphic & Design: Arman Phone: +93-202502100 - +93-777989696 Urpilainen assured Mr. Atmar The two sides also discussed Website: www.heartofasia.af EU Announced... to the targeted assassination of the European Union’s firm EU’s pledge of financial aid Email: [email protected] of political and social activists support to the continuation during the Afghanistan 2020 in the country were the and success of the Afghan peace Conference held in Geneva and Address: Behind Rahman Baba High School key priorities of the Afghan process. Afghanistan’s commitment for - Opposite to 3rd District, government which should be Ms. Urpilainen reaffirmed EU’s accountability. taken into account during the long-term support to peace and They discussed the situation of Kabul - Afghanistan second round of the talks in stability in Afghanistan with Afghan refugees in EU member Print: Waygal Printing .Co - +93 - 202512626 Qatar. an emphasis on immediate states and further strengthening The press release said that ceasefire. cooperation in this regard. January 20, 2021 WORLD WEDNESDAY Heart of Asia 4 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Biden plans to reverse Trump policies during first days in office U.S. President-elect Joe Biden plans to sign * Impose a mask-wearing requirement on all dozens of executive orders and send sweeping federal property, planes and buses. bills to Congress in his first days in office, * Extend relief on federal student loan aiming to roll back some of Donald Trump’s payments and extend an eviction moratorium. signature policies on immigration and climate * Sign an executive order that helps schools change while taking action to ramp up the and businesses reopen safely, expands government’s response to the coronavirus coronavirus testing and establishes clearer crisis. public health standards. Here is a list of what to expect, according to * Direct federal agencies to take immediate interviews with several of Biden’s advisers, action to deliver economic relief to working a review of campaign promises and a recent families bearing the brunt of the crisis. memo by the president-elect’s incoming chief * Return the United States to the World Health of staff Ron Klain. Organization. Trump withdrew from the COVID-19 CRISIS agency, saying it failed to properly oversee * Seek a $1.9 trillion spending proposal aimed the COVID-19 pandemic. at accelerating the distribution of coronavirus CLIMATE vaccines while providing economic relief to * Bring the United States back into the Paris millions of Americans hurt by the pandemic. Climate Agreement, the global pact ... P3

A look at the world UN urges Israel to ‘halt, Azerbaijan lost over Kremlin critic Navalny reverse’ new settlements 2,800 soldiers in to be jailed for 30 days in West Bank Nagorno-Karabakh A Russian court ruled Monday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opposition politician Alexey Navalny will has called on Israel to “halt and reverse” its be kept in custody until Feb. 15, less than 24 decision last week to build nearly 800 new hours after his return to the country. homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied “Alexey Navalny was detained for 30 days West Bank. until Feb. 15, 2021,” Vadim Kobzev, a lawyer The decision is “a major obstacle to the for Navalny, announced on Twitter. achievement of the two-state solution, and Navalny, who received treatment in a just, lasting and comprehensive peace” in Germany after alleged poisoning, was the Middle East, Guterres said in a statement arrested in the capital Moscow upon his on Monday. “The establishment by Israel of settlements return Sunday evening. He was held at a in the Palestinian territory occupied since The Azerbaijani army lost at least 2,855 police station in the city of Khimki. 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal soldiers during its operation to liberate validity and constitutes a flagrant violation Armenian-occupied territories in the Nagorno- under international law. Karabakh region and its surroundings, the “Settlement expansion… further erodes country’s Defense Ministry said Monday. the possibility of ending the occupation The ministry updated the death toll from the Nagorno-Karabakh war, which started on Sept. 27, 2020 and ended on Nov. 10. The number of martyrs, previously announced as 2,841, was updated to 2,855 after learning of some funerals and the identities of the deceased. Announcing that 50 soldiers were still missing, the ministry also shared with the public a list of soldiers who were buried. Nagorno-Karabakh Relations between the former Soviet and establishing a contiguous and viable republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have sovereign Palestinian State, based on the been tense since 1991, when the Armenian pre-1967 lines,” Guterres said. military occupied Upper Karabakh, also Israel on Sunday approved the construction of known as Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally 780 homes in the occupied West Bank, ordered recognized as Azerbaijani territory, and seven Moscow’s Khimki Court ruled that he by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on adjacent regions. January 11. All Jewish settlements in the When new clashes erupted Sept. 27, 2020, will remain in custody for violating the occupied West Bank are regarded as illegal Armenia launched attacks on civilians probation period that ended on Dec. 29 under international law and by much of the and Azerbaijani forces and even violated last year. English Academy international community. humanitarian cease-fire agreements. Navalny, 44, a fierce critic of Russian Last November, Mike Pompeo became the During the six-week-long conflict, Azerbaijan President Vladimir Putin, fell sick last first US secretary of state to visit a Jewish liberated several cities and nearly 300 August on a flight to Moscow. After an settlement in an official capacity, months settlements and villages, while at least 2,802 emergency landing in the Siberian city of its soldiers were known at the time to be after the US broke with international law of Omsk, he spent two days in a Russian Easy martyred. There are differing claims about the and international community consensus to hospital before being sent to Berlin for announce it no longer considered settlements number of casualties on the Armenian side, English treatment. as unlawful. There are currently some 450,000 which sources and officials say could be as After tests in several laboratories, German Learning Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, high as 5,000. living among 2.8 million Palestinians. The two countries signed a Russian-brokered officials said Navalny was poisoned with Also on Monday, the United Kingdom agreement on Nov. 10 to end the fighting and the nerve agent Novichok, which was also Western Street of expressed concerns over Israel’s approval work toward a comprehensive resolution. used according to the UK government in a Kabul University Close to A joint Turkish-Russian center is being for the construction of the settlement units, 2018 attack on former Russian spy Sergei Dehbori Park. warning the move could threaten future peace established to monitor the truce. Russian Skripal and his daughter in the British town negotiations and calling for construction to peacekeeping troops have also been deployed of Salisbury. in the region. +93 (0) 789 98 9696 stop. Russian authorities deny any The cease-fire is seen as a victory for “Settlements are illegal under international involvement in the case and contend that Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose [email protected] law and risk undermining the physical chemical weapons have neither been viability of the two-state solution. We call for armed forces have withdrawn in line with the developed nor produced by Russia since the the construction of these in East Jerusalem agreement. Shigal English Academy last chemical round was destroyed in 2017, and elsewhere in the West Bank to cease Violations, however, have been reported immediately,” a Foreign Office spokesperson in recent weeks, with Armenian soldiers as verified and certified by the Organization www.shigal.edu.af said in a statement. reportedly hiding in the mountainous enclave. for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.