Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:146 Price: Afs.20

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes MONDAY. DECEMBER 26. 2016 -Jadi 06, 1395 HS

Bomb blast kills Afghanistan fighting two civilians in undeclared war: Laghman AT News Report Gen. Rahman KABUL: At least two civilians AT Monitoring Desk IEC to finalize were killed in a roadside bomb in KABUL: Afghanistan has been eastern Laghman province, local facing an undeclared war, but there list of candidates official said Sunday. is no doubt that Afghan security Provincial governor spokes- forces have the capability to bat- for its secretariat man, Sarhadi Zwak, said that the tle against it, a senior security of- blast took place early morning in ficial said the other day. “The candidates will be shortlist- the Shrine area of Mehtarlam city, ed by Wednesday and then they the provincial capital. Deputy Interior Minister, will be interviewed," the IEC Gen. Abdul Rahman Rahman said However, he did not provide spokesman said. more information regarding the in- this in Nangarhar province during At least 76 candidates have ty does recognize that the Af- a change of command ceremony cident. KABUL: The U.S. forces in Af- applied for the Independent Elec- No group has claimed respon- ghanistan continue its offensive ghans have made progress, but that saw Col. Mohammad Ayub tion Commission’s (IEC) secretar- they still have a ways to go, and Hussainkhel swearing in as a new iat from which three of the appli- sibility for the attack, but it is be- against Islamic State – Khorasan lieved to have been carried out by (ISK) province and Al Qaeda, of- therefore, we need to remain en- border police commander in the cants will be introduced to Presi- gaged, and we do remain — and east. dent Ashraf Ghani next week, the Taliban militant group. ficials said. IEC spokesman Gula Jan Abdul- Although the terrorists have According to a Resolute we do need to remain focused on “Hussainkhel’s elevation is due to his abilities,” Rahman said, urg- badee Sayyad said on Sunday. been pushed out of Laghman and Support Spokesman in Afghani- the terrorist threats from the area,” Gen. Cleveland continued. ing him to do his level best in “The candidates will be short- other major cities by the govern- stan, the number of ISK militants strengthening cohesion among the listed by Wednesday and then ment forces and the international in the country have decreased The main mission of the US forces in Afghanistan is to train, force. they will be interviewed. After the troops, they continue to carry out from 3,000 to 1,000 and they Moreover, he asked the new interview, the top three candidates incursions into the country. have lost one third of territory advise and assist Afghan securi- will be introduced to the presi- ty forces in order to be able to border commander to resolve lo- Years of instability, violence which was under their control. dent,” the spokesman added. and famine have left a million peo- defend their own borders and gistic and training related issues as Meanwhile, a number of elec- “We do have the authority well. ple dead and more than half a mil- to conduct unilateral operations address terrorist threats. toral watchdogs urged the IEC to Currently there are about While calling on security forc- select its candidates on merit-base. lion internally displaced in the with defeating Al Qaeda as well es, particularly the border guards country. as ISK. We very aggressively 9,800 Americans in Afghanistan. “As the new commissioners The Obama administration has to keep security along and control do not have enough experience, More than half a million Af- pursue that mission. Last year, over the border, Rahman said that thus the head of IEC secretariat ghans have been internally dis- we conducted 350 operations scheduled to take down the num- ber to 8,400 by the first of Janu- Afghanistan is in an ‘undeclared and the deputies should be experi- placed by conflicts so far this year, against those terrorists, and spe- war’. enced in order to regain people’s the highest number on record, the cifically, we captured or killed ary 2017 despite of the country Officials reports that there are them are operating in the Afghani- having a fragile political and mil- Nangarhar governor, Moham- trust in the electoral commissions,” UN Office for the Coordination of over 200 Al Qaeda members. And 98 U.S. designated terrorists orga- stan and Pakistan region. mad Gulab Mangal, who was also said Jandad Spinghar, head of Af- Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) we think we degraded the ISK itary situation. ghanistan Civil Society Elections nizations in the world and 20 of “The international communi- (ARIANANEWS) present in the command change in Afghanistan announced in a re- industry by 500 and reduce their ceremony, termed Hussainkhel as Network (ACSEN). (Tolo news) port earlier this month. overall presence in the country,” a good commander. “His appoint- Brig. General Charlie Cleveland, Ghani to introduce 7 new ministerial ment as new commander is a wise the NATO spokesman in Af- decision adopted by the Interior ghanistan said. Ministry.” NATO officials say the candidates after winter season Commander Hussainkhel re- Daesh still controlling around a KABUL: President Advisor Nabi didates to gain trust votes from the has granted the parliament deci- placed Col. Wali Khan Shinwari as thousand militants across the Misdaq told to Ariana News that lower house of the parliament, but sion over disqualified Ministers. new border commander. The new country. based on the decision of the Pres- at the end of the winter vacation. MP Habiba Danish said, “Su- commander said that he would act The alliance believes there ident Mohammad Ashraf Ghani he President Advisor Nabi Mis- preme Court has granted the de- in accordance with the law. were up to 3,000 members of ISK will introduce Ministerial candi- daq said, “President Mohammad cision of the law makers over the “I pledge to implement on the located in eastern Jalalabad prov- dates after winter vacation to low- Ashraf Ghani has granted the de- 7 Ministers, and they cannot law on myself first before asking ince of Afghanistan and they had er house of the parliament to gain cision of the lower house of the continue to their work based on subordinate to do so,” he added. a presence in about 10 to 11 dis- confidence votes. parliament over disqualifying of 7 the law the members of the par- The call that Afghanistan has tricts. Now after a year since the Meanwhile members at Union Ministers, willing to introduce new liament do have the rights to dis- facing an undeclared war has comes U.S. received the authority to go Lawyers said from the law and reg- Ministerial candidates after win- qualify Ministers.” Lower house has previously President Ashraf ahead and target Daesh, the num- ulation perspectives the acting ter vacation.” Chief of Lawyers of the parliament have disquali- Ghani said that Pakistan needs to ber have decreased to 1,000 with Ministers do not have the right to Union Subhan Misdaq said, “Dis- fied the Ministers of Foreign end its undeclared war with Af- having a presence in only two or work even for one day on the posts. qualified Ministers neither now Affairs, Higher Education, Edu- ghanistan which is being fought three districts. nor after that can be working as from several years. In that time the “There are approximately It seems that President Mo- cation, Public works, Transpor- hammad Ashraf Ghani has paid acting Ministers based on the law tation and aviation, Communica- president urged Pakistan to pre- 1,000 members of ISK in a prov- ormer President Hamid Karzai met Sunday with a number of respects to lower house of the par- and regulation perspectives.” tion and Technology and Minis- vent terrorist activities being ince in the south. We think they tribal elders and influential figures from Khost province. They liament decision, and has decided Humming is made within the low- try of Labor, Social Affairs, Mar- planned against Afghanistan from F are only in about two to three its territory and bring Taliban to mentioned the 13-year services and achievements of Karzai’s gov- to introduce new Ministerial can- er house that the Supreme Court tyrs & Disabled. (ARIANANEWS) districts,” Gen. Cleveland added. the negotiation table. ernment, discussing the current situation and local problems. “We want cooperation from Karzai said the achievements mentioned, were the fruits of Pakistan in war against terror, Afghans’ wills, efforts and hard works. He praised Khost people’s NDS rescues Govt finance units slammed 5,000 historical sites nothing else,” Ghani said. efforts on the education and higher education in the past 13 years. student from in Afghanistan Taliban’s shadow for ‘changing budget’ detected by satellite ‘Women seek more visible kidnappers in At least 5,000 ancient sites have deputy governor Laghman KABUL: Lawmakers in the Wole- been detected by satellite includ- killed in Faryab si Jirga (Lower House of Parlia- ing some in areas under the control role in peace process’ ment) on Sunday criticized finance AT News Report AT News Report of armed groups, the Ministry of By Farhad Naibkhel units in government departments Information and Culture (MoIC) KABUL: The National Director- for not consulting them while KABUL: A Taliban shadow depu- said on Sunday. ty governor was killed along with ate of Security (NDS) said Sun- amending salary codes. The ministry said they will day its operatives had rescued a According to MPs, the finance his five accompanies, while eight university student from abductors draw a map of all the ancient plac- other militants wounded during an units are carrying out irregular sal- es as part of their five-year plan in eastern Laghman province. ary amendments and changing sal- operation lunched by security forc- In a statement, the NDS said and will send archaeologists abroad es in northern Faryab province, ary codes of employees. They to develop their knowledge of ar- that the kidnappers Abdul Haq and said this issue is creating serious ministry of defense said on Sun- Gul Saht were arrested during an chaeology in order to maintain the day. financial problems. areas. operation in the province. The MPs urged these finance In a statement, the ministry “The captured rebel kid- office is allowed to amend the or- The MoIC said they started said the operation was conducted units to consult MPs in order to identifying historical sites last year napped the boy from Kabul-Nan- avoid budget deficits at the end of dinary and development budgets in the Ghormach district. garhar highway few days ago and once approved by parliament. in collaboration with a number of No further details were given a financial year. foreign organizations. he was rescued from abductors “Based on principles under- “It has never happened in the regarding the identity of the Tali- earlier morning,” the statement national budget of Afghanistan that “Our plan has just started and ban leader killed in the operation. ling the implementation of the bud- it will continue for five years. I am said. get, the amendments to salary salaries of government employees The Taliban militants have not It added the boy has been iden- are not paid due to a lack of cash sure our activities will increase once commented regarding the report. codes are illegal and it is prohibit- the final map is ready,” said Abdul tified as Abdul Ali son of Muham- ed. But it seems that such amend- or payment,” Finance Ministry KABUL: The Women and Chil- women role in peace and reconcil- Separately, at least 28 insur- mad Nabi. spokesman Ajmal Hameed said. Qadir Temori, head of archaeolo- gents including two Daesh com- ments are being done at many min- gy department of the MoIC. dren Legal Research Foundation iation process,” executive manag- “The terrorist have confessed istries,” said MP Assadullah Saa- The Wolesi Jirga members also manders were killed and wounded that they kept him in Tor Ghar Figures by the MoIC reveal (WCLRF) on Sunday released a er of the WCLRF, Zarqa Yaftali dati. argued that such unlawful mea- guideline titled “Supporting wom- said. in different operations launched by mountain areas and demanding 600 sures by finance units would cre- that 5,260 ancient sites were iden- the Afghan security forces within Another MP, Fakoor Behish- tified in different provinces over en active participation in peace She said that 50 percent of thousand Afghanis for his release ti, said: “There are between 20 to ate financial problems and would the past 24 hours across the coun- from his family,” the statement the past 10 years. process”, urging the government to Afghan population is women, 30 recommendations defined in the violate the rights of pensioners, boost up women’s role in real in therefore, women must be involved ty, ministry of defense said. noted. martyrs families and disabled per- “We want to build a new build- The ministry said in a state- It furthered that the alleged budget and all are approved togeth- ing, because lack of space is a big peace process. in peace process. er with it [budget]. No one is au- sons. In response to this, the The guideline included wom- “Half population of Afghani- ment that the national army with kidnapper is under investigation to problem for us,” said Mohammad the cooperation of the national find clues to his accomplices in the thorized to amend it. However, the spokesman for the Ministry of en activists’ views from capital and stan should not be forgotten,” she Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Fahim Rahimi, chairman of the police and the National Director- crime. Ministry of Finance and the Pres- National Museum. provinces, which termed women’s added. idential Palace are amending the Disabled, Abdulfatah Eshrat, said: role weak and symbolic in peace In charge of the project, Mo- ate of Security conducted clearance The capital is inundated with Meanwhile, acting minister of operations against insurgents in organized criminal gangs who stage budget separately and on their “A budget deficit means that we process. hammad Ali Fakoori, said that paid the debt of previous years and information and culture, Sayed different areas of Nangarhar, Ku- kidnappings for ransom, often tar- own.” Kamal Sadat, urged the people to “Research in 2015 revealed weakness of women and men’s geting foreigners and wealthy ci- In reference to the allegations, this led to a budget deficit. Also that women are pushed aside from dominance are the barriers ahead nar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Kandahar, pensioners have not been consult- return antiquities and relics smug- Kunduz and Helmand provinces. vilians, and sometimes handing meanwhile, the Ministry of Fi- gled out of the country during the peace process, thus the WCLRF of women active role in peace pro- ed.” (Tolo news) them over to armed groups. nance (MoF) said no government civil war. (Tolo news) launched this guideline to foster cess. (See P2) (See P2) MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Going out in Kabul: Little joys in the shadow of fear

BY JOSHUA HAMMER Part II Wasil stared out of the heli- the first shot, he was just saying, small child,” the journalist Najeed branches adorned with colored come a hero.’” copter as it sailed over green val- ‘I've been hit.’ Then the second Lattif, who attended the funeral, cloths. It was only temporary, But among the hard men who leys, barreling toward Tirin Kot. bullet hit him in the head, and he told me. Samad was also crying. Merwais told me. “We will take fight and die in Afghanistan's vio- “We're out of danger, we can relax fell,” a witness recounted. “The “He was saying, ‘They killed my him home,” he said, “as soon as lent backcountry, the governor's now,” he told his 9-year-old broth- apples he bought were covered in right-hand man,’” Lattif said. Nawa Sultan Mohammed is no perspective is not widely shared. er, Rabbani. Then, having comfort- blood.” The assailants raced off on Six weeks after Wasil's assas- longer in the Taliban's hands.” There's a grudging acceptance of ed the boy, he turned back to the their bike and disappeared. sination, I joined his younger In the days just after Wasil was the grim cycles that war perpetu- disbelieving men who'd just res- “If some kids are seeing this, brother Rabbani and his uncle shot, as paeans to his bravery ates. When I was in Kabul, I met cued him, the troops from the Af- what will they think? They will Merwais on a visit to Wasil's grave. flooded social media, the Taliban with an old mujahideen fighter—a ghan special forces who wanted to just leave the school and tell them- (Samad had relocated to Khas claimed responsibility for the as- loyal friend of Samad's—who now know how this boy had defended selves, ‘I am going to become a Uruzgan to begin a three-month sassination, according to The In- serves in parliament. His name is the compound for three harrowing hero.’” trial as the district police chief. “He dependent. But when I reached the Haji Obaidullah Barakzai, and five weeks. At home, Samad had been nap- is a good fighter,” Uruzgan's new insurgents' spokesman on the years ago a Taliban fighter assassi- Just beyond the gates of Tirin ping but was roused suddenly by governor, Wazeer Khararoti, told phone, he backed off, saying only nated his 27-year-old son, as his Kot, the chopper zipped over the his shouting nephews. “Wasil's me. “He knows how to fight the that it “was possible” that the Tal- son—Barakzai's grandson— blast walls of the heavily fortified been shot,” they cried. Wasil's un- Taliban, but you have to rein him iban had killed him. He rebuked watched from a nearby car. The Afghan National Army base and cle ran outside and saw the boy in like a horse and not let him go so the Afghan police for encouraging incident was eerily similar to the came to rest on the ground. Ra- himullah Khan, then the deputy police chief of the Uruzgan prov- ince, was waiting for them at the airfield. The boy, his uniform cov- ered in dust, a sidearm on his waist, shook Khan's hand and then jumped into the front seat of a police car. “He was tired, and hap- Going out in Kabul is not installed across the street and to py to be out of the war,” Khan straightforward. Restaurants and get inside one had to pass security told me. hotels are often targeted by mili- checks manned by armed guards Tirin Kot, a sprawl of mud- tants, and many employ heavy at the gate. walled houses, was, then as now, a security. BBC Afghan's Haseeb It was not very different from city under siege. The Afghan gov- Ammar has been out to see where the security you would find out- ernment's control extended for just and how residents and visitors can side a ministry building or offices a few miles beyond the walls. relax in the Afghan capital. of an international organisation. Checkpoints and sandbagged posts On a recent visit to Kabul, a The low ceilings felt suffocat- ringed the city of 70,000, but Tal- friend and fellow journalist took ing, but my companion promised iban infiltrators had still managed me out for the evening. that we were in one of the "best to slip into town and strike peri- "I would love to take you to a places in Kabul to have a good time odically, planting IEDs on the better restaurant with even more and leave what bothers you be- streets. delicious food," he said. "But the hind". To help ease Wasil back to- security at the entrance is very All the waiters were foreign- ward normalcy, deputy police chief strict. I don't feel comfortable there ers serving Western food. Khan put the family up in his and I don't think you would ei- "What would you like to guarded guesthouse, gave them a ther." drink?" the waitress asked. "We monthly stipend, and arranged for His words made me curious. have juice, beer, wine and whis- Wasil to attend a nearby school. In what kind of restaurants do ky". Khan also removed the boy's side- Kabulis and foreigners feel com- I smiled, and remarked that arm. “The pistol is our enemy,” he fortable letting their hair down? Is those items were not mentioned told me. “When you have a pistol, it possible to relax and have a good on the menu. The waitress smiled you are a target, you are in the time when you're permanently back without saying a word. fight.” worried about your safety? The restaurant is frequented It wasn't easy for Wasil to ac- Coffee with Kalashnikovs by wealthy Afghans, some of cept that his fight was over. Fam- One evening we visited a cafe whom live abroad or do business ily members and others who had popular with liberal-minded young with foreign investors. I heard a survived the siege treated him like women and men. mix of Farsi and English when I a legendary warrior. Samad, in par- Unlike the more traditional tried to listen to the general chat- ticular, was proud of his nephew's places, here men and women were ter. celebrity and wanted to honor him not separated and there was no sign "Some of the customers here as a hero. He resented anyone who lying in a pool of blood, uncon- far.”) We crammed into an armored the boy to fight and for then cele- one that had put Wasil on his path of security guards or the concrete are powerful local men who come downplayed the boy's achieve- scious. An ambulance rushed Wa- four-by-four and joined a convoy brating him as a hero. That senti- for revenge, and it inspired in this blast walls that are ubiquitous in to drink away from the public ments. “We fought with the Tali- sil to the local hospital, and then between a black Land Cruiser and ment—that the breathless tales of boy the same response. He's 8 Kabul. gaze," my friend said. ban for many, many days, fighting he was airlifted to Kandahar. Wa- a Humvee filled with a dozen po- Wasil's exploits had contributed to now, and he's been consumed by Inside I found a friendly at- I didn't see a single foreign cus- 500 people,” he said. “They sil died en route. licemen. We reached a barren hill- his death—is shared by the re- one thought. “I want to kill the mosphere with customers enjoy- tomer at the restaurant that night. should have given us medals.” The next day, Wasil's family side covered with grave markers— gion's governor, Wazeer Khararo- Taliban who killed my father,” he ing a mix of Afghan, Arab and The shadow of fear This sort of hagiography wor- wrapped his body in a white cloth spindly branches strung with dec- ti. “He was a child, and we don't told me shyly. Barakzai hadn't yet American dishes, mostly hot fast On another evening I met a ried Khan, who was stunned to see shroud and bore him in his Ford orative flags. The police took up have a right to make him a hero,” taken him to the firing range, but food and green tea. young foreign lady who stood out Wasil's family play up his heroic Ranger to the cemetery. Six hun- positions, and I followed the un- he told me. “If some kids are see- that day, he said, was not far off. While we were munching sand- in the crowd with her thick black, exploits on social media. “They dred people attended his burial. cle and brother to Wasil's grave, ing this, what will they think? “I'm buying plastic guns for the wiches the tranquility of this little knotted hair and dark skin. said, ‘Wasil did this.’ ‘Wasil did The sight of the small boy's body crudely marked with stones, They will just leave the school and boy,” he told me, “so that he will place was shattered by a quarrel "I'm from Zimbabwe," she that,’ bragging about the kid, how moved many to tears. “This was a chunks of cement, and two willow tell themselves, ‘I am going to be- be ready.” (Concluded) between a gunman and the owner. said. "It's been six months since I he killed this person and that per- Everyone had their eyes fixed arrived in Kabul." son,” he told me. The deputy po- on the scene at the door. The own- I had assumed she was British lice chief urged the family to lower er was asking the man to leave his or American. the boy's profile. He was afraid gun in his car, but the guest re- "This is the problem," she told that Wasil's growing status as a folk BOXING: 'I was more content and safe fused. me. "I can't go out because I'm hero was likely to put him in the After arguing for 10 minutes, afraid of being kidnapped. Those Taliban's sights. He pleaded with the two men reached a compro- who are after Westerners would Samad to protect his nephew. But mise. The gunman left the maga- confuse me with a British or Amer- Samad, always ambitious, brushed inAfghanistan,' says Kelly Morgan zine behind but kept his gun at the ican citizen because they would off the warnings. “The family table. just look at my skin not knowing didn't accept my help,” Khan told WHEN Kelly Morgan looks back wouldn’t give that up for all the “For me, our brains tell our champion Nikki Adler, a fight in Challenging stereotypes that I'm from a poor country." me. “They went the wrong way.” over the last 12 months it must money in China. bodies what to do, so it is an abso- February has been mooted, she My curiosity grew further She had stepped out of her After a couple of months, be hard for the boxer not to find “I was much more content and lute given the positive of that. still has plenty to be cheerful when, at nightfall, three women in hotel only twice since arriving. Wasil's family moved out of Khan's herself sitting in a padded cell safe in the middle of Afghanistan “It is not about counselling about over the last 12 months. their 20s walked in. I asked her how she spent her guesthouse, saying that they need- rocking back and forth with a than I am now. sessions, it is about actual skills, While she has seen two They were wearing light black spare time. ed more space. Samad was eager straight jacket on. “(I was) safer and more con- visualisation, mind-set, proper shows and two fights postponed, and blue chadors that covered part "Like these people," she said, to keep stoking the mythology The WBC Silver middle- tent, mentally, physically and spir- stuff. the Swindon boxer is immensely of their heads. None appeared to referring to other foreigners at the growing around his nephew and weight champion has experienced itually in the middle of Afghani- “I love it. I find it fascinating proud of what she has achieved be too concerned about their safe- hotel bar. "They gather on Friday cultivated in the boy a sense that some of her lowest lows this year stan than I am right now going on a personal level, also I see the this year as she lifted the WBC ty, although no-one wanted to be nights in heavily-guarded com- he wasn't beholden to the same as well as being on the verge of through this turmoil. cross over to performance. Silver middleweight belt follow- identified in this article. pounds to share their little joys in rules that governed other people: achieving her dream in what she “But that said, as long as we “The sport is beautiful, but the ing her win over Lisa Cielas in After I introduced myself I the shadow of the fear of a possi- He allowed the 11-year-old to calls a ‘very septic environment.’ pull through and get through to that reality is of the game it is very harsh June. found out that they were universi- ble Taliban attack." drive around town in a police-is- And while the former ser- ultimate goal it will be worth it.” and it is difficult to survive. “I love boxing, I did athletics ty students and quite willing to Such fears are not unfounded sue Ford Ranger pickup truck. geant of the Royal Army Physi- Despite the rollercoaster of “So I’m doing a lot of work because I was talented at it, but it talk. I asked if they were worried and foreign visitors are well briefed Khan thought the truck was a bad cal Corp says that she felt men- emotions that the former British with sports psych with Dave Wal- didn’t light me up inside,” Mor- to be in a cafe unaccompanied by a about potential dangers. Earlier this idea: Giving a boy a police vehicle tally safer out on the front-line, javelin record holder, Morgan cot up at UWE, who is absolutely gan added. male relative at this time of the year, a suicide bomber killed two was hardly going to encourage him the 36-year-old has no regrets broke Fatima Whitbread’s 10-year- brilliant, we are working on pro- “But that said, the successes night. people at a French restaurant pop- to behave like a kid. “I was trying about stepping into the prize- old standard with a throw of cesses and how to adjust mind sets were a phenomenal feeling, like "Today we wanted to chal- ular with foreigners in Kabul. to get Wasil into a school in Kabul fighting world. 64.87m, the Commonwealth when the goalposts keep moving. anything in life, it was amazing. lenge the stereotypical view that In January 2014 the Taliban to get him more educated,” Khan “I had no idea (what it would Games bronze medallist is work- “To be honest it (sports psy- “To break that British record Afghan men have of women," one attacked a Lebanese restaurant, told me. “But his mind was being be like), I was literally blind ing hard to make sure that she does chology) is becoming more and (of Fatima Whitbread) was amaz- of them told me. killing at least 21 people. Two changed again.” (about the world of professional not fall over the edge. more valuable. ing, that was a fantastic moment "We visited places where months later nine people, includ- Wasil was being pulled in con- boxing),” said Morgan, who is While some people turn their “The constant disappoint- for me. “But I feel I’m in the right women rarely go, including a park ing four foreigners, died when gun- flicting directions. “He played soc- trained and now managed by Ri- noses up at professional psycho- ments chips away (at you) more sport now, it is a huge stepping which is normally packed with men attacked diners at the five-star cer and cricket, but he was not like chard Farnan. logical assistance, the former En- and more. stone (winning the Silver title), it men. Serena Hotel. a child,” a schoolmate told the “In truth it is a very septic gland netball international is em- “To be able to hold that to- has given me that open door to "A lot of men surrounded us These kinds of attacks have press. “He was more like a grown environment to survive in, but I bracing it. gether and use that to good effect step through to ultimately be- and started staring at us in a weird resulted in the closure of many man—always serious.” don’t regret it. “I come from GB athletics and is a skill in itself.” come a champion of the world in way, but we just ignored them. We high-end restaurants, meaning the Most mornings, after break- “At the end of the day I have that was part and parcel of every- As Morgan’s focus remains on something sport related.” wanted to show that we have the loss of jobs for local Afghans. fast, Wasil, along with his broth- a chance to chase my dream - I thing that we did,” she said. WBC super-middleweight world (swindonadvertiser) right to enjoy our time and have The day I headed back to Lon- ers and cousins, worked for three the same freedom as young men don I met my friend one more hours with a tutor who taught En- have." time. He lamented how Afghani- glish, Persian, and chemistry. And Taliban’s I asked them what kind of free- stan was seen by the outside by all accounts, Wasil was making doms they wanted most in Afghan- world. progress—despite a frequent pre- shadow deputy istan's conservative society. "The closures of these restau- occupation with his past life as a The answer: "We don't want rants and the foreigners' fear of soldier. “He was an intelligent guy, governor killed in men who see us like this in a cafe being kidnapped have contributed with an open mind; he was grasp- Faryab to be curious. No man should be to a distorted image of Afghani- ing things quickly,” Wasil's teach- interested in coming to ask us stan abroad," he told me. er, Mahmoud Khan, told me. “But From P1 whether we are worried or not to "Many foreigners who come he was thinking about guns, he was come to such places." to this country are not able to go talking about guns. I told him, ‘You Not on the menu out and interact with ordinary Af- should leave these things behind. “In these operations, 14 Tali- On another day I visited a res- ghans. How do you expect them You should focus on learning.’ ” ban insurgents including two taurant run by foreigners. to have a proper picture of this In early February 2016, six Daesh commanders were killed and Concrete blast walls had been country and its people?" (BBC) months after the siege, Wasil and 14 others injured,” the statement two of his cousins finished their said. midday prayers and strolled out- Two insurgent were also ar- ‘Women seek more visible role in peace process’ side their compound, hoping to buy rested. The ministry also claimed some fruit. Normally, the family that the security forces have seized From P1 discouraged them from venturing huge cache of weapons, but did not participate in negotiation table as percent in peace process, thus into the streets without police provide details. He said that women are not the main victims of war. peace council work over a mecha- guards, but there was a fruit-and- The Afghan forces are busy consulted during negotiations in Deputy for the High Peace nism to establish a women’s advi- vegetable stall just across the wide conducting their annual operation the past and never their views con- Council Habiba Sarabi said that sory committee in the council. road, a 30-second walk away. under the name of Shafaq which sidered seriously. National Unity Government has “The high peace council gives Wasil crossed the road while they are saying has been launched Women’s role should not be committed to support women in chance to women to participate in his two cousins peeled off and in response to Taliban’s annual spectator, they must have active different fields in the in the coun- negotiation table,” she insisted. headed for another shop. As he spring offensive. and efficient role in peace process, try. She came up with an example inspected the oranges, bananas, According to the security of- he insisted. She pledged to consider all re- said that she had participated in and apples and chatted with the ficials, the main purpose of the “The capacity building also combination and merge them in the negotiation table with Hezb-e-Isl- grocer, two men on a motorbike operation is to eliminate the se- required in some cases for women strategy in order to make more ac- ami Afghanistan. pulled up behind Wasil. nior leaders of the militants plot- to play effective and efficient role tive women role in peace process. She committed that peace Then two pistol shots rang out, ting and conducting attacks against in negotiation,” he noted. She said that based on the council will support women active and Wasil staggered back. “After the government. He argued that women should strategy, women’s role must be 30 role in peace process. MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES An Afghan street artist boldly brings women’s LASHKARGAH: Local security officials on Sunday rejected re- ports that said the Marja district stories to life of southern Helmand province had been lost to the rebels. Few days back, some local media outlets said the 215th Mai- wand Military Corps commander in Helmand in a letter to the Min- istry of Defense had expressed his inability to protect Marja district and decided to leave it to the Tali- ban. EMERGENCY The reports said the corps commander had also sought advise CALLS from the MoD in his letter about destruction of nontransferable Police equipment in the district center so Taliban could not use them after they had left the district. 100 - 119 Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament on Saturday also dis- cussed the issue and decided to Hospitals summon the defence minister. However, 215th Maiwand FMIC Hospital Military Corps Commander Brig. Behind Kabul Medical Gen. Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai told Pajhwok Afghan News they University: did not exchange such letters on 0202500200-+93793275595 security situation of Marja district. He said thousands of Afghan Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital At 22 years old, Shamsia Hassani The style or clothing is not impor- forces and necessary equipment became interested in graffiti spray tant.” Most often, Hassani begins were available in Marja district Pule Bagh-e- Umomi painting the surreal visions fos- a new work by sketching it out in where more advancement would be published baseless reports. had never planned exit from Marja province. However, Gul added 070263672 tered in her imagination onto emp- small notebook, teasing out her made in near future. The commander said Taliban district. currently enough Afghan forces ty city walls. idea into a visually compelling Ahmadzai assured Helmand militants had been trying to mount Marja district chief, Haji Baz equipped with weapons were Her family was supportive yet composition. Then, she translates people that many areas would be pressure on security forces and Gul, said he had also heard such present in the district. Khairkhana Hospital recaptured from Taliban militants capture a number of districts and reports but no one had directly Marja is 35 kilometers west worried, and understandably so. the image onto a larger canvas. 0799-321007 Street art is a risky endeavor in Sometimes, she visits a location in during an ongoing operation code- Lashkargah, the provincial capital, shared the issue with them. He said of Lashkargah city. Only the dis- itself, but for a young woman person, spray painting in classic named “Shafaq-2”. but they failed to do so. there was no reason for security trict center and a small area named 2401352 based in Kabul, Afghanistan, the graffiti fashion. But when a site is He said reports about Marja Helmand military operations forces to withdraw from Marja. Kamp is controlled by Afghan gov- possibility of harassment and off-limits for security reasons, district’s collapse were a propa- chief, Abdul Jabbar Qahraman, He warned the fall of Marja ernment while majority of areas are abuse was real, if not inevitable. Hassani opts for a technique she ganda of militants, asking the MoD also said such reports were pro- would have a negative impact on under militants’ control. Indira Gandhi Children to investigate media outlets that paganda. He said Afghan forces overall security situation of the (Pajhwok) Hassani, however, was committed devised called “dream graffiti,” Hospital, Wazir Akbar to her calling. “It’s all about wom- which allows her to achieve her en,” she explained to The Huffing- ideal vision without jeopardizing Khan, Kabul 2301372 ton Post. “It’s about trying to stay her safety. strong in a society that is not good First, Hassani takes a photo to women.” And so she made the of the Afghanistan site she would, Ibn-e- Seena city of Kabul her canvas, adorning in principle, want to deck out. She Pul-e-Artan, Kabul its public, blank spaces with vi- then enlarges and prints the image, brant depictions of young women painting her graffiti artwork on top 2100359 somewhere between self-portraits of the photograph. “I paint on the and universal renderings of sensi- walls of the picture,” Hassani ex- tivity and strength. Often her sub- plained, her process aptly mirror- Wazir Akbar Khan jects are pictured playing instru- ing her imaginative and persistent Hospital ments, daydreaming, or wandering spirit in the wake of tremendous through the city streets. Some- obstacles. 2301741, 2301743 times piano keys or skyscrapers After posting images of her blend into the women’s dresses and work on Facebook and Instagram, Ali Abad hijab, emphasizing the proximity Hassani amassed a substantial so- between environment and person- cial media following, catching the Shahrara, Kabul ality, as well as reality and fanta- attention of curators and allergists sy. “They are characters relaying as well. As curator and arts admin- 2100439 different messages and different istrator Leeza Ahmady, who re- ideas,” Hassani said. Her recent searched Hassani’s work in Af- series, “Chameleon,” focuses on all ghanistan, expressed in a state- Malalai Maternity the varying personalities that co- ment: “As self-portraits they are Hospital exist within her own conscious- representations of the different 2201377/ 2301743 ness. “When I change my environ- parts of herself, of her aspirations, ment, I also change myself,” she her imaginative and playful per- explained. sonality traits, and deep desire to Banks Specifically, Hassani felt anx- make her mark on the setting of an ious and self-conscious when vis- impressive new young Afghan ar- Da Afghanistan Bank iting Iran ? despite being born there tistic generation.” Hassani hopes ? because of her Afghani heritage. her work inspires younger Afghan 2100302, 2100303 “When I am traveling, sometimes citizens, both men and women, to I worry about my nationality and create. She said that although a few Bakhtar Bank what people think about me,” she street artists have contacted her 0776777000 said. “People don’t always have a since her story became well- abul's historic Bagh-e Babur gardens remain popular good idea about Afghani people. known, most abandon the practice Azizi Bank But, with chameleons and me, the after a short while, realizing the color of the heart never changes.” overwhelming adversity street art- with picnickers, despite the security threats 0799 700900 Hassani’s paintings portray young ists’ face. “It’s 90% bad reaction, Pashtany Bank women in vibrant and succinct 10% good,” Hassani estimated. terms ? their heart-shaped faces Nonetheless she remains passion- 2102908, 2103868 marked only with sweeping black ate about her vision, and hopeful Azizi Bank is felicitated at eyelids and luxuriant lashes, and that her paintings will help inform 13,000Afghan Air Services perhaps a small indentation where the outside perceptions of Afghan- a nose should be. The artist’s pop- istan molded from news headlines. theWorld Leadership surrealist style riffs on traditional, Her most recent series, “Birds Safi Airways folkloric Afghan imagery, infusing of No Nation,” addresses the surge interpreters await Awards – Mauritius 020 22 22 222 it with a contemporary, feminist of Afghan immigration. “Afghans state of mind. Since she began are leaving their country and trav- Azizi Bank is awarded with the Industry Leadership Award at the spray painting in 2010, Hassani eling thousands of miles away to glamorous World Leadership Congress & Innovations Awards 2016 held Ariana has faced a great deal of hostility. receive a nationality better than at the Le Meridien, Mauritius on 6th December 2016. Deputy CEO of 020-2100270 US visas under Azizi Bank – Mr. Mohammad Osman Nowrozi collected the award on “A lot of closed-minded people try theirs,” she said. “Afghan people to stop my work,” she said. “They have grown tired and scared of their behalf of the bank. use a lot of bad words.” Some op- nationality. They are trying to The award is given to Azizi Bank for continuing the banking supremacy Kam Air ponents believe her work violates change their characters, culture, in Afghanistan over the years and creating a world class banking experi- 0799974422 Taliban threat ence for its customers. the tenets of Islam. Others believe shape, clothing, and color to blend that women should, as Hassani in with humans from other na- Currently Azizi Bank is having 75 branches and 10 extension countries described, “stay at home.” tions.” The artist hopes her work across 30 provinces in the country and more than 145 branches along Hotels The rampant misogyny Has- creates a reason for Afghan natives with its 100% subsidiary bank- Bakhtar Bank. (Press Release) Safi Landmark sani has faced, however, only pro- to return home, focusing in her cre- pels her purpose further. Her ative visions on the ways Afghan- works speaks in the face not only istan is special, strong, and worth 020-2203131 of sexist beliefs at home, but also fighting for. “It’s true, we have a ERENA abroad. In particular, Hassani chal- lot of war and political problems S lenges the Western assumption here,” Hassani said. “But at the that burqa and hijabi limit wom- same time, I know there is a lot of 0799654000 en’s freedom, when there are so hope. I want to show people the many more prohibitive restraints good things.” And so Hassani New Rumi Restaurant on women in place than their cloth- projects the colors and shapes of ing choices. “In our tradition a her mind’s eye onto the city itself, 0776351347 woman should cover her head,” physically changing the environ- Hassani explained. “But if women ment she cares for so deeply. When Internet Services took off their burqa, nothing else asked about her aspirations as an UA Telecom would change about their lives. artist, Hassani diverted the ques- Nearly 13,000 Afghan families tion in Afghanistan has drastically 0796701701 / 0796702702 They still have no education; they tion. “I have only one hope for who assisted U.S. troops between worsened since the end of the U.S. still cannot share their ideas. Free- now: to have peace in my country. 2001 and 2014 are waiting for a combat mission in 2014. dom is not in taking off the burqa, Peace and freedom for my people.” U.S. visa, The Associated Press The Pentagon’s most recent Exchange Rate it is in having peace and freedom. (Huffingtonpost) reports. assessment of the U.S. effort in Many interpreted for U.S. sol- Afghanistan says the government Purchase: diers in dangerous areas, and face only definitively controls approx- repeated death threats from the imately 70 percent of the country. One US$ = Taliban. Some of the interpreters The Taliban have made unprece- were even wounded on combat dented gains in the fight against the 66.89Afs missions with U.S. forces and have Afghan security forces. The ter- One Pound Sterling= been in visa limbo for nearly five rorist group inflicted historic ca- 86.77Afs years. sualties on Afghan forces, with “I’m living my days in hell. estimates at nearly 18 men dying One Euro = Even if someone is not really look- per day. Nine hundred Afghan sol- 74.18Afs ing at me, I feel so paranoid, like diers were killed in the month of 1000 Pak Rs = this guy is going to kill me,” a former August alone, and recruitment U.S. interpreter told the AP. An- rates likely will not be able to back- 621Afs other elaborated, “There’s a lot of stop the bleeding. Sale: other interpreters who were shot, “If somebody assisted us in One US$ = hurt, are crazy disabled, and all of the war over there and saved Amer- them are stuck in Afghanistan.” ican lives by running convoys so 67.09 Afs Congress reportedly capped our troops could be doing their One Pound Sterling= the number of visas available to jobs, or whatever, and they now 87.57Afs interpreters at 7,000; the process- have gotten active threats by ing time can take years as the ap- known Taliban, why even limit One Euro= plications snake their way through it?” one former U.S. soldier said. 74.78 Afs bureaucracy. The security situa- (dailycaller) 1000 Pak Rs= 629 MONDAY . DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Imran vows street movement if justice denied in SCover Panama scandal

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greet- ed his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday, notwith- standing the severe chill in relations between the two countries+ . "Birthday wishes to Pakistan PM Mr. Nawaz Sharif. I pray for his long and healthy life," Modi tweeted. Modi extended birthday wish- es to Sharif even though the two countries have been witnessing a severe chill in their relations be- cause of repeated terror attacks in India emanating from Pakistan. Last year on this day, Modi had made a huge gesture by travel- ling to Lahore on an unscheduled visit to wish Sharif+ personally and attend the marriage ceremony of his kin. However, the warmth in the bilateral ties witnessed at that time evaporated after terror attack on the airbase in Pathankot on Janu- ary 1 this year. Since then the rela- tions have just been sliding as ten- sions escalated. (Times of India) ISIS RECRUIT WAS IN SRI LANKA ON MISSIONARYWORK Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) manipulated and these are Supreme chairman Imran Khan vowed to Court and Pakistan Army,” he said. .An ISIS recruit arrested in India had recently visited Sri Lanka. launched a nation-wide swoop odist church of Bengaluru to stay take to the streets against the “cor- The PTI supremo accused the had visited Sri Lanka allegedly on Khan told his investigators that he down on the ISIS terror suspects out of the radar of the agencies. rupt rulers” in case justice is not prime minister of telling lies on the missionary work, the Times of was to visit Indonesia to visit an in January this year, arresting two The NIA will corroborate this as- served in the Supreme Court over floor of the Parliament and in the India reported. Indonesian girl, whom he termed dozen ISIS suspects, Khan re- pect, since they are yet to formal- Panama Papers scandal. court. Taking a jibe at the PM, Abid Khan, a 23-year-old res- his girlfriend. But investigators are mained out of reach. Khan’s three ly take over the case. “We approached all state in- Imran told the party workers that Some climate activists worry that ident of Bengaluru, lived in a church yet to conclude on this aspect. A other associates from Bengaluru After conversion, he went to stitutions and were denied jus- if a cricket team of corrupt would Donald Trump’s presidential elec- in Banjar town in Kullu district of mobile phone and a laptop recov- were arrested. They were identi- Sri Lanka allegedly on a fake pass- tice… Now we are in the Supreme be formed its captain would be tion will be the death knell for the Himachal Pradesh for the last six ered from him could lead to crucial fied as Asif Ali, Mohammed Afzal, port with his fake identity of Paul. Court and if it fails, I will take to Nawaz Sharif. global environment. That’s almost months before he was arrested in a clues into Khan’s life while he was Syed Mujahid but Abid Khan lay Sources told India Today that the streets and continue to fight Imran then went on to ask two certainly untrue. Whatever joint operation of the NIA and at large. How Khan, a Bengaluru low. Khan has told NIA sleuths Khan went to Sri Lanka in March- against the corrupt rulers till the questions from the crowd and di- Trump’s attitude toward climate drop of my blood,” Imran said rected them to raise their hands in change and energy policy, two big Kullu Police. Khan was planning man, reached Kullu is another sto- and the Kullu police that he con- April this year for a month on mis- to reach Syria via Indonesia and ry by itself. While the NIA verted to Christianity in a Meth- sionary work.( thesundayleader) while addressing his party work- response to the queries. “How outside factors will be much more ers in Swabiin Khyber-Pakhunt- many of you think Nawaz is the i m p o r t a n t — t e c h n o l o g i c a l khwa (K-P) on Sunday. culprit in Panama Papers case,” he progress and policy in developing The PTI chief accused Prime asked and then told the media men nations. First, the good news. Re- Minister Nawaz Sharif and his to show the footage to everyone newable energy technology is al- Khawaja Asif directs nuclear threat family to have illegally brought in the country. He once against ready unstoppable. No longer does property in London worth billions questioned people if they thought solar power depend on government subsidies for survival—it’s in- of rupees but did not spend any- Pakistan’s justice system would creasingly beating fossil fuels on at Israel after reading fake news thing on peoples’ welfare. “It is as punish the prime minister. pure raw economics. A new report if Imran Khan sends money abroad Earlier, Imran said China-Pa- from Bloomberg New Energy Fi- Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Trump.” Asif has not yet responded to sult. to his sons and then they send it kistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) nance (BNEF) lays out the num- directed a nuclear threat to Israel The Israeli Defence Ministry the Israelis however, his post has Last month, an internet rumour back to him claiming they have will change the fate of the Paki- bers. Solar is getting so cheap, so in response to a fake news report responded on Twitter to clarify been retweeted more than 400 had the makings of a bizarrely sor- earned it abroad.” stani economy. However, he said fast, that it will quickly come to that quoted Israeli defence minis- the report was false. “The state- times; many mocking him for his did scandal involving a top politi- The cricketer-turned-politi- his party’s government in K-P had represent the lion’s share of new ter threatening to “destroy [Paki- ment attributed to fmr Def Min mistake. cal aide to Hillary Clinton, allega- cian lamented that when he takes concerns over the role of the fed- electric-power generation. Assum- stan] with a nuclear attack.” Yaalon re Pakistan was never said,” The fake news phenomenon tions of pedophilia and a restau- to the streets after having lost faith eral government and not China. ing battery technology continues The defence minister took to the ministry wrote in the post di- has sent major internet companies rant in an upscale part of Wash- in the state institutions, he is ac- “Nawaz Sharif never stands by his to improve, BNEF predicts that a Twitter in a scathing post directed rected at Asif. In a second post it scrambling to respond amid claims ington. Facebook has said it will cused of inviting the military to words. He had promised in the all decade from now, solar will start at Israel following the false report said, “Reports referred to by the that bogus reports that proliferat- introduce tools to prevent fake rule the country. “How can I be parties conference (APC) that K- to replace some fossil-fuel plants. saying, “Israeli def min threatens Pakistani Def Min are entirely ed ahead of the US presidential news stories from spreading on its accused of inviting military to rule P would be a part of the CPEC but In other words, in many places it nuclear retaliation presuming pak false.” election may have skewed the re- platform. the country when Maryam he later backed out of his prom- will be cheaper to simply scrap role in Syria against Daesh,” add- Nawaz [PM’s daughter] tweeted ise.” The PTI leader suggested that coal plants and build new solar ing that “Israel forgets Pakistan is saying the stormed had passed, all chief ministers of the smaller plants in their place. All of this is a Nuclear state too.” hinting that the new chief justice provinces should ask Centre to great news for the climate. It means The fake story, titled “Israeli and army chief favoured the rul- disclose the details of its agreement that we don’t have to halt economic Defense Minister: If Pakistan send ers,” he asked. on CEPC with China. Slamming growth or radically change the way ground troops to Syria on any pre- Imran went on to say that the Maulana Fazlur Rehman and As- that capitalism works in order to text, we will destroy this country Nawaz-led government had de- fandyar Wali Imran said both save the planet, as some more cli- with a nuclear attack,” published stroyed all state institutions except “play on either sides of the wicket mate activists had assumed. Once on awdnews.com, even got the Is- judiciary and army. “There are two to make the premier as well as peo- again, human ingenuity will let us raeli defence minister’s name institutions that have not been ple of K-P happy.” (Dawn) escape the trap of natural limita- wrong; attributing the statement to tions. But here’s the bad news: tech- a former minister, Moshe Yaalon. nology will only get us part of the way there. BNEF predicts that The typo-laden headline pub- even with solar racing ahead, car- lished on December 20 was not the bon emissions will continue at or first time a fake news article was slightly above current levels for the posted on the website. Earlier, the next three decades. That’s new car- website had published an article bon that’s getting pumped into the with the headline, “Clinton is stag- air every year, to add to the giant ing a military coup against stockpile that already exists. Since averting climate change requires dramatic reductions in emissions, this means more needs to be done. In the short term, technology’s amazing progress is getting can- celled out by rapid emissions in- creases in developing countries. China is the problem everyone knows about. The country already releases about twice as much car- bon as the US each year. Recently, however, China has made a dra- matic effort to reduce emissions, and it seems to be working. Much more needs to be done, but the lead- ership in that country is taking the problem seriously—possibly A raid by the Counter-Terrorism Kuwait. 14-year-old, Afif Kaderi, gunfight with the police and final- Tangail, killing 26 suspected mili- more seriously than the US. More and Transnational Crime (CTTC) whose father Tanvir committed ly blasted a grenade that left him tants, including “Neo JMB” coor- worrying is India. This country, unit at a house in Ashkona Purba suicide during the September 10 dead. A number of anti-militant dinator Tamim Ahmed almost as big as China in terms of Para area of Dhaka led to the cap- raid on a militant hideout in Azim- operations have taken place since Chowdhury, thought to be one of population, is still desperately ture of two female militants and pur, refused to surrender and the July 1 Gulshan café attack that the masterminds of the café attack. Police in India claim to have rupees (£3,600). poor and is understandably deter- rescue of three children. Two oth- opened fire at the police. He was killed 22 people, mostly foreign- “Neo JMB”, an offshoot of cracked a major baby smuggling Detectives also claimed to have mined to develop. The easiest way ers were killed in the raid– a wom- later found dead inside the flat. ers. Over the last few months, law Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh ring after arresting six people linked arrested 18 people after rescuing to get richer is to industrialize and an killing herself by detonating a Home Minister Asaduzzaman enforcers conducted such drives in (JMB), is inspired by the ideolo- to the kidnapping racket. 10 babies from an old age home, dig up a bunch of coal and burn suicide vest and a teenage boy Khan Kamal, who visited the Kalyanpur, Rupnagar, Azimpur, gies of Islamic State. Five women and a man in that had sold at least 50 infants, in it—and India is endowed with a whose cause of death remains un- scene, said the boy got engaged in Savar, Narayanganj, Gazipur and (indianexpress) Bombay have been detained on relation to a human trafficking rack- very large coal deposits. Accord- clear, reports the Dhaka Tribune. suspicion of abducting babies and et in Kolkata earlier this year. ing to the BNEF report, Indian The operation, codenamed selling them on to childless cou- India has a notoriously bad emissions are set to soar. So it’s Ripple 24, was carried out early ples. The country’s National track record over human traffick- increasingly in India, and to a less- Saturday after a tip-off that want- Crime Records Bureau registered ing. The number of kidnappings er extent Southeast Asia, where the ed militant Musa was staying in 82,999 cases of kidnapping and ab- and abductions last year was a fight against global warming will the house. Also, two women – wife ductions last year and 3,490 cases 263.5 per cent increase on 2005 be lost or won. In order to prevent of Major (retd) Jahid, allegedly the of child trafficking. levels. dangerous climate change, India will need to industrialize different- trainer of Gulshan and Sholakia “We have formed three teams The Independent has previ- ly from the way Europe, the US attackers, and wife of “Neo JMB” to find more suspects who are in- ously told how an Indian girl was and East Asia did. It will have to leader Maynul Musa – surrendered volved in the network and are try- rescued from kidnap thanks to a skip most of the coal stage and go with two babies. ing our best to rescue other babies tweet and how child victims of the right to solar. The falling cost of Jebunnahar Shila, widow Ja- who were sold by them,” said Nepal earthquake were being sold solar will help with that, obvious- hid alias Murad, surrendered with Bombay Zone 6 Deputy Police to factories. Human trafficking: ly, but India’s unusually abundant, her one-and-a-half-year-old daugh- Commissioner Shahaji Umap. Children suffer severe mental is- cheap coal resources mean it will ter and Trsihna, wife of Musa, too Police reportedly cottoned on sues The alleged Bombay baby- be late to the renewable party un- was with her daughter, aged six to to the six alleged gang members selling ring allegedly conned peo- less the government takes action. seven months, surrendered to the after a boy was reported kid- ple in the street, convincing them Although the Narendra Modi ad- police. SWAT, Bomb Disposal napped from his Bombay home. to part with their children in ex- ministration has made big promis- Unit of the CTTC and different The child was tracked down earli- change for big money. es on cutting carbon emissions, other units were involved in the er this month and found with a gang “The illegal adoptions in dif- many question the government’s 15-hour raid in the densely popu- member in Goa. ferent states is helping this racket ability and will to follow through, lated neighbourhood. The target She reportedly confessed that enjoy the money after selling the especially given the country’s tra- was a flat on the ground floor of a the gang kidnapped babies and babies,” said DCP Umap, speak- ditional reluctance to address the three-storey building of Jamal presented them as their own to sell ing to Indian publication Mid-Day. issue. (Bloomberg) Hossain, a Bangladeshi living in to customers for up to 300,000 (independent.) MONDAY . DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief New offensive Refugees in Greece work targets rebels on together and build communities Aleppo's outskirts Athens, Greece - About one in 10 of the 60,000 refugees in Greece do not live in government camps or NGO shelters, but in squats such as disused schools which operate under the protec- tion of the anarchist movement. In these corners, refugees from Syria, Palestine, Afghani- stan and Iraq are creating their own community centres in Ath- named source as saying the plane ens. Now that they have food, had not sent an SOS signal. Krem- clothing and education, they are lin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told striving for fuller lives and self- reporters on Sunday it was too empowerment. early to say what had caused the Jafra is the first relief organ- crash. President Vladimir Putin isation in Greece formed exclu- was being kept informed of latest developments, Peskov added. sively by refugees. Among its Syrian government forces have the school had been transformed initiatives is a series of dance More than 60 members of the internationally-renowned Red launched a new offensive against into "an ammunitions and explo- lessons for refugee children to rebels on the outskirts of the city sive devices warehouse left behind connect with their culture. Army Choir were on board, Rus- sia's defence ministry said. of Aleppo. by terrorist groups in the Sukkari "Almost all the world be- The fighting comes after claims neighbourhood". lieves that refugees are weak," A list of passengers and crew published by the ministry showed by Syrian state television of at Citing a police source, SANA Housam Jackl, Jafra spokesper- least three deaths due to opposi- said another 33 people were son, told Al Jazeera. that 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, the army's official mu- tion shelling of a district, and just wounded in the blast, four of them "They came from war, by two days after the Syrian army critically, but did not specify smugglers to the sea. We believe sical group, and its conductor Valery Khalilov were on board the gained full control of Aleppo city. whether they were civilians or gov- that the refugees have a lot of At least six civilians were also ernment troops. experience. They can organise Tu-154 traveling to Syria to cele- brate the New Year with Russian killed on Saturday in air strikes on Mamoun Abu Nowar, Jorda- [community activities] by them- the rebel-held town of Atareb, west nian military analyst, discusses selves. We wanted to change the troops. Russia's Defence Minis- try regularly flies musicians into of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Syrian army's challenges image of refugees." Most Jafra Observatory for Human Rights. A correspondent for Lebanon's members are women, who have Syria to put on concerts for mili- tary personnel. The base they were The SOHR, a UK-based infor- Hezbollah-run Al Manar TV was organised a knitting room. They mation office that has been docu- reporting live from the area when sold clothes for a small income. heading for, Hmeymim, is in A Russian Defence Ministry TU- aircraft had disappeared from ra- plane have already been found at a menting human-rights abuses in the blast sounded in the back- (english.alarabiya) Latakia province. It is from there 154 plane that had disappeared dar soon after taking off from So- depth of 50-70 metres at a distance that Russia flies air strikes against Syria, said at least two children ground, sending a huge cloud of from radar over the Black Sea with chi, a Black Sea resort town. of around 1.5 kilometres (0.93 Syrian rebels. Earlier in December, were among the dead. dust into the air. The correspon- French aid worker 92 people on board has crashed, The plane had disappeared miles)from the Russian coast, agen- another Russian Defence Minis- Covert US influence on Syr- dent later said that at least three the Interfax news agency reported from radar just minutes after take- cies reported Russia's RIA news try crashed in Siberia with 39 peo- ia's war The SOHR could not im- people were killed. kidnapped in Mali on Sunday, citing an unidentified off from Sochi, the BBC reported, agency, citing an unidentified se- ple on board as it tried to make an mediately specify who had carried The SOHR reported two source. A rescue team had found citing Russian media sources. curity source, said preliminary emergency landing near a Soviet- out the air raids, but Russian and deaths in the Sukkari warehouse, government warplanes typically but said the blast took place as A Frenchwoman who runs an the crash site in the Black Sea near Sources at the defense ministry data indicated that the plane had era military base. Nobody was the coast of the Sochi, Interfax said that there were 84 passengers crashed because of a technical mal- been killed in that incident, though carry out raids in Aleppo prov- army troops were dismantling ex- aid group has been kidnapped ince. An AFP correspondent in plosives. in Mali’s restive north, the said. Other Russian news agencies and 8 crew members on board. function or a pilot error. The In- 32 people were airlifted to hospi- reported earlier that the Russian Fragments found Fragments of the terfax news agency cited an un- tal. (Al Jazeera) Atareb said military aircraft could It said one other person was French foreign ministry con- be seen circling above the town and killed when an explosive devide firmed on Sunday. a nearby village throughout the detonated inside a home in the Sophie Petronin was ab- day. Ansari district. ducted in the city of Gao on Netanyahu fumes at ‘shameful,biased’UN vote Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbar- Elsewhere in Syria, the Dam- Saturday, the ministry said, ra, reporting from Turkey's Ga- ascus water authority said late on adding that French and Malian Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin zientep near the border with Syr- Friday that it had resorted to us- authorities were working to- ia, said the new wave of air strikes ing water reserves to meet the gether “to find and free our com- Netanyahu on Saturday rejected a UN resolution demanding a halt to were concentrated on eastern, city's demands. patriot as quickly as possible.” southern and northern outskirts of Mostafa Koshcheshm, Irani- Petronin was the director of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Aleppo, appearing to be aimed at an commentator, analyses the Syria a non-governmental organiza- keeping rebel forces away from the conflict The authority accused tion that helps children suffer- "The decision that was taken was biased and shameful, but we recaptured city. "People are con- rebels who control territory north- ing from malnutrition, the min- cerned because there are thousands west of the Syrian capital of con- istry said, adding that officials will withstand it," he said in his first official reaction since Friday's of civilians who are still trapped taminating the water's source, al- were in contact with her family. on the outskirts of Aleppo, par- Fija spring. Malian officials had on Sat- Security Council vote. "It will take time, but this de- ticularly those who have been evac- The water authority said it urday reported the kidnapping uated from eastern Aleppo," he expected the problem to be re- of a woman with dual French cision will be annulled," he said at a Hanukkah candle-lighting cere- said. "If the fighting continues, that solved in a "few days". and Swiss nationality in Gao, could further exacerbate the situa- Syrian government forces and but the Swiss foreign ministry mony broadcast by Israeli televi- sion. The council passed the mea- tion." Russia launched its air war allied paramilitaries entered east- said Sunday there was no indi- in support of President Bashar al- ern Aleppo on Thursday after the cation that Petronin held Swiss sure after the United States ab- stained, enabling the adoption of Assad's forces in September 2015, last residents and opposition fight- citizenship. Northern Mali fell marking a major turning point in ers were evacuated from the en- to jihadist groups linked to Al- the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settle- the government's fight against clave under a Turkish-Russian Qaeda from March 2012. These armed opposition groups. In an- deal. The evacuees left for areas forces were driven out of key ment policy. Netanyahu hit out at the administration of US President other Aleppo-related develop- under control of rebels in the west- towns by a French-led military ment, Syrian state TV said an ex- ern Aleppo countryside and Idlib intervention the following year. Barack Obama, accusing it of strik- ing a "shameful blow against Israel plosion caused by a device left in- in northwestern Syria. Barely a week goes by without side a school by rebels rocked the The pullout has given Assad's attacks on security forces de- at the United Nations". He said Obama had broken a long-stand- eastern part of the city on Satur- forces full control over Aleppo, spite a peace pact signed last day as some residents were return- which had been divided between year following lengthy negotia- ing US commitment not to "dic- tate the terms of peace to Israel" he had given Israel's foreign minister a month to review "all Israel's engagements at the UN, including Israeli ing to their homes. his government and opposition tions between the government, State news agency SANA said fighters since 2012. (Al Jazeera) groups backing it and ethnic at the UN body. Netanyahu added funding for UN agencies and the presence in Israel of UN representatives". (english.alarabiya) Tuareg rebels. Kidnappings, however, are rare. (english.alarabiya) Thousands flee Under-pressure Trump to Saudis among typhoon Nock-Ten in other Arabs arrested in US the Philippines dissolve charitable foundation US President-elect Donald Trump contributing millions of dollars to immigration says he will be dissolving his phil- countless worthy groups, includ- anthropic foundation - the Donald ing supporting veterans, law en- sting J Trump Foundation - to avoid forcement officers and children," conflicts of interest once he takes Trump said in a statement. over at the White House. "However, to avoid even the Saudi, Jordanian, Iraqi and Leb- However, the move has been appearance of any conflict with my anese citizens were among 74 dismissed by the attorney general role as president I have decided to foreign nationals arrested in an office which, in a statement re- continue to pursue my strong in- operation carried out by the US leased to US media on Saturday, terest in philanthropy in other Immigration and Customs En- said Trump could not yet close the ways." forcement (ICE) across Michi- foundation because it was still un- His private foundation has gan and Ohio. “Those arrested Thousands of residents were flee- ing to an official tally. ing coastal and other hazardous Evacuations were continuing der investigation by New York at- been at the centre of several con- had criminal histories with past torney general Eric Schneiderman. troversies - including how much convictions for drug trafficking, areas in eastern Philippines as the early on Christmas Day with powerful typhoon Nock-Ten bar- trucks provided by the military as "The Trump Foundation is still money he has actually given it - DUI, weapons violations, fraud, under investigation by this office and is under investigation. domestic violence, burglary and relled towards the archipelago. well as local governments sent to Philippine and international coastal communities and other ar- and cannot legally dissolve until A Washington Post investiga- other serious criminal offenses. that investigation is complete," tion in June said Trump had given Four of those taken into custo- weather services said the typhoon, eas that have been hit by landslides named after a bird found in Laos, or flash floods in previous storms. Schneiderman spokeswoman Amy just a fraction of the money he had dy were criminal aliens who Spitalnick said. promised to charity, and it was now face federal prosecution for was set to hit Bicol on Sunday before reaching the rest of the main Filipino fishermen prepare for Trump's portfolio of US and only after public pressure that he White House. Trump has pledged to disclose his tax returns but has yet re-entry after deportation, a fel- overseas business interests and made good on a pledge to cough to follow through. He says they are being audited. ony punishable by up to 20 island of Luzon on Monday. the arrival of the typhoon [EPA] Officials warned 2.5-metre Nock-Ten, which will arrive holdings, as well as his his philan- up $1m to a nonprofit group for On December 15, he was scheduled to hold a news conference to years in prison,” an ICE state- thropic foundation, have come veterans. announce plans for his business during his four-year term in office, but ment said this week. Those who high waves and landslides posed outside the normal typhoon sea- the biggest threats as Nock-Ten son, disrupted the celebration of under increased scrutiny since his His move to close the founda- it was postponed to an undetermined date in January. are not being criminally prose- election. tion comes amid intense criticism So far the 70-year-old billionaire has said only that his two adult cuted will be processed admin- closed in on the Bicol peninsula one of the most important holi- and nearby islands. days in the mainly Catholic coun- "The foundation has done enor- of Trump's ethics and transparen- sons, Donald Jr and Eric, would take over and that the company would istratively for removal from the mous good work over the years in cy choices on the way into the do no new deals while he serves as president. (CNN) United States. The arrestees "We went around with mega- try's religious calendar, with all who have outstanding orders of phones and gave instructions to our ferry services and some commer- deportation, or who returned to people to have breakfast, pack and cial flights suspended. the United States illegally after board the military trucks," Alber- Some of the thousands of com- being deported, are subject to to Lindo, an official of Alcala, a muters stranded at dozens of Bi- Putin, Rowhani welcome Aleppo ‘victory’ farming village of 3,300 people near col ports that were closed for the immediate removal from the Iran’s President Hassan Rowhani providing further details. Iran and national terrorism,” added Putin. refugees to flee their homes. Rus- country. "Targeted immigration the active Mayon volcano, told typhoon spent the night inside AFP news agency. evacuation centres on Friday. and his Russian counterpart Russia have been the key backers Syrian troops this week retook sia’s entry into the conflict in Sep- enforcement operations like this Vladimir Putin welcomed the “Syr- of Syrian President Bashar al-As- control of eastern Aleppo, which tember 2015 - primarily through one highlight ICE’s ongoing "There are large ash deposits Elsewhere, the coastguard on on the slopes. Heavy rain can dis- Sunday ordered the beaches south ian army’s victory against the ter- sad and label all rebel forces in the has been held by disparate rebel air strikes - helped turn the tide commitment to strategically use rorists in Aleppo” during a late- country as “terrorists.” “The re- groups since mid-2012, after a dev- for Assad, while Iran has provided agency resources to make com- lodge them and bury our homes in of Manila to be cleared of holiday- mud." The US Joint Typhoon makers by Monday. night phone call, Iranian media re- sult of this cooperation is a major astating month-long offensive that military advisors and frontline munities safer," said Rebecca ported on Sunday. victory in the fight against inter- has caused tens of thousands of “volunteer” fighters. (CNN) Adducci, field office director for Warning Center has forecast sus- "All forms of recreational ac- tained winds of 231kmph and tivity (on the coasts) will be “The Syrian army’s victory sends ERO Detroit, which covers a message that the terrorists can- Michigan and Ohio. "These ac- gusts of 278kmph when Nock-Ten banned," coastguard spokesman makes landfall. The typhoon will Armando Balilo told local broad- not achieve their objectives. We tions focus our resources on the must stop terrorists using the most egregious offenders and affect an area populated by nearly caster ABS-CBN television. 42 million people, including the He said residents of seaside ceasefire to rebuild their forces and promote public safety in the create new bases in other regions communities in which we live capital Manila, which was forecast slums in Manila have also been to be hit on Monday. warned to leave their homes. of Syria,” Rowhani said following and work.” The foreign nation- the call on Saturday night, accord- als arrested during the operation Earlier, civil defence officials Storm surges devastated the said nearly half a million people in city of Tacloban and nearby areas ing to a statement published by include citizens of 18 countries, state media. including Mexico, Guatemala, the region were in harm's way and when super typhoon Haiyan needed to be evacuated. struck the central Philippines in Putin also welcomed the de- Bosnia, Burma, Honduras, Ec- feat of rebel forces in Syria’s sec- uador, Bhutan, El Salvador, Ja- The government called for pre- November 2013, leaving 7,350 emptive evacuations in the region people dead or missing. ond city and said cooperation be- maica, Iraq, Venezuela, Jordan, tween Tehran and Moscow “will Ukraine, Pakistan, Lebanon, on Friday, with nearly 4,000 resi- An average of 20 storms and dents moving into emergency cen- typhoons strike the Philippines continue”. Zambia, Saudi Arabia, and Ger- They said peace talks would many. (english.alarabiya) tres and more than 8,000 others each year, routinely killing hun- seeking shelter elsewhere, accord- dreds of people. (Al Jazeera) take place in Kazakhstan, without MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 2016 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 By Noman Wazir Phone No: +93-797070563 Yet another year to end, which premacy in central Asia. Hence- with Taliban in Afghanistan. ever, the one thing which was seems to be no way different forth, Afghanistan has become The essential ideological differ- missing is the inclusion of all E-mail: [email protected] from the previous ones. The the battleground for US, Chi- ence and the anti-Shia posture the stake holders in these dia- turmoil in the world is still per- na, Pakistan, India, KSA and of the Taliban are perceived logue processes. The Murree Email: [email protected] sistent, and it seems that peo- Iran’s conflicting interests. Be- against the interest of Iran. Talks (if it reached to an agree- ple are deliberately bent on de- sides, they all are vying hard Therefore, Iran might opt for ment) wouldn’t bear fruition in www.afghanistantimes.af stroying the mother earth. Our to secure their vested interests direct confrontation with the a long run due to absence of immediate Muslim neighbor at the expense of the Afghans Taliban (if an agreement bro- India. Similarly Qatar Talks was Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi country Afghanistan, seems to and the entire region. kered) that he considers the incomplete without the pres- be in the situation of 80’s if After the end of the com- proxy of Gulf monarchies. ence of Pakistan and Iran. Advisory editorial board looked upon the other way. The bat mission of ISAF and US in Pakistan and India are also The 2017 can be a different Taliban summer offensive, rise 2014, only 12000 troops were playing the zero sum game in year for Afghanistan and the Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, of IS (Islamic State) and the left for the training of ANA (Af- Afghanistan. Owing to this, the region as a whole, if the region- Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal, Saboor Sarir armed rally of the son of Ahmed ghan National Army) and law Afghan government is unable al and neighboring powers sit shah Massoud is the remake of enforcement agencies. Chinese to maintain the balance be- on a table. Henceforth, present Graphic-Designer: the ‘ethnic cum religious war’ abhor the presence of Ameri- tween the two arch-rivals. their fears and prospective in- fueled by the neighbors and can troops near its border. Sino- Therefore, whatever Afghan terests. Edriss Akbari, Bilal Yusufi global hegemony. US struggle for global domi- government does is considered The platform which can be Marketing & Advertising: It goes without saying that nance is an open secret. The to be against the interest of best suited for the purpose will Afghanistan is geographically militarization of South-China Pakistan or India. But the Af- be Shanghai cooperation orga- Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 a landlocked country, but Geo- sea and the presence of the US ghan Unity government (AUG) nization (SCO). Russia and Chi- Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan Politically situated on prime lo- 7th naval fleet in IOR (Indian should show some restrain in na has to play their role in their cation. It is a gateway to the Ocean Region) are all adding dealing with rivalries of region- vicinity to exert the multipolar- Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 energy rich CARs (Central to the belief that US is not go- al and global powers. The pos- ity in the world order. Other- Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press Asian Republics). According to ing to leave Afghanistan in the ture of Afghanistan in the Heart wise the coming year will be the Islom Karimov: “It’s not a se- near future. Therefore, some of Asia conference is not go- repeat telecast of the saga of cret that after the Soviet col- political pundits are suggest- ing to benefit its cause. 80’s for Afghanistan. More- lapse and especially in recent ing that US doesn’t even want The issue of Afghanistan is over, the ambitious project The constitution says years, Central Asia has become peace in Afghanistan because in no way an internal one. OBOR (One Belt One Road) of the focus of interest of major to thwart Chinese global de- Therefore to solve the issue which CPEC is a part will be an Article 46: nations because of its geo- signs, peace in Afghanistan from within is a futile exercise. elusive dream. (The Pashtun Article Forty-Six: Establishing and administering higher, general and specialized educational institutions graphic location and rich min- can never be a priority for The peace processes in the Times) shall be the duty of the state. The citizens of Afghanistan shall establish higher, general and specialized eral resources”. America. shape of ‘Murree Talks’ and The writer is a socio-politi- educational as well as literacy institutions with permission of the state. The state shall permit foreign For the same reason both Iran is also a participant in ‘Qatar Talks’ are the right ap- cal analyst from FATA. He can individuals to establish higher, general and specialized institutions in accordance with the provisions of the regional and global powers are this tug of war, which will nev- proach to solve the enigma of be reached at law. Admission terms to higher educational institutes of the state and other related matters shall be flexing their muscles for su- er allow power sharing formula Afghan peace process. How- [email protected] regulated by law. Obama’s parting shot at Israel Fawaz Turki

There we were, those of us with cupied Palestinian land, a medley Netanyahu, news reports had What will the United States press credentials, at the United of 300 colonies to which it has it, was beside himself, frantically do? Will it be a veto or an absten- Nations Headquarters in the Tur- transferred roughly 600,000 colo- taking to Twitter in the dead of tion? Will Obama spring most tle Bay neighborhood of Manhat- nists, an act condemned far and night in Israel (the tweet clocked completely to life and deliver a shot tan last Thursday, hours before the wide, vehemently and forcefully, at 3:28 am) urging the Obama ad- across the bow, or will he eat hum- much anticipated 3:00 pm Securi- by world leaders - including Amer- ministration to veto the resolution. ble pie and go along to get along? ty Council vote on a resolution, ican leaders, all the way from Pres- And Donald Trump - yes, we have It is now close to lunch time in sponsored by Egypt, declaring ident Jimmy Carter, who declared to get used to that name - a man New York.Time for one of those that Israel’s ongoing colonization bluntly, “we consider these settle- who has made no secret of his in- overpriced burgers - that a freelanc- To preserve the gains made in the past 15 years in Afghanistan, the practices in the Palestinian terri- ments to be contrary to the Gene- tention to upend long-held US er could ill afford - in this most tories, including East Jerusalem, va Conventions, and that occupied Middle East policy by facilely expensive of cities. But wait. United States President signed the annual defense budget, autho- “have no legal validity” and repre- territory should not be changed by moving the American embassy to There’s a news bulletin. Egypt, sent a “flagrant violation of inter- establishment of permanent settle- Jerusalem and to appoint as the which initially had proposed the rizing $3.4 billion for Afghan National Security and Defense Forc- national law.” ments by the occupying power,” country’s next ambassador to Is- resolution on Wednesday evening, es (ANSDF). The annual defense budget—the National Defense Would the United States, in its to President Barack Obama, who rael an ardent supporter of the col- suddenly instructed its envoy, Amr odious efforts to appease Israel, declared equally bluntly, “Ameri- onies, wrote in a pre-dawn tweet, Aboulatta, to have it pulled, po- Authorization Act (NDAA) 2017—will help the Afghan security continue to act as if it is that enti- ca does not accept the legitimacy “The resolution being considered tentially indefinitely, with no ty’s retained advocate and veto the of continued Israeli settlements.” at the United Nation should be word on when or if it would be forces to degrade terrorists and secure the achievements made in resolution, as it had repeatedly Donald Trump will occupy the vetoed. This puts Israel in a very brought up again. The envoy, it was different sectors after fall of the Taliban’s regime. The good news done in the past with others like White House as the 45th president poor negotiating position and is later reported, had requested a “de- it? Or would President Obama, in of the United States. Folks, fasten extremely unfair to all Israelis.” lay” in the vote to permit Cairo to is that NDAA-2017 not only extends the special immigrant visa the waning days of his tenure as your seat belts for it’s gonna be a That Trump is a passionate conduct an "additional meeting of chief executive, take the audacious bumpy ride advocate of Israel’s expansionist the Arab League’s foreign minis- scheme for Afghan interpreters and other Afghans who are threat- step - audacious, given the stran- Fawaz Turki project goes back to 2003 when, ters to work on the resolution’s ened by the insurgents because of working for the US government gle-hold that Israeli pressure And Zubin Mehta, the re- according to the Washington Post, project." In other words, adios res- groups have traditionally had on nowned Indian conductor of West- he donated $10,000 - not a prince- olution. here, but the law has also made conditional the $400 of the $900 American administrations - of fir- ern classical music, embodied the ly sum, but the man is known to It all savored of anticlimax to a ing a parting shot at a colonization Third World’s view on the subject be cheap - to the West bank colo- day that was a cliffhanger right up million of the coalition support fund (CSF) to Pakistan. Islamabad policy he has long openly opposed when he asserted, with no need for ny of Beit El, built in 1977, which to lunchtime. But wait. Another will have to make sure that it is taking action against the notorious and at an insufferable Israeli leader elaboration, “So long as Israel houses one of Israel’s most right news bulletin, this one the follow- he has long loathed, by instructing keeps building settlements, the wing media outlets, Arutz Shiva, ing day. Other countries, it seems, Haqqani Network. his UN ambassador not to cast a world will be anti-Israeli.” Simple, and the most messianic of its colo- were prepared to take up the slack Conditioning significant portion of the CSF to Pakistan would veto? but to the point. nists. from where Egypt had left off. New The international community, It is still Thursday morning Some analysts have argued, not Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and help Afghanistan in the fight against militancy and terrorism. Af- by virtue of its being an amalgam and all eyes are on Samantha Pow- altogether unreasonably, that UN Senegal stepped in and re-spon- of different human collectivities er, the engagingly winsome, Irish resolutions condemning Israeli sored the resolution, which then ghan militants are enjoying support of state actors in Pakistan. They with at times contrasting views on American liberal academic and in- practices - pointing to numerous received a 14-to-0 vote, with the are treated in Pakistani hospitals and their families live in Quetta, how the global dialogue of cultures tellectual who serves as Obama’s ones that continued to languish US - hold on to your hat - abstain- should be conducted, does not of UN ambassador. Will she be in- since 1948 - have proved ineffec- ing. Israel’s campaign to derail it Peshawar, Islamabad and Karachi. The Quetta, Miranshah, Kara- course always think in lockstep. structed - has she already been in- tual at the end of the day, which in had failed. But among the few issues member structed - by her boss at the White turn is a measure of the limits of Less than hour after the vote, chi and Peshawar Shura of the Taliban are still intact. Pakistan has states at the United Nations are in House to veto the resolution, or UN influence on Israel when it the president-elect tweeted omi- not detained or deported top leaders of the Taliban and Haqqani full agreement on is that the acqui- perhaps to abstain, thus not just comes to this international body’s nously: “As to the UN, things will sition of territory by force of arms guaranteeing the resolution’s pas- ability to enforce its own rulings. be different after January 20.” At Network; though, it was agreed by the Quadrilateral Coordination is inadmissible in international law. sage but turning the vote into a last Nevertheless, a UN resolution rep- noon on that day, after giving his And even more inadmissible is the symbolic poke into Benjamin Net- resents a collective statement by oath of office, Donald Trump will Group that Pakistani military would take action against Afghan mil- transfer to and settlement in that anyahu’s eye, delivered by a frus- the international community of occupy the White House as the itants if they rejected participation in the peace process. territory by the population of the trated American president who had where it stands on an issue. To that 45th president of the United States. occupying power. supped his fill dealing with an in- extent, if nothing else, it carries Folks, fasten your seat belts for Besides that, the NDAA-2017 will have a psychological affect Israel has already built, on oc- corrigible Israeli expansionist? weight. it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. over Afghan insurgents and the Islamic State, aka Daesh. The mili- tants were hoping that the US and its allies would abandon the Afghan government. However, it did not happen. There is no sign of fatigue on part of the international partners. So, the funding to Afghan security forces would morale of anti-Afghanistan elements down. They will realize that through violence they cannot achieve their nefarious design or topple the Afghan government. The next spring offensive will further weaken the anti-government forces. Therefore, Afghans have welcomed the NDAA-2017. People of Afghanistan are hoping that the US forces would continue to target the insurgents and Daesh terrorists. But it is also true that only fighting militants would not bring peace and stability to Afghani- stan, though it could improve security situation. Thus, the US and other Afghan partners should explore all possible avenues to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table. Unfortunately, a few neighboring countries have recognized the Taliban as a parallel gov- ernment by contacting them. Afghan government should protest such contacts. To safeguard the gains, the US should also support Afghanistan by imposing economic sanctions on those countries which support Afghan insurgents. 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. MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

By Malak Chabkoun

By Salvatore Babones In the past few months, three are problematic, particularly be- All of these arguments are problem across pro-regime, oppo- Western women have gone to Syr- cause it's not just her - Robert Fisk, problematic for three reasons: they sition and even "neutral" media. ia, two of them by invitation and Tim Anderson and pro-Palestin- deny the presence of the Syrian This has been particularly evident the third on a regime-approved re- ian "activists" such as Rania narrative, place the "burden of as the world suddenly woke up to porting trip. The first two are now Khalek have all joined in on the proof" on the victims of war crimes the fact that something bad was on "speaking tours" to explain whitewashing. being committed by three differ- indeed happening in the country "what's really happening in Syria" The problem with these re- ent states, and remove all nuance only in the past few weeks as east- to the Western public. The third gime apologists is that they claim from analysis on Syria. ern Aleppo made headlines. one, however, was kicked out of to be journalists or academics or Idealism is nice on paper But claiming those who sup- Syria by the Bashar al-Assad re- both - independent ones at that. It is indeed imperative for kill- port or reject the revolution do so gime. Her crime? "Untrue report- Covering both sides of a story is ing in Syria to stop. Yes, anyone based on a "flawed sectarianism" ing" in the form of sharing tweets one thing. Acquiescing to the nar- who has taken innocent souls, re- and "geopolitical commitments" is containing photos and witness ac- ratives of three states wreaking gardless of "whose side they're unhelpful and uses terminology counts from people in besieged havoc on civilians across Syria on", must be brought to account. that is not only inflammatory but Eastern Aleppo, because the re- while doing so is another. However, any international con- also inaccurate. gime wouldn't give her or the other A genocide-denying regime and versation to stop killing in Syria Other cases of sloppy termi- journalists with her access to that its allies cannot be given the bene- must first plainly identify those nology have been more subtle. part of the city. fit of the doubt, and those public- who are committing the majority ISIL, Jabhat Fateh el-Sham and The three women are Eva Bar- ly defending such a regime are not of these crimes. Jund al-Aqsa are often called tlett, Vanessa Beeley and Cecilia journalists and must not be left For six years now, even the rebels, even though Syrians in ar- Udden. Udden is the one who was unchallenged. United Nations, which itself is eas outside regime control are them- removed from Syria by the Assad How many ways can I white- guilty of being biased towards the selves victims of these groups and regime for her willingness to at least wash thee? regime in more ways than one, can- have protested their presence. acknowledge the suffering of east- The regime and its allies' crimes not but admit that the biggest crim- While Daraya, Moadamieh, ern Aleppo's citizens. in Syria have been whitewashed in inals in Syria are the regime and its Aleppo and other cities were be- The first two of these women, several ways by journalists and allies. ing cleansed of their inhabitants, however, call themselves indepen- academics alike. Bartlett, Beeley, Most importantly, Syrians, at many media outlets called it evac- dent journalists, yet post gushing Fisk and Khalek, for example, re- great personal risk, have docu- uation rather than forced displace- photos of themselves posing with peat the regime's propaganda al- mented the crimes of not only the ment. Bashar al-Assad on social media, most verbatim, claiming that regime and its allies, but also of These are small examples, but appear on Russian state television what's happening in Syria is a war groups in the Islamic State of Iraq they help whitewashers to discred- to peddle the Assad regime's lines against terrorists. and the Levant and Jabhat Fateh it even the most solid evidence that and travel across the United States Others argue that Assad is bad el-Sham category, for nearly six the Assad regime and its allies have to accuse anyone opposing Assad but that they see no other alterna- years now. been at the forefront of commit- of being an al-Qaeda sympathiser. tive to his regime. Yet, two white women, in one ting atrocities in Syria for years The Listening Post - Journal- Others have argued any West- swoop, would like to claim that now. ists in exile: Getting the news back ern intervention for regime change Syrians in Aleppo are lying about Leaving whitewashers unchal- into Syria (8:33) in Syria would only cause further the destroyed eastern part of the lenged says more about us than Channel 4, Snopes, EA World- loss of life, so it must be avoided. city and that the Assad regime, about them. It indicates that we

When former Chinese Politburo most cherished goals when the In- Dubai or Singapore. The king of member Zhou Yongkang was ar- ternational Monetary Fund (IMF) the duty-free shopping world is rested in 2014 on corruption charg- added the Chinese yuan (also Seoul, South Korea - and the buy- es, the scale of his ill-gotten gains known as the Renminbi) to the ers are nearly all from China. was astounding, totalling some basket of international currencies Seoul's Incheon Airport gen- $16bn. When sums that large are that are used to calculate the value erates nearly $2bn of duty-free involved most of the assets have of Special Drawing Rights (XDR), sales every year, putting it neck to be invested in financial instru- the IMF's benchmark unit for in- and neck with Dubai International ments and real estate. ternational reserves. Airport at the top of the global But the list of physical cur- The yuan received a weighting rankings. But in Seoul, sales at the rency found in his homes is reveal- of 10.92 percent of the value of airport are just the tip of the ice- ing: 152.7 million Chinese yuan the XDR. The IMF made room berg. (valued at the time at $24.5m), for the inclusion of the yuan by Chinese travellers shopping in 662,000 Euros, 10,000 British substantially reducing the weight- central Seoul pick out their per- pounds, 55,000 Swiss francs - and ing of the euro. The euro now fumes, alcohol, and cigarettes at $275m. makes up just 30.93 percent of the dedicated downtown outlets, take The former head of China's XDR basket, down from 37.4 per- their receipts to the airport, and internal security services and one cent. The pound is down to 8.09 pick up their goods at their depar- of the 10 most powerful men in percent (from 11.3 percent) and ture gates. China apparently preferred to the Japanese yen fell to 8.33 per- There they leave behind moun- keep his "petty cash" mainly in cent (from 9.4 percent). tains of trash as they repack their US dollars. In a largely symbolic gesture, purchases into carry-on bags. He's not alone. China lost the weight of the US dollar in the Adding in these downtown sales around $1 trillion to capital flight calculation of XDRs was also re- brings Seoul's duty-free total to just in 2015, before clamping down duced: from 41.9 percent to 41.73 over $8bn, a figure that dwarfs all hard at the beginning of 2016. Much percent. The yuan might displace other venues. of this money leaves China via fake the euro, the pound, and the yen, But don't go to Seoul expect- invoicing in Hong Kong, where the but it has had little impact on the ing to shop duty-free in local Ko- local currency is pegged to the US dollar. In fact, the almighty dollar rean won. All the prices are post- dollar. Illicit outflows are also fa- remains the dominant currency on ed in US dollars. cilitated by casinos in the Philip- world markets, involved in 88 per- That's not for the convenience pines, South Korea, and on remote cent of all international currency of the Korean retailers, American Pacific islands, all of which oper- trades (PDF). tourists, or Korea-based American view and Pulse Media and others There are those who admit and Russia and Iran are bombing civil- are either not willing or unable to ate primarily in dollars. For the Chinese government troops heading home to their fam- have done thorough fact-checking extensively cover the crimes of the ian areas because they just want a seek out truth. When we leave Predictions of the dollar's de- itself, the dollar-yuan exchange rate ilies. debunking Bartlett in particular. Assad regime, yet give the regime terrorist-free Syria. Inside Story: whitewashers to continue their mise, and eventual replacement by is the only relevant exchange rate. The prices are set in dollars There is no need to rehash their a platform to spread lies. A war crimes investigation in Syr- campaigns unchecked, we put our the Chinese yuan, are a staple of The Chinese yuan is benchmarked because the dollar is the currency findings. Still others say it doesn't mat- ia - but will anyone be charged? own voices at risk of being mar- global economic punditry, but they daily to the dollar through the man- of choice for Chinese shoppers. But there is a great need to ter who is doing the killing in Syria (24:40) Nuance in analysing Syria ginalised in the very same way have little basis in reality. Of agement of the central parity rate, Over the last four decades, address why people like Bartlett - it just needs to stop. has been and continues to be a when it is our turn to speak. course, China has become an im- the average of the start-of-day ex- China has accomplished unprece- portant component of the global change rates offered by major deal- dented feats of economic growth. economy, accounting for more than ers. But it's marred by corruption and 15 percent of global gross domes- Considering that all the major ruled by an authoritarian state. tic product. But when Chinese dealers in China are state-owned As long as China's political people themselves prefer to hold banks, the dollar-yuan central par- reforms lag decades behind its eco- dollars, there is little chance that ity rate is effectively an official nomic ones, the country will re- the Chinese yuan will ever replace exchange rate. Other currency rates main a place to make money, not a the US dollar as the world's key are set with reference to the dollar place to keep money. currency. rate. It is unrealistic to expect the Abdulrahman al-Rashed The almighty dollar Duty-free but not dollar free world to turn to the yuan when On December 1, 2015, the The world's largest duty-free the Chinese people themselves Oil revenues greatly deteriorated my of big companies. With all my most modern technologies, it will employ thousands of profession- Chinese government met one of its shopping operation isn't in flashy prefer to trade in dollars. this year to the extent that many respect to experts who always talk build a massive and organized mar- al Saudis for minimum wages, pro- Saudis accept the call to give up about supporting medium and ket. Big companies’ work along- vide long-term contracts and guar- complete dependence on oil which small-sized institutions and who side governmental institutions and antee consumers the safety of ser- they’ve grown addicted to for de- believe it’s a solution to hire thou- can help them serve the market by vices for many years, like the case cades. The proposed solution is sands of people, I think the best imposing their needs on the edu- is with organized societies. LETTER TO THE EDITOR bitter but it’s necessary to save the option for Saudi Arabia is the op- cational and training sectors. The Now, the Saudi private sector country, protect the future of the posite of that. Transforming into state’s important role will be “pro- is poor except for major special- coming generations and build a a market of large-scale companies ducing” giant companies by devel- ized companies. Most available stronger state and healthier econo- will contribute to developing ser- oping regulations and granting con- companies are commercial brands my. vices and industries, facilitate citi- tracts and loans. We have few old which are not enough to depend Social media power The declaration of the state’s zens’ training and employment examples in this field. Sabic is an on to establish a real, productive new budget a few days ago woke process and protect Saudization example of a developed and indus- and permanent market. Big com- Social media is playing key role in promoting unity among different people in many people up to the fact that which the government failed to trial institution as it has 40,000 panies are few and can be counted we are entering a new phase. Work impose on the private sector for employees, most of whom are Sau- on the fingers of one hand and it’s different countries. In Afghanistan social media users are pay great heed toward has begun to reduce dependence 30 consecutive years. Big compa- dis serving in advanced fields. impossible for them to contain national unity and also highlighting problems doing round in the society. on oil and decrease the role of the nies can organize the market and There are experiments which thousands of graduates especially “mother” government. Saudi Ara- develop it in their favor. Compa- failed, most of the time due to reg- after the government decided to Using social media in positive way is carrying more weight than any force in bia is transferring within the spirit nies that have high capital can in- ulations or lack thereof. abandon the role of the employee. and text of the project. troduce complicated and costly The most recent was Panda’s The government’s philosophy is particular matter. It says it depends on the pri- technology, spend on building big groceries project in neighborhoods. that it helps them learn and en- People use social media to convey their messages. Social media is the fastest and vate sector a lot as it chose it as a networks for distribution and ex- This is in addition to the experi- courages them to train but they major partner to provide key ser- pand across the country. Perhaps ence of franchise shops that are must work in the market and the simply way to convey message to anyone you want. vices in terms of education, medi- it’s best for countries with labor similar to giant American compa- market is small as there are thou- Muqtadir Ahmad, Kabul, Afghanistan cation, transportation and other intensive industries, like Egypt, or nies. sands of small shops that do not fields. This successful model can countries with low investments, These may have failed due to train, expand and develop. be seen in countries which do not like Pakistan, to develop small in- the market’s disorder and due to Since the government decided count on the public sector in their stitutions because they are the way the lack of controls on licenses. that the private sector is its part- economy. to employ people with minimum Failure is clear evidence of the bad ner, it must shake it up and re- Transferring a big part of these costs. role of small institutions as they’ve establish it. tasks to the private sector is a wise Since the government decided turned into cover-up businesses The current market was estab- Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must move but I think the problem is that the private sector is its part- and they monopolize the market lished for different aims and dur- have the writer’s name and address. You may send your letters to: [email protected] that the private sector is weak and ner, it must shake it up and re- in favor of foreigners. ing a past era. I think the govern- it cannot be depended upon to establish it The government will remain ment should plan and encourage perform the major aspired-to tasks Abdulrahman al-Rashed the source of economy’s life as it’s building different companies that as except for a few companies, the Saudi Arabia’s option is to capable of building the market all resemble those in developed mar- rest are just a massive market of transform into the economy of big over again. For instance, through kets and list them on the stock ex- Disclaimer: scattered shops that live off the companies in construction, indus- its massive construction contracts, change like it did with Sabic and easy money coming from oil. If the tries and healthcare, educational, it can set the condition that a per- the electricity and transportation The views and opinions expressed in the articles are government looks forward to trans- technological and technical servic- centage of the work is performed companies. By doing so, the state those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or forming into a country where the es, including engineering, plumb- by major local companies that are can depend on the private sector opinions of the Afghanistan Times. private sector is efficient and pro- ing and electricity. By resorting to specialized in providing engineer- and the government’s role can be ductive, it must rely on the econo- global expertise and adopting the ing and electrical services. This will organizational and regulatory. MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Since childhood, 29-year-old Hussain and others from his com- Miya on Facebook in late April. both Assam and Delhi. to violence between members of Assam before March 25, 1971, the work as seasonal labourers, and Shalim Hussain, a research scholar munity have found a way to take His poem received hundreds of At a recent festival celebrating the indigenous Bodo tribe and date Bangladesh was created. don't always maintain proper doc- at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia the derogatory term Miya and sub- likes, comments and shares, and the culture of India's northeastern Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam's The opening stanzas of umentation. University, has contended with vert it. triggered a series of spontaneous states in the capital Delhi, the As- eastern districts, leaving dozens of Ahmed's poem, Write Down I Am In their state election cam- being called a "Miya". Although Despite the low levels of liter- poetic responses. samese poet and Delhi-based aca- people dead and hundreds of thou- A Miya, ask if Miya is associated paign, the BJP had promised to the word literally means gentleman acy prevalent in the community - Hussain, who says earlier he demic Nitoo Das singled out Miya sands displaced from both sides. with hate and points out one way strip Muslim immigrants of vot- in Urdu, Hussain learned at a the most recent government sur- mainly wrote about love and death, Poetry as an important new voice In 2014, the violence occurred in a in which the NRC is used - as a ing rights and deport those who young age that in his home state of vey in 2003 found that the average responded next with his poem in the region. Hussain recently won more one-sided way; militant Bo- means for Muslims of Bengali or- were deemed illegal migrants if it Assam, Miya is a slur meaning literacy rate on the chars was 19 called Nana I Have Written, assert- a prestigious grant to research the dos burned the homes of Muslim igin to prove that they are Indian came to power. "Bangladeshi" or "illegal immi- percent, compared with the state ing his identity as a "Miya" for genre. families, killing dozens of people. citizens: Recently, while travelling close grant". average of 54 percent - a growing the first time. Ahmed, speaking to Al Jazeera Proving one is Indian I have two children to the Bangladesh border, Hussain In Assam, a northeastern bor- number of younger people from To date, about 20 mostly by phone, says it wasn't just the Both Ahmed and Hussain re- Another is coming met an 83-year-old woman whose der state in India, "Miya" is exclu- Hussain's community are pursing young poets have written poems, assembly elections result which fer to the National Register of Cit- Next summer. citizenship was called into ques- sively directed at Muslims of Ben- higher education in English and sharing them on Facebook. These inspired him to write, but an over- izens (NRC) in their work. Will you hate him tion - she was declared a Doubtful gali origin. working in academia, NGOs, med- include established poets as well all anger "which can no longer be The NRC was completed in As you hate me? Voter owing to a revision of the Migration to the state from icine and law. Some are using their as occasional writers, academics ignored". 1951 and, after that, never updat- At the same time, the poem electoral roll. Cases such as hers what is now Bangladesh pre-dates skills for social activism in collec- and activists as well as grassroots Ahmed believes decades of ed. Responding to several public reflects the community's fears are referred to courts called the the present international borders. tives such as the Muslim Youth leaders, writing in English, Assa- "discrimination and torture" are to petitions seeking information on about how the register could be Foreigners' Tribunals. Sometimes, A fear of illegal migrants, perceived Forum Against Communalism, mese or local dialects of Bengali. blame. and action against illegal immi- misused - to disenfranchise Ben- people are sent to detention camps to grab land and corrupt the local Terrorism, and Sedition (MY- Miya poetry has been noticed Although the 1983 massacre grants in Assam, the Supreme gali-origin Muslims by deeming to wait until the special courts hear culture, has been played up in lo- FACTS) and Jhai Foundation, outside the community as well. was the most deadly incident of Court in 2014 ordered the state them illegal migrants if they do not their cases. There are almost 500 cal politics for just as long. which works for the rights and These poems have been pub- communal violence, it did not stop government to update the NRC. possess the right documentation. people in these centres, according "Even in 1946, when state elec- socially uplifting of Muslims in lished in online literary journals there. Now, all residents must show doc- Citizens who live on the chars, for to the news weekly India Today. tions were held, migration of Ben- the state. and featured at poetry readings in In 2012, clashes over land led uments to prove they settled in instance, often travel in search of (Aljazeera) gali-origin Muslims into Assam Now, Hussain and others are was a big issue," says Sanjoy Haz- using poetry as a tool of resistance, arika, an Assamese scholar and di- confrontation and empowerment. rector of the Commonwealth Hu- This emerging form of expression man Rights Initiative in Delhi. is known as Miya poetry. The prejudice against Mus- Miya poetry lims of Bengali origin, a communi- The roots of this new genre lie ty which remains largely impov- in a 1939 poem titled A Charuwa's erished, has led not only to abu- Proposition by Maulana Bande sive language but recurring com- Ali. Although Ali did not use the munal violence as well. word Miya, his poem is consid- Growing up on one of Assam’s ered the first example of someone more than 2,000 chars, or river is- within the community asserting lands, where 85 percent of the their identity. population consists of Muslims of In 1985, Khabir Ahmed wrote Bengali origin, Hussain felt safe. I Beg To State That, which includ- But at the prestigious Cotton Col- ed lines such as "I am a settler, a lege in the state capital of Guwa- hated Miya". It was written in the hati, where his relatively well-to- aftermath of the so-called Nellie do parents had sent him for higher Massacre of 1983, in which more education, he quickly learned how than 2,000 Bengali-origin Muslims many in Assam see his communi- were killed in just six hours. His ty. poem is considered the first true "In 2005, the annual floods assertion of Miyaness and sparked displaced many people from the a trend of protest poetry within chars and they started settling in his community. temporary shelters on the pave- But this new wave of Miya ments of Guwahati," he recalls, poetry has had a wider reach, with sitting cross-legged on a thin mat- social media spreading the work tress in his sparsely furnished two- beyond a small literary elite. room flat in Delhi's Muslim-ma- It began earlier this year, short- jority residential area of Zakir Na- ly after the April 4 and 11 state gar, close to Jamia Millia Islamia assembly elections, in which ille- University, where he is pursuing a gal immigration was a prominent PhD in English literature. campaign issue. When the results "The Assamese students at were announced on May 19, an Cotton College participated very unprecedented victory was actively in forcefully evicting them. claimed by the Bharatiya Janata These kind of informal evictions Party (BJP), the Hindu national- happen often, but it was the first ist party of Prime Minister Naren- time I saw one," he says. dra Modi. What he saw scared him. The movement began with "I realised there was a divide Hafiz Ahmed, an academic, social between us and other Assamese." activist and poet in his 50s, who More than a decade since, published Write Down I Am A Kashmir: A look at the Kunan Poshpora rapes Twenty-five years have passed girls were encouraged to attend Indian security forces. Militants sidered the best for Kashmiri girls. demanded that the culture of si- since the 1991 incident in which college, work and occupy high also used rape, especially if wom- Some families express discomfort lence [over rape] be broken. It Indian army soldiers allegedly positions. But they were forced en were caught as informers. For about women working with men. seemed to be an apt time for talk- raped between 23 and 100 women to drop out due to the conflict. example, in the 1990s, a Kashmiri Caste and class considerations can ing about gendered violence in in Kashmir’s Kunan and Poshpo- During the conflict, women Pandit [Hindu] nurse was raped be important in selection of part- Kashmir. Events in India do im- ra villages during a search opera- helped [fighters] with meals and and shot for being a suspected ners, but such ideas are slowly pact us, especially movements led tion. shelter, and acted as their couriers. police informer. changing, especially among the by the people. But while most oth- The Indian army has denied the Increasing instances of rape Similarly, there are instances middle class. er agitating groups do not want accusations and a delayed investi- were recorded after the armed up- of Indian security forces raping There is complete silence freedom from India, Kashmiris gation of the incident concluded rising began in 1990s and incidents female members of a militant’s fam- around premarital sex since Kash- want self-determination. Butt: Mining plant planned to that the allegations were “worth- like Kunan Poshpora made wom- ily as a way of punishing the fight- miri society considers this to be a Events from all over the world less” and no one was prosecuted en more aware of their vulnerabil- er. disgrace and dishonour. impact us, be it Palestine, Syria or for the alleged crimes. ity. Women were raped on both Butt: We have the liberty to Yemen. We express our solidarity be built on schedule in But, in 2013, a group of 50 Rapes were humiliating for the sides. choose our partners, that is, hus- with every oppressed nation and women, including the authors If- entire Kashmiri community and Al Jazeera: Men have been bands, but we cannot cohabitate groups like the Dalits or tribal rah Butt and Natasha Rather, pe- demoralising. As a result, women tortured and brutalised during the with a partner if unmarried. Pre- groups. We do it by writing about Turkmenistan titioned the Supreme Court of In- were made to cover their faces and conflict as well. What were the marital sex is a big no. Sexuality it and expressing ourselves on so- The Turkmen governmental delegation visited the mining plant dia to re-open the investigations. wear burqas. Their movements consequences? and related issues like rape or even cial media. Al Jazeera: Are you in- for the production of potash fertilizers, which is being built by Be- Since then, a reinvestigation was were restricted. Rather: Incidents of sexual tor- harassment are not discussed. dicating that Kashmir needs free- larusian Belgorkhimprom joint stock company in Turkmenistan, ordered and the Kashmir High But after a point they had to ture and assault against men and Al Jazeera: During the exodus dom first, and only then can social Turkmenistan’s Watan newspaper reported. Court ordered that victims be paid go out and work because the men boys have been recorded. But of Kashmiri Pandits during early problems like patriarchy and caste "In particular, irregularities were revealed in providing the con- compensation. The state govern- were being killed, or were in jail. many such incidents go unreport- 1990s, women from the Pandit be dealt with? Butt: We can solve tracting companies with the necessary materials,” the message said. ment and army have mounted ef- There are hundreds of half-widows ed because the victims fear shame community were reportedly our problems only if we are alive. According to the message, the necessary building materials were forts to stop these orders. in Kashmir - women whose hus- and dishonour. raped. Has the violence against We saw how young boys and girls purchased on the domestic market to accelerate the project imple- Al Jazeera spoke to Ifrah Butt bands disappeared. Butt: Also, I think, men start- them been forgotten? were killed since 2008. There are mentation. and Natasha Rather who, along Since the year 2000, more ed thinking that they could not Rather: Rape of a Kashmiri massacres, and if this continues, "The Belarusian side promised to commission the plant on March with three others, co-wrote a book, women started working. Now, take care of the women after inci- Pandit woman is as condemnable there will soon be no one left to 31, 2017," the message said. Do You Remember Kunan Posh- many own big businesses, bou- dents of rape and sexual assault as of a Kashmiri Muslim woman. deal with the other social prob- Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed the pora?, published earlier this year. tiques and beauty parlours, and are against women by military and Butt: There were some inci- lems. Once we get freedom we will importance of implementing the grand project within a specified Butt and Rather, both young in the bureaucracy. paramilitary forces increased. dents of rapes committed by mili- work for a perfect nation. But when period and instructed to control the pace of construction, the mes- women in their twenties, spoke But the result of militarisation The Listening Post: Screening tants in the 1990s. Such incidents, our existence is in peril, we cannot sage said. about the impact of militarisation is that [Kashmiri women] dread rape - India's debate (25:00) too, need documenting. think of anything else. Rather: The Belgorkhimprom company has been constructing a plant worth on Kashmiri Muslim women and men in uniform. We won't enter a Al Jazeera: What is the situa- Al Jazeera: The outrage around right to self-determination pre- more than $1 billion since June 2009. The plant is planned to pro- men, political solidarities, about park, if we see them sitting even tion of Kashmiri women with re- the 2012 Delhi rape prompted you cedes everything else. When India duce 1,400 million tons of fertilizers per year. (trend.az) Kashmiri women who inspire, and far away, or walk down streets gard to employment, marriage and to delve into Kunan Poshpora. Do was waging its struggle for free- the issue of self-determination in where there is an army bunker. sexual freedom? these other incidents in India also dom, did it wait to eliminate caste Kashmir. Butt: Kashmiri women have Rather: Government jobs or affect you? biases, religious intolerance or pa- Editor's note: This interview been abused both by militants and education and banking jobs are con- Rather: The 2012 agitations triarchy? (Aljazeera) Kazakhstan *to *weigh* its biggest has been edited for clarity and length Al Jazeera: How and when did bank bailout since 2009 you learn about the Kunan Posh- Kazakhstan has extended an emergency loan to the country’s biggest pora rapes? bank, the first step in what could be a rescue that may reach 1.5tn Ifrah Butt: I had a faint idea of tenge ($4.5bn), according to people familiar with the plans. the events of Kunan Poshpora, but A bailout is among the alternatives under discussion between it was not something which we officials from Kazkommertsbank JSC and the central bank as Kaza- talked about, because it is taboo to khstan edges closer to its biggest bank rescue since the global financial discuss rape in Kashmiri society. crisis seven years ago led to $20bn in debt restructurings by the We were documenting cases of sex- country’s lenders. Representatives from Kazkommertsbank and the ual violence at Jammu Kashmir central bank declined to comment. Coalition of Civil Society, when Battered by a collapse in oil prices and a recession in neighbour- we learned about the full details. ing Russia, the Central Asian nation’s financial system is facing mount- At that time, people were on ing distress, with almost one in three loans either non-performing or the streets in India, demanding renegotiated, S&P Global Ratings estimated in October. immediate justice for a young Kazkommertsbank has borrowed about 400bn tenge from the woman who was raped in Delhi in central bank from December 15 to support liquidity, said the people, December 2012. We wondered who spoke on condition of anonymity. Officials were instructed to why nobody had sought justice for stave off the collapse of the nation’s biggest holder of deposits and the Kashmiri women who were are discussing various scenarios for how a bailout might occur, they raped more than 20 years ago. said. “Kazkommertsbank’s problems are mounting because of its Al Jazeera: How has the con- structurally loss-making performance,” Roman Kornev, a Moscow- flict in Kashmir affected women based analyst at Fitch Ratings, said by e-mail. “Our base-case expec- and their participation in the pub- tation is that the state will not provide support to Kazkommertsbank lic sphere? in the amount sufficient to prevent losses for its senior creditors as Natasha Rather: Before the we’ve seen previously in Kazakhstan.” (gulf-times) conflict escalated in the late 1980s, MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Older versions of Saudi currency Barclays dared US to sue to be destroyed, says analyst over mortgages, a faceoff long coming Barclays Plc’s management team, well. Trump’s election victory last facing a U.S. demand that it pay Barclays has been preparing month, Barclays’s own analysts up over mortgage misconduct from for its fight for months. Bloomberg predicted Deutsche Bank and the financial crisis, dared prosecu- reported in October that manage- Credit Suisse may be able to reach tors to sue. The Justice Depart- ment had drawn a line at $2 billion faster, cheaper deals to resolve their ment obliged. as the upper limit of what it was mortgage probes so that departing After failing to agree with prepared to pay, given how the U.S. officials can end tenures “with prosecutors on a price to put the company’s conduct compared a sense of achievement.” U.S. investigation behind it, the with that of peers. The bank has Credit Suisse’s settlement, an- bank was slapped with a civil suit hired an additional law firm, Will- nounced hours after Deutsche in Brooklyn on Thursday. The U.S. iams & Connolly, which is home Bank’s on Friday morning, accused the firm of selling $31 bil- to star litigator Brendan V. Sulli- amounts to $5.28 billion, com- lion of defective mortgage-linked van Jr., whose clients have includ- prised of a $2.48 billion civil pen- securities into the market under ed Lt. Col. Oliver North. alty plus consumer relief. false pretenses from December The bank’s defiance reflects Barclays has a painful history 2005 through 2007. frustration among U.K. and Euro- with U.S. authorities. The bank The complaint against Bar- pean financial firms with U.S. au- cooperated years ago with inves- clays -- quoting consultants who thorities -- and not just the Justice tigators in the U.S. and U.K. who privately called the underlying Department. Since the financial were examining alleged manipula- loans “craptacular” -- broadly ech- crisis, global banks have faced cost- tion of the London Interbank Of- oes allegations against other banks ly probes by the Manhattan Dis- fered Rate, known as Libor. in mortgage-securities settlements trict Attorney’s Office, New As the investigation of Bar- that have netted the government York’s Department of Financial clays wound down in 2012, its $46 billion and counting in penal- Services and a number of state at- executives hoped authorities ties and reparations. The surprise torneys general. The suspicion in would include the company in a this time is that a global bank is Europe is that banks from outside group settlement with several oth- rejecting the Justice Department’s the U.S. get hit harder than domes- er banks. Instead, U.S. regulators demand for a staggering financial tic lenders for the same miscon- wanted to announce at least one penalty and is forcing prosecutors duct. big penalty quickly, according to to prevail in court. In a statement Then came news this fall that people at the time. on Thursday, Barclays said the the Justice Department had asked So that June, Barclays agreed government’s claims “are discon- Deutsche Bank for $14 billion to to pay about $450 million to re- nected from the facts.” resolve its mortgage-backed secu- solve accusations its employees Barclays’s position contrasts rities probe. The disclosure of that had sought to manipulate Libor. starkly with the one taken just “ask” sent the bank’s shares tum- The bank’s reward for being Saudi financial analyst Hussein al-Rakib revealed that the destruction of previous versions of Saudi currency will be carried out inside Saudi Arabia hours later by its European col- bling on concern that the compa- first to settle: Its chief executive starting Monday, as soon as they are received by the central bank, according to Okaz newspaper. league, Deutsche Bank AG. The ny would need a massive recapi- officer, Bob Diamond, was pushed Al-Rakib added that the destruction of the previous categories of currency is going to happen without registering serial numbers because of the German lender said it had reached talization. out amid a political furor, sending large quantity of the pieces to be destroyed. He said that the old currency will disappear from the market in five years. He added that the new a preliminary $7.2 billion deal with Barclays may also be betting the firm sideways during a turbu- currency will be processed outside the kingdom and likely in Switzerland. Earlier this month, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud received the new the Justice Department -- $3.1 bil- it can either get a better deal after lent period. designs of the sixth issue of national banknotes and coins at Al-Yamamah palace. The money was delivered to the king by the Minister of Finance lion in penalties and the rest in Donald Trump assumes the U.S. Although that was more than Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) Dr. Ahmed bin Abdul-Karim Al-Khulaifi and consumer relief -- to settle a probe presidency in January, or that four years ago, the bank’s leaders SAMA Deputy Governor Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Freeh. The Minister of State and Cabinet's Member Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban and into its own mortgage securities Barack Obama’s administration no doubt remember that time when Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, were present business. Credit Suisse Group AG will bend in its final days to com- they tried to make nice with U.S. at the palace during the presentation of the new money to the king. (Alarabiya) soon announced its own deal as plete years of work. Shortly after authorities. (Bloomberg) Nigeria seizes Lockheed Martin CEO promises to cut cost of F-35

shipment of fake Lockheed Martin's CEO on Fri- day said she gave President-elect Donald Trump a "personal com- plastic rice as food mitment" to reduce the price of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. prices soar "I had a very good conversa- tion with President-elect Trump A suspect has been arrested over customs controller Mohammed this afternoon and assured him that the haul of 102 bags of the fake Haruna was quoted as saying. I've heard his message loud and clear rice, which officials warned Nigeria has banned rice im- about reducing the cost of the F- Wednesday was dangerous for hu- ports as it seeks to boost local pro- 35," Marillyn Hewson said in a man consumption. duction. statement. They are suspected to have Haruna said the plastic rice "I gave him my personal com- been smuggled or illegally shipped was to be sold ahead of Christmas mitment to drive the cost down in from China through Lagos port, and New Year festivities, with the aggressively," she added. a senior customs official in Nige- price for the popular Nigerian sta- Trump has been pressuring ria's commercial hub told AFP. ple hitting the roof because of gal- Lockheed Martin to lower the "tre- The bags, branded "Best To- loping inflation. Its cost is more mendous cost" of the aircraft and mato Rice," had no date of manu- than double what it was in Decem- pinned the company against Boe- facture and were intercepted Mon- ber last year. Nigeria's inflation ing in a tweet on Thursday. day in the Ikeja area of the sprawl- stood at 18.5 percent in Novem- "Based on the tremendous cost ing city, the official said on condi- ber, its 13th consecutive monthly and cost overruns of the Lockheed tion of anonymity. rise, driven by higher food prices. Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing "We have done a preliminary The customs service has sent to price-out a comparable F-18 analysis of the plastic rice. After the fake rice to the National Agen- Super Hornet!" the president-elect boiling, it was sticky and only God cy for Food and Drug Administra- tweeted. knows what would have happened tion and Control for further analy- Based on the tremendous cost if people consumed it," Ikeja area sis. (PRI) and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet! — Donald J. Trump (@real- DonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 Immediately following the tweet, the Lockheed Martin shares fell by approximately 2 percent, while Boeing shares went up by 0.5 percent, according to CNBC. Trump discussed the F-35 program with Hewson on Wednes- day, promising to decrease the cost of the aircraft. cost down, and we’re gonna get it reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort bility for our military at the low- 35 program is its most expensive “It’s a dance. It’s a little bit of down beautifully. I think we’re in Palm Beach, Fla., afterwards. est cost for taxpayers, and we're project in history, with an estimat- a dance, but we’re gonna get the looking to cut a tremendous "I know that President-elect ready to deliver!" Hewson said in ed cost of nearly $400 billion for amount of money,” Trump told Trump wants the very best capa- her statement. The Pentagon's F- 2,457 planes. (The Hill)

Donald Trump calls the impact qualify that because one thing that have to ask, first of all, whether he things - you can't - if you break a you want to. I think Venezuela is a ident has maybe a few tenths of a efficiently, to create jobs, to in- of trade deals on the US a "disas- we have seen since this recession will because it's easy to talk about jar of mustard, you can't put it good example of that right now. percentage point impact on our vent things. President Trump ter." But what kind of economy is that, unlike earlier recessions, we those things in abstract. But then back together and put the mustard But in general, within the limits of GDP growth. Most of it is Amer- can't make that happen. No one is he really inheriting and how haven't seen employment recover when you start actually doing it, back into the jar, right? It's bro- the U.S. political system, the pres- icans deciding to do things more else can either. (NPR) might he affect it? Economics the way we would normally ex- you know, there's lots of interest ken. And that I think is similar with blogger Megan McArdle weighs pect to. So the unemployment rate groups that are going to be descend- a lot of these things that have hap- in. is low. What we haven't seen is ing on Washington saying, please, pened. And those factories went This is WEEKEND EDI- labor force participation is about please, please, don't do this. He and they're not coming back no Lunch with Sam Barnett: Of content, TION from NPR News I'm Lin- three percentage points lower than may want to get re-elected. matter what we do. da Wertheimer. During his presi- it was in 2007. And if you have And then the more complicat- WERTHEIMER: Mr. Trump dential campaign, Donald Trump fewer people looking for work, you ed question is does that help Amer- is promising 4 percent GDP consumers and containing piracy hammered away at the troubles can get a low unemployment rate, ican workers? Because I think that, growth, which is up from the cur- It is not easy to get Sam Barnett talking about himself. But the CEO of MBC Group was more than of the American economy. But if but that doesn't necessarily mean you know, 10 years ago when I rent 2 or so. Is that possible? willing to discuss the organization, the industry and more, despite the din in the office cafeteria last you look at the numbers, the that things are healthy because was working for The Economist, I MCARDLE: It is theoretical- week. MBC employees are used to Sam’s lanky frame walking around in the office and he almost goes economy doesn't seem to be do- people may have dropped out be- would have said, look, trade's great ly possible, certainly for a few unnoticed inside the canteen. That is why this appeared to be the perfect setting. ing so badly. The unemployment cause they can't find a job, and they for everyone. It's win-win. It, you quarters anyway. But, you know, However, as he pondered over a rather tricky question, a group of noisy co-workers on the rate is now 4.6 percent - half what just say, you know what? I'm not know, rising tide lifts all boats. And the president just doesn't have that adjoining table added to the cacophony. I wanted to request them to lower their voice. But Sam reigned it was when Obama first took even looking anymore. I think that we've actually decided much control over the economy. me in. The fun and frolic was fine with him as far as I could hear him speak. office. Home sales are up. Ener- WERTHEIMER: President- there was an emerging consensus And I think that actually, you It seemed Sam didn’t want to impede the very environment that he has helped build in the organi- gy prices are stable. The stock elect Trump also talked a lot about among economists that that actu- know, all presidents promise that zation. The noisy background was also symbolic in a way. In the 14 years that Sam has been around in market is soaring. To talk more international trade agreements, and ally hasn't been the case. First of they're going to make it grow. this 25-year-old media conglomerate, he has managed to maintain his focus on the job at hand, despite about what kind of economy it was his view that some of these all, because some of the trade ad- They're going to do all these the turbulence in the region and the industry. Trump is inheriting and what agreements have hurt the sort of justment things we wanted to do, things. The good news is that they Sam made a smooth transition from management consultancy in the UK to media in the Arab world. happens next, we invited American workers you were just like retraining, haven't worked out don't have that much control over “I was once working with a company who landed the job of writing a business plan for MBC, who at Bloomberg View columnist talking about. Do you think he'll that well but also because China our economy. that time wanted to launch a new channel,” he reveals. Megan McArdle into our studios. be able to renegotiate trade agree- itself, such a huge economy, so WERTHEIMER: Which is “So I came out from London to Dubai and led that project. I got to meet with Sheikh Waleed [MBC Thank you very much. ments, and if he does, will it help many people, was such a shock to also the bad news. Group chairman] and a number of people from the management. I clearly enjoyed my time with them WERTHEIMER: So many of those people? the system that normally over the MCARDLE: It is somewhat and they can’t have had a bad impression of me,” says Sam. the numbers we look for as indi- MCARDLE: The president course of a decade we would lose the bad news, but if you think That was when MBC was looking for someone from a commercial background to work on the cators of our economy's health does actually have extraordinary some jobs to trade. And some peo- about it, if a president could come operation side. It clearly appeared to have worked both ways. “I was looking for some more excitement are positive. I want to ask you latitude on trade agreements and ple would be hurt by it, but then in and make the economy grow at and a bit of an adventure. Life in London is okay but what Dubai and MBC was all about was clearly for your take on them. Do you - on foreign policy more generally other things would compensate. 4 or 5 percent because he wanted attractive.” let's start with unemployment - much more than he does on do- The dislocations were too big to, that would also mean that a bad The move to Dubai brought MBC closer to its audience and advertisers. “It got a better cost 4.6. Is that - that is a good num- mestic policy. So he could throw for the economy to absorb as readi- president could come in and give structure and then that combined with the boom years of growth from 2002 all the way through really ber, isn't it? any number of monkey wrenches ly. That doesn't, though, mean that you a recession of negative 5 or enabled MBC to grow quite spectacularly.” MCARDLE: It is a pretty into the operation of our interna- undoing it is actually going to fix negative 10 percent. You know, you From one TV channel and a radio station, when Sam joined in 2002, the group today has more than good number, but you have to tional trade agreements. But you the problem. You know, there are can really screw up an economy if 20 TV channels and several other platforms, reaching an estimated audience of 120 million. (Alarabiya) MONDAY .DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Vaani Kapoor on life, love, and her

release day (Friday). relationships Is the fate of Dangal now in the hands of PM Nawaz? But the opening day numbers of “Dangal” have failed to beat the Day One collection figures of “Sul- tan” – which stand at Rs 36.54 crore. In Ali Abbas Zaffar’s “Sul- tan“, which released on July 6 this year, Salman played a wrestling champion from Haryana whose successful career wreaks havoc in his personal life. The plot revolves around how he reinvents his wres- tler streak in mixed martial arts. Did not use any substances for Dangal body transformation, Aamir hits back Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, and based on an incredible true story, “Dangal” chronicles the inspiring and empowering journey of a fa- ther who trains his daughters in wrestling. In the film, Aamir plays Ma- havir Singh Phogat, a former na- tional champion who, much to the disapproval of his wife and his whole village, trained his daugh- ters Geeta and Babita to wrestle. I love Aamir personally but hate him professionally: Salman Khan Trade expert Taran Adarsh says “Dangal“, which is backed by Disney India, will enter the Rs 100 crore club in three days. He tweeted: “‘Dangal‘ wres- tles demonetisation. Sets the box office on fire. Ends the lull phase. Friday – Rs 29.78 crore (including Rs 59 lakh from Tamil and Telu- gu). ‘Dangal‘ Saturday and Sun- day business will be higher. Word Superstar Salman Khan might have ing day box office collection tells a at the ticket window with many notes. of mouth is terrific. Expected to said that Aamir Khan’s “Dangal” different story. trade experts betting on the film to The film amassed Rs 29.78 cross Rs 100 crore mark in first is a much better film than his own “Dangal” has earned a lot of get Bollywood out of the lull after crore, including Rs 59 lakh from three days. India business.” blockbuster “Sultan” but the open- critical acclaim, and is doing good the demonetisation of high value Tamil and Telugu, in India on its (TRIBUNE) Priyanka Chopra opens up about her experience with racism

Vaani Kapoor's last release Befikre Yaar, the thing is that if it was is doing well at the ticket windows. love-love that had to last for a life- People are appreciating her per- time, I would be with that person formance as well. The actress says even now. Unfortunately, I am not. 'she is in a happy place now'. While I'm single right now and I'm hop- her Shyra is brazen, outspoken and ing I am going to find somebody ultra-modern when it comes to like that but I guess, the crazy love, Vaani says she's 'old school'. heart-skips-wala-beat is yet to On that note, we begin our chat happen to me. I have had relation- where Vaani makes some candid ships but it just didn't work out confessions on love, her singleton for whatever XYZ reasons, which status and her dream man. Over to are extremely personal. I guess, it her... wasn't meant to be and I take it Befikre has worked well. But like that. Something that's truly is the box office a parameter for meant to be will happen and it will you to sign a film? come to me when it's supposed Ideally, I want my films to to. LOS ANGELES: Hollywood su- to preclude sensitive information work because I want the people What's the kind of guy you perstar Brad Pitt has finally hit from being placed in the public who have invested their money to would like to date? back at his estranged wife, actor record.” According to Pitt and his get back their investment and make I want somebody who's very Angelina Jolie, during a bitter cus- team, Jolie, “appears to be deter- profits too. I am personally so passionate about things in life. tody battle over their six children, mined to ignore even agreed upon connected with my projects that Loyalty is utmost priority and I by requesting to have their divorce standards relating to the children’s when people tell me that the film expect him to be just crazy about proceedings sealed. best interest,” and so, they have is doing well and my performance me. So, I can be crazy about him Pitt’s lawyers at the Califor- asked Judge Richard J Burdge Jr has been appreciated, why would too. Because I'm a giver so I also nia Superior Court have accused to grant a motion sealing the case. numbers matter? But I just feel that need a person who can give in a Jolie of releasing details of their A hearing has been scheduled for for me, I give it my all to a project. relationship otherwise I'm only the temporary custody agreement January 17. Angelina Jolie files for For me it becomes a protected one giving while others are just re- through her recent court filings in divorce from Brad Pitt A source Bollywood starlet Priyanka Chop- is also set to open up on her en- a victim of racism while sat in the thing. I do keep checking if every- ceiving. (Smiles) Although I've met the case. 15 best reactions to Brad close to Jolie said that the couple ra is all set to grace the famous counter with racism. According to airport lounge. One of the ground thing is going well for my films. I really wonderful people in my life Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce had agreed days ago to seal the doc- couch on Karan Johar’s next epi- sources, “Priyanka said that who- staff personnel was rude to her, don't understand the business that so I can't really crib. But then again, They claim Jolie “exposed” the uments and that Pitt’s papers were sode of Koffee with Karan. ever goes to Hollywood after her and only after she argued that she well but I hope that the numbers it's just a connection. You either children “by making public the unnecessary. But a source from According to DNA, Pee Cee should be careful about the kind of was a valid first class passenger, get better and I hope they make have it or you don't. So, I hope names of their therapists and oth- Pitt’s team stated, “If they had will be speaking extensively but roles they do. When KJo asked if did he apologise. The Quantico star money! that there's a strong connection er mental health professionals.” agreed to that, there would be no only on her Hollywood career. She she has faced racism, she shared has also reportedly referred to her- Has Befikre affected your with somebody and I wouldn't The papers also claim that Jolie need for a hearing on January 17.” will also be giving fans a sneak peek that she did, but not in the stu- self as a game changer and dis- choices in life and love? want to let go of that. “has no self-regulating mechanism (Santa Banta) into her experience on the set of dios. Kajol, Priyanka welcome lift- cussed how she created a base and Playing Shyra has surprising- You said your relationships Baywatch. ing of Bollywood ban in Pakistan changed the rules in Hollywood. ly made me stronger. There are didn't work and you lost some Further, the Bollywood diva She described how she became (Santa Banta) times when you discover some- friends too. Which one hurt you Bieber indicted in Argentina thing new about yourself. Maybe more? because I was living and playing I have very few friends. They for beating photographer that character for so long, I have are so gina hua that I can literally realised things and discovered count them on my fingertips. Oth- things about myself which even I ers are acquaintances and people was unaware of. I am glad I got to who I'm friendly with. So when I live her. Because now, I can see call someone a friend, I take it seri- things and deal with certain situa- ously because I like to spend a lot tions in a way that I never thought of time with these people or I care I could earlier. She's definitely about them. Those are the people strong headed and one thing which I call friends. But heartbreak is If you want to know how Shyra and I both have in common heartbreak. It happens when you to remain friends with your is - we are extremely self-respect- are disappointed with someone former partner, take notes ing and dignified. Her choices might who's valuable or special to you. from Hrithik Roshan and be different but I find her very cool Be it a friend, or in a relationship, Sussanne Khan. The two - living life on her own terms. She's I can't define who broke my heart may have parted ways in just being herself and I could play more. Do you have friends in the 2013, but it's commend- her only because I could relate to industry? I am so new that I bare- able how they continue to her life. I could understand her sit- ly know anybody. I only know look out for each other. uations and give a justification to people from YRF. There are times At a recently held myself because I have seen people when I ask my manager how peo- event in Mumbai, Sus- like her. I have spent a lot of time ple are really in the industry be- sanne was asked about her abroad because my sister lives cause I haven't really interacted thoughts on Hrithik's there. So her friends are there and much with people. People within forthcoming film, 'Kaabil'. Dutch people or French people - YRF are really nice, even actors The interior decorator they are very composed about are! I love Anushka (Sharma) a lot A court in Argentina indicted Grammy Award-winning singer Justin wished the film's team all things. They are calmer in handling because she's extremely genuine. Bieber for allegedly having his bodyguards beat up a photographer here the very best before add- various situations. Even when the trailer came out, in 2013. The singer is also accused of making sure that the photogra- ing, "I am sure it will do Befikre is a story that dealt she was one of those few people pher’s money and equipment was stolen after he was forced to the very well." with modern day relationships, who texted me and congratulated ground and beaten. Justin Bieber just made a major announcement Ac- Hrithik and Sussanne casual hook-ups. But is that how me. Ranveer (Singh), Parineeti cording to tmz.com, Bieber believes that the judge is simply out to get have continued to be on you think about love as well? (Chopra) are very nice. It's not him, but the problem remains that the Canadian star will be unable to friendly terms after they No, I am very old school. Ev- needed but they still make the ef- return to Argentina until the case is resolved. “Bieber’s lawyers will finalised their divorce in erybody has a different definition fort. Surely, I don't have 3 am bud- appeal the indictment, hoping that the appeals court judges will see the 2014. In fact, they were of old school today. But yes, I do dies who I would call up and say, indictment for what it is -a publicity grab by the judge – and throw the recently spotted together feel that I would like to meet, know 'Hey, let's hangout and all. I can't case out,” said a source. Justin Bieber calls Instagram ‘the devil’ Another as they enjoyed a dinner a person before taking it forward. sleep.' Those are not the friends I source close to Bieber said that “the judge is screwing his own country outing with their kids Hre- I am not the casual hook-up types. have in this industry. But I do have because Justin could infuse a huge amount of money into the economy”. haan and Hridhaan. When was the first time you good relations with people. (Santa Banta) (Santa Banta) fell in love? (Santa Banta) MONDAY . DECEMBER 26, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Anthony Joshua, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao feature in our annual boxing quiz

Anthony Joshua, Floyd May- weather and Manny Pacquiao fea- ture in our annual boxing quiz as we test your knowledge of anoth- er eventful year for the sport. Over the past 12 months, Brit- ish boxing has continued to flour- ish, with champions holding world titles in a variety of weight divi- sions. Up at heavyweight, Joshua started his impressive reign, while super-flyweight Kal Yafai became Britain's newest title holder this month. Mayweather may have said farewell to the sport, but Andre Ward, Roman Gonzalez and Gen- nady Golovkin are all jostling for the right to be known as the pound-for-pound No 1. The Rio Olympic Games showcased a number of exciting young talents, while the final bell chimed for the legendary Muhammad Ali, who Merry Christmas from everyone results this year prove it. received a fitting send off at his at Sky Sports Cricket! It's time for I'm going for Northampton- funeral. But how much do you our commentators and pundits to shire's victory in the Blast, the sec- remember about another booming name their favourite moments and ond time they've won the T20 in year for boxing? Take our quiz and players of 2016... recent years. It was a terrific find out!( skysports) What a way to start the New achievement for a smaller county, Year! Ben Stokes hit the second- not with the biggest resources, a fastest double century of all time skeletal playing staff. They've got Jess in Cape Town, where he took the to really husband those resources Celtic's Stuart Armstrong wants South African bowling attack very carefully and what they've apart. He destroyed them. He's box done over the last few years is re- Ennis-Hill office and fantastic to watch. He ally target one-day cricket and the smashed it to all parts and the T20 in particular. They've found a and KJT are to repay faith showed in him by South African bowlers didn't know way to be very competitive in that what was going on - they had no competition. answer for it. Power, elegance, tim- Highlights from the T20 Blast 'great role ing - he had the whole lot. Finals Day match between boss Brendan Rodgers Player of 2016 - Ben Stokes: Northamptonshire and Durham at models', says 2016 has seen the emergence of the Edgbaston. Stuart Armstrong fired in one of best all-rounder England have had Player of 2016 - Jonny Bair- Morgan the best goals of his career in the for a very, very long time. What stow: He began the year as a coun- 3-0 Scottish Premiership win at does he bring to the party for En- ty player not yet established in Lake Hamilton then thanked boss Bren- gland? Everything. That's what the international team. He had a dan Rodgers for rejuvenating his makes him so exciting. He's a fan- breakthrough innings at the start career at Celtic. tastic fielder whether he's close to of the year in Cape Town when he The Hoops midfielder was the bat or in the outfield - he catches got his first Test hundred, which unable to pin down a regular start- flies. He was underused in India was a very emotional moment for ing berth under former boss Ron- but he is, in my opinion, a very him and his family that were there. ny Deila, who signed both him and dangerous bowler; he can bowl Since then he's gone from strength Gary Mackay-Steven from Dund- magnificently in English conditions to strength, passing 1,000 Test ee United early last year. but he's mastering it abroad. He is runs in the year. He's had a terrific When Armstrong did feature, a very, very special talent. Ben time of it behind the stumps as it was often on the left flank but Stokes - I love watching you play well - his wicketkeeping has really since taking charge at Celtic over mate, your great! come on and now he's firmly es- the summer, Rodgers has em- My moment is the thrilling cli- tablished in England's Test side. ployed the 24-year-old in a pre- max to division one of the County BOB WILLIS ferred central midfield role, where Championship. Three sides were I've chosen England's dramat- he has thrived. in contention - Somerset, Middle- ic victory at the Wanderers, Johan- Armstrong netted Celtic's sec- sex and Yorkshire, with the latter nesburg. We all remember Stuart ond of the game at the SuperSeal two playing each other at the Broad's Ashes-clinching spell at Stadium on Christmas Eve with a Home of Cricket, Lord's. Toby Trent Bridge in 2015, well this was 25-yard strike he has "probably Roland-Jones was on a hat-trick just the same - absolutely ripping Rising star Morgan Lake hopes not" bettered, before rushing to the and got the wicket, ending up with through South Africa's line-up; the to continue Britain’s tradition of technical area to celebrate with ally and the team, which is to real- unbeaten domestic run to 22 games, "If I keep adding that to my 10 wickets in the match and took England players revelled in every success in the women’s heptath- Rodgers. Substitute Moussa Dem- ly enjoy life at Celtic in that cen- Armstrong took his tally to the game and contributing, then I will Middlesex to a County Champi- single moment of it. lon and says Jessica Ennis-Hill bele added a third near the end to tral position. "You want to score season to seven and ahead of the be happy. "I had a bit of time and onship victory. It does not get Stuart Broad's 6-17 paved the and Katarina Johnson-Thomp- keep Celtic 14 points clear of Rang- and I don't care how they go in, as visit of Ross County on Wednes- space. It was on my right foot as much better than that. way for England's series-clinching, son have both inspired her. ers with a game in hand over the long as somebody is putting the day night, he said: "I always like well and I scored one - not as nice Player of 2016 - Joe Root: seven-wicket win over South Af- Lake sprung to prominence Ibrox side. "I don't really know ball in the net. "But obviously from scoring goals and that is something as that - here (Hamilton) before He's had a magnificent year at num- rica in the third Test. in 2014 when she won two gold what to do with my celebration, I a personal point of view, scoring I always wanted to add. that was outside the box. ber three; the move to number Player of 2016 - Ben Stokes: medals, claiming victory in both just got carried away a little bit," goals is always nice to help the "They are coming more natu- "I knew you can get a good three has been perfect for him. Nothing underlined what a world- the heptathlon and the high jump said Armstrong. "I owe a lot to the team and when they go in like that, rally to me now, now that I am in connection sometimes on the As- After a couple of blockers at num- class cricketer he is - and what an at the World Junior Champion- manager for everything he has done it's always that bit nicer." the middle and getting more op- troturf so I thought I might as well ber three they've gone for an at- asset he's going to be for England ships in Oregon. since he came here for me person- While Celtic extended their portunities. have a go." tacking batsman and he has deliv- in the future - than the 258 he The 19-year-old won high ered. The highlight was his 254 scored at Cape Town. jump gold at the European Jun- against Pakistan at Old Trafford. ROB KEY iors a year later and made history He's scored a fifty in every one of My favourite moment was the over the summer in Rio, becom- the Tests he's played against In- World T20 Final - England against ing the first British female to dia. When Joe Root gets runs, it is the West Indies. That tournament reach an Olympic high jump fi- a joy to watch. was as good as any you see in nal since Debbie Marti at the A chap on social media said world sport and the final itself had Barcelona Games in 1992. before it all kicked off in that third all the drama. You thought England "Everyone is doing so well ODI at Trent Bridge that "England had just done enough by the end and when you have so many role are going to get 280" and I replied but unfortunately for Ben Stokes models and it makes you just "I think they'll get 350" but as they and England, it was Carlos Brath- want to build on what someone motored along you could see it was waite who smashed the ball out of else is doing. I've seen their pro- Jess Varnish has asked British ifying for the Rio Olympics in the coach. Sutton promptly resigned Neither Sutton nor Varnish are going to spiral out of control for the park and gave West Indies a gression from a junior and I want Cycling to release all the docu- team sprint were ended at the and two investigations were satisfied with this result and now Pakistan. Hales, on his home victory that no-one expected at the to continue that. ments related to her removal from Track World Championships in launched into the affair: one by Varnish has started legal proceed- ground, made the most of some start of that over. "In the UK when you are the team and the investigation into London in March, partly because British Cycling director Alex Rus- ings to obtain what British Cycling inviting boundaries and a pitch as Nasser Hussain praises Ben starting out [as an athlete] you her bullying complaint against ex- of selection issues earlier in the sell and the other, a wider look at has claimed are the objective crite- flat as a pancake, on which a bowl- Stokes for stepping up for the fi- are not just pushed into one technical director Shane Sutton. qualification period. The 26-year- the squad's culture, by British ria for releasing her, as well as the ing side becomes absolutely pow- nal over rather than hiding away... event, you get the chance to try Lawyers acting on behalf of the old criticised the GB coaches after Rowing chair Annamarie Phelps on evidence Russell based her find- erless. Player of 2016 - Virat Kohli: them all out. There is great coach- former GB track rider have writ- this setback but her anger would behalf of the government funding ings on. The number of fours and sixes What a year he's had. He averages ing in every event and there is ten to the governing body and re- escalate a month later when she agency UK Sport. Signed by the firm's senior was breath-taking on what was a over 80 across all three formats but such a great [heptathlon] legacy quested her performance data, was dropped from the programme, The result of Russell's report partner Irwin Mitchell, the "data real batters day. The next question, I reckon that in him we've got one with Denise Lewis and Kelly medical records and text messages with British Cycling saying her was announced in October and it subject access request" concludes which crops up on social media all of the most important players in Sotherton and people you've sent by senior coaches in the GB performances had been in decline said there was evidence that Sut- by saying a £10 cheque - "the max- the time, is when will a team score modern times in Test cricket, be- grown up watching. It's a really Olympic set-up about her. for three years. She then claimed ton used "inappropriate and dis- imum prescribed fee" for finding 500? It will definitely, definitely cause India now have a captain that great pathway." The letter cites section seven that Sutton told her to "go and have criminatory language" but, earlier and collating the data - has been happen, trust me, if there's a per- values Test cricket and you can see Lake - winner of the coveted of the Data Protection Act 1998 a baby", among other sexist re- this month, it was revealed that attached. fect storm of conditions, pitch and from the crowds out in India - es- SportsAid One-to-Watch award and calls on British Cycling, as "a marks, which led to further allega- only one of nine charges was up- British Cycling has confirmed boundaries. pecially in Mumbai where he got a in 2014 - will compete at the Eu- data controller", to release the "pro- tions of bullying and derogatory held against the Australian. This it has received the letter but does Player of 2016 - Virat Kohli: double hundred - how important ropean Indoor Athletics Cham- cessed personal data of which she language made by other riders related to his use of the word not wish to comment at this stage. He's developed into a fabulous Test cricket is to him and how he pionships in Belgrade in March, is subject". Varnish's hopes of qual- against the team's most senior "bitches". ( skysports) player and a true leader - and he will drag it back into the conscious- but admits she has already has will only get better. India always ness of the Indian public. one eye on the big event of the craves a batting hero from MARK BUTCHER year next summer. Gavaskar to Tendulkar ....and I'm going back to my time in "I have the European Cham- Kohli has stepped into those India during the IPL for my mo- pionships coming up but the big shoes. ment of the year: Virat Kohli and one is London - the World Cham- My moment of the year goes AB de Villiers put 229 on for the pionships, a home Games. back to the start of the year in Cape second wicket in just 16 overs for "That is something that will Town and that fantastic 258 by Royal Challengers Bangalore. be absolutely amazing for the Ben Stokes. We've been looking for Kohli made 109, AB de Villiers country and the sport. London is a man to out-Botham Botham for made 129no and the faithful at the my big aim for this year." Lake is about 35 years now and that was Chinnaswamy Stadium were ab- now based at Loughborough Uni- possibly the moment where we solutely bouncing. It was an in- versity where she combines rig- thought we'd found the right man. credible evening. Highlights of the orous training with studying for There is still a long way to go but IPL clash between the Royal Chal- a psychology degree. "I have only that was such an awesome display lengers Bangalore and the Gujarat just finished my first term but it of clean-hitting - and it just kept Lions. Player of 2016 - Virat [studying psychology] has defi- going and going and going. So it Kohli: He made four hundreds in nitely really helped me a lot this was not so much one moment as a the IPL, four hundreds in Test year," she added. "I usually have series of moments! match cricket - three of them dou- either a 9am lecture or 9am train- Player of 2016 - Jonny Bair- bles - and he also, to add to that, ing. I try and work out my sched- stow: He's a great example of some- scored three ODI hundreds. He's ule with my coaches so that I can one who has worked really hard at simply unstoppable at the moment make both my training and my his game - both the batting and the and simply the best. Enjoy a crack- lectures. "There is a lot more still keeping. Compare him now to his ing Christmas with Sky Sports as for me to gain and understand start as a Test cricketer and there's we bring you continued live cov- about the mind and how it reflects a big, big difference. It shows the erage of England's tour of India, on your sporting ability, but I'm value of work, the value of a good South Africa's Test series against loving the balance of studying attitude. He's improved immeasur- Sri Lanka and the ODIs between psychology and training at the ably in everything he does and he's New Zealand and Bangladesh. same time." ( skysports) determined to keep his slot and the (skysports) MONDAY. DECEMBER 26. 2016-Jadi 06, 1395 H.S Vol:XI Issue No: 146 Price: Afs.20