Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:279 Price: Afs.20

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SATURDAY . MAY 13. 2017 -Sawar 23, 1396 HS

‘safe zone’ has been es tablished in the country’s Asouth for those Taliban The security situation in Afghani- who have and will lay down their stan will further deteriorate even arms and join the peace process, if there is a modest increase in U.S. Kandahar Police Chief Gen. Ab- military support for the war-torn dul Raziq said. Raziq said the safe country, the top U.S. intelligence zone will help the Taliban from official said on Thursday, as Pres- Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan and ident Donald Trump's administra- Zabul provinces to live without tion weighs sending more forces worrying about their security af- to Afghanistan. ter they quit violence and join Afghan army units are pulling peace. He added that a number of back, and in some cases have been ABUL : NATO Secretary Germany makes key contributions Taliban members, especially their forced to abandon more scattered General Jens Stoltenberg on all these aspects.” About the commanders who have laid down and rural bases, and the govern- Kand German Chancellor fight against terrorism, Stoltenberg their arms, as well as 10 Taliban ment can claim to control or influ- Angela Merkel have exchanged said NATO had long been active commanders who have returned ence only 57 percent of the coun- views on an upcoming summit of in this area, with its biggest mis- from Pakistan and have embraced try, according to U.S. military es- the alliance on Afghanistan later in sion ongoing in Afghanistan. a normal life, are living at the safe timates from earlier this year. "The the month. At the meeting in Ber- “Training local forces is a key tool zone. The Kandahar police chief intelligence community assesses lin on Thursday, the two leaders against terrorism,” Stoltenberg said they will continue their ef- that the political and security sit- discussed preparations for the said, adding: “We will discuss what forts to provide job opportuni- uation in Afghanistan will almost NATO summit in Brussels on more NATO can do when we meet ties for those Taliban members certainly deteriorate through 2018, May 25. Burden-sharing and the in Brussels on May 25.” A pro- who have joined the peace pro- even with a modest increase in war on terrorism will top the agen- posal to boost NATO forces in cess. “We have provided the en- (the)military assistance by the da. According to a statement on Afghanistan will be on the agenda vironment for those Taliban who United States and its partners," the NATO website, Jens Stolten- of a meeting between the alliance do not want to live under the con- Director of National Intelligence berg thanked Germany for its out- Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg trol of Punjabis [Pakistan’s Pun- Dan Coats said in a Senate hear- jab] and for those who return to standing contributions to the alli- and German Chancellor Angela ing. In February, Army General ance. In 2014, allies agreed to stop Merkel on Thursday. On Wednes- their country and start a peaceful John Nicholson, the U.S. com- life in their districts and provinc- mander in Afghanistan, said he cuts in defence spending and move day, Stoltenberg met British Prime es, regardless of their status. We needs several thousand more in- towards spending two percent of Minister Theresa May, a day af- have established a safe zone for ternational troops to break a stale- GDP on defence within a decade. ter reports suggested NATO had them and they can live there with mate with the Taliban. Reuters re- Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats “Burden sharing is not just about asked Britain for more troops a few their people,” Raziq said. He stat- ported in late April that Trump's money. It is also about modern weeks ago. NATO already has ed that the safe zone is established administration was carrying out a corps level, potentially putting sented with the options yet. Some remains plagued by corruption and capabilities and contributions to some 13,450 troops in Afghani- for the Taliban fighters in the coun- review of Afghanistan and conver- them closer to fighting, a U.S. offi- U.S. officials said they questioned divided by factions loyal to polit- NATO missions and operations. stan. (Pajhwok) try’s south and the precondition sations are revolving around send- cial said. In the same hearing, the the benefit of sending more troops ical strongmen whose armed sup- for living at the zone is to cut off ing between 3,000 and 5,000 U.S. head of the military's Defense In- to Afghanistan because any polit- porters often are motivated by eth- their ties with those Taliban who and coalition troops to Afghani- telligence Agency said the situa- ically palatable number would not nic, family, and regional loyalties. are still fighting against govern- stan. Deliberations include giving tion would worsen unless U.S. be enough to turn the tide, much Coats said that Afghanistan ment forces. “Those Taliban who more authorities to forces on the trainers worked with Afghan sol- less create stability and security. would struggle to decrease its reli- are in Kandahar, Helmand, Uruz- ground and taking more aggressive diers closer to the front line, their To date, more than 2,300 Ameri- ance on the international commu- gan and Zabul [provinces] and action against Taliban fighters. This numbers increased and there was cans have been killed and over nity "until it contains the insur- have ties with smugglers and could allow U.S. advisers to work greater intelligence and surveillance. 17,000 wounded. President Ashraf gency or reaches a peace agreement armed groups, should remove with Afghan troops below the Trump has not been formally pre- Ghani's U.S.-backed government with the Taliban." (REUTERS) their relations with them and em- brace a peaceful life. So far 10 key Taliban members have come here [at the safe zone] and have start- ed a normal life,” he added. Mean- A dozen while, member of Kandahar Pro- vincial Council Attaullah Atta said insurgents the move by Kandahar police will benefit the people and will en- eliminated, 3 courage the Taliban to choose a peaceful life. (ToloNews) wounded: MoD he state minister for reforms paid no respect to martyrs of past currently in battle with group to in security sector, Amrullah 17 years in Afghanistan, was a retake control of the district and KABUL : A dozen militants have Saleh, at a gathering in mistake," said Saleh. Referring to Kunduz-Takhar open the highway to traffic. “The been killed and two others wound- KTapisa province on Friday, criti- Hekmatyar’s recent speech at the conflict is raged, it said Kunduz ed in security incidents over the cized the recent remarks of Hizb- Presidential Palace, Saleh said: “In highway city will collapse and because of past 24 hours, the Ministry of e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmat- the hall that he [Hekmatyar] was that people have left their homes,” Defence said on Friday. The oper- yar and said he had ‘insulted’ Af- speaking, he did not even paused cleared a Kunduz resident said. The Af- ations were conducted in Nangar- ghanistan’s war victims when he for a minute to greet the audiences ghan Defense Ministry; however, har, Kunar, Kapisa, Logar, Kan- made his first speech after 20 years or to confess that the leaders assured Kunduz city will not fall dahar, Uruzgan, Zabul, Herat, at the Presidential Palace one week present at hall had forgiven him of taliban Farah, Kunduz, Faryab, Sar-i Pul, into the hands of the militants. ago. The ceremony remembered and he should thank them [for “The collapse of Sar-e-Pul and Badakhshan and Helmand provinc- he Kunduz-Takhar Highway es. A statement from the ministry Mohammad Aman Mubariz, that]. He [Hekmatyar] did not was cleared of Taliban on Kunduz city will remain only a former head of Kapisa Provincial mention that how many soldiers, dream for the enemies,” said Dep- said Afghan security personnel Friday following heavy conducted the operations to ensure Council’s secretariat, who was who were ensuring his security T uty Spokesman of the Defense killed in a bomb blast a month ago. outside the hall [at the Presiden- clashes between government forc- the safety of the people and drive es and the group’s fighters in past Ministry, Mohammad Radmanish. Saleh said Hekmatyar had hand in tial Palace] were killed by him in It comes as the Afghan forces have fighters from the areas. Backed by eight days, the Northeast Zone artillery and air power, the forces killing of innocent people in past past 17 years.” The state minister Police said in a statement. conducted 19 operations across killed eight Taliban and injured a 17 years, but he did not mention for security reforms said extrem- Mahfoozullah Akbari, spokes- the country, and according to mil- ninth in the Shah Mansoor area of this in his recent speeches. He stat- ist and terrorist groups will not man for the Northeast Zone Po- itary officials, the Islamic State Tirinkot, the capital of central ed that he is not against the peace mercy on anyone and anything in lice, said that Khwaja and Kata- strongholds have been suppressed Uruzgan. In the Manogi district of process, but he opposes the way the country. “Where is it men- Afghan security forces battling the east, Nangarhar in east and Hel- in eastern parts of Afghanistan Hekmatyar was welcomed by gov- tioned in our religion and culture khail police outposts along the insurgents groups mainly the Tal- Kunar province, three insurgents highway were taken out of the mand & Zabul in southwest. mainly by airstrikes, and govern- were killed and a forth wounded. ernment. "I think organizing a big to burn schools where there is no iban and Islamic State in 16 prov- Adding to chaos, the Taliban ment have taken control of some event for the person who issued foreigner and no foreign lessons?” militants’ siege in the military op- inces, in between seven provinces One rebel was killed in the Naw- captured Qal-e-Zal district in Kun- parts of the restive provinces. zad district of Helmand. The min- fatwas of our killing for 17 years, Saleh asked. “The only way to get eration conducted by Afghan se- are under serious threats of the curity and defense forces. duz about a week ago and closed “The U.S. drone strikes have elim- istry said nothing about the killing who financed destruction for 17 out of the situation is to support militants, the Defense Ministry the Kunduz-Khanabad highway to inated the positions of the insur- or wounding of the security forc- years, who committed anything the security and defense forces,” He said they had equipped said Friday. These seven insecure police outposts along the Kunduz- traffic after the seizure of six secu- gents and the air strikes mainly es. The insurgents have not com- against his country from a foreign said Mohammad Husain Sanjani, provinces are Sar-e-Pul in north, rity checkpoints in the highway. targeting the strongholds of their mented either on the ministry’s country for 17 years, who gave head of Kapisa Provincial Coun- Takhar Highway after they cleared Badakhshan and Kunduz in north- the area of Taliban. But the government forces are leaders,” Radmanish added. (ATN) claim. (Pajhwok) lecture for more than an hour and cil. (ToloNews) The road from Kunduz city to Khanabad district in Kunduz prov- es guarding the district building on ince is closed to traffic for past Taliban besiege Thursday at about 10am, spark- eight days due to heavy clashes ing a gunbattle that was still ongo- Disputed villages on Afghan-Pak border surveyed between security forces and Tali- Samangan’s ing. ban. “The government forces were He said the Taliban had cap- connected to each other from the Doab district tured 10 areas and had laid siege to KANDAHAR : Afghan and Paki- at least nine civilians dead on both ies would be announced by Kabul pen. Haji Syed Ali, the Spin Bold- two sides – Takhar and Kunduz the district headquarters. stani technical teams have com- sides last Friday, the Spin Boldak- and Islamabad. ak district chief, said the Pakistani provinces - at 12:45pm on Friday,” amid clashes A resident of Pai Tangi area of pleted their joint geological study Chaman border crossing has been He said security forces had side was expected to allow patients Akbari said in the statement. the district, who declined to be of two disputed villages on the shut. taken positions in Luqman and to cross the border on Thursday, According to him, at least six AIBAK: Dozens of armed mili- identified, said a fierce clash had Durand Line, but the survey’s re- A Meshrano Jirga or Senate Jehangir villages, but a truce had but the border remained closed for Taliban fighters were killed and tants have besieged the headquar- been ongoing in their since yester- sult is not announced. delegation, led by Senator Hashim been accepted. a seventh day on Thursday. Sena- four others were wounded in ters of Doab district of northern day. The two sides had agreed to Alokozai, arrived in Kandahar Khpalwak said the Meshrano tor Hashim Alokozai told Pajhwok Thursday night clashes in the prov- Samangan province amid an ongo- He said so far three civilians conducting a geological survey of province on Thursday to investi- Jirga delegation would travel to Afghan News that they would in- ince. He said civilians were not al- ing clash that entered a second day had been killed in the crossfire. He the two villages after negotiations gate the border clash. Spin Boldak district to investigate vestigate the Spin Boldak issue as lowed to travel through the high- on Friday, a public representative said Doab district bordered vola- that followed a deadly border skir- The Kandahar governor’s the issue. per decision of the upper house. way due to the existence of mines, said. tile districts --- Tala wa Barfak and mish last week. spokesman, Samim Khpalwak, Many were expecting on He said they would visit Luq- adding that the forces are busy in A member of the provincial Dehna Ghori --- of neighboring The villages are situated in told Pajhwok Afghan News that Thursday the Pakistani side would man and Jehangir villages besides reopening the highway to traffic council, Qazi Naqibullah Tatar, Baghlan province and the militants Spin Boldak district of Kandahar technical teams of the two coun- allow patients to enter the coun- meeting families of soldiers who by Friday evening. told Pajhwok Afghan News the staged the attack from these two province near the Durand Line. tries had completed their surveys. try via the Spin Boldak-Chaman were killed and wounded in the (ToloNews) insurgents attacked security forc- areas. (Pajhwok) Since the border clash that left He said the results of the stud- border crossing, but it did not hap- border clash. (Pajhwok) SATURDAY . MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES MOAB damage in Afghanistan extreme, widespread : KABUL, Afghanistan – It has avoid more bloodshed by this bru- been one month since the U.S. mil- tal terrorist group," said Com- itary dropped its largest non-nu- mander Ahmad Muslem Hayat, a clear combat weapon -- the former military attaché for Afghan- Efforts are being made to resolve a MOAB -- to eradicate ISIS from istan's British Embassy and cur- stalled copper mining deal between its base in Afghanistan's Nangan- rent security adviser for the U.S.- China and Afghanistan, a decade har province. And still, the ghost- based firm, TigerSwan. "This after the US$3 billion contract was ly destruction zone is a vision that wasn't about sending quick mes- signed, according to Afghanistan’s haunts. FoxNews.com has ob- sages to show strength to other top envoy to China. tained exclusive images illuminat- threatening countries like North However, it is still too early ing the bomb’s impact taken this Korea. This was about saving in- to abandon hope that state-owned week, showing the gouged and nocent Afghan lives from ISIS tor- China Metallurgical Group Corp singed earth and even the limb of a ture." (MCC) will fully implement the dead fighter that had yet to be re- Capt. William Salvin, a U.S. agreement calling for development moved or buried. military spokesman in Kabul, de- of the copper mine south of Kab- While the use of the MOAB, fended the use of the MOAB, say- ul, because the completed project which stands for Massive Ord- ing it was used for a “specific tac- would be a win-win for both sides, nance Air Blast, has been contro- tical purpose on the battlefield.” Janan Mosazai told the Post in an versial, with analysts claiming it Nonetheless, the area remains exclusive interview in Beijing. had little effect other than decimat- a no-go zone for all. Comment: Time for China to ing Afghanistan's territory, others It is not yet clear whether U.S. come clean on its goals for ‘Belt on the ground are still insistent that forces -- which are currently re- and Road Initiative’ it worked extremely well, not only vising the battle strategy toward “This is the issue that is being to kill more than 90 ISIS fighters, the increasingly unstable Afghani- pursued right now by the Afghan but to eliminate supply routes and stan -- intend to deploy such a government and between the Af- squash morale within the terrorist large-scale weapon anytime in the ghan government and the compa- organization. near future. But there is a growing ny,” Mosazai said, adding that the "This was very effective -- sentiment among the Afghan peo- discussions remain ongoing. many of ISIS' training camps are ple for such attention to be devot- The project, jointly awarded gone, bunkers destroyed," Gen. ed to defeating Taliban hubs, too, to MCC and another state-owned Qadamshah Shahim, chief of the which they view as a much greater Chinese company, Jiangxi Copper, general staff of the Afghan Minis- threat to their safety than the coun- in 2007, was the largest foreign try of Defense, who just stepped try's fast weakening ISIS branch. investment deal in the war-torn down from his role following the "Different flags, different country at the time. Mazar-i-Sharif attack, told Fox names," noted Major Abadullah Under the administration of News. But according to one high- Karimi, spokesperson for the then-Afghan president Hamid ranking Afghan defense official, 202nd Shamshad Police Corps, Karzai, MCC agreed to pay Af- who requested anonymity due to the headquarters for operations ghanistan $3 billion to lease the the sensitive nature of the topic, in eastern Afghanistan. "But the Mes Aynak, a site 40 km south- ted to build a railway line from the ing providing full security in the Security risks also have been workers and local Afghans, and the decision to use the MOAB same games." (FOXNEWS) east of Kabul that hosts Afghani- mine to one of Afghanistan’s bor- mining operation and preserving highlighted as Chinese President Xi looks at the race to save the 5,000- was not taken hastily. Rather, it stan’s largest copper deposit, for ders. and relocating archaeological sites Jinping aggressively promotes his year-old archaeological site from was a carefully calculated move. 30 years. “Because without a railway that have been discovered on top flagship “One Belt, One Road” demolition. The film has helped The official said that a request Under the administration of line you cannot transport natural of the mine area. initiative to connect China with bring the project international no- to use such a weapon -- one de- former Afghan president Hamid resources because they are too Ten years have passed, and the Eurasia and beyond through mas- toriety. Can China score a new win signed to penetrate the earth's sur- Karzai, shown in file photo from heavy otherwise,” he said, “that copper has yet to be mined. MCC sive investment in trade and infra- in Africa with Xi Jinping’s ‘Belt face and thus destroy underground December 2014, China Metallur- was one of the main reasons why did not respond to a request for structure via central and south Asia and Road’ plan? Shining an even tunnels and dwellings -- was gical Group agreed to pay Afghan- the Afghan government at that time comment. to the Middle East and Africa. brighter spotlight on the endeav- brought to the attention of Afghan istan $3 billion to lease a large cop- awarded the copper mine contract Security concerns have com- In 2014, an award-winning our, an executive of MCC who was officials several months ago, and per mining site for 30 years. Pho- to MCC.” monly hindered the ambitions of documentary, Saving Mes Aynak, in charge of the deal in 2007 was wasn't given the green light until to: Reuters China’s MCC turns back on Chinese investors in the war-rav- by Brent E. Huffman, brought the expelled from the Communist Par- all other options were explored and Mosazai said during the inter- US$3b Mes Aynak Afghanistan aged south Asian nation, where project’s issues to light. ty last month for corruption at potential collateral damage and ef- view at the Afghan embassy that mine deal battles involving fundamentalist The documentary illuminates home, although his downfall was fectiveness studied. the contract was awarded to MCC Mosazai said the Afghan gov- militants have barely stopped the threats the mine project has not linked to the mine contract. "This was the only solution because the company has commit- ernment has done its part, includ- since 2001. created for archaeologists, Chinese (SCMP) to bring stability to the area and

(Project Coordination Unit) Irrigation Restoration and Development Project NATIONAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING Invitation for Bids (IFB) For Procurement of Works forRehabilitation/ Kushk Bahar Village River Bank Protection Works (Dawlatyar District Ghor Province) IFBNo: MEW/PCU/IRDP/HR01/HRT/NCB Date:13-May-17

1. This Invitation for Bids follows the General Procurement Notice for this Project that appeared in Development Business published on 11 January 2011. 2. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ministry of Energy & Water has received a grant from the International Development Association toward the cost of Irrigation Restora- tion and Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this “grant” to payments under the Contract forthe Sub project given in para 3 below. 3. The Project Coordination Unit, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Energy & Water, now invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for the Rehabilitation Works for KushkBahar Village River Bank Protection ( Gabion wall Structures))(HR01/HRT) inDawlatyar Distirct of Ghor Provice .The construction period is14 months which includes slack period of 5 months for flood/adverse weather conditions and resolving community/farmers needs/disputes etc. 4. Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures specified in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits,dated January 2011 and revised in July 2014and is open to all bidders from Eligible Source Countries as defined in the Bidding Documents. 5. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from Eng. Nasir Ahmad “Ahadi”, Acting Director and Procurement Officer, Project Coordination Unit, Afghanistan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 to 16:30Hrs from Saturday to Wednesday (Except public holidays). 6. Qualifications requirements include: (a) The minimum required annual volume of construction work for the successful bidder in any of the last five years - 13.00MillionAfs. (a) Experience as prime contractor in the construction of at least one works of nature and complexity equivalent to this work during the last five (5) years - 6.6 Million Afs. (b) Proposals for the timely acquisition (own, lease, hire, etc.) of the essential equipment as given in the bidding document. (c) Contract Manager with five years’ experience in works of an equivalent nature and volume, including no less than three years as Manager. (e) Liquid assets and/or credit facilities, net of other contractual commitments and exclusive of any advance payments which may be made under the Contract 3MillionAfs. For detailed post qualification verification please refer to Section I - Instructions to Bidders and Section II- Bid Data Sheet of the bidding documents. A margin of preference for eligible national contractors/joint ventures shall not be applied. 7. A complete set of Bidding Documents in English may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written Application to the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of 2,500 AFN. The method of payment will be Cash/Direct Payment. The Bidding Documents shall be collected by the bidders from the address below. 8. The bidders or their authorized representatives are invited to attend a pre-bid meeting which will take place on 31-May-17at 10 AMin the meeting room at the address given below to explain the procedure of proper preparation and submission of bid, clarify issues and to answer questions on any matter that may be raised at that stage. 9. Bids must be delivered to the address below at or before 10 AM of 12-June-17(if this date is announced an official holiday, then bids must be submitted next working day at the same time and venue). Electronic bidding shall not be permitted. Late bids will be rejected. Bids will be opened physically in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend in person at the address below at 12-June-17 10. All bids shall be accompanied by a “Bid Security” of amount: 440,000 Afghanis. 11. The address referred to above is: Eng. Nasir Ahmad “Ahadi” Procurement officer IRDP Project Coordination Unit PCU/KBL Mobile: +93(0)700686110), SATURDAY . MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Paktika wells run dry as underground water depletes

EMERGENCY CALLS Police 100 - 119 Hospitals FMIC Hospital Behind Kabul Medical spokesman. Meanwhile, officials from Afghanistan Chamber of University: Commerce and Industries (ACCI) 0202500200-+93793275595 urged government to ‘seriously’ SHARANA : Water wells in many “Previously people would use focus on the implementation of areas of southeastern Paktika prov- water of canal and karez for irriga- Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital One Belt One Road project by ince have run dry due to what res- tion but now machines are used.” defining comprehensive strategies. idents believe the abundance of A civil society activist, Mo- Pule Bagh-e- Umomi “If we lost this opportunity, we solar-powered water pumps for hammadullah, said the government 070263672 will never manage to take part in irrigation. should resolve the irrigation water regional mega projects. This A resident of Argun district, issue in order farmers avoided us- project has major importance for Roman, told Pajhwok Afghan ing water pumps. Khairkhana Hospital us [Afghanistan],” the ACCI News that many people had in- He suggested the government 0799-321007 spokesman Siyam Pesarlai said. stalled solar-powered water should construct small dams in vil- The One Belt One Road is a Chi- pumps to irrigate their farmland. lages for irrigation purposes. 2401352 nese economic and diplomatic pro- “Due to the overpumping, the Paktika governor Ilyas Wihdat gram which is aimed at transform- groundwater level has depleted in also said the use of solar powered ing trade in the region. The Chi- many areas and has created short- water pumps had resulted in de- Indira Gandhi Children nese government has pledged that age of drinking water,” he said. pletion of the underground water it will allocate $40 billion in the Similarly, a resident Sharana, in the province. However, he said Hospital, Wazir Akbar initial phase of the project. the provincial capital, Syed Mo- they had launched work on a plan Khan, Kabul 2301372 Reports indicate that the gov- hammad, said the underground to resolve the issue and were try- ernment of Tajikistan, which is part water level had recently depleted ing to find an alternative. of the route, has managed to at- in the province. (Pajhwok) Ibn-e- Seena tract Chinese investors to invest in that country. However, the Af- Pul-e-Artan, Kabul ghan government is yet to an- nounce its programs about the key 2100359 economic project. The Afghan leadership in dif- Wazir Akbar Khan ferent occasions in international A delegation from the Chinese The implementation of the ties with China. level has tried to preview Afghan- Hospital Academy of Social Sciences in a One Belt One Road project would “It is a historic route and it istan’s economic reputation when 2301741, 2301743 meeting with Afghanistan’s Chief play a significant role in boosting has a long history in Afghanistan. it comes to implementation of the Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Afghanistan’s economic relations The National Unity Government One Belt One Road initiative. Thursday called for swift action with the world, Abdullah said at is determined about the revival of However, this is the first time that Ali Abad to implement China’s One Belt the meeting. the route. No doubt, Afghanistan Kabul hosts a high level delegation One Road project and to boost The chief executive’s office has its own interests in the revival from China for conducting discus- Shahrara, Kabul economic and trade relations be- said Afghanistan is committed to of this route,” said Omid Maisam, sions in this respect. 2100439 tween the two countries. enhancing its economic and trade the chief executive’s deputy (ToloNews) Malalai Maternity Young Afghan Hospital leg-spinner 2201377/ 2301743 Rashid Khan has Banks a two-pronged Da Afghanistan Bank Aussie dream: 2100302, 2100303 MAZAR-I-SHARIF : The univer- Bakhtar Bank sity entrance test exam began in play BBL and northern Balkh province on Thurs- 0776777000 day, with girls making half of the meet Warney candidates. Azizi Bank The exam would continue for AFTER bamboozling some of the 0799 700900 four day and in total 14976 high best batsmen in the world at the school graduates had applied for Indian Premier League, Afghani- Pashtany Bank the test, Rozatullah Majeedi, the stan’s teenage spin sensation Rash- 2102908, 2103868 head of a Higher Education Minis- id Khan has revealed his cricketing try’s delegation that arrived in dream: to play in the Big Bash Balkh to oversee the exam. League and meet Shane Warne. Air Services He said 2000 more qualified That’s a freebie for every re- students than last year would be cruitment team on the lookout for Safi Airways enrolled in public sector universi- a rising star wicket-taking legspin- ties and 270000 candidates were ner. 020 22 22 222 expected to take the exam coun- Khan created history by be- trywide. He said 7516 boys and coming the first player from Af- Ariana 7460 girls had registered for the ghanistan to feature in the IPL this US top intelligence officers offered in the military assistance by the exam in Balkh province, making year when he was picked up at the a grim assessment of Afghanistan's US and its partners," US spy chief 020-2100270 Balkh the only province where the auction for 4 crores ($A840,000) future, saying that the Taliban was Dan Coats said. Kabul would con- number of girls and boys for the by the Hyderabad Sunrisers. set to "continue to make gains." tinue to struggle with "its depen- Kam Air test almost equaled. And he has been worth every "Afghan security forces' per- dence on external support" until it 0799974422 He said all students had been penny, taking 14 wickets at 22.35 formance will probably worsen either defeated the Taliban or registered in biometric system in the exam process, but the practice Balkhi high school, told Pajhwok in an impressive first foray into due to a combination of Taliban reached a peace deal with them, he had been prevented. that the Ministry of Higher Edu- order to ensure the exam was trans- the IPL. operations, combat casualties, de- added. Hotels parent. One of the exam attendees, cation should ensure this year’s sertions, poor logistics support Australia mulls over addition- Mursal Amamzada, who had grad- exam was transparent compared to Is it that success — mixed with Safi Landmark Majeedi said in the past pow- the tight bond he’s developed with and weak leadership," Director of al deployment erful individuals would interfere in uated from Jalaluddin Mohammad the past. (Pajhwok) Australian teammates David Warn- National Intelligence, Dan Coats, On Friday, Australian Prime 020-2203131 er and Moises Henriques and told the US Senate Intelligence Minister Malcom Turnbull, said coaches Tom Moody and Simon Committee. his country was mulling over ad- The US and their NATO allies ditional deployment in Afghani- SERENA Helmot — that has him dreaming ended their combat mission against stan. about a BBL debut later this year. the Taliban in 2014, leaving the "We are certainly open to in- 0799654000 “My dream is to play Big field to Kabul troops. Ever since, creasing our work there, but we've Bash. I would love to be the first the US-backed government has obviously got to look at the com- New Rumi Restaurant Afhani to play in the Big Bash,” been losing ground to the insur- mitments of the Australian De- he told foxsports.com.au in Hy- gents. Kabul now controls or in- fense Force in other parts of the 0776351347 derabad. fluences only 57 percent of the region, and indeed in other parts “I’m looking forward to play- country's territory, according to the of the world," Turnbull told re- Internet Services ing in BBL if I get a chance. I have US estimates. porters in Sydney. UA Telecom performed well so far in the IPL "Unless we change something... NATO's Stoltenberg visits According to Platts, scrap from the of the fresh investment in the in- per year of DRI is still required. and hopefully that will help me be the situation will continue to dete- Germany 0796701701 / 0796702702 two countries could be contami- dustry should be directed to DRI He also predicted that Iran's steel part of Big Bash.” riorate and we'll lose all the gains "It is very important that we nated with radioactive material or expansion. export capacity will be rise to The 18-year-old from Nangar- that we've invested in over the last continue to work together - we and Exchange Rate chemicals, and consignments may "Although we do not agree some 20 million tons per year pro- har in Eastern Afghanistan has been several years," said General Vin- our other allies in the effort in Af- also contain unexploded munitions, with export of sponge iron [DRI], portional to the increase in output a keen observer of the BBL from a cent Stewart of the Defense Intel- ghanistan," he said. 1.00 USD TPO said. I believe that DRI export is quite up to 2025, which will include distance — saying he enjoys ligence Agency on Thursday. Canberra currently has around 67.60AFN Iran is not currently a big im- attractive for Iranian producers," about 11 million tons per year of watching it on TV — and discussed Kabul still dependent on West 300 soldiers in the central Asian porter of scrap. The Iranian elec- he said. "Turkey, the neighboring flat products, 6.5 million tons per the standard of the competition NATO still has about 13,450 country. Germany not 'first in line' tric arc furnace-based steel indus- country, is a huge importer of fer- year of longs and about 2.5 million with his Australian teammates troops in Afghanistan, including NATO General Secretary Jens try mostly uses sponge iron and rous scrap and it could replace a tons per year of semi-finished Henriques, Warner and Ben Cut- 6,900 US personnel that provide Stoltenberg also discussed the is- 1000.00 IRR about 10 percent-15 percent of portion of its scrap imports with products. As a result of cheap nat- ting. “It is wonderful to be with training and advice to local anti- sue with German Chancellor An- 17.90AFN scrap feedstock, which is mostly sponge iron, if we develop our pro- ural gas, Iran is one of the world's Australian players and discussing Taliban forces. Additionally, Wash- gela Merkel in Berlin on Thurs- sourced from domestic suppliers duction enough," he said. "There biggest producers of DRI. The cricket — and even them talking ington deployed 1,500 troops to day, ahead of a large NATO sum- while a portion is imported most- is demand for at least 10 million country produced some 16.01 mil- about Australia is good listening,” fight the so-called "Islamic State" mit later in May. Stoltenberg said ly from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan tons per year of sponge iron in lion tons of DRI in 2016 — up group and the remaining al-Qaida that increasing NATO's presence 1.00 UAE Khan added. 18.40AFN and the UAE — a reexporter, a Turkey," he estimated. "On the 10.1 percent year on year. Some “They are all so supportive of militants in the country. would not necessarily mean put- Tehran-based trader said. other hand, shortage of sponge iron 85 percent of Iran's steel industry me and all of them give me sugges- Bomb blast kills eight in Kab- ting soldiers on the front lines. However, scrap imports are is a challenge for Iranian develop- is based on direct reduction tech- tions from their experience which ul US General John Nicholson, the Germany's army maintains a 1.00 EUR expected to increase since the ment projects and more DRI mod- nology for steelmaking using nat- is amazing for me. I’m just happy commander of foreign troops in contingent of around 1,000 soldiers growth in domestic supply will not ules should be installed in Iran," ural gas rather than coal. In Febru- 74.20AFN to be around them. Afghanistan, asked Washington in in Afghanistan. Merkel said there be parallel to steel production de- he said. Khalifesoltani noted that ary, Iranian Mines and Mining In- February for several thousand were no concrete plans to send in velopment, he added. Iranian steel production capacity dustries Development and Reno- “Three or four players have more soldiers to push back against more German soldiers and added In early may, Rasoul Khalife- of 55 million tons per year by 2025 vation Organization said it is ne- spoken to me about Big Bash and the Taliban insurgency. NATO has that the Bundeswehr is already 1000.00 INR soltani, secretary of the Iranian is being achieved but fresh invest- gotiating with Japan's Kobe Steel couple of franchises have contact- since asked its members to con- playing a key role in safeguarding 1030.00AFN Steel Producers Association said ment for the production of 11 mil- to use its technology to cut water ed me already. Once I finish IPL sider sending in more troops. security. that Iran needs further investment lion tons per year of iron ore con- and energy consumption by Irani- hopefully we can have a good con- However, Afghanistan will "al- "I don't believe that we are the versation about me playing in Big 1000.00 PKR to raise production capacity for centrate, 6 million tons per year of an DRI modules. most certainly deteriorate through first in line to increase our capabil- 635.00AFN direct reduced iron (DRI) and most iron ore pellet and 12.5 million tons (IRAN-DAILY) Bash this year.” (FOXSPORTS) 2018, even with a modest increase ities," she said. (DW) SATURDAY . MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES FIAarrests three people Two from Murree in connection killed on with illegal organ transplants suspicion of being child lifters in KOLKATA: A threat mail warn- ing that the Bangladesh deputy high commission might be attacked by a terrorist group has led to in- Jhark- creased security around the con- sulate. Bangladesh deputy high commissioner Zokey Ahad alert- hand ed Bengal chief minister Mamata Two persons were beaten to death LAHORE: 3 people suspected to The FIA Gujranwala officials Banerjee and she has asked senior and as many injured by villagers be linked with the illegal kidney carried out a raid and made the ar- officials to keep an eye out for on the suspicion of them being transplants, are reported to have rest. unusual activity. child lifters in Jharkhand, police been arrested from Murree on During interrogation, Majeed The letter, sent under the let- said today. Thursday night, the Federal Inves- revealed names of five more peo- terhead of a Pandua-based organi- Villagers beat up three men tigation Agency has informed. ple involved in the crime. They zation on Wednesday, said 20 ji- suspecting them as child lifters in As per FIA officials, the ac- belong to Mirpur, Jhelum and hadis from Bangladesh who entered Jadugora police limit area last night cused were involved in attracting Gujranwala. India through the Hili border have and one of them succumbed with- foreign buyers of the organ to Pa- During a raid at a private hous- threatened to attack the consulate. in a few hours. On being informed, kistan. The officials further stated ing society in Lahore earlier in the Following the threat, security was police rescued two others who that the three suspects were stay- month, FIA arrested Dr Fawad, Dr increased at Indian high commis- were admitted to hospital. ing with a friend at a hotel in Mur- Khalid and Dr Altamash. The al- sion in Dhaka and Bangladesh high Another person was serious- ree. Previously, they have been leged were reportedly running a commission in Delhi. ly injured after villagers thrashed reported to have been hiding in clinic there. Later, FIA arrested two Stay updated on the go with him badly on Wednesday on the Kalash valleys of Chitral. foreigners, who had bought kid- Times of India News App. Click same suspicion in the area, police A few days back, FIA arrested neys at the illegal clinic. While talk- here to download it for your de- said, adding that the victim was main accused of the illegal organ ing to media sources, FIA Assis- vice. rushed to M G M Hospital here, transplant gang from Sialkot. tant Director Jameel Ahmed Khan (Timesofindia) where he succumbed yesterday. The arrested person, Abdul stated that the foreigners, who had Deputy Superintendent of Majeed, has been accused of trac- bought the kidneys, were arrested Police (Musaboni) Ajit Kumar Vi- ing kidney patients in foreign coun- so that it could be made clear that mal said no child was recovered tries and then connecting them to Pakistan is not a hub for illegal from the victims who seemed to Dr Fawad, another suspect linked transplant of organs. As per the Supreme Court issues stay order over be mentally unsound and beggars. to illegal organ transplants. Ma- officials, the foreigners belonged to (This article has not been edit- jeed was reported to charge as much Oman. ed by DNA's editorial team and is as Rs4 million for a kidney. (Pakistantoday) Geetha Kumarasinghe’s MP post auto-generated from an agency feed.) (DNAINDIA) The Supreme Court today issued Nepal, China sign bilateral a Stay Order on the Court of Ap- peal ruling on the eligibility of cooperation agreement Geetha Kumarasinghe to hold a parliamentary post. The apex court issued the stay order until under Belt, Road the 15th of May after taking into consideration a petition filed by Initiative Ms. Kumarasinghe challenging the verdict of the Appeal Court. The petition was taken up for consid- eration before a three member bench. The case filed by Ms. Ku- marasinghe was fixed for trial on Monday. Court of Appeals on 3rd May ruled that Galle District United People's Freedom alliance (UPFA) parliamentarian Geetha Kumarasinghe is not entitled to hold the post of a Member of Par- Narendra liament as she had contested the election while being a dual citizen Modi diktat which is against the 19th Amend- ment to the Constitution. Follow- ing the Appeal Court ruling, the paying off: General Secretary of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake informed India the Elections Commission that the Parliamentary seat of Geetha Ku- infrastruc- marasinghe has been vacated. (Colombopage) ture NEPAL and China signed a Mem- international law Yubaraj Sangroula orandum of Understanding (MoU) told Xinhua. projects on on bilateral cooperation under the "Nepal has just become a mem- framework of the Belt and Road ber of the China-proposed Belt and Bangladesh to do Four ‘hardcore terrorists’ a roll Initiative here on Friday. At a cer- Road Initiative, thanks to the Chi- emony held at the Ministry of For- nese leadership for introducing eign Affairs Friday morning, For- such a wide concept that seeks to ‘everything’ to take tried by military courts New Delhi: Prime Minister Naren- eign Secretary of Nepal Shanker enhance mutually beneficial coop- dra Modi’s efforts to push delayed Das Bairagi and Chinese Ambas- eration between China and various infrastructure projects are paying sador Yu Hong signed the MoU. countries and regions around the back illegal citizens hanged: ISPR off. About a quarter of 1,201 Bairagi told the ceremony that world," Deputy Prime Minister projects valued at Rs16.9 trillion ($262 billion) were delayed as of the cooperation agreement is an Krishna Bahadur Mahara told Xin- Four 'hardcore terrorists' tried by tion which resulted in death and important milestone in the Nepal- hua following the ceremony. from Europe: Minister January, down from 43% two military courts and convicted of injuries to soldiers and civilians. years back, according to a govern- China relationship, bringing bilat- The deputy prime minister involvement in "heinous offences The convict admitted his offences eral ties to a new height. believed that Nepal can benefit in ment report seen by Bloomberg relating to terrorism were execut- before the Magistrate and the trial News. Cost overruns have also "Nepal is aspiring to benefit various sectors through the initia- ed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Inter- court. He was awarded death sen- from the rise of China which is our tive in the days to come. come down to 11% from 20% from Services Public Relations (ISPR) tence. March 2015. Of the total close neighbor," he said. "Nepal is gradually moving said in a statement on Thursday. 3. Muhammad Nawaz s/o Gul The MoU aimed at enhancing forward from the status of least- projects—each worth at least The convicts confessed to be- Muhammad Rs150 crore—329 are running be- cooperation on promoting connec- developed country, our economic ing guilty of killing civilians, de- The convict was active mem- tivity of facilities, trade connec- growth is rising, and is full of pos- hind schedule, 293 have cost over- stroying educational institutions, ber of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Paki- runs, while 95 have both time and tivity, financial integration and sibilities, so with the Chinese as- attacking the armed forces and law stan. He was involved in attacking connectivity of peoples. sistance, we can attain economic cost overrun compared to their enforcement agencies, and Saidu armed forces of Pakistan which original implementation schedules. "The Belt and Road Initiative prosperity," he added. Sharif airport, ISPR said. resulted in deaths of soldiers. He will bring Nepal within a group of The Belt and Road Initiative Since coming to power in May Details of each convict provid- was also in possession of firearms 2014, Modi has been reviewing many other countries working for was introduced in 2013 aiming to Law Minister Annisul Huq has ladesh sought “sustained and ed by ISPR are as follows: and explosives. The convict admit- a new economic order. build a trade and infrastructure infrastructure projects, setting tar- assured European Commissioner strong” EU support to resolve the 1. Bakht-e-Ameer s/o Ameer ted his offences before the magis- gets for ministries, taking steps to Nepal can be connected with network connecting Asia with Eu- for Migration, Home Affairs and Rohingya refugee issue, referring Zareen trate and the trial court. He was China-Pakistan Economic Corri- rope and Africa along the ancient ease bottlenecks and encouraging Citizenship Dimitris Avramopou- to the gross violation of human The convict was an active awarded death sentence. overseas companies to set up fac- dor and Central Asia for our trade," trade routes. los of taking back illegal Bang- rights of the Muslim population member of the Tehreek-i-Taliban 4. Mushtaq Ahmed s/o Mu- a Kathmandu-based professor of (Shanghaidaily) in the northern Rakhine state of tories. Still, projects from sectors ladeshis living in parts of the world. Pakistan. He was involved in at- hammad Miraj including coal, power, petroleum, Bangladesh will “do everything” Myanmar. Both sides also dis- tacking the armed Forces of Paki- The convict was an active cussed the scourge of global ter- railways and road have been run- for that, Huq said. They were stan which resulted in death and member of the Tehreek-i-Taliban ning behind schedule, primarily meeting in Brussels where the law rorism and agreed to work closely injuries to officers and soldiers. He Pakistan. He was involved in at- CJP takes notice of stage minister and State Minister for to combat terrorism and violent because of a delay in attracting fi- was also in possession of explo- tacking Saidu Sharif Airport, kill- nance, land acquisition and envi- Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam extremism. The two ministers also sives. The convict admitted his ing employees of Meteorological are currently visiting, the foreign met Vice Chair of the European ronmental clearances and a lack of collapse incident at private offences before the magistrate and Department and destruction of an infrastructure support and linkag- ministry said in a statement on Parliamentary Committee on Hu- the trial court. He was awarded educational institution which re- Thursday. Referring to almost 10 man Rights Cristian Dan Preda. es. As the government implement- news channel’s show Preda recalled his visit to Bang- death sentence. sulted in the deaths of civilians and ed initiatives such as the delega- million skilled and semi-skilled 2. Asghar Khan s/o Ahmad Jan injuries to soldiers. He was also in Bangladeshi workers abroad, Huq ladesh in Feb 2015 and stressed tion of decision-making power, deeper engagements among the The convict was an active possession of fire-arms and explo- setting deadlines and reforming ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has taken a said Bangladesh always promotes member of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pa- sives. The convict admitted his “safe, orderly and regular migra- parliamentarians on both sides. He contract rules, the stalled public suo motu notice of an incident at a private news channel’s show record- kistan. He was involved in attack- offences before the magistrate and projects stared moving, said Man- ing in which several participants were reportedly injured after the stage tion”. “Under no circumstances, also referred to the positive views Bangladesh will jeopardise its over- expressed about overall situation ing Armed Forces of Pakistan, the trial court. He was awarded ish Agarwal, leader, capital collapsed. The chief justice has asked the Islamabad chief commissioner in Bangladesh by the MEP delega- Law Enforcement Agencies and death sentence. projects & infrastructure, Pricewa- and inspector-general of police to submit a detailed report about the seas (including EU) labour market through irregular migration.” Com- tion who visited Bangladesh in destruction of educational institu- (Dwan) terhouseCoopers India. “Govern- incident within 48 hours. As per media reports on April 28, an enter- March. Bangladesh Ambassador to ment intentions have translated tainment show was being recorded at a private housing society in Islam- missioner Avramopoulos appreci- ated Bangladesh’s position and this Belgium Mohammed Shahadat into reality.” The government is abad when the stage of the TV set collapsed, injuring several people. would keep the EU’s doors open Hossian and DG (Europe) Mo- focusing on an “increase in public (Pakistantoday) for future regular migration of hammad Khorshed A Khastagir, spending, completion of stalled Bangladeshis. In 2016 alone, among others, were present in the projects rather than the announce- 20,000 Bangladeshis got registered meetings. The law minister briefed ment of new projects, the resolu- in EU countries, he said. After in- Preda about the significant devel- tion of private stalled projects and ter-ministerial consultations, the opment that happened in human bringing new projects into the mar- proposed standard operating pro- rights as well as law and order sit- ket for private investment,” said cedure for smooth repatriation of uation in Bangladesh since his vis- Agarwal. With the government’s irregular Bangladeshis from Eu- it early 2015. recent steps to reduce non-per- rope has been sent to the law min- He also conveyed that the govern- forming assets (NPA) of banks, istry for vetting, on which he prom- ment is putting utmost priority on there will be some increase in pri- ised to take “expedited action”. ensuring rights of the people, in- vate investment, said Agarwal. In Avramopoulos emphasised the cluding women and girls. In the the latest review meeting on 26 need for “close collaborative” ef- context of labour rights, in partic- April, Modi called for a consoli- forts to combat trans-national traf- ular freedom of association, he dated approach to existing fickers and expressed willingness apprised his EU counterparts that projects. India needs $646 billion to work closely with Bangladesh. the draft EPZ law has been with- investment in the next five years He also mentioned EU’s readiness drawn from the parliament for fur- to meet its infrastructure demand, to finance projects aimed at skills ther review, in consultations with finance minister Arun Jaitley said development and livelihood pro- all stakeholders. in April. (Bloomberg) gramme for the returnees. Bang- (BDNEWS24) SATURDAY . MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief China ‘very’ actively Iraqi forces spying on Australia: launch anti-IS Defence official push west of Mosul Iraq's Shiite-led militia force has launched an operation to retake a small village held by the Islamic State group west of the embat- tled city of Mosul. The push, which began in the An attack on Yemen's Hodeidah early hours of Friday, aims to port would displace more than further sever supply lines in and 400,000 people, the U.N. Interna- out of Mosul, said Abu Mahdi tional Organization for Migration al-Muhandis, who heads the gov- said on Friday, doubling its previ- ernment-sanctioned militia forc- ous minimum estimate. es known as the Popular Mobil- "A minimum of 400,000 peo- isation Units. ple will flee the city eastwards, Iraqi army, federal police and once Al Hudaydah is under attack," special forces, backed by the US- IOM's Director of Operations and CHINA is conducting extensive prefer to see Australian officials led coalition, are slowly retaking Emergencies Mohammed Abdiker espionage against Australia, Aus- working to improve cooperation. territory in Mosul where IS re- said in a statement, using a differ- tralia’s most senior defence depart- “We hope that relevant peo- mains in control of a small clus- ent English spelling for the port's ment official said on Friday, in a ple on the Australian side can say ter of neighbourhoods in the name. rare public accusation against its more things that can benefit the city's western half. The U.N. has previously largest trading partner. development of China-Australia The operation to retake Mo- warned against any attack by Sau- Chinese spying on Australia relations, do more to benefit the sul was launched in October and di-led coalition forces on the has been the subject of much spec- deepening of cooperation, and not the city's east was declared liber- Houthi-held port, the aid lifeline ulation by analysts but senior gov- make irresponsible comments,” ated in January. for millions of people in desperate ernment officials have largely Geng told a daily news briefing. (Belfasttelegraph) need of food, saying that 200,000- steered clear of making public com- Last month, Australia and Chi- 500,000 people could be displaced. plaints. na agreed that neither country (Reuters) “It is no secret that China is would conduct or support cyber- very active in intelligence activi- enabled theft of intellectual prop- ties directed against us. It is more erty, trade secrets or confidential than cyber,” Dennis Richardson, business information following North Korea seeks US decision to arm Syrian secretary of the Defence Depart- talks between their leaders. ment, said in a speech in Canberra. Australia recently appointed Kurdish YPG counter to Questions about China’s in- David Irvine, former director of its extradition of South volvement in Australia arose in domestic spy agency, as chairman 2015, with the lease of a commer- of its foreign investment advisory relationship with Turkey: cial and military port in the north- committee, which advises on the Korea spy chief over ern city of Darwin to a Chinese government on offshore transac- Judge orders Erdogan firm said to have close ties to Chi- tions. Irvine’s appointment came na’s military. a few months after Australia cre- Trump team to ‘assassination plot’ Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen The deal sparked a backlash ated an infrastructure body that said on Friday the United States' to "the end". over the security implications and will, among other functions, check hand over fresh decision to arm the Syrian Kurdi- Erdogan is due to meet with drew a rebuke from US government whether foreign-led bids for key sh YPG is contrary to its relation- President Donald Trump during a officials. assets, including power grids and travel ban ship with Turkey, adding he be- visit to Washington next week. The Australia has blocked several ports, could pose any national se- lieved issues with Washington issues of arming the YPG, which notable infrastructure bids made curity risks. Richardson said Chi- drafted by Rudy would be largely solved in an up- Turkey sees as a terrorist organi- by Chinese companies since then. na’s covert activity in Australia coming visit. sation, and the extradition of Gulen, While authorities do not release extended into the ethnic Chinese Giuliani Erdogan, who was speaking at whom Ankara blames for last year's details of their reasons for reject- community and media. “The Chi- a news conference in the capital coup, are expected to be high on ing bids, Richardson said Chinese nese government keeps a watchful Ankara, also said he would pursue the agenda. spying was a major factor in gov- eye inside Australian Chinese com- A federal judge has ordered the the issue of the extradition of the (BBC) ernment decision-making. munities and effectively controls Trump administration to hand Chinese foreign ministry some Chinese-language media in over a memo drafted with guid- spokesman Geng Shuang said he Australia,” said Richardson. – Re- ance from former New York was not aware of Richardson’s uters Mayor Rudy Giuliani outlining comments, but said China would (Asiancorrespondent) a proposed new travel ban de- signed to be more “palatable” to the public as well as legally sound. The latest draft is de- Sri Lanka rejects signed so that it does not obvi- ously target Muslims, in the way that the first controversial ban – North Korea demanded on Friday South Korean agents and a Chi- Chinese request for ruled unlawful by several judges the extradition of South Korea's nese man. – was considered to do. Mr spy chief, accusing him of being a "We urge the relevant authori- Giuliani, a lawyer, is currently mastermind of a plot to assassi- ties to immediately detect and ar- submarine visit: an informal adviser on matters nate its leader, Kim Jong Un, with rest and hand over to the DPRK of security to the White House a biochemical weapon. The the masterminds of the hideous and played a leading role in North's KCNA state news agency state-sponsored crime, accomplic- Donald Trump’s presidential last week accused the U.S. Central es and their followers," the office Sources campaign. He was reportedly Intelligence Agency and South said, referring to the country by instructed during the campaign Korea's National Intelligence Ser- the initials of its official name, the to form a commission tasked vice (NIS) of a plot to assassinate Democratic People's Republic of with drawing up a “Muslim ban” its "supreme leadership" with a Korea. The suspects faced heavy that appeared legally sound, ac- biochemical weapon. punishment under North Korea's cording to papers filed in court The accusation came after criminal law, the office said. Russian fighter jet by the Arab American Civil weeks of tension over North Ko- Lee was head of the NIS, South Rights League. The commission rea's nuclear and missile develop- Korea's main intelligence service, recommended that nationality ment and fears it will conduct a under South Korea's previous con- comes within 20 “be used as a proxy for religion” sixth nuclear test or test-launch servative administration. New according to the filing in Detroit another ballistic missile in defiance President Moon Jae-in has ap- by the group. During his cam- of U.N. Security Council resolu- pointed a successor but Lee will feet of US navy paign, Mr Trump was accused tions. North Korea on Thursday remain in office until parliament of Islamophobia when he called demanded the handover of "terror approves the nomination. The NIS for "a complete and total shut- suspects" involved in the plot but said earlier the North's accusation down of Muslims entering the it did not identify anyone. of its involvement in a plot was plane: Official United States until our country’s On Friday, its Central Prose- "groundless". representatives can figure out cutor's Office said in a statement It said on Friday it had no in- what the hell is going on". carried by the North's state KCNA formation about the North's accu- (Independent) news agency the masterminds in- sations and Lee had no separate cluded South Korean intelligence comment to make. service chief Lee Byung-ho, two (Reuters) Indian Premier Sri Lanka has rejected China's re- The official asked not to be quest to dock one of its subma- named because of the sensitivity Backlash after anti-abortion rines in Colombo this month, two of the matter. League: Three A Russian fighter jet came within approaching the Russian state bor- senior government officials said on The second official, at the de- about 20 feet of a U.S. Navy sur- der had been located ... above Black Thursday as the Indian prime min- fence ministry, also said China's held over betting flag raised at Ottawa city veillance aircraft over the Black Sea Sea neutral waters." ister landed in the island nation. request to dock this month had earlier this week, an American of- The statement said that the Sri Lanka last allowed a Chi- been rejected but that a decision Police have arrested three peo- hall during March for Life ficial said. U.S. reconnaissance plane subse- nese submarine to dock in the cap- on a further docking had been post- ple suspected of illegal betting in The Su-27 approached the P- quently "changed its course to ital of Colombo in October 2014, poned. the Indian Premier League (IPL). 8A Poseidon while it was "con- move away from the Russian bor- a move that triggered fierce oppo- "It might happen later," the The men were arrested on Thurs- ducting routine operations in in- der." Kunze highlighted that U.S. sition from its northern neighbour second official told Reuters, add- day at a hotel where two IPL ternational airspace" on Tuesday, Navy aircraft and ships routinely India, which worries about grow- ing that China had requested ap- teams were staying after a match according to Capt. Pamela Kunze, interact with Russian vessels and ing Chinese activity in a country it proval to use the port around May in the northern city of Kanpur a spokeswoman for U.S. Naval aircraft in international territory. has long viewed as part of its area 16 "sometime back". Police told the BBC that the men Forces Europe. However, 20 feet is extremely of influence. Indian Prime Minis- A source close to the Chinese had contact with low-level staff She added that the interaction close and other encounters at much ter Narendra Modi arrived in Sri embassy in Colombo confirmed at Green Park stadium to obtain "was considered safe and profes- greater distances have been deemed Lanka on Thursday for a two-day that China had requested permis- information about the condition sional" by the P-8A's mission com- unsafe and unprofessional by the official visit. sion for the submarine visit but was of the pitch. Two IPL teams and mander. U.S. military in the past. A senior Sri Lankan govern- still awaiting a response. three players were banned in In a statement issued Friday, Kunze said that distance is ment official said China's request Speaking in Beijing, Chinese 2013 on corruption charges. The Canada’s capital city has promised poles,” one person noted on Twit- Russia's Ministry of Defense said "only one of many variables con- to dock one of its submarines in Foreign Ministry spokesman IPL is considered to be the a review of its policies after a deci- ter. “Lower the pro-life flag, this a Su-30 jet had "executed a 'greet- sidered when defining what is safe Colombo this month had been re- Geng Shuang on Friday referred world's showcase for Twenty20 sion to raise the flag of an anti- is NOT the Handmaid’s Tale,” ing' maneuver" toward the Ameri- and professional." Speed, altitude, jected. He said Sri Lanka was "un- questions to the Chinese Defence cricket. Top Indian and interna- abortion movement at Ottawa city wrote another, while one asked: can pilots. visibility and other factors are also likely" to agree to China's request Ministry, which has yet to com- tional players take part, contrib- hall prompted a heated backlash. “What’s next? Gonna let anti- It added that the fighter had taken into account. to dock the submarine at any time, ment. uting to what is one of the The flag was raised as part of LGBT groups fly flags denounc- been scrambled after "an air target (NBCNEWS) given India's concerns. (Reuters) world's most-watched cricket the March for Life, an annual rally ing LGBT people’s hard-won tournaments. But the tourna- that sees thousands of anti-abor- rights?” A man is framed by a cross ment has also faced allegations tion campaigners from across as he takes part in the March for of corruption, spot-fixing and North America descend on Parlia- Life in Ottawa in 2000. Tweets bribery. Spot-fixing involves Thailand threatens to sue Facebook ment Hill in Ottawa. flooded into the account belonging players bowling wides and no- This year’s rally marked its to the city’s mayor, Jim Watson, balls at certain times arranged be- 20th anniversary with a new event: with residents detailing their shock forehand with bookmakers. Oth- a sunrise ceremony in which the and embarrassment over the city’s over anti-monarchy posts er than horse racing, sports bet- movement’s flag was hoisted over decision. “I have lived in Ottawa ting of any kind is illegal in India. Ottawa city hall for the first time. since 2008 and this is the first time Facebook has been threatened with legal action by Thailand's govern- Despite that, illegal betting syn- Backlash was swift. Within that I’ve ever been ashamed to call ment unless it agrees to remove posts deemed critical of the monarchy. dicates are known to be active in hours, seven of the city’s council- this city home,” wrote one resi- The country has strict "lese-majeste" laws protecting the royal family the country. Should India relax lors had signed onto a letter de- dent. By midafternoon – some nine from public criticism. Those found guilty of defamation face up to 15 cricket gambling ban Cricket manding that the flag be removed. hours after it was raised – Watson years in prison. The government has given Facebook until early next board asked to probe IPL Calls “We the undersigned councillors said the flag had been taken down. week to delete 131 posts it considers illegal and has vowed to seek to legalise betting in India Police are outraged that a flag represent- “For the record, I didn’t authorize compensation from the social media giant if it refuses to comply. More 'watching' more IPL players ing a personal conviction to restrict it – city staff did as they do for all than 100 people found posting, sharing or even liking critical Facebook Rahul Srivastava, chief spokes- a woman’s right to safe and legal flag raisings,” he noted on Twitter, posts about the monarchy have been prosecuted since the country’s person of the police, said the men abortion is flying on the ground of adding that he shared many of the military government seized power in 2014. Takorn Tantasith, head of secured information about the City Hall,” the letter noted. “Safe concerns that had been expressed Thailand’s broadcasting commission, told the Bangkok Post: “If even a pitch's condition through What- access to abortion is a fundamen- about the flag. “I always have and single illicit page remains, we will immediately discuss what legal steps sApp to influence their betting tal and constitutionally-protected will support a woman’s right to to take against Facebook. Everyone must comply with Thai laws and decisions. "We are questioning right enjoyed by all women in Can- choose,” he added, and said he had strictly follow rulings by local courts.” The commission praised Face- the arrested individuals to find ada.” Others vented online. “We asked the city clerk’s office to car- book for removing 178 of the 309 posts it had flagged up over the past out if more people are involved are a country of choice. That is the ry out a review into the official few months, but questioned why the remaining posts had not been in the betting racket," he said. law of the land. Anti-choice flags policies around flag-raising. deleted and demanded an explanation. (BBC) should not be flown from city (CNN) SATURDAY. MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

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

AFGHANISTAN TIMES Editor: Mansoor Faizy Phone No: +93-797070563 E-mail: [email protected] By Andrew Mitrovica Email: [email protected] Andrew Mitrovica is an award- winning investigative reporter and jour- www.afghanistantimes.af nalism instructor. Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi Too many so-called "progressives" cockeyed faith in - for want of a Advisory editorial board still don't get it. There they were on better term - American "democra- Twitter and in instant coffee-quick cy". Here's the usually restrained Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, columns - joined by their titular in- CNN legal analyst, Jeffery Toobin, tellectual leader, David Frum (yes, channeling his fellow progressives' Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal, Saboor Sarir him) - mimicking Dylan Thomas' angst in a fit of anguished hyperbo- verses to rage against the dying of le. "It is a grotesque abuse of power Graphic-Designers: the light while Donald "Nero" by the president of the United Trump plays the proverbial fiddle States", Toobin told the ever mes- self. Predictably, other progressives news channel that he could count Bilal Yusufi and Basir Qazizada as the Constitution and the linger- merised-looking, Wolf Blitzer. "This rushed with Usain Bolt-like speed on and seek comfortable refuge in ing shreds of the rule of law turn to is the kind of thing that goes on in to praise Toobin's punditry as "au- to rewrite history and convince the Mar ket i ng & Adver t i si ng: ashes. This latest spasm of cable- non-democracies." Clearly, Toobin thoritative and riveting." You see, nation that he wasn't a crook. Note Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 TV-stoked hysteria was triggered by doesn't subscribe to Noam Chom- it's not the pollyannaish meaning to raving progressives: It's 2017, Trump's jarring decision late Tues- sky's prescient view that America of what he says that's important, not 1974. Trump will not be im- Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan day afternoon to sack the ripe-for- has long forfeited the right to de- but how brashly he says it. Not done peached now, nor will he be in the the-sacking FBI director, James scribe itself as a "democracy" and, applauding Toobin's glib defence of foreseeable future. Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 Comey. instead, has morphed, over succes- democracy and, by extension, the Republicans enjoy a firm, recal- Donald Trump's loyal minions sive Democratic and Republican re- FBI, progressives embarrassed them- citrant hold on Congress and, given Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press insisted that Comey had to go be- gimes, into what more accurately selves by appealing to "patriotic" their gerrymandering, vote-sup- cause the cocky G-man had sudden- can be defined as an authoritarian Republicans finally to choose the pressing ways, flipping the House ly and conveniently earned an F state that serves the parochial in- republic over party and agree to next year may be a bigger challenge over his handling of Hillary Clin- terests of the few at the expense of appoint an independent prosecutor than most progressives suspect. The The constitution says ton's curious handling of her emails. the many. It's daffy to think that to probe the metastasizing links be- more salient point is this: Trump's On cue and in unison, "progressives" Trump's army of nihilists will do a tween Trump and Moscow before, legion of followers has not only shouted "cover-up" and crowed that stunning volte face and deem him during and after the election. Re- permitted him to cross so many tra- Article 141 a constitutional "crisis" was afoot unfit to serve as president simply publican Senate Majority leader ditionally uncrossable "red lines", but Article One Hundred Forty-One: To administer city affairs, municipalities shall be after Saint Comey got the boot. because he fired a cop – whatever Mitch McConnell promptly an- they've cheered all along and en- established. The mayor and members of municipal councils shall be elected through You'll recall - since they apparently the timing and cynical motivations. swered the gooey, flag-waving over- couraged him to erase those previ- free, general, secret and direct elections. Matters related to municipalities shall be forgot - that days earlier many of But, of course, it's understandable tures by telling gullible progressives ously sacrosanct norms beyond rec- these same "progressives" were stick- that Toobin's unflinching fidelity to and Democrats that Trump was right ognition. It's daffy to think that regulated by law. ing their rhetorical knives gleefully the anachronistic notion of Ameri- to show Comey the exit door and Trump's army of nihilists will do a into the hapless and now unem- ca's supposed democratic exception- he wasn't going to anoint a modern- stunning volte face and deem him ployed FBI director after his snide alism went unchallenged, since day Eliot Ness to find out whether unfit to serve as president simply remark that he was rendered "mild- Chomsky - or anyone sympathetic Trump is a "traitor" or not. McCo- because he fired a cop – whatever ly nauseous" by the suggestion that to his understanding of US history nnell will, no doubt, quickly extin- the timing and cynical motivations. his late-day election intervention or politics - is effectively outlawed guish the tepid disquiet within the Meanwhile, Fox News, the de had tilted the tight presidential race from appearing on a news network Republican ranks over Trump's facto PR arm of the Republican par- in Trump's favour. If you're try- that, not too long ago, treated Comey gambit since he and the Re- ty, will continue to give Trump all ing to keep score, among weatherv- Trump, the perpetual TV star, with publican powers-that-be consider the time he needs to preach in ram- ane progressives Comey has gone such fawning deference and respect. the possible real-life Manchurian bling non-sequiturs to the convert- from devil to saint to devil and back Turns out, Toobin and company are Candidate an indispensable and pli- ed about how the "fake news" busi- to saint over the past eight months. loath to acknowledge, let alone ad- able asset serving, as I said, the pa- ness is intent on thwarting his de- It's a dizziness-inducing career tra- dress, the prickly fact that more rochial interests of the few at the vout mission to make America great jectory, isn't it? Still, in the wake of than 63 million Americans voted expense of the many – and damn again. The "we report, you decide" Comey's departure, progressives are enthusiastically for an illiterate the Constitution. In due course, charlatans will happily inoculate also, once again, revisiting the wil- strongman who canned a guy most Trump will name a successor to Trump against calls for his impeach- lowy ghost of Richard Nixon and, Trump supporters couldn't pick out Comey. The Republican-controlled ment and, true to obsequious form, drum roll, Watergate - the facile, of an FBI line-up and, in all likeli- Congress will fall dutifully into line the Sean Hannity-led mob will fero- all-purpose shorthand for a poten- hood, couldn't name the seven orig- and approve whomever their mal- ciously impugn the motives, aims tially combustible and politically inal Articles of the US Constitution leable man in the White House nom- and reputations of his adversaries. fatal scandal. The ultimate intent, I Toobin et al so desperately want inates long before the mid-term elec- Poor, beleaguered Nixon didn't have undreds of millions of dollars from the oil import are not suspect, of resurrecting these famil- them to defend. It's much easier for tions in 2018. That, Mr. Toobin, is an omnipotent 24/7 all-news chan- iar tropes in the context of Com- progressives to blame Vladimir Pu- American "democracy" at work. nel that he could count on and seek paid to the government treasury, according to media re ey's abrupt dismissal is to suggest that tin or Julian Assange for Trump's 'Trump will not be impeached' comfortable refuge in to rewrite his- Trump has committed an impeach- success and tin pot despot-like be- Finally, and perhaps most ab- tory and convince the nation that ports. About four million tons of oil is annually imported able offence in order, ironically, to havior rather than the millions of surdly, progressives are clinging like he wasn't a crook. Trump does. And stave off impeachment. This is a Americans who voted for, and re- hallucinating shipwreck survivors to this time the president of the Unit- to Afghanistan, from which, the government receives tax of the self-defeating delusion that has not joice in, his authoritarian disposi- the fantasy that Trump's impeach- ed States will say: only 1,300,000 tons, while nearly 2,700,000 tons enter the coun- only gripped progressives like a tion and actions. The blunt upshot ment is in the offing just over the "I'm not a traitor" and Fox News coiled snake but reveals how they is: James Comey's FBI wasn't going horizon. Poor, beleaguered Nixon viewers will believe him. try without taxes. Afghanistan imports oil mainly from Iran, Turk- remain blissfully wedded to their to save Trump's America from it- didn't have an omnipotent 24/7 all- (Aljazeera) menistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, and a few from Pakistan. The imported oil has been categorized into three types: First is the legal one from which the government receives tax, second is the oil that is imported for the Afghan security forces and the foreign troops which is exempt of paying tax, and the third one is the oil that is smuggled to Afghanistan. Officials say that some one million ton imported oil used by the Afghan and foreign forces is free of paying tax, based on an agreement be- tween Afghan government and the NATO-led international troops. extremist organizations but what The government takes 180 dollars tax from each ton of oil and By Turki Aldakhil is more dangerous is the continu- loses 180 million dollars every year from the free of tax oil. ous breeding of ideas that contin- The Saudi Ideological War Center ues to thriveSome of the core of Officials confirm that tens of tankers of this oil are bought by is part of an intellectual battle Saudi the Center’s work are “establish- Arabia is launching against extrem- ing deep understanding of the “other individuals” shortly after arriving in the border cities Hair- ism. The Center’s board of trust- problem of extremism through its atan, Torghondi and Aqina and they sell it in the markets. The oil ees is headed by none other than different trends, specify the cate- Deputy Crown Prince and Minis- gories targeted by extremist tax is an important part of the government’s revenues. The tax ter of Defense Mohammed bin groups, understand the tools and Salman himself. The Center’s main doctrines which extremist groups from the legal imported oil soars up to 230 million dollars per aim is to expose the anomalies, al- resort to, efficiently cooperate with year, while 161 million dollars is paid to the finance ministry legations, suspicions and tricks that several media and intellectual cen- people propagating extremism use ters and institutions, devise effec- and some 70 million dollars is lost. The vast corruption that is and to highlight the legitimate ap- tive approaches to enhance the proaches related to extremism. values of moderation, tolerance, surrounding the government institution lets the traders to escape This is in addition to other ideo- dialogue and understanding within from paying tax. The oil importing companies that mostly belong logical initiatives being taken in and the context of faith in the inevita- outside the kingdom and the Is- bility of diversity and plurality “ideological war.” Sustained battles at the security and political levels to the senior government officials, parliamentarians and power- lamic military alliance that has been away from abstract theories and have succeeded in deterring terrorist and extremist organizations but formed to combat terrorism. overcome stereotypes in this re- what is more dangerous is the continuous breeding of ideas that contin- ful armed individuals also use this opportunity and do not pay Sustained battles at the secu- gard.” ues to thrive. The ideological war is thus as important as the battle on rity and political levels have suc- The Center’s name itself clari- the security front. It is an ideological war indeed. their taxes. Some of the importers are said to have been linked to ceeded in deterring terrorist and the border police officials who let them import oil with low qual- fies its objective. It is after all the (Alarabiya) ity. This reminds us President Ghani’s last statements about the vast corruption in the ministry of interior. He called the ministry as “the heart of corruption”. But this is not the only corrupt body, and corruption has roots in other institutions as well. Fighting Cr it icism corruption needs a serious investigation in the government or- gans. There are undoubtedly honest and patriotic people who really work for the country not for themselves. The president is requested to replace the corrupt officials with any position with the honest people who are isolated and cannot find the chance of work. Also, the foreign forces who are in Afghanistan should obey Afghan laws. If we manage to stop corruption in only oil importing, the national treasury will receive hundreds of mil- lions of dollars. Subscription Rates Note: The following rates will apply from January 01, 2017. Fee Categories Afghanistan Times Annual Afg: 5400 at your door step For fast delivery service Six Months Afg: 2700 Afghanistan Times seeks the names, addresses of your International Organization $240 per year organizations and the number of copies you want. SATURDAY. MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

The drugs we use for executions can By Apoorvanand cause immense Apoorvanand teaches Hindi at the University of Delhi. Writes literary and pain and suffering cultural criticism.

Nothing in India is local any more. elections became national discussion India is permanently in election topics, the BJP is keeping the coun- mode and insurrectionary politics is try in a permanent election mode keeping the nation in a perpetual and using this as an excuse to con- state of agitation. At least this is tinue with its polarising discourse. what the ruling party of India, the In the past we have seen parties get- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has ting into campaign mode a few decided. If we look at the way the months before the elections. But the elections for local bodies such as the BJP has put its party machinery in municipal councils or district bodies permanent combat mode. The BJP are being fought by the party, it be- puts all its central ministers and min- comes clear that it is trying to con- sters from other states into work vert all elections, be they for rural, during local elections. Daily visits municipal or district administrative from central ministers, apparently bodies, into national elections. The in connection with one or the other party does this in three ways: First, government scheme, becomes a pre- they make sure their candidates only text for the media to give all its discuss national issues, such as secu- prime space to the BJP before any moving, so he may have received a rity, corruption and nationalism, in local election. Thus the mindscape tual and cultural space by the BJP for India's contesting voices. India Communist Party of the Soviet By David Waisel their campaigns for local elections. of the people is constantly filled and the RSS. The complicit media is is fast becoming a one-party state. Union. second 500-milligram dose, but this The BJP's municipal election with BJP propaganda. aiding this process. Victimisation of Once the takeover is complete, it Even after the BJP is ousted is not known. At some point after victory in Delhi was a great exam- A complete takeover independent journalists and gradual will be worse than the Stalinist grip from the government, it is going to In theory, executions by lethal in- receiving the midazolam, he was ple for the successful implementa- Thirdly, the BJP has decided to takeover of media organisations by on the Soviet Russia, as the RSS is a be an impossible task to untangle its jection using three drugs can be effi- administered 100 milligrams of the tion of this strategy. Before last open its doors to major and minor corporations that are close to the multilayered body, quite different and nationalist knots. cient, effective and humane. But paralytic drug and then an equiva- month's election, the BJP had been leaders from all political parties. BJP is leaving little breathing space more vicious than the homogenous (Aljazeera) lately, in practice, they have been lent dosage of potassium chloride. running municipal corporations of Political analysts often see this as anything but. Take the execution The descriptions of Williams’s re- Delhi for more than 10 years. Ev- the dilution of the party's ideologi- of Kenneth Williams last week in actions to midazolam — particular- erybody agreed that their perfor- cal agenda and the BJP is mocked Arkansas: Media and attorney wit- ly the bucking of his head and the mance was abysmal and people were for looking more and more like the nesses reported movements indicat- rising and falling of his chest — dem- terribly upset with them. But the Congress Party by admitting all and ing that Williams did not lose con- onstrate that the drug did not ren- Trump’s next move der him unconscious and that he was BJP not only overcame this anti- sundry. Far from it. Each political sciousness after receiving the first incumbency sentiment, it scored an leader brings with her a support base drug. He struggled to breathe while experiencing airway obstruction. In astounding victory, decimating its of people, contacts, money and oth- the sedative — known as midazolam other words, the little we do know opponents from the Aam Aadmi er resources. In other words, each — took effect. His “head began rock- suggests that Williams was struggling could make things much to breathe and was likely experienc- Party and the Congress Party badly. leader who decides to join the party ing forward and back,” and his chest Veteran election analyst Yogendra is a gain for the BJP. It is impossible “began convulsing up from the ta- ing suffocation. Midazolam’s obvi- Yadav, who is the leader of the Swaraj for any of these leaders to even in- ble,” one witness said. A minute lat- ous inadequacies are exacerbated by India Party, said that the electorate fluence the ideological plank of the er his “convulsions became more vi- the use of the paralytic drug and po- better — or much worse tassium chloride. The sole purpose did not even care that the munici- BJP as it is umbilically tied to the olent, and there was an audible groan pal bodies in Delhi were headed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of pain.” Four minutes after the start of the paralytic drug is to make ex- the BJP for a decade before the elec- (RSS), a far-right cultural organisa- of the execution, Williams was ecutions look calm and peaceful. It tion. He explained that the BJP won tion committed to turning India into By Marc A. Thiessen more controversial Supreme Court away and support Democrats in the “gasping for air” and appeared to be forestalls further movement and the election by carpet bombing na- a Hindu nation. The BJP and the nominee, the filibuster might have creation of an independent counsel “repeatedly clenching and unclench- provides a “chemical curtain” to tionalist messages and leaving little RSS are on a mission to hollow out succeeded. There was heartburn in to investigate Trump’s campaign ing” his jaw. Williams’s responses preserve the tableau, hiding wheth- thinking space in the minds of the all other political parties. We see the GOP caucus about invoking the and Russia’s meddling in the 2016 were not surprising. Mounting evi- er inmates are aware while paralyzed electorate. regional parties weakening and the nuclear option — changing the Sen- election. If he makes the wrong dence suggests that midazolam does (a gruesome experience) and pre- The social media effect Congress Party struggling to keep ate’s rules to end debate on Supreme pick, Trump could also face a re- not anesthetize inmates during exe- venting them from recoiling vio- Secondly, with the explosion of its flock together. At the moment, Court nominees by a simple-major- volt from the FBI and Justice De- cutions, as shown by movement and lently from the burning sensation social media and a significant in- a BJP government is in power and ity vote. A different pick, and partment rank and file. Comey had difficulty breathing (each a sign that of potassium chloride. The paralyz- crease in the number of TV chan- the party is also in control of as Trump might not have had the votes alienated some in both the bureau someone isn’t anesthetized) long ing drug allows for the appearance nels in India, local election cam- many as 14 states in India. The BJP to do it. But instead he selected Gor- and the department, but he also had of serenity that enables the state to President Trump’s decision to fire such, a judge of such impeccable loyal supporters. The Post reports after injection in at least four other paigns and election results started is also filling all state institutions, former FBI director James B. Com- executions since 2014. Midazolam describe the execution as “flawless.” to reach every nook and cranny of such as universities and research temperament, character and intel- that his dismissal “has left raw an- The harm of the paralytic drug goes ey may not be the disaster it ap- lect that his choice won plaudits not ger, and some fear, according to is clearly unfit for use in lethal in- the country and become a matter of bodies, with people who have a back- pears to be — provided he chooses jection. If lethal injection goes ac- beyond an individual execution. Us- national discussion. For example, ground in the RSS. After the BJP only from conservative legal schol- multiple officials,” adding that ing a chemical curtain to hide the someone of unquestionable charac- ars, but also from liberals such as “many employees said they were cording to plan, the first drug, an local election results in Maharash- came to power, even government ter, experience and, most impor- anesthetic, makes the inmate un- response to the most painful part tra were used to bolster the pros- functionaries have been made to Harvard Law professor Laurence furious .?.?. saying the circumstances of the execution — the injection of tantly, independence to replace him. Tribe and former Obama acting so- of his dismissal did more damage to conscious; the second, a paralytic, pects of the BJP in the state elec- attend RSS programmes to help the And in selecting that individual, stops all movement; and the third, potassium chloride — gives the false tion of Uttar Pradesh. People wit- organisation widen and deepen its licitor general Neal Katyal. Gorsuch the FBI’s independence than any- impression that midazolam is an Trump has a perfect model: his was so obviously qualified — and the thing Comey did in his three-plus potassium chloride, stops the heart. nessed the BJP's victory in Maha- reach in the society. The BJP now nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to The first drug is key to ensuring a appropriate drug for use in execu- rashtra as they were lining up out- insists on having a say in the selec- Democrats’ effort to block him were years in the job.” If the president tions and allows states to claim suc- the Supreme Court. The Gorsuch so transparently partisan — that it thought the leaks were bad before, humane execution, because the par- side polling booths in Uttar Pradesh. tion of the heads of state-supported nomination came in the wake of alytic and potassium will cause pain cess for executions that “look okay.” India is very large and there always autonomous institutions. Several united Republicans behind the nu- imagine the sieve that could ensue The state’s self-serving statements another controversial dismissal of clear option and ensured his confir- with the wrong pick. By contrast, if and suffering if the inmate is not is an election taking place some- private schools are claiming that the sorts: Senate Republicans’ refusal to anesthetized. For this reason, the that Williams’s execution was flaw- where in the country. So, with some Central Board of School Examina- mation. Now the cries of a “stolen Trump selects a strong, respected, confirm Merrick Garland, President seat” are long forgotten. Democrats’ independent nonpolitical leader, the first drug must have certain charac- less and proceeded according to plan help from the complicit media, the tion wants to have a decisive say in Barack Obama’s nominee to succeed teristics: rapid onset, so that the do not make it so, especially when BJP is capable of permanently keep- the selection of their principals. current outrage over Comey’s fir- current controversy over Comey’s the late Justice Antonin Scalia, dur- ing will be similarly forgotten if firing will be remembered as noth- inmate does not go through an ex- numerous eyewitnesses contradict ing the country in election mode. These schools fear that people pro- ing an election year. When Senate tended period of difficulty breath- the version of events the state is In the past we have seen parties get- fessing the Hindu nationalist ideol- Trump selects a replacement in the ing more than a brief kerfuffle. A Majority Leader Mitch McConnell mold of Gorsuch. Some of the names strong nomination erases a host of ing; analgesia, to block the burning promoting. We need more informa- ting into campaign mode a few ogy would fill these posts. The RSS (R-Ky.) announced the Garland pain of potassium chloride; and con- tion if we want any meaningful eval- months before the elections. But the is also closely monitoring appoint- being floated — such as former New perceived sins. So Trump had better nomination was dead on arrival, York mayor Rudy Giuliani, New Jer- pick wisely. Things could get much sistency of effect for a given dose. uation of Williams’s execution and BJP has put its party machinery in ments of faculty members in uni- Democrats howled. Despite the hy- In the four executions per- the three others conducted in Ar- permanent combat mode. This versities and seeks to fill these post sey Gov. Chris Christie, and former better — or much worse — depend- pocrisy of those such as then-Sen. GOP senator Kelly Ayotte of New ing on his next move. formed in Arkansas last month, the kansas last month. That should in- gives the BJP leaders a rationale to with people close to the far-right Joe Biden (D-Del.) and Sen. Charles first drug administered to the inmates clude the precise times the paralyt- indulge in sectarian, polarising elec- organisation. Numerous education- Hampshire — would be disastrous (Truthout) E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who both had choices. Trump cannot pick a par- was midazolam. It is a sedative that ic drug was administered and the re- tion campaigns all the time. Speak- al institutions and think-tanks said when Republicans were in of- does not provide rapid onset, anal- sults of complete autopsies, includ- ing against minorities or spreading founded by the RSS are now getting tisan ally or elected official. He needs fice that Supreme Court vacancies to pick someone above politics — a gesia or a consistent effect (even ing toxicology testing. Regardless, hatred against them is seen in India state support and funding. Research created during a presidential elec- Identities with repeated doses). When mida- violent and painful executions will as a legitimate mobilising strategy projects with nationalist ideologi- longtime FBI or Justice Department tion year should not be filled, Dem- veteran, or a respected federal judge zolam is used, executions predict- continue as long as we attempt to in national elections. But today ev- cal underpinnings are being favoured ocrats wailed about a “stolen seat” ably go awry. It is virtually impossi- use midazolam as an anesthetic. A ery election campaign assumes a na- over other research programmes. — who will command instant re- that imprison and complained about the unjust spect on Capitol Hill and inside the ble to say how awry, though, because drug cannot do what it does not do. tional character. A statement made Even prestigious universities such as treatment of Garland. Then, after Arkansas conceals much about how The cynical and expeditious use of in Kerala stirs emotions in Bihar. the University of Delhi are inviting bureau. Fortunately, the Trump ad- the election, even before Trump ministration has scoured the con- us from birth its executions are performed. paralytic drugs will whitewash some People keep hoping that once in ideologues and propagandists of the made his choice to replace Scalia, Assuming Williams’s execution of the more spectacular suffering, power, the duties of governance RSS as regular speakers. In short, servative legal world, and compiled Schumer announced that he planned long lists of potential candidates for to death followed the state’s protocol, he was providing cover for those who want would make the ruling party respon- India is witnessing a complete take- to use the filibuster to “keep the initially administered 500 milli- to play down “convulsing up from sible and inclusive. But since local over of its political, social, intellec- the Supreme Court and more than seat open.” If Trump had picked a 120 openings on federal and district grams of midazolam, after which he the table” and “gasping for air.” To courts. These lists could be used to By Mamdouh AlMuhaini continued to move and show signs expect otherwise violates the laws select a new FBI director as well. of consciousness for five or more of pharmacology and physiology. Indeed, the hard part may not be Commentators and intellectuals rou- minutes. He eventually stopped (WP) finding a qualified candidate, but find- tinely offer solutions to the prob- ing a qualified candidate willing to lems we experience. Some say that ers, preferring family and tribe in jobs and institutions stem from this LETTER TO THE EDITOR take on the FBI director’s woeful economic stagnation is the reason identity. There is a constant whisper in one’s mind: “Your blood is purer portfolio of politically charged in- we are still an undeveloped country. than others.” If human identity becomes the primary and fundamental vestigations. It will require a great Others say that political reform is identity, all other identities give it a distinctive flavor. Maintaining human patriot to accept that thankless job. going to save us. A third opinion identity means keeping the correct approach to all other things Those who The most interesting suggestion so asserts that a return to the past will believe in the hierarchy of races can hardly judge because they will certain- far has come from Sen. Mike Lee save us from suffering and bring ly prefer the owners of the noble genes will persecute the owners of the Drug addiction, employment other “despicable” ones. He will take something that is not his right but (R-Utah), who tweeted that Trump blessings. Fourth, a future full of should select none other than Gar- technology is the only solution that does not care about it. In his consciousness, he is superior to others, so he Unemployment is the core reason behind drug addiction of the youth. Widespread joblessness in land. A Lee spokesman explained will save our slowly drowning boat. deserves to take his right and the right of others without an eye blink. He the country is seen as the principal reason behind youth’s involvement in a variety of crimes, drug that Garland is “eminently qualified Perhaps all these solutions are part will keep the job to his unqualified son because he believes that this son has and has the reputation needed to of the answer to the big question, the right to be happy at the expense of the misery of the children of addiction and illegal migration, despite knowing well about danger on their mission to Europe. restore public confidence in the but we forget an important point others. If we checked the stories of widespread known corruption, we will Last year 24 percent of eligible individuals were reported jobless only in Samangan province. FBI.” Before joining the federal that may be bigger than all the notice that a large part of it is due to favoritism based on the preference of Unemployment youth left with no option but to turn to drug addiction aimed at forgetting their bench, Garland was an assistant U.S. above. In my opinion, the solution the close ones. That’s how the original human identity vanishes, that plights. But they don’t know that the short plight will make its sneak to a whole life with no cure attorney in the District of Colum- is to deepen the sense or humanism identity which will make a human see others equivalent to him, would not bia, deputy assistant attorney gen- in the minds and hearts of people; steal their rights, and no longer sees them only through their colors and last in sight. The government should utilize every available resources to generate jobs for youth. names. We notice the same thing regarding national identities, which easily Large-scale migration is also due to unemployment and that’s why they see prominent live some- eral in the criminal division and prin- everything without it will definitely cipal deputy to the deputy attorney fail and ruin. Each one of us is born slip into a disgusting chauvinism that despises others just because the coin- where to European countries. It is a great challenged for the government to create job. But if they general, where he led the teams that with pure human identity. Howev- cidence that made him belong to another nation with a different national want to discourage brain-drain from the country and prevent youth from getting addict to drugs, tried Oklahoma City bomber Tim- er, this identity does not last long. flag and anthem. Because of abhorrent chauvinism, wars break out only there is only one remedy and that is to create job for them. othy McVeigh and Unabomber Ted We are labelled with all the religious, because of misplaced nationalistic feelings. It is strange that national iden- Aziz Ahmad, Kabul Afghanistan Kaczynski. It would be extremely sectarian, ethnic and national iden- tities have divided us as rival tribes even though it is a new phenomenon. hard for Democrats, who spent the tities that bury this original identity New identities have emerged in decades related to the social and financial past year singing Garland’s praises, until we become completely unaware situation. The rich person only sees in himself the amount of money he to turn and oppose his confirma- of it. You see yourself through the earns and sets himself barriers and restrictions that make him not to share tion as FBI director. And Republi- prism of religion or sect, and natu- space with the one who has average income. Almost everything that can cans would be thrilled to be able to rally weaken the original sense of humanly enrich him and help combine with others almost disappears, and fill his seat on the U.S. Court of being spontaneously connected to luxury cars and first-class seats represents their personality and values. Can Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The others. The sectarian strife that we a person live without these sub-identities and suffice only with human identity? Of course not. But if human identity becomes the primary and Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must consequences of a bad choice, by are continuously witnessing is main- contrast, could be devastating. Dem- ly due to this acute and profound fundamental identity, all other identities give it a distinctive flavor. Main- have the writer’s name and address. You may send your letters to: classification since childhood. The taining human identity means keeping the correct approach to all other [email protected] ocrats would have a field day with the confirmation hearings and hatred of a particular sect or reli- things. In the religious and sectarian identity, one can see the aesthetic would quickly turn them into a po- gion is necessarily formed at a young dimensions, ritual and heritage traditions that deepen human feelings and litical circus. While most Democrats age due to one’s religious and sec- connect it with others. What you see in the family background is not tarian identities. Sometimes we are superiority or transcendence, but the history and life of parents and grand- will likely oppose even the most parents that came to you and you should give it to others. Nationalism impeccably qualified nominee told, with absolute certainty, that Disclaimer: others are infidels and disbelievers, turns into a sense of responsibility, and a desire to know history, but not a Trump puts forward — just as they bomb that we throw at other nationalities out of anger. Human identity is opposed Gorsuch — if the president and we act accordingly. Then comes The views and opinions expressed in the articles are the ethnic identity. You think that appropriate for the time we are living where races, faiths and nationalities loses just three Republican votes for are mingled together. The erosion of old identities means that one society his FBI candidate, he would suffer a you belong to a particular race that those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or is superior to others. The problems will be torn and divided; conflicts can erupt at any moment. That is pre- devastating congressional defeat. cisely why other people developed when their human identity was put opinions of the Afghanistan Times. Moreover, a bad choice could that we hear about superiority com- plex, class fanaticism, insult for oth- ahead of all other identities, neutralizing intolerance, corruption and igno- prompt enough Republicans to break rance. (Alarabiya) SATURDAY. MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

mined to make it work and in Chi- na today that counts for a great deal. We can see its geo-economic implications by comparing what the Belt and Road Initiative tells us about China’s vision of its eco- nomic future with what the poli- cies of the Trump administration tell us about the United States’ If the Pyongyang regime is really economic vision. While President planning an underground nuclear Xi is welcoming the world to test soon, as Washington alleges, Beijing to promote a plan to ex- it will be the sixth bomb test it has port low-income jobs in industries carried out, not the first. That hard- like steel-making to other countries ly qualifies as a new development and shift Chinese workers into that requires urgent action. The higher-income ones, President same goes for its ballistic missile Trump plans to lock out imports tests, which have been ongoing for of steel so as to revive the United many years. Nothing new is going States’ steel industry. He wants to on in North Korea. In South Ko- put US workers back into the jobs rea, on the other hand, things are that Beijing wants to move Chi- about to change a lot. The winner nese workers out of. of Tuesday’s election and South The contrast could not be Korea’s next president, Moon Jae- starker. The United States wants in, favours a much softer policy to shrink its role in the global econ- towards North Korea. He has even omy and cling to old industries, promised to re-open industrial and while China wants to expand its tourist projects in the North that global role and move its economy were financed by South Korea un- into new industries. der the last Democratic (centre- This month, what is likely to be No prizes for guessing which left) government. A decade ago, this year’s biggest international of these visions is more likely to when Moon’s Democratic Party summit will convene in Beijing to succeed. (CNN) was still in power in Seoul, he was discuss the world’s most ambitious chief of staff to President Roh project. China’s Belt and Road Ini- Moo-hyun and the so-called Sun- tiative aims to redefine the global shine Policy of reconciliation with economy of the 21st century by North Korea was the order of the integrating the economies of Eu- Venezuelan official raps use of day. The goal was to create com- rope, Asia and Africa through an mercial, financial and personal ties unprecedented and powerful net- between the two Koreas, and to work of transport and communi- ‘biochemical bombs’ by anti that end South Korea sent aid and cations infrastructure. Some esti- investment to the North. It’s im- mates put the price tag at US $ 1 possible to say whether that trillion, which would make it one government protesters would eventually have led to a less of the biggest — if not the biggest tense and militarised situation in — economic development pro- the Korean peninsula, because in Azerbaijan all set to host 4th gramme in history, far outspend- fore the latest clashes, some op- the 2008 election the conservatives ing the United States’ Marshall position groups had said the prac- won and scrapped the Sunshine Islamic Solidarity Games Plan, which rebuilt Europe after tice would be unsanitary and had Policy. The past nine years under World War II. So it’s no wonder to be avoided. Protesters blame right-wing governments have seen Azerbaijan is all set to host the event, accumulated 110 medals, that so many world leaders will be President Nicolas Maduro for an North-South relations re-frozen 4th Islamic Solidarity Games that including 24 gold medals in previ- turning up in Beijing to claim a piece acute economic crisis that has and the investments in North Ko- will begin in the capital, Baku, on ous games. The country will par- of it. China’s foreign minister re- caused shortages of food and med- rea closed down by Seoul. Friday. The games, which involve ticipate in all 21 games of the mega cently announced that 110 coun- icine. They are demanding early Now Moon Jae-in will be in more than 3,000 athletes from Or- event with 339 athletes, including tries would be represented, includ- elections, accusing him of repress- charge, however, and he has prom- ganisation of Islamic Conference 45 athletes in athletics; 19 in shoot- ing no fewer than 28 national lead- ing dissent. ised to reopen economic ties with member countries, will see com- ing; one in para athletics; six in ers. They include the leaders of Maduro, who blames the cri- North Korea in a policy his advis- petition in 21 different sports cat- blind athletics; 5 in blind judo; 10 Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, In- sis on what he says is a plot ers call Sunshine 2.0. This runs di- egories. The games include athlet- in boxing; 8 in 3x3 basketball; 24 donesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Paki- hatched led by Washington, brands rectly contrary to Trump’s policy ics and para athletic events, rhyth- in wrestling; 14 in judo; 16 in heavy stan and the Philippines from Asia the protesters as US pawns. He of tightening economic sanctions mic gymnastics, table tennis, wres- lifting; 7 in table tennis; 16 in taek- and many others from Europe and warned on Thursday that people against the North and even threat- tling, basketball, handball, taek- wondo; 8 in tennis; 6 in wushu; 41 Africa. It is going to be a very no- attacking military bases would be ening military action to force Py- wondo, wushu, boxing, judo and in swimming; 28 in handball; 23 in table gathering. Among countries tried in military courts. “Anyone ongyang to abandon its nuclear blind judo, tennis, diving, karate, football; 28 in volleyball and 13 in not sending their national leaders who is captured attacking military weapons programme. Indeed, the volleyball, football, shooting, wa- water polo. The Islamic Solidarity bases will go where they have to are the United States, Japan, In- Venezuela’s government and some fied as a crime and incurs strong Trump administration may have ter polo, artistic gymnastics, swim- Games was first held in Saudi Ara- dia, Australia, Singapore and most go: to justice,” Maduro said, while pushed a military confrontation ming and weightlifting, according bia in 2005 that saw 6,000 ath- opposition groups have strongly penalties…, in this case human and again denouncing the opposition western European countries. They objected to protesters throwing animal feces... can get into the with North Korea to the top of its to the official website of Baku letes from 55 nations competing will all be represented at more jun- demonstrations. foreign policy agenda precisely in 2017. Turkey, which is among the in 15 different sports categories. human and animal excrement at water and cause terrible contami- Human rights groups claim ior levels. It is no coincidence that police during clashes. Judicial in- nation,” she said. Valdez added order to pre-empt Moon Jae-in’s 57 countries participating in the (AA) these countries are aligned with the scores of people have been arrest- new Sunshine policy. Given the spector general Marielys Valdez that, “It affects not only the per- ed in protests in recent days and United States and are uneasy about said on Wednesday that the bot- son targeted, but over time, it can chaos that reigns in the Trump China’s rise — or perceived to be have been brought before military White House, this may not be the tles containing feces thrown at gov- spread and cause disease.” courts. The state prosecution ser- so. To many people, China’s Belt ernment forces were a “biological Anti-government protesters have case. It could just be that Trump President of Kyrgyzstan to and Road Initiative is not really vice said on Wednesday that un- is making policy on the fly, and weapon,” adding that this method been throwing excrement at riot der the constitution, civilians de- about economics at all. Instead it of protesting was illegal and high- police during the latest in weeks that he neither knows nor cares visit China is all about expanding China’s stra- tained in protests should be tried about the domestic politics of ly unhygienic. “The use of bio- of clashes in the capital, Caracas, by civil and not military courts. tegic and political influence at the chemical weapons is fully classi- and elsewhere in the country. Be- South Korea. But some recent US President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev will pay a working United States’ expense. That’s (PRESSTV) actions point to a deliberate at- visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, the press ser- probably half right, but we should tempt to get the confrontation go- vice of the President said May 11. not overlook the powerful eco- ing before Moon took office. One nomic logic that underpins the geo- clue could be the sudden rush to political calculations. There are Turkey slams Germany for deploy the THAAD (Terminal several economic imperatives driv- High Altitude Area Defense) sys- XII session of Shanghai ing China’s Belt and Road Initia- tem in South Korea before the elec- tive. They include the need to fos- granting asylum to Gülen-linked tion. It’s a system designed to in- Cooperation Organization ter development in China’s remote tercept short- and medium-range and underdeveloped regions and ballistic missiles of the sort that (SCO) Forum begins in Tashkent the hope of finding outlets for North Korea might use to deliver China’s massive overcapacity in former military personnel nuclear weapons on South Korea This session was arranged by the Shanghai Cooperation Organiza- key industries like steel-making. (and maybe Japan) if it ever man- strategic and interregional research tion took up a prestigious posi- But the key motive is much bigger Turkey has slammed Germany for accepting the asy- aged to make its nuclear weapons institute at the Presidency of the tion among international and region- and more ambitious. China wants lum requests of some former Turkish military person- small enough to fit on them. Republic of Uzbekistan and the al organizations. Today the SCO to consolidate its position at the nel accused of having links with the Fethullahist Ter- A reasonable precaution, per- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of is working effectively in such ar- centre of global supply and manu- ror Organization (FETÖ), the alleged perpetrator of haps – but THAAD was original- Uzbekistan. The session is being eas as interstate relations, securi- facturing networks. This is crucial the July 2016 failed coup. “We regret Germany’s ly scheduled to be installed in attended by experts of leading re- ty, stability and development. for the outlook of the global econ- decision to accept the asylum applications of some South Korea between August and search centres of the SCO’s mem- The Shanghai Cooperation omy over the coming decades. former military personnel linked with FETÖ that October of this year. Then sud- ber states Uzbekistan, Kazakh- Organization’s Forum is a multi- China understands that as its econ- staged the treacherous July 15 coup attempt,” the denly it arrived in the country in stan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia lateral independent consultative omy matures and income levels Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement March, and was “operational” (at and Tajikistan, acceding states In- mechanism on the provision of rise, the lower-wage industries that on May 11. The ministry said the decision did not least in theory) by last month. dia and Pakistan, observer states help and scientific support for have fuelled the country’s growth comply with the spirit of the alliance between the Moon will now have great diffi- Iran, Afghanistan and Belarus, rep- SCO member states’ scientific re- so far will migrate to less-devel- countries and would harm the multidimensional bilat- culty in reversing that decision, and resentatives of the Executive Com- search and political centres, the oped nations where labour costs eral ties between the two nations. German authori- the North Koreans are predictably mittee of the SCO regional anti- expansion of relations among are lower. China’s economic plan- ties “ignored democratic principles and values” while waxing hysterical about it. On the terror structure and the SCO Sec- them, the conduct of research into ners do not want to fight that trend. embracing the putschist mindset, the ministry said, expressing its expectation that Germany would lend the other hand, Trump shocked the retariat and representatives of the certain issues in order to increase Rather, they want to use it to Chi- necessary support to Turkey in its ongoing fight against terror, including FETÖ. A number of Turkish South Koreans by announcing, at diplomatic corps accredited in the effectiveness of the SCO’s func- na’s advantage by centring the na- military personnel based in various NATO bodies across Europe have sought asylum from their countries of the end of April, that South Korea Uzbekistan. In recent years, the tioning. (UZA) tion in the expanding supply-chain residence in the post-July 2016 period amid concerns that they would be prosecuted and eventually arrested would have to pay $1 billion for web that will result from it. That on charges of being a member of FETÖ. Members of the military alleged to have ties with FETÖ launched a the THAAD system, despite an way China can capture the lion’s coup attempt last year that resulted in the deaths of 249 loyalist security forces and citizens. Along with those existing agreement that the US share of more sophisticated high- who physically participated in the coup attempt, Turkey purged thousands of high-ranking military person- would bear the cost. He also de- Turkmenistan to join er-wage economic opportunities. nel on allegations that they were linked to the terror organization. The organization is led by Fethullah Gülen, clared that he was going to renego- The Belt and Road Initiative is cen- an Islamic preacher who has lived in exile in the United States since the late 1990s. (AP) tiate the existing free trade agree- OPEC-led oil supply cut tral to this vision and therefore to ment between the two countries. realising China’s ambition to be- Which suggests that there is no come a middle-income country. It clever plan, just the usual stum- Turkmenistan is likely to join an also due to attend. "Egypt and also mutually reinforces China’s OPEC-led cut in oil supply aimed Turkmenistan are expected to at- PM urges Myanmar to bling around in the dark. Whether parallel ambition to take the lead the US is deliberately manipulat- at supporting prices, sources in tend the conference for the first in the coming decades in develop- OPEC and the industry said, po- time," said one of the sources, de- ing events or not, Moon Jae-in is ing key technologies and setting in a difficult situation. He quite tentially enlarging the output re- clining to be identified. Last month, global standards — including for duction slightly, Reuters reported. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al- solve Rohingya issue rightly believes that there is no critical elements of infrastructure The Organization of the Petro- Falih said there was consensus need for a crisis this year to re- like high-speed rail and data net- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to- the refugees are creating social and solve a problem that has been sim- leum Exporting Countries, Russia with Central Asia over oil markets works. So far all of this is just a day urged the outgoing Myanmar environmental pressure on Bang- and other producers agreed last and sticking to production cut lev- mering away (but never boiling bold vision. Making it a reality will Ambassador in Dhaka Myo Myint ladesh. There are many undocu- over) for at least fifteen years, but year to curb production by 1.8 els. Falih made his comment after require an extraordinary alignment Than to convey the message to his mented Rohingya refugees living in million barrels per day (bpd) for arriving in Turkmenistan as part unless he goes along with it he will of financial resources, technical government to find out a solution Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina said add- find himself in a confrontation with six months from Jan. 1. Oil prices of a regional tour. Turkmenistan is skills, political commitment and in- to repatriation of the Rohingya ref- ing that Rohingyas are also living in have since gained support but glo- a small producer, pumping about Donald Trump. Could he win it? ternational cooperation. None of ugees from Bangladesh. "Together a very inhumane condition. Point- He could if he has strong support bal inventories remain high, pull- 250,000 bpd. A lack of infrastruc- these can be taken for granted, so a we should find out a solution to re- ing out the singing of the peace ac- ing crude LCOc1 back toward $50 ture limits its exports, according at home. South Koreans are divid- degree of healthy scepticism is in solve the issue," the prime minister cord with insurgents in Chittagong ed more or less evenly, between a a barrel and putting pressure on to the U.S. Energy Information said when the ambassador made a Hill Tracts, the prime minister said order. And yet it would be unwise hard and a soft approach to North OPEC to extend or possibly add Administration. A government of- to dismiss the Belt and Road Ini- farewell call on her at Gono Bhaban Bangladesh brought back its refugees to the cuts at least until the end of ficial in Turkmenistan declined to in Dhaka today. "As a neighbour we peacefully from India under the Korea, but they all agree that they tiative as a mere pipe dream. It has always want to resolve the issue agreement. don’t want a war in which they 2017. OPEC has been urging other comment. "There could be more the power and prestige of Presi- producers to join the supply pact cuts if there are other non-OPEC through dialogue," the prime minis- The press secretary said in the meet- would be the primary victims. dent Xi Jinping behind it. It is at ter also said. Briefing reporters af- ing the prime minister laid empha- Trump will find the new South and, together with participating countries that will join the agree- the centre of his vision for China non-member countries, meets to set ment," another OPEC source said, ter the meeting, PM's Press Secre- sis on strengthening cooperation Korean government very reluctant and of his ambition to transform tary Ihsanul Karim said the prime with Myanmar as a neighbour to fur- to pursue his campaign – only dip- policy on May 25 in Vienna. Turk- adding that Turkmenistan was ex- China’s place in the world during menistan, along with Egypt, are pected to do so. (Trend) minister reiterated Bangladesh's po- ther boost economic ties. lomatic for the moment, but who his time as its leader. He is deter- sition on the Rohingya issue saying (Thedailystar) knows? – against the North. SATURDAY . MAY 13, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Mexico sent a stark message to of preferred tariffs with Brazil and U.S. President Donald Trump on Argentina to lower the cost of im- Thursday, saying an upcoming porting grains from the South Foreign investment visit by Mexican officials to Chi- American nations while giving na showed Latin America's second Mexico better access to their man- largest economy had other places ufacturing markets. in Turkey reaches to export to if he tore up the NAF- That would make the "worst- TA trade deal. The North Ameri- case scenario" of the U.S. with- can Free Trade Agreement (NAF- drawing from NAFTA less pain- US$1.7b in Q1 TA) underpins Mexico's economy, ful for Mexico and strengthen its prompting the government to try negotiating hand, Guajardo said. and diversify away from the Unit- "If NAFTA disappears, I can ed States, which takes 80 percent export cars (to the United States) of its exports. Trump indicated in paying 2.5 percent tariffs. If they an interview with The Economist want to export yellow corn to me, published on Thursday that he I can raise tariffs to inaccessible wanted to get the U.S.-Mexico levels," Guajardo said. "But to trade deficit down to about zero. make that strategy credible, I have He wants to renegotiate NAFTA to broaden our agreements with to get a better deal for U.S. com- Brazil and Argentina." Represen- panies and workers, and has threat- tatives of Mexico's government and ened to end the agreement if he does private sector are in Brazil this not get his way. "We will use (the week to close new supply deals of China visit) geopolitically as stra- corn, soy and rice, members of the tegic leverage" said Mexican Econ- delegation said Thursday. Still, omy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, Mexico has found it hard to wean answering questions on trade at the itself off trade with its northern Mexico Business Forum. "It sends neighbour. It has tried to deepen the signal that we have many al- commercial links with China for Turkey received US$1.7 billion in foreign direct investment in the first ternatives." Guajardo noted Mex- years, but the scrapping of a Chi- quarter of the current year, Turkey's Anadolu Agency (AA) reported ico sends China a fraction of its nese high-speed train contract in according to data revealed by the country's central bank on Thursday. total exports, and that the two 2014 soured relations. The diplo- Foreign investment in Turkey increased 43 per cent during the peri- Oil, gas sector key driver major manufacturing nations tend mat said Mexico was not sending od of January-March this year, compared with the same months in to compete rather than complement top-level officials to "China's Belt 2016. The banking sector got the largest amount of foreign direct invest- one another on trade. and Road Initiative" meeting in ment with US$919 million, followed by the mining sector with US$223 He also offered a rebuke to Beijing this weekend. Bilateral million in the same period. Nearly 55 per cent of foreign investment, for economy: Association China on its trade policy. "We all meetings between senior Mexican almost US$939 million came from Spain, the data showed. know that China is not a free trad- officials and their Chinese coun- On Feb 22, Spain's Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BBVA) The Indonesian Petroleum Asso- er, that's the reality," he said. But terparts were planned throughout bought an additional 9.95 per cent stake in Turkiye Garanti Bankasi AS, ciation (IPA) has reiterated the he added that Mexico has had suc- the year. Guajardo said that the one of the major private lenders in Turkey, from the Dogus Group for importance of improving the coun- cess persuading China to ease trade U.S. trade deficit was not a mea- 3.32 billion Turkish liras (US$924 million). Meanwhile, Turkish com- try’s investment climate to attract barriers on some goods and expects sure of the strength of its econo- panies made a total of US$832 million in foreign direct investment in the more investors in the upstream oil it to continue to open up as its my or trade relationship. But he same period. and gas sector to maintain its mul- economy matures. The trip to Chi- said it might be possible to shrink (BERNAMA) tiplier effects for the economy in na would be in September, Gua- the U.S. deficit with Mexico if the long run. Last year, the up- jardo said, but he did not provide more North American products stream oil and gas sector contrib- details. A Mexican diplomat in were made with materials from uted US$23.7 billion to Indonesia’s Beijing told Reuters he was refer- within the region without hurting UNESCO TO PROVIDE gross domestic products (GDP), ring to the China International Fair competitiveness. Erecting tariffs, or 3.3 percent of the country’s for Investment & Trade summit in however, was "out of the question," POLICY SUPPORT economy. “Every $1 million of in- Xiamen. "High-level contact is Guajardo said. "The precondition vestment created an added value very frequent," said the diplomat, to negotiating NAFTA is that we worth $1.6 million, additional GDP who was not authorized to com- can't go back to the past," he add- FOR MONGOLIAN worth $700,000 and employment ment. Guajardo said he was also ed. opportunities for roughly 100 peo- working on a "radical broadening" (Reuters) ple,” IPA board member Tumbur ECONOMY Parlindungan told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday. He even said that if Indonesia could maintain its oil and gas pro- ductivity at 2015 level of 1,931 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day, the country could get a 1.2 percent additional GDP growth per year by 2025. “So, if we can attract more investors, our economic growth will be bigger as Sri Lanka’s economic growth is well, because we can see a domino expected to rebound modestly to effect from the oil and gas sector,” around 4.8-4.9 percent in 2017 and said Tumbur, who also serves as 2018, the Economic and Social Sur- the CEO of oil and gas firm PT vey for Asia and the Pacific 2016 Saka Energi Indonesia. Nonethe- showed. The survey which is the less, he also questioned Indonesia’s flagship publication of the United J.Batsuuri, Minister of Education, and negotiated on future coopera- attractiveness because many oth- Nations Economic and Social Culture, Science and Sports re- tion. On behalf of UNESCO, Dr. er countries were currently trying Commission for Asia and the Pa- ceived Prof. Dr. Shahbaz Khan, the Shahbaz expressed UNESCO’s to attract investors in oil and gas cific (UNESCAP) officially Director of the UNESCO Cluster intention to provide policy sup- industry amid the current low oil launched its findings simultaneous- Office in Jakarta and Regional Bu- port in creating a knowledge-based price environment. ly in 24 locations around the world, reau for Science in Asia and the economy in Mongolia. Therefore, the IPA hopes to this week. Pacific. Prof. Dr. Shahbaz was the Prof. Dr. Shahbaz visited raise the issue in its upcoming 41st As per the report, a major head- Chief of Section on Sustainable Mongolia in order to attend the convention and exhibition, one of wind to stronger growth prospects Water Resources Development and Innovation Forum held by the the biggest energy get-togethers in in Sri Lanka is fiscal tightening that Management at UNESCO, Paris Ministry of Education, Culture, Southeast Asia, which will take would constrain consumer spend- in 2008. Dr. Shahbaz was appoint- Science and Sports on the occa- place on May 17 to 19 at the Jakar- ing and public investment, espe- ed as the Deputy Director and Se- sion of the annual “Innovation ta Convention Center. (hwa) cially in an environment of higher nior Program Specialist at the Week 2017” event. domestic interest rates. The coun- UNESCO Office in Jakarta in Previously, the Ministry of try’s medium-term economic de- 2012. Since 215, he has been en- Education, Culture, Science and velopment is contingent upon the trusted with the Officer-in-Charge Sports prepared the Science and Asia Stocks success of reforms designed to re- functions of the UNESCO Office Technology Master Plan of Mon- duce stubbornly large fiscal and in Jakarta. golia, 2007-2020 with UNESCO fall from trade deficits, the report highlight- During the meeting, the sides Cluster Office in Beijing and Jakar- ed. Economic growth in Sri Lanka exchanged views on further coop- ta, along with Science and Tech- moderated to 4.4 percent in 2016, eration opportunities in science, nology Policy Asian Network. two-year from 4.8 percent in 2015 and an technology and innovation sectors (Montsame) average of 7.4 percent during the period 2010-2014. Public debt cur- istration. “The main focus on this tance that effective fiscal manage- ment of these goals. This is the peak, bonds rently stands at close to 80 per- year’s ESCAP Report is on Gov- ment drives our work. Sri Lanka’s main highlight of this year’s ES- cent of GDP with a large share be- ernance and Fiscal Management,” location and external relations CAP Report, which makes it a rise: Markets ing foreign currency denominated. delivering the keynote address, stands well in supporting an ex- useful tool for policy decision Bank of England There are efforts to tax e-commerce Central Bank Governor Dr. Indra- port driven economy,” “It is im- makers within Sri Lanka and the wrap transactions, reform State-owned jit Coomaraswamy stated. “For portant that we find financial op- region.” enterprises and improve tax admin- Sri Lanka it is of utmost impor- tions that can support the achieve- (Lankabusinessonline) holds, Sterling Asian stocks declined from the highest level in almost two years on concern about the appetite of U.S. consumers to keep spending, turns lower while bonds and gold extended gains. Consumer discretionary shares led losses on the MSCI Asia The Bank of England made no up from 1.6% in February. The Pacific Index as equities retreated changes to monetary policy at the bank now expects inflation to be from Australia to India. Worries that outcome of its meeting on Thurs- 2.7% this quarter, up from the Americans continue to hold back day and predicted that inflation 2.4% rate it forecast in February. The Federal Reserve is playing havoc with the Hong Kong dollar -- and the will be higher than expected three It said inflation would continue to from buying goods dragged the stock market could be next. The pegged currency has been torpedoed this S&P 500 Index lower Thursday. months ago. The Monetary Poli- rise further above its 2% target in year, sliding to a 15-month low versus the greenback as a mortgage war cy Committee voted 7-1 to keep the coming months, “peaking a lit- Gold extended an advance while deters local banks from tightening along with the Fed. As the interest-rate rates on hold at a record low of tle below 3% in the fourth quar- Australian government bonds differential with the U.S. widens, strategists are tipping further losses, and 0.25%, in line with economists’ ter." The bank warned that living tracked gains in Treasuries. Oil equity investors are taking note. The Hong Kong dollar is within 0.2 expectations. Kristin Forbes, who standards will fall this year as the approached $48 a barrel. Global percent of HK$7.80 per U.S. dollar, a level that could trigger outflows is due to leave the BoE in June, headwinds from Brexit mount. equities are trading near a record from the stock market, according to Ample Capital Ltd. and Core-Pacific cast the sole vote in favor of rais- The bank cut its forecast for aver- high amid optimism the economy Yamaichi. Their theory? Traders start ditching rate-sensitive equities on ing borrowing costs to 0.5%. The age earnings growth for this year can weather higher U.S. interest concern the weakness will spur officials to start buying the currency to shore up the peg, thereby boosting borrowing costs. “7.80 would be the other seven members of the MPC to 2% from 3% expected in Febru- rates. Weak sales at American de- opted to keep rates at 0.25%. The ary. The BoE also warned that it partment stores underscored ris- psychological level to have some impact on Hong Kong stocks,” Alex Wong, a director of asset management at Ample Capital, which oversees committee voted unanimously to might have to raise interest rates ing angst that the biggest part of make no changes to its bond-buy- faster than the market thinks. the U.S. economy isn’t picking up about $120 million. That level -- which currency strategists expect to be reached mid-year -- would be a signal that short-term Hong Kong dollar ing stimulus program, in line with "If the economy follows a pace enough to raise growth rates. economists’ expectations. The path broadly consistent with the U.S. retail sales data due later Fri- interest rates may be poised to increase. “People would not be comfort- able,” Wong said. The Hang Seng Index traditionally moves in tandem with MPC was one member short, with May central projection, then mon- day will give investors a fresh read the city’s currency, falling when the Hong Kong dollar moves toward the Charlotte Hogg still to be replaced etary policy could need to be tight- on the situation. While mainland weak end of its HK$7.75 to HK$7.85 per dollar trading band, as it did at the after resigning last month follow- ened by a somewhat greater extent Chinese shares rebounded on Fri- start of 2016. Demand for Hong Kong shares as buyers flee a selloff in ing her failure to disclose that her over the forecast period than the day, they still headed for a fifth mainland China has helped dilute that relationship, however, with the brother works for Barclays very gently rising path implied by week of declines, the worst run this Hang Seng rallying to its highest point since July 2015. Property stocks - (NYSE:BCS), which is regulated the market yield curve underlying year. The rout has erased more than - likely the most vulnerable to an uptick in concern about rising rates -- by the BoE. The bank trimmed its the May projections," the minutes $560 billion from the value of eq- have driven this year’s 14 percent advance. Hong Kong has been tighten- forecast for growth for this year, said. GBP/USD was trading at uities, making the Shanghai Com- ing: the city’s de facto central bank boosted its base rate twice since the saying it now expected economic 1.2886 from around 1.2919 ahead posite Index the world’s worst start of December, tracking the Fed because of the demands of the peg, growth of 1.9%, down from 2.0% of the announcement, while EUR/ performer since mid-April. which was put in place 34 years ago to stymie capital outflows in the lead three months ago. It raised its GBP was at 0.8334 from 0.8415 (CNN) up to the territory’s return to Chinese rule. (Tribune) growth forecast for 2018 to 1.7% earlier. (BBC) SATURDAY. MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES Katrina Kaif joins Priyanka Aamir, Chopra Amitabh in reveals Thugs of she’s seen Hindostan: Baywatch, It’s a she has a Dhoom little Boom warning reunion for you Katrina Kaif is set to work once again with Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan in the upcoming film Thugs of Hindostan. Aamir announced the news on Twitter by writing, “Finally we have our last thug... Katrina! Welcome aboard Kat.” Katrina is currently in Abu Dhabi shooting her upcoming film Tiger Zinda Hai. The film, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, also stars Salman Khan and is a sequel to the 2012 film Ek The Tiger. Thugs Priyanka Chopra’s Hollywood who jump in to protect their terri- goes, she said: “I guess my charac- of Hindostan will mark the reunion of Katrina, Aamir and Vijay Krishna Acharya, who is directing the film, as the trio has previously worked debut Baywatch is only two weeks tory. ter is completely unnatural to the together in Dhoom 3. Actor Aamir Khan during Dinanath Mangeshkar memorial awards in Mumbai, on April 24, 2017. (IANS) away from releasing in India, but Speaking about the tone of the film, and that’s the beauty of her. It is however the first time Bachchan and Aamir will be seen sharing the screen together. Katrina and Amitabh have worked in films like Sarkar the actor has revealed that she has film, Priyanka said, “It’s a mas- She doesn’t take off her shoes to and Boom. Dangal star Fatima Sana Shaikh is also one of the cast members in the film. The filming begins next month with a release date set for already seen the movie. sive one. It’ll be a big summer go on the beach also. She doesn’t Diwali 2018. (Hindustan Times) In an Interview with Zoom, blockbuster and it’s a good film. like sand. She only wears couture. Priyanka said that she has seen the I’ve seen it. It’s just really freak- So there’s this one scene in the film, action-comedy, a reboot of the ing funny. It’s so funny. But please it’s the funniest thing. When she hugely popular TV show from the remember it’s rated R film. I don’t has to get off the jeep, my charac- Did Ranbir ‘90s, and thought that it was know what the certification in In- ter, somebody puts a stool in front “freaking amazing”. dia will be, I’m presuming it’ll still of her so she can stand on it, be- Kapoor fly She plays the villainous Vic- be ‘A’. But that’s the vibe of the cause she’s that much of a diva.” toria Leeds in the film, a business film and that’s the world of the Baywatch is scheduled for a magnate (and also a drug runner?) film. It’s a young movie, it’s about June 2 release and also stars Kelly to London who challenges the security of the young people, doing young Rohrbach, Alexandra Daddario and beach. Cue Dwayne Johnson and things.” Jon Bass. to meet a Zac Efron’s team of lifeguards, And as far as her character (Santa Banta) girl? Watch the hilarious trailer of Actor Ranbir Kapoor recently took off for a holiday to London accompanied by his mother Neetu ‘Guest iin London’ out now! Kapoor. While initial reports The trailer of 'Guest iin London' claimed it was a casual break that starring Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Khar- the actor took after wrapping up banda, Paresh Rawal and Tanvi Anurag Basu’s Jagga Jasoos, the Azmi is out now. rumour mills are now abuzz that it 'Guest iin London' is the sec- was not just any other vacation, ond installment in this plot. reported Hindustan Times. Though film revolves around the Reportedly, the Kapoors went problems that a young couple face there to meet a girl for Ranbir’s when an uninvited elderly couple matrimonial alliance. “The London comes to their house to stay with visit could very well be for a meet them. The trailer is a laugh riot, and greet with a well-known fam- which will surely tickle your fun- ily in London for the actor’s mar- ny bone. riage. Though nothing is confirmed Sonakshi Sinha hits out at Panorama Studios presents, A as of now, but time will tell,” the Kiaan Entertainment Ltd (UK) publication quoted a source as say- production, produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Nach Baliye 8 makers for Pathak, Guest iin London is writ- ten and directed by Ashwni Dhir. The movie is slated to release on 16th June 2017. delaying shoot (Santa Banta) Actor Sonakshi Sinha was miffed ar the makers of Nach Baliye 8 after they failed to finish shooting for the show on time and she got delayed for a personal commitment. Amitabh Sonakshi Sinha recently took to Bachchan to Twitter to express her disregard of people who don’t understand the play ‘angrier’ value of time. The actor, who is currently judging the dance reality man in Ram show Nach Baliye 8, got miffed with the makers of the show after they failed to wrap up the shoot- Gopal Varma’s ing on time. She is one of the judg- es of the show along with chore- Sarkar 3 ographer Terence Lewis and film- Bollywood’s evergreen ‘Angry maker Mohit Suri. Young Man’ Amitabh Bachchan The Dabangg actor had some says he portrays an ‘angrier’ ver- personal commitment and she sion in the forthcoming film Sarkar ing. wanted to finish shooting by 8.30 3. The 74-year-old thespian took Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika pm. But then things got delayed Judgment is coming: to Twitter on Wednesday night and Padukone to get back together? and Sonakshi got two hours late. shared a few looks of himself from Jagga Jasoos also stars Ran- This miffed the actor and she wrote ish shooting for them by 7.30 and then it was Sonakshi’s turn to shoot. Even the lunch break got extended due all this,” informs a source close to the Ram Gopal Varma directorial. bir’s ex-girlfriend and Indian actor on Twitter, “I hate it when people Cult comic Judge The political thriller is the Katrina Kaif. There were reports refuse to respect other people’s the unit. Sonakshi Sinha matches steps with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiya on Nach Baliye 8. The source added further that Sonakshi third instalment of the Sarkar fran- that their breakup in January 2016 time and commitments. It’s the one chise, which is directed by Ram affected the film’s shoot, howev- single thing that switches me off. took time to shoot for her part comprising entry, exit, and performance on the song Dum Maaro Dum as she was paying a tribute to Zeenat Dredd is getting a Gopal Varma. The film also stars er, Basu had already put an end to Like fully. (sic),” The incident hap- Manoj Bajpayee, Jackie Shroff, those speculations. “Rather, Ran- pened on May 9. Aman (choreographed by Salman Yusuff Khan), comments etc. “Even while shooting for the track she gave three to four takes that delayed the Amit Sadh and Yami Gautam. bir and Katrina became more pro- I hate it when people refuse to (Santa Banta) fessional so that the work doesn’t respect other peoples time and shoot more. Sonakshi visibly looked unhappy while leaving the set but ‘gritty’TV adaptation get affected. They were more con- commitments. Its the one single didn’t say much there,” adds the source. When contacted, the makers of cerned that their personal equation thing that switches me off. Like the show refused to comment on the issue. or relationship doesn’t become a fully. (Tribune) Who is hurdle for the film. I was surprised. “Sonakshi informed in the They acted as if nothing is wrong morning that she wants to finish going to be in and they are absolutely fine,” said shooting and leave by 8.30 pm. She Basu. “I was concerned with what mentioned about some personal Rajamouli’s was being captured on camera and commitment. Given that it was a not with what happened between Bollywood-themed episode that next: them. They are so professional. In we were shooting; there were a lot the past also, we have seen actors, of props being used and it took who have broken up and still time to remove one set and place Ranveer worked together,” mentioned Basu. another for the dance performance (Tribune) of six couples. We could only fin- Singh or

Harcore law-dispensing policeman city streets to desert compounds Prabhas? Judge Dredd, an iconic comic book and even to the moon and back. Aditi Rao Hydari: It was my childhood character with 40 years of history The Dredd universe “seems to behind him, is being prepared for a only become and more relevant TV debut in Judge Dredd: Mega- with age,” said Mark Stern, one of City One. First stepping into com- four executive producers attached dream to work with Mani Ratnam ic book history in a 1977 issue of to the project. “Not only is it a British sci-fi weekly 2000 AD, rich world with biting social com- says Aditi. Elaborating on the di- Judge Dredd was introduced as a mentary, but it’s also fun as hell!” rector’s vision, which is most im- genetically enhanced super cop li- he told Entertainment Weekly. portant to her, she says,“It doesn’t censed to pursue, arrest, judge and, Stern is associated with TV’s De- matter if the director is telling that if necessary, execute criminals in fiance, Helix and Battlestar Galac- story in Tamil, in Hindi or Span- one fell swoop. His brutal, hard- tica, and Stargate: Atlantis. The There is a talk that Rajamouli might ish, if he/she is good, I want to line approach was a reaction to the CEO of distributor IM Global Stu- take either Bollywood actor Ran- work with that person because he/ political and cultural climate of the art Ford is also an exec, as are veer Singh or Prabhas in his next she will create a story, which will time and there are signs that the brothers Chris and Jason Kings- big-budgeted movie. Although Ra- live far beyond my time. He/she series could take a similar approach ley; the Kingsleys are co-founders jamouli is currently holidaying, will create a character, which peo- in this new adaptation. of video game developer Rebellion, sources say the top director wants ple will take back in their hearts Towering city blocks, devious now well known for the Sniper any of these two stars for his next and keep going back to. I really crime lords, grossly unhealthy, Elite franchise, which also current- Telugu, Tamil and Hindi trilingual look at it like that,” says the actor, unhappy and unhinged citizens, ly publishes 2000 AD; both the fantasy adventure movie. The film who was recently awarded at the and a contingent of roving Judges Kinglseys and Ford are all return- will take another year to go to the Women Economic Forum. Talking typify life inside the future Earth’s ing from 2012’s cinematic adapta- sets. So Rajamouli has plenty of about working with Mani Ratnam, Mega-Cities, bastions of refuge tion Dredd. “We want to make it time on his hands to decide about she says, The problem in working from an irradiated wasteland that as gritty as we can, just like the casting. Rajamouli is said to have in a regional film is the difficulty covers most of the planet after a Dredd movie,” said producer Brian impressed with Ranveer Singh's Actor Aditi Rao Hydari got a lot of appreciation for her Tamil film Kaatru Veliyidai, helmed by Mani Ratnam. to learn the language. But, my child- disastrous nuclear war. But the Jenkins in a short video announc- recent Bollywood work. So, he The actor, who has been part of Bollywood films such as, Yeh Saali Zindagi (2009), London, Paris, New York hood dream of working with Mani dystopian setting still allowed for ing the show. “We also want to believes he fits the bill perfectly (2012) and Wazir (2016), says that she doesn’t differentiate between Hindi and regional films. sir is far greater than the hurdle of the creation of memorable charac- add in elements from the comic for his next movie. Prabhas, on “I am one of those girls who looks at the industry as the Indian film industry, not as Bollywood or learning the language. So, I decided ters and even farcical situations as book -- the craziness, the levity the other hand, is planning to com- regional. We tell stories and create emotions with them. No story has any geographical and language bound- that I am going to learn it.” Dredd and his 22nd-century co- and the excitement,” explained Ja- plete two movies shortly. aries. As an actor, what drives me is a director because he/she is the one who creates these beautiful stories,” (Santa Banta) horts chased perpetrators from son Kingsley. (Tribune) (Santa Banta) SATURDAY . MAY 13, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES Jurgen Klopp claims Misbah-ul-Haq posts Liverpool are not far half century in final Test for Pakistan behind Chelsea against West Indies Jurgen Klopp has claimed Liver- play, their defensive line could pool are not far behind Premier play. "You need this luck and then League leaders Chelsea and can you go through. I don't say we challenge them next year, despite could have gone through but the the 14-point gap between the sides gap could have been closer. "It's this season. The Reds beat Chelsea not just about Chelsea. You saw 2-1 at Stamford Bridge back in Sep- how we played against Tottenham. tember, though that result was be- But we will all have a different sea- fore Blues boss Antonio Conte son next year." Having drawn 0-0 adopted the 3-4-3 system which at home to Southampton last time has seen the club storm to the brink out, Liverpool are somewhat stum- of the title. Liverpool currently sit bling towards a top-four finish and third in the league table, having Champions League qualification. played a game more than the three Capture an unmissable summer of Anthony Joshua is waiting to find sides directly below them: sport. More live football than ever, Manchester City, Arsenal and the British & Irish Lions tour and out whether Wladimir Klitschko Manchester United. Despite fail- more. "Everything is still in our ing to challenge for the title this hands," added Klopp. "It shows a season, Liverpool do have the best lot of things are not that bad even will request a world title rematch record against the other teams in if not everything is how we want- the top six having not lost a game ed. "When we talk about our games Anthony Joshua's future plans and picked up 20 points from a it seems they are the most diffi- Misbah-ul-Haq scored a 39th Test Roston Chase. The 42-year-old rest in the hands of Wladimir Kl- possible 30 against their direct ri- cult even when some say they are half-century on his final appear- right-handed batsman retires after itschko as he will make a final de- vals, and Klopp feels they are not the most easy. "All the teams have ance as Pakistan were bowled out 16 years representing Pakistan cision on whether a rematch is next, far away from the top. "You have to play tough games and no-one for 376 on day two of the decisive Younis Khan, who is also retiring says promoter Eddie Hearn. to look at the games we played wins all of them. Now we have to third Test against the West Indies. after the tour of the Caribbean, Joshua produced an epic against Chelsea," Klopp said. "We win ours and it will be fine. "This The 42-year-old Pakistan captain, added just eight runs to his over- heavyweight battle with Klitsch- were not worse than 14 points that is a little bit our situation. We think who has announced this tour will night 10 not out, but Azhar Ali ko last month, with both men is for sure but they are experienced, we have to win all the time be- be his last, played his part in an completed a 14th Test century - climbing up from the canvas be- cold as ice and they get the points. cause the rest win. The rest do not attritional innings from the visitors, and second of the series - before fore 'AJ' pulled off a stunning 11th- They play very serious and finish win all the time but we always feel occupying the crease for 146.3 also departing to Chase (4-103) round stoppage win in front of a when they have to finish. "We all under pressure. "A week ago we overs. Misbah was given a guard having made 127. Wicketkeeper record 90,000 crowd at Wembley. know the gap is not that big but thought we had to win all three. of honour on his way to the crease, Sarfraz Ahmed made 51 as the tour- The IBF and WBA 'super' the gap was big enough. "Chelsea Now we know a draw and a win when the score was 177-3, and, ists put on 54 runs for the last two champion is still considering his deserved the title but I've said al- could be enough depending on oth- after being dropped on 0 by wick- wickets. West Indies openers options, which could include a ready they had most luck with in- er results. "That is the situation so etkeeper Shane Dowrich, went on Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran mandatory IBF title defence juries. Diego Costa? Did he miss let's feel the opportunity togeth- to reach a half-century in 144 de- Powell safely negotiated 11 overs against Kubrat Pulev, but a second one game? Eden Hazard one game? er." liveries. Misbah made 59 before in the evening, reaching stumps fight with Klitschko is the pre- Pedro could play, Willian could (Sky Sport) he became one of four victims for with the score 14 without loss. ferred choice for Hearn. (Cricket News) "We have a mandatory chal- lenger in Kubrat Pulev for the IBF. We have a situation with Wladimir James Klitschko where we would like to will also pursue unification clash- them, but we have also got to rea- make that fight again," Hearn told es with the other champions. If lise there is a long way to go. "We Sky Sports. "Fans and broadcast- that's a fight that Wladimir wants, have to box off these mandatories Ellington ers would like to do that fight again I feel like that will be next for An- and the aim is to become the un- and Wladimir is currently on holi- thony Joshua. disputed heavyweight champion day for two weeks and he will Eddie Hearn of the world, to collect all those walks make a decision on his return. "If "Of course there are other big belts. "To do it we are going to that's a fight that Wladimir wants, fights outside of his mandatories," have to be very smart, we're going I feel like that will be next for An- said Hearn. "The two champions. to have to do a lot of manoeuvring again after thony Joshua." Joseph Parker, we just saw him around and he is going to have to Hearn is hopeful that Joshua defend his world title, Deontay do a lot of winning in the ring." motorcycle can hold onto his two world titles, Wilder. "We have got a six, eight, The IBF expect to make a de- despite the likelihood of future 10-year plan with Anthony cision about Joshua's mandatory fights with Pulev and WBA man- Joshua, so people are talking about obligations by early next week. accident datory challenger Luis Ortiz, and all these super fights now. We want (Sky Sport) British sprinter James Ellington is walking again following injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident in January. The 31-year-old and his training partner, Nigel Levine, were left with potential life changing injuries after being involved in a collision in Tenerife. Ellington, who had Giro d’Italia: Silvan Dillier been targeting this summer's World Championships in London prior to the accident, sustained a broken tibia, fibula, a facial fracture and pelvic injuries. Sky Customers can now upgrade to Sky Sports for an unmiss- wins stage six as Bob Jungels able summer of sport. Upgrade now! In a post on Instagram, Ellington wrote: "Who said miracles don't exist, I'm walking again. "I had this vision when I was banged up in maintains lead intensive care and even when they said at this point I would be in a wheelchair." (BBC Sport) Simona Halep romps into the Madrid Open Players Championship: semi-finals Rory McIlroy struggles to 73 at Sawgrass

Rory McIlroy produced a spirit- flirted with the trees to the left of ed finish after enduring a "rusty" the 16th fairway, but he managed opening day of The Players Cham- to gouge his second close to the pionship, and he revealed a back green and got down in two for a problem had contributed to his er- welcome fourth birdie of the day. Team Sky's Geraint Thomas re- ratic play. The world No 2 arrived McIlroy shaved the hole for an- mains six seconds off the Giro at TPC Sawgrass for his first event other at 17, but he lifted his spirits d'Italia lead after breakaway rider Venice Beach lands since the Masters with a bag full with a rare birdie at the last as he Silvan Dillier won stage six on of new clubs, but he was clearly holed his best putt of the round Thursday. Welsh rider Thomas fin- short of his best as he struggled to from just inside 35 feet. ished 39 seconds back on BMC a one-over 73 to lie six shots off "I was a little rusty out there, Racing's Dillier in a group contain- Chester Vase the lead. The damage was done on but I feel like I turned a 75 or a 76 Third seed Simona Halep remains saw off Kiki Bertens 6-3 6-3. the back nine as he made double- into a 73, so it wasn't all bad," he on course to defend her title at the Capture an unmissable sum- ing race leader Bob Jungels (Quick- Aidan O'Brien saddled the first three home as Venice Beach gave him an bogeys at the 10th and the 14th, said. "I didn't hit enough fairways, Madrid Open. The Romanian was mer of sport. More live football Step Floors), third-placed Adam eighth triumph in the MBNA Chester Vase. The O'Brien team dominat- but he bounced back with two bird- didn't hit enough greens and felt given a scare by Roberta Vinci ear- than ever, the British & Irish Li- Yates (Orica-Scott) and the rest of ed the Group Three contest from the start, with The Anvil soon in front the general classification contend- ies over the last three holes to give like I was scrambling all day. But I lier in the tournament but was in ons tour and more. once Ryan Moore reined in Venice Beach after having been the best prime form in her quarter-final on Eugenie Bouchard had been ers. A five-man breakaway man- away. The Anvil upped the tempo with four furlongs left but Venice himself momentum heading into scrambled pretty well, and I bird- the second round. McIlroy got off ied two of the last three holes to Thursday. impressive in reaching the last eight aged to keep clear of the peloton Beach (5-2 favourite) was up for the challenge, galloping on resolutely to an uncertain start as he three- make it somewhat respectable. She swept past American but she was no match for Svetlana for the entirety of the 217 kilome- to stake his claim for the Investec Derby. Stablemate Wings Of Eagle putted the opening green from 35 "What happened on the 10th was Coco Vandeweghe 6-1 6-1 in just Kuznetsova, who powered to a 6- tre stage from Reggio Calabria to stuck on stoutly and was length and a quarter away in second, with The Terme Luigiane. Capture an un- feet, although he got the shot back just a loss of concentration. I went under an hour, breaking five times 4 6-0 victory. The Russian will Anvil only a nose behind in third to complete a clean sweep for the and not losing her own serve. next face France's Kristina Mlade- missable summer of sport. More Ballydoyle stable. Moore said: "I thought it was a very good perfor- immediately with a confident sand to tap one in, and it came straight live football than ever, the British save at the long second. Capture left off the putter, and thought to Halep will now face Latvian novic, who beat Sorana Cirstea 6- mance from a lightly-raced colt. We are still learning an awful lot about an unmissable summer of sport. myself, I'd better mark the next Anastasija Sevastova in Friday's 4 6-4. & Irish Lions tour and more. Dilli- him." "He picked up and he won his race. He's still learning about it and More live football than ever, the one. It was definitely a cheap shot semi-finals after the World No 22 (Sky Sport) er, Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafre- it's still early days for him. He's a beautiful pedigree and he has a good British & Irish Lions tour and given away. "Hopefully I can hit it do) and Lukas Postlberger (Bora- brain. I don't know what the plans are but he's certainly a colt with more. He did well to scramble pars on the fairway a bit more tomor- Hansgrohe) then surged clear of plenty of potential." O'Brien said: "I'm delighted with him (Venice Beach). at the fifth and sixth, but he could row and give myself a few chances their fellow escapees with five ki- We knew that he stays a mile and a half. He's a little bit lazy and a little not escape a bogey at the next af- from there," added McIlroy, who lometres remaining. Dillier kicked bit babyish, that's why we felt it would be important to bring him here. Team Bath defeat ter pulling his tee shot into the fair- revealed he had played only nine first inside the last 200 metres and He's a good bit to learn, but Ryan was very happy with him. "You learn way bunker and blocking his sec- holes of practice after aggravating managed to hold off Stuyven to a lot at this place - a lot of stuff happens very quickly. You have to make ond into the right rough. The new- a back problem. "I only played Wasps Netball 55-53 in take his maiden grand tour stage room, it can be tight and you have to stay as well. "The lads will talk lywed got back to level par with a nine holes here and I've been very win. British rider Yates remains 10 about that (the Derby) and decide what they want to do in the next week birdie putt from 10 feet at the limited hitting golf balls," he said. seconds behind Jungels, as are or 10 days. He's a horse that gets a mile and a half and handles quick Netball Superleague former Giro winners Vincenzo Ni- ground and we think he'll improve." Of runner-up Wings Of Eagles, ninth, but he suffered a huge lapse "My back has got a little bit stiff in concentration after the turn again, I guess just from obviously bali (Bahrain-Merida) and Nairo O'Brien said: "I'm delighted with him as well. (Fox News) Quintana (Movistar). when, after missing for par, he at- building it up and playing through Team Bath pipped Wasps Netball now be forced to wait.England in- Thomas was pleased to tick tempted a casual tap-in from in- and then not doing anything for in the dying seconds of their Net- ternational Rachel Shaw was Play- off another stage as the GC con- side three feet and his ball slid past three weeks and then coming back ball Superleague meeting on Mon- er of the Match for Tamsin Green- tenders keep an eye on Sunday's the hole. McIlroy regained his last weekend and hitting balls for day to keep their hopes alive of a way's Wasps. Team Bath head first summit finish. "It's just a case composure to roll in the return four or five hours a day. "I just top-four place. Bath secured a 55- coach felt that Eboni Beckford- of getting through these stages," from double the distance, and his aggravated that joint in my back 53 victory on home turf, stealing Chambers put on a real captain's Thomas told Team Sky's website. aggressive tactics at the driveable, again, the thing that sort of hap- the extra points after Wasps had performance Bath had led by four "It's always a bit weird on stages new 12th hole paid off when he pened at the start of the season. equalised with just 90 seconds left points after 15 minutes, then two like today and yesterday, you're nailed a good 14-foot putt for a I've been trying to rest that and on the clock. Bath have risen up to points at the half-way mark, but not completely switched on, like three. But he stumbled to another manage that, so I think that's why fifth, level on 24 points with stepped up a gear in the third quar- you might be on a big GC day. But double-bogey at the 14th, where I'm a little bit rusty, as well. But I fourth-placed Surrey Storm, while ter to extend their lead to 44-35. the legs seem to be okay. he pulled his drive way left into think this week it's just about try- Wasps remain second and six Wasps gamely fought back to tie "The break going clear meant the water hazard and eventually ing to manage that and get through points adrift of leaders Loughbor- the score at 53-53 with less than it was a bit less stressful, although did well to limit the damage to a the week and try to play with ough Lightning. Wasps would have two minutes remaining but were it was still pretty stressful." six after finding sand twice with what I have." confirmed their place in the final stung at the end by Bath. (BBC Sport) his second ball. The 28-year-old (Sky Sport) four had they beaten Bath but will (Sky Sport) SATURDAY . MAY 13. 2017-Sawar 23, 1396 H.S Vol:XI Issue No: 279 Price: Afs.20

Kama teachers seek immediate release of colleagues

ALALABAD : Teachers in the Kama district of eastern Nan Jgarhar province on Friday de- manded the immediate release of their colleagues and distribution of land plots to them. modest increase in troops from the A number of schoolteachers United States and its allies for the NATO-led force. Afghan forces were arrested late on Thursday Mujeeb Rahman Rahimi CEO spokesman when they tried to distribute state- being trained by their NATO al- owned land to themselves. They lies have only tenuous control in also traded punches with the se- Afghanistan almost 16 years into curity personnel. At a meeting in the intractable war against the Tal- Kama, dozens of teachers asked iban, the remnants of al Qaeda, Is- the authorities to set free their col- lamic State and other Islamist leagues without any delay and re- groups. In February the US com- mander of foreign troops in Af- solve their housing problem with ghanistan, General John Nicholson, a sense of urgency. One of the told a congressional hearing he teachers, Malyar, told Pajhwok needed several thousand more in- Afghan News the government not ternational troops to break a stale- only shied away from distributing mate with the Taliban. Reuters re- plots to them, but also resorted to ported in late April the Trump ad- mistreating the community. About ministration was carrying out a KABUL: The Chief Executive (MoFA) had been made on ethnic yesterday’s incident, he said po- review of Afghanistan and that Officer (CEO) office on Thursday lines. The CEO spokesman also lice started beating the teachers conversations were revolving alleged nepotism and personal spoke about the border tension with rifle butts as they demanded around sending between 3000 and preference in making appointments between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the allotment of land plots. On 5000 more US and coalition troops on government jobs in some deprt- saying the Pakistani government the other hand, Nangarhar gover- to Afghanistan. US and NATO al- ments, but said the government was had always used borders and Af- nor’s spokesman Attaullah Kho- lies have since been receiving re- trying to resolve the issue. ghan refugees as a pressure tool. gyani denied police had beaten the quests for more troops to boost Mujeeb Rahman Rahimi, CEO “To get rid of this problem, teachers. Instead, he claimed, the the Resolute Support mission, spokesman, told a press confer- the government has a long-term teachers misbehaved with the se- which currently deploys 13,450 ence here it was nfortunate that plan to avoid relying on Pakistani curity personnel. He said the gov- troops. Just over half of those are US military personnel training and corruption remained a serious borders and steps have been taken ernor had dispatched a team led advising Afghan armed forces to problem in public sector organiza- in this regard.” About Russian for- by deputy police chief Amir Khan take over Afghanistan's defence tions. He said the menace should eign minister’s remarks in support Lewal to the area. Some teachers and security, while another 1500 be dealt with seriously and hon- of the unity government, he said were detained after they misbe- US President Donald Donald Trump met with Australian Prime Minister US troops form a counter-terror- estly. “Sometimes appointments Afghanistan expected its neighbor- haved with the police officials, he Malcolm Turnbull for the first time last week. ism unit mainly targeting the Is- to government posts are made on ing countries to support the unity added. Khogyani made clear the de- lamic State militant group and re- personal and ethnic relationship government in any process it led tainees would not be released as Australian Prime Minister Mal- work there, but we've obviously ghanistan - continue to work to- maining pockets of al Qaeda. but the unity government has put and refrain from having a direct long as all teachers of the district colm Turnbull said today he was got to look at the commitments of gether," he said. Australia current- NATO Secretary General Jens all-out efforts into combating cor- contact with terrorist groups. He did not agree to hold talks with the considering the request made late the Australian Defence Force in ly has nearly 300 troops stationed Stoltenberg said this week the alli- ruption and bringing about re- also the US was expected to an- government on the issue. He prom- last month by NATO's military other parts of the region and in- in Afghanistan, training and advis- ance was considering a request for forms.” Three days back, President nounce its new policy on Afghan- ised land plots for teachers in an- authorities, without specifying the deed in other parts of the world," ing Afghan forces. A top US intel- more troops, although NATO Ashraf Ghani said the Ministry of istan next week, saying possibili- other area. (Pajhwok) details of it. He did say however, Mr Turnbull said. "It is very im- ligence official said on Thursday member Germany ruled out send- Interior (MoI) was as ‘heart of ty of a massive increase in the num- that he was open to the idea. "We portant that we continue - we and security in Afghanistan would de- ing more of its forces back to Af- corruption’ and appointments at ber of American troops in Afghan- are certainly open to increasing our our other allies in the effort in Af- teriorate even further without a ghanistan. radionz the Ministry of Foreign Affairs istan was likely. (Pajhwok) 20 suffer casualties as Spin Boldak rival Taliban border to stay factions clash shut until dispute HERAT CITY: At least 20 insur- gents have been killed and injured resolved: Raziq MAHMOOD RAQI : A school in a clash between two rival Tali- for girls has opened in the Tagab ban factions in Adraskan district ANDAHAR : Kandahar district of central Kapisa province of western Herat province, local police chief Gen. Abdul after more than a decade and a half, officials said on Thursday. KRaziq on Friday said the an official said on Friday. Herat governor’s spokesman, Spin Boldak-Chaman border cross- Education Director Moham- Jilani Farhad, on Thursday told ing would remain closed until a mad Nasim told Pajhwok Afghan Pajhwok Afghan News that insur- dispute over a village on the bor- News the school, which was set gents loyal to Mullah Haibatullah, der between Afghanistan and Pa- up as a result of efforts by tribal the Taliban’s supreme leader, and kistan was resolved. elders, started functioning in Shin- those loyal to Mullah Niazi Raziq said this while address- kai area on Thursday. clashed in Pir Kholai area of Adras- ing a gathering at the Governor’s “I spoke to the Talgab elders kan district on Thursday after- House in Kandahar City, the pro- and later arranged their meeting noon. He said 10 individuals loyal vincial capital. Members of both with the governor. This year, we to Mullah Haibatullah were killed houses of the Afghan parliament were able to establish the school. and seven others were detained by were present at the gathering that t least 25 killed as explosion hits Area elders are guarding the the other side. Jilani said two of praised the Afghan security forces school,” he said. Fifty girls are cur- Mullah Niazi’s insurgents were for their response to what they convoy of Senate deputy chair rently enrolled in the school, the also killed during the clash, with called the ‘unproved attack.’ first to be set up in the area after the infighting stil ongoing. The Tal- Besides military and civil offi- man Abdul Ghafoor Haideri 16 years, the director said, hoping iban have said nothing about the cials, advisors to President Ashraf south of Quetta. the number would rise. The school ficial promised, indicating lady schools had been established in the clash so far. (Pajhwok) Ghani and Chief Executive Officer housed in a private residence has teachers in Tagab would be offered Qurghal area of Tagab in the early (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah, provin- five teachers. An independent higher salaries than their counter- years of Hamid Karzai’s presiden- cial council members, tribal elders building for the school would be parts in other districts. Resident cy. However, both were destroyed and others were in attendance. constructed within a year, the of- Ahmad Khalid recalled two girls’ by militants. (Pajhwok) Senior academic The Kandahar police chief said the Pakistani side wanted to re- shot dead by open the border gate on Friday, but they opposed. motorcyclists The border crossing has been closed since last Friday when bor- 'Heavy clashes' ongoing in in Kabul der guards of the two countries KABUL: A senior of the Afghani- clashed over a census exercise in stan Academy of Sciences was Luqman village as both the sides Baghlan’s Burka district gunned down by unidentified in claimed the village was on their side Kabul on Friday afternoon, the of the border. The clash left at least nine ci- A group of Taliban militants at- ghan soldiers were killed or wound- tional Army’s Second Regiment in victim’s family said. tacked security forces’ outposts in ed in the clashes. On Thursday, Baghlan. “All military convoys Saifur Rahman Stanikzai, dep- vilians dead on both sides and sev- eral others wounded besides forc- Burka district in Baghlan province security officials in Baghlan said have safely passed through the uty head of Islamic Science at the at mid-night on Thursday, securi- Taliban militants have suffered a cleared areas of Baghlan,” he add- academy, was shot dead by un- ing hundreds of families to flee for safety. Gen. Raziq said the border Islamabad, Pakistan - A bomb ex- officials said, but his driver and ty sources confirmed on Friday. heavy casualty toll in the prov- ed. Baghlan police also confirmed known motorcyclists on his way plosion targeting a senior politi- another aide in the same vehicle The sources said the Taliban has ince and have been pushed back that the militants suffered heavy from home to a mosque in the Rah- crossing would not be reopened until the dispute over the Luqman cian in southwestern Pakistan has were killed. arrived close to the district gover- by government forces in the past losses in the battle which started man Mina area of the capital. killed at least 25 people and "He was wounded by the blast nor’s office and heavy clashes are two weeks following the launch of two weeks ago. (ToloNews) One of his relatives told Pajh- village was not resolved. He urged the Afghans to standby their secu- wounded 37 others, medical offi- but someone who was sitting next ongoing between government forc- their summer offensive. The offi- wok Afghan News two other peo- cials say. to him, and his driver were both es and the militants. Sources have cials said the Taliban’s offensive ple, who were also wounded in the rity forces and religious scholars and tribal elders to work for peace The blast took place in the killed," said Dr Sher Ahmed, the said that the Taliban fighters have in Baghlan has so far failed and the shooting, were hospitalised. Secu- town of Mastung, about 50km government's district health chief entered the Baghlan district province has become a “grave” for rity officials are yet to comment and stability in the country. Mo- hammad Hashim Alokozai, who south of Balochistan provincial in Mastung, while confirming the through Takhar and Kunduz prov- the fighters of the group. “We are on the incident. Hailing from the capital Quetta, shortly after the death toll. inces. Reinforcements have arrived fully prepared. The enemy has Mohammad Agha district of cen- heads the Senate committee on in- terior security, said the upper end of Friday prayers, according Haideri received "light wounds at the area to help government forc- been pushed back so far. We as- tral Logar province, Stanikzai was to a government spokesman. from broken glass", according to es in the district. The sources said sure the Baghlan residents that we doing his doctorate at the Nangar- house delegation a day earlier vis- ited Luqman and Jehangir villages Senate Deputy Chairman Ab- Dr Shafi Zaidi, chief of the local that at least 30 Taliban militants will ensure their safety,” said Colo- har University. He has written sev- dul Ghafoor Haideri escaped the hospital where the senator was were killed in the battle. Accord- nel Ziauddin, Commander of the eral research papers. (Pajhwok) --- the scene of the border skir- mish. (Pajhwok) attack with light wounds, medical initially treated. (Al Jazeera) ing to the sources, up to 20 Af- First Battalion of the Afghan Na-