Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:X Issue No:201 Price: Afs.15

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimes www.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20. 2016 -Hoot 01, 1394 HS Yo ur Yo ur ad ad he re he re 0778894038 0778894038

ISLAMABAD: The Senate was informed on Thursday that at present 1.55 million registered Afghan Refugees are residing in Pakistan. Minis- ter for States and Frontier Region Abdul Qadir Baloch told the House during the question hours, that the Prime Minister recently extended the legal stay of registered Afghan refugees till 30th of June this year. How- ever, there is also a proposal for extension of these refugees for till the end of next year. The Minister said since 2002, 3.9 million Afghan refugees have been repatriated to their homeland. Replying to a supple- By Ali M. Latifi and Shashank Bengali mentary, he said Pakistan has commitment with the international com- munity to repatriate Afghan Refugees with dignity and honour. He said As military and political setbacks sition to negotiations. Meanwhile, of its longtime leader, Mullah Mo- regarded as solidly in government the guns, it’s us who have fought the issue of repatriation has repeatedly been taken up with the Afghan mount, Afghanistan’s embattled the Taliban has papered over a lead- hammed Omar, and gained strength hands. “Right now, they are think- for more than 20 years,’” Massoud government but it has expressed inability to provide necessary facilities president, Ashraf Ghani, has in- ership crisis following the death in northern and southern areas once ing: ‘We have the territory, we have said of the Taliban. . .. See P2 and incentives for return of Refugees to their homeland. —INP sisted the time is right to seek di- rect peace talks with resurgent Taliban militants. Now an influential figure in Ghani’s government has blasted the Pentagon to cut salaries of 'Ghost' soldiers peace strategy as a “waste of time” President orders given the Taliban’s successes and assistance for The Pentagon is set to cut salaries the government’s weakness, and of 'ghost' soldiers in Afghanistan, said the four-nation effort – which IDPs in U.S officials said. includes the United States, China US officials hoped that by the and Pakistan – is doomed to fail. Nangarhar, end of this year the problem will “What do the Taliban stand to Baghlan be resolved and that salaries of gain at this time from negotiating only actual Afghan troops will be with the government?” said Ahmad KABUL: President Ashraf paid. Zia Massoud, who holds the title Ghani directed the officials con- "Afghanistan is important to of Ghani’s special representative cerned to provide urgent assis- us because it intersects with our tance to internally displaced per- vital national interests," said Colo- for reform and good governance. nel Stephen Michael, the Deputy In an interview at his office in sons (IDPs) in eastern Nangar- Director of the Pakistan/ Afghani- Kabul, Massoud said the confi- har and northern Baghlan prov- stan Coordination Cell of the US dence expressed by Ghani and inces. Office of the Chairman of the Joint Abdullah Abdullah, chief executive During a video conference Chiefs of Staff. in Afghanistan’s unity govern- with military and civil officials He added that they will ensure ment, does not reflect political and from eastern and southeastern that nothing will happen in Afghan- military realities. Citing U.S. mili- zones, President Ghani was up- istan to threaten the U.S's inter- tary figures, the U.S. Special In- dated about recent developments ests. spector for Afghanistan Recon- in the creation of reserve forces However, the Ministry of struction, a watchdog, reported last in the 201st and 203rd military Defense (MoD) rejects the exist- month that the Afghan government crops and security situation in ence of 'ghost' soldiers in the Af- controls just 72% of the country’s the zones, a statement from the ghan National Army (ANA) ranks. 407 districts, believed to be the Presidential Palace said. "There are no ghost soldiers in Then the acting defence min- the MoD and we have taken a lowest figure in years. Taliban in- ister, the interior minister, the number of important steps in this surgents have continued fighting acting National Directorate of Se- regard," said Dawlat Waziri, government forces through a curity (NDSinfo-icon) chief and spokesman for the MoD. bloody winter, defying the usual the Independent Directorate of Afghan security forces spend lull in violence that comes in Af- Local Governance (IDLG) head $5 billion USD annually and a large ghanistan’s colder months and presented their suggestions re- part of the amount is paid by the prompting U.S. military officials garding the security situation, United States. to reconsider reducing the U.S. the statement added. Chairman of the subcommit- troop presence later this year as The president praised offi- tee on oversight and investigations the White House had planned. The cials of the military corps and of the US house committee on four nations involved in the peace thanked security forces for de- armed services, Vicky Hartzler, effort have held multiple meetings feating Talibaninfo-icon and said that Afghan security forces do – the next is scheduled for Feb. 23 Daesh insurgents in their prov- not have sufficient fighter aircrafts in Kabul – but have not yet invit- inces. He also ordered that the and helicopters. She said that air- craft are important to provide sup- ed Taliban representatives. Ghani displaced families who left their port to forces on the ground. Tolo has failed to win support for talks homes due to atrocities of ter- either from the public or among rorists in some districts of Nan- top officials; the country’s spy garhar, should be provided with 3 HELD FOR chief recently resigned over oppo- urgent assistance. Senior TRANSFERRING Mangal seeks tribal elders support WEAPONS, NDS official for TAPI, border security BULLETS TO dead in LASHKARGH: Boarders and NANGRAHAR Tribal Affairs Minister Gulab Khost Mangal on Friday arrived in south- KABUL: National Directorate of ern Helmand province to seek the Security (NDSinfo-icon) person- supporter of tribal elders for the nel have arrested a group of three explosion terrorists in capital Kabul who KABUL: Outgoing Commander of The meeting took place in Shuhada of Pakistani Security security of Turkmenistan, Afghan- transferred weapons and bullets to KHOST CITY: A senior official of istaninfo-icon, Pakistaninfo-icon Resolute Support Mission and US which both dignitaries reviewed the Forces, General John F. Campbell other terrorists for insurgent ac- the National Directorate of Secu- Forces in Afghanistaninfo-icon, ongoing Afghan reconciliation pro- also laid a floral wreath at the Yad- Indian (TAPI) gas pipeline and tivities. A statement from the spy- rity (NDSinfo-icon) was killed in country’s borders. service said on Friday the individ- General John F. Campbell paid a cess and discussed the way for- gar-e-Shuhada. Earlier the US Sen- a magnetic bomb explosion in east- farewell call to General Raheel ward. Gen. Sharif particularly ate Armed Services Committee Mangal said work over the uals had been arrested in the limits ern Khost province on Friday, an 1,735 kilometres long gas pipeline of 19th municipality district. Sharif, chief of the Pakistani armed thanked outgoing Commander approved the nomination of Gen- official said. forces, at General Headquarter Resolute Support Mission for his eral Nicholson unanimously dur- had been started in Turkmenistan Among the detainees were, Malak Wishing anonymity, the secu- and would be launched soon in Din from Sarobi district, Syed Rawalpindi, Inter-Public Service efforts towards stability in Af- ing a Congressional hearing on Af- Mohammad and Syed Fahim from rity official told Pajhwok Afghan Relations (ISPR) has said on. ghanistan. To pay tributes to the ghanistan where the outgoing com- Afghanistan. He said the purpose News that Ismail was traveling in of his visit to Helmand was to talk Bagrami districts. The individuals mander Gen John Campbell testi- were carrying three Makarov pis- his car on the city’s ring road when fied before the Senators. In his to the local elders for the security the attached magnetic bomb ex- of the vital pipeline. tols, and bullets of Kalashnikov in testimony last week, General a car when held by the personnel ploded. Answering to a question the Mangal said Dishu, Khanshin Nicholson said he would review of NDS. During the investigations Deputy Governor Abdul Wa- the plan to cut US troop level by minister said Pakistani forces have and Garamsir were the districts the detainees have confessed that hid Patan confirmed the incident violated the Durand Lineinfo-icon situated on the Durand Line with nearly half by the start of next year. they were shifting the bullets and but did not go into the details of Gen Nicholson is currently the and moved inside Afghan territory Pakistan. He said he would talk to pistols to Nangrahar for insurgent the explosion. in different provinces, including the tribal elders of these areas to US Army commander of NATO- activities, the statement said. Mohammad Aslam, an eye info-icon land forces. He has Helmand. ensure the protection of TAPI gas witness, said the explosion took He said it was known to ev- pipeline. served in multiple capacities in- place in a car and one person on cluding chief of staff operations for eryone that war was not solution Few months back, TAPI coun- board was killed. There was no to issues, adding that participation tries finally inked the implantation the International Security Assis- immidate claim of responsibility tance Force (ISAFinfo-icon) and of people and their involvement accord of the projects and the con- for the attack. was necessary for durable peace US Forces - Afghanistan, director struction work of the pipeline was (Pajhwok) and stability in the country. launched. (Pajhwok) of Pakistaninfo-icon Afghanistan Coordination Cell for the Joint Staff, and deputy commander - Stability of ISAF Regional Com- mand – South. such as Ruby, Emerald, Black Ag- Country’s mineral resources being ate, Granite, Turquoise, Tourma- line and other could be found in BISHKEK: ElectricityAfghani- ership of Tajikistan with the re- excavated illegally: Ministry parts of the country stan asks Tajikistan to increase the quest to increase the supply of elec- According to experts Afghani- volume of electricity supplies, re- tricity in the country up to 150- KABUL: The Ministry of Mines sources. Afghanistaninfo-icon is a stan is historically known as natu- ported the local media. 180 MW. and Petroleum (MoMP) on Fri- country rich in natural resources ral resources rich country, but the day expressed deep concerns over and minerals. Valuable minerals riches have yet to be excavated. Such request of the Afghan side But the Ministry of Energy the illegal excavation of minerals is connected with Taliban's series and Water Resources of Tajikistan and other natural resources in dif- of explosions of the power line said that such request was not re- ferent parts of the country. utility poles connecting Afghani- ceived yet. MoMP Spokesman Muhaud- stan with Tajikistan and Uzbeki- Tajikistan suspends the elec- din Noori told Pajhwok Afghan stan. tricity export each year at the be- News the ministry has learned that The power supply in the ginning of the autumn-winter pe- illegal armed people and insurgents country was resumed after Tali- riod, as the country itself faces a in insecure areas of the country ban attacks. However, the territo- shortage of electricity. According were involved in demining of nat- ry of the damaged power line util- to the energy holding Barqi Tojik, ural resources. He said the halt of ity pole coming from Uzbekistan the Tajik electricity is provided in illegal excavation of natural re- is still under the threat of the Tal- small volumes for safety of power sources was the responsibility of iban attack and the repair does not transmission lines. security and intelligence agency. seem possible. At a moment, the energy sys- Muhauddin said that the law and Tajikistan provides 100 MW tem of Tajikistan and Afghanistan Tajikistan exported about 1.2 billion kWh to Afghanistan last year, order forces of the country should of electricity to Afghanistan. The are connected by two transmission according to Barqi Tojik. exposed the groups involved in the Afghan side addressed to the lead- lines – 220 kV and 110 kV. (AKIpress) illegal excavation of natural re- This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

PUL-I-ALAM: Having lost three The chaos today in world order is side powers that have engulfed our of his family members to a suicide not an ordinary one but it is more country”. The Afghan government bombing seven years back, an an- pervasive and organic where all must give due consideration to the guished resident of central Logar measurement taken for the normal- former president proposal. The province pans the government and cy seems very sluggish and lethar- third round of (QCG) talks was other organisations for failing to gic. If we look towards the most hosted by Pakistan’s Foreign Sec- give him any recompense. advanced part of the world Eu- retary Aizaz Chaudhry. Afghan At least 40 people, including rope, it is too looming towards Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat students and teachers, were killed worst political, social and eco- Khalil Karzai, US Special Repre- in the massive explosion in the nomic disarray. To one side it is sentative for Afghanistan and Pa- Shikhak village of Mohammad confronting with Russia, on the kistan Richard Olson and China’s Agha district in 2009. Like other other side it faces economic stag- Special Representative for Afghan- families, 22-year-old Rahim Dad nation, massive refuges challenge istan Deng Xijun led their own also had three of his relatives mown and political division within the sides at the talks. down. A fourth was wounded. continent. China is now changing its pol- In an exclusive interview with In a very delineated perspec- icy on Afghanistan, shifting from Pajhwok Afghan News, the young tive the former ambassador of Pa- a stance of noninterference to one man agonsingly recalls: “It was kistan in UN Munir Akram in his of active stakeholder in the Afghan- about 7:00am. On my way home, current article publish in daily istan. The shift has occurred for a I heard a powerful explosion. In a dawn stated that “The technolo- number of reasons. Lu Yang the state of profound shock, I fell into gy and capital are now available to expert on china’s diplomatic rela- a local stream.” end world poverty and remove the tions with South Asian politics has Who was the target of the ve- most pervasive cause of conflict. highlighted these reasons. He said hicle-borne bomber is yet to be Unfortunately, greed stands in the that “Domestic peace and stabili- known, but innocent civilians bore way. The world is more unequal ty in Afghanistan not only direct- the brunt of the widely-denounced today than ever before in history. ly influence the security of Chi- attack. “After a while, I managed Half of the world’s wealth is na’s western frontier region but also to hold my nerve and reached the owned by 1pc of its population”. have a direct impact on China’s site, strewn with body parts and The condition of the underdevel- investments in Afghanistan, mak- blood.” oped world is more vulnerable and ing the stability of the country Around 40 people — most of anarchic. Asia is also facing the important to Beijing. In August them teachers and students — were worst political and social disorder. 2014, U.S. President Barack martyred in the explosion. Rescu- The crisis of Middle East reveal- Obama criticized China’s tradition- ers were able to find the bodies of ing in a more regional confronta- al policy of noninterference in cri- only 15 individuals, who could be occurrence in this blighted land. sibility and he has to go it alone. lence ceremonies. of fate, I being the elder son have tion. The reactionary Saudi Re- sis-plagued regions and called Chi- recognised. His young brother and two One woman from the village, Rahim Dad wants the national to take care of family affairs. I have gime and Shia aristocratic sectari- na a “free rider” for not taking re- “Charred body parts were cousins killed and another brother who was left grieving the loss of unity government, led by President to go to school as well.” To boot, an Iran are both intensifying the sponsibility as a stakeholder in the spread all around. We found some- wounded in the the assault, which two sons in the terrorist act, has Ashraf Ghani who also hails from he has to tend to a milk-giving cow. religious political fascist cults in international system. In fact, the one’s head and limbs of others. inflicted heavy losses on several died of cancer. Dad laments that Logar province, to provide jobs for To eke out a living, the minor sells the Middle East, Central Asia and stationing of NATO troops in Af- Hours later, we dag up 40 graves people. seven years on, the government has the affected people and ensure se- yogurt in the village bazaar. The South Asia. With the passing of ghanistan, to a certain degree, has and interred mutilated corpses — Shops, and houses in the not bothered assessing economic curity of the area. district police chief, 1st Lt. Mati- each day the murky and dirty face been conducive to China’s efforts or parts thereof — in each tomb to neighbourhood were damaged and woes of the victim families. Mohammad Yunus, 11, stand- ullah Abdul Rahimzai, confirms no of the ISIS is deeply bathing with in its western region to fight the satisfy the victims’ kin,” he says. livestock killed. The man adds former presi- ing near his father’s grave in the one has been detained so far in con- the blood of the innocent people. East Turkestan Islamic Move- Rahim Dad’s brother was left Ever since the tragedy, Rahim dent Hamid Karzai paid each mar- cemetery, says: “He embraced nection with the bombing. At least The Arab Spring is resulting in a ment, which is a violent separatist suffering from anacusis by the big Dad has been shouldering the bur- tyr’s family 100,000 afghanis in martyrdom in the bombing seven 30 families have lost their near and more violent political trauma. group founded by Uighur militants bang. To this day, Dad remains den of looking after six orphaned compensation soon after the inci- years ago.” One of the boy’s cous- dear ones to the attack. In remem- The English writer and expert in Xinjiang Province. The troop scared of explosions — even men- children and three widows of two dent. But the hapless households in was also among the dead. brance of the victims, the area has on Middle East Robert Fisk is presence has also helped to main- tion of them. Relatives eschew dis- cousins and a brother. He says his spent those amounts within three “I was only four years old been renamed as Shaheedan (mar- constantly telling truth to the post- tain the stability of China’s border cussing with him blasts a common old father cannot share his respon- days of their receipts on condo- when my father died. By this quirk tyrs) village. (Pajhwok) colonial lords of Arab geography, regions”. In this regards the role of the French, the English and the China is also very important and American. From more than twen- cannot be underestimate in recon- ty years he is corresponding for ciliation process. the Independent newspaper from On 23 January this year Pug- Middle East. Last years he writes wash international NGO also or- an article for Independent about ganized a conference in the capital the Isis rise. Where he shows city of Qatar, Doha between the clearly the wrong choices of the Taliban and Afghan government. past of European and American Where Taliban representative also political elites for the region. He participated. The aim of the con- also clearly indicate the deeply ference was to find solution for the schism clearly lies in the colonial Afghan quagmire. Qatar is a key divide Arab geography. He said country for Afghanistan’s stabili- that “ George W Bush and Tony ty, mainly because it hosts the U.S. Blair told us before marching into bases. Qatar is deeply interested the graveyard of Iraq in 2003. We in the Afghan affairs for its region- are always declaring ourselves “at al interest. Qatar’s foreign policy war”. We are told to be merciless. is made by members of the Al We must invade “their” territory Thani ruling family, especially the to stop them invading ours. But Emir, his heir, the prime minister, the days are long gone when we and the foreign minister. The top- can have foreign adventures and most drivers of Qatar’s foreign expect to be safe at home. New policy have been protecting its York, Washington, Madrid, Lon- security and countering Iranian in- don, Paris all tell us that. Perhaps fluence. But under visionary Emir if we spoke more of “justice” – Tamim leadership Qatar has also courts, legal process for killers, built the balance relations with Iran however morally repugnant they and Saudi Arabia. Qatar has may be, sentences, prisons, re- reached deeply in relation with the When a small group of 82nd Air- "This time, there's more ele- demption for those who may re- Taliban by providing them a polit- borne Division soldiers arrives in ment of danger," Riihl said. trieve their lost souls from the ISIS ical office. A majority of Qatar’s Afghanistan next month, its mem- Capt. Tim Konze, the com- midden – we would be a little saf- population are migrants from oth- Number of religious schools in bers will start what they expect to mander of the 18th Human Re- er in our sceptered continent. er countries, mainly from South be a quiet deployment. sources Company, said the sol- There should be justice not just Asia. They have not been a risk to That suits the soldiers with the diers have been preparing for the for ourselves or our enemies, but stability, but their presence could Takhar province rises to 246 18th Human Resources Company, mission since October, conducting for the peoples of the Middle East disturb Qatari internal or foreign TALOQAN: Facilities for reli- no option but to travel to Paki- confirmed some Afghan in Paki- 82nd Special Troops battalion just several field exercises that include who have suffered this past cen- policy over the next 12 years. Po- gious education have been put in stan, where they were also trained stan were trained on terror tech- fine. They are used to being be- combat training and field opera- tury from the theatre of dictator- litical instability in Qatar could place in northeastern Takhar prov- on terrorist activities at different niques. hind the scenes. tions from aboard Black Hawk ships and cardboard institutions contribute to higher oil prices or ince, obviating the need for stu- seminaries, the official pointed out. Rahman, who has also studied But during their nine months helicopters. The unit is already we created for them – and which disrupt the flow of remittances to dents going to Pakistan or other “Pakistani religious schools at a Pakistani madrasa, claimed: “I supporting the Resolute Support unique, Konze said. It is the only have helped Isis to thrive”. He fur- South Asia. Qatar has also long countries, officials said on Thurs- have been converted into centers was urged by teachers to join jihad mission, there may not be another company in the continental U.S. ther added that “Isis In a border- been involved in the Middle East- day. for producing suicide attackers. and conduct suicide attacks in Af- unit with a bigger impact on mo- to run an Army post office, oper- less world, the days when we could ern affairs. The recent diplomatic Hajj and Religious Affairs De- Those trained in Pakistani madra- ghanistan. But I told them the rale for the roughly 10,000 U.S. ating the one on Fort Bragg. It also fight foreign wars and be safe at breakdown between Saudi Arabia partment spokesman Abdul Qu- sas carry out suicide attacks and Quran doesn’t enjoin suicide at- troops that remain in Afghanistan. is the only unit of its kind trained home may be long gone”. We must and Iran is also making problem dus Mukhlis told Pajhwok Afghan anti-government operations in Af- tacks — an un-Islamic act.” The soldiers, part of the 82nd to operate aboard helicopters. be very clear about the looming for Qatar to adjust the balance in News the number of Islamic ghanistan,” he alleged. Without giving further details Airborne Division Sustainment Those skills will come in handy in threat, Isis was quick to under- the region. It is too very impor- schools in the province had been The department was working about Pakistani seminaries, he said: Brigade, will operate several Army Afghanistan, where the company stand a truth the West must now tant for the Afghan foreign office increased to 246. to register all seminaries and intro- “I decided to build a madrasa in post offices and conduct mail de- will look to increase mail deliver- confront, that the national borders to understand accurately the Qa- He said the madrasas (semi- duce a standard curriculum, Mukh- Takhar after hearing such things livery operations across the coun- ies to outlying bases from twice a imposed by colonial powers 100 tari interest in the Afghan affairs naries) could meet the needs of 80 lis said, hoping the religious edu- from Pakistani teachers.” try. month to at least three times a years ago are becoming meaning- and should take advantage from the percent of Takhar residents inter- cation system in Takhar would He added tens of students That includes making regular month, he said. Those who are less. initiative. ested in acquiring religious educa- measure up to public expectations. were currently enrolled in his ma- trips, known as "postal rodeos," deploying are looking forward to In this extremely uncertain glo- Afghan government must also tion. “We issue certificates to ma- Munsif Rahman, the founder drasa, where the poor are exempt- on helicopters to smaller forward it, Konze said. And they know bal scenario the future of the Af- keep under consideration the up- drasa graduates and are pleased of Tahseen-ul-Quran madrasa in ed from paying a monthly fee of operating bases to deliver packag- their work provides a link to home. ghan state is also tottering with its coming potential spring offensive that students will no longer need Taloqan, said he had founded the 300 afghanis.”I use this money to es and pick up outgoing mail. "You can see it in their eyes," weak institutional performance. from the Taliban. Besides giving to travel abroad.” seminary to offer a sound religious pay my house rent and teacher The soldiers, many of whom Konze said. "Everybody loves The reconciliation process is too attentions to these different initia- Previously, many Afghans had education within the province.He salaries.” returned from a similar deploy- hearing from home." stripes very complex and shaky. The tives of Beijing, Islamabad and ment in the Middle East last year, blame game among the regional Doha reconciliation process the said they know the importance of states about the religious proxies Afghan government must also take their coming mission. is now become a political culture. substantial steps on the security "You can just see it in their fac- The recent Quadrilateral Coordi- sides. Afghan National Army must Talks with Taliban a ‘waste of time,’ says critic of es," said Sgt. Stephany Sechrist, nation Group (QCG) discussed an be equipped with all modern weap- one of the approximately 25 sol- uncertain date – possibly by Feb- ons and discipline. Education and From P1 Afghanistan’s president diers set to deploy next month. ruary-end – for a direct meeting professionalism must be imparted Sechrist said overseeing post between Afghan officials and the to the ANA on the emergency offices in a deployed environment “The Taliban are already prepar- election, the unity government has formermujahedin fighters in the ince in December. A security of- insurgents. The four-nation bloc bases. The nascent ANA cadres is a job that's often overlooked, ing militarily for a new, more dan- been too mired in political jockey- northern province of Takhar last ficial speaking on condition of will meet again on February 23 in must be protected from the drug even by other troops. gerous fight in the upcoming year.” ing to deliver basic services, Mas- week, Massoud called for the es- anonymity said Dostum’s offer Kabul. The result of this third ses- addiction. The high ranking officer Sechrist, like most of the de- Massoud’s comments carry soud said. tablishment of a “resistance coun- was rejected due to fear it would sion of (QCG) is just to demands must be highly qualified, profes- ploying troops, is with the com- weight – he is a leader of the Tajik Ghani has yet to appoint a cil” to oppose the Taliban. provoke ethnic strife. from Taliban to join talks directly sional, creative, discipline and pro- pany's 4th Platoon. This will be ethnic minority and brother of a defense minister. The interior min- Many ex-mujahedin leaders Dostum, who was report- with Kabul. It is also very unsat- fessional in ANA. For more than her third deployment and her sec- slain anti-communist guerrilla – and ister, Noor-ul-Haq Olomi, recent- have expressed discontent that edly angered by the rebuff, was isfactory that according to the Pa- three decades of conflict in Afghan- ond working a postal job. echo equally grim assessments in ly offered his resignation over the Ghani’s government, unlike that of seen as a key factor in Ghani’s kistani newspaper Express Tri- istan—the opium trade has be- On that first deployment, recent weeks from top U.S. offi- worsening security outlook but former President Hamid Karzai, electoral support, along with bune that Taliban once again has come deeply embedded in the pol- Sechrist admitted to taking the mail cials, who appear increasingly con- Ghani rejected it, according to a has not consulted them in decision- Qadir and Massoud. Massoud rejected the offer of (QCG) pro- itics of the region. for granted. cerned about the stability of former security official familiar making or appointed more of them also criticized Pakistan, which cess. According to the quoted The ANA institution must be But when she was deployed Ghani’s government. with the matter. to top positions. Afghans have long accused of source Taliban said that “The protected and kept away from this with the 18th Human Resources Last week, James Clapper, di- Recent fighting between Tali- Yet calls to empower supporting Taliban insurgents, Americans want to divert the at- menace. Due and just public per- Company from July 2014 until rector of national intelligence, told ban and government forces dam- the mujahedin have also prompt- and said he did not buy Ghani’s tention of the people from their formance is the vital responsibili- April 2015, she learned the impact a Senate committee that Afghani- aged an electrical station in the ed concerns about militias forming statements that Islamabad is invasion through such meetings ty of the state institutions which a simple delivery can have on those stan would struggle to maintain northern province of Baghlan, outside government control. Mas- genuinely committed to the and to show they are no more in- fill the gaps between state and serving overseas. “political cohesion” in 2016 amid plunging Kabul, the capital, into soud said he does not support such peace process. Citing security volved in war,” a Taliban leader masses. State must behave like "It's big," Sechrist said, ex- serious internal challenges — in- increasingly long power outages. militias. officials, Massoud said Paki- said. mother for its citizens and more plaining how she's seen some cluding a tanking economy, parlia- “Look at the current state of Last fall, Haji Abdul Zaher stani military personnel were “The only solution to the democratic for the greater and du- troops cry with joy. "It's a huge mentary elections and a loya the nation: the economy is weak, Qadir, deputy speaker of the low- seen in recent months in Baghlan, problem is to end the invasion of rable integration between institu- morale booster." jirga, or grand assembly, that could people continue to suffer from job- er house of the parliament, was the scene of fierce fighting be- Afghanistan. There is no other way tions and people. As Woodrow Spc. Taylor Riihl, who also create a prime ministerial office lessness, there are still social prob- criticized when he armed thousands tween the Taliban and govern- to resolve the problem.” On the Wilson quoted that “The govern- was on the unit's last deployment, that would challenge presidential lems, there is still political infight- of men to fight militants claiming ment forces. Pakistan has denied other hand former president of ment, which was designed for the said there will be some similarities authority. ing even at the highest level,” Mas- allegiance to Islamic State in the supporting the Taliban. Mas- Afghanistan Hamid Karzai also people, has got into the hands of between the two tours of duty, but “We assess that fighting in soud said. “On top of that, our eastern province of Nangarhar. soud said he has no intention of seem to not happy about the the bosses and their employers, the also very clear differences. 2016 will be more intense than security forces are still weak.” Ghani’s first vice president, quitting the unity government (QCG) reconciliation process. He special interests. An invisible em- Last year, the soldiers served 2015, continuing a decade-long Massoud and others say the Abdul Rashid Dostum, a leader but hoped to raise awareness of said that “If absence of peace in pire has been set up above the in four locations in four countries trend of deteriorating security that government has not reached out to among the Uzbek ethnic minority, the myriad, and ultimately Afghanistan is because of internal forms of democracy”. spread across the Middle East, in- will compound these challenges,” veterans of the northern- faced opposition to his proposal linked, challenges of security and disputes, then we, ourselves, In Afghanistan also this invis- cluding Kuwait and the United Clapper said. based mujahedin forces that bat- to send fighters to help government the economy. “We currently should hold talks to settle our dif- ible corrupt tribal bureaucratic stra- Arab Emirates. In Afghanistan, the In the year and a half since it tled the Soviet occupation and lat- forces battle Taliban insurgents have computer science graduates ferences. However, the problem in ta must be discourage and elimi- soldiers expect a more austere en- was created under a U.S.-brokered er the Taliban in the 1990s. Ad- who briefly seized control of the joining the Taliban because they Afghanistan is because of external nated. vironment, among other changes. compromise to end a deadlocked dressing a group of capital of northern Kunduz prov- can’t find employment,” he said. factors. It is the interests of out- By Sher Jan This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

Refusal to remove window A number of civil society activists struck the deal with the Taliban to demands. "If the government con- the country towards destruction," city after insurgents blew up power staged protests against mounting be punished," he said. tinues to be silent, more people said Zabihullah Naseri, a business- lines in Baghlan province; howev- tint leads to gun insecurity in northern Afghanistan The protestors threatened to will take to the streets to force the man. The government has on sev- er, the presence of militants in and power outages in Kabul and continue their protest action if the government to break its silence. eral occasions in the past prom- Dand-e-Shahbuddin area of fight in Kabul accused government of negligence. government does not address their This silence, if continued, will push ised to restore electricity to Kabul Baghlan is making it hard for the The refusal on the part of an offi- The protestors marched to the government to repair the lines and cial from the Ministry of Interior Ministry of Border and Tribal Af- fulfill its promise. (MoI) to remove the black film of fairs and said that those who have plastic covering his car's windows signed the Dand-e-Ghori deal UNESCO TO led to a gunfight between guards should be brought to book. and policemen in Kabul city. They allege that the deal has ESTABLISH TASK An eyewitness said that led to increased insecurity in north- FORCE TO PROTECT guards working for the official ern Afghanistan. opened fire on policemen in 15th EMERGENCY A large number of civil society CULTURAL HERITAGE Street in Wazir Akbar Khan on CALLS activists are also deeply concerned The United Nations education and Sunday after police ordered them over the power outage in Kabul culture agency (UNESCO) and the to remove the plastic. city which has been ongoing for Italian government have signed an "I was in a car when police Police the past three weeks. agreement to establish a task force stopped the car of the government The protestors meanwhile on of cultural heritage experts. The official. The official told the po- 100 - 119 Friday chanted slogans of "the accord was signed by UNESCO licemen that he will not allow them Taliban are committing crimes and Director-General Irina Bokova and to remove the film from the win- the Presidential Palace is support- Italian Foreign Affairs Minister dows of his car," said Noorullah, ing them". Paolo Gentiloni to launch the Hospitals 'Unite for Heritage' coalition, which an eyewitness. "We staged the protest for two He added that the issue led to reasons: insecurity in northern has been prompted following at- FMIC Hospital tacks on cultural heritage sites. In a dispute and then guns were fired. Afghanistan and fighting in Baghlan Kabul residents expressed Behind Kabul Medical province as well as the outage of 2001, the Taliban's former leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, de- their concern over the incident and University: power," said Muhiauddin Farah- said that when an official from the mand, a civil society activist. creed that two ancient giant Bud- 0202500200-+93793275595 dha statues in Bamiyan province MoI is not ready to abide by a He accused government of sup- were un-Islamic and ordered they presidential decree then how can porting the Taliban, because it is be destroyed. They were blown they expect ordinary people to do Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital not breaking its silence over the up with dynamite the next month. so. Pule Bagh-e- Umomi issues. Under the new agreement, "This campaign is only being Shewa Sharq, another activist, UNESCO will be able to ask the implemented on common people, 070263672 said that Dand-e-Ghori deal was Italian government to make experts not on powerful people. I don't the main reason behind insecurity available for deployment for the believe that the campaign will be a in northern Afghanistan, particu- conservation of cultural heritage success," said Shayan, a resident Khairkhana Hospital larly Baghlan province. affected by crisis. of Kabul city. "We want those who have 0799-321007 2401352

Work on Arghandab River Indira Gandhi Children retaining wall resumes Hospital, Wazir Akbar KANDAHAR CITY: Construc- of agricultural land and orchards Khan, Kabul 2301372 tion work on a retaining wall along from being threatened by floods the Arghandab River, which had and would bring more hundreds Ibn-e- Seena While the presidential candidates more powerful, and the Americans The former interpreter has been stopped due to a lack of bud- acres of land under irrigation, he fruitlessly argue over how to han- were leaving, so many interpret- run out of savings and sold most get, resumed on Thursday in the said. Shamsi asked people to mon- Pul-e-Artan, Kabul dle immigration, there should be ers had to go into hiding.” of his family’s possessions, but Women may struggle with limited southern province of Kandahar, itor activities of the important 2100359 kit and few riding buddies in the no debate over welcoming one cat- Because he had gone out with he can’t find work because of his officials said. project. UK – but in Afghanistan the Na- egory of immigrants: U.S. Army patrols and gathered service with the U.S. military. Work on the 31-kilomentre tional Women’s Cycling Team suf- Afghan interpreters who intelligence on the locations of im- “Whenever I am hired,” he protection wall was launched a year Kidnapped Red Wazir Akbar Khan fer accusations of immorality and risked their lives by working for provised explosive devices and told me by phone from Afghani- ago, but it had to be stopped due Cross staff threats of violence just for riding a U.S. soldiers and civilian officials. Taliban double agents, he was de- stan, “as soon as they find out I to a shortage of budget, deputy Hospital bike. They do it anyway, and for Indeed, Congress decided last nounced by some locals as a “spy” was an interpreter they fire me governor Abdul Ali Shamsi told released in 2301741, 2301743 that they’ve been nominated for a year to provide an additional 3,000 and a “traitor.” because they know the Taliban Pajhwok Afghan News. Nobel Peace Prize. visas to resettle such Afghans — Then the death threats started will target their company if I work The wall, a $22 million Afghanistan The team has been nominated beyond the 7,183 issued since coming. for them.” project, was scheduled to be exe- KABUL: Five Red Cross staff Ali Abad 2014, after years of delays. One day masked men came to Yet, despite his long service, by a group of Italian MPs for the cuted in five years, he said, adding members, kidnapped by a group Shahrara, Kabul 2016 Nobel Peace prize for their Yet an infuriating bureaucratic the home of Ali’s sister, while he Dave is blocked from getting a the project had fortunately re- of armed men in the central Af- dedication, and hard-work promot- wrangle in Washington threatens was out. They asked for him by U.S. visa because of the new rules sumed. ghan province of Ghazni on Tues- 2100439 ing cycling in Afghanistan. to block many of these Afghans name, then burst into the house — and their retroactive applica- The retaining wall on both day, were released unharmed, the These strong women have from reaching America and could and stabbed his brother-in-law to tion. One U.S. civilian contractor sides of Arghandab River starts aid group said on Friday. been pedalling against stereotypes get some of them killed. death. who hired him has folded, so he from Sarband area and reaches Baba "We are immensely relieved to Malalai Maternity The problem has arisen be- Ali, his sister, and her small couldn’t get an employment ver- for years – they’ve suffered in- Wali shrine. know our five colleagues are free Hospital sults and death threats so they can cause, when increasing the num- children immediately pooled their ification letter; the second con- The project will provide work and in good health," Jean-Nicolas have the freedom to ride. ber of visa slots, Congress changed savings and hired smugglers to tractor didn’t accurately list all opportunities for nearly 800 peo- Marti, head of the International 2201377/ 2301743 A Bicycle Can Destroy a the rules to require that the appli- transport them to neighboring Iran. his dates of service, showing him ple in the district, said Shamsi, who Committee of the Red Cross dele- Girl’s Future, these Women Ride cants have worked for the U.S. But in the crush of people also as having worked just less than along with Rural Rehabilitation and gation in Kabul said in a statement Anyway government for at least two years, escaping the Taliban, Ali and his two years. That sufficed when Development Minister Eng. Na- posted on the group's Facebook Banks Zahra Hussaini is the proud rather than one. It’s hard to imag- sister were separated. Because she IRAP lawyers first submitted his seer Ahmad Durrani inspected the page. leader of the women’s cycling ine why such a change was made, didn’t have a cellphone, he has no visa application, but more than a resumed construction works. "We want to thank all involved Da Afghanistan Bank team, and explains that women are since accompanying American idea what happened to her and her year later — thanks to the bu- The construction of the wall for the swift resolution of the cri- 2100302, 2100303 breaking stereotypes by getting forces on patrols for one year — kids. reaucrats — he got a rejection would rescue thousands of acres sis." outside and taking up cycling and and being threatened with death by Since Iran wasn’t safe, Ali had because he “lacked” two years of Bakhtar Bank other sports. the Taliban as a consequence — is to keep going until he reached Eu- service. Rather than being deterred by surely as deserving of a visa as rope (he didn’t want the country This kind of bureaucratic be- 0776777000 threats, and street harassment, doing it for two years. named), where he is living in a trayal of Afghans who helped Zahra and her 40 strong women’s But the story gets worse. crowded refugee center and wor- Americans is not only shameful, Azizi Bank cycling team see these threats as This new two-year require- ried sick about his sister. Because it is nuts. 0799 700900 challenges to overcome. ment was intended by Congress he didn’t have adequate documen- Some U.S. legislators are In a trailer for a documentary Pashtany Bank abut the team, one of the riders 2102908, 2103868 tells us: “People are watching us from behind our backs, it is horri- fying” and another adds: “Some Air Services people believe women are meant only to stay at home, and all they Safi Airways can do is cook food and do house- work.” 020 22 22 222 We’re told: “They say a bicy- cle can destroy a girl’s future. Peo- Ariana ple say a lot of things. If we lis- tened to them we would never 020-2100270 leave our houses”. The team’s nomination came Kam Air about after 118 Italian MPs signed a petition to have the Afghan Wom- 0799974422 en’s Cycling Team included. After social media and radio Hotels stations in Italy suggested the in- clusion of the bicycle in the Nobel Safi Landmark Peace prize candidates, it was Er- mete Realacci who officially votes 020-2203131 for the Afghan’s women’s team to be the representation of the Bicy- PESHAWAR: Pakistan and Af- Afghanistan suggested finalizing a SERENA cle. He sees their movement as a ghanistan have agreed on a pilot bilateral transport agreement. Pa- slow battle of freedom in a war- run of Afghan trucks from kistan agreed to provide the draft 0799654000 torn country, and a powerful step Torkham and Chaman border agreement through diplomatic forward for women’s rights. crossings to Wagah — a longstand- channels within a month. New Rumi Restaurant It’s great to see these strong ing demand of Kabul to boost trade The draft accord will be dis- women, dedicated to overcoming with India. cussed at the 7th APTTCA meet- 0776351347 social boundaries in their home The decision came at the 6th ing to be hosted by Afghanistan in country, and be nominated for the meeting of the Afghanistan-Paki- the last week of March. A joint Internet Services prestigious Nobel Peace prize this stan Transit Trade Coordination committee will be set up to dis- year. totalwomenscycling to only apply to new applicants. tation, he faces deportation and working on a bipartisan letter to Authority (APTTCA) in Islama- cuss issues like visas and road per- UA Telecom Instead, lawyers at the State De- Taliban reprisals if he is sent home. clarify congressional intent that bad on Wednesday, a senior offi- mits. 0796701701 / 0796702702 partment and Department of His case is being handled by law- the two-year employment re- cial told Pajhwok Afghan News. Recommendations of the com- Homeland Security interpreted yers from the admirable New York quirement apply only to new Deputy Minister of Ministry mittee will be sent to the focal some phrasing of the new rule to City-based International Refugee applicants. The State Depart- of Commerce and Industries points of the APTTCA for con- Exchange Rate mean it should be applied retroac- Assistance Project, and he has ment’s deputy spokesman, Mark Mozammil Shinwari and Paki- sideration. The first meeting of the tively. As a result, as many as 3,000 glowing recommendations from his Toner, says, “We are aware of stan’s Commerce Secretary Mu- committee will be held in the sec- Purchase: Afghans who were well into the former U.S. military supervisors. concerns over parts of the legis- hammad Shehzad Arbab jointly ond week of March in Karachi. long, complex application process But if the State Department’s law- lation and are working with Con- chaired the two-day meeting. The neighbours also decided to One US$ = could be disqualified, even though yers don’t revisit their interpreta- gress to address them.” Presidents of the APJCCI review the Afghanistan-Pakistan many of them have already been tion of Congress’ language, he is as Let’s hope that’s true — with Khan Jan Alokozai and Zubair Transit Trade Agreement (APT- 68.78Afs waiting for years for final approv- good as dead. quick results, because time is run- Motiwala represented their re- TA) in light of the convention on One Pound Sterling= al. Then there is “Dave,” an in- ning short. The longer the delay, spective teams at the meeting, the International Transport of 98.50Afs To understand how heartless terpreter who worked with U.S. the greater the risk of death to which allowed the trial run of Goods (TIR) to make the accord this is, let me tell you the stories Special Forces from 2003 to 2011, these brave Afghans. trucks carrying Afghan exports to more appropriate One Euro = of two Afghan interpreters whose going out on patrols and gathering “We did a lot,” Ali told me in India. Pakistani will consider Af- 76.78Afs last hopes are being destroyed be- intelligence in some of the most a tone of desperation. “All the By the same token, one par- ghanistan’s proposal to waive off 1000 Pak Rs = cause of this bureaucratic maze. dangerous Afghan regions. IRAP solders we worked with know ticipant said, Kabul agreed to al- guarantee requirements for items Ali was a young Afghan po- lawyers have half a dozen letters how we helped them.” low Pakistani trucks from not prone to diversion and to abol- 638Afs liceman who interpreted for U.S. from his U.S. military bosses about How America rewards — or Torkham and Chaman to Sher ish the current negative list for Sale: military forces for 16 months in his bravery, sacrifice and extraor- betrays — that help speaks vol- Khan Port near the Afghanistan- Afghan transit trade. One US$ = dangerous Zabul and Kandahar dinary service. In hiding since umes about who we really are. Tajikistan border. It was agreed the provisions provinces. 2013, Dave has received Taliban Trudy Rubin is a columnist On their return journey, Afghan of the present agreement would be 68.98 Afs “If we hadn’t helped U.S. forc- death threats by phone, and had and editorial board member for trucks will be allowed to carry revised and amended appropriate- One Pound Sterling= es, how could they have talked to two (unsuccessful) attacks on his The Philadelphia Inquirer. Read- Pakistani exports to the landlocked ly with a view to further facilitat- 99.30Afs people?” he asked me in a phone home, where his wife and two ers may write to her at: Philadel- country. Pakistani vehicles will ing the transit trade. The two sides One Euro= interview last week. “We thought young children live. He is taking phia Inquirer, P.O. Box 8263, carry Tajik and Central Asian ex- agreed in principle that the provi- our country would get peaceful, medication for anxiety and finds it Philadelphia, PA 19101, or by port cargo on their return journey. sions of TIR Convention will be 77.38 Afs but it got worse. The Taliban got impossible to sleep. email at [email protected]. For the movement of trucks, adopted in APTTA. 1000 Pak Rs= 646Afs This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY . FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES NEPAL PM SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN INDIA TIES WITH VISIT KATHMANDU: Nepal's prime minister has begun a six-day state WASHINGTON: The United discuss various proposals for at- visit to India that comes after States, Pakistan and India are qui- taining this goal. months of bitter relations between etly exploring the possibility of a The first summit was held in the two neighbours. meeting between Indian and Paki- Washington on April 12–13, 2010. Experts say the visit from Fri- stani prime ministers in the US The second summit in Seoul, South day - the first foreign trip by capital next month, diplomatic Korea in 2012 and the third was Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli as prime sources told Dawn. held in The Hague in 2014. minister - indicates that relations Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif Since this is President Obama’s between the two nations are get- and Narendra Modi have both ac- final year in office, the administra- ting back on track. cepted US President Barack tion is pushing hard for achieving Relations deteriorated after Obama’s invitation to attend a nu- some concrete results during the India asked Nepal to amend the clear summit he is hosting in Wash- fourth summit. In recent state- constitution adopted last Septem- ington on March 31 and April 1. ments, US officials have expressed ber to address the grievances of “The chances are strong, very concern at the proliferation of small historically marginalised groups strong,” said a senior official who nuclear weapons in South Asia. such as Madhesis. did not want to be identified. “But “We’re concerned both about the "This is a kind of goodwill vis- you know the history of India- security of those nuclear weapons, it, the distrust that was generated Pakistan talks, you cannot be cer- and that’s been a common refrain should be removed. That should tain about an event until it has hap- in our discussions with Pakistan,” be the objective of the prime min- pened,” the official added. said Mark Toner while respond- ister's visit," Lokraj Baral, a former It will be the first time that ing to a question about the alleged ambassador to India, told Al both Indian and Pakistani premiers increase in Pakistan’s tactical nu- Jazeera. will be attending the nuclear secu- clear weapons. “But we’re also "The prime minister has also rity summit, which President concerned, clearly, about tensions said that he was for the restora- Obama initiated in 2010. between India and Pakistan in the tion of the trust. That's most im- The summit has a specific aim, region, and we want to see a dia- portant ... I would say the greatest preventing terrorists from acquir- logue between those two countries, benefit would be the restoration ing nuclear weapons and it brings clearly, to help alleviate some of of trust and mutual confidence." leaders from across the world to those tensions,” he said. The visit comes a week after a nearly five-month blockade on the India-Nepal border was lifted. The trade stoppage resulted in a severe shortage of fuel and es- sential supplies. The landlocked Himalayan nation almost entirely depends on India for fuel and oth- er essential items such as medi- cines. Lifting of blockade Nepal accused India of inter- fering in its internal matters and imposing an unofficial blockade - a charge India has denied. Anti-In- dia and anti-Madhesi sentiment ISLAMABAD: Following the SILIGURI: Immigration facility in not only with India but many oth- where, but more immigration cen- thusiasm among common mass in runs high in Nepal as India backed prime minister’s unusual flare-up the 'Phulbari-Bangladandha land er neibouring countries like Nepal, ters may come up in other places both sides of the border those share the demands of Madhesi people, against the National Accountabili- Port' between India and Bang- Bhutan or Tibet those are just cou- depending upon need." a sky high level of sentimental at- who say the new charter does not ty Bureau, the idea of constituting ladesh was inaugurated today joint- ple of hours travel from this When asked, whether India and tachment. Now separated by address their political and econom- a supra-commission meant to ly by Indian Minister of State of point," said Mr. Khan. Bangladesh can have Visa on Ar- barbed wire or border guarding forc- ic marginalisation. The current co- check misuse of power by NAB External Affairs Gen V K Singh and General Singh, who took part rival in newer future or not he said, es, the two sides used to be parts alition government, led by Oli's officials has once again come to the Bangladesh Minister of Home Af- an active role in 1971 Indo-Pak war "The visa regime between both the of same undivided India before in- Communist Party of Nepal limelight. fairs Mr Asaduzzaman Khan in that finally resulted into formation countries has already been eased dependence in 1947. Almost ev- (UML), passed amendments that But a close aide to Prime Min- presence of many other dignitar- of independent country Bang- out to a great extent. We will see ery family in one side of the bor- they said would address the de- ister Nawaz Sharif insisted that the ies from both the countries. ladesh after its detachment from what can be done next after we take der has friends and relatives in the mands of the Madhesi, who share idea had nothing to do with the "This is the 7th Indo-Bangla Pakistan, said, "I am lucky to have a stock of situation." After formal other side. "Getting their touch close cultural and familial bonds PM’s recent statement about the land port with immigration facili- this coincidence that brings me here inauguration of the center, small remained too tough as we were with people across the border in bureau’s alleged high-handedness. ty. We expect this facility to boost again today. Development of this batches of travelers from both sides needed to travel more than 100km India. Oli, who earlier took stri- It has been on the government ra- up bondage between the two neigh- facility shows keenness of Gov- were formally cleared off through to access other immigration cen- dent positions against India, has dar for quite some time. bors manifold. Because of its ernment of both the countries to the immigration point. ters. This will become much easier said he would like to improve bi- “Yes, with NAB under discus- unique location, this will facilitate boost up bilateral relationship. The two hour long event wit- now," said Mainul Hassan, a local lateral relations between the two sion at various forums, the gov- trade and commerce of Bangladesh Though it is not possible every- nessed unprecedented level of en- heptagenerian in Bangladesh. neighbour s. He will meet his In- ernment may take the opportuni- dian counterpart Narendra Modi ty and pitch the idea to other po- would be on selection of the head on February 20 but analysts say litical parties for reforms in the of the proposed commission who that no-big ticket announcement is NAB ordinance which was pro- should be known for his integrity going to be made. "He is not going mulgated by former president Gen and could best address grievances to sign anything this time because Pervez Musharraf,” the aide said. of an aggrieved party against NAB. this is not the correct time to do But he said that whatever re- For example, he added, at one of so. Agreements can only be forms the government intended to the meetings a party leader, in an reached on some positive things bring in the working of NAB off-the-cuff remark, even suggest- such as developmental things," would be made through a broader ed the name of retired Justice Na- Baral, the former diplomat, told Al political consensus. A special par- sir Aslam Zahid as chairman. Jazeera. Ranjit Rae, the Indian am- liamentary committee to thrash out A PML-N office-bearer said French Supermajor Total S.A. $80 Oil By June – Do NOT retariat, Director General Saliya Wickramasuriya noted, “The opportu- bassador to Nepal, said the trip changes in the existing law of NAB political parties, including the PPP (TOTF.PA) signed a deal Thurs- Be Fooled By The Mainstream nity we are offering is not just in exploration but in the linkages that will help normalise relations. Pras- and for the commission can be the and the PTI, might not create much day with the government of Sri Media follow from the emergence of an entire natural gas industry in Sri Lanka, hant Jha, a senior journalist based best forum. hue and cry over the government’s Lanka to explore potential off- The current market turmoil has which decouples risk with the rest of the world." in New Delhi, told Al Jazeera "the Best known to the prime min- plan to change the NAB law, but it shore ultra-deep water blocks, ac- created a once in a generation op- anti-Indian rhetoric of the Nepali ister, there could be multiple fac- would have to face a hostile media cording to the Sri Lanka’s Oil Min- portunity for savvy energy inves- politicians is hypocritical". He said tors behind his rather harsh attack which the PTI had to bear recent- istry. tors. "the two countries were taking on NAB, the aide said, adding: “I ly when it amended the law relat- The agreement, which has been Whilst the mainstream media steps to normalise relations in the was part of a meeting during the ing to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ac- in the works since 2014, would prints scare stories of oil prices past two months". "What we have first fortnight of February in which countability commission. allow Total to explore marginal ar- falling through the floor smart in- seen in the last two months is that the PM inquired about the work A senior government official in eas on Sri Lanka’s East Coast. vestors are setting up their next steps were being taken to slowly being done on the NAB ordinance.” the know of government’s discom- The call for proposals came winning oil plays. restore the...relationship. Kath- Asked if changes in the NAB fort with the NAB ordinance said after India’s Cairn backed out of Click here for more info on mandu took the first step - the for- law at this point and time when the mere fact that it had been pro- the deal in 2015 after the deal lost successful oil investing eign minister [Kamal Thapa] came news were coming in thick and fast mulgated by Gen Musharraf, the appeal amid falling oil prices. Cairn If Total finds oil or gas reserves twice to New Delhi with propos- about pending investigations PML-N leadership had never liked discovered two gas wells in 2011. in commercial quantities, it will als to address the political prob- against some PML-N high-ups in it from the beginning, but for the As part of the agreement, To- have the right to negotiate a pro- lems," said Jha, who has covered Punjab would certainly be taken so-called political consensus it tal would conduct technical sur- duction sharing contract with Sri Nepali politics for more than a with a pinch of salt, the aide said: kept its hand off the bureau. veys and analyze data to assess Lanka. Should these negotiations decade. "I think the PM's visit def- “It will be done through political For some time, the official the viability of oil and gas at com- fail, the government may offer the initely indicates that bilateral rela- consensus.” said, the present government had mercial volumes. This data, worth opportunity to other bidders. To- tions are getting back on track." A PML-N source privy to ear- even mulled over an option of cre- several millions, would be owned tal would have the right to match Fragile relationship Jha said the lier discussions on the NAB ordi- ating a parallel anti-corruption de- by Sri Lanka, and would allow Sri the highest bidder within a speci- diplomatic rapprochment is still nance, said the main objective of partment at the federal level under Lanka to more accurately assess fied timeframe. Residual rights will fragile as the political issues that the proposed changes would be to the interior minister, but it didn’t the potential for production in the lapse after 51 months. led to the blockade have not yet ensure that “NAB doesn’t put in- materialise. region. Under the joint agreement, China, India, Russia, and Viet- been fully addressed. India-Nepal nocent people in the dock on mere The official said that on a giv- Sri Lanka will also get ground rent- nam were some of the other coun- border opens after months of un- suspicion and people have a prop- en day one could expect anything al of US $1 per square kilometer tries that had expressed an inter- rest The Nepal government has er forum to recourse if some wrong from the government. “I will not for the entire acreage, valued at est in bidding on Sri Lankan oil and committed to creating a political is committed against an innocent be surprised if it fast-tracks the roughly LKR $7 million per year. gas explorations. mechanism to solve the political person”. setting up of the proposed com- Total could begin studies as early In a statement made by Petro- problems, and if it fails to do so in The emphasis, the source said, mission.” as April or May. leum Resources Development Sec- the next three months .

NEW DELHI : India's Supreme which has framed the case against Court on Friday refused to con- Kumar, said police are duty-bound sider a bail plea from a left-wing to provide security at the Delhi student leader whose arrest for high court when the bail applica- sedition triggered demonstrations tion comes up. in universities across the country The case against Kumar is un- against Prime Minister Narendra der the colonial-era sedition law Modi's ruling nationalist group. and has fueled fears that Modi's Rivals said the government Bharatiya Janata Party is creating was trying to crush dissent after it a climate of fear in the country and ordered police to detain Kanhaiya is promoting a fiercely nationalist Kumar, the head of the Jawaharlal agenda aimed at the minority Nehru University students union, groups. for commemorating the anniversa- But the government said the ry of the execution of a Kashmiri right to speech wasn't unfettered separatist. and Home Minister Rajnath Singh India's top court suggested put out a Twitter post that those Kumar, 28, approach the lower who shouted "anti-India" slogans Delhi high court for bail, saying it and challenge the integrity of the didn't have to intervene in the case country will not be spared. and that lower courts were quali- Kumar and his colleagues were fied to handle a bail application. marking the anniversary of the Kumar had sought the Su- hanging of Afzal Guru, who was preme Court's intervention after a convicted of an attack on Indian previous hearing in a lower court parliament in 2001. descended into chaos as lawyers The attack which India said chanting nationalist slogans barged was masterminded by Pakistan- into the compound and threw based militant groups nearly led stones at reporters in a case that to war between the nuclear rivals. has become politically charged. Guru was convicted for providing "It was a life-threatening situ- logistics to the militants and ation," one of Kumar's lawyer Vrin- hanged in 2013. da Grover said, adding it was not Human rights and political safe for the defense team to go any- groups in Kashmir said Guru did where except the top court to seek not get a fair trial and that the evi- bail. dence against him was, at best, cir- A lawyer for Delhi police, cumstantial. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY . FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief

Jubeir: Priority of any Syria ground op must be ISIS

Any participation by Saudi forces in a US-led ground oper- ation in Syria would focus on fighting the ISIS group not Pres- ident Bashar al-Assad, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister told AFP on Thursday. "Saudi Arabia has expressed Prime Minister David Cameron its readiness to send special faced off Thursday against the 27 forces to Syria as part of the other European Union leaders, tell- coalition, with the goal of elim- ing them to grant his country a new inating Daesh. This is the mis- deal to settle the festering issue of sion and the responsibility," approval, the U.S. State Depart- their relationship or face a possi- Adel al-Jubeir said, using an ment said on Thursday. ble divorce as soon as this sum- Arabic acronym for ISIS. Russia’s RIA news agency on mer. Riyadh has been a fierce Wednesday reported that Russia Pressure mounted for a deal opponent of Assad, but Jubeir will this year sign a contract to sell Friday at the end of a two-day said any participating Saudi a batch of its Sukhoi Su-30SM summit, after initial talks dragged force would make the battle multi-role fighters to Iran. through the night and highlighted against ISIS the priority. As the United States and five differences across the continent. "For now the objective of other major powers negotiated the Cameron said he was “battling any ground forces or special July 14 nuclear deal with Iran, the for Britain” at a Brussels summit - forces would be to fight Daesh six agreed to maintain a ban on con- and for a less intrusive EU that on the ground in order to seize ventional arms sales to Iran for five would benefit other countries, too. territory from them," he said. years unless they were blessed in But French President Francois "If they enter Syria, these forc- advance by the Security Council. Hollande warned that no individu- es will work in the framework “U.N. Security Council Reso- al leader should be allowed to stop of the international coalition to lution 2231 prohibits the sale to closer European cooperation. fight Daesh, there will be no Iran of specified categories of con- “It’s the EU in question, not unilateral operations," he said. ventional arms ... without approv- just one country in the EU,” Hol- Asked if the mission could al in advance on a case-by-case lande said as he arrived. “I want be expanded to include opera- basis by the UN Security Coun- Britain to stay in the EU. But I tions against Assad's forces, cil,” said State Department hope most of all that Europe can Jubeir said: "This would be spokesman Mark Toner. advance, can be stronger.” something the international co- Toner said all U.N. members, Cameron is seeking changes to alition would have to make a and especially those such as Rus- the U.K.-EU relationship that will decision on." Al-Jubeir also said sia that negotiated the resolution let him urge Britons to vote “yes” Saudi Arabia's military inter- as part of the nuclear deal, “should to continued membership in a ref- vention in Yemen will continue be fully aware of these restric- erendum that could come as early until the country's legitimate tions.” He said the ban covered as June. government is fully restored to “combat aircraft,” including the Su- He told his fellow leaders that power. "It's a matter of time be- 30SM fighter. he needed a substantial deal that fore the international coalition “If the media reports are accu- would be “credible for the British in Yemen succeeds in restoring rate, we will address it bilaterally people.” The British referendum the legitimate government... in with Russia and with the other on EU membership is bound to be control of all of Yemen's terri- members of the U.N. Security hard-fought, since few issues in tory," he said. "The support for A reported sale of Russian combat aircraft to Iran would violate a U.N. arms embargo if it occurred without advance U.N. Security Council Council,” Toner added. Britain have as much resonance as the legitimate government will its relationship with the EU. continue until the objectives are “The question of Britain’s achieved or until an agreement place in Europe has been allowed is reached politically to achieve to fester for too long,” Cameron those objectives." US Vice President Biden says ‘no said. He warned Britain would walk away if the deal was not good Russia warns enough. “If we can get a good deal, I Assad on vow to desire’ to be on Supreme Court will take that deal. But I will not take a deal that doesn’t meet what retake all of Syria U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said dow. “When we do, as in the past, we need,” Cameron said. Russia’s envoy to the U.N. on on Thursday that he will be “deep- lay out all the people, go out and The leaders discussed Brit- Friday warned long-term ally ly involved” in advising President survey a little bit, and see who we ain’s reform aims before a six-hour President Bashar al-Assad Barack Obama on picking a candi- think meets those criteria and we dinner meeting focusing on the over his vow to retake all of date for the Supreme Court but said think could have a chance of being migrant crisis. When the politicians Syria, saying he faced dire con- he had “no desire” himself to be confirmed,” he said. finally dispersed at 2:30 a.m. sequences if he did not com- named to the nation’s highest Asked directly whether he (0130GMT), EU President ply with Moscow over the court. Obama is preparing to name would do the job, Biden said he Donald Tusk said they had “made peace process. a successor to conservative Jus- was not interested. “You never say some progress but a lot remains to “Russia has invested very tice Antonin Scalia, who died on to a president for certain you be done” to secure a deal for the seriously in this crisis, politi- Saturday. The appointment could wouldn’t do anything, but I have U.K. cally, diplomatically and now change the court’s balance of pow- no - look at me now - I have no A British official said gaps re- also militarily,” Vitaly Churkin er, and many Republican senators desire to sit on the Supreme Court, mained on key issues. Bilateral told Kommersant newspaper, want to wait until after the Nov. 8 none,” Biden said. talks and negotiations by diplo- referring to an international presidential election to give their Biden is known for having a mats and lawyers continued agreement to cease hostilities consent to a new justice. good working relationship with through the night before the 28 lead- sealed in Munich last week. Biden, who was a long-time Senate Majority Leader Mitch ers reconvene for breakfast Friday. “Therefore we would like chairman of the Senate Judiciary McConnell, who has said the seat Britain, which has one of the Assad also to respond to this,” Committee, said in an interview should remain vacant until after the strongest economies in Europe, has he said, adding that the Syrian that Obama has asked for his ad- election. Biden said he would be been a magnet for hundreds of thou- leader’s stance “is not in ac- vice on who to choose, and believes an “interlocutor” with his friends sands of workers from eastern EU cord with the diplomatic efforts the president will choose a “con- on Capitol Hill on the issue, but nations who are seeking higher- that Russia is making.” sensus candidate.” said he did not know whether he paying jobs. Britain has no power At their meeting in Mu- “I haven’t even had a chance could persuade enough senators to to stop immigration from other EU nich, the 17-nation group back- to sit down with him yet to talk support Obama’s choice. nations, leading some in Britain to ing Syria’s peace process about the potential candidates,” “I will be deeply involved,” he say that immigrants are taking their agreed to work for a ceasefire, Biden told MSNBC’s Rachel Mad- said. jobs. The EU immigrants can also the lifting of starvation sieges claim unemployment, child care and the resumption of talks. and other benefits in Britain, which In an interview with AFP Cameron’s government says is last week, Assad defiantly TURKISH MINISTER straining the country’s social ser- pledged to retake the whole of Blame traded over Iraq’s vices budget. Since none of the 27 the country, speaking before other leaders wants to see Britain the plan for a nationwide “ces- SAYS US MAKING leave, there is broad consensus, if sation of hostilities” in Syria not agreement, on a deal which was announced. missing nuclear material CONFLICTING Cameron says he needs to win the If Syria “follows Russia’s referendum. It would give Britain leadership in resolving this cri- more powers to limit benefit pay- sis, then they have a chance to STATEMENTS OVER ments to workers from other EU come out of it in a dignified countries for several years - some- way,” Churkin stressed. thing Britain says will slow the “If they in some way stray SYRIAN KURDISH YPG pace of immigration. The draft deal also offers guarantees to countries, from this path -- and this is Tbilisi and his comments were car- my personal opinion -- a very including Britain, that do not use ried live on Turkish state broad- the shared euro currency, and difficult situation could arise. caster TRT Haber. Including for themselves,” he makes tweaks aimed at boosting "My friend Kerry said the competitiveness and giving nation- warned. YPG cannot be trusted," Cavuso- “If they proceed on the al parliaments more power. But dif- glu said. "When you look at some ferences remain on key details. One basis that no ceasefire is nec- statements coming from America, essary and they need to fight European official said a main conflicting and confused state- source of tension was the length to a victorious end, then this ments are still coming.... We were conflict will last a very long of time Britain’s limit on welfare glad to hear from John Kerry yes- benefits would last, with Cameron time and that is terrifying to terday that his views on the YPG imagine.” pushing for 10 years and Eastern have partly changed." European countries pushing for The United States has said it three or four. The official spoke EU to hold does not consider the YPG a ter- on condition of anonymity, since migration summit ISTANBUL : Turkey's foreign rorist group. A spokesman for the the discussions were not public. minister accused the United States State Department said on Thurs- The lingering disputes belie the fact with Turkey in on Friday of making conflicting day Washington was not in a posi- that the other member states cher- statements about the Syrian Kur- tion to either confirm or deny Tur- ish Britain as an economic and dip- early March dish YPG militia, in a sign of deep- key's charge the YPG was behind lomatic giant in a struggling EU. ening divisions between the the Ankara bombing attack. “I’m going into this debate with NATO allies over policy in Syria. He also called on Turkey to The EU and Turkey will hold a the position that we would like to Mevlut Cavusoglu said U.S. stop its recent shelling of the YPG. do everything to create the condi- “special meeting” in early Secretary of State John Kerry had The YPG's political arm has de- March to push forward an aid- tions so that Great Britain can re- told him the Kurdish insurgents nied the group was behind the main part of the European Union,” for-cooperation deal to curb could not be trusted, in what Ca- bombing and said Turkey was us- migrant flows to Europe, Euro- German Chancellor Angela Mer- vusoglu said was a departure from ing the attack to justify an escala- kel said. Cameron argues for a “live pean Council President Donald Washington's official position. tion in fighting in northern Syria. Tusk said Friday. “We agreed and let live” union in which some Swiss inspections group SGS and its Turkish unit to perform the tions are conducted is fully secured Washington's support of the A car laden with explosives countries move ever closer togeth- that our joint action plan with U.S. group Weatherford Interna- tests. “The disappearance of the and guarded by security guards YPG in the fight against Islamic detonated next to military buses Turkey remains a priority and er while others remain semi-de- tional Plc traded recriminations on equipment occurred while the under the responsibility of the State in Syria has enraged Ankara, as they waited at traffic lights near tached. That grates against the we must do all we can to suc- Thursday, both denying responsi- equipment was stored in the owner of the site. SGS does not which fears advances by the Kur- Turkey armed forces' headquarters ceed,” Tusk told a press con- wishes of France, Germany and bility for the disappearance last Weatherford bunker,” it said, add- assume any responsibility for the dish militia in northern Syria would in the administrative heart of An- others who believe strongly in an ference after the first day of a year of radioactive material used ing the loss was discovered on site security and does not control stoke separatism among its own kara late on Wednesday. European Union summit in “ever closer union” among as many to test pipes at an oil field in Nov. 3. Weatherford said on Thurs- accesses,” SGS said, adding that Kurdish minority. Turkey says the So far, authorities have de- members as possible. Britain has Brussels. “This is why we have southern Iraq. day it holds no responsibility or many contractors used the site. YPG was responsible for a car tained 17 people in connection the intention to organize a spe- long been a half-hearted member Reuters reported on Wednes- liability in relation to the issue and Its Turkish business immedi- bombing in Ankara that killed 28 with the bombing and there was of the EU, staying out of both the cial meeting with Turkey in the day that Iraq was searching for a had answered all inquiries raised ately notified Iraqi authorities and people this week. evidenced they were linked to the beginning of March,” Tusk said euro currency and the passport- “highly dangerous” radioactive by Iraqi and U.S. authorities to cooperated fully with the investi- "Resorting to terrorist groups outlawed Kurdistan Workers Par- free Schengen travel zone. The without elaborating. The meet- source whose theft in November their satisfaction. gation, it said. like the YPG in the fight against ty (PKK), state-run Anadolu ing of the leaders of 11 EU coun- perception of increasing Brussels had raised fears among Iraqi offi- “SGS Supervise Gozetme SGS added that it has no con- Daesh in Syria is above all a sign Agency reported, citing sources meddling in affairs many Britons tries with Turkey had been cials that it could be used as a weap- Etud Control had sole control and tractual relation with Iraq-based of weakness," Cavusoglu said, us- from the Ankara prosecutor's of- planned before the full summit considered sovereign issues made on if acquired by Islamic State. access to the material and bunker,” security company Ta’az, which it ing an Arabic acronym for the Is- fice. Separately, security force the time ripe for a U.K. referen- on Thursday but was cancelled SGS said in a statement that it said in a statement, referring to said controlled the site and em- lamist group. "Everyone must members caught two people in a after Turkey’s premier Ahmet dum. Cameron said he would not the equipment and material, when the Turkish unit of SGS. ployed expatriate staff. stop this mistake. In particular our car loaded with 500 kg of explo- stop other EU members striving Davutoglu pulled out following not in use, had been stored in a Yet SGS said its staff required An operations manager for ally the United States must stop sives on Thursday evening in the a bomb attack in Ankara. Pres- for more unity, but insisted Brit- “secured bunker” provided by Weatherford’s prior written ap- Ta’az previously declined to com- this mistake immediately." Dicle district of the city of Di- ain should have ironclad guaran- sure to enforce the action plan Weatherford, which it said was the proval to access the site. ment, citing instructions from Ira- He was speaking at a news yarbakir in the mainly Kurdish adopted in November. tees that it could stay on the side- “main contractor” and had hired “The site where these opera- qi security authorities. conference in the Georgian capital southeast, security sources said. lines. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

We a r e a n a t ion a l in st it u t ion a n d n ot t h e voice of a gov t or a p r iva t e or ga n iza t ion AFGHANISTAN TIMES Editor: Abdul Saboor Sarir Phone No: +93-772364666 E-mail: [email protected] Salvatore Babones Email: [email protected] www.afghanistantimes.af Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi Advisory editorial board Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal Graphic-Designers: Edriss Akbari and Bilal Marketing & Advertising: Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press The constitution says

Article 135 Article One Hundred Thirty-Five: If a party in lawsuit does not know the language, the right to know the materials and documents of the case as well as conversation in the court, shall be provided in the party’s mother tongue through a translator appointed by the court.

With news that China's exports fell rection. The only thing keeping the quadrupled between December and es. But there are no signs of this for the seventh consecutive month Chinese economy afloat is govern- January, adding an extra $400bn occurring. In 2015 China's infla- in January, fears are mounting ment spending on a massive scale. to the economy. Adding in other tion rate was less than 1.5 percent. about China's economy. China's Proactive fiscal policy government-sponsored lending It has been on a continuous down- purchasing managers' index also The Chinese government has programmes boosts this figure ward trajectory ever since 2011. indicates contraction. Related in- a special name for deficit spend- even higher. Instead, it seems as if China is dices that don't usually make the ing: "Proactive fiscal policy". Pro- This is not a bad thing. In fact, using Keynesian economic tools in headlines are doing even worse. active fiscal policy means pump- it is exactly what many Western an entirely appropriate way: to All eight business indexes ing money into the economy to economists would prescribe for an prop up a failing economy. The published by China's National prevent a recession. The rest of economy teetering on the brink of only missing element in this equa- A matter of life and death Bureau of Statistics point towards the world calls this Keynesian eco- a recession. But China claims not tion is an open admission by the recession. The open orders index, nomics. Keynesian economics to be teetering on the brink of re- Chinese government that its econ- Afghanistan and its neighboring Pakistan remained the only two which tracks purchasing orders went out of fashion in the West cession. If the Chinese economy omy really is failing. But if the countries where crippling disease of polio is prevalent. Nigeria actually awaiting fulfilment, has after the 1970s, but it is alive and really is growing at an annual rate economy is succeeding, China's been in negative territory for more well in China today. of more than 6 percent, Keyne- current economic policies make no last year announced that polio is no longer an endemic in the than a year. The orders just aren't No country in the midst of a sian economic policies make no sense. West African country. The World Health Organization informed coming in. sustained period of rapid econom- sense. Tellingly, Taiwan's exports to ic growth in excess of 6 percent Success in admitting failure It is a cliche of China commen- that Nigeria and Africa as a whole are now closer to being cer- China have fallen by double digits per year pumps huge amounts of Credit expansion and deficit tary to claim that the Communist tified polio-free. It warned that polio remains endemic in Af- over the past year. Taiwan exports money into the economy in a des- spending are emergency measures. Party of China (CPC) relies on advanced components such as perate attempt to boost activity. No country in the midst of a sus- economic growth to legitimate its ghanistan and Pakistan and that as long as the disease exists semiconductors that are used in In 2015 China's national gov- tained period of rapid economic continued rule. Many analysts in- anywhere, it’s a threat to children. The two countries should China's manufacturing industries, ernment spending rose at a wildly growth in excess of 6 percent per side and outside China believe that work jointly to fight polio which left a large number of children which just aren't buying these days. unsustainable pace of 15.8 percent. year pumps huge amounts of mon- a political revolution will break out South Korean companies are suf- Local government spending may ey into the economy in a desper- the first time China suffers a real in an uncertain situation in the two neighboring states. Fighting fering even more. Korean exports have risen even faster; nobody ate attempt to boost activity. Chi- economic recession. This is ridic- polio is a win-win situation for both. They should join to make to China are down more than 20 knows the true figures. At the same na's breakneck spending pro- ulous. percent. time taxes are being cut. And the gramme is a policy without a plan. The CPC seems to be doing a sure that children are not deprived of two drops of vaccine as it The Chinese government in- State Council expects these "pro- Keynesian economics fell out relatively good job fighting off a is the matter of life and death. sists that economic growth con- active fiscal policies" to be "con- of favour in the West when gov- serious economic downturn by tinues to hum along at an annual tinued and strengthened" in 2016. ernments resorted to deficit spend- using every tool in its arsenal. That However efforts are under way to fight polio as Japan pledged rate of more than 6 percent. Is this And China is doing much ing as a way to maintain growth at is the right thing to do. The only $15.6 million to grant kids life-saving vaccines and help to pre- figure credible? With manufactur- more than building bridges and cut- artificially high levels. During an wrong thing is to lie about it. ing falling, exports falling, imports ting taxes - the orthodox Keyne- economic slowdown, deficit The CPC will get more credit vent the spread of other vaccine-preventable diseases in Af- falling, and consumer confidence sian approaches to propping up a spending soaks up excess capaci- from international analysts - and ghanistan. Previously Pakistani media reported that a three-mem- at record low levels, can it really faltering economy. In a country ty to prevent a recession from turn- from its own people - if it is hon- be that China has one of the world's where all commercial banks are ing into a depression. But in a est about the challenges China is ber delegation from the Afghan national polio team paid visit to fastest-growing economies? state-owned, the government has growing economy, deficit spend- facing and what it is doing to meet Pakistan to monitor anti-polio drive. The Head of Pakistan’s Chinese Premier Li Keqiang the capacity to pump money into ing just drives up prices, causing them. China can survive a reces- Emergency Operations Centre said that one type of virus, R4B5C, admits that China faces "great chal- the economy through the banking inflation. sion. With good policy, it might lenges and uncertainties" but system too. If China's economy were real- even prevent one. had been traveling from Nangarhar to Khyber Agency and other claims that "China's economic fun- No one was surprised to learn ly growing at more than 6 percent Salvatore Babones is a com- parts of the two countries. To be mentioned that last year, 19 damentals are stable". Such assur- that bank lending expanded at per year, expansive bank lending parative sociologist at the Univer- ances increasingly ring hollow. The record levels in January. The sur- and rising fiscal deficits would sity of Sydney. He is a specialist polio cases were detected in Afghanistan where eight cases were hard facts point in a different di- prise was that new bank lending quickly translate into higher pric- in global economic structure. registered in Nangarhar, four in Farah, two in Kunar, as many in Helmand and one each in Nimroz, Herat and Faryab provinces. The sole reason behind polio incidence are insecurity and regu- The gradual death lar travel of people to Pakistan. The disease is also endemic in Pakistan as based on media report, 36 polio cases were record- ed last year. The two last remaining polio-endemic countries should improve high quality vaccination and overcome admin- istrative problems and non-availability of vaccination at the bor- der points. Both states should come up to the fore and work to a mechanism to monitor the population movement from Afghani- stan to Pakistan as it is of utmost importance to end the tumbling block to control circulation of polio virus in both countries. It is stark fact that Afghanistan and Pakistan could not succeed in anti-polio campaign unless addressing the root cause which is insecurity. Large number of polio campaign workers were killed in Afghanistan and Pakistani by illegal armed groups. They were killed while on duty. They committed no crime but to save children from crippling. No security means zero-possibility to declare Afghanistan and Pakistan as polio-free states. Thus, sin- cere approach by both sides is very much crucial to kill a dis- ease which is eating the future blood of the nations. Subscription Rates Categories Fee Afghanistan Times Annual Afg: 3600 at your door step For fast delivery service Six Months Afg: 1800 Afghanistan Times seeks the names, addresses of your International Organization $200 per year organizations and the number of copies you want. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF.

SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Wael Haddara David Lepeska One of the great lessons for the Does this mean Egypt is head- number of partners, and momen- incompetent at governing and this Volunteer aid workers breakfast- domestic terrorism. On the latter, are still crossing the Aegean from Egyptian military from Hosni ing towards a potentially explo- tum is gathering to hold the Egyp- incompetence was on prominent ing near the Syrian border. A mas- Ankara might look to Saudi Arabia Turkey to Greece every week, Mubarak's 30-year reign must sive food crisis? No. The crisis will tian government accountable not display first in the 1950s and sive, joyous peace rally in the cen- for answers. German Chancellor Angela Mer- have been that it cannot allow ex- be averted, but not without signif- only for this death, but for similar 1960s when Gamal Abdel Nasser tre of Ankara, the nation's capital. After terrorist attacks in- kel is refusing to commit to Anka- ecutive power to wander too far icant financial and political cost to disappearances, torture and deaths appointed military officers in Foreign tourists taking in centu- creased in Saudi Arabia from 2003 ra's plan for the EU countries to from its own control. The military the Egyptian government. Markets of hundreds of Egyptians. charge of almost every aspect of ries-old monuments in the heart of to 2006, Riyadh mounted one of resettle hundreds of thousands of old Istanbul. And, finally, a con- the world's most successful coun- refugees now living in Turkey. coup against Mohamed Morsi was have been rattled and the memory On the domestic front, a num- the state, and most recently in the voy of military personnel, again in terterrorism drives. The govern- about more than just wresting of the government's capricious be- ber of developments are equally 2011-2012 transition under SCAF. central Ankara. ment beefed up police and securi- In fact, the Ankara bombing power from an Islamist president. haviour will linger. worrisome. The Ahly Ultras, mem- Lack of co-ordination With nearly 200 people killed ty forces, expanded and improved prodded Davutoglu to cancel a It was about regaining control of In other news, GM, the com- bers of a hardcore fan association But there is a more terrifying in just seven months, the beat goes intelligence gathering, built new planned trip to Brussels to meet the country from civilian control. pany that manufactures 25 percent for Egypt's leading football team, possibility. The lack of co-ordina- on in Turkey. Four attacks, four prisons and created one of the Merkel and discuss the issue. But This was first threatened under of Egypt's cars, announced a tem- seem to be on a path of increasing- tion may signal low-level resis- targets, one goal: more terror, cha- world's most effective counter-rad- if Turkey can improve border con- Mubarak's dynastic succession porary suspension of operations ly likely confrontation with the tance, infighting and the crumbling os, and violence. icalisation programmes. It also en- trols and better monitor foreign scheme and then after the uprising in Egypt due to the lack of dollars. state. of the June 30 coalition. The most Turkish Prime Minister Ah- couraged leading imams to speak arrivals, the EU would begin to of January 25, 2011. Central Bank policies aimed at But hardcore football groups dangerous aspect of such resis- met Davutoglu quickly sought to out against radicalism and terror- ease Turkey's burden. To accomplish this re-appro- shoring up the perennially weak- are not the only opposition form- tance is that it does not seek to turn the latest bombing to Turkey's ist activity. The result was several Of course, Saudi Arabia's geopolitical advantage. He an- years of near-zero terrorist deaths. counter-terror drive didn't come priation of power, the military ening Egyptian pound and shut- ing against the regime. A disagree- replace the current ruling arrange- nounced that the attacker, Syrian For Turkey, improving secu- cheaply. And Ankara's finances are engineered a coup through a coali- ting down black market specula- ment between a doctor at a local ment, but it is rather only a fight national Saleh Najjar, had ties to rity in the shadow of the mini- already strained by a slowing econ- tion of forces, some civilian, with tion have resulted in chronic short- Cairo hospital and a low-ranking for a greater slice of the pie. the Syrian Kurdish military group world war that is Syria in 2016 omy. But Turkey's choice is sim- shared interests, to give it a veneer age of dollars. policeman resulted in an assault by The military may be discover- known as the People's Protection would be a taller order, but it would ple: prioritise counterterrorism and of respectability. Immediately af- This problem will also likely a gang of policemen on a group of ing that force does not equal pow- Units (YPG), which Davutoglu offer an added benefit: greater bor- invest heavily in improved securi- ter the coup, however, the mili- be resolved at some point in the doctors at Matariya hospital. er and that authority is different says received guidance on the plot der controls and migrant monitor- ty or continue to slide, slowly but tary quickly began to concentrate not-too-distant future. Informa- That incident has spiralled out from influence. Mini-crises such from the Kurdistan Workers' Par- ing. Because some 10,000 people surely, into the Syrian quagmire. all economic power under its con- tion has already been leaked that of control, with the doctors at that as the wheat fiasco, the suspen- ty, or PKK. The PKK, which Tur- trol. the government has factored in a hospital embarking on a strike and sion of GM operations, and the key, the US and EU have labelled a Egypt five years after Mubar- devalued pound in next year's bud- doctors nationwide voting on a brutal murder of Giulio Regeni terrorist group, has fought an off- Viral Syndrome: The disease and-on war with Turkey for more ak get. general strike soon. The issue os- may signify little more than the than three decades and has been Contrary to the military's While this will help to shore tensibly is doctor safety. different elements of the June 30 battling Turkey's military across infecting journalism hopes, it's been nothing but bad the country's foreign reserves, it Sisi's extravagance coalition attempting to assert that the southeast since the Suruc Marwan Bishara news for the Egyptian government merely delays the fundamental Sisi himself has not emerged they too have influence and must bombing last July. recently. problem in light of ongoing trade unscathed from the missteps and be given consideration. Davutoglu called on allies such Any self-respecting news outfit, or any other organisation concerned as the US - which has relied on the with outreach, is better off employing an army of community manag- YPG in its fight against ISIL - to ers and digital prodigies. cease co-ordination with the group. Without them and their ilk of web designers and social media "It is out of the question for us to analysts, no news organisation can compete or get ahead in a predom- excuse tolerance towards a terror- inantly digital universe, a world without frontiers. ist organisation that targets our Therefore, it is no coincidence that modern media organisations are people in our capital," he said. becoming ever more dependent on these young talents. But the ques- Deteriorating security situa- tion is, how much is this dependency affecting journalism when, in- tion creasingly, viral trumps verity as the metric of success? As Turkey's military began a Fakes, frauds and falsities that go viral - The Listening Post fourth straight day of shelling YPG 'Smorgs' positions in northern Syria, the You see them hanging out around you; clever, curious, and clean. PYD and PKK denied any in- And unmistakably young. Like characters out of a science-fiction volvement in the attack. But at this mystery, they have their own distinctive vocabulary, syntax and gram- point, the perpetrator is nearly ir- mar. relevant. They are by no means socially awkward, even if there's a certain The more pressing issue is se- teen associability about them. curity. Turkey is a NATO-mem- Communicating with them requires digital literacy; otherwise, ber state, with a respected mili- you're exposed to the type of embarrassment you first experience tary and a vast intelligence and se- when ordering "coffee" at Starbucks. curity apparatus. It's also a sort of But they are by no means mathematical geniuses or book worms, flood wall, helping to keep the and therefore the label geek or nerd doesn't apply to them. They boast swirling maelstrom of Syria out of of a unique discipline that they insist shouldn't be confused with Europe: after Turkey, the deluge. another. As one reminded me recently with a certain dismissiveness, "I Since the start of the Syrian am digital, not technical." war, Ankara has sought the oust- As one reminded me recently with a certain dismissiveness, 'I am ing of President Bashar al-Assad. digital, not technical.' Turkey backed rebel groups and Indeed, they deserve their own title, and I suggest "smorgs", social provided transit routes for weap- media orgies specialists. ons and fighters, and has lately The landscape of the digital world is their field of work. And their been criticised for helping to cre- objective is neither discovery nor recovery, but, rather, virtual re- ate the Islamic State of Iraq and engagement and regeneration. the Levant (ISIL). In recent months Go viral Turkey increased border controls, Viral or viral syndrome is, of course, a medical term that refers to built a border wall, and arrested fast-spreading infection that causes fever, muscle aches, or vomiting, To start with, it has had to deficit and plummeting productiv- miscalculations besetting the Why is this ominous? Because cough, etc. But in today's virtual world, the term has lost its notoriety contend with a wheat crisis. The ity. Egyptian regime in these past few if the military buckles in to their hundreds of alleged terrorists with- in the country. when applied to the digital sphere, referring to the phenomenon of General Authority for Supply Cashflow problems weeks. Desperate to achieve more demands, the country will contin- web content spreading fast, like fire in hay. Commodities (GASC) held a ten- Egypt is heavily dependent on budgetary controls, he delivered a ue to hurtle towards financial ruin But it has become increasing- ly clear that it's too little, too late, Digital analysts, like their medical counterparts, make it their busi- der for wheat and the prices pre- three sources of hard currency, speech big on austerity in which and societal disintegration, as it has and that Turkey's security has de- ness to diagnose the causes of the buzz. However, their mission is not sented well above market prices, none of which are performing par- he appealed to Egyptians to econ- in an accelerated fashion for the teriorated considerably at the very to prevent viral spread, but, rather, to promote digital diarrhoea. so the GASC was eventually ticularly well: expatriates' remit- omise and tighten their belts. On past 15 years, and reconstitute the moment its security challenges And therefore, their objective is to break, not boost, our collective forced to seek suppliers outside tances, tourism and foreign direct his way to the speech, his motor- environment in which revolution have multiplied and grown more social immunity system. Indeed, their success depends on it. the tender process. investment. Transfers by Egyptian cade drove over 4km of red carpet becomes once again both necessary deadly, thanks to spillover from And it seems at this early stage of the digital evolution that the Wheat crisis workers abroad have been hit hard laid out for his reception. The pres- and possible. Syria. younger the digital specialists, the better equipped they are to specia- For Turkey, improving secu- lise in "viralism". Not so different from how your very young son or The poor tender competitive- by the plunge in oil prices. ident endured bitter criticism for If the military does not acqui- niece puts you to shame every time your computer or cellphone goes ness was the result of supplier Tourism has shrunk in the the extravagance. esce, there are no signs that seg- rity in the shadow of the mini- world war that is Syria in 2016 berserk. confusion over the accepted wake of travel bans following ter- But this was not the only ex- ments such as the oligarchs, the A brave new world amount of ergot fungus in import- rorist attacks in Sharm, Hurghada ample of the state marching out of judges or the security services are would be a taller order, but it would offer an added benefit: greater bor- Digital viralism, like derivatives in investment banking, are deliber- ed wheat. While the GASC claimed and the Western desert. Foreign sync with the demands being willing to sacrifice their own self- der controls and migrant monitor- ately complicated to shame any intellectual or economist, not to speak that the international standard of direct investment is facing a num- placed on the people. Ignoring aus- interest. ing. of the everyday Larry and Laila. 0.05 percent was acceptable, the ber of problems related to infra- terity and budgetary constraints, Their resistance will continue, In its southeast, Turkey is bat- And in a world where having a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter agriculture ministry turned away structure, power generation and the minister of justice recently or- at huge cost to the country, and tling a violent insurgency and en- account is no different from having a bank account, digital viralism, like a shipment of French wheat for the staid Egyptian bureaucracy. dered a 10 percent pay rise for judg- the military will find the job of gaging in bloody urban conflict - a derivatives and algorithms, is all about numbers, not value. containing exactly that amount. The government has been ag- es - that's on top of the 30 percent governing impossible. Eventually, PKK attack on a military convoy Like any disease suddenly gone viral, it's all too often a mystery near Diyarbakir on Thursday why suddenly a particular clip of domesticated animals goes wild on In an about-face, the ministries gressively marketing Egypt's eco- raise they received last summer. we will again have a situation where the Internet. of supply and agriculture held a nomic potential, with Abdel Fat- Is all this a sign that the regime the forces arrayed against the re- morning reportedly killed six Turk- ish soldiers. Meanwhile, it's tak- Indeed, the most watched video or any other content gone viral, joint news conference to assure tah el-Sisi personally meeting trade is crumbling? Hardly. But it may gime are more, and stronger than tend to feature dogs, cats, babies and pop stars. suppliers, but so far the market is delegations and committing to var- be a sign of something far more those for it. In any case, the strug- ing regular and deadly hits to what should be its best-protected areas. Otherwise, it's voyeurism, mortifications and indignities that lead. not reassured. The ministries ap- ious deals. But true to the pattern ominous. gle between those various former The signs suggest terrorists, In other words, same old, same old. parently refuse to put that com- of unrelenting bad news, the body At best, it signals a lack of co- partners is unlikely to conclude Turkish and Syrian, have built the Substance and subsistence mitment into writing and so trad- of an Italian graduate student, ordination between the different before the country has incurred sig- kind of infrastructure that's ex- Don't get me wrong; I would love this piece to go viral. I am all for ers are attempting to factor the risk Giulio Regeni, turned up in the organs that make up the state. The nificant monetary, political and so- tremely difficult to eradicate. It's employing "smorgs" and improving the outreach of worthy content. into the price of the wheat. The middle of a visit by an Italian trade left hand not only knows not what cietal costs. If economic recovery no secret that ISIL and the PKK And I am certainly for watching out for what's trending in the digital French supplier whose shipment delegation. the right hand does, it is busy slap- and political stability seem elu- have it in for Turkey, nor that they world. can strike almost at will. A list of But as it is with good old traditional marketing and distribution, was turned away is now threaten- In response, the delegation cut ping it away. sive, both appear far less likely in digital promotion should have a limited role, if at all, in determining the ing legal action and Egypt remains short its visit and subsequent re- This lack of co-ordination has the near future. other potential enemies would in- clude YPG, Assad, and Russia. seriousness, substance or even style of journalism. without a supplier. ports by Italian authorities indi- multiple root causes but may sim- Wael Haddara is a Canadian- What's the point of gaining the whole world and losing oneself? Markets have been rattled and cated "inhuman" torture inflicted ply be due to the fact that Egypt Egyptian physician who served as Meanwhile, both of the last two suicide bombers have been Increasingly, young and inexperienced smorgs choose headlines, the memory of the government's on him. That incident has cast a is back under military government. former senior adviser to former Syrian refugees. Some 2.5 million determine the duration and at times the very handling of news coverage capricious behaviour will linger. pall on Egypt's relations with a The military has proved itself President Mohamed Morsi. Syrian refugees now live in Tur- in order to ensure wider reach. That's a problem. key, and many others continue to These data crunchers and #trending watchers may have a say in pass through Turkey seeking the terms of presentation but not the priorities of a news organisation. relative stability of the European Yes, their role is increasingly paramount for the very survival of a LETTER TO THE EDITOR Union, posing a potential security news organisation, but shouldn’t be a determining factor in covering or threat. analysing the news. Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara Although we are rapidly moving away from the newsstand and the Office Director of the German TV set to the digital platforms, the same social principles, profession- Marshall Fund, points to three al ethics, and market forces continue to apply just the same. And so are government steps that have under- the choices we make. mined Turkey's security capabili- As a wise man said: What's the point of gaining the whole world, Fighting polio ties in recent years: the massive and losing oneself? Crippling disease of polio is prevalent in Afghanistan. Polio is a deadly disease that left a large number of children in an uncertain coup-plot cases, known as Er- situation. The relevant officials should make their last-ditch efforts to make sure that all children age five should not be deprived of two genekon and Balyoz, that led to drops of vaccine. Because it is about life and death. On Wednesday Japan pledged 15.6 million to help eradicate polio in the country. the dismissal or imprisonment of The Afghan government should take every necessary steps to cover all children of polio drops. The relevant organs should not turn their top military officials and eroded blind eyes as it outmost importance to fight polio in the country. If the government did not fight the deadly disease, for sure it will leave military morale; the purge of thou- large number of children into a crippling disease. It will eat the future blood of the nation. All terrorist groups including Taliban and sands of police officers linked to Daesh should let the polio staffers to vaccine children and free them from a disease which has no cure at the future. the Gulen movement, which has Ajmal Khan, Kabul, Afghanistan reduced the force's effectiveness; and increasingly troubled relations with neighbouring states, which have curbed diplomacy and intel- ligence-sharing. Peace at home, peace in the Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must have the writer’s name and world address. You may send your letters to: [email protected] Ankara might want to stop focusing on destroying the PKK, YPG, and Assad and ticking off Putin, and get its own house in order. Unluhisarcikli calls for "a foreign policy prioritising Tur- Disclaimer: key's own national security rather than the transformation of its The views and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author(s) neighbourhood". This might first involve a ceasefire with the PKK and do not reflect the views or opinions of the Afghanistan Times. and resumed peace negotiations, followed by a laser-like focus on This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY . FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

The US presidential primary elec- a conservative news site. the Republican party, many Afri- tion is hitting its stride with votes Since Ronald Reagan won in can American voters moved in the taking place in 14 states in the next 1980, only Newt Gingrich has lost opposite direction. Because the three weeks. As the battle moves the Republican nomination after state overwhelmingly votes Re- down to South Carolina, presiden- winning the primary there in 2012. publican, candidates calling for less tial contenders will be looking to The South Carolina Republican federal government intervention consolidate their win (or make a party prides itself on its ability to resonate with voters here. comeback following a loss) in Iowa select the eventual nominee, so Voters wait to greet Republi- or New Hampshire. much so that it proclaims on its can presidential candidate Donald But South Carolina, where website: "We take our primaries Trump during a campaign event on Republicans will vote on Saturday very seriously - We pick presi- February 15 [Alex Wong/Getty and Democrats a week later, is dents!" Images] more diverse and representative of Hughes told Al Jazeera that the "South Carolina, just like the the country as a whole than the state's primary electorate best mir- rest of the country, is hurting eco- previous two states: here the Afri- rors the nation's Republican base, nomically," Hughes explained. "It can American population is larger, because it comprises a "broad range is also overtaxed, so any talk by and with its myriad military bases of the urban vote, evangelical vote, any candidate about any sort of and academies, it is home to many establishment vote" - a mixture of tax on the federal level does not go veterans. conservatives, more moderate vot- over well here." Traditionally, South Carolina ers, and fiscally conservative but Charleston is a port city, "so has supported the Bushes and the socially liberal retirees in the coast- security is a big issue for South Clintons: on February 15, former al areas who hail from northern Carolinians and fears of what can president George W Bush came states such as New York. come through the borders," Hugh- out to North Charleston in a show South Carolina also has 50 del- es said. "Taxes, international trade of support for his brother, Jeb, egates up for grabs to Republican and terror: these are some of the who is running on the Republican candidates - a larger number than issues folks care about," he added. ticket. But surprises can happen those offered by Iowa or New The economy has long been a in South Carolina. Hampshire. "It will certainly help top election issue for Americans, The Palmetto State is known if you win South Carolina because and, with an unemployment rate for its ability to predict the Re- you will grab more delegates than of 5.5 percent, South Carolina is publican nomination: With one you could have in both states com- no different. exception since 1980, every victor bined. After all, it comes down to "The economy drives the elec- in the primary has gone on to be- a numbers game," Hughes said. tions," said David Woodard, a come the nominee. Can Bernie Sanders appeal to Clemson University political sci- Sipio, the director of the Centre stronghold. In an attempt to shore Sanders in New Hampshire and her ment that benefited African Amer- While known for its southern African American voters? ence professor. "But we are also for the Study of Democracy at the up support for Jeb, the former razor-thin win in Iowa, Clinton is icans, and all workers." But unlike charm, South Carolina is also the On the road to the presidency, interested in foreign policy because University of California, Irvine. president made his campaign de- eyeing South Carolina carefully. the Clintons, Sanders struggles place where the gloves come off: South Carolina is the third state we have many military retirees." "As long as it remains a multi-can- but in North Charleston, and took But with more US voters looking with name recognition. "The ques- From accusations of fathering ille- for Republicans, and the fourth for South Carolina also boasts a didate race, he seems able to hold part in his first campaign ad, which to maverick candidates, Sanders is tion is: does he have enough time gitimate children to spreading ru- Democrats, so it will build momen- strong evangelical population - 30 on to about a third of the vote, hit the airwaves of South Caroli- shoring up support in key demo- for people to get to know who he mours about mental illness, South tum for the winning candidates as percent, according to the Associa- enough to 'win'. Should the field na's conservative talk radio stations graphics Clinton once counted on is? Whenever people have gotten Carolina's gritty primary politics they head for Super Tuesday on tion of Religion Data Archives. drop to two, he would probably on February 10. - middle-class and younger voters, to know him he does well," Tasini are legendary. March 1 - when several, mostly Religion tends to be an impor- be at more of a disadvantage." So far, Jeb's confidence in the including blacks and Latinos. "For said. "Bernie is talking about ex- While the back-stabbing and southern, states hold primaries in tant issue for both Democrats and Just as he did in Iowa, Texas southern state has been palpable. the young, it's Bernie," said Dale panding social security, which af- rumour-spreading have been kept a single day. Republicans here. "Voters in both senator Ted Cruz is courting evan- "South Carolina is Jeb country," Kuehne, a politics professor at St fects African American seniors. He to a minimum (so far), the race lead- Because South Carolina has parties are pretty frequent in their gelical voters, while Florida sena- his campaign staff tweeted on Feb- Anselm College in New Hamp- talks about education, violence, ing up to South Carolina's prima- voted Republican since 1976, the church attendance," said Woodard, tor Marco Rubio is counting on ruary 10 under a picture of sup- shire. "It's pretty simple - antipa- racism, and national incarceration, ry has been heated. The Republi- race on the Democratic side is rel- who is also a Republican consult- the endorsement of prominent porters in a packed room. He also thy to Wall Street, student loans, which affects African Americans can presidential debate on Febru- atively less important and consid- ant and author of The New South- South Carolina politicians to shore had his best debate performance the diminishing of the middle class, disproportionally." Even though ary 13 drew cheers and boos from erably quieter. The Democratic ern Politics. him up after a disastrous perfor- yet in Greenville, where he blast- the sense of loss of the 'American Clinton has secured an endorse- the crowd, and the anger was pal- contenders will first head to Ne- "Their faith is important and mance in New Hampshire's debate ed Trump and defended his fami- dream' ... young people are saying ment from the political action com- pable among the contestants - a vada on February 20, before mov- they try to exercise their faith in on February 6. ly's presidential legacy, a far cry we need to do what we can now mittee of the influential Congres- sign of how important this south- ing on to South Carolina on Febru- how they vote. But even among "Cruz has a large number of from the time he asked his sup- for change." The Vermont senator sional Black Caucus, and she has ern state will be in the race to the ary 27. Republicanism, they are not one people on the ground working for porters to "please clap" a week is pouring money and energy into old loyalties - dating back to her White House. South Carolina will be the first unified group. They are diverse in him, and Rubio has been endorsed earlier in New Hampshire. proving to the African American husband's time in office - to build Former US President George big test of Vermont Senator Bernie who they support and why," he by influential South Carolina lead- "This state has been really community that he can heal the na- on, her challenge is to win the con- W Bush, centre, speaks for his Sanders' appeal to black voters added, making it all the more diffi- ers, but we will have to see wheth- good to the Bush family," Woo- tion's racial divide. Recently his fidence of those African American brother, US Republican presiden- who represent a majority of the cult to predict their candidate of er he can translate that into victo- dard said. "It voted for Jeb's father campaign released an ad featuring voters who turned to Barack tial candidate Jeb Bush, left, at a vote in many southern Democrat- choice. ry," Woodard said. "Trump has a and his brother, but I just don't the daughter of Eric Garner, an Af- Obama in 2008. She also needs to campaign event in South Carolina ic primaries. What's at stake for the Repub- chance because voters here are an- know if that will translate into rican American man killed by po- appeal to younger black voters, [EPA/Erik S. Lesser] Who are South Carolina's vot- licans? Republican presidential gry having lived eight years under votes for him." lice during an arrest for selling cig- who have not forgotten Bill Clin- Why is South Carolina impor- ers - and what do they care about? candidates Kasich, Bush, Cruz, Obama, and I hear people regular- How decisive is the 'minority arettes. "We have seen black men ton's 1994 Violent Crime Control tant to the Republicans? South Carolina is home to a Trump, Rubio and Carson take the ly saying 'Trump expresses my vote' for the Democrats? walk down the street in this coun- Act, which some say led to mass Iowa, with its relatively low sizeable African American popu- stage during the Republican presi- anger'." Hillary Clinton greets District try being beaten and killed unjust- incarceration. "Bernie's campaign turnout, and New Hampshire, lation - roughly 28 percent. dential debate in Greenville, South But this could also be the last Superintendent Dr Thelma So- ly," Erica Garner, who is backing is surging and Clinton hasn't found which is known for being more Until the 1960s, the Demo- Carolina [EPA/Erik S. Lesser] stand for Florida governor Jeb journer before speaking to voters Sanders, said in the ad. "Bernie has a way to blunt his message with moderate, is unrepresentative of cratic party held power in South Building on the momentum of Bush, who, like his brother before in South Carolina a day after her a long history of involvement in core Democratic voters," DeSipio the Republican base. But South Carolina and many African Amer- his New Hampshire win, billion- him, is popular here, especially debate with Bernie Sanders [Spen- the Civil Rights Movement, going said. "Before South Carolina, she Carolina traditionally picks the icans voted Republican because the aire reality TV star Donald Trump among military personnel. Having cer Platt/Getty Images] back to when he was a young man," needs to do well in Nevada to Republican winner. Democrats strongly supported has a commanding lead in South kept out of the political limelight In 2008, 55 percent of Demo- said Jonathan Tasini, the author of prove that her campaign is still vi- "South Carolina is a mix of segregation. Carolina (despite a bad debate per- for the most part since leaving the cratic voters in South Carolina's The Essential Bernie Sanders and able. To do well in Nevada, she both, and therefore it's a real test When leading Democratic op- formance last week in Greenville). White House, George W Bush is primary were African American, so His Vision for America. "In his leg- will need to do well among Lati- of what America wants," said Scot- ponents of the Civil Rights Act of "Trump appears to be well being drafted in to ensure that his the battle for the minority vote is islative career of 25 years, he has nos. They have traditionally been tie Nell Hughes, the news director 1957, such as Senator Strom Thur- ahead in the South Carolina Re- brother locks down support in expected to dominate their prima- supported a slew of legislation on in her camp, so she has an advan- for the Tea Party News Network, mond, switched their allegiance to publican primary," said Louis De- South Carolina, a long-time family ry. After her substantial loss to issues like racism and unemploy- tage." Conflict continues at Kyrgyzstan's massive

The landlocked nation of 39 mil- ensure peace during the war of the I've lost hope in this government. a job. Many people here give up gold mine lion will head to national elections 1980s. We want change, progress. I so easily and stop looking when Tian Shan mountain range, Kyr- in January. Activists say that these ment, and that dust from the mine on Thursday, in which incumbent Other contenders in the race was born and raised knowing only they fail. I know the government gyzstan - Hidden in a valley in legal proceedings are part of the is causing health problems [Ryskel- president Yoweri Museveni will be include physician Kizza Besigye, one president. A change in govern- has not cared much to help but I Kyrgyzstan's Tian Shan moun- crackdown by Kyrgyz authorities di Satke/Al Jazeera] 'Aware of the contesting another five-year term and former prime minister Amama ment would lead to a change in the think that would change. The coun- tains lies the magnificent Issyk-Kul on public dissent against the min- complaints' For his part, John Pear- in office, possibly extending his Mbabazi. Before the vote, oppo- system, so jobs can be made and try is evolving with the develop- Lake, one of the highest and deep- ing project. In December 2015, Al son, the vice president of investor stay in power beyond 30 years. sition parties have said the elec- bureaucrats can be changed. When ment that's happening now. Change est lakes in the world and a top Jazeera reported that the Kyrgyz relations at Centerra Gold, told Al Uganda, the youngest country tions would probably be rigged to people are too long in power, they comes when the government chang- tourist destination in the region. state security service was pressur- Jazeera by email that the compa- in the world with more than 78 ensure Museveni's tenure extends. do things their way because they're es its mindset and cares more about In stark contrast to Issyk-Kul's ing relatives of imprisoned activ- ny is in communication with local percent of its people below the age The country is using a new bi- so used to it and so nothing chang- the people. I believe Uganda would natural beauty is the massive Kum- ists to silence r maining opposi- villagers, and that it has a "specific of 30, has experienced peace and ometric system to verify voters, es. be better in the future. No country tor gold mine to the lake's south, tion in the villages. Kumtor gold stakeholder engagement and com- security under Museveni's leader- but tests for the system only be- I want Uganda to develop its is perfect. For me, I would want at an elevation of more than 4,000 mine is the largest in Central Asia munication plan in this regard", as ship. gan in recent weeks, leaving little education system. There are still things to stay the same.. Of course metres. Kumtor, which has been and the second highest mine in the well as a way for them to file griev- However, with an average of time to train staff at polling sta- many uneducated people in our it's hard to find jobs but we have operating for nearly two decades, world, at 4,300m [Andrew Cabal- ances. "Centerra is aware of the 500,000 new university graduates tions nationwide. country. peace and stability now. My par- is the largest open-pit mining op- lero-Reynolds/Getty Images] En- complaints that have been made entering the workforce, the coun- Al Jazeera speaks to some of I don't think I would vote. ents' generation only knew the war. eration in Central Asia, and the only vironmental impact The Kumtor around the response of the Kyr- try is facing a massive unemploy- the young voters on their thoughts Nothing would change even if I But now things are OK. I am not one operating on an active glacier. mine has long been a target of crit- gyz authorities to the protests in ment problem. about the upcoming election on voted. Look at Uganda, nothing has shy to admit I am an NRM sup- The mine, owned by Toronto- icism. In 1998, after a mining truck 2013," said Pearson. "Our only Almost two thirds of the un- February 18. changed and all the promises re- porter. I'm worried that if the op- based Centerra Gold, claims to carrying cyanide crashed, nearly knowledge of this situation is based employed are youths, according to It's common to be denied jobs main the same. I hope the foreign position wins, the situation would provide 2,800 jobs and produces two tonnes of the deadly chemical on information we have seen and government data. Non-governmen- because we don't have the work investors coming in would help turn unstable. There is no guaran- almost eight percent of Kyr- spilled into a nearby river that was read in the local and international tal organisations estimate the fig- experience. But if we don't get a create more jobs for Ugandan tee that if the opposition wins, gyzstan's gross domestic product. a main source of drinking water for press." He added that the Kumtor ure to be much higher. job at all, how are we to get the youths. If youths have jobs they more jobs would be created. In a good year, Kumtor produces villages downstream. In the imme- project "has been contributing one Uganda's youths, dubbed as experience needed? I want to be- wouldn't be wasting away like go- Museveni hasn't delivered his up to 18 tonnes of gold. diate aftermath of the cyanide spill, percent of its gross revenue to the "Museveni babies", are increasing- lieve that our votes could make a ing to betting shops. There are too promises. Roads are still poor, But it has also been a flash- 2,600 villagers were treated, and Issyk-Kul Region Development ly frustrated over the government's change but all the leaders here are many youths who are idle now there's poor service delivery at point for unrest. Villagers living more than 1,000 admitted to hos- Fund. Since these payments com- failure to ensure job security while the same. They only think of with nothing to do. health centres. That is what's im- near the mine complain about what pital. Centerra Gold has also been menced in 2009, a total of $46 mil- the older generation still remem- themselves. The elections aren't If you really want to find a job portant to us women here. We need they describe as an unfair deal with accused of bribing corrupt officials lion as of the end of September bers Museveni's contribution to fair, I don't need to waste my time. and would work hard, you can get access to health centres. Centerra Gold, an uneven distri- in Kyrgyzstan during the first re- 2015 has been contributed." Kyr- bution of wealth, high unemploy- structuring of the Kumtor project gyzaltyn, a state-owned compa- ment in surrounding communities, in 2002-03, charges the mining ny that jointly manages the Kum- lack of healthcare, the loss of tra- company repeatedly denied. These tor mine, did not respond to Al ditional pasture and the destruc- allegations exacerbated existing Jazeera's request for comment. tion of the glaciers at Kumtor. tensions in the district of Jety Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz govern- This negative sentiment ex- Oguz, where the mine is located. ment has been wary of human ploded in 2013, when mass pro- One member of the anti-mining rights organisations that have tried tests led to violence and a tempo- protest movement, a native of Jety to research the situation at Kum- rary shutdown of the mine after Oguz who requested that his name tor. In October 2015, a delegation protesters briefly occupied a pow- not be used in fear of government of European observers from Bank- er station that supplies it with elec- reprisals, told Al Jazeera that "if watch and Front Line Defenders tricity. The Kyrgyz government not for these negative effects [en- made a fact-finding trip to villages responded by arresting and impris- vironmental impact in the settle- near the gold mine, and were met oning local activists, who claimed ments], we wouldn't have known with hostility and obstruction from to have been beaten and tortured about how Kumtor mine is chang- the Kyrgyz state security service, at the hands of the state security ing livelihoods in the district". The according to a Bankwatch briefing services, according to Bakyt activist added that, after receiving (PDF) published after the trip. Amanbayev, a former ombudsman an unsatisfactory response from Front Line Defenders, a Dub- of the Kyrgyz Republic. local authorities about health and lin-based human rights organisa- Five community organisers environmental problems related to tion, stated that "the local state who participated in the 2013 pro- the mine, "communities have de- security forces were keen to pre- tests remain in prison, convicted cided to deal directly with minis- vent this delegation from meeting variously of disturbing the peace, ters, the prime minister - and if community leaders and organisers extortion, and the taking of hos- they can't fix these issues, then with who were trying to compel greater tages - charges they deny. the president [of Kyrgyzstan]". environmental oversight and con- Five more were taken to court Over the course of the past de- trol over the Kumtor mine". Aziza in October 2015. Although their cade, anti-mine activists say that Abdurasulova, the head of Kylym cases have been in court for four those living near Kumtor became Shamy, a human rights NGO based months now, their defence lawyer, wary of the mine's negative impact in Bishkek, claimed that the Kyr- Chinara Dzhakupbekova, recent- on the environment, and that dust gyz government has ignored com- ly told Al Jazeera that prosecu- from the mine is causing health munity grievances against the mine tors have yet to formulate charges problems in the district. Anti-mine for more than a decade - and that, against them, and that she could activists say those living near given the unresolved public con- not comment further on the case. Kumtor became wary of the mine's cerns, the protests against Kum- The most recent hearing took place negative impact on the environ- tor will likely continue. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY . FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

BIG BANKS SEE THE NEED TO SHRINK – BUT FACE A PATH FULL OF OBSTACLES NEW YORK/LONDON : When TOKYO/SINGAPORE : - Asian (WMT.N). the U.S. Federal Reserve's newest shares slipped from near three- Oil prices reversed earlier gains policymaker Neel Kashkari week highs on Friday as a rally in on Thursday following a rise in dropped a bombshell with a call to oil prices reversed and investors U.S. stockpiles but look set to post break up big banks on Tuesday, it remained cautious about the out- their first weekly rise in three was met with a predictably indig- look for the global economy. weeks after the battered market nant response from their lobby- Europe also looks set for a lack- took heart from a tentative deal by ists. One described his comments luster start, with financial spread- major producers to freeze output as "blind." But while no one in the betters predicting Britain's FTSE at January's highs. executive suites of major global 100 (.FTSE) and Germany's DAX Still, doubts about how much banks would want authorities to (.GDAXI) will open little changed. other countries will cooperate have force them to split up or down- MSCI's broadest index of Asia- weighed on investors, with the fo- size, many top bankers acknowl- Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.6 cus squarely on Iran, which has edge that their institutions might percent, but gains in previous ses- pledged to increase output sharp- be better off smaller and simpler. sions left it on track for a weekly ly to regain market share lost when They just worry that any major gain of 4.1 percent. sanctions were in place. restructuring could go all wrong Japan's Nikkei (.N225) Brent crude (LCOc1) extend- because of the way post-financial dropped 1.4 percent as the yen ed losses on Friday, and was last firmed, but ended the week up 6.8 trading down 0.9 percent at $33.99 crisis regulations are applied. percent. per barrel, but is up 1.9 percent In interviews with Reuters, six "This week is the first sign of for the week. senior bankers said they are strug- change I have seen in 2016," Evan U.S. crude was at $30.53 gling with the costs and restrictions Lucas, market strategist at trading (CLc1), off a two-week high of they face as a result of new regula- services provider IG, wrote in a $31.98 hit on Thursday but up 3.7 tions, as well as a weak global econ- note, referring to some the up- percent so far this week. omy and troubled financial mar- swing in equities. "I would assume oil prices will kets. The bankers, who are or re- But "most fund managers are face downward pressure and there cently were in positions ranging nearing their maximum levels of will be selling into a rally," said from business division head to cash under their respective man- Daisuke Uno, chief strategist at CEO, spoke on the condition of dates. This capital needs to be de- Sumitomo Mitsui Bank. anonymity so they could be can- ployed to confirm the change is In a sign that investor fears bonds, with the 10-year U.S. Trea- a low last seen in June 2013, and threats on the economy. in EURGBP should an agreement did without upsetting regulators or on." over a global economic slowdown suries yield falling back to 1.7294 last traded at 125.83 yen. A big focus is on the British be reached at the meeting, although investors. MSCI's emerging market index are far from being on the wane, tra- percent, compared with Wednes- Against the dollar, the com- pound and the EU summit in Brus- an impasse, to which we assign a "Fundamentally, the business (.MSCIEF) hit a six-week high ditional safe-haven assets held firm day's one-week high of 1.8470 mon currency (EUR=) traded at sels, where UK Prime Minister non-negligible probability, would has to change," said one veteran overnight on hopes that oil prices after a strong outperformance on percent. $1.1124, having slipped to a two- David Cameron is seeking more likely weigh on the GBP," wrote banker who was on the executive were stabilizing, but the positive Thursday. In the currency market, the week low of $1.1071 on Thurs- favorable terms for its EU mem- Barclays analysts in a report. committee of a major European sentiment didn't flow through to Gold (XAU=) surged 1.8 per- yen regained its edge, rising to day. The minutes from the Euro- bership. The pound stood at $1.4333 bank until recently. Big banks' U.S. shares. cent on Thursday to $1,230.90 per 113.13 per dollar (JPY=) from this pean Central Bank's January meet- A successful deal there is ex- (GBP=D4), having fallen to a near shareholder returns have sunk "too The S&P 500 (.SPX) shed 0.5 ounce and last stood at $1,226.56. week's low of 114.875. ing showed some policymakers are pected to lead to a referendum on seven-year low of $1.4080 last low," he said. percent, dragged down by lacklus- Investors also flocked to the The euro fell to as low as advocating the need to act pre- EU membership as soon as in June. month partly on worries about so- These problems are not new, ter earnings from Wal-Mart Stores safety of top-rated government 125.34 yen (EURJPY=) on Friday, emptively in the face of new "We expect a correction lower called "Brexit". but they have fresh relevance as Deutsche Bank AG (DBKGn.DE) confronts questions about its cap- ital adequacy, Barclays PLC OIL PRICES FALL ON (BARC.L) faces pressure to break up and CEOs of big U.S. banks struggle with a loss of investor confidence in their stocks. OVERSUPPLY CONCERNS AFTER (For a graphic of U.S. banks' price-to-book ratios, see http:// reut.rs/1SG0NDL) Management teams in the U.S. US CRUDE STOCKS HIT RECORD and Europe are now taking a hard look at dramatic business model SINGAPORE : Oil futures fell in changes, but none of the options Asian trade on Friday as a record are particularly attractive, the build in U.S. crude stocks stoked bankers said. concerns about global oversupply, Merging to cut costs and im- outweighing moves by oil produc- prove margins is out of the ques- ers including Saudi Arabia and Rus- tion, given the hurdles banks sia to cap oil output. would likely face from regulators U.S. crude inventories rose by who do not want "too-big-to-fail" 2.1 million barrels last week, to a institutions getting any bigger. peak of 504.1 million barrels, the Splitting apart is complicated by third week of record highs in the capital requirements that would past month, data from the U.S. make standalone trading business- government's Energy Information es economically unfeasible — and Administration (EIA) showed on Thursday. by the fact that there are few, if That came as Iraq's oil minis- any, buyers for the assets banks ter Adel Abdul Mahdi said on want least. Thursday that talks would contin- Some top bankers say they are ue between OPEC and non-OPEC left with little choice but to mud- members to find ways to restore dle through what they fear will be "normal" oil prices following a a long, dark period of weak earn- meeting on Wednesday. ings, angry shareholders and grad- "The market is expecting con- ual shrinkage. tinuing inventory builds," said The problem has gotten so bad Tony Nunan, oil risk manager at that Deutsche Bank CEO John Japan's Mitsubishi Corp in To- Cryan recently said on a public kyo. "Key to any deal (to cap pro- conference call that he'd much rath- duction) is Iran. But Iran has been er be CEO of a simpler, retail-fo- clear, saying it wants to get back cused bank like Wells Fargo & Co to its pre-sanctions (production) (WFC.N), which has only a mod- level," Nunan added. "Everything fallen 27 cents to $34.01 a barrel Saudi Arabia and Russia, support- month, official data showed on est investment banking operation. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer found 2014. In another departure from is pointing to the end of this year as of 0746 GMT, after ending the ed by other producers including Thursday. "The agreement has val- "Unfortunately," he said, herself in an awkward situation last year, Mayer didn’t hold a news (before there is an agreement) when previous session down 22 cents. Venezuela and Iraq, moved to ue in restricting major producers "there are lots of things I wish for Thursday at the struggling Inter- conference after her onstage ap- Iran gets to 4 million barrels per U.S. crude (CLc1) had slipped 32 freeze oil output at January's lev- from adding incremental barrels to that are not going to come true." net company’s annual conference pearance, allowing her to avoid day. By that time the pain will be cents to $30.45 a barrel, after set- els. Iran endorsed the plan with- a saturated marketplace. Howev- Kashkari's comments, in his for the makers of mobile apps. further questions about Yahoo’s so great everybody will come to tling up 11 cents the session be- out commitment on Wednesday. If er, it does little to correct the ex- first speech as head of the Minne- She had to persuade an audi- fate. the table (to agree output caps)," fore. The fall in oil prices hit Asian approved, it would be the first isting imbalance between global apolis Fed, were surprising be- torium full of programmers and Mayer’s job security is shaky Nunan said. A combination of in- shares which slipped from near such deal in 15 years between the crude supply and demand," said cause he is a former Goldman Sa- advertising partners that Yahoo because Yahoo’s stock has sunk by creased global oil demand of be- three-week highs on Friday. MS- Organization of the Petroleum Ex- BMI Research in a note on Friday. chs banker, a Republican, and was will grow into an increasingly im- more than 40 percent since the end tween 1-2 million barrels per day, CI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific porting Countries and non-OPEC China's crude oil and liquids pro- a senior Treasury official in Presi- portant player in the mobile mar- of 2014, reflecting Wall Street’s production cutbacks by non- shares outside Japan fell more than members. Moves to curb output duction years as sustained weak- dent George W. Bush's adminis- ket. This while the company is frustration with her inability to OPEC members and the deal by 0.8 percent, but gains in previous growth come as Saudi Arabia's ness in oil prices prompt the coun- tration during the financial crisis. dramatically shrinking to appease deliver on her promise to revive producers to cap output could sessions left it up 4 percent for crude oil exports fell by more than try's largest producers to reduce They partly echoed the stance restless shareholders threatening to Yahoo’s revenue growth. The com- lead oil prices to climb to around the week. [L3N15Y04H] Oil pric- 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) to upstream spending and disengage of Bernie Sanders, who has also overthrow management unless pany’s revenue, after subtracting $40 a barrel by year-end, Nunan es rose more than 14 percent in almost 7.49 million bpd in Decem- from high-production, BMI said called for big bank breakups and things get better. ad commissions, fell 7 percent last said. Brent futures (LCOc1) had the three days to Thursday after ber compared with the previous in a separate note on Friday. criticized Hillary Clinton, his rival Just before Mayer’s appear- year. in the struggle to be the Democrat- ance, Yahoo tried to underscore its The Flurry deal is widely seen ic presidential candidate, for being long-term commitment to mobile as one of Mayer’s savviest moves too close to Wall Street. Some of by projecting this statement on a since she defected from Google to those vying for the Republican huge screen hanging above the Yahoo in July 2012, but that ac- nomination have also criticized reg- stage: “Imagine what the next sev- quisition still hasn’t been able to ulations brought in after the crisis, en years will bring.” provide Yahoo with enough clout saying they would repeal the It’s not even clear that Yahoo to become a major player in mo- Dodd-Frank reform law. will exist in its current form seven bile. None of Yahoo’s apps are In an interview with Reuters months from now, given that some among the Top 70 in Apple’s app on Wednesday, Kashkari criticized of its shareholders want the com- store for the iPhone and its share HAMBURG An owner of a Mer- Dodd-Frank's so-called "living pany to sell its Internet operations of the mobile ad market remains cedes BlueTEC diesel car filed a will" rule, which requires banks to after 3 1/2 years of declining reve- small even though its revenue from class-action lawsuit in the United show how they can be dismantled nue under Mayer’s leadership. smartphones and tablets is rapid- States, accusing the carmaker of in an orderly way if they fail, with- Mayer and the rest of Yahoo’s ly rising. Yahoo’s mobile ad reve- knowingly programming its Clean out creating risk to the broader fi- board is exploring “strategic alter- nue totaled $1.05 billion last year, Diesel vehicles to emit illegally high nancial system. Kashkari said he natives” that could include a sale a 36 percent increase from last year. levels of nitrogen oxide, according believes the rule would not work while the Sunnyvale, California, Yet its share of the $72 billion to law firm Hagens Berman. in a crisis scenario – that banks company sheds 15 percent of its worldwide market for mobile ads Shares in Mercedes maker would simply be bailed out again. workforce and closes unprofitable decreased slightly to 1.5 percent Daimler were down 3 percent at "I challenge anybody who services. last year to place it behind Google 62.82 euros at the bottom of Ger- thinks, in a stressed time, we would Even though she is deviating (with a share of nearly 34 percent), many's blue-chip index (.GDAXI) put these banks through resolu- from an original turnaround plan, Facebook (17 percent), Alibaba, by 0826 GMT after news of the Mayer has steadfastly insisted Baidu, Twitter and Tencent, ac- class-action lawsuit filed by tion," he said. "I really don't think that Yahoo Inc. will still have a cording to the research firm eMar- Hagens Berman, which also has a it will happen." bright future after her latest over- keter. At Thursday’s conference, lead role in class-action suits One way to force large finan- haul. Yahoo introduced a variety of im- against Volkswagen cial firms to break up is to "aggres- Mayer touched upon that provements to Flurry’s app and (VOWG_p.DE). sively ratchet up" their capital or theme Thursday as she empha- other tools in an attempt to attract Diesel car makers have been in leverage requirements, Kashkari sized that that Yahoo is still in- more mobile advertising partners. the spotlight since Volkswagen ad- said. He warned, though, that vesting heavily in mobile devices The company is also trying to mitted in September it had rigged banks would likely fight hard despite the massive cutbacks in plant its search engine into more U.S. diesel emissions tests, and that against any such proposal. other areas of the company. apps as a way to sell more ads. up to around 11 million vehicles Indeed, Tony Fratto, who “There is incredible potential Cheetah Mobile, a maker of worldwide could have illegal soft- worked with Kashkari at the Trea- here,” she assured the mobile de- device management apps such as ware installed. sury Department and is now a bank velopers. “Together, we can build Clean Master, has been impressed The U.S. Justice Department lobbyist at Hamilton Place Strate- the future of mobile.” with its results since it started is suing the company for up to $46 gies, said his former colleague's Unlike her appearance at Ya- working with Yahoo, said market- billion for alleged violations of en- comments were out of touch with hoo’s inaugural mobile conference ing head David Wu. vironmental law. reality. "This is something like re- last year, Mayer gave a brief pre- “We all read the news, so we Daimler has repeatedly denied opening the barn door after the sentation before leaving most of are obviously aware of the prob- that it has rigged tests as well, and horse is in the stable," Fratto said. the talking to executives that joined lems at Yahoo, but all the numbers said on Friday it saw the suit, filed A spokesman said the carmaker would examine the levels and defend itself against the suit. "Love or hate Dodd-Frank, it's sim- her management team after the have been moving in the right di- in the U.S. District Court for the Hagens Berman said in a statement that on-road testing had shown Mercedes's Clean Diesel cars produced ply blind to say that it hasn't sig- company bought mobile analytics rection for us, so we hope they District of New Jersey on Thurs- average on-road NOx emissions that were 19 times above the U.S. standard, with some instantaneous readings nificantly improved safety and service Flurry for $270 million in can stick around,” Wu said. day, as unfounded. as high as 65 times more than the U.S. limit. soundness." This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Japanese brand Uniqlo introduces new collection OF MUSLIM-WEAR

International designers have finally started reaching out to Muslim audiences. After Dolce and Gabbana showcased their line of abayas, and DKNY, Mango released their “Ramadan collection,” the latest retail brand to join the bandwagon is Uniqlo. Offering a new line of clothing based on “modest fashion,” the Japanese clothing company is targeting Muslim women in its latest spring collection. It includes traditional Islamic garments, loose-fitting clothing, and more long sleeve tops, as well as hijabs. Uniqlo has thrived on providing comfortable Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor by the Pakistani government and basics and this new line is is ‘disheartened’ that her biopic show the country in poor light. I’m no different. The brand Neerja will not be released in Paki- really confident that when they joined hands with Japanese- stan. “Extremely disheartened that will watch the film, they will rea- I'M DATING: British-Muslim designer, Neerja isn’t releasing this Friday lise their apprehensions were com- Hana Tajima for the second in Pakistan. She was awarded by pletely misfounded.” them and I hope they will salute ‘Neerja’ does not show Paki- time, to introduce the new her again,” the actor said on Twit- stan in poor light, says Shabana KATE HUDSON spring/summer 2016 ter. Azmi While both actors are hope- collected called UNIQLO x Upholding her co-star Shabana ful that the film will get clearance, Hana Tajima. Tajima Azmi’s statement, Sonam empha- IMGC Executive Director Abid explains that “modesty is a sised that her film does not show Rasheed, speculated the decision very personal thing” and Pakistan in a poor light, and that may have stemmed from “anti- “it’s about how one the brave flight attendant, in fact, Pakistan elements” presented in interprets that for “saved Pakistani lives” and was the film. “Neerja is basically about themselves,” and that is the subsequently awarded by govern- the hijacking of a Pan Am flight in ments on both sides of the border. Karachi and then, it also shows essence of her design work Neerja’s story to remain un- Muslims in a negative light,” said in the latest collection. “With heard in Pakistan Rasheed. “That is something which the collection, I really However, the Khoobsurat ac- may not go down too well with wanted to allow people to tor is still optimistic that once the local audiences.” style the pieces in a way that movie releases worldwide, Paki- Neerja’s last flight announce- felt like it was modest to stan’s censor board will be swayed ment will leave you in tears them,” said the 29-year-old by the fair depiction of the coun- Neerja is slated to release on designer. Introducing the try and uplift the ban. February 19 and stars Sonam new ‘hijab-wearing’ Barbie Earlier, Shabana Azmi point- Kapoor as Neerja Bhanot, the se- ed out, “Neerja was awarded the nior flight purser on the ill-fated Tajima converted to Islam Ashok Chakra by the Indian gov- Pan Am Flight 73 flying from when she was 18. Her father ernment, a medal by Pakistan and Mumbai to USA, which was hi- is Japanese and her mother a citation by the US government. jacked by four armed men on Sep- is English. There is no way that we will tell a tember 5, 1986 when it stopped at story in which a girl was awarded Karachi airport in Pakistan.

MUMBAI: Actors Jacqueline were happy and taking pictures,” Fernandez and Sooraj Pancholi, she added. GF BF, directed by who recently featured in the mu- Remo D’Souza sees Sooraj trying sic video GF BF, are eager to work to make Jacqueline his girlfriend ny.together in a film. with his dance moves. Jacqueline “I hope so. Sooraj and I had a lent her vocals to the song com- great time working together. It was posed and sung by Gurinder amazing. He rehearsed a lot with Seagal. me, so we used to go to director Sooraj too, sang praises for Remo’s studio. It’s great because Jacqueline dubbing her a commend- Actress Kate Hudson says she's plied: "Ummmm." then you have someone prepared able actor. “Jacqueline is fun to dating, though she didn't reveal the Hudson also played it coy and ready when the shoot time work with, she never made me feel name of the man she's seeing. when she was asked about how comes. He worked really hard and that she’s my senior. But of course "I'm dating," she told Ellen she spent her Valentine's Day. "I really brought his game on,” Jac- I want to work with her, hopeful- DeGeneres during an appearance don't know what I did for Valen- queline said, shedding light on the ly soon. She’s incredible.” on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", tine's Day. I don't remember what possibility of doing a film in the reports aceshowbiz.com. I did for Valentine's Day," she said future. Highlights: Bringing you the When DeGeneres asked Nick as she burst into laughter. “It’s really important that the best of Bollywood Stardust Jonas's rumoured girlfriend whom She was first linked to the people you work with have a nice Awards 2015 she's dating at the time, Hudson former Jonas Brothers member and positive vibe around them, and answered: "Nobody." back in September 2015, when with whom you can have a good Numerous actors from the in- The host then bombarded her they were photographed having a time. Especially, with a music vid- dustry including Hrithik Roshan, with a series of questions, which trip together to Disney World in eo the atmosphere needs to be Sonam Kapoor, Emraan Hashmi the actress barely answered. "But Orlando. Though none of them good. We were able to work till six and Ayushmann Khurrana among there's no relationship?" DeGe- has confirmed the dating rumour, in the morning and we didn’t even others have featured in the series neres asked. The "Rock the Kas- they were several times spotted feel it towards the end of it. We of singles from the music compa- bah" actress just laughed and re- having fun together. SANIA MASKATIYA COMPLETES FIVE VANESSA HUDGENS UNDER years of ruling over fashion industry INVESTIGATION FOR DEFACING ROCK aesthetics have moulded her from lections. “We follow the philoso- yet another eager beaver art gradu- phy of being ‘glocal’ and seek in- ate into one of the forerunners of spiration from travel, books and the Pakistani fashion. In fact, one different cultures of different re- could say she has singlehandedly gions around the world,” she ex- sparked a revolution within the plains. When asked which line she industry, offering a unique mix of holds closest to heart, Maskatiya Eastern and Western cuts and co- quickly picks luxury pret. “This lours never seen before. is the closest as it is what I began This February marks the fifth with in the first place,” she admits. KARACHI: Sania Maskatiya’s anniversary of Maskatiya’s brand “When we first started, we noticed penchant for art and design has al- and, much like a mother on the a gap in the market and focused ways shone through. Even during birthday of her child, she seems our initial collections on filling that her school days, Maskatiya would both happy and sad simultaneous- gap. Over time, we’ve branched often spend hours drawing on ly. “You know, for any business into other lines. Now, I take pride painting her ideas into reality. “As to run successfully, it has to be in how far we have come from a child, most of my fondest mem- difficult but very rewarding,” she where we used to be.” ories are of the times I spent work- says. “Each and every project that Although few people would ing on my art,” she shares, speak- we have undertaken as a brand has know this, clothing is not the only ing to The Express Tribune. “I have helped us grow, evolve and change area Maskatiya and her team fo- always been intrigued by different for the better, both personally and cuses on. They are equally eager colours and patterns. Studying art professionally.” Maskatiya cites to give back to the society by reg- as a subject during my O levels teamwork as a major factor in her ularly collaborating on different and A levels only pulled me in fur- design house’s success. “It is the charity ventures. “For me, charity ther, so much so that I eventually core mantra at Sania Maskatiya. begins at home. We work with our opted to pursue a professional The very virtue is the binding force employees to make their lives bet- Actress Vanessa Hudgens and her incident involving Hudgens and vestigation -- it takes as long as it degree in design.” that has held us together at all ter first; they are the top priori- boyfriend Austin Butler are under Butler "is under investigation", re- takes. The maximum punishment As destiny would have it, the times.” The Cut: Unforgettable ty,” says Maskatiya. investigation for reportedly carv- ports etonline.com. "Officials at for this is $5,000 and/or six countless hours Maskatiya spent looks of the week! “In addition to this, we have ing their names in a heart into a the Coconino National Forest be- months behind bars." Eyebrows locked up with her pencils and Today, Maskatiya boasts of worked on numerous charity rock formation in Sedona, Arizo- came aware of the incident (Mon- were raised after Hudgens posted brushes did not prove futile. In the multiple clothing lines and acces- projects as well, such as making na. day) when the media alerted them a photograph of the carving on In- few years since her graduation, sories like pret, luxury pret, brid- scarves and kurtas for LRBT and A public affairs officer for Coconi- of the situation," the officer said. stagram, but the post has since Maskatiya’s impeccable design als and even unstitched lawn col- breast cancer awareness. no National Forest has said the "There is no deadline for this in- been deleted. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES IS BARCELONA'S LUIS SUAREZ

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the victim THE BEST of a huge shock at the Rio Open after losing to world No 338 Thia- go Monteiro. The Brazilian, who STRIKER IN THE entered the tournament as a wild card, was able to spring a surprise in front of his countrymen by edg- ing a nip-and-tuck game 6-3 3-6 6- WORLD TODAY? 4. Tsonga, ranked ninth in the world, was dumped out in the first round of the Rio Open despite sharing similar statistics as his vic- torious opponent. They each hit 29 winners and while Monteiro struck 28 unforced errors, Tsonga hit just three more. The 21-year- old Monteiro is the only Brazilian left in the Rio de Janeiro tourna- ment after Thomaz Bellucci's ear- ly exit. Fifth seed Dominic Thiem also advanced to the quarter-finals after a 7-5 7-5 win over Diego Schwartzman. The Austrian teen- ager had to withstand a second set fightback from Schwartzman, who extended the match by taking four games in a row. But Thiem broke his opponent's serve twice more to book his place in the next stage. Seventh seed Fabio Fognini was forced out of the tournament with an abdominal strain while leading 6-4 1-3 against Spanish qualifier Daniel Gimeno-Traver. Is Luis Suarez the best striker in figured out the formation - with the world? Lionel Messi thinks so. Suarez switching to the centre. We take a look at his stunning sea- "It's amazing how they've F1 GRID COMPLETED son... worked it out," fellow Spanish "He is the best out-and-out football expert Terry Gibson told forward there is in the game today. Sky Sports. "Suarez looked a bit AS WILL STEVENS He has so much to offer the team of a square peg in a round hole and it is a pleasure to play along- when he first arrived. He was play- side him. We also have a very good ing on the right side of attack. LOSES MANOR SEAT relationship off the pitch and I am Suarez and Messi have very happy to be sharing every- switched positions to bring the TO RIO HARYANTO thing with him." - Lionel Messi best out of each other When Messi made these re- Suarez and Messi have marks to FIFA in January, few switched positions to bring the Will Stevens has lost his seat with America. The 2016 F1 grid Getting used to new team-mates, fight but the heat was even harder Manor and will be replaced for the Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton could have expected him to mean best out of each other cuddling marsupials and riding for me. We arrived only two days the last line quite so literally. The "Messi was still the centre- new F1 season by Indonesian driv- and Nico Rosberg with the Australian sun on your before the racing started so it was er Rio Haryanto. Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel and Barcelona icon went one step fur- forward and didn't look at home. I back isn't a bad way of kick-start- important for me to rest and try to ther at the weekend - even electing think we used the excuse, or the Will Stevens has lost his seat Kimi Raikkonen ing the racing season. get into the Australia time zone as with Manor and will be replaced Williams: Valtteri Bottas and to share his penalty with Luis reasoning, that Suarez hadn't It's less than six months to the quick as possible. I was compet- Suarez. played until October in that first for the new F1 season by Indone- Felipe Massa Olympics and road cyclist Sky ing in a four-day tour which was sian driver Rio Haryanto. Red Bull: Daniil Kvyat and Messi's decision to pass that season so he was a little bit rusty, Academy Sports Scholar Lucy the Santos Women Tour in Ade- penalty against Celta Vigo amazed but I think it was more the posi- The 23-year-old's appoint- Daniel Ricciardo Garner is hoping her move to Wig- laide. What a beautiful city! The ment completes the 2016 grid and Force India: Nico Hulkenberg some and angered others - there tional change. gle Honda can spur on one last big first race was tough and I felt like I were suggestions that Cristiano "Eventually, we're led to be- leaves just three Englishman in the and Sergio Perez push to be in Rio. was sleeping for most of it…The field - world champion Lewis Renault: Kevin Magnussen Ronaldo believes it to be part of a lieve the three of them got togeth- After a week in southern Spain body hadn't adjusted so I was suf- conspiracy to deny him the Pichi- er, particularly Messi and Suarez, Hamilton, Jenson Button of and Jolyon Palmer last month, first stop on the map fering a lot but did the best I could McLaren and Renault rookie Joly- Toro Rosso: Carlos Sainz and chi award for Spain's top scorer - and suggested Suarez play as the at the beginning of the new cam- under the circumstances. The next ing up this season. A highlight of but it was also symbolic of some- focal point in attack and that's al- on Palmer. Manor announced last Max Verstappen paign has been Down Under. three days went a lot better. It was my trip was being able to hold a week that Mercedes reserve Pas- Sauber: Marcus Ericsson and thing else. lowed Messi to drift around to get Here's Lucy's latest blog on great to be a part of a first place baby kangaroo and seeing them For while Messi remains the on the ball. "Whether he goes right, cal Wehrlein would complete one Felipe Nasr what she got up to, what she's learn- and to help the team as much as jumping around in the wild. It was half of their line-up. McLaren: Jenson Button and undoubted star of this wonderful left or drops deep, in the past when ing about her cycling skills and possible. Lucy (second left) takes incredible! After a week of train- Barcelona team, increasingly it's Messi wanted to roam around as Around-the-clock commentar- Fernando Alonso how she fared grappling some very times out to meet some local furry ing, it was race day again. We were ies & the return of Ted's Note- Manor: Pascal Wehrlein and Suarez who is the one expected to the false nine, Barca lacked a cen- furry, jumpy characters.... friends ucy (second left) takes racing at the Cadel Evans Road administer the decisive blow. tre-forward. It was left to a central book: Sky F1's testing plans for Rio Haryanto Haas: Esteban Guti- My time in Australia is already times out to meet some local furry Race. We were alongside the men winter testing errez and Romain Grosjean Having added to his tally with midfield player to get there and to over. I had a great time starting my friends t's a new team for me so it and it was great to see so many a fine finish against Sporting Gi- be the striker. The way they've Haryanto finished fourth in the The first Barcelona test starts 2016 season and I also got a good was nice to get to know the girls people coming out to support our GP2 junior series last year but has on Monday February 22 and the jon on Wednesday, the Uruguayan worked it out is quite remarkable." block of training done in the three and see how they like to race. The race. It was a tough day and the forward has now scored 24 goals The numbers have been re- substantial sponsorship backing - Sky Sports F1 Digital team will be weeks I was there. roads were quite slow and hilly so final was hard as it had a few climbs reputedly worth in excess of £10m providing live commentary from in La Liga this season, more than markable too. Suarez has 40 goals As soon as I arrived and we it made for hard racing. I was hap- at the end. I did what I could for any other player. in all competitions this season but - from the Indonesian government. dawn until dusk on all four days stepped outside the airport, the py with how I dealt with the late the team and finished in the top Stevens, who previously of both Barcelona tests while Sky Those goals have come at a rate there's more to his game. He press- heat hit us all. We landed at arrival and pleased with my form 20. My climbing felt good so it of one every 86 minutes, and that's es and harries so others don't have drove for Caterham, is expected to Sports News HQ will also deliver 10.30pm and it was still over 30 at this time of year. It's made me has given me a lot of confidence continue his motorsport career in live updates from trackside. just in the league. Since scoring in to. With 10 La Liga assists, he's degrees. The jetlag was hard to confident for the early races com- for the upcoming races. the UEFA Super Cup win over directly contributed to more goals Sevilla in August, Suarez has also than anyone in Europe's top-five added five goals in the Champions leagues. League, five in the Copa del Rey After the 2-1 win over Atleti- and, yes, five at the Club World co Madrid last month, Enrique Cup in Japan. Lethal Suarez described Suarez as "a complete Luis Suarez has scored 24 La player" who has "even improved" Liga goals in 2070 minutes at a rate and for one former Liverpool team- of one every 86.25 minutes. mate it's now simply a question of His hat-trick in the semi-final how far that the forward can go. of the latter competition prompt- "He has moved up to another Trainer Peter Fury believes initely box, he can fight. He's a tal- Joshua's next foe Here's a look at was not much when you look at it, world champion? I can't say that ed Barca coach Luis Enrique to level," said Sky Sports pundit Charles Martin will upset the odds ent but like I said, I think it's early. the man who's been confirmed as and I saw him against Vyacheslav because I haven't seen enough of explain what Suarez brings that Jamie Carragher earlier this month. and successfully defend his world I'd have to favour to Charles Mar- Anthony Joshua's next foe "I've Glazkov, but he certainly knows him but he looks OK to me and others do not. "He's an assassin in "He is playing alongside some of title against Anthony Joshua. tin, to be honest. This is boxing seen Martin box Tom Dallas, which what he's doing. Is he a supreme he's no pushover." the area, a killer, a striker capable the best players in the world and Fury trains WBA Super and and anything can happen. Where of finishing a move that seems like he is one of the great players in WBO world champion Tyson can AJ go? He's on pay-per-view it has no end product," said En- world football now. You wonder Fury (25-0-KO18) and unification now and needs to fight good op- rique. how many he'll get, he should be bouts appear to be an inevitability position, so why not go straight in This sense of urgency has looking at 50 goals. if the Mancunian can repeat his to the lion's den and fight for the helped transform Barcelona. Quite Jamie Carragher on Luis November 2015 victory over world title? Peter Fury"It's for an rightly, much has been made of Suarez "We always thought that Wladimir Klitschko in their re- IBF world title. Where can AJ go? Barca's devastating forward trio, at Liverpool but he had to do it in match. Martin (23-0-1-KO21) is He's on pay-per-view now and but Neymar and Messi were to- the Champions League. He did that the current IBF holder and al- needs to fight good opposition, so gether for the team's unsuccessful last year with Barcelona and now though Joshua (15-0-KO15) has why not go straight in to the lion's 2013/14 campaign. It took the ar- this season, his first full season, opened a clear favourite to become den and fight for the world title? rival of Suarez to make things his goal record is one of the best in world champion on April 9 - live He could beat Martin - I'm not say- work. Europe. You wonder how many on Sky Sports Box Office - in just ing he can't. "For me, Martin is a I don't think Luis Enrique has he'll get, he should be looking at 50 his 16th professional fight, Fury stiff test for Joshua. Make no mis- improved the style. He has just goals." With the potential for has words of caution. take. Martin is relaxed and slick. put Luis Suarez in the team. Suarez to play in a further 22 games He told Sky Sports: "I think He punches accurately. He's tall, Guillem Balague "I don't think Luis this season, that target is well with- differently. I think it's a hard fight he's southpaw and he can box. This Enrique has improved the style," in reach. Indeed, at the current rate, for AJ. It's not an easy [fight] for guy isn't someone you're going to said Sky Sports' Spanish football the 60-goal barrier is at risk. And him. He needs full credit. He's had hit and isn't going to hit back. AJ expert Guillem Balague recently. with Messi's blessing, it would be 15 fights, is very raw still and has will be in a serious contest with "He has just put Luis Suarez in a brave man to bet against Luis a lot to learn as far as I can see. this guy. Here's a look at the man the team." Indeed, it's been sug- Suarez - arguably the world's best "The potential is there. He can def- who's been confirmed as Anthony gested that the players themselves striker. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp targets Europa League title Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool Klopp said ahead of Liver- see the line but I cannot say now, know Torben Hoffmann gives us are genuine contenders for the Eu- pool's last-32 clash with FC Augs- 'This is our only chance of being in the lowdown on Liverpool's Eu- ropa League and accepts winning burg. the Champions League'. It's a ropa League opponents "We the competition may be the club's "We don't have to say 'we have chance. haven't been able to pick a consis- best route back into the Champi- no chance' but if you look at the "How many points in the tent team so far for different rea- ons League. teams in the competition now, it is league are we away from the Cham- sons," Klopp added. The Reds have struggled for like a little Champions League. pions League? I think it is nine. "If you have a pre-season and consistency in the Premier League Liverpool come into their So, yeah, at this moment I would no injuries, then you can play a lot this season and are nine points match with Augsburg having say we have a better chance this of times with a similar if not the behind Manchester City, who cur- thrashed Aston Villa 6-0 in the Pre- way at the moment. same team - the biggest teams in rently occupy the fourth and final mier League last Sunday "Maybe the top-four clubs will the world are doing this. Champions League qualification Liverpool come into their have a crisis but we have to solve "I don't want to compare our- spot. match with Augsburg having our own problems. selves with Barcelona but three of With only 12 matches of the thrashed Aston Villa 6-0 in the Pre- "We have to be at the highest these players (Lionel Messi, Luis Premier League season remaining, mier League last Sunday motivation for the game without Suarez and Neymar) play all of the Klopp concedes Liverpool need "Sometimes you can look at thinking about the last moment and time. "Listen, we played Sunday one of the current top four clubs winning a cup as the shortest way knowing the possibility." and we play Thursday, that's a to suffer a "crisis" in order to stand to get somewhere but for sure, the Klopp also has the luxury of good gap, enough time to recover, any chance of overhauling them. Europa League is not the shortest being able to focus just on the Eu- no problem. It's nothing. And with that in mind, the way to get to the Champions ropa League, with Liverpool not "We then play Thursday- Liverpool manager feels success in League. It is a really hard race. involved in FA Cup action at the Thursday, so no problems again. the Europa League may represent "The chance to qualify for the weekend. We then have a final (Capital One a more realistic chance for his side Champions League makes it more With his injury problems be- Cup on the Sunday). to rejoin the continent's elite. interesting - ask Sevilla (Europa ginning to ease, he is expected to "Before a final, you don't have "A few teams in the world can League winners four times in the name a strong side against Augs- to think about anything because think about winning the Europa last 10 years), who would have burg, who are struggling in the you don't need to be recovered. League and I think we are one of qualified many times with this rule. Bundesliga. You could play the final on Fri- these teams," "We are in the last 32. We can Augsburg: All you need to day." This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 20. 2016-Hoot 01, 1394 H.S Vol:X Issue No:201 Price: Afs.15

Anti-Daesh offensive in Achin being extended to Nazyan JALALABAD: The joint opera- tion against Islamic State militants By Farhad Naibkhel has been successfully underway in Achin district of eastern Nangar- KABUL: The Rana think tank par- LAGHMAN har province and many areas have ticipants believe that Afghanistan been cleared of Daesh loyalists, has enough uranium resources GOVERNOR officials said on Thursday, vow- which need a proper management ing to extend the offensive to Nazy- and protection. ASKS FOR an district. According to Rana think tank, The operation codenamed beside copper, oil, gold and gems, BASIC “Shaheen 18” was launched earlier Afghanistan is rich of mines of ura- this week, with officials saying so nium and lithium. The uranium and REFORMS IN far 50 Islamic State gunmen have lithium resources are located in been killed and another 20 wound- Helmand, Farah, Kabul, Herat, ed during the operation. EDUCATION Nangarhar governor Salim Ghazni, Badakhshan, Uruzgan, Khan Kunduz and the 201 Selab Nangarhar and Nuristan provinc- SECTOR Military Corps commander and es. several other officials a day earlier “Afghanistan uranium and lith- MIHTERLAM: The governor visited Deh Sarak and Mamond ium mines require management and of eastern Laghman province areas of Achin district to closely protection and the government Abdul Jabbar Naeemi has de- monitor the operation. should get capability of extraction,” manded the Ministry of Educa- Nangarhar National Director- said Faiz Rahman Ishaqzai, lectur- tioninfo-icon (MoE) to bring ba- ate of Security chief Gen. Dad sic reforms in the province edu- er in Kabul University and execu- Mohammad Harifi told reporters cation sector, an official said on that the operation in Achin was tive director of Natural Science Friday. Sarhadi Zwak, the gov- Association of Afghanistan. successfully underway and very ernor’s spokesman, told Pajh- soo the Islamic State militants He said that the government wok that Naeemi raised the is- must invest on education in phys- would flee the area. “The way sue of education reforms during these areas were cleared of Daesh, ics science and provide scholar- a meeting with Education Min- very soon a major operation against ships for young generation in ister Dr. Asadullah Hanif Balkhi. the outfit will be launched in Nazy- abroad to build capacities in the He said Balkhi during his day an district,” he said. aspects. A university lecturer Danesh mines are national investment in buildings and trainings for extrac- According to reports, only 30 long visit to the province assured Police chief Brig. Gen. Fazl “We need experts to utilize the Bakhtiari said that Afghanistan is the country that specialists are tion. He urged young generation percent surveyed mines and natu- the governor that his ministry Ahmad Sherzad told reporters in mines and get benefit”. equal to Saudi Arabia in resources needed to extract. “The govern- to consider natural resources as na- ral resources are estimated $3 tril- would strive to resolved the ex- Achin district that so far 50 Daesh isting issues in the education Besides training programs, the of energy, Saudi Arabia has enough ment must invest on capacity tional wealth and protect them. lion in the country. militants had been killed and 20 government must establish a pro- sector. Naeemi said the people others wounded during the ongo- fuel, but Afghanistan has more of Laghman granted their private tection and management depart- costly resources of uranium. Afghan cleric ing operation. He said 25 villages REHABILITATION WORK ON lands for the construction of had been recaptured from armed ment, Ishaqzai insisted. Afghan people must keep eye schools and asked the ministry He said that uranium is the on this precious resource, he add- gunned down in militants in Deh Sarak and Ma- NANGRAHAR to launch work on 12 schools mond areas, allowing hundreds of most valuable natural element that ed. that needed buildings. The gov- has enough resources in Afghani- Khyber Agency displaced families to return to their Pointing to some political and CANAL COMPLETED ernor said as many as 117 homes. stan. If government gets capabili- conflict issues, he said aforemen- KABUL: Unidentified gunmen schools in the province were have shot dead an Afghan cleric in JALALABAD: The rehabilitation work of a canal in eastern Nangrahar Governor Salim Khan Kun- ty to extract the resources, it will tioned resources could be one of without buildings, adding that duzi told Pajhwok Afghan News lead the country toward self-reli- Pakistaninfo-icon’s federally ad- province has been completed at the cost of over $3 million provided by lack of text books, basic infra- the factors of complex and im- ministered Khyber Agency on Fri- the Worldinfo-icon Bank (WB), an official said on Friday. that three schools had been re- ance in energy producing. No doubt posed war on Afghan people. day, Pakistani media reported. The structure and other issues opened in Deh Sarak area and the Attaullah Khogyani, the governor’s Spokesman, told Pajhwok Af- harmed the vital education sec- that extraction of uranium will take Considering insecurity which incident happened in the Lawargi ghan News, the canal was now ready for the flow of water. schools resumed classes on Thurs- long years and requires a compre- locality of the agency. Gunmen tor of the province. Balkhi said day. is imposed on Afghan people, he Deputy Governor Mohammad Hanif Gardiwal at the ground break- that the Laghman education de- hensive strategy and profession- have managed to escape from the ing ceremony said water flow at the canal was stopped since 50-day due “The Deh Sarak High School said that there are probabilities that area after firing bullets at Maulvi- partment would soon witness als, he asserted. different countries keep eyes to to the rehabilitation work. was among three schools which info-icon Abdul Halim. The rea- basic reforms in its structure. He had been closed and turned into One kilogram coal will produce loot Afghan resources particularly son of the death of Afghan cleric is Eng. Ghulam Hazrat, acting director of the Nangrahar canalization said interference by political 8kwh energy, 1kg fuel produces yet to be identified. Earlier anoth- department, said the canal would now irrigate 15 acres of land and guesthouse of Daesh militants, but because of uranium. forces in the education sector the schools have been reopened 12kwh energy, while 1kg uranium er Afghan cleric was wounded in would have the capacity to carry 50 cubic meters water in one second. were harmful for progress of ed- Former Kabul provincial gov- an explosion in Khyber Pakh- The canal begins from the Daronta dame and carried water to Ba- and provided with all needed re- produces 24,000,000 Kwh ener- ernor Abdul Jabbar Taqwa said that ucation. (Pajhwok) gy. tonkhwa province. tikot district. sources.” This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF.