Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:135 Price: Afs.15

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15. 2016 -Qaws 25, 1395 HS

Ishchi’s allegation to be assessed AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: The government on custody for five days before being Wednesday assigned a team to handed over to the National Di- Reports have emerged regarding the The party had earlier request- moval of sanctions imposed peace agreement between Hezb-e- signed after almost six months of thoroughly investigate Mr. Ahmad rectorate of Security (NDS).He return of a notorious commander ed the government to assist in re- against the party leaders. The Islami and Afghan government was continuous negotiations. KP Khan Ishchi’s allegations regard- was released last Saturday. of Hezb-e-Islami, Zardad to Kab- ing his detention and being sexual- However, Dostum’s office re- ul yesterday. ly abused by first vice president jected the reports,saying he was The issue became viral in so- Gen. Abdul Rashid Dustom in the arrested by the NDS in Jawzjan. cial media shortly after scores of Sheberghan city, provincial capi- “He was detained by the NDS people gathered in the airport to tal of Jawzjan. for his involvement in insecurities welcome the notorious command- “The government obligates it- and funding the anti-government er who is believed to be returning self to protect and ensure every elements,” first vice president’s from London. Dozens of photo- citizen in accordance with the Is- office said in a statement. graphs purportedly showing the lamic values, constitutional provi- It added after Ishchi was re- supporters of the notorious com- sions and other laws as well as leased by intelligence agency, he mander have been shared in the Afghanistan’s commitment to all appeared in a TV interview de- social media. There are mixed re- international treaties and human scribing his detention under Gen. actions regarding his return to Kab- rights conventions,” the presiden- Dostum’s men and said: “Dostum ul with majority recalling the grave tial palace said in a statement. pushed me on the ground pressed human rights violations Zardad “The government reiterates on his leg on my throat and abused committed while he was fighting due process to ensure justice by me. Then he took me to his during the devastating Kabul war. the law enforcement and other au- house.When I arrived at his house, Reports regarding the return of thorities in an independent and he shouted at his guards to bring Zardad come as the Afghan gov- impartial manner based on findings me out of the car and ordered to ernment is busy requesting the UN of the investigation.” undress me they even pulled off Security Council to lift sanctions The former Jawzjan governor my trousers.” Following the accu- against the leaders of Hezb-e-Isla- and ex-member of National Islam- sations, the United States and mi. NSC spokesman Tawab Ghor- ic Movement of Afghanistan, Ish- United Kingdom embassies as well zang said the formal letter by the chi has alleged that has been as- asthe United Nations office in Af- Afghan government was sent by saulted by Dostum and then taken ghanistan and the European Union the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. into custody. He was released called for an investigation into the Ghorzang further added that about 16 days later. reported mistreatment of Ahmad the letter was sent to the sanctions According to reports, Ishchi Ishchi, who only re-emerged on committee of the Security Coun- was assaulted by Dostum’s guards Saturday after disappearing for cil. The Afghan government and at a Buzkashi game last month. He two weeks. Gen. Dostum denied Hezb-e-Islami led by Gulbuddin was then taken into custody by Ishchi’s accusation, describing it as Hekmatyar signed a peace agree- Dostum’s men. According to Ish- an attempt by especial circles to ment around two months ago. chi’s family he was in Dostum’s defame him. Conference held on Irish experts share experience Public-police liaison urging media to behind Bamyan security with HPC officials BAMYAN CITY: Local officials stability in Bamyan to coopera- KABUL: Irish experts in peace would share their experience with would continue efforts at imple- cite people’s support with securi- tion of civilians with military forc- generate peace culture have shared their experiences with Afghans in order the government menting it. He said no one would ty forces as the reason behind good es. He said if people didn’t sup- Afghan peace negotiators and of- and the HIA were able to benefit be allowed to create hurdles to the security in central Bamyan prov- port security forces, they solely AT News Report ficials, the High Peace Council from that in enforcing the agree- agreement’s enforcement. ince. couldn’t ensure security. (HPC) said on Wednesday. ment. The Irish experts also shared Lt. Col. Mohammad Ali The event was held to support In a statement, the HPC said a The joint commission head, their experience with the meeting Lakzai, deputy provincial police security forces. Dozens of influ- delegation of peace experts from Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, participants about how to deal chief, on Wednesday told Pajhwok ential figures, clerics and civil so- Ireland has been visiting Kabul. vowed to effectively implement all with those creating hurdles to agree- Afghan News the Afghan Local ciety activists participated in the A meeting with the experts points of the HIA-government ment resulted from peace talks. Police (ALP) personnel had al- reception, lauding performance of was attended by HPC deputy head agreement. They also talked about how ways been in contact with people. security officials. (Pajhwok) Habiba Sorabi and a delegation she He said the commission had to achieve public support for peace He said the ALP forces had led besides the Hizb-i-Islami ne- so far held many working sessions agreements and promote kindness neutralized all subversive plans of gotiation delegation and members and had devised a comprehensive towards families affected by the the enemy. “We work different 45Taliban of the joint commission on imple- plan to pave the ground for the conflict. from other police headquarters and mentation of the government-HIA accord’s implementation. They said direct talks should our relations and connections with fighters killed in peace agreement. HIA negotiation team head be initiated with those affected by people are very cordial and clos- KABUL: The Mediothek, a non- of peace and make balance during European Union ambassador Mohammad Amin Karim said he the conflict in order to assure them government organization on broadcasting of negative reports est. And it is the reason Bamyan is to Afghanistan Franz-Michael said the way his team worked for that their rights were not being vi- fully stable and in peace.” raids Wednesday launched a two-day particularly war reports,” Mus- Mellbin also attended the meeting, achieving the peace agreement, it olated. (Pajhwok) AT News Report conference titled ‘media role in tafawi said. However, Lakzai said though the HPC statement said. the number of police in Bamyan peace process’ for motivating me- The deputy head of the High Sorabi briefed the meeting and KABUL: At least 45 Taliban in- dia to generate peace process cul- Peace Council, Mawlawi Khabir, Helmand police reform to help and ammunition with them was surgents were killed in different Irish experts on the peace agree- small, yet the police headquarters ture across the country. said media outlets and Ulema are ment between the Afghanistan clearance operations launched by Different government officials, responsible to quite flame of war restore public trust: Kintoz made extraordinary efforts to en- the security forces within the past government and the Gulbadin Hek- sure security in the province. parliamentarians and media repre- in the country. matyar-led HIA group. LASHKARGAH: The police chief for southern Helmand province 24 hours across the county, secu- sentatives discussed how the me- He said that media outlets Wednesday said the force was being ‘deeply’ reformed to revive peo- He hoped the security in Bam- rity officials said on Wednesday. She said a joint commission led yan would be a role model for oth- dia can support peace process. must aware people of war nega- by presidential special represen- ple’s confidence in it. Aqa Noor Kintoz told this a ceremony marking The operations were conduct- “Media can play a crucial role tive consequences and encourage the launch the winter offensive here. He said some people being per- er provinces and people should ed by the national army with the tatives for political affairs Dr. suaded by militants had been trying earn a bad name to the police and help and support security forces. in generating of peace culture than people to keep unity in the coun- Mohammad Akram Khpalwak had break masses’ trust in local forces. He said implementation of the ‘deep cooperation of the national police violence, thus it is required of me- try. Bamyan governor Mohammad and the national directorate of se- been created to effectively imple- reforms’ in police ranks was underway and officials would be appoint- Tahir Zahir told the reception held dia outlets to operate maturely in Senior presidential adviser ment all articles of the peace agree- ed to key posts in accordance with talent and professionalism. Kintoz curity operatives in different ar- the aspect,” said Sayeda Muzh- Nader Naderi said that beside neg- in honour of security forces that eas of Helmand, Badakhshan, ment. said action had been taken against corrupt police personnel and many every unstable province had im- gan Mustafawi, deputy culture ative news media must focus over Ambassador Mellbin highlight had been arrested and introduced to the attorney’s office over taking Kabul, Nangarhar and Balkh prov- minister. broadcasting positive news in or- money from truck drivers on the Kandahar-Lashkargah highway. He pact on Bamyan. Bamyan resi- inces, the interior ministry said in the importance of the meeting and dents as a part of the nation also She said that media can play der to support peace process said it was a good chance for the said police had rendered huge scarifies in recent years but their sacrifices a statement. positive role in fighting corruption, across the country. He reiterated were being ignored and people did not respect them because of a few suffered from insecurities in other “In these operations, 45 Tali- Afghan government and the HIA corrupt officials. He said the issue of ghost policemen had been resolved provinces. discrimination, smuggling of peo- that government will exert utmost to make serious efforts at the peace and currently 90 percent of police were real and they discharged duties. ban insurgents were killed,” said ple and narcotic. efforts to facilitate access to infor- Mohammad Hassan Asadi, a the statement. accord’s implementation. He said police had been provided complete equipment and the issue of member of the provincial council, “Media must generate culture mation in the country. He said the Irish delegation promotion had also been resolved. (Pajhwok) “Police also discovered and also held similar views. He linked confiscated light and heavy rounds of ammunition during the opera- tions.” Separately, the statement said the Taliban militants suffered heavy casualties during operation KABUL: One passenger was killed and another 17 were wounded, conducted in northern Balkh prov- including women and children, in an accident in western Herat province, ince. an official said on Wednesday. Balkh is among the relatively The governor’s spokesman, Ghulam Jilani Farhad, told Pajhwok peaceful provinces in northern re- Afghan News a passenger bus flipped over on the road between Herat gion, but the Taliban insurgents City and Adraskan district due to technical fault on Tuesday night. have recently been trying to de- A youth died and women and children were among 17 others wound- stabilize the province. ed in the accident, he said, without giving further details. Different operations have been Meanwhile, Herat Zonal Hospital spokesman Mohammad Rafiq launched by the acting governor confirmed receiving one dead body and 17 wounded people at around Atta Mohammad Noor in some 10pm. The injured included women and children. Three of them are in remote districts of the province to critical condition. (Pajhwok) suppress the insurgents’ activities.

67: 39 65: 98

75: 48 72: 68 THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

In order to meet the extraordinary needs of returning Afghan refugees, the United States is pleased to an- nounce that it is providing over $39 million. It is likely that Afghanistan will take in more than a million re- turning Afghans by the end of the year. Since January 2016, more than 380,000 registered Afghan refugees have returned home to Afghanistan. In addition to regis- tered refugees, over 600,000 mi- grants and deportees have returned from Pakistan and Iran. This plac- es a heavy burden on the govern- ment in Kabul at a time when it is battling a resurgent Taliban and a growing Islamic State presence. In order to meet the extraordi- nary needs of returning Afghan ref- ugees, the United States is pleased to announce that it is providing over $39 million. This brings the total U.S. contribution to the Af- ghan humanitarian response to more than $207 million since the beginning of fiscal year 2016. U.S. funding includes more than $19 million in support for the United Nations High Commission- er for Refugees to help address the urgent needs of these vulnerable individuals, including by provid- ing them with shelter, essential household items, and supplies for winter. The United States is also pro- viding $20 million to the World Food Program’s Afghanistan Emer- gency Operation targeting vulner- able returnees and refugees in east- ern Afghanistan and people dis- placed by ongoing war with the Taliban and Islamic State. This re- sponse to the World Food Pro- gram's recent special appeal for these populations represents enough to serve 548,000 people for nine months. These vulnerable people ur- gently need the international com- munity’s assistance and support in the coming winter months. The United States urges all countries to contribute the remaining funds still needed for UN humanitarian appeals for Afghanistan. voa Afghan returnee girls at risk of early

All of today’s wars have to be marriage: Report looked at in the context of oil and gas supplies. There is intense com- Survey by Save the Children indicates Af- petitive pressure between Russia and China on the one hand, and ghan refugees returning from Pakistan are the U.S. on the other. Each side also vulnerable to forced labour. fights, either with weapons or with the checkbook — for the ever- dwindling supply of natural re- Children of Afghan families return- said Bahirullah Wyaar, an adviser sources. ing from Pakistan, who do not go at Save the Children in Kabul. Buying resources with a to school and have no access to "If the children, especially the checkbook (as practiced by the education, are increasingly at risk girls, do not have access to educa- Chinese) has turned out to be of early marriage and child labour, tion, it puts them at the risk of much more cost effective, as Iraq according to a new survey. early marriages." and Afghanistan prove. The time The survey released by Save In June, Pakistan's government when the U.S. had a virtual oil the Children on Wednesday reveals extended a deadline for Afghan ref- monopoly in the world has long an alarming crisis in Afghanistan's ugees, who are deemed to be stay- passed. eastern Nangarhar province, where ing in Pakistan illegally, to return It all started in December, 1991 the polling took place among re- home by the end of the year or with the collapse of the Soviet turnees from Pakistan. face deportation. Union and the subsequent inde- It warns the situation could Although Kabul welcomed the pendence of the oil and gas rich deteriorate further as more than extension, Afghanistan's refugees Asian republics of Azerbaijan, 3,500 Afghans return from Paki- and repatriation minister, Sayed Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. stan on a daily basis, after Islama- Hossain Alemi Balki, said he want- U.S. oil companies estimated bad tightened regulations on those ed the deadline extended until De- that there may be 200 billion bar- living illegally in the country. cember 2017. rels of oil in the ground, making it So far this year, more than He also said Pakistani police a tempting area to get involved in. 650,000 Afghans - a mix of regis- were harassing refugees, and said As a result, a U.S. company, tered and unregistered refugees - Islamabad should not forcibly re- Unocal, (since acquired by Texa- have returned from Pakistan, with patriate Afghan refugees when the co) along with several partners, the majority planning to stay in new deadline expires. including an Argentine and a Saudi Nangarhar, at least until the end of Millions of Afghans fled their oil company, signed agreements winter. country to neighbouring Pakistan with Turkmenistan to build gas and Hundreds of thousands more and Iran during the 1979-1989 So- oil pipelines in 1995. Afghans are expected to be repa- viet occupation of Afghanistan, the In 1996, this agreement got triated in the coming months. civil war of 1992-1996 - between further extended to include build- Many of the returnees have no US-backed groups that had fought ing a 36-inch natural gas pipeline money and lack any sort of docu- the Soviets - and again, after the from Turkmenistan to Pakistan, via ments or ID papers. These return- Taliban came to power in 1996 - Afghanistan. This line was to be ees are not eligible for aid from UN creating one of the world's largest extended later to India to serve a agencies. refugee populations. huge market with hundreds of mil- Parents facing poverty often Both Pakistan and Iran have lions of energy-starved people. feel the only stable choice they can been pressing for them to leave. This required an agreement make is to arrange a marriage for Ana Locsin, the Save the Chil- with the Taliban, the then effec- their child, or to bring the children dren's director in Afghanistan, said tive rulers of Afghanistan. Unocal into the workforce, the survey that many Afghans "are living out invited a Taliban delegation to their found. in the open, or in tents, so they corporate head quarters in Califor- Girls especially vulnerable have no real semblance of shelter, nia. This resulted in an agreement "We are really concerned about let alone security. They often feel oil in the spring of 2011. sit point for the pipeline, which, is supposed to hold 1.8 billion top of about $1 trillion worth of the risks that are threatening the they have little choice but to send signed in January, 1998 to allow Despite all the military prob- in order to protect it from sabo- metric tons of iron ore. mineral wealth. Where is our share? the pipeline to pass through their children and the future of the chil- their child to find work, or to mar- lems, there are people who still tage, will be installed underground. This comes on top of the ear- By the way, the simplest way dren, if the situation continues," ry off their daughters." country. have plans for a U.S. pipeline. In the meantime: In Novem- lier award of the Mes Aynak project to ship natural gas to energy In March, 1998 however, Un- The latest trial balloon is to ber 2011, Afghanistan’s Ministry to a Chinese company after it paid starved India is to liquefy plenty ocal announced a delay in the pipe- split Afghanistan in two, and then of Mines awarded 80 percent of $3 billion for the concession. This of natural gas from Qatar and Sau- line project due to an ongoing civil use the northeastern part, which the Hajigak large iron ore deposit is credited to potentially being the di Arabia and ship it via the Per- war in Afghanistan. This tempted is more peaceful due to a differ- to a consortium of Indian firms, largest copper mine in the world. sian Gulf to Mumbai (Bombay) the Taliban — on April 30, 1999 ence in the ethnicity of the popu- and the other 20 percent to Cana- All in all, the U.S. government es- India. Forget about Afghanistan. — to conclude their own deal with lation, and use this area as the tran- da’s Kilo Goldmines Ltd. This area timated that Afghanistan sits on newsmax. Pakistan and Turkmenistan, thus excluding the U.S. This led the U.S. government to retaliate, plac- ing sanctions on Afghanistan. In a 2nd breast cancer diagnosis center opens in Kabul final meeting with the Taliban, a U.S. delegation delivered an ulti- KABUL: A second center for di- Such centers would prevent Besides diagnosing breast can- oratory. matum, "[E]ither you accept our agnosing breast cancer was inau- people from traveling to foreign cer, the center will have facilities A message from First Lady, offer of a carpet of gold, or we bury gurated in the Istiqlal Hospital in countries for medical treatment, he like endoscopy, echocardiography, Rula Ghani was also read out at you under a carpet of bombs." The capital Kabul on Wednesday. added. CT scan, ultrasound, x-ray and lab- the ceremony. In her message, the Taliban did not relent, and the Public health minister, Dr. first lady said the center’s open- bombs started falling on Oct. 7, Firozuddin Firoz, during the in- ing in Kabul was a positive step 2001 — following the Sept. 11, auguration ceremony, said the towards detection and reduction 2001 attacks. The war has now four-storey building was con- of cancer cases in Afghanistan. dragged on for 15 years, and no structed with financial support Italy’s envoy to Kabul, Rob- end is in sight. In the beginning the from Italy. erto Cantone, who participated U.S. helped to "democratically He said the center was in the inauguration ceremony, elect" a U.S. citizen and former equipped with all needed equip- said cooperation with the Afghan project engineer of Unocal to help ment worth cost $1 million for health sector was his country’s stabilize the country and to make breast cancer diagnosis. priority. it governable. Alas, that did not Firoz thanked Italy for its co- He said his country was happen due to massive insurgen- operation and said the center committed to supporting to Af- cy by elements of the Taliban and would help reduce breast cancer ghanistan in future too. Italy had al-Qaida fighting U.S. troops. cases in the country. spent 23 million Euros in the The pipeline project, as a re- He also announced to sign an health sector in Afghanistan since sult, kept being postponed. How- agreement with Italy on creating 2001, he added. ever, this did not stop the Chinese. a center of treatment of heart dis- Few months back, a breast They built their own pipeline be- eases at the Indira Gandhi Chil- cancer diagnosis center was tween Kazakhstan and China, dren's Hospital in Kabul in near opened at Jamhoriat Hospital in which actually started to transport future. Kabul city. (Pajhwok) THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

Shaistah Vaeiz, Afghan by birth, grew up in California where she studied to become a pilot. Af- ter many years, Vaeiz has returned to Afghanistan with an aim to set a new flight record. The never ending war in her country forced Vaeiz and her fam- ily to flee Afghanistan and relo- cate to the United States. The young girl began her education and studied in California to become a pilot. EMERGENCY After many years, Vaeiz has returned to her home country in CALLS order to set a new record and change the stereotypes of Afghan- Police istan. Vaeiz plans to fly around the globe behind the controls of her 100 - 119 airplane in June 2017 and become the youngest woman to fly around the world and at the same time set Hospitals a record as the first Afghan wom- an to undertake such a task. FMIC Hospital The pilot returned to Kabul Behind Kabul Medical during a time when the country was holding a campaign in support of University: women. 0202500200-+93793275595 According to many observers and women themselves, females in the country often do not have free- Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital dom in decision-making, creativi- Pule Bagh-e- Umomi ty and liberties at home and work. 070263672 She further said, “The plan is to visit five continents and make stops in 18 countries and all of this Khairkhana Hospital I plan to undertake with just 30 landings. The goal is to demon- 0799-321007 strate that women are able to learn 2401352 and develop professionally just as men. I'll fly alone and I am ready to be alone at the controls,” Vaeiz Indira Gandhi Children said confidently. The brave pilot has eight years Hospital, Wazir Akbar of flying experience and she also Khan, Kabul 2301372 has the strong support of her fam- ily. According to her father, who Ibn-e- Seena works for Afghanistan’s govern- the country with such an aim. ment, his daughter has demonstrat- “The return home for me is not an advertising campaign. I was interested to learn about Afghanistan from an early age. Then, when I learned to read, I reviewed the press and I realized Pul-e-Artan, Kabul ed a true civil act by returning to that around Afghanistan there is exclusively negative information and I am here to change it,” Vaeiz told Sputnik. sputniknews 2100359

Wazir Akbar Khan BOOK REVIEW: THE Afghanistan's dark secret: The 'dancing Hospital boys' who are little more than sex 2301741, 2301743 DUST OF KANDAHAR Ali Abad Ambassador Jonathan Addleton 1984, and served overseas for the ruminates far and wide. This is an slaves for their 'shameful' owners wrote The Dust of Kandahar “for U.S. Agency for International De- unshackled mind, variously hold- Shahrara, Kabul everyone who served there.” But velopment in Jordan, Kazakhstan, ing forth on economics, gover- 2100439 it should also be read by everyone Yemen, South Africa, Mongolia, nance, corruption, poppy cultiva- who has ever been involved in Cambodia, Brussels, Afghanistan tion, elections, mullahs, green-on- counterinsurgency operations any- and India. But he had never blue attacks, IEDs, suicide bomb- Malalai Maternity where, or in any kind of irregular worked hand-in-glove with the ings, Embassy outreach, Pakistan, warfare involving civil-military military until his assignment as Taliban financing, flower gardens, Hospital operations. SCR in Kandahar, which he began Afghan kutchi nomads, sports, the 2201377/ 2301743 Although known by his col- at the age of 55. Cloak of the Prophet, and General leagues as an exceptional strategist Of special interest in The Dust Order No. 1’s prohibition on alco- in economic development, Addle- of Kandahar are his straightfor- hol. Banks ton’s book isn’t about strategic ward accounts of the scores of I’m neither an objective nor a development. Rather it is a chro- meetings that he held with the dispassionate reviewer of the Dust Da Afghanistan Bank nological compilation of excerpts power brokers of southern Af- of Kandahar. Addleton brought me 2100302, 2100303 from his daily journal as U.S. Em- ghanistan. Also, for the counter- to Mongolia as his deputy when bassy Kabul’s Senior Civilian Rep- insurgent, his conversations with he ran the USAID mission there in resentative to Regional Command- senior Pakistanis and his views on 2003. We served closely for a cou- Bakhtar Bank South--arguably the most danger- the ‘Pakistani narrative’ offer a ple of years, at perhaps the most 0776777000 ous, complex and kinetic geogra- unique and well-informed point of far-flung outpost of the U.S. gov- phy in the Afghan campaign. view into the mindset and motives ernment. We traveled together Azizi Bank Addleton served in that posi- of those who exacerbate the war overland in Toyota Land Cruisers, 0799 700900 tion from August 2012 to August from across the Durand Line. Hav- often for weeks at a time, to some 2013, and describes his job as ing grown up in Pakistan, and of the most remote and inaccessi- Pashtany Bank “overseeing civilian relations” in speaking both Hindi and Urdu, ble locations on the planet. Many Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan and Addleton isn’t living under any il- of those destinations were hun- 2102908, 2103868 Tirin Kot provinces. But the job lusions about Pakistan’s role in the dreds of miles from the nearest was a lot more complicated than conflict. paved road, and some continued Air Services that. It involved constant engage- Also of special interest are his far beyond the end of the last mo- ment with NATO military forces, observations about the U.S. mili- torized track. Safi Airways and with a long string of gover- tary leaders who were in charge After moving on from Mon- His eyes sparkling, hands on lover on fire.' In a video for In The Now, one nors, tribal leaders, judges, law- during his time there, the Ambas- golia to become Mission Director his hips, smiling as he dances, you But, after the 'party', the boys man, who appears to trade in the 020 22 22 222 yers, mullahs, merchants, human sadors who oversaw the diplomatic in Cambodia, and then USAID’s might never guess the truth behind are then passed around and, ac- boys, says: "A boy, or bacha, rights activists, security officials element of the war, and the battles Representative to the European the young boy who twists and cording to some reports, taken should be 12, 13 or 15, people like Ariana and others. he waged with the State Depart- Union in Brussels, Jonathan re- turns in an Afghan living room. away to be sexually abused. these ages, under 12, they're kids, The book ranges from the poi- ment public affairs offices that turned to Mongolia as the U.S. But he is part of one of the Photographer Barat Ali Ba- people don't like them. 020-2100270 gnant to the cerebral to the terrify- managed the flow and content of Ambassador—one of the elite few country's darkest secrets. toor, told the MailOnline: "They "From the age of 13 we sup- ing and back again. communications from Kandahar. who are ever tapped for an Am- Despite its strong religious live as though they are in a rela- port them until they're 20 to 25 Kam Air Addleton has a unique back- At his most poignant, Addle- bassadorship out of USAID. I core, Afghanistan's history of tionship with their masters, so years old." 0799974422 ground, even by U.S. Foreign Ser- ton describes in detail the April worked under him again there for a Bacha bazi is, according to some their masters keep them, house Afghan boy who wore Lionel vice standards. Born in Pakistan 2013 double IED attack on him and while before I left to run the De- experts, deeply disturbing. them and buy them food and things. Messi 'bag shirt' adorably doesn't in 1957 to Baptist missionary par- his entourage in Zabul province velopment Directorate at ISAF According to film makers, "They have sex with their mas- want to leave Barcelona star's side Hotels ents, he grew up in northern Paki- that killed his translator, fellow headquarters in 2010. many of the boys are stolen away ters and then at the parties they in Doha But the short film goes on stan where he attended Christian Foreign Service Officer Anne We met up again in 2011 when from their struggling families to are abused by different people." to explain how many of the boys Safi Landmark schools. In an earlier book, Some Smedinghoff, and three American Embassy Kabul brought him in for become bacha bereesh, with the Dr Soraya Sobhrang, who led are ghosted away from play- Far and Distant Place, he recounts military specialists who were part consultations. Jonathan took ad- promise of riches on offer. an investigation into the practice grounds where traders look for the 020-2203131 his upbringing there during happi- of his guard detail. He alone walked vantage of the visit to bolster the They are then made to dance for the Afghanistan Independent poorest and prettiest lads. Incred- er times, including a long overland away from it, physically unhurt spirits of the Mongolian soldiers at parties while wearing make-up Human Rights Commission, called ibly, one of the male guests is later SERENA journey that he took as a teenager but changed for life as only a sur- deployed there, speaking to them and dresses to entertain the male it 'shameful'. interviewed at one of the 'parties' across Afghanistan. vivor can be who has lost those in their own native language. It hosts, performing to the sound of She explained to Mirror On- where the interviewer asks: "Why 0799654000 Addleton went on to earn a close to him in war. was the first time Mongolians had traditional Afghan music. line: "When the boys are beautiful don't the police catch you?" Bachelor’s degree in journalism In between “key leader engage- been to Afghanistan since Genghis In one of the many songs a it shows they are powerful, but And the man responds: "It's New Rumi Restaurant from Northwestern, and MA and ments,” and heart-wrenching ac- Khan overran it in the early 13th musician sings: 'He's touching the also the number. not that easy for state organisa- Ph.D degrees from the Fletcher counts of an endless string of me- century. boy with his cotton clothes. "You have to spend a lot of tions to catch us. 0776351347 School of Law and Diplomacy. He morial services and ramp and Pur- Addleton’s upbringing in Pa- 'Where do you live, so I can money to pay the boys, feed the "We're all men here so it's im- joined the U.S. Foreign Service in ple Heart ceremonies, Addleton kistan, along with thirty years of get to know your father. boys, keep them clothed. It shows possible to guess anyone's a rent Internet Services international development and 'Oh boy, you have set your your wealth." boy." mirror diplomatic experience, give him a UA Telecom truly unique perspective on the 0796701701 / 0796702702 Afghan campaign as it was pur- sued during the critical drawdown period of 2012-2013. In the Dust Exchange Rate of Kandahar we see the drip-drip- drip of how President Obama’s Purchase: policy of ‘ending the war by 2014’ played out on the ground with One US$ = American military, diplomatic and development units, with our allies 66.89Afs in arms, with the Afghans, and with One Pound Sterling= the Taliban. 86.77Afs The Dust of Kandahar is fun- damentally unlike any other book One Euro = written on the Afghan campaign. 74.18Afs For students of irregular warfare, 1000 Pak Rs = it offers a perspective on that time and place from a deeply seasoned 621Afs and brilliant diplomat, assigned to Sale: one of the most difficult and dan- One US$ = gerous civilian positions in the world. History is what hap- 67.09 Afs pens. All else is just approxima- One Pound Sterling= tion. With no plot, no thesis, no 87.57Afs agenda, and no narrative, The Dust One Euro= of Kandahar is raw military-dip- lomatic history at its best. 74.78 Afs smallwarsjournal 1000 Pak Rs= 629 THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

UNITED NATIONS: India has gency Response Fund (CERF) for meet the challenges these crises lenges," Kumar said. Kumar said UN should just be disbanded said it will contribute $500,000 to the year 2016-17. India's cumula- pose has been unparalleled. India has assisted in relief efforts This money is set aside for the United Nations's emergency tive contribution to the fund so far Kumar said the number of peo- in countries such as Afghanistan, immediate use at the onset of emer- response fund for the year 2016- has been $6 million. ple requiring urgent humanitarian Maldives, Nepal, Somalia, Sri gencies, in rapidly deteriorating 17 as it stressed that the interna- "Despite our own resource assistance worldwide has quadru- Lanka and Yemen in a number of situations and in protracted crises tional response is falling signifi- constraints, India has always been pled over the past 10 years and situations of natural disasters like that fail to attract sufficient re- cantly short of the challenges forthcoming within our ability and the international humanitarian re- tsunamis, earthquakes and cy- sources. posed by humanitarian crises national circumstance in offering sponse is falling significantly short clone. CERF pools contributions In an average year, CERF allo- across the world. humanitarian assistance as per the of the challenges posed. from donors - mainly governments, cates approximately $450 million Anjani Kumar, counsellor in needs and requests of our friends "Addressing these needs re- but also, foundations, companies, to humanitarian operations in India's Permanent Mission to the and partners," Kumar said. quire immediate attention. Any charities and individuals - into a some 50 different countries. Since UN, said at the high-level pledging Kumar added that the scale and delay in providing assistance can single fund with a $450 million 2006, more than $3.7 billion has conference that the government of instances of humanitarian crises have long term consequences. annual target. We should not do it been allocated to help millions of India would be contributing around the world has been on the There is a need for coordination as UN is the most useless and people in 92 countries and territo- $500,000 to the UN Central Emer- rise and the need for assistance to and partnership to meet these chal- wasteful organisation in this world. ries across the world.

Citing fresh satellite images, the ment on the allegations saying an Human Rights Watch says it has investigation into it was under found a link between Myanmar way. army and burning of Rohingya vil- The army has declared the NEW DELHI: India is getting northernmost parts of China, is in 5,000-5,500km) alongside the US, lages. Muslim Rohingya-majority north- ready to test its Agni-V intercon- itself significant. "This will be the Russia, China, France and the UK. The New York-based group ern Rakhine as an "operations tinental ballistic missile (ICBM) final test of the three-stage Agni- Apart from the shorter-range said in a statement that at least zone", where it claims to be bat- in its final operational configura- V, which will be tested for its full Prithvi and Dhanush missiles, the 1,500 buildings have been de- tling Islamist insurgents. tion from Wheeler Island off Od- range, before the Strategic Forces SFC has inducted the Agni-I, Agni- stroyed, driving thousands of eth- Journalists have been blocked isha after two years. Defence Command (SFC) begins its user II and Agni-III missiles. While nic Rohingya from their homes from visiting the area. sources said preparations were on trials," the source said. The tri-Ser- these missiles are mainly geared since Oct 9. It says analysis of im- A family stands beside re- in full swing to launch the nuclear- vice SFC, established in 2003 to towards Pakistan, the Agni-IV and ages from the village of Wa Peik in mains of a market which was set capable Agni-V from its canister manage India's nuclear arsenal, will Agni-V are specifically meant for Rakhine state shows that when the on fire, in Rohingya village out- on a launcher truck towards De- conduct at least two tests before deterrence against China+ . Beijing, village was being burned, there side Maungdaw, in Rakhine state. cember-end or early January . the missile is produced in adequate of course, is leagues ahead in terms were military tricks active at a near- Reuters file photo A family stands "There were some minor technical numbers for induction. of its missile and nuclear arsenals. by army camp. beside remains of a market which snags in Agni-V, which required While Agni-V was tested in an But the Indian defence estab- “It’s difficult to believe that was set on fire, in Rohingya vil- tweaking of its internal battery and "open configuration" in April lishment believes the Agni-V is militants burned down over 300 lage outside Maungdaw, in Rakhine electronic configurations after its 2012+ and for the second time in sufficient to take care of existing buildings in Wa Peik over a one- state. Reuters file photo The mili- last test in January 2015+ ," a September 2013+ , the third test, threat perceptions. As earlier re- month period while Burmese se- tary crackdown began after nine source said. But India also con- in January 2015, saw it being fired ported by TOI, DRDO has also curity forces stood there and border police personnel were killed ceivably wanted to exercise some from a hermetically sealed canis- done some work on developing watched,” said HRW Asia Direc- in attacks by 'insurgents' at three strategic restraint while making a ter mounted on a Tatra launcher "manoeuvring warheads or intelli- tor Brad Adams. The statement outposts on Oct 9. bid to join the 48-country Nuclear truck. The missile's canister-launch gent re-entry vehicles"+ to defeat quoted him saying that government Hundreds of Rohingyas are DHAKA: Bangladesh on Wednes- perpetrators have been hanged in Suppliers Group+ , which China version makes it even deadlier since enemy ballistic missile defence officials have been 'caught out' by trying to cross the border into day paid homage to the intellectu- the past three years on charges of thwarted earlier this year. India, it gives the armed forces requisite systems, as well as MIRVs (mul- the satellite images. "… it's time Bangladesh amid escalating vio- als martyred in the 1971 liberation crimes against humanity during the however, did manage to join+ the flexibility to swiftly transport and tiple independently targetable re- they recognise their continued de- lence. The Myanmar government, war as President Abdul Hamid and war. 34-nation Missile Technology fire the 50-tonne missile from any- entry vehicles) for the Agni mis- nials lack credibility." however, denies the flight. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led A memorial erected in memo- Control Regime ( MTCR+ ), as where they want. siles. An MIRV payload basically Burma: Military Burned #Ro- Bangladesh border guards have thousands in paying their respects ry of the martyred intellectuals at also ink a civil nuclear cooperation Once the Agni-V is inducted, means a single missile is capable hingya Villages in Rakhine State | pushed thousands of them back to in the capital. Mirpur area in the capital was read- agreement with Japan+ recently . India will join the superexclusive of carrying several nuclear war- Witnesses and Satellite Imagery their country in recent weeks, but Army bugles played the 'Last ied as President Hamid and Prime The impending fourth test of Agni- club of countries with ICBMs heads, each programmed to hit dif- Reveal Pattern https://t.co/ many of them managed to sneak Post' as Hamid and Hasina stood Minister Hasina offered tributes V, capable of striking even the (missiles with a range of over ferent targets. EBUxDNAWs9 pic.twitter.com/ in. in solemn silence in a state cere- by placing wreaths there. WaROgmqEEn The United Nations say that mony at the Martyred Intellectu- A report of the then American The BBC reports that the key as many as 27,000 Rohingyas have als Memorial here. Press Corps narrated the gruesome Myanmar government spokesper- fled across the border into Bang- Pakistani troops and their killings of Bengali intellectuals that son, Zaw Htay declined to com- ladesh since early October. Bengali-speaking Razakar collab- had taken place at the fag end of orators and other auxiliary forces the war. massacred several members of the "At least 125 persons, be- Hydro power investment pro-independence intelligentsia lieved to be physicians, professors, including physicians, professors, writers and teachers, were found opportunities in Tajikistan for writers and teachers, throughout murdered today in a field outside the nine-month war that is said to Dacca," the report said. Sri Lankan firms have killed over a million people. The report, sent from Dhaka Just two days ahead of the fi- to Washington on December 18, ECONOMYNEXT : Sri Lankan companies have investment opportu- nal victory over invading Pakistani 1971, was carried by the New York nities in Tajikistan’s hydropower and apparel sectors and both coun- forces on December 14, 1971, the Times the next day. tries could use each other as launch pads to access markets in their infamous Gestapo-like Al-Badr May their souls rest in peace regions, acting minister of foreign affairs Harsha de Silva said. Sri Lanka and Al-Shams militias carried out ..... Before this war about 3 mil- intends to organise trade missions to Tajikistan for key products like a systematic campaign to murder lion Bangladeshis were massacred, apparel, rubber-based products, gems and jewellery, porcelain and ta- well-regarded academics and pro- raped and tortured by the rogue bleware, and ayurveda products, he told an investment forum. “Sri fessionals. Pakistani army.... Feel sad for Lankan investors can explore hydro power generation and apparel sec- The then Bangladesh govern- them as well. Sadly after 90,000 tors in Tajikistan,” de Silva told the forum with a business delegation led ment and victorious freedom fight- Pakis... Read More by visiting Tajikistan President Emomali Rahman. “There are also in- ers, however, came to know about According to the report, all the vestment opportunities in Tajikistan’s free trade zone.” the brutal massacre only after the victims' hands were tied behind Next year Sri Lanka will send a trade mission led by Minister of December 16, 1971 surrender by their backs and they had been bay- Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickre- Pakistani troops when their top oneted, garroted or shot. ma to Tajikistan with a business delegation before President Maithripa- accomplices of the Jamaat-e-Isla- The report said the victims la Sirisena visit. “We can transform Sri Lanka into a hub for the Indian mi and its student wing went into were among an estimated 300 Ben- Ocean just like Tajikistan is the gate way to Central Asia,” de Silva said. hiding and resurfaced years later. gali intellectuals, who had been “It is in the interest of both countries to leverage each other as launching The nation observed the day seized by Pakistani soldiers and pads to access markets in both regions.” this year even as most of the top their locally recruited supporters.

ISLAMABAD: Having failed to The PTI announcement came in the National Assembly. tion do in parliament if it cannot dari and comprising Qamar Zaman Kaira, Aitzaz Ahsan and Sherry Rehman wanted to come out against the win a verdict from the Supreme hours after submission of a privi- He claimed that the prime min- make the prime minister answer- government, the other led by former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani wanted to use the issue as a bargaining Court against Prime Minister lege motion by the main opposi- ister had made different statements able there?” he said while respond- chip over the issues of Ayyan Ali, arrest of Dr Asim Hussain and corruption cases against the party leader- Nawaz Sharif over the Panamagate tion Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the Supreme Court and in par- ing to a question about criticism ship. PPP’s motion Five PPP legislators, including Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed issue last week, the opposition against the prime minister over the liament. In parliament, he added, his party was facing over the deci- Khurshid Shah, on Tuesday submitted a privilege motion against the prime minister for allegedly committing Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on same issue. the prime minister had stated that sion to boycott the assembly. “contempt of the parliament” by making a false statement on the floor of the assembly. The motion has also Tuesday decided to end its boy- PPP,PTI to move privilege he had all the required documents He said that in the past when- been signed by Syed Naveed Qamar, Nafeesa Shah, Aijaz Jakhrani and Shazia Marri. cott of the National Assembly. motions against PM for ‘lying’on to prove trail of the money used ever he brought people on roads This, however, will not be the assembly floor; Imran says Sharif for purchasing properties in Lon- he was accused of inviting martial first such decision by chairman wants control over SC, army don, but in the court his lawyers law. However, he said, if he again Imran Khan; the PTI had also ear- The PTI chief had in October failed to produce any document. decided to take to the streets, the lier ended boycott of parliament announced the boycott of the Na- Moreover, Mr Khan said, the people would not accuse him of after his allegations that the 2013 tional Assembly till a decision of prime minister in his speech had inviting the army. elections had been rigged were ad- the Supreme Court in the Panama claimed that Mayfair Apartments Mr Khan alleged that after judged to be untrue by a commis- Papers case. Last week, the Su- in London had been purchased having destroyed each and every sion headed by the then chief jus- preme Court deferred the hearing from the money they had got after institution, PM Sharif was now tice of the Supreme Court. of the case till the first week of selling Gulf Steel in the UAE. Lat- “eying” the Supreme Court and the Talking to reporters after pre- January. Despite severe criticism er the PTI proved in the court that army. “Now Nawaz Sharif wants siding over a meeting of the party from within and outside the PTI, Gulf Steel was actually suffering a control over the SC and the army. office-bearers and parliamentarians Mr Khan remained stuck to his loss of 2.6 million dirham, he add- He wants to convert the army into at his Banigala residence here on decision and the party also boy- ed. the Punjab police. I hope these two Tuesday, the PTI chairman an- cotted Turkish President Recep Mr Khan said Mr Sharif’s law- institutions will not disappoint the nounced that they had decided to Tayyip Erdogan’s address to a yers had termed the prime minis- nation and will not come under their end their boycott of the assembly joint session of parliament last ter’s speech in parliament “a po- (rulers’) control,” he added. in order to seek an explanation month. litical speech”. He said he was disappointed from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Accompanied by PTI vice- He said the Brazilian president with the apex court as he wanted a for allegedly making a false state- chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, had to face impeachment only be- day-to-day hearing of the Panama ment about his foreign properties Mr Khan said that through the cause he had provided wrong fig- Papers case. However, he said the on the floor of the house. adjournment motion his party ures about the budget to parliament. PTI would wait for a final outcome The new session of the Na- would seek a full-fledged debate “Here, a prime minister is telling of the case in the court. tional Assembly begins on on the matter and see how parlia- lies to conceal his corruption and Answering a question about Wednesday (today). mentarians made the prime minis- properties worth billions of ru- the possibility of joining hands Mr Khan said his party would ter accountable for making a “false pees,” he regretted. with the PPP which also threat- move an adjournment motion as statement” in parliament. In reply to a question, Mr ened to launch an anti-government well as a privilege motion against He said the PTI would decide Khan said it was the prime minis- drive after Dec 27, Mr Qureshi said the prime minister for his act of its next strategy after seeing the ter who had “discredited” parlia- the PPP itself was divided over the “lying to the parliament and the response of parliament to the two ment by lying on its floor, and not issue. He claimed that while the nation”. motions the party planned to move the PTI. “What will the opposi- group led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zar- THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief ISIL produced military grade weapons in Iraq: Report

ISIL has produced weapons on a scale and sophistication that Syrian government forces have re- nounced that a ceasefire between matches national armies, stan- newed shelling on the last hold- the Syrian government and rebel dardising production across its outs of rebel-held eastern Aleppo, groups would allow for the evacu- self-styled caliphate, according according to opposition activists ation of tens of thousands of resi- to an arms monitoring group. and local journalists, raising fears dents from the last pockets of rebel- The UK-based Conflict Ar- that a deal to evacuate civilians and held eastern Aleppo to the Idlib mament Research (CAR) said rebels from the devastated city area or to Turkey. the Islamic State of Iraq and the may not be honoured. The deal was brokered by Tur- Levant group had a "robust sup- "There is artillery [being fired] key and Russia. The arrangement ply chain" of raw materials from now ... as I speak," Zouhir Al Shi- was delayed on Wednesday morn- Turkey, and the technical preci- male, a journalist in east Aleppo, ing, though, with rebel groups sion of its work meant it could told Al Jazeera in a WhatsApp claiming that a government-aligned not be described as "impro- message on Wednesday morning. Shia militia had turned back evac- vised" weapons production. "There aren't any clashes," he uees and demanded that rebel-im- "Although production facil- said, explaining that rebel groups posed sieges of the Shia majority ities employ a range of non-stan- were not fighting at the moment. towns of Kafraya and Al-Fua were dard materials and chemical ex- "There are injuries, but we don't first lifted. 'Massacred in cold plosive precursors, the degree of know how many. We can't go out- blood' "People here are shocked organisation, quality control, and side because the shelling is indis- [by the delay]," Shimale said. "We inventory management indicates criminate." didn't sleep last night waiting to a complex, centrally controlled The UK-based Syrian Obser- leave." Explaining that civilians industrial production system," vatory for Human Rights also said were scared that the evacuation it said in a report on Wednesday shelling could be heard, but its or- could be delayed further, Shimale after visits last month to six fa- igin was not clear. Speaking to the said: "No one knows what the re- cilities once operated by ISIL in Reuters news agency, rebel com- gime will do." eastern Mosul. manders said government forces Russian Foreign Minister Ser- "It's consistent and organ- had renewed shelling and violated gei Lavrov said he expected the last ised," a technical adviser to the a ceasefire reached a day earlier. of the "rebel resistance" to end CAR team that visited Mosul The Russian defence ministry within two to three days. told Al Jazeera. "It's kind of un- confirmed that government forces In what appeared to be a sep- precedented as far as the scope had resumed attacks, claiming that arate development from the of what they are creating, and rebel groups broke the ceasefire in planned evacuation, the Russian the ability to store it and move the early morning, according to defence ministry said 6,000 civil- it, and produce this variety in Russia's Interfax news agency. ians and 366 fighters had left rebel- remaining pocket of territory. they received reports about pro- ers, "caught and killed on the spot" rector for research at Amnesty In- different sizes." 'Major acquisi- Aleppo, once Syria's bustling held districts of Aleppo over the Late on Tuesday, Turkey's government forces executing scores fleeing civilians, Rupert Colville, ternational's Beirut regional office, tion network' Iraq's military commercial hub, had been largely past 24 hours. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet of civilians in Aleppo, including the UN rights office spokesman, said. "Such extrajudicial executions launched a sweeping operation divided between a government-held Buses evacuating people from Simsek announced his government women and children. Eighty-two said on Tuesday. "The reports that would amount to war crimes." on October 17 to retake the west and a rebel-controlled east rebel-held eastern Aleppo were al- was planning to set up a new tent people were reportedly killed civilians - including children - are 'Major blow' Marwan Kabalan, a northern city, the armed group's since 2012. But government forc- legedly turned around by Shia mi- city to host "80,000 people flee- when Syrian forces took over being massacred in cold blood in Syria analyst and associate politi- last major stronghold in the coun- es are now in control of almost the litias [Omar Sanadiki/Reuters] ing eastern Aleppo". He did not rebel-held areas, it said. Forces loy- their homes by Syrian government cal analyst at the Doha Institute, try, more than two years after entire city after weeks of intense Fears have been growing for thou- specify whether the facility would al to President Bashar al-Assad forces are deeply shocking but not said that the ceasefire breach may government forces dropped their fighting and relentless air raids. sands of trapped civilians as rebels be in Turkey or Syria. have, in some cases, entered homes unexpected given their conduct to signal growing differences between weapons and fled in the face of On Tuesday night, it was an- make a desperate last stand in their The UN said on Tuesday that and killed those inside, and, in oth- date," Lynn Maalouf, deputy di- Russia and Iran. a lightning ISIL advance. Elite troops have retaken a quarter of the city in a gruelling US-backed campaign but their advance has been slow. Soldiers Greece PMTsipras in new South Korea are constrained by street-by- street fighting and a built-up ur- ban environment. parliament Qatar rejects Cairo anti-austerity rhetoric cathedral bombing against the programme in its en- Greece is the only country in the involvement claim tirety. Last week, he promised to European Union without a recog- probes Park's spend an additional half a million nition of island status." Qatar’s ministry of foreign af- dollars on low-paid pensioners, Eastern Aegean islands have fairs rejected claims on Tuesday although he promises to keep become increasingly restive over 'missing hours' that the country was involved spending within limits agreed to the presence of more than 16,000 in the Cairo Coptic cathedral with creditors. migrants and refugees, who have bombing based purely on the On Nisyros, he promised to been building up there since an EU- premise that one of the suspects suspend a sales tax rise on Aegean Turkey Statement in March. paid a visit to the country in islands, which creditors imposed A vast processing zone 2015, the state news agency re- on his government last year. Under its terms, Turkey will ported. "I'm talking about all the is- take back those who do not quali- Mohab Moustafa el-Sayed lands of the North Aegean and the fy for international protection in Kassem, who is said to be among Dodecanese," Tsipras said, "which Europe, but applicants may not those suspected to be behind the are bearing the burden of the re- leave the islands for the Greek attack, that killed 25 and wound- ceiving and hosting [refugees]." mainland and continental Europe. ed dozens, visited Qatar in De- Athens, Greece - After 16 months pean Stability Mechanism (ESM) Among those islands is Chios, This has turned places like cember last year on a visit visa of implementing austerity mea- - the eurozone's sovereign distress which on November 30 held a one- Chios and Lesvos into a vast pro- in accordance to the legal proce- sures he had once railed against, fund. In a blog post on Monday day strike to protest against the cessing zone. dures of the country, director of Alexis Tsipras, Greek prime min- entitled "The IMF is not asking increase of sales tax from 17 to 24 Last month, hoteliers on Les- the information office at the ister, has returned to his old, anti- Greece for more austerity", Poul percent, in line with the rest of the vos refused a rent subsidy from ministry, Ahmed al-Rumaihi, austerity campaign rhetoric. Thomsen, once the IMF's overseer country. Costs and hardships the United Nations High Commis- said. The suspect left Qatar to Speaking from the southeast- of the Greek programme, said that Islands have traditionally en- sion for Refugees in return for put- head back to Cairo on Decem- ern Aegean island of Nisyros on Greece needs to modernise its joyed a few benefits because of the ting up migrants, fearing that the ber 1, 2016. Qatari authorities Tuesday, he called the technocrats economy, not cut social spending additional costs and hardships of refugee industry will replace the also said they have not received overseeing Greece's fiscal adjust- further. "We think that these cuts island life. The hoteliers' associa- tourism industry. any requests from Egyptian se- ment programme "silly" for failing have already gone too far, but the tion of Lesvos called the rise "an Chios's municipal council went curity forces or the Arab and to agree on the level of austerity ESM programme assumes even unexpected gift to our competi- back on an agreement to allow the international criminal police de- Greece needs to implement. more of them," Thomsen writes. tors". Tsipras says he will hire government to build a massive new partment to detain the suspect "In theory, we have techno- Thomsen highlights the IMF's more than 1,500 teachers and 1,000 refugee camp on the island, de- or prevent him from entering crats to tell us the right numbers, chief disagreement with the ESM medical personnel on the islands. manding the refugees' removal in- South Korean MPs are holding a after the day of the disaster. Qatar. but they can't even get the num- in calling for a major overhaul of He also promises infrastructure stead. hearing to investigate why im- The photos focused on Park's Rumaihi said that dragging bers right," Tsipras said. Greek debt, to which eurozone works worth $64m until 2020. The islands' stance is changing peached President Park Geun-hye eyes, which she said appeared to Qatar under any pretense to "They've often admitted that hardliners, led by Germany, are "I'm waiting to see what, of all national policy. went "missing" during a major fer- have undergone anti-wrinkle treat- cover up for the failures of law they've been wrong, but now adamantly opposed. this, will actually get done, and In a letter to the European ry disaster in 2014 - the latest trou- ment. Park's office has denied she enforcement authorities in they're telling us again, 'What's "Greece's debt is highly unsus- whether it will be done in such a Commission, Yannis Mouzalas, ble to hit the pressured leader. had been receiving Botox injections Egypt does not help in strength- wrong is right'." tainable, and no amount of struc- way as to be effective," Manolis the migration minister, asked on Seven hours elapsed between at the time ening ties between the two coun- Tsipras was alluding to the tural reforms will make it sustain- Vournos, mayor of Chios, said. Tuesday for permission for mi- the first news reports that a ferry "There have been all sorts of tries. International Monetary Fund's at- able again without significant debt "The prime minister made a grants from countries with low rec- carrying hundreds of children was allegations in the two years since tempts to distance itself from the relief," Thomsen said. mistake in tying these things to the ognition rates to "be temporarily sinking off the nation's southern that ferry disaster about where she latest Greek bailout, which has Taking advantage of this rift, refugee issue, whereas he should transferred to pre-removal centres coast in April 2014 and her first might have been, what she might Philippine been financed solely by the Euro- Tsipras has now fired a broadside have tied them to island status. in the mainland". TV appearance that day. have been doing, some of them re- The tragedy - which claimed lated to potential medical proce- President says he the lives of 304 people, many of dures," Al Jazeera's Harry Fawc- personally killed them teenagers from one high ett, reporting from Seoul, said. school - continues to gnaw at the "There was also an allegation suspected Brazil Senate approves controversial nation's consciousness, especially last week that she was having a because a rescue effort was wide- haircut." criminals ly seen as botched. The Hankyoreh newspaper Philippine President Rodrigo austerity measures A lack of information on Park's reported that a hairdresser from a whereabouts and actions at the salon in Gangnam, a glitzy neigh- Duterte has said he personally Brazilians have been on the streets dustrial association, before being attacked the 20-year spending cap 12 percent unemployment and killed suspected criminals when time has fuelled conspiracy theo- bourhood in southern Seoul, had protesting after the Senate ap- driven back. as "putting an entire generation at stubbornly high inflation, are in- ries. The theories have re-emerged spent 90 minutes styling Park's he was mayor of a southern city proved a 20-year freeze on gov- The vote means that the risk of social protection standards creasingly angry over corruption to set an example for police. during an investigation into an in- hair during the seven hour period. ernment spending that a UN offi- spending cap is now mandated by well below those currently in scandals and largely hostile to the fluence-peddling scandal that SBS, a local broadcaster, said Duterte made the comments in cial described as a "historic mis- the constitution, serving as the cen- place". "This is a radical measure, austerity measures. a speech late on Monday night looks likely to bring down her pres- Park had asked the hairdresser to take". The upper house voted 53 tral plank in Temer's effort to lacking in all nuance and compas- A poll published on Tuesday idency. make her hair look messy. to businessmen as he discussed to 16 on Tuesday to lock in the "transform" the broken economy, sion," he said last week. "It will showed that 60 percent of Brazil- his campaign to eradicate illegal A parliamentary panel looking Park's office confirmed the spending ceiling. which is in deep recession. hit the poorest and most vulnera- ians oppose the spending ceiling. into the allegations is holding a visit, but said the appointment last- drugs, that has seen police and Centre-right President Michel Philip Alston, the UN pover- ble Brazilians the hardest." Only 24 percent were in favour, unknown assailants kill thou- hearing specifically on the missing ed just 20 minutes, during which Temer says tough measures are ty and human rights rapporteur, Brazilians, battered by nearly according to the Datafolha poll. seven hours, and the incident was the president received official sands of people since he became needed to get Brazil's finances back president on June 30. After included by parliament in a mo- briefings as she waited for the under control, but his austerity tion to impeach Park earlier this completion of a security sweep of speaking about police killing policies have drawn sharp criticism suspects during the current month. Last month, more than two the situation room in a government and prompted violent protests. years after the disaster, Park's of- complex two kilometres away. crime war, Duterte said he led Opponents say the austerity similar efforts when he was fice published a page on its web- "Another allegation was that measures, which will affect spend- site detailing what reports the pres- she had been administered a seda- mayor of Davao, the major ing on health, education and social southern city that he ruled for ident received and when, on the tive," Al Jazeera's Fawcett said. programmes, are an attack on the day of the sinking. "Today at the hearing, we most of the previous 20 years. poor in a country where wealth “In Davao I used to do it per- "We've repeatedly explained, heard from a doctor who had regu- distribution is already among the two years ago and since then, that lar access to her presidential resi- sonally. Just to show to the guys worst in the world. (police) that if I can do it why she had been receiving reports dence. He admitted that he did ad- Police were out in force in the about the Sewol incident all minister hormone injections to can’t you,” Duterte said in his capital, Brasilia, to protect govern- speech at the presidential pal- throughout the day and gave in- President Park, injections includ- ment buildings from demonstrators structions either by phone or writ- ing placenta material, but didn't ace. “And I’d go around in during the upper house vote. Davao with a motorcycle, with ten reports," Kim Dong-jo, a Blue confirm anything about the use of However, hundreds of people, House spokesman, told the Reu- sedatives." a big bike around, and I would many with their faces covered, just patrol the streets, looking ters news agency before the hear- Park was also forced to deny clashed with police later on Tues- ing. The official timeline details rumours that she was participat- for trouble also. I was really day. Security forces fired tear gas looking for a confrontation so I exactly when Park received reports ing in a ritual to mark the anniver- to try to disperse the crowd. or gave orders. The timeline, sary of the death of Choi Tae-min, could kill.” Duterte also re- A bus was burned during the sponded to criticism from hu- though, does not reveal where the founder of a Christian sect to demonstration, which drew about Park was or what she was doing as which she had ties. man rights groups and US Pres- 2,000 people, police said. The ident Barack Obama about his she gave those orders. During the second of three tele- police operation in the capital end- Botox and Placenta injections vised apologies over the crisis, she brutal anti-crime tactics, vow- ed with 100 arrests, officials said. ing to continue his crackdown. Park Young-sun, of the oppo- said: "There are rumours that I am In Sao Paulo, left-wing pro- sition Democratic Party, held up a in a cult, or that there was a per- “If they say that I am afraid to testers attacked the headquarters stop (the campaign) . placard at last week's hearing show- formance of a ritual in the Blue of FIESP, the country's main in- ing two photos of Park, before and House, but this is not true at all." THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

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

AFGHANISTAN TIMES Editor: Mansoor Faizy Phone No: +93-797070563 E-mail: [email protected] By Abbas Nasir some representatives of the for Asia Bibi, an illiterate Chris- meeting Baloch in a hotel room dominant Barelvi school, forc- tian woman, sentenced to death to "convert" her and offer his Email: [email protected] Tragedies, it is said, tend to ing him to go into hiding in for blasphemy. hand in marriage to a woman unite nations. In Pakistan, each 2014. Many lawyers believe she probably less than half his age www.afghanistantimes.af tragedy exposes the faultlines He lived in exile for a bit af- was convicted mainly due to was typical of both the polari- Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi and polarisation in society. Ev- ter he faced a blasphemy poor, inadequate legal defence. sation and hypocrisy of Paki- ery few months a bloody re- charge. He then sought "for- She has now spent nearly a stan. Advisory editorial board minder of the divisions racking giveness" and returned to his decade in jail. Her appeal is cur- The murder of the famous the 180 million-strong South proselytising and business rently being heard by the Su- and loved Qawwal, Amjad Sa- Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, Asia nuclear-armed state is empire led by a branded cloth- preme Court of Pakistan. bri, a devotional Sufi singer, was Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal, Saboor Sarir served. Junaid Jamshed was ing line. Secular Taseer and deeply again a manifestation of the in- the latest. In March this year, he was religious Jamshed both earned tolerance of the Zia years Graphic-Designer: The 52-year-old pop-icon- attacked at Islamabad airport the wrath of the Barelvis, large- where no attempt was spared Edriss Akbari, Bilal Yusufi turned-preacher was among by Barelvi activists who ac- ly seen as moderates, for per- to fragment society and mini- the 48 passengers and crew Marketing & Advertising: cused him of blasphemy. They ceived blasphemy. As news of mise potential challenges to the who died when Pakistan Inter- were identified and charged Jamshed's death broke, some general's rule. Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 national Airlines flight PK-661 with the crime because they Barelvis were expressing joy The motive for his murder Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan crashed some 20 minutes after were foolhardy enough to up- over his death on Twitter and in June this year was not known taking off from Chitral in north- load a video of the episode on Facebook and celebrating his until the arrest last month of a Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 ern Pakistan on December 7. social media. "journey to hell". man described by police as Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press Soon after the news sur- [The murder of various All this happened in Paki- sectarian hitman who reported- faced, as social media timelines public figures is] a manifesta- stan, where most violent inci- ly confessed to killing Sabri, a started to fill with messages tion of the intolerance of the dents and even terrorist attacks Sunni Muslim, because he at- The constitution says expressing shock and horror Zia years where no attempt was are claimed by groups closely tended "majalis", congrega- and offering condolences to spared to fragment society and associated with the Deobandi tions of Shia Muslims. the victims' families, the mood minimise potential challenges ideology rather than the Barelvi As the world moves into started to change. to the general's rule. school. Tehrik-e-Taliban is said the 21st century, many Paki- Article 37: Enduring divisions Article Thirty-Seven: Freedom and confidentiality of correspondence, as well as His Barelvi attackers had to follow the Deobandi school, stanis worry where they are While one set of social me- travelled from Karachi to Islam- for example. headed with few attempts to communications of individuals, whether in the form of a letter or via telephone, dia users started to focus on telegraph, as well as other means, shall be secure from intrusion. The state shall abad to pay tributes at the Other innocents killed heal the rifts and bridge the di- Jamshed's career as a pop star, graveside of Mumtaz Qadri, the The murder of provocative visions. Almost everyone not have the right to inspect personal correspondence and communications, once the lead singer of the unless authorized by provisions of the law. police protection squad mem- social media figure and aspir- agrees robust enforcement of group Vital Signs credited with ber who was tried and execut- ing showbiz star, Qandeel laws, including those on hate an iconic national song Dil, dil ed in February 2016 for the 2011 Baloch at the hands of her own speech, can curb such mad- Pakistan (Pakistan in every murder of Punjab governor Sal- brother in the name of honour, ness, but unfortunately we heart) in 1987 - the song was man Taseer. Qadri is buried in after she engaged in a discus- have seen little political will to voted the third most popular his village near the capital. sion with a religious scholar do so. Abbas Nasir is a former worldwide in a BBC World Ser- Governor Taseer was shot Mufti Abdul Qavi at a planned editor of Pakistan's English lan- vice poll in 2003 - others start- dead by Qadri, a Barelvi mem- encounter was another link in guage newspaper Dawn and ed to attack them, saying his ber of his police squad, after the same chain. former executive editor at BBC later life as a bearded and "pi- being accused of blasphemy A video of that particular Asia-Pacific region. ous" Islamic proselytiser- by certain Barelvi followers encounter was placed on so- The views expressed in this preacher should have been the who whipped up hysteria only cial media. That the scholar was article are the author's own and focus of attention. because the governor had tried not blamed by anyone (apart do not necessarily reflect Al It is very clear that thousands of Afghans, especially the young- This second group saw his to secure a presidential pardon for a handful of liberals) for Jazeera's editorial policy. sters of the country took illegal ways to reach European life as a born-again Muslim as a renunciation of his earlier one. countries.Inadequate livelihood opportunities, unbearable pover- Jamshed recorded albums and ty, exponentially growing insecurity and some other social and videos and did live tours as a political taboos had forced the Afghans to land into race of illegal pop star, before being attract- immigration. ed to the faith and joining the ranks of the Tablighi Jamaat, an The influx of immigration rose up after establishment of the orthodox Muslim group that National Unity Government (NUG) which failed to deliver on its propagates its interpretation of promises—ending poverty and improving the national economy Islamic tenets via congrega- tions and door-to-door visits. to create thousands of job opportunities.With no doubt that the Finally, someone came up government is responsible for brain drain. with a 2014 Tweet from Jamshed Anyways, a large number of Afghan asylum seekers reached himself in which he said he their desire goals, while some others lost their lives in pursing it. didn't "hate" his previous life even though he may have giv- Some others were caught in Turkey, failed to get to the European en such an impression at times. countries. That quietened that particular Germany was the core objective of the Afghan refugees to reach, debate somewhat. But every kind of prejudice especially after the country showed willingness to accept seems to have made a home in refugees.After intense scrutiny and a wide debate across Europe Pakistan thanks to the divisive on the increasing number of refugees coming to the continent, "Islamisation" programme of military dictator General Mo- German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted that she made some hammed Zia ul-Haq, who saw mistakes in the open door policy that welcomed record numbers religion as a convenient tool to of migrants. However, now the country announced to deport a justify his usurpation of pow- er. group of at least 50 Afghan asylum seekers, whose applications Zia may have lasted a little were rejected by the authorities. over 11 years in power before Local newspaper, Der Spiegel, citing the government sources, being killed in a plane crash, but reported that the asylum seekers will be deported in line with an the seeds of division he sowed will continue to polarise Paki- agreement reached between the Afghan and German authorities. stani society for years to come. The voluntary deportations are a good solution. We are in favor Chain of events of welcoming every single talented Afghans to return home as they Belonging to the Deobandi school of thought, Jamshed are vital for our country’s future and prosperity. But, however, the gave a sermon which offended focal point is that what the deported Afghans would do? Jobless- ness are at boiling point. Insecurity is growing. To reach safer country, they also sold out their every single Suggestion of Ministry of Energy and Water property to managed money to the human smuggler.They are empty hand now. Even some of them sold their houses.To earn money and bring bread home, they would do anything without thinking once.None can see their family members struggling with hunger. They likely to join insurgent ranks, start robbing, killing and abducting for money.And due to any reason, if they restrained from these illegal acts, and to fine alternative way to forget their miseries, they gradually turn to the drugs an intentionally. Gradual- ly they becomedrug-addicts, andtheir live would be ruined. We already have large number of addict people which are in worst condition. Germany and other European countries should perfectly under- stands why people have been forced to flee from war-torn coun- try. The host country must think at least once before mass depor- tation. Subscription Rates Fee Categories 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. THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Now I taly needs a new deal - and new politics By Lorenzo Marsili the newly appointed Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni faces A few years ago, the Mayor of the task of reforming the elec- Naples, Luigi de Magistris, was toral law and taking the coun- told to fire 300 teachers to com- try to elections, most likely ply with strict austerity regula- within 2017. More navel-gazing tions imposed by the central is in sight. government of Matteo Renzi. Italy's politicians are cer- De Magistris, a former prose- tainly a drag on the country cutor, refused to comply and with their exorbitant privileges appealed to the constitutional- and ridiculous pay cheques, ly protected right to a quality but the country's economic ills education for all. will not be cured with a pay- He was sued and brought cut for MPs, one of the move- to court, where he argued and ment's flagship policies won his case. The Italian con- But Italy, as much of Eu- stitution, the judges conclud- rope, is in dire straits. Its econ- ed, has precedence over regu- omy is forecast to return to pre- lar legislation. The teachers - crisis levels only in the mid- and the mayor - were reinstat- 2020s, while its industrial pro- ed in their place. duction has dropped 35 per- Naples came out en masse cent since 2008. New data from to defend that same constitu- the National Statistics Office tion during the Italian referen- just showed nearly one third of dum of December 4, with near- Italians to be at risk of poverty. ly 70 percent voting against the Three years of Renzi gov- proposed reforms. This has ernment has done little to lift happened in a city where the the country out of stagnation. two parties that are often per- His economic policy mix - bar a ceived to be the main driving few attacks against austerity forces behind the referendum just before key elections - has victory are not even popular: scrupulously followed the Beppe Grillo's Five Star Move- mainstream neoliberal mantra of ment performed abysmally in privatisations, cuts to the wel- the municipal elections, while fare state, and attacks on la- Matteo Salvini's far-right bour. Northern League is entirely Suffice it to say that Italy's absent. centre-left government was the The Democratic Party may Michele Emiliano, several can- the upcoming elections. Will clear, though, whether this is it written that you can't do In fact, all political parties strongest backer of the Trans- very well decide it is not quite didates might undo the party's the referendum allow for the would lead anywhere. The it." Especially when a country appear marginal in Naples. De atlantic Trade and Investment the right time to follow the rest pale imitation of Britain's New emergence of a new political country has a tradition of riot- is on the move again. Lorenzo Magistris - recently re-elected Partnership (TTIP) and did not of European social democracy Labour - 20 years too late. But space? New initiatives have al- ous, inconclusive left parties. Marsili is a writer, politic activ- with an overwhelming majority move a finger while Greece was into collective suicide, and at- Renzi's grip remains powerful ready begun: On December 18 It has no upstart political force ist, and the founder of interna- - is supported primarily by the being water-boarded by credi- tempt instead a profound trans- and divisions abound. The ap- a large gathering "to build the such as Podemos in Spain or tional NGO European Alterna- civil society and social move- tors for trying to resist suicidal formation from within. pointment of his ally Gentiloni alternative" will host represen- Razem in Poland. But in the tives. The views expressed in ments, very much like the ex- austerity. From former Territorial Co- as prime minister confirms that tatives of leftist groups. Naples words of one of Naples' most this article are the author's own perience of Ada Colau in Bar- What lies ahead? hesion Minister Fabrizio Barca, Renzi will not let go of the par- mayor, De Magistrisis, is also internationally celebrated writ- and do not necessarily reflect celona. The city of mafia movie How much did these matter to Governor of Apulia region ty and fully intends to run in weighing his options. It is un- ers, Elena Ferrante, "nowhere Al Jazeera's editorial policy. Gomorrah has been trans- for the referendum? Apparent- formed into an open-air labora- ly quite a lot. As recent analy- tory for civic participation, with ses show, local results for the open-air assemblies debating No vote directly correlate to city legislation and former regional unemployment num- squatters sitting in the city bers. It was the young, the council voting on them. poor and the unemployed who By Turki Aldakhil It was neither Grillo's fans voted massively against the and lives were sacrificed to lations which have been on nor Salvini's far-right thugs “Saudi Arabia is a key pillar of safeguard values and to pro- since the UAE was established reforms. Beyond maintaining the Gulf region,” said Crown who won the vote in Naples. It the existing constitution, the tect against external aggres- in the beginnings of the 1970s. Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh This holiday was active citizenship. During significance for the no vote is sion. This is heroism and this I write this article so the the months of electoral cam- a demand for real democracy, Mohammed bin Zayed during is how strong alliances look paign, self-organised citizens for a fair economy, and for an the Saudi King Salman’s recent like. Emirati society knows about fitted vans with loud speakers end to austerity and the poli- visit to the UAE. King Salman Saudi-UAE relations repre- the reaction not evident during season, here’s and crossed the tortuous tics of business as usual. was given an exceptional re- sent the real meaning of the the historic and massive recep- streets of the city centre, while That demand can be the ception during the visit, com- union that we want among Gulf tion of King Salman. This re- marches and flash mobs filled base from which to build a new bining modernity with tradi- countries. This will increase ception reassures everyone what we should its squares at night. deal for Italy and for Europe. tion, horses with camels and Grassroots organisation But is someone going to heed economic exchange, enhance that the union has in fact be- This is true well beyond the sand and soil. tourism and friendship among the call for change? The Saudi king sat down gun between the two countries Vesuvius. While all opposition The Five Star Movement people. People will not only do for Syria’s and that it is no longer an ordi- parties are rushing to claim elec- appears the most likely candi- with Sheikh Mohammed bin head for tourism or to study or tion victory, the truth is that the date to capture the demand for Rashid and Sheikh Mohammed to permanently live in major cit- nary relation. The visit was not Italian referendum was driven a new deal. It has young, most- bin Zayed on a podium. It was ies but will also go to remote ordinary to begin with and the children predominantly by a renewed ly honest politicians. But its a display of history and glories cities. king “was not a passing guest” sense of participation and a catch-all electoral tactics have, of the past as they watched a mas and the New Year with family There exists exceptional as Jomaa al-Ghowais put it in By Peter Harrison new wave of political engage- so far, hindered it from provid- show depicting the UAE’s his- friendship and social partner- and friends. We think nothing of ment well beyond existing par- his beautiful poem. In August the world briefly spending a small fortune on pre- ing a clear set of alternatives. torical legacy. The show includ- ship as the two countries ty lines. From the economy to migra- It’s the first stage of coop- showed its outrage when five- sents that none of us actually need ed dances, songs and poems shared joys and misery. The year-old Omran Daqneesh was The turnout was extraordi- tion - and most notably its hazy eration and we aspire more af- – but it’s a nice thing to do. nary for a referendum at nearly by tribes saluting the honor- best example of that is how the pictured being carried into an am- And as many millions of us calls for a referendum on the able guest. 70 percent, showing signs that euro - Grillo's movement still people share the pain of losing ter this. This is the Gulf region, bulance covered in dirt and blood, enjoy time with people we care Italians have recovered a pen- lacks a clear vision on change. Words and smiles of har- some heroes on the southern and these are the exemplary re- having been pulled from the rub- most about, many people will be chant for politics. Only a few Italy's politicians are certainly mony were abundantly ex- front. Blood mixed with blood lations which must be followed ble in his Aleppo home. stuck in camps in Syria’s neigh- days before the referendum, changed. The Saudi delegation There was a brief follow up boring countries or further afield. I a drag on the country with their and tears mixed with tears. And to take the Gulf Cooperation 200,000 joined a feminist march exorbitant privileges and ridic- was happy to see unity among just like misery united people, in which news broke that his know that - unbeknown to many in Rome against gender vio- ulous pay cheques, but the people of the two countries and Council from this state of co- brother was killed in the same at- – aid organizations are struggling so did joy. Saudi-UAE relations tack, and then, like so many of to cope with vast amounts of ref- lence and the deliverymen of country's economic ills will not their leaders when the region represent the real meaning of operation to the aspiration of multinational food delivery be cured with a pay-cut for thousands – nee millions – to be ugees still stranded in Serbia, is facing extraordinary chal- the union that we want among the “union.” displaced, Omran became a dis- across Europe and even still in company, Foodora, organised MPs, one of the movement's lenges. the first Italian strike in the gig Gulf countries. This will in- This article was first pub- tant memory. Greece. flagship policies. Will they The UAE set an example of economy, in which independent manage to launch a ground- crease economic exchange, en- lished in Al-Bayan on Dec. 14, For his short moment of fame The event of the New Year is solidarity when Saudi Arabia his name trended everywhere – workers take on short-term en- breaking government plan that hance tourism and friendship 2016. almost irrelevant to these people gagements engaged in a war against rebel- among people on Facebook and Twitter people who are surviving a daily hand-to- can challenge inequalities and Turki Aldakhil is the Gener- posted comments next to his icon- Is politics answering back? present a realistic European lion and in support of legitima- The king rounded up his mouth existence in refugee camps ic photo saying “never again” and across the Middle East and Europe. Following Renzi's resignation, strategy of change? cy. Blood got mixed with blood tour with a visit to Dubai, a city al Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel. He began his career “this has to stop”. There seems to be no end in that he loves and that loves him. I personally remember seeing sight for these people until some- The city had renamed one of as a print journalist, covering one exchange in which a person one somewhere comes up with its major neighborhoods after politics and culture for the Sau- said they felt bad, but that there some magic formula. That magic King Salman. Commenting on di newspapers Okaz, Al-Riyadh was nothing they could do. A formula I suspect is an unlikely LETTER TO THE EDITOR friend of theirs then replied that compromise – but sadly that seems the visit, Sheikh Mohammed and Al-Watan. He then moved bin Rashid wrote: “The rela- they were doing something – they a long way off. It needs either war to pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat and tions between the kingdom and were raising awareness. to end or for countries to open Omran’s face vanished from the UAE exceeded diplomatic pan-Arab news magazine Al- their borders and give them much Polio drops Majalla. Turki later became a that timeline, like so many, and needed help. ties and have joined as one.” has been pushed down by holi- Meanwhile those of us going Nangarhar health officials said that more than 650,000 children of one Emirati poet, Jomaa al- radio correspondent for the day snaps, photos of friends’ ba- to our families for Christmas million children would be covered by the vaccinating campaign in the east- Ghowais, read out a poem in French-owned pan-Arab Radio bies and countless groups of peo- should not feel bad about this, but praise of King Salman. His Monte Carlo and MBC FM. He ple at some party or another. we should also not shrug our shoul- ern zone. They said that situation over all is better comparing to last year Meanwhile, as I write this, ders and exclaim there’s nothing we poem added to the atmosphere proceeded to Elaph, an online as no polio cases had surfaced during the past 14 months. They said that as Ghowais spoke about coop- Aleppo is being pounded – I have can do for the likes of Omran and number of children previously deprived of vaccination reduced from 75,000 eration between Saudi Arabia news magazine and seen countless photos of the his family. There’s lots we can do to 15,000. However, still the government has long way to go to cover all Alarabiya.net, the news chan- corpses of small children, appar- – all of us. and the UAE. The king then ently killed by forces loyal to nel’s online platform. Over a We can all contribute to chari- the children. Insecurity is a great challenge ahead of anti-polio vaccination summoned Ghowais after he President Bashar Al Assad. My ties, we can send toys, food par- process. In the past, Badakhshan health officials termed the presence of recited the poem to voice his ten-year period, Dakhil’s week- colleague Leila Alwan reported cels – whatever it takes. I shan’t local and foreign militants as a big obstacles against polio vaccination drive. admiration of it. ly Al Arabiya talk show “Edaat” that thousands of male civilians start listing organizations here, but It has been sincerely asked from all parties involved in Afghanistan con- Ties between the two coun- (Spotlights) provided an oppor- were being forced to fight for the there are many and they all need tries could be seen through Syrian regime – risking death for our help. We might not be able to flict that put aside political differences, and don’t let their children to go tunity for proponents of Arab a cause many oppose - or face without two drops of vaccine which is key to prevent them from being comments on social network- physically travel to the millions ing platforms. The royal tour to and Islamic social reform to imminent death by execution – it stranded – but there’s still a lot we paralyze. The government should leave no stone unturned to convince is their catch 22. Gulf countries is essential and make their case to a mass audi- can do. Whichever side people I don’t know where Omran support. militants not to hamper vaccine drive under their control ar- basic; however, the visit to the ence. Turki also owns Al Mes- eas. Ramiz Khan, Kabul, Afghanistan and his family ended up, I know With hands held together we UAE was special due to the af- bar Studies and Research Cen- that many like them either died or can at least calm our collective Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must fection Saudis feel for the UAE. tre and Madarek Publishing were displaced. nerves and hope for a better 2017. Those of us going to our fam- have the writer’s name and address. You may send your letters to: According to Al-Khaleej daily, House in Dubai. He has re- Peter Harrison is a British pho- [email protected] around 10,000 Saudis visit the ilies for Christmas should not tojournalist whose career spans UAE on a daily basis. ceived several awards and hon- shrug our shoulders and exclaim three decades, working for print, The two societies ors, including the America there’s nothing we can do for the digital and broadcast media in the likes of Omran and his family. This number does not only Abroad Media annual award UK and the UAE. He's covered a There’s lots we can do – all of us broad spectrum of subjects, from Disclaimer: reveal the strong relations be- for his role in supporting civil Peter Harrison health issues and farming in En- The views and opinions expressed in the articles are tween the two sides but also society, human rights and ad- Christmas present gland, to the refugee crisis in Leb- how strong ties between the vancing women’s roles in Gulf Meanwhile, those of us lucky anon and the war in Afghanistan. those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or two societies. Emirati television enough not to be stuck in a war He is a senior editor with Al Ara- societies. He tweets @Turki- opinions of the Afghanistan Times. channels hosted guests who torn hell hole such as Syria’s Alep- biya English and tweets @Photo- explained the roots of these re- Aldakhil. po make plans to spend Christ- PJHarrison. THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

BERLIN: When former US intel- tap into individual lines and access ligence contractor Edward up to 20 percent of communica- Snowden blew the lid off the Unit- tions, but those limitations have ed States' vast surveillance pro- been lifted with the new legisla- gramme three years ago, shock- tion. waves coursed through Germany. Using "selectors", key search Protesters took to the streets to parameters including IP and email voice their anger. For privacy- addresses, the agency can now le- mindful Germans, news that the gally search and store data traffic National Security Agency (NSA) for up to six months and then pass had spied on allies and even lis- it along to partners like the NSA. tened in on Chancellor Angela Closer cooperation with allied in- Merkel's mobile phone was outra- telligence agencies is also protect- geous. "Spying on friends just isn't ed by the legislation. done," Merkel was quoted as say- The second pillar aims to ing after the news broke. But the strengthen oversight of Germany's story shifted quickly. three intelligence services - the It emerged that German intel- BND, the Federal Office for the ligence services had been working Protection of the Constitution and in close cooperation with the NSA, the Military Counterintelligence and had even spied on European Service. A new independent moni- allies at the behest of the Ameri- toring board of two federal judges cans. The German media and pub- and one federal prosecutor will lic demanded answers, and a fact- carry out random checks on the finding commission was quickly BND's work. The existing Parlia- put into action in parliament. Even mentary Control Panel has also the intelligence director at the time been reformed to include a special wanted to reform his agency and commissioner. focus more on key competencies. The coalition government Three years later, the uproar hailed the law as a major contribu- is much subdued. The attacks in tion to both transparency and se- Paris and Brussels, the rise of the curity. Uli Groetsch, a Social Dem- Islamic State of Iraq and the Le- ocrat (SPD) member of the Com- vant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) mittee on Domestic Affairs and the group and the refugee crisis have Parliamentary Control Panel, said posed new and unfamiliar challeng- it was the most extensive legisla- es, and Germany has grown its tion of its kind in the world. security apparatus steadily in re- "As domestic affairs lawmak- sponse. ers, we put a lot of stock in mak- The country's 2009 anti-ter- ing sure our intelligence services rorism law has been sharpened to have the necessary resources," he grant federal police and intelligence told Al Jazeera. "We want to make the world's largest internet ex- force in shaping the legislation, ists and parliamentarians to file a been able to explain how we would broadcaster ARD and Berlin-based services more powers. Police pres- sure that the BND can stay on a change point. The Frankfurt-based challenged fellow legislators dur- lawsuit against a revised data re- be able to bring Edward Snowden survey institute Infratest Dimap ence has been boosted. The interi- level playing field with other in- company filed a lawsuit against the ing the parliamentary debate last tention law passed in October of to Germany. You can try to pick shows that more than 80 percent or minister has proposed expand- telligence agencies." German government in September, October. 2015. It allows the government to him up in Russia, bring him to of those polled believe Germany ing video surveillance significant- Constitutional Catch-22 before the legislation was even "How else is the BND sup- collect and retain internet and Germany and take him back but I should institute more video sur- ly, to include shopping centres, Critics, however, say the law's passed. According to the complaint, posed to protect us against "ter- phone information for 10 weeks. don't think it's feasible," said Uli veillance in public spaces. buses and sports events. And the scale is precisely the problem, and the BND forced the company to rorism" besides listening in on con- And just last spring, Germa- Groetsch, the domestic affairs par- "If you put the question in an government has stepped up coop- they accuse the government of le- allow access to its vast network versations between people outside ny's highest court actually struck liamentarian. "I think it's right and abstract way, most people would eration between Germany's intel- galising the very surveillance tac- and carried out mass surveillance, of Germany?", he had questioned. down parts of the country's anti- sensible to question him, but the agree that freedoms could be sacri- ligence agency, the Bundesnach- tics that caused such controversy despite the company's objections. Flurry of litigation terrorism laws because some co- question of how to do so is not ficed in order to obtain more secu- richtendienst (BND), and its Eu- in 2013. The legal battle also touches Striking a balance between free- vert surveillance tactics were dis- that easy." rity," said Alexander Dix. "But if it ropean counterparts with a joint Take the clause involving "for- on a more fundamental issue. dom and security is delicate any- proportionately broad and vague. Snowden's leaks may not have comes to individual cases, and if European intelligence database. eign-to-foreign" telecommunica- Some constitutional experts where, but nowhere more so than "There is a long history of bat- derailed Berlin's cosy ties with people are subjected individually Berlin maintains that these tions. It is rooted in the NSA scan- believe that Article 10, which guar- in Germany. tles between judges and parliament. Washington, but his testimony in to certain measures, they become measures are crucial to protecting dal; serious deficits in oversight and antees telecommunications priva- Germans harbour a deep aver- The government and the majority Germany very well could, and the more critical." Germany and its allies from myri- regulation were brought to the sur- cy, is actually a fundamental hu- sion to surveillance after experi- in parliament are testing the limits consequences for the BND would Still, Digital Courage has al- ad challenges, particularly "terror- face. Intercepting data on German man right for everyone, not just encing how data can be manipulat- of the constitution to see what can be critical. They rely heavily on ready gathered more than 32,000 ism". Yet, in a country where pri- citizens or residents is forbidden Germans. That interpretation ed under both the Nazis and the be done to allay fears of 'terror- their American counterparts' broad signatures from German citizens vacy is paramount and government by Article 10 (PDF) of the Ger- would mean intelligence agents former Communist East German ism'," said Alexander Dix, the and deep spying infrastructure; it in its fight against the data reten- surveillance raises the spectre of a man constitution, but there were have been running afoul of the con- state, and the NSA scandal trig- former Berlin commissioner for was the NSA, after all, that hand- tion law. Leena Simon, an activist totalitarian past, opposition legis- no stipulations on foreigners. stitution for years and would con- gered the deepest waves here. Data Protection and Freedom of ed over selector lists to tell the specialising in the philosophy of lators, lawyers and activists are The new legislation attempts tinue to do so. German Chancellor Angela Information. "There is a constant BND what to search. technology and privacy rights with sounding the alarm over changes to close the loopholes by explicit- "My personal belief is we will Merkel gives a speech at the 60th struggle between these two "If the Americans would turn the organisation, believes the nar- they say take direct aim at funda- ly allowing foreign espionage, as have violations of our constitution anniversary of the founding of the branches of the German state." off the flow of information from rative that people have lost inter- mental rights, and many have long as conditions are met. And the at a rate of roughly one million each BND in Berlin, November 28, What of Edward Snowden? one day to the next, we would have est in privacy issues is a myth. vowed to fight back in court. BND can also tap into internation- day. Which is completely unac- 2016 [Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters] Meanwhile, the parliament's a significantly elevated risk here in She is fighting to make sure New surveillance laws al internet exchange points oper- ceptable," said Landefeld. Opposition to the latest sur- fact-finding commission on the Germany," said Nikolaos Gazeas, Germans remember and stay vigi- Inside Story - The diplomatic ating on German soil. He has met intelligence offi- veillance measures is growing. NSA affair has gained fresh wind a Cologne-based lawyer and expert lant. Simon says she was just a cost of US surveillance (25:00) Klaus Landefeld, a member of cials and legislators to present sug- Former federal justice minister after two years of little progress. on intelligence law. teenager when the September 11 Much of the debate surrounds the board at the internet industry gestions for improvement, like Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarren- The Federal Court of Justice "We do depend a good deal on attacks hit the US, and she the government's espionage laws. association Eco International, says streamlining the selector system. berger announced that she would ruled this month that the German the knowledge and information of watched with growing dismay as The parliament, or Bundestag, the law attempts to draw a clear "I see a tiny, tiny percentage sue over the new BND legislation government must provide condi- American intelligence services, the German government clamped passed legislation on October 21 line between foreigners and Ger- of my data which only just might in the highest court. The Green tions for Snowden to testify in partly because the American ap- down with anti-terror legislation that makes sweeping changes based mans, but today's packet-oriented be illegal. And only a tiny fraction Party has threatened to do the Germany, including witness pro- paratus is much larger than ours of its own. on two separate pillars (PDF). telecommunications make it near- of that is something that law en- same once the law goes into effect tection. The majority of commis- and carries out far more informa- More surveillance would only One allows the BND to inter- ly impossible to actually do so. forcement is interested in. Does on January 1. sion members wanted to question tion gathering. But it's also a divi- exacerbate the problem, she be- cept communications between for- "When you tap a telecommu- that really justify storing all of it? Amnesty International has al- Snowden via video from Moscow sion of labour." lieved, and her conviction spurred eigners, if a security threat can be nications line nowadays, you al- Is that really acceptable?" ready lodged a constitutional com- to avoid a showdown with Wash- Freedom or security her to become an activist. averted or Germany's ability to act ways get a mix of foreign traffic, Coalition legislators argue it is. plaint, claiming the BND is inter- ington. But Snowden, who is want- That close cooperation drove "I believe that what protects is endangered. EU citizens and national traffic and national-to-in- They say the ability to spy on cepting far more data than is actu- ed in the US on espionage charges, protesters to the streets in 2013. us more than anything else is our companies are also subject to sur- ternational traffic. But the way the foreigners is indispensable to shor- ally allowed under current legisla- refused. Today, analysts say growing freedom. And when we give up our veillance, if the data they share is law is written, they can access any ing up security at home and tion. The possibility that he could fear among Germans, in the face of freedom now for supposed safe- relevant to German or European line as long as there is some for- abroad. Clemens Binninger, a The internet activist organisa- take the stand in Germany poses attacks and crime, might be chang- ty, then, in the end, we get the ex- security policy. eign communication on it," he said. member of Chancellor Merkel's tion Digital Courage brought to- significant challenges. ing their penchant for privacy. act opposite. That is why we have Until now, the BND could only Landefeld represents De-Cix, conservative party and a leading gether a group of authors, journal- "To this point, nobody has A January study from public to protect it." Message from Aleppo: 'Tomorrow Rex Tillerson: Secretary will be too late for us' of State or sign of East Aleppo, Syria - We are all of each other, but there is not much fuel or fear of being targeted. Some the remaining rebel-held areas of praying for rain. When it rains, the to sell, and everyone is suffering. people risk bringing the injured to Aleppo [Abdalrhman Ismail/Reu- planes can't fly and the bombard- "Save Aleppo. Save humani- clinics in cars or pick-up trucks, if ters] ' Tomorrow will be too late things to come? ment stops for a short while. ty." Residents of East Aleppo are they have a few drops of fuel left. for many of us' We are hoping that it rains long giving their final messages to the I have even seen people use wheel- The Syrian government enough for the powers of the world world. pic.twitter.com/ barrows to transport severely in- opened a corridor for people to Donald Trump took another bold el of the position at stake. The the last 25 years with Vladimir to do something to help the Hzd4VWp0wC jured loved ones. turn themselves in. Perhaps 50,000 decision yesterday by announcing Secretary of State is the third-high- Putin, who in 2013 gave him the 150,000 civilians stuck in this small In order to cook, people take If you make it to one of these to 60,000 did hand themselves his intention to appoint Rex Tiller- est official of the executive branch highest honor for a civilian, the neighbourhood in Aleppo escape broken bits of furniture, a brick and "clinics", a new kind of nightmare over. But people are still flooding son as his Secretary of State. De- of the United States, after the Pres- Order of Friendship. This Russian the carnage. a few stones, place their pot on awaits you there - they are into our remaining enclave as the spite his own lack of expertise in ident and Vice President. From tropism also coincides with accu- The situation here is desper- top of it and then light a fire. crammed with people, lying on the government pushes forward. Lo- foreign affairs and candid com- Thomas Jefferson to Hillary Clin- sations of Moscow’s interference ate. People seeking refuge are flood- The menu is limited: bread, floor in pools of blood. There is so cal civilians prefer to face bombs ments toward authoritarian re- ton, through Henry Kissinger and in the November Presidential elec- ing into the area, cramming into dates, and bulgur wheat, referred much blood that the doctors and and harsh conditions rather than gimes around the world, which ig- Madeleine Albright, the men and tion, as suggested by recent Amer- about 10sq km. There are many to here as "poor man's rice". Some nurses wear boots as they slip from disappearance. nited controversies throughout the women entrusted with this mis- ican intelligence reports, accusa- babies and children here too. charities stockpiled the bulgur but one patient to the next. The fact that the Syrian army presidential campaign, Trump sion played a colossal role in the tions dealt with nothing but con- People come with three or four there is not nearly enough. Most These clinics cannot offer any- has already killed half a million of turned his back to more proven definition and implementation of tempt by the billionaire. children in tow, fleeing the govern- people have no access to fresh thing beyond emergency medical their own people is a big deter- politicians and opted for the CEO the foreign policy of the most To underline an unprecedent- ment forces. They use their push- water. treatment, suturing wounds and rent. of ExxonMobil to hold the reins of powerful nation on earth and de ed mistrust of the CIA, the federal chairs to carry children, and what- Even the cooking needs to be trying to carry out emergency op- But now we hear reports of American diplomacy. facto their decisions are key to the agency which has so far been the ever other belongings they can - done in hiding, out of fear of at- erations. Their only aim is to stop hundreds of men disappearing in Tillerson spent his entire ca- maintaining of global security. Plac- most categorical about Russian some clothes, a few cooking uten- tracting government planes, or the bleeding; they can do no more one place, and of men being lined reer within the rank of the oil cor- ing at this position someone with meddling, the real estate tycoon sils in plastic bags, essentials. those who are hungry and have no than that. And the moment the up for summary execution in an- poration, a tenure during which he no political nor diplomatic experi- announced that he did not intend I chose to come to Aleppo sev- food of their own. doctor is able to stop the bleeding, other. It only adds to the fear of familiarized himself with the ar- ence is at best a huge gamble. to even attend, like his predeces- eral weeks ago. I thought I'd be here The air strikes are relentless. the victim must leave. The clinics turning yourself over. cane of petroleum powers such as Trump will also face opposi- sors, regular intelligence briefings. with my two-person crew for a They operate using a "double tap" are dangerous places. The more It is desperate now. The rain Saudi Arabia or Russia. However, tion from the Senate to confirm Barack Obama asked for a thor- few days. I didn't intend to be here method that is designed to kill any human beings there are assembled will stop soon and the slaughter he does not have under his belt any Tillerson because he deliberately ough investigation of potential this long. But I knew that coming Good Samaritans who come to the in one place, the more likely that will begin again. There must be a experience in regards to other fields decided to neglect other more tra- Russian interference with the here at all could be risky. aid of the injured. They strike once place is to be targeted. humanitarian corridor now. Today. of diplomacy such as trade negoti- ditional candidate from the very agreement of two republican Reporting from conflict zones then wait a while; then, when peo- Children push containers in Tomorrow will be too late for ations, peace building or the very ranks of the Republican Party. heavyweights, the representative is dangerous, but getting the truth ple gather to try to remove those strollers as they flee deeper into many of us. definition of a foreign policy strat- Early frontrunners included indeed of the Republican majority in Con- to the world is important. Most stuck under the rubble, they strike egy based on other principles than former New York mayor Rudy gress and in the Senate: Paul Ryan of the other people here, however, again. pure business oriented profitmak- Giuliani and former presidential and Mitch McConnell. The two had no choice. They are just caught At night, the streets are emp- ing. During the campaign, Donald candidate Mitt Romney. In par- Republican leaders expressed on up in this nightmare against their ty. Low-flying aircraft and their Trump warned that he would break ticular Romney was forced to swal- this occasion a distrust of Russia will. cannons hover around the town, away from establishment circles low his pride and was mocked for which contrasts with the will of It is extremely cold. The place targeting anything that moves. If and business as usual in Washing- reneging his recent harsh criticisms opening sketched so far by Mr. where I am staying has no proper you must go outside, you listen ton. His recent nominations have in the hope of landing the coveted Trump and that the choice of Mr. walls - I have hung plastic sheets carefully and wait until they pass shown that he privileged outsid- position. Tillerson confirms. and a blanket in the large holes before running for your life from ers over seasoned veterans with Trump could have chosen to Public statements from Rex made by a recent air strike. one block to another, crouching in three retired senior militaries and a appear magnanimous by gathering Tillerson on his vision of the world The big-hearted Syrian people the shadows. handful of private sector represen- around him one of his fiercest crit- and American foreign policy are treat me - a journalist and the only It is hardest for the injured. All tatives already nominated to key ic. Instead, after a humiliating dis- rare. He did however publicly con- black American in town - gener- of the hospitals in eastern Aleppo positions, sometimes from the play at Trump Tower he aban- demn the sanctions against Russia ously. They know I can communi- have been heavily bombed and as very financial lobbies he regularly doned a hopeful Romney on the after the annexation of the Crimea cate their stories to the world only of two weeks ago, there are no long- criticized like former Goldman Sa- side of the road. in 2014, following a controversial when they allow me to charge my er any functioning. All that exists chs’ Steve Mnuchnin for Treasury Republican ranks referendum. He later met with Igor phone and laptop in one of the few now are pop-up clinics in under- Secretary. Yet his latest pick in Rex More critics arose from with- Sechin, the CEO of the Russian remaining places with a generator ground locations. Tillerson is most likely to create in the Republican flanks and in energy company Rosneft, a close and fuel. Getting to these clinics is dif- the most opposition during his particular from Senator McCain friend of President Vladimir Putin The price of the little food ficult. The courageous White Hel- confirmation oral at the Senate for and Senator Rubio. Both ex- and one of the main personality that is left is not too high, as peo- mets are no longer functioning; their a series of reasons. pressed their serious concerns over directly targeted by American sanc- ple don't want to take advantage ambulances cannot run without The first is obviously the lev- the ties that Tillerman forged over tions. THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Japan, EU in I MF's Lagarde grilled over 'punch talks seeking free-trade deal in the gut' payout to French tycoon PARIS: International Monetary ages with the 30,000-50,000 eu- Fund chief Christine Lagarde ros that parents usually receive in fought negligence charges in a Par- compensation for the death of a by year-end is court on Tuesday, arguing she child. Lagarde said she had been had approved a 2008 French state "shocked, surprised, stunned" by payout of 400 million euro ($425 the arbitration ruling, but also said million) to a business tycoon only the case was far from the only to end a costly legal battle. matter to deal with as the global Aggressive grilling from the top financial crisis erupted. judge put Lagarde on the defen- The case dates back to a time sive during the second day of the when Tapie sued the state for com- trial into her approval as finance pensation after selling his stake in minister of the rare out-of-court sports company Adidas to then settlement with Bernard Tapie in state-owned Credit Lyonnais in a dispute over the sale of a stake in 1993. He accused the bank of de- a company. frauding him after it resold its stake Lagarde, 60, faces up to a year for a higher price. in jail and a fine of 15,000 euros Lagarde told the court that she ($16,000) if convicted. A maxi- had approached the case not with mum sentence could raise ques- political calculations in mind but tions about her ability to keep lead- had aimed to draw a line under a ing the Washington-based IMF, dispute which in 2005 alone had where her French predecessor cost taxpayers 32 million euros in Dominique Strauss Kahn resigned lawyers' fees. in 2011 over a sex assault scandal. "I was never negligent, I went The head judge, Martine Ract even further than what can be usu- Madoux, quizzed Lagarde about ally expected of a minister," she why she did not ask more ques- said. "I went beyond what a more tions about 45 million euros in political and less technical minis- Japan and the European Union are parts imported from Japan by damages included in the settlement ter would have done." holding last-ditch talks this week amount of trade immediately after when the original approval to seek The case is being heard before of 15 judges, including 12 lawmakers from both the lower and upper houses of parliament. Lagarde said there to try reach a broad free trade agree- a bilateral accord goes into effect, arbitration did not cover damages. a special court for trying cabinet were political motivations behind the case, noting that opposition lawmakers had brought it against her. ment by the end of the year, Japa- but Japan wants further conces- "It's a punch in the gut, doesn't ministers, which has only heard However, she denied that her decisions had been politically motivated even though Tapie was a friend and nese government officials said. sions, the Nikkei business daily that make you react?" Madoux said five cases since it was created in supporter of then-conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy. "I never received any instructions, neither one The two-way trade talks have reported on Wednesday. on the second day of the trial, com- 1993 and never sent anyone to jail. way nor the other," she said. The trial is scheduled to run until Dec. 20. (Reporting by Chine Labbé; Writing taken on greater significance after Japan, for its part, could ease paring the order to pay Tapie dam- The court comprises a panel by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta/Mark Heinrich) U.S. President-elect Donald the process for foreign companies Trump said Washington would bidding on construction and mate- withdraw from the Trans-Pacific rials procurement for public enti- Partnership, a 12-nation deal Prime ties, the Nikkei said. Minister Shinzo Abe has said is The EU wants Japan to scrap key to his reforms and once a pil- tariffs on agriculture products such lar of Washington's pivot to the as cheese and wine and lower du- Asia-Pacific. ties on pork, according to the re- "Prime Minister Abe has said port. Brussels has also complained he aims to reach an agreement this about non-tariff barriers to auto year," said a trade official who de- imports. clined to be identified because he If the two can work out the was not authorized to speak to framework for a trade deal, EU media. Trade Commissioner Cecilia Japan is seeking cuts in EU Malmstrom will visit Japan next The Saudi Arabian Monetary tariffs on Japanese autos, auto week for talks with Japanese For- Agency (SAMA) released new parts and electric devices. Tokyo eign Minister Fumio Kishida, the designs of Saudi banknotes and also wants the EU to cut red tape Nikkei said. coins, the Saudi Press Agency re- it says Japanese companies face Tokyo last week ratified the ported. doing business with the EU. TPP despite Trump's pledge to The new Saudi Arabian curren- The EU will likely scrap du- pull the U.S. out of the TPP pact, cy notes have added security lines ties on about 80 percent of auto which does not include China. and new features that make forg- ery difficult. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency said the one Riyal catego- The Latest: As Fed eyes rate hike, ry will be issued into coins due to the increase of the one Riyal ban- markets edge lower knote in circulation. "The number of one Riyal ban- WASHINGTON : The Latest on knotes constitutes half of the ban- the Federal Reserve's monetary knotes in circulation. This posed policy meeting (all times local): challenges and it was thus decided Stock markets around the to gradually replace it with coins," world are mostly lower and the the monetary said. dollar is stable as investors antici- "Coining and circulating the pate the Fed's first interest rate Riyal coin has many positive ef- increase this year. fects on the Saudi economy be- Given that it's a near certainty cause the average coin cycle is be- that the Fed will raise its bench- tween 20 and 25 years while that mark interest rate by a quarter per- of paper currency is estimated be- centage point to a range of 0.50 tween 12 and 18 months, depend- percent and 0.75 percent, investor ing on the circumstances of circu- interest will revolve around what lating it," the monetary added. Fed officials and Fed Chair Janet Walid al-Sayyal, head of the Yellen in particular say about the currency department at the mone- pace of future increases. How the Fed manages its pol- tary, commented on adding the 2 After Asian indexes mostly icies in coming months isn't clear Riyals category to the currency closed lower, European indexes against the backdrop of Donald saying it will be introduced in a were down slightly. Britain's FTSE Trump's election and might not be coin form due to suffering from 100 and Germany's DAX were clear even after it issues a state- harmful bacteria on paper curren- both 0.3 percent lower. Dow and ment and Chair Janet Yellen holds cy and to continuously replacing S&P 500 futures were also down, a news conference. banknotes as they damage faster by 0.1 percent. Copyright 2016 The Associ- than coins. istry of commerce will follow up on violations and deal with those who refuse to trade with coins. It will impose the necessary measures in The dollar was stable against ated Press. All rights reserved. This The small categories of curren- coordination with the monetary institution. The monetary institution's administration will also study the market's needs and gradually withdraw Japan's currency, at 115.17 yen, material may not be published, cy will be available in markets, cen- the fifth issue from circulation. Releasing ceremony The releasing ceremony was held in the presence of Ibrahim al-Assaf, minister of state and and the euro was up almost 0.1 broadcast, rewritten or redistrib- ters, malls, banks and the mone- member of the Cabinet, and SAMA Governor Ahmed al-Khulaifi. Speaking on the occasion, al-Khulaifi said that the newly released coins and percent at $1.0637. uted. tary as of December 27. The min- banknotes will be available at all branches of SAMA from Dec. 26. SAMA has introduced SR2 in the form of coins. PPI B gives go-ahead for Hubco’s 330MW project

KARACHI: The Private Power Support, which is part of regula- and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) tory approvals, would help the has given a green signal to Hub company find suitable financiers Power Company Limited (Hubco) smoothly. The financiers may be to go ahead with its plan to set up including foreign players. a 330-megawatt coal-fired power The power project is estimat- plant in Thar, Sindh. ed to start commercial operations “PPIB has issued Letter of in around three and a half years Support (LOS) dated December 9, after achieving financial close. 2016 to Thar Energy Limited Hubco would take supply of (TEL), a wholly owned subsidiary coal from Sindh Engro Coal Min- of the Hub Power Company Lim- ing Company (SECMC), as the ited, for developing a 330-mega- power company has stakes in the watt Mine Mouth Power Project mining project. The Hub Power at Thar,” Hubco Company Secre- Company has injected $20-million tary Shamsul Islam said in a noti- equity in the SECMC mining fication to the Pakistan Stock Ex- project. SECMC is estimated to change on Tuesday. mine 3.8 million tons of coal per Hubco’s Jul-Sep profit annum at around the time when amounts to Rs2.65b the 330-megawatt power project “TEL would have to achieve is to start commercial production. financial close [arrange financing] HUBCO to set up 330MW for the project within nine coal power plant in Thar months,” he added in the notifica- In addition to this, the power tion. company is also setting up two Earlier, the company had esti- 660-megawatt imported coal- mated the cost of the power based power plants worth $1.8 project at $550 million. billion in Hub, Balochistan. The development took the The project is being developed company’s share price up 2.20% by China Power Hub Generation as the KSE-100 Index closed at a Company (CPHGC) – a joint ven- record high. Hubco’s share in- ture between Hub Power Holdings creased Rs2.50 and closed at Limited and China Power Interna- Rs116.08 with a volume of 3.1 tional (Pakistan) Investment Lim- million shares. ited – a Hong Kong-based compa- PPIB facilitates investors in ny established by China Power establishing private power International Holdings Limited. projects and related infrastructure, Hubco has a 26% stake in the executes Implementation Agree- CPHGC project. It has the right ment (IA) with project sponsors to increase its equity to 49% by and issues sovereign guarantees on the commercial operations date. behalf of the government of Paki- CPHGC has accepted the up- stan. front tariff announced by Nepra The issuance of the Letter of for the coal-based power project. THURSDAY .DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Social media reach today plays a ease and elan. Until the release of huge role in determining the pop- the film, she was under wraps a ularity quotient with actors be- fair bit and people saw her only in cause audiences feel connected to princess mode and via social me- their favorite actors directly. With dia post the film, audiences got a the new young crop of actors, the chance to see her for who she is in social media engagement plays a general. This versatility and varia- It's not surprising that Hrithik significant role. Joining the lot of tion has helped her garner immense Roshan has been ranked the third popular actors is the beautiful leg- popularity amidst the youth and Most Handsome Man in the world gy newbie - Pooja Hegde. also with the brands who are con- by a prominent international web- The Top 10 Speaking o fa follower rate, stantly seeking strong young fac- site. Often called the Greek God Pooja has recently crossed the 1 es to represent them. of Bollywood, he has even beaten handsome million mark on Facebook. She Furthermore, she is now Hollywood heart-throbs Johnny has become quite a favorite paired opposite Telugu superstar Depp and Brad Pitt, who are at amongst the youth rather quick- in the Allu Arjun for her next film number four and eight, respective- men are: ly leaving behind contemporar- after her first with Hrithik. Allu ly. The list has Hollywood actors ies Disha Patani, Saiyami Kher Arjun himself is a huge social me- Tom Cruise and Robert Pattinson etc. Her crossing the 1 million dia star who's Facebok number at number one and two respective- Tom Cruise mark was not just organic but also surpass even Ranveer Singh's. This ly. While Hrithik is eagerly await- extremely rapid for a new kid on has ofcourse further added to her ing the release of his next film the block. existing fan base.` Kaabil, which he says is "a small Says an industry insider, Going by her constant experi- film with a big heart," he is happy "Pooja's look in Mohenjodaro mentation, charm, relatability and and humbled by the praise lavished and her regular appearances span popularity we foresee a lot more on his looks. such versatility. She manages the brands approaching her for asso- When asked if he feels flattered period drama process and the reg- ciation! Here's to loads more mile- every time someone gushes about ular fun young gal with as much stones Pooja! his gorgeous face, he says, "I am never flattered because I don't be- lieve in looks. I'm a believer in ex- pression; it is the sequence of your self-expressions that make you beautiful. As they say, beauty is as beauty does." Robert Pattinson About beating Depp, Pitt and Hugh Jackman, he says, "This is a compliment, not an achievement. So. I neither negate nor revel in it"

Johnny Depp

Ranveer Singh's Befikre released to tell you that you needn't worry in the coming two days. It is obvi- yesterday and has already left about that at all. Befikre is running ously doing better at multiplexes The third poster of Aamir Khan's many stalwarts of the industry really well at the box office and as since it's an urban film. So how Dangal is out which has all the behind. With Rs. 10.36 crore on per Taran Adarsh, Trade Analyst, many of you have watched the film Phogat's in one frame. its first day, the actor has managed the film will see an upward trend already? Essaying the role of Mahavir to defeat Shah Rukh Khan's Dear Singh Phogat's wife Daya Kaur, Zindagi, Ajay Devgn's Shivaay and Sakshi stands tall and proud, in Shahid Kapoor's Udta Punjab. support of her family in the post- Let's take one at a time. Shah Rukh er. Sakshi Tanwar is playing the Khan's Dear Zindagi which re- support system of the father- leased recently had earned 8. 75 daughter trio in the movie being Tom Hiddleston crore in its first day at the box of- the backbone of the Phogat fami- fice while Befikre has pocketed 10. ly. 36 crore. Dangal has always been treat- But before Ranveer fans feel ing the masses by taking out their jubilant about it, let us tell you DZ ace first with its trailer then with released in much lesser screens the songs and now poster. than Ranveer's Befikre. Dear The third poster of Dangal Zindagi had only 1200 screens showcases the Phogat power in while Befikre got 2100 screens. addition to which the makers came Kangana sizzles That helped the film earn that kind out with the candid making of Sak- of a number on its first day. shi on the sets of Dangal. Now coming to Shivaay, this Sakshi who is well known for was a defeat people will talk about her TV roles, was offered to play at finale of BP a lot. Despite having 2950 screens Mahavir Phogat's wife in Dangal Omar Borkan Al Gala (As per BOI), the film managed to which surprised her completely. earn Rs. 10.24 crore. You can't ar- Aamir's mother Zeenat Hussain gue that the clash with Ae Dil Hai who is an avid TV watcher loves Fashion Week Mushkil hit it badly because it had Sakshi that made Aamir to suggest more screen count than Befikre. Sakshi's name for the film. The Ideally the numbers should have actress belongs to Alwar which is been better. Next up is Shahid near Haryana helped her cope up Kapoor's Udta Punjab who got al- with the role easily and build up most similar number of screens the rough and tough attitude re- (2200) but earned Rs. 10.05 crore quired for her character. Sakshi gave on its first day. an impactful delivery on the sets Ranveer comfortably went which impressed everyone. Dan- past the number and made more gal was a superb experience for Salman Khan money with his films. Shahid and Sakshi to which she says, One day Ranveer are coming together for universe decided to be generous Padmavati. There will be confron- and I became a part of Dangal. tation scenes between the two if Dangal is a sports biographical film Sanjay Leela Bhansali goes by the based on the life of ace wrestler folklore. There were reports that Mahavir Singh Phogat and the jour- Ranveer had issues with Shahid ney of his daughters Geeta and Kapoor getting a meatier role in Babita Phogat. Disney presents, Padmavati. Well, if that's the case, Aamir Khan Productions 'Dangal' Ranveer, these numbers are enough is produced by Aamir Khan, Ki- ran Rao & Siddharth Roy Kapur.

Brad Pitt

From bagging multiple awards this year including the Esquire's International Woman of the Year award, Star Screen Style Icon of the Year award to debuting Hugh Jackman in her first Hollywood movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Deepika's had an exceptional 2016. The comedy-drama reunites the With her star on the rise, she continues to amass actor with his Agneepath direc- a huge fan following on social media from across the tor Karan Malhotra... globe. Earlier this year, Deepika became the most Filmmaker Karan Malhotra followed woman on Twitter in Asia with a whop- who started out as an assistant ping 16 million followers! on films like Jodhaa Akbar and Twitter India recently released its `Most Fol- My Name Is Khan and made his lowed` list for 2016 and it's no surprise Deepika is directorial debut with Agneepath the most followed Indian woman on the platform. remake, with Hrithik Roshan The actress who is back to town after wrapping up The list also features Prime Minister, Narendra Modi stepping in for the original Vi- at the top spot followed by Bollywood actors like jay Dinanath Chauhan, Amita- Billy Unger Simran has been on the tip of her toe. Right from Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan. bh Bachchan, is set to reunite dubbing for Rangoon along with the promotions Though Deepika has admitted to not being very with his leading man yet again. of the film Kangana walks the ramp for Manish tech savvy, she has always been able to leave a last- The director-actor duo is com- ing impact on her fans on social media by always ing together for a comedy-dra- Arora at the Blender's Pride Fashion Week. engaging with them and making them feel special. ma which will mark the acting Her fans are some of the most ardent and active a debut of Saif Ali Khan and Am- Talking about the collection Kangana Ranaut rita Singh's 24-year-old daugh- says, "I feel so lucky to wear the outfit. It's like celebrity can have and they come from across all age ter, Sara Ali Khan. While the groups and walks of like. grapevine has been abuzz with an achievement. The collection is so beautiful it With an ever growing fan base constantly talk- speculations surrounding Sara's is Indian yet contemporary with a lot of mirror ing about where she was last spotted, what she was launch vehicle, the aspiring ac- wearing to the characters she plays, the digital com- tress has caught the shutterbugs' work which is so beautiful and polished." Now munity seems to be completely smitten by the beau- eye as a regular fixture at soirees that's a real Fashion Avaatar Kangana! tiful actress. hosted at the Khan residence. THURSDAY .DECEMBER 15, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger Can Michael van 'really disappointed' at corner Gerwen add to award for Everton's winner his one World no corner. Darts "But I think we have to live with a wrong decision and it does not explain why we did not head the ball after. "I think I am really Championship disappointed because Clattenburg was in a very good position to see they headed the ball out and it's not the first time we are unlucky title? with this decision this season. Sign in to watch highlights from Ever- ton's win over Arsenal "Overall, I do not want to speak about the referee too much. It is not my prob- lem." Arsenal had looked in con- trol when Williams turned Sanchez's free-kick past Maarten Stekelenburg after 20 minutes, but poor marking allowed Coleman to equalise on the stroke of half-time. And after Williams took ad- vantage of more slack defending to score the winner, Wenger conced- ed his side lost urgency in the sec- ond half. "I think we have to look at Michael van Gerwen's trophy cab- 12 that would have seen him be- ourselves," Wenger added. "We inet is bulging at the seams ahead come the first player ever to hit lost the game, I felt we started well of his return to Alexandra Palace back-to-back nine-darters. and after that maybe lost a bit of but, somewhat surprisingly, the In the final, Van Gerwen had urgency because we were a bit too new King of Darts has only one the mighty Phil Taylor on the comfortable and Everton made it World Championship title to his ropes, but missed two crucial darts very physical. name. which would have handed him a 5- "Overall, I believe that from The Dutchman has a remark- 2 lead. Taylor rallied to win five then on it disturbed our game and able 20 major titles in the cabinet, successive sets to win his 16th ti- Arsene Wenger has criticised ref- corner for the first time in the league sulting set-piece in the 86th minute, mier League table, with league lead- we created less flow going forward. including multiple triumphs at ev- tle 7-4, but the youngster's per- eree Mark Clattenburg's decision this season after Clattenburg de- completing the hosts' comeback ers Chelsea to play Sunderland on "In the end we didn't take our ery televised event, but when it formances won him the respect of to award Everton the late corner cided Laurent Koscielny, not Ever- after Seamus Coleman had can- Wednesday, and Wenger admitted chance or two, we didn't create comes to the biggest stage of them his darting peers and guaranteed that led to Ashley Williams' win- ton substitute Dominic Calvert- celled out Alexis Sanchez's deflect- he was left "really disappointed" many but we had clear-cut chanc- all, he's failed more often than not. him a spot in the Premier League ner in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Good- Lewin, got the final touch in the ed free-kick. by the decision. es in the game that we didn't take, From his BDO days, right for the first time. ison Park on Tuesday. Arsenal box. The defeat saw Arsenal miss "It was not a corner," he said. and after that you can be caught through his rise in the PDC, it's The defeat to Taylor made Van The Gunners conceded from a Williams headed home the re- the chance to go top of the Pre- "You could see from our side it was on a corner away from home." been a painful experience for the Gerwen even more determined to usually dominant force of darts. finally clinch his first world title Many critics believe the for- and it duly arrived a year later. mat of the World Championship He defeated Zoran Lerchbacher simply does not suit his style, but and Kevin McDine before fighting he's won it once and will be deter- back to edge out Gary Anderson mined more than ever to win it 4-3 in the third round. Van Ger- again in 2017. wen then beat former BDO World Reigning and defending cham- Champion Mark Webster to set up pion Gary Anderson, 16-time win- a tantalising semi-final meeting ner Phil Taylor, Peter Wright, Adri- against Adrian Lewis. an Lewis and compatriot Ray- The brilliant Dutch thrower mond van Barneveld are sure to annihilated a stunned Lewis 6-0 have a say on proceedings. with an average of 103.02 to set Andy Murray has been named ITF pions Lakeside years Despite win- up a meeting with surprise finalist world champion for 2016, with Jamie Murray and Soares ning several titles in the BDO, Van Peter Wright. And despite a few brother Jamie winning the doubles clinched the year-end No 1 team Gerwen always seemed destined nerve-jangling moments, he col- award with partner Bruno Soares. ranking in the last event of 2016 at to move to the PDC. But before lected the biggest prize in the sport Murray became world No 1 the ATP World Tour Finals. The his much-anticipated move, he thanks to a 7-4 success. Dereck Chisora says Dillian itschko at Wembley knows?" for the first time, won Wimbledon, British-Brazilian duo enjoyed a was out to claim the Lakeside Van Gerwen won darts biggest Whyte has "nowhere to go" apart The Finchley man feels he is Despite his frustration with Olympic gold and the ATP World breakthrough first season togeth- World title in 2007. Despite all the prize against 'Snakebite' Wright from a rematch and insists his bit- the only worthwhile opponent for the scorecards, Chisora did give Tour Finals title in a stellar year. er, capturing their first Grand Slam hype before the tournament, he Van Gerwen breezed into the semi- ter rival did not believe he won Whyte next year and would be Whyte credit for his performance, In the ATP Tour Finals, he beat title at the Australian Open, and went out after defeat to Gary Rob- finals with a record-breaking aver- Saturday's fight. open to the idea of fighting on the although he doubts whether the Novak Djokovic in the final to en- going on to win the US Open. son in the first round. age of 105.26 over Robert Thorn- The British heavyweights pro- undercard of Anthony Joshua- Brixton fighter really felt he de- sure he, rather than the Serb, fin- These were the first major men's Van Gerwen spent his forma- ton in the quarter-finals and looked duced a memorable battle at Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley served the victory. tive years in the PDC honing his untouchable. But his reign as world Manchester Arena last weekend, on April 29, live on Sky Sports "I had to put it on him, for him ished the year top of the world doubles titles for both players. skills and slowly climbing up the champion came to an end against a with Whyte emerging with a split Box Office. to come out of his shell," he said. rankings. Murray said: "We are very rankings. He was such a natural resurgent Gary Anderson in the decision points victory, which "He better take it, there is no- "You obviously take your hat off Murray said: "It means a lot proud to receive this award. It's talent that the biggest stars of the semi-finals, suffering a stunning 6- prompted immediate calls for a where for him to go," said Chiso- to him because he did come out of to me to be named ITF world cham- been an incredible year for us, win- game were more than aware of his 3 loss to 'The Flying Scotsman' rematch. ra. "Where is he going to make more his shell, but his punches weren't pion. I have had such a memorable ning two Grand Slams and finish- imminent threat. which left him deflated. Only one of the judges scored money? There is nowhere. I can hurting me more than my punch- year, winning again at Wimbledon, ing as the No 1 team in just our His first taste of the Allly Pal- Anderson upset 'Mighty the fight 115-114 to Chisora, while go make more money, but he can't, es. "My punches were hurting him retaining my Olympic title, and first season together." ly oche was not a good experience Mike' in the semi-finals Whyte took the win with tallies of so he will take it. more than anything. Even when clinching the year-end No 1 rank- Gordon Reid celebrates beat- though. He was defeated 6-4 in legs The World Championship can 115-113 and 115-114, and 'Del "If Eddie Hearn decides to they said he won the fight, he didn't ing in the last match of the season. ing Sweden's Stefan Olsson to win by Arron Monk in the final of the throw up some tasty early clashes Boy' was bitterly disappointed come with a better offer, yes we believe he won the fight. He knew "It is particularly special with the men's wheelchair singles final inaugural PDC Under-21 World and earlier this year, Van Gerwen with the decision. might do it at Wembley. Who he didn't win the fight." my brother Jamie also becoming at Wimbledon Championship. was unlucky enough to come up I think the crowd and I believe world champion." Gordon Reid was also ho- This was the Dutchman's against fellow Dutchman and five- the whole world knew I had the Angelique Kerber shocked ev- noured, becoming the first Briton breakthrough year as he made it to time winner Raymond van Barn- decision, and I won by two, three eryone by beating Serena Williams to be named Wheelchair world the last 16 for the first time with eveld in the third round. rounds. Chisora exclusively told in the final of the Australian Open champion. wins against Colin Osborne and He needed a tie-break to beat Sky Sports: "I came to fight. I did Mervyn King. And after losing Rene Eidams in the first round, but say at the weigh-in - I'm going to in January Angelique Kerber be- The 25-year-old won his first nine out of the first ten legs to Si- followed it up with a mind-blow- come 'old school style' and I al- comes Germany's first women's two Grand Slam singles titles at mon Whitlock, he produced a sen- ing 109.23 average during a 4-0 ways knew I could fight like that, world champion since Steffi Graf. the Australian Open and Wimble- sational fightback to level the whitewash over Darren Webster. but I never put that in the ring. She won the Australian Open don, and was also runner-up at match at 3-3, before succumbing Next up was Barney and there "I think the crowd and I be- and US Open titles, and silver at Roland Garros. in the deciding set. was no real surprise as it went the lieve the whole world knew I had the Olympics. He went on to win singles gold Van Gerwen reached his first distance. In a match that lived up the decision, and I won by two, Kerber said: "I'm truly ho- at the Paralympic Tennis Event, World Championship final, but it to all expectations, the pair bat- three rounds. The world knew that. noured to be named ITF World before clinching the year-end No 1 proved to be a long and strenuous tled arrow for arrow in a match of "Why the judges didn't think I Champion and to line up with all ranking by reaching the final of the road. He defeated Mr nine-darter the highest calibre. won it, I don't know why? Even these past champions. This year NEC Masters. himself Paul Lim, and then Peter Van Barneveld had the advan- the last round he touched the can- was by far the best of my career Reid said: "It's a great honour Wright and Colin 'Jaws' Lloyd, tage of throwing first in the final vas, but they didn't count that. with so many unforgettable expe- for me to complete the best year before dethroning two-time win- set and got an early break to earn a When he went through the ropes, riences and emotions. I am grate- of my career by finishing year-end ner Adrian Lewis in the quarter- 2-0 lead but was immediately bro- I don't understand why? If the ful for the recognition and I'm look- No.1 for the first time. I can't thank finals. MVG dethroned Lewis in ken back thanks to a superb 10- ropes weren't there he would have ing forward to the upcoming chal- all of my coaching team, family and the quarter-finals dart leg. Then, with just 80 needed been on the floor." During his semi-final victory to level the game Van Gerwen 'Del Boy' could be willing to lenges." friends enough for all their dedica- against James Wade, the brilliant missed tops allowing his old foe battle Whyte again on undercard Jamie Murray and Bruno tion and support, which was a vi- Dutch star threw 17 perfect darts to wrap up victory by taking out of Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Kl- Soares are the doubles world cham- tal part of my 2016 successes." before missing one dart at double 96 with two darts.

Carlos Sainz deserves the chance senior team that's going to be there owing to the long-term contracts Hamilton but pointed out that cessive Hamilton v Rosberg world title duels. "We've seen the pattern now, we know what the pattern is to land the vacant Mercedes seat, for years, so does that mean Car- held by Daniel Ricciardo and Max Bottas had burnished his own cre- between those two guys in the same car so I quite welcome the reset," he said. "I wish Nico well in whatever according to the guests on this los is forever in the junior team? Verstappen. dentials for a top drive this year. he is going to do next, but I'm looking forward to a different competition and a different dynamic." week's F1 Report. How long can you keep somebody Asked if there were stronger "Valtteri had a phenomenal Mercedes' search for a re- in the junior team?" options on the grid for Mercedes season both in qualifying and race placement for the retired Nico On this week's F1 Report Jour- than current favourite Bottas, Ben performances that often went un- Rosberg continues with Valtteri nalists Special, the guests reveal Hunt, The Sun's F1 correspon- der the radar because of the per- Bottas identified as their top tar- where they were when they found dent, replied: "Yes, from an over- formance of the car," said Buxton. get but under contract at Williams. out about Nico Rosberg's retire- all package, they're just not avail- "He probably had his best sea- Pascal Wehrlein also remains a ment... able "The only one is Carlos Sainz. son in Formula 1. Okay, Felipe leading contender but the guests Although Mercedes are not Would Red Bull be willing to roll Massa [Bottas's Williams team- on Wednesday night's F1 Report: thought to have approached Red over and let him go? Probably not mate] was not the driver that he Journalists Special believe Red Bull about Sainz's availability, the because there's a lot of bad blood was in 2008, but it still takes some- Bull junior Sainz, who is set for Spaniard's parent team have al- between Mercedes and Red Bull thing to get in the car and beat a another season at Toro Rosso, ready moved to downplay specu- throughout the years, they're not driver of that calibre every week- would fit the bill perfectly. lation, telling Sky Sports they have going to give them one of their star end." Sky Sports' Rachel Brookes "I'd love to see Carlos Sainz in no plans to release the 22-year- drivers not knowing where Max sits down with Toro Rosso’s Car- there," said Sky F1 analyst Mark old. Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo los Sainz to reflect on his 2016 Hughes on the hour-long show Sainz told Sky F1 at October's are going to be in the future." season and his F1 future which airs at 8pm. Mexican GP his Toro Rosso deal With Valtteri Bottas linked Whoever Mercedes ultimate- "It's so frustrating because of was for one season and expressed with a move to Mercedes, the F1 ly sign to replace the retired world the direct comparison we've seen confidence that if he was not pro- Report guests give their verdict on champion, the Brackley team are with Verstappen at Toro Rosso [in moted to their senior Red Bull team a likely Williams line-up for 2017. certain to have their first new driver 2015] and to want to see that trans- for 2018, they would find "a solu- Will Buxton, F1 reporter for since Hamilton joined from lated into a good car. tion for me" to progress his career. American TV network NBC, McLaren in 2013. And Hughes is "It looks like Red Bull poten- The Spaniard's chances of agreed Sainz would be an exciting looking forward to seeing a new tially have a driver line-up in the earning a promotion are unlikely choice for the seat alongside Lewis narrative emerge after three suc- THURSDAY . DECEMBER 15. 2016-Qaws 25, 1395 H.S Vol:XI Issue No: 135 Price: Afs.15

The Envoy:From Kabul to the White House, My Journey

AT News Report Through a Turbulent World KABUL: Former President LAST BUT NOT LEAST, there Hamid Karzai on Wednesday met was my family to consider. We had with the head and members of the finally gotten our act together. youth coordination for change in- Cheryl had decided to make the stitution in his office, his office move to the U.S. to give us all a said. normal, less peripatetic family life, “In this meeting, the members and we were enjoying this new life of the institution provided infor- without the crazy commuting. The mation about the plans of the in- three-year period when we were stitute and emphasized over uni- all in Washington felt like a won- ty, strengthen of the youth, nation- derful time, and to be the one who al unity and efforts in peace,” ended it was not a decision I took Karzai’s office said in a statement. lightly. All of us understood what It added that Karzai expressed it would mean. The kids even pleasure to meet with educated, wrote a poem tiring to dissuade talented and creative youth and encouraged them to learn educa- me from accepting the posting. tion and gain more knowledge. “You are needed at home at the “Efforts of the youth lead us BBQ grill,” they wrote-tongue-in- to construction and development cheek and humorously at one lev- of our country,” Karzai was quot- el, but very seriously on another. ed by the statement as saying. Already, my envoy assign- ments to Iraq and Afghanistan had disrupted things. Cheyl was work- Balkh airstrikes ing at RAND while taking care of basically all the family and house- Mass deportation of rejected leave 21 militants hold matters, a de facto single mom dealing with snow, clogged gutters, dead: MoI flooded basements, and power Afghan asylum seekers from outages, not to mention PTA meet- ing, soccer travel teams, SAT prep- arations, two adolescent males, and Germany imminent: Report a full-time job with a long com- A first charter flight carrying a over to local authorities before re- Burkhardt said. "Simply flying mute. She was also not in agree- group of rejected Afghan asylum turning to their home regions, if people to Kabul and leaving them ment with everything the U.S. was seekers back to their home coun- these are considered to be "half- to their uncertain fate is irrespon- doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. try is to leave Germany on way safe." sible." Given these stresses I was sur- Wednesday evening, German news Controversial measure 'Sending a signal to would-be prised by how lightly she took the website "Spiegel Online" has re- The planned mass deporta- asylum seekers' outlandish personal attacks that ported. tions have provoked several pro- Burkhardt also believed that came her way because of me. Is- RAND had an office. Max was just tered and pushed into Pakistan- The report said that 50 Af- tests in past weeks, with critics the first mass deportation would lamist extremist websites, manag- entering middle school. There was but it had not been vanquished. ghans would be on board the flight saying that many regions are still take place on Wednesday evening ing to get almost all of their facts an American school in Doha that The United States had not found a from Frankfurt to Kabul, which is not viewed as secure and that the from Frankfurt. Protesters are re- wrong, creatively denounced her he could attend. The flight from way to counter insurgent sanctu- to be just the first in a series of people returning might face repris- portedly preparing to hold a rally as “Khalilzad’s Swiss-born Zion- Kabul to Doha was only five hours, aries in western Pakistan. I had such deportations, with the next als. at the airport. ist Jewish wife” and made much so I would be able to visit much raised the issue repeatedly, as had of the fact that she worked for the more frequently than if they Karzai. I wanted additional pres- one planned for January. The German refugee advoca- Interior Minister Thomas de MAZAR-I-SHARIF: At least A spokeswoman for the Ger- cy group Pro Asyl on Wednesday Maiziere, a member of Chancellor RAND Corporation. Radical stayed in Maryland. Max vigor- sure on Pakistan-but was unsuc- 21 Taliban militants have been preaches attacked her in their Fri- ously protested this plan at first, cessful in convincing the president man Interior Ministry would not appealed to state parliamentarians Angela Merkel's Christian Demo- killed during an airstrike in north- confirm the date for the first flight from the Green party to prevent cratic Union, has frequently de- day sermons. I thought she might before suddenly agreeing. We won- and the principals. In advocating ern Balkh province, the Ministry be frightened or upset. Instead, she dered why he changed his mind for a new polic , I was expecting to Afghanistan, but did say that the deportations. fended the measure of mass depor- of Interior (MoI) said on Wednes- one would take place by the end Afghan refugees protest at tation, saying that many parts of joked that since apparently she until Cheryl’s mother confessed resistance from the Pentagon. day. was now Jewish, someone ought that she had advised him to try if From the outset, Rumsfels had of the year. She said the time and Afghan deal (DW/S. Ali) Afghanistan were secure enough to The air raid was conducted on place were being kept confidential Afghan refugees have also pro- allow Germany to deport people to throw her a bat mitzvah party. for just two weeks. If he didn’t been the most vocal opponent the outskirts of Chemtal district Alex had agreed to attend Geor- like it, he could come back and live among the principals of U.S. in- so as not to endanger the measure, tested at the deportation deal there under its laws on asylum. early Wednesday which resulted which was agreed as part of a deal "We explicitly appeal to the He says he wants to send a getown University for a semester with her. We were appalled. Two volvement in state and nation in the killing of at least 21 Taliban to stay close to home, but his ac- weeks? Couldn’t she have at least building in Afghanistan. I was with the Afghan government in Greens in Hesse, Baden-Württem- signal that not all refugees from militants. Some of the insurgents’ October. berg and Hamburg to do everything Afghanistan can be given asylum tual wish was to enroll at Clare- insisted on two months? It turned pleased to learn that the Pentagon’s weapons and ammunition were mont-McKenna in southern Cali- out that Grandma knew what she views were evolving. Marin Str- According to Spiegel, the Af- to ensure that these people are not in Germany. also destroyed, a statement from ghan returnees will first be handed deported," director Günter tj/msh (dpa, Reuters) fornia, where his offer of admis- was doing. Within two weeks, our amecki, Rumsfeld’s special advi- the MoI said. sion could not be deferred any long- gregarious Max was on the soccer sor on Afghanistan, had a hand in Provincial Police Spokesman, er. We had an old family car, a Jeep team and had a passel of new this. After traveling to Afghanistan Sher Jan Durani confirmed the air- Wrangler, he had years earlier in- friends-american and Arab-with and meeting with senior officials, strike in Chemtal district and said tervened to prevent us from sell- whom he roamed the residential Strmecki developed that outline of Special Forces dispatched from ing, arguing that it would make the compound and broader city. a plan that called for greater U.S. capital Kabul had carried out the perfect first car for him one day. AS I THOUGHT about the initiative on the state-and nation- air offensive. Now that day had arrived, and he situation in Afghanistan, I conclud- building front. He argued that a He didn’t provide more infor- loaded up the car for the cross- ed that the United States needed redoubled U.S. effort was needed mation about the air raid. country journey. The little old to make a number of adjustments. to help Afghans defend and police However, Chemtal district Jeep ended up making this voyage Without stronger economic pro- their country and to address war- Chief, Abdul Matin Khwajazada, three times, as Alex so much en- grams in areas such as agriculture, lordism. Stramechi’s plan tracked said there was a clash erupted be- joyed traveling across America and minerals, and mining, I was skep- with my own thinking. To my sur- tween Afghan Special Forces and seeing its different nooks and cran- tical that Afghanistan could devel- prise, Strmecki had persuaded militants in the district at around nies that e chose to drive instead op a sufficient revenue base for the Rumsfeld. General Franks at CEN- 4am. The clash lasted a few hours. of fly every summer break. government. I also believed that the TCOM was also supportive had According to Khwajazada, the Cheryl and I came up with a United States needed to treat Af- recommended the use of forces if clash was also followed by aerial solution. Cheryl and Max could ghanistan as a hybrid security chal- warlords acted against the Afghan bombardment. He put the death move to Doha, Qatar, where lenge. The Taliban had been scat- government. toll at 12 Taliban militants killed To be continued and 15 others injured. Civilians and the Afghanistan he’s working to security personnel suffered no ca- build for them. sualties in the air raid. Close relationships lead to Then, Ahmed Jan switched The Taliban are yet to com- from diplomat back to warrior. ment about the airstrikes. accurate artillery in Rolled up map in his hand, he once (Pajhwok) again begins to expressively ex- plain his outlook. OVER 800 FAMILIES PROVIDED easternAfghanistan “But yes, we aren’t just up Framework for cooperation Artillery is consistently an much war – and being so profi- here sipping tea. We are at the front FOOD ITEMS IN SAMANGAN Afghan Army success story. cient at it – he has remained com- line handling business,” Ahmed conference begins in Kabul That’s because it’s devastatingly passionate and human. continued, switching from Dari to KABUL: The US Agency for In- serve citizens; AIBAK: The World Food Pro- He said he received 100 kilo- accurate, regularly destroying Tal- “The colonel has seen the English and back again. ternational Development (US- · How access to informa- gramme (WFP) has distributed 104 grams of flour, 16 kilograms of pea, iban and Daesh targets as they brunt of it,” explained U.S. Army When there’s a battle or a prob- AID) Afghan Civic Engagement tion from public institutions for tonnes of food items to 816 fami- 11 kilograms of cooking oil and an unsuccessfully try to mass on dis- Capt. Dennis M. Kelly, Ahmed’s lem, Ahmed is on his way. He said Program (ACEP)-facilitated civic use can be increased; lies of martyrs and disabled peo- amount of salt that could accom- trict centers and other strategic lo- biggest supporter, friend and ad- that as a tactician, his job is to an- Framework for Cooperation Con- · Strengthening civil soci- ple in northern Samangan province, modate his family for two months. cations. (File Photo by Spc. An- visor. “Yet, amazingly he’s man- alyze the situation and fix it when ference kicked off in capital Kabul ety and media relationships at the an official said on Wednesday. He asked the WFP to help drew Baker combat camera) aged to keep his humanity. He necessary. But as a leader, he has on Wednesday. sub-national level; Keramuddin, head of the La- poor people with firewood and Nowhere is this more true than doesn’t accept collateral damage. to mirror his soldiers. They won’t Over 400 civil society, media · How to improve govern- bor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and other items of heating. in Afghanistan’s eastern provinc- He’s a family man and wants a be motivated if I – we – don’t share and government representatives ment accountability and respon- Disabled department, told Pajh- es, where Train, Advise, Assist better life for Afghans. It’s more their struggles, he said. Unsurpris- from all 34 provinces of Afghani- siveness from the media and CSO ingly, his approach is popular and stan gathered in Kabul on Decem- perspectives; wok Afghan News 767 families of Earlier, the WFP provided Command – East works with the than just war for him.” ber 14-15to attend the conference, · How media can support disabled individuals and 49 fami- food items to 293 displaced fami- Afghan 201st Corps to put rounds Ahmed politely cuts off the effective. Earlier, Kelly and a cou- a statement from USAID said. CSOs and the government in the lies of martyrs benefited from the lies in Samangan. downrange. From artillery to mor- younger captain, partially out of ple soldiers gathered around a map The two-day event would be fight against corruption; and programme. tars to air support, the Afghan colo- being humble but also wanting to covering several eastern provinc- an opportunity to discuss current · How the international Eighty one tones of flour, 13 nel in charge of fire support here is explain. es. Red rings inter-lapped every- engagement among civil society, community could best support tonnes of pea, nine tonnes of cook- passionate about pounding his en- “We have a culture of protec- where, representing potential ar- media and government and collab- CSOs, media, and the government. ing oil, and one tonne of salt had emies into submission; his TAAC- tion here. This war goes way be- tillery kill zones. He pointed out oratively develop pathways to Civil society and media act as been distributed among the deserv- E advisors are equally passionate yond killing; the mission is impor- exact spots the enemy had made improve future coordination and a bridge between government offi- ing families in four days, he added. about ensuring he has what he tant, but I say to you: we are build- deadly mistakes – places the Af- cooperation. The conference fea- cials and the public, ensuring citi- ghan Army in turn saw great suc- tured presentations by represen- zens are well informed about gov- Zafaruddin, 27, the resident of needs to succeed. ing relationships. We are building Kart-i-Sulah of Aibak, the provin- Col. Ahmed Jan, fire support trust,” Ahmed explained expres- cess. When district centers have tatives of influential civil society ernment performance; they also come under fire, the Afghan “lan- organisations (CSOs), media and give citizens a platform to freely cial capital, expressed happiness officer, 201st Corps, is a rare breed. sively, looking everyone in the government. The topics included: express community sentiment, es- over receiving aid in crucial time. A former Northern Alliance fight- eyes, addressing everyone individ- yard pullers” (as artillerymen are · The future of civil society pecially on the development of Zafarrudin has been suffering from er, his life’s work is destroying the ually yet as a group. The colonel known) have really let them have in Afghanistan and how can it best public policy. disability of his one leg. Taliban. Yet in spite of seeing so talked about his large family, and it.