Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:270 Price: Afs.20

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes THURSDAY . MAY 04. 2017 -Sawar 14, 1396 HS

13, he has criticised the Ashraf Ghani government too, the first time he has been this vocally crit- ical of his successor. In an inter- view to The Hindu during a visit to Delhi, he explains his com- ments, as well as his hopes for In- dian engagement in in the future. Excerpts: You have come out very strongly against the U.S. bombing in Nangarhar province. Given that the GBU/43B MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast) was claimed to have been used to target ISIS Khorasan, that everyone seems to agree is a major threat to Afghani- stan, why are you objecting? I am objecting for two reasons. One, that the Americans waited two and a half to three years for Daesh (the Islamic State) to en- trench itself in Nangarhar prov- ince’s Shinwar district, and to use those caves, and to abuse our peo- ple, to evacuate villages of their inhabitants, and basically allowed Daesh to do all of this, without The former Afghan President on U.S. doublespeak on Af-Pak, stopping them. They had all the elusive peace, and why must stay invested in his country means to stop Daesh from infil- trating into Afghanistan across the Durand Line all this time. They For years, former Afghanistan the aftermath of American forces monitor this line at all times. So, President Hamid Karzai has been dropping a massive 22,000-tonne having allowed them to cross into outspoken in his criticism of U.S. ‘MOAB’ — its biggest non-nucle- Afghanistan, to allow them to car- action in the . But in ar bomb — in the country on April ry supplies and ammunition...P2

By Farhad Naibkhel among wounded people, he add- coalition medical facilities.” in battle ground by Afghan forces, ed. Ministry of Public Health An eyewitness said that the thus they struggle to hide their fail- : Eight civilians were Spokesman Ismail Kawosi said suicide attacker was sit at the side ure behind such atrocity attacks. killed and 28 others including three that seven killed and 26 wounded of the road when the foreign Chief Executive Abdullah also on NATO troops wounded Wednes- people shifted to hospitals from troops’ convoy was passing the his twitter said that deeply sad- day after a suicide bomber suicide attack incident in Kabul area he blew himself up and tar- dened by the terrorist attack kill- rammed into NATO troops’ con- city. U.S Navy Captain Willian K. geted the convoy. Three private ing innocent civilians in Kabul. I voy in Kabul’s police district 9. Salvin Spokesman for U.S. Forc- vehicles including a mini bus also condemn the attack and stand in “A suicide bomber targeted es-Afghanistan in a statement said destroyed. Daesh (Islamic State) solidarity with the victims. The US NATO troop’s convoy at around that “A coalition MRAP convoy claimed responsibility for the at- Embassy to Kabul also condemned KABUL : The European Union on way in ensuring good conditions 7:45 am in Kabul city,” deputy was targeted by a suicide bomber tack. President Mohammad Ashraf the attack. “Unfortunately, there Wednesday voiced concern over for media which has made the most spokesman for interior ministry in Kabul this morning about 8; Ghani while strongly condemning are those who refuse to allow Af- increasing incidents of violations of the opportunity to have a high- said. “Women and children are 00am. Three coalition service the suicide bomber attack, said that ghans their chance at peace, and against journalists working in the ly professional and skilled media among wounded people,” Najeeb members were wounded. All sus- terrorist by killing of innocent ci- instead insist on killing and maim- conflict zones. community. However, there is still Danish added. Ministry of Public tained non-life threatening vilians once again revealed their ing innocent civilians,” the embas- “Especially worrying are re- room for further improvement,” Health Spokesman Ismail Kawo- wounds, are in stable condition, enmity to the Afghan people. Pres- sy special charge d’ affairs Hugo ports that the majority of the vio- said the EU special representative. si said that two women are also and are currently being treated at ident said that terrorists defeated Llorens said in a statement. lations are done by the Afghan se- Ambassador Franz-Michael Mell- KABUL : President Ashraf Ghani curity forces. All parties to the bin noted approval of the Law on has categorically told the Paki- conflict must understand and re- Access to Information, saying it Air cargo routes Karzai condemns Kabul suicide bombing stan’s spymaster that Afghanistan spect the role and the impartiality had to be implemented through- Daesh a would not trust the neighbour un- of the press,” it said. out the administration. The law is to India AT News Report out by the enemies of peace and til it takes action against the Tali- In a statement on World Press central to transparency in the work stability in Afghanistan, calling it ban and other terrorist groups. A Freedom Day, the EU commend- of public officials and to hold ad- expected KABUL: Hamid Karzai, former against all human and Islamic well-placed government source ed Afghanistan for having one of ministration accountable. “Yet still serious president “strongly” condemned norms, said a statement from confided to Pajhwok Afghan News the most developed and well-func- we hear that many public officials to launch within Wednesday’s suicide bombing that Karzai’s office. Karzai expressed Afghanistan handed ISI chief, Nav- tioning press corps in the region haven’t heard of the law. This must two months killed eight civilians and injured 28 his thoughts and sympathies to the eed Mukhtar, enough evidence of and a relatively high standard of be improved -no law is better than threat people including three NATO sol- families of the victims and wished the presence of and other freedom of expression. its implementation," the ambassa- diers in Kabul. The former presi- paradise for the martyrs and quick rebel insurgents in . Dur- "Afghanistan has come a long dor concluded. (Pajhwok) Editorial P-6 Page- 3 dent said the attack was carried recovery for the injured. ing his day-long visit to Kabul on Tuesday, the Inter-Services Intel- ligence chief met several Afghan New US policy opposes arbitrary timelines officials, including President Ghani. The source revealed Ghani told the KABUL : A new American policy have been set, US officials told me they would ISI chief he could not trust Paki- on Afghanistan, pledging at least envision an increase in both US and NATO forc- stan until it adopted practical steps $23 billion a year to sustain the es inside the country.” Washington is also ham- to meet Afghanistan’s longstand- government in Kabul, rules out ar- mering out a plan to eliminate the Afghan branch ing demands to rein in terrorists bitrary withdrawal timelines. The of the Islamic State (IS), or Daesh, group, which on its soil who conducted incur- Trump team supports the deploy- has been active in eastern and central Afghani- sions in the war-torn country. The ment of more US and NATO stan. According to media reports, the US policy president shared with Mukhtar troops to defeat the militants who acknowledges the need for an eventual peace deal concrete evidence about Kandahar have killed more than 800 Afghan with the Taliban. However, it suggests stepping bombing that killed UAE diplo- up military attacks on militant holdouts to force troops in the first two months of the group into accepting a workable deal. The mats and a number of Afghans, the 2017 alone. A columnist for the attack on the American Universi- new strategy would not set arbitrary deadlines Bloomberg news agency, Eli Lake, for the pullout of international forces from Af- ty of Afghanistan (AUAF) and the says: “While no troop numbers recent assault on the military base ghanistan. (Pajhwok) in Balkh province. According to the official, who did not want to be Aleading global FMCGcompany with its operations in more named, Taliban leader Maulvi Ah- mad Kandahari has been training than 25 countries and registered office in Germany is suicide bombers in a military base in Quetta. Pakistan should hand hiring National Sales Manager for its growing operation in over the Taliban leader to the Af- ghan government, he said. The Af- KABUL : Some Wolesi Jirga or Mahmod Sulaiman Khalil, a representative Afghanistan. ghan government also asked for lower house members on Wednes- from southeastern Paktia province, said:“The action against the 84 Taliban lead- day lashed out at the Afghanistan AIHRC behavior with HIA prisoners is one sid- Qualification: Graduate with fluency in English and Urdu ers, whose list has already been Independent Human Rights Com- ed. Seema Samar should not create problems for provided to Pakistani authorities. mission (AIHRC) chief over her peace in the country.” Experience: 6-7 years of sales experience in managing Mukhtar was categorically told recent remarks about the release Obaidullah Barakzai from Uruzgan province that relations between the two of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan pris- said: “Samar should correct herself first and then multiple FMCG/ Consumer brands across all countries would not improve until oners. On Saturday (Aril 29), criticize the HIA, I have evidence about the in- Pakistan handed over the individ- AIHRC head Seema Samar said volvement of her relatives in killing of hundreds channels of distribution like Wholesale, Retail and Modern uals involved in the recent attacks they would monitor the process of people, but she would not tell a word about to Afghanistan, the source said. of releasing HIA prisoners. She them.” Trade. The official added the president asked the government not to re- He said irresponsible statements from the also shared with the ISI chief evi- lease those involved in war crimes. AIHRC leadership showed the commission did Other Essentials: Good communication, interpersonal & dence of Pakistan-based Taliban Hamidullah Tokhi, a Wolesi not want peace in Afghanistan. leaders instructing fighters in Af- Jirga member from southern Zab- “We do not allow anyone to prevent peace in presentation skills, working knowledge of Microsoft Office. ghanistan over the telephone on ul province, told today’s session the country, transitional justice, if enforced, how to conduct attacks as part of some people were against peace should be applied to all who are involved in kill- Should be Self-Motivated, energetic and be able to work under Operation Mansouri. Ghani in- and wanted to turn political dif- ings,” he said. Mohammad Nazir Ahmadzai, sec- formed the visiting spymaster that ferences in their interest. ond deputy speaker, said peace was the need of pressure. the Taliban leaders were living in He said other political groups Afghans and no one could create problems for it. Quetta, , Peshawar and and figures who had murdered “No one should express things which are against If Interested please email your CV North Waziristan Agency, border- hundreds of people were current- national interests and the country’s laws,” he said. ing Afghanistan. Facilitated by ISI, ly sitting in the government and Ahmadzai welcomed the return of Hekmatyar to [email protected] – [email protected] they held consultative meetings in the AIHRC had been silent about and said: “We should not take action that can Pakistan, he claimed. (Pajhwok) them. damage peace in Afghanistan.” (Pajhwok) +93766661998. THURSDAY . MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

India should have its own policy on....

...P1 in... that is a very mountain- to-and-fro diplomacy since 2002. stan? ous area and those passes could They come one day and say that Russia’s move to bring peace have been easily stopped with just terrorists are being kept and trained and stability to Afghanistan is cer- a few people. None of that was inside sanctuaries inside Pakistan. tainly a welcome step. The Tali- done. And then when the local And then they provide Pakistan ban are Afghans. Those who are people rose against Daesh, instead with hundreds of thousands of Afghans and want to give up vio- of helping local people there, the dollars in aid. You heard, about five lence must be encouraged and sup- U.S. Air Force planes targeted their years ago, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of ported to do so. The Russians village defence lines against Daesh. Staff Admiral [Mike] Mullen called aren’t the only ones to talk to the By mistake, they said… the Haqqani network a “veritable Taliban. The U.S. held talks with Yes, but we don’t know about arm of the ISI”. They made a state- the Taliban, both directly and this. It looks like a mistake, but ment that was so strong five years through Pakistan. They met them how do they keep making mis- ago, and subsequently continued in Qatar, I know that, and so have takes like this? Should they not to supply Pakistan with weapons, other countries. The Germans have know who is the enemy? And then, aircraft and money. Just recently, held talks. The Norwegians con- hundreds of thousands of people they have announced another $350 ducted meetings between Taliban were driven away from their vil- million to Pakistan [under the Co- and Afghan civil society represen- lages; almost all the tribal chiefs I alition Support Fund]. They can’t tatives in Oslo. So why single out knew had been driven out of their talk one way and walk another only Russia? villages with their people. Then the way. So for me, U.S. NSA Mc- India hasn’t stopped others U.S. comes and hits Afghanistan Master’s visit is just a repetition from talking to the Taliban, but in the name of Daesh, and that too of what I saw during my govern- believes this will not lead to peace, with the deadliest bomb they have ment, and all that has followed as the latest April 21 attack in short of a nuclear weapon. This with the next government. Mazar-e-Sharif has shown, in isn’t hurting Daesh. The motive You’re accusing the U.S. of which over 140 soldiers were killed for the U.S. is clearly to test its doublespeak, yet some may say by the Taliban. Do you still feel bomb in Afghanistan, and to send Russia is doing the same thing. Its including the Taliban will work? tough signals to its rivals at the latest initiative on Afghanistan, I have made it very clear that I same time. So I condemn it in the bringing together what you have can no longer call the Taliban my strongest possible terms, and I see called a “strategic arc” of Iran, brothers. Their outrages against the it as a violation of Afghan sover- China, India and Central Asia, also Afghan people are horrendous, and eignty and an attack on our soil, includes reaching out to the Tali- I say every attack they commit on Afghan lives and on Afghan en- ban and Pakistan. Given that you now is helping continue the U.S. vironment. are visiting Delhi after visits to presence in Afghanistan. If they You’ve even accused President Beijing and Moscow, what do you truly want the U.S. to leave, they Ghani’s government of “treason” see as the purpose of this initia- must engage in a peace process for allowing the bombing. Won’t tive, and how do you justify its with the Afghan government and such allegations weaken the Na- decision to protect the Taliban in people. tional Unity Government at this particular? India is a stronger partner of time? Yes, well, Russia, India, Chi- the U.S. today, and the U.S. has I don’t want to weaken the na, even Iran, all supported U.S. publicly called for it to have a great- National Unity Government, presence and its actions in Afghan- er role in Afghan security. What is but at the same time I want istan from 2002 onwards. your view on what India should the government to defend Afghan- They were all part of the Bonn do? istan. The American bomb was a Conference [in 2001] and contin- The U.S. has done the right violation of Afghanistan, it was an ued to support the U.S. aims in thing in asking India to do more in attack on Afghanistan. And the Afghanistan: fight terrorism, bring Afghanistan. This is something I U.S. is supposed to be our ally. stability to Afghanistan, and ad- had asked the Indian leadership They have signed a bilateral secu- dress the issues in Pakistan as well. when I was President, and I know rity agreement with us. According But look what happened. After all President Ghani has done the same. to the agreement, they are sup- these years, that cooperation has My view is that while it is okay posed to strengthen Afghanistan, given way to competition between for the U.S. to ask this of India, defeat terrorism, and protect our them. I remember in 2008, for the India should do more on its own ISIS tunnels in the area where the U.S. dropped its massive bomb. borders. After the signing of the first time at the Shanghai Cooper- initiative, have its own foreign BSA [U.S.-Afghanistan Bilateral ation Organisation conference, I policy on Afghanistan. Security Agreement, signed in complained to Russian President Today, the U.S. may ask India Taken just ten days after the stra- the MOAB went was not clear as and body parts of dead fighters other solution but to opt for the 2014], the Pakistani Air Force has [Vladimir] Putin about American to do more, tomorrow it may ask tegically targeted explosion to de- it dived into the earth and blew strewn across the decimated land- MOAB, as the vast array of plant- violated our borders several times, actions in Afghanistan. India not to do more. Will India stroy both ISIS fighters and their out the tunnels which you can't scape. "There were tunnels that ed landmines was making it next their troops have entered Afghan- Complained? pull back then? India should have underground tunnel system in see." moab site 3Expand / Contract were entirely destroyed, decimat- to impossible to effectively clear istan, and the U.S. has done noth- I said that the way the U.S. its own policy on Afghanistan, Eastern Afghanistan's Achin Dis- ISIS tunnels in the area where ed guns of ISIS, about 20 dead bod- ISIS from the area without endur- ing. The country has become more forces were implementing their war based on its own view of the re- trict of Nanganhar province, the the U.S. dropped its massive ies and trees ripped from the ing severe soldier casualties. insecure than ever before. And to on terror, carrying out operations gion, its own interests in the re- footage - obtained by Fox News bomb. To make it to within half a earth," Amini recalled, after hav- "This bomb was a good thing. now bomb an ally like us with the — the manner of the operations, gion, and the interests of peace and COURTESY TOLO NEWS in mile from where the so-called ing gone into areas of Achin with- It destroyed everything. ISIS can't excuse of Daesh is simply not ac- the aerial bombardment, arrests, stability in Afghanistan. Yes, In- Afghanistan - offers a glimpse into Mother of All Bombs hit, as close out escort. "Scores of houses were use that area anymore, so that is ceptable, and in my view the Af- , and the lack of action dia should do more on Afghanistan, the destruction waged by the as one can get without risking an also destroyed, and even parts of the success," said Maj. Abadullah ghan government should have against sanctuaries on the Pakistani but it should do more on its own stood up to the U.S. on this. side — was causing more extrem- terms, not on requests from Amer- weapon. ISIS attack, one must take a curl- the mountain were, too." Karimi, spokesperson for the Where was the need to support it ism and violence in Afghanistan ica. With lush sprawling green ing, rubble-covered road under the The MOAB attack scorched 202nd Shamshad Police Corps, anyway, when it appears they and adding to the ranks of the Tal- What does this “do more” meadows and grazing cattle sur- iron-clad escort of elite Afghan the landscape around ground zero. which is operating in those ISIS- were not consulted before? And iban. At that time President Putin mean? Does it mean boots on the rounded by snow-capped moun- forces into a sleepy area once ruled According to one Afghan spe- infiltrated areas of Nangahar Prov- within hours, the Health Ministry told me he had many differences ground? tains, the scene could be any idyl- by the Afghanistan chapter of Is- cial forces soldier, the MOAB is ince. moab site 1Expand / Contract put out a notification saying there with the U.S.’s conduct in the No, it doesn’t mean boots on lic spring countryside. But look a lamic State, which calls itself ISIS- just the beginning -- the operation The bomb obliterated buildings in were no unhealthy side effects to world, but on Afghanistan they saw the ground, we don’t need that. little closer and the scorched trees K, in reference to Khorosan. is ongoing, and they intend to the area. And while many have ex- the [MOAB] bomb. How do they “eye to eye”. This Russian stand The “do more” means provide Af- signal something far from idyllic, From there, what was left af- "clean up right to the (Pakistan) pressed enthusiasm, some are out- know? continued from 2002 to 2012, ghanistan what it needs to stand the results of detonating the larg- ter the MOAB detonated is vivid border line." raged. "This was truly inappropri- In the past few weeks, U.S. when finally they began to ask on its own feet, to enable Afghan- est non-nuclear bomb the U.S has -- skeletons of burned cars, hous- Several Afghan people resid- ate. The U.S. was just using Af- National Security Advisor H.R. questions. istan [Army] to defend the coun- ever used in combat. es holed and guttered. Inside one ing near the MOAB explosion ghanistan as grounds to send a McMaster and Defence Secretary For example, how come the try, to enable Afghanistan to fight "Scores of houses were de- ISIS cave on the periphery of the voiced their appreciation for the message to North Korea, Russia, James Mattis have both visited the U.S. keeps announcing more and extremism and the violation of our stroyed, and even parts of the bomb blast, a bed frame and prayer drop, saying the black-clad mili- trying to threaten them," Moham- region, travelling to Kabul, Islam- more aid for the war in Afghani- sovereignty from across the Du- mountain were, too." mat can be seen crumpled on the tants tortured their community. ad Omer Safi, former provincial abad and New Delhi, and the stan, there’s more fighting, more rand Line, to help Afghanistan back - Karim Amini, local journalist floor. An iron cage stands beside But these Afghanis stressed the governor of and head of Trump administration seems to be casualties, more terrorism there? to normalcy as a strong state. And Photos obtained by Fox News it, a cage believed to have been used fear they felt when the bomb det- the U.N. Security Office-Afghan- considering its options on its fu- Why was the war moving in a do it all as an India-Afghanistan in Afghanistan taken less than two to hold and torture prisoners cap- onated -- from the earth moving to istan, told Fox News. He insisted ture course in Afghanistan. What negative way, as if its purpose was initiative, not because any third do you think the U.S.’s priorities to create more terrorists? So I ask, country requests India. weeks after the strategically tar- tured by the brutal terrorist fac- children temporarily losing their that less than 2.5 miles behind the should be, and how do you think how come, compared to the soli- I am sure it already has such a geted explosion of the Massive tion. The interior of a concrete hearing. bombed area are more strategic ISIS India can be a part of its plans? darity from the world in 2002, the policy, and I hope we will see more Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) house largely crushed by the "The people were happy, but locations, including caves and lead- We have heard of the U.S.’s U.S. lost all its allies on Afghani- of it. bomb to destroy ISIS fighters and MOAB's impact still has graffiti only on one condition: that ISIS ership headquarters. "Right near their underground tunnels in East- written in on its walls, cau- die and that they disappear from there is the ISIS capital. Why ern Afghanistan's Achin district of tioning government soldiers to "sur- that site as well as their district. wasn't that targeted?" Nanganhar province show just render to us," declaring the Afghan Otherwise it is not of benefit to Hollie McKay has been a how devastating the munition is. government "the enemy" as well them," Amini said. "Now they FoxNews.com staff reporter since "The war is still going on near as its infamous global slogan "long want the 'father of all bombs' to be 2007. She has reported extensive- the site," Karim Amini, a local live Islamic State." Moving closer dropped and ISIS annihilated." ly from the Middle East on the TOLO News journalist who toured to the site, with a coalition C-130 Multiple Afghanistan military rise and fall of terrorist groups such the site, told Fox News. "[The de- military aircraft above, one can see and government officials told Fox as ISIS in Iraq. Follow her on twit- struction] was wide, but how deep large trees ripped by their roots News that there simply was no ter at @holliesmckay The Mayhew Animal Home’s Dr. MohammadzaiDVM Wins Special Recognition Award 2017 for His Groundbreaking Work in Afghanistan Dr. Abdul Jalil Mohammadzai DVM from London based animal charity, The Mayhew Animal Home, was presented with The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) Special Recogni- tion Award for his innovative work OVER THE LAST THREE DE- and the borders between the pro- well. The quest for moments like duce a new narrative that was both helping thousands of animals in CADES, Afghanistan has been vi- fessional and the personal began these was crucial to our collabora- rigorous and poetic. To achieve London and Afghanistan. sually over-represented. Cast to blur. These friendships allowed tion. Our decision to collaborate this, I put my notebook away, Since fleeing from Afghanistan against a striking landscape, imag- us to appreciate the human dimen- on this project came at a point in choosing to remain in the moment when the Taliban seized power es of war, poverty and inequality sions that informed the artists’ cre- both of our careers when we felt rather than constantly gathering and dismissed animal welfare and in the country have filled the pag- ative practices. Our interactions the urge to question the scope of factual evidence. veterinary practice as useless, Dr. es of international newspapers and with Rahim Walizada turned us our professional languages. For a Reflecting on The Little Book Mohammadzai has been working magazines. In 2011, Lorenzo into witnesses of his diverse en- photojournalist like Lorenzo, the of Kabul more than two years af- at The Mayhew in London and in Tugnoli, a freelance photojournal- trepreneurial attempts, from the challenge was to move beyond vi- ter its release, it is clear that the his homeland ist, and I, an independent researcher construction of his dream house sual stereotypes. He shot the im- work captured a unique moment ofAfghanistan,devoting his career tion management programmes, ne- ments. This award could not have to caring for and saving the lives of gotiatingwith the Afghan Govern- gone to a more deserving person.” and writer, started working togeth- to several—not always success- ages for The Little Book of Kabul in the city’s life—a vibrant phase animals. ment to roll out the initiativesin The award, presented last er, looking for an unexplored nar- ful—business investments. The in black-and-white film with a Le- that is now past. The United Na- He worked extensively tohelp Kabul andacross Afghanistan in the night at the ADCH Conference in rative space within Afghanistan. timeline of our project coincided ica M6 camera. Working with film, tions recently declared 2016 to be rebuild the Veterinary Faculty at long-term. Birmingham, is awarded to an out- The result of this collaboration is with that of the production of which is costly and time-intensive, the worst year for civilians in Af- Kabul University that was de- As well as working on top level standing individual who has gone The Little Book of Kabul: a book Kabul Dreams’ first album; Loren- pushed him to think more deeply ghanistan since the US invasion in stroyed in thenation’s conflict and strategies for the country, over the above and beyond and is tackling that depicts a portrait of Kabul zo and I began working on the day about what he was shooting, and 2001. Many of the people featured provided assistance to Kabul Zoo years Dr. Mohammadzai has ef- the biggest issues and challenges through the daily activities of art- they started recording, and finished how. This labour meant taking in the book have left the country following its fectively worked on the ground, in animal welfare. The award is ists who live and work in the city. at the same time as their album’s time on every shot—different from in search of a safer life and better destruction;responding to their facilitating the training and devel- decided by the ADCH Manage- The Little Book of Kabul was launch concert. And at the CCAA, the fast pace required of photog- professional opportunities. Our urgent appeals by helping recon- opment of hundreds of vets and ment Committee judging panel who released in 2014, in a limited-edi- thanks to the interactions we had raphers working on newspaper book can be read as a glimpse into struct secure animal areas, sourc- students at Kabul University and determine who stands out for hav- tion print run of 500 signed cop- there for our book, we found our- stories. Meanwhile, for an academ- what the city once was, in the hope ing basic food and medical sup- organising donations of equipment ing achieved significant impact and ies. The research and production selves giving lectures and mentor- ic like me, the challenge was to that better times will soon allow plies and even attending to some and academic books for their Vet- represents everything that is good for it was partly supported by a ing students. These close relation- leave behind the jargon of interna- the arts to flourish there again. of their sick animals, which he con- erinary Faculty. Dr. Mohammad- about working in welfare. crowd-funding campaign. We self- ships with the people featured in tional aid and development to pro- (CARAVANMAGAZINE) tinues to do. zai continues to train qualified and Claire Horton, ADCH Chair- published the book to guarantee The Little Book of Kabul helped As The Mayhew’s work over- student vets as well as performing man, added: “The judges were our full autonomy in its content us understand the difficulties that seas has grown, Dr. Mohammad- life-saving surgery on animals, blown away by Mohammad’s in- and aesthetics. artists there face when negotiating zai implemented leading animal working with the shelters in Kab- spiring outreach work, where he welfare initiatives in Afghanistan ul including Tigger House and has set out a clear programme for Through 20 short stories and with their surroundings, and with in an extremely challenging envi- Nowzad. veterinary help and training in Af- 47 photographs, The Little Book prevailing social customs and con- ronment. Caroline Yates, CEO, The ghanistan. This is truly a break- of Kabul provides a close-up view straints. He carried out the first ever Mayhew Animal Home, says: “I, through achievement. We share his into the lives of three protagonists: One image that is a result of Dog Population Survey in Kabul and everyone at The Mayhew,are colleagues’ praise for Mohammad Kabul Dreams, an indie-rock band; this slow approach is a close-up with a view to developing a hu- incredibly proud of Dr. Moham- and celebrate his passion, deter- Rahim Walizada, an interior and that Lorenzo took of Arifa, a stu- mane dog population management madzai and what he has achieved. mination and commitment to help- carpet designer; and the Center for dent at the CCAA. She is wearing programme and is working with He is determined to improve ani- ing animals across the globe. He Contemporary Arts Afghanistan, a burqa folded over her head, her the Government to deliver the re- mal welfare and veterinary stan- should be incredibly proud of all or CCAA, a contemporary arts eyes are closed and she smiles gion’s first animal welfare strate- dards in Afghanistan and also im- he has achieved.” The Mayhew’s school. Around these central fig- peacefully; sunlight shines in di- gy. He has also provided some of plement a sustainable rabies pre- vision is for the humane treatment ures move other characters, includ- agonally from a window. Arifa was the first scientifically-based statis- vention programme that will help and improvement in welfare for Af- ing visual artists, musicians, poets posing for a photograph that was tics on companion animal welfare the Afghan people and communi- ghanistan’s free-roaming dogs and of the Pashto Poetry Society and being taken by one of her col- issues from an Islamic country. ties.” “For 15 years, Dr. Moham- cats, combined with an effective actors of the Afghanistan National leagues; the lens of her friend’s cam- Soon after The Mayhew was madzai has volunteered and rabies prevention programme that Theater. era can be seen on the left side of established as an NGO in Afghan- worked at The Mayhew, devoting will save the lives of humans and For almost two years—from the frame. In Afghanistan, it is very istan in August 2016, Dr. Moham- his knowledge and care to help animals. August of 2012 to July of 2014, difficult to take a photo of a wom- madzaisingle-handedly instigated thousands of animals and fulfilling Jemma Gillard, PR and Media and negotiated a ground-breaking his dream of making a change for Officer, on 020 8206 5874 or email when the book was published— an at such a close distance without agreement with Kabul City Au- good, both for animals and people [email protected] Lorenzo and I lived and worked in making her uncomfortable. This thorities to end the cruel culling of in his homeland. He is a very much Sonya Brucciani, Head of Kabul. The choice to work inde- shot was possible because, at the free-roaming dogs in Kabul.He has loved and respected member of Marketing and Communications, pendently gave us the privilege of time it was taken, we had already developed an animal welfare strat- The Mayhew team. He is kind, on 020 8206 5883 or email time. Our proximity to the artists spent a lot of time at the CCAA, egy incorporating rabies preven- professional, willing to help every- [email protected] allowed us to build trust with them, and the students there knew us tion and control and dog popula- one and modest in his achieve- Press Release THURSDAY . MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES HIA asks Seema Samar to respect peace deal

ABUL : The Hezb-i-Isla mi Afghanistan (HIA) on KTuesday asked the human rights commission chief, Seema Samar, to respect the peace agree- ment between the party and the government. Qarib Rahman Saeed, HIA EMERGENCY spokesman, told reporters in Kabul their party was adhered to wom- CALLS en’s rights Islam had given to them. A day earlier, Seema Samar, the Police Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission head, told a gathering that she hoped HIA lead- 100 - 119 er Gulbadin Hekmayar would not repeat his past acts and would not KABUL : CEO Abdullah Abdul- sain, deputy publications minis- return to violence. lah on Tuesday said media achieve- ter at the Ministry of Culture and Hospitals She had said Hekmatyar could ments in Afghanistan were irre- Information, congratulated media not reverse the strides the Afghans versible and the unity government organizations on celebrating the FMIC Hospital had taken towards rebuilding their would always support media or- World Press Freedom Day. Behind Kabul Medical country and reviving their civili- ganizations Abdullah, who ad- “We have carried out some ac- University: zation, in which the women had a dressed an event marking World tivities to provide better work en- special role. Press Freedom Day in Kabul, said vironment to journalists and some 0202500200-+93793275595 Hekmatyar emerged in eastern media victories recent past had other activities like the setting up Laghman province on Saturday been unprecedented, saying the of the joint committee for journal- Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital from decades of hiding after his achievements belonged to the Af- ists’ safety led by the 2nd VP are party signed a peace deal with the ghan nation. He said the Afghan underway.” Pule Bagh-e- Umomi government in September. journalists braved threats and faced He also said a fresh team had 070263672 The HIA leader addressed gath- challenges in the line of duty. been hired at Bakhtar News Agen- erings in Laghman and neighbour- “You are the linking bridge be- cy of the Ministry of Information ing Nangarhar province, but his tween the people and the govern- and Culture (MoIC). The team re- Khairkhana Hospital comments about women drew ire. ment.” “We cannot call the envi- corded all incidents and media HIA spokesman Qarib Rah- ronment the media is working in events in the capital and provinc- 0799-321007 man Saeed said AIHRC chief Sa- as favorable,” the CEO said, pledg- es. Meanwhile, MoIC and the Af- 2401352 mar Samar was herself accused of ing unwavering support to media ghanistan Journalists’ Council also war crimes and she should respect outlets. He said the media achieve- celebrated the World Press Free- the peace deal with the HIA and ments in Afghanistan were irre- dom Day, asking the government Indira Gandhi Children the government. versible and the Afghan people to further support the media com- About women’s rights, Saeed with their sacrifices were proud of munity in Afghanistan. The World Hospital, Wazir Akbar said their leader Hekmatyar was the gains including the right to cit- Press Freedom Day is celebrated Khan, Kabul 2301372 committed to women’s rights izenship, right to vote, freedom of every May 3. which Islam had given to them. press and speech. Sayed Kamal Sadat, deputy He said some people had ex- Fahim Dashti, the National youth affairs minister, said it was Ibn-e- Seena pressed opposition to offering Union of Journalists (NUJ) exec- the government’s responsibility to prayer by women in mosque, but utive head, also spoke on the oc- protect the media achievements. Pul-e-Artan, Kabul in the Afghan culture women went casion. He said the joint commit- However, he expressed con- 2100359 to gudar , a place by riverside from tee for journalists security led by cern over what he said improper where drinking water can be taken 2nd VP Sarwar Danish had no use of social media in Afghanistan. home. achievement so far. He said the He said the MoIC was working on Wazir Akbar Khan “Afghan women collect fire- panel was yet to hold a meeting a procedure to ensure social media Hospital wood from mountains and do oth- during the past one month. networks were used in good way er similar works, so they can go to He claimed powerful individ- and abuse and insulting of people 2301741, 2301743 mosque as well,” Saeed said, re- Sgt. Monesa Kashefi, in uniform at left, participates in a training exercise with the Crisis uals used to threaten journalists and misuse of the social media pre- calling the HIA had set up exclu- Response Unit, a group of elite Afghan police. (Sultan Faizy / For The Times) who were generally threatened and vented. Hafizullah Barakzai, the sive schools for girls during the ji- killed by terrorist groups, drug- Afghanistan Journalists’ Council Ali Abad had era. He said the HIA had an traffickers and government forces. head, said quantitative and quali- Shahrara, Kabul active women wing. Sgt. Monesa Kashefi was once tional soldiers and police face in- cook for them. It is not common Dashti said the government tative growth of the media in the He said if the HIA reached afraid of gunfire. Now the 25-year- creasing casualties from the Tali- for Afghan women to spend weeks had failed to investigate murder past 14 years was main achieve- 2100439 power, the party would give wom- old has taken part in more than ban and allied insurgents. at a time away from home or work cases of journalists. He said 16 ment of the new political system en more representation in the gov- 1,000 combat operations in six Officials would not disclose alongside men, although Kashefi journalists were killed in 2016 and of Afghanistan. In the past 15 ernment.About Hekmatyar’s com- years. Kashefi is one of several the total number of commandos in said she enjoys the respect of the two this year so far. years, 66 Afghan and foreign re- Malalai Maternity ments about some media outlets, dozen women serving in an elite the Crisis Response Unit, but they men in her unit, calling them He said so far only one or two porters have been killed in Afghan- Hospital he said, the HIAleader’s target was Afghan police force, the Crisis Re- are believed to number about “brothers.” cases of slain journalists had been istan and many others wounded, those media organizations which sponse Unit, that increasingly finds 5,000, spread across all 34 Afghan A senior Crisis Response Unit looked into and the investigation but unfortunately the judicial or- 2201377/ 2301743 fueled ethnic tension. itself at the center of the country’s provinces. The unit has filled only commander, Maj. Gen. Sayed process had been extremely slow. gans investigated none of them, The HIA spokesman also said long war with Taliban militants. 83 of the 254 positions set aside Mohammad Roshandil, praised He said committees tasked with Barakzai said. He said the govern- Banks they did not need weapons and the But Kashefi doesn’t just battle the for women. Kashefi eschews the Kashefi’s courage. He said she once investigating murder cases had ig- ment seemed unable to implement Taliban. She is also up against Af- burqa while on duty, instead wear- helped carry a male officer who party had asked its fighters not to nored the cases which they refer the law on access to information Da Afghanistan Bank use their guns against the govern- ghan traditions, which relegate ing fatigues and a black head scarf was wounded in a combat opera- to each other. as journalists struggled with issues ment. He said a joint commission women to domestic roles and near- under her helmet, while carrying tion — an unusual thing for an Meanwhile, Sayed Aqa Hus- in this regard. (Pajhwok) 2100302, 2100303 was being created to register the invisibility in the body-length gar- 33 pounds of equipment including Afghan woman to do, but a sign of HIA fighters. Recently, Balk gov- ment known as the burqa. an antiballistic vest, AK-47 assault her dedication. Bakhtar Bank ernor Atta Mohammad Noor ex- The U.S.-led military coalition weapon, radio and canteen. She “The women in our units are pressed his concern about weap- in Afghanistan has long tried to marches through mud, water and really brave,” Roshandil said. 0776777000 ons with the HIA supporters and increase the recruitment of wom- forests “the same as men do,” she But officials acknowledged Azizi Bank alleged distribution of more weap- en in Afghan security forces, but said during a recent interview in that women in the security forces they have never made up more Kabul, on a break between mis- are not frequently promoted, and The story behind ons to them by the government. 0799 700900 (Pajhwok) than 1% of forces. In 2016 alone, sions. While she misses her family not all enjoy such support. the budgeted $93.5 — deployments keep her away One female Afghan Interior Pashtany Bank million to bolster the ranks of fe- from her three children for months Ministry official, who spoke on male soldiers and police in Afghan- at a time — she said she loves her condition of anonymity to discuss an army combat 2102908, 2103868 Three-day istan, according to the Special In- job. “I’d love to spend my entire the sensitive issue, said women in spector General for Afghanistan life in my unit,” she said. the Afghan special forces often Air Services international Reconstruction, a watchdog agen- Commanders say Kashefi and struggled to maintain their Islamic cy. But the office said in a report other women fill a crucial role by modesty and also faced sexual ha- photographer's Safi Airways exhibition of last year that female recruits leave conducting body searches of wom- rassment from senior officers. the security forces because of “op- en during raids on suspected in- “Some senior officials invite 020 22 22 222 plastic industry position from male relatives, prob- surgent houses. Under the strict their female colleagues for night lems with male colleagues, low pay, Islamic laws observed in Afghani- parties,” the official said. “If the final picture Ariana held in Kabul family obligations, lack of promo- stan, male officers cannot search ladies say no, they never get pro- tion or meaningful assignment op- women. Kashefi described a recent moted. Unfortunately, some wom- It's an instance of war that we're 020-2100270 portunities, and a lack of training operation in Logar, the rugged east- en surrender to their seniors’ de- not really meant to see, an unnerv- and security.” ern province where she is based mands.” ing blur of debris and fire before Kam Air Islamic State has fewer than along with about 450 commandos. Kashefi is the sole breadwin- death. Nearly four years after a U.S. 1,000 fighters in Afghanistan. So At a house where two Taliban mil- ner in her family. Her monthly sal- Army combat photographer was 0799974422 why did Trump drop the 'mother itants were believed to be hiding, a ary of about $640, along with a killed during a training exercise with of all bombs'? woman came to the door and it fell small bonus for each combat oper- Afghan forces, the military has re- Hotels Islamic State has fewer than to Kashefi to speak with her. When ation, supports her mother, broth- leased what is her final image tak- 1,000 fighters in Afghanistan. So Kashefi asked to search her, the ers and three young children, who en in the moments before she died. Safi Landmark why did Trump drop the 'mother woman fell to the ground and live with family members in Kab- Spc. Hilda I. Clayton, a “visu- of all bombs'? feigned a stomachache, she said. ul. (She won’t publicly discuss her al information specialist” and a 020-2203131 The Crisis Response Unit is Kashefi searched her anyway and marital status.) She never thought member of the 55th Signal Com- often the first to respond to major found a pistol and two hand gre- of taking any other job, having pany, or Combat Camera, was SERENA attacks, as it did last month when nades on her body. She and the two joined the special forces after leav- photographing an Afghan Nation- al Army "mortar validation exer- The first three-day international Taliban militants raided a northern men were quickly arrested, ing school in ninth grade. “I chose 0799654000 base and killed more than 100 sol- Kashefi said. The woman started to join the military because I want cise" in the eastern Laghman Prov- An undated handout photo- exhibition of plastic industry held ince on July 2, 2013, when a mor- in Kabul for marketing and crafts- diers. The unit has come under crying and said that Taliban fight- to fight,” she said. “I fight for graph of Spc. Hilda I. New Rumi Restaurant pressure as Afghanistan’s conven- ers were forcing her to host and peace.” (LATIMES) tar tube accidentally exploded. men understanding with plastic Clayton, 22, of Augusta, Ga., was Clayton.An undated handout products. killed alongside an Afghan photog- photograph of Spc. Hilda I. 0776351347 Around 95 internal and foreign rapher she was training and sever- Clayton. U.S. Army/EPA companies showcased their plas- Air cargo routes to India expected al ANA soldiers. Her image was Internet Services tic products which includes ma- published with the Afghan pho- their male counterparts.” Bill Dar- UA Telecom chinery, productive equipment, ley, managing editor of Military tographer’s picture in the May- 0796701701 / 0796702702 initial and serivces goods. June issue of Military Review, a Review, said in a phone call on Deputy of Afghanistan Cham- to launch within two months journal of the army. Tuesday that the photos had been ber of Commerce and Industry An undated handout photo- brought to the publication's atten- Exchange Rate (ACCI) Khan Jan Alkozay says Afghan Ministry of Commerce and stan’s peak export season of fresh not yet solved with Pakistan and graph of Spc. Hilda I. Clayton.An tion by a staff member who had Afghanistan reaches to self-suffe- Industry said on Tuesday that fruit and vegetables, which often within two months our export sea- undated handout photograph of served with Clayton. He said it felt Purchase: iciency in producing plastic prod- commercial air cargo routes be- runs the risk of losses for export- son starts and if our relations re- Spc. Hilda I. Clayton. U.S. Army/ a proper homage to Clayton and a ucts. “Currently, we have many tween India and Afghanistan will ers especially when commercial main the same with Pakistan, gov- EPA “At the critical juncture of fitting end for an edition that in good manifacturies of plastic in the start within two months. crossings into Pakistan are closed. ernment will have to take action the war, when it was necessary for part focused on gender equality. One US$ = country which have top qualities.” Acting director for the com- The Afghanistan Chamber of and find alternative routes,” said the ANA to increasingly assume Of the response to Clayton's pho- 66.75Afs Second deputy of Executive mercial department of the minis- Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Sayam Pesarlay, spokesman for responsibility for military actions, to, which has been shared widely, One Pound Sterling= Officer, Muhammad Muhaqiq try, Mohammad Qurban Haqjo, meanwhile said commercial prob- the ACCI. Meanwhile the Minis- the story was not in the fighting Darley said she "was revered by emphasized on providing fields for said that the launch of these routes lems have not been solved with try of Agriculture, Irrigation and but in the partnership that was her unit—they even named an an- 80.87Afs investors. “The efforts are not will reduce problems, particularly Pakistan and there are fears that Livestock (MAIL) said that at the necessary between U.S. and Af- nual contest in her honor—and she One Euro = enough. We should provide more regarding the export of fresh pro- Pakistan will again close commer- moment there are good markets for ghan forces to stabilize the Afghan was a dedicated soldier, so we are 70.05Afs facilities for investors in the coun- duce. cial routes to Afghan traders. Afghanistan’s agriculture products nation. One of the Afghan soldiers gratified" that the public is inter- try.” Deputy of Ministry of Com- The ministry said that draft “Unfortunately the problems are inside the country. (ToloNews) killed was a photojournalist that ested in her story. As difficult it is 1000 Pak Rs = merce and Industry, Qurban Haq- plans for the Kabul-Delhi route Clayton had partnered with to to imagine that a photographer 611Afs jo announced finalization of for- and the Kandahar-Amritsar route train in photojournalism,” the jour- continued to shoot in their final eign investment development strat- have been prepared and hopefully nal article states. “Not only did moments, there is precedent. In the Sale: egy, development strategy of in- the routes will open within two Clayton help document activities first hours of the Six-Day War in One US$ = dustrial parks and export process- months. aimed at shaping and strengthen- 1967, LIFE photographer Paul 68.30 Afs ing centers in the country. “In case our ground routes ing the partnership but she also Schutzer was embedded in an One Pound Sterling= According to the information close for any reason we will have shared in the risk by participating armed convoy heading across the of Ministry of Commerce and In- air corridors. A specific cargo plane in the effort.” The article adds that Negev Desert to Gaza when he was 81.67Afs dustry, nearly $ 300 million tools will be provided for businessmen Clayton’s death “symbolizes how shot in the head. Schutzer’s cam- One Euro= and plastic goods import to the and air and ground taxes will be female soldiers are increasingly ex- era was found near his remains; on 72.50 Afs country anually which most of the same,” said Haqjo. posed to hazardous situations in the roll of 35-mm film was about 1000 Pak Rs= 631 them are from Iran. (ATN) This comes ahead of Afghani- training and in combat on par with two-dozen frames. (TIME) THURSDAY . MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Journalist India admits it will Killings in miss coal emissions Sri Lanka targets India’s ageing power stations will Predicated on miss a government deadline to slash their emissions, the country’s power minister has admitted, as a Deadly I rony he reiterated the country’s long- standing position that the respon- sibility for tackling global pollu- UNITED NATIONSThe wide- In an interview with IPS, Son- tion rests squarely with the spread belief in the politically- ali Samarasinghe, Minister Coun- bench that Imran had formed an west.““Sample the FT’s top sto- motivated killings of journalists in sellor at the Permanent Mission ries for a week“You select the topic, Sri Lanka is predicated on a dead- of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, offshore company called Niazi Service Limited in 1982 but he did we deliver the news.““Select ly irony: the hidden hand has al- confirmed that both high profile topic“Enter email addressInvalid ways been visible, but the finger- killings in Sri Lanka were meant to not disclose in his nomination pa- pers or tax documents. He added email“Sign up By signing up you prints have gone missing. The two silence press criticism of political confirm that you have read and most widely publicized killings higher-ups. that Imran gave four versions re- garding the purchase of the 30-ka- agree to the terms and conditions, relate to IPS UN Bureau Chief in Speaking strictly as a former cookie policy and privacy Colombo, Richard de Zoysa, 30, journalist and widow of Lasantha nal plot in Bani Gala where his house now stands, and each of policy.“Stricter standards from the in February 1990, and the Editor- Wickrematunge, she said “the au- country’s environment ministry, in-Chief of the Sunday Leader La- thorities at the time wanted to si- them is contradictory. Akram Sheikh will continue his introduced two years ago, gave the santha Wickrematunge, 51, in Jan- lence Lasantha and cripple two country’s mostly state-owned uary 2009. But both murders re- newspapers — The Sunday Lead- arguments tomorrow. On the oth- er hand, the CJP asked leaders of thermal power plants until Decem- main unsolved—due primarily to er of which he was Editor-in-Chief ber this year to cut particulate political coverups — despite sev- and I was Consultant Editor– and both PTI and PML-N not to give any comment regarding bench pro- matter, sulphur dioxide and nitro- eral leads pointing to the killers. The Morning Leader of which I gen oxide emissions and reduce As fate would have it, the pol- was Editor in Chief.” ceedings in this matter outside the court. “This tradition should be their water use.““The new rules, itician who apparently ordered the In Richard de Zoysa’s case, which affect stations differently killing of de Zoysa, and the police Samarasinghe said, he was the first curtailed. However, counsel for parties could address the media to depending on how old they are but officer who executed that order Sri Lankan journalist to pay the require cuts of up to two-thirds in both died in a suicide bomb blast ultimate price for his journalism. explain the case.” The CJP further rejected the particulate matter, were intended in 1993, three years after de Like Lasantha, Richard was to “minimise pollution”.““But Zoysa’s murder. beloved during his life, and like PML-N leader’s plea to form a larg- er bench for the hearing of the case Piyush Goyal, the power minis- But the rest of the conspira- Lasantha, he has, since his death, ter, told the Financial Times that tors are still on the loose and fugi- become an icon in the media in- for the disqualification of Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen. “There the country’s coal power stations, tives from justice. dustry in Sri Lanka. Richard was a three-quarters of which are owned And as the United Nations man of extraordinary talent and is no need to form a larger bench in this case,” said Justice Nisar. We by the government, “will take commemorated World Press Free- range who wrote haunting poetry some more time” to upgrade their dom Day, there were reports last and powerful plays, she noted. don’t want to affect ordinary liti- gants cases by forming a larger technology and cut week that one of the suspects in There is no doubt in my mind emissions.“““India is not a pol- the Wickrematunge killing– far that his killing was politically mo- bench, he added. With one voice, PTI, PPP ask luter. It’s America and the western from being investigated or prose- tivated as well, said Samarasinghe, world that has to first stop cuted — had been elevated to the a former Nieman Fellow at Har- Nawaz to resign PTI chief Imran Khan on polluting?.?.?.?India is doing its bit rank of a diplomat and posted to a vard University, an Edward R. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim ical Parties Order 2002 and Article ment of their sources of income. far more than we are responsible” Sri Lanka embassy in an Asian Murrow Fellow in Washington League-Nawaz counsel Akram 17 of the constitution,” Sheikh told Imran requests SC to dismiss Tuesday approached the Supreme Court to dismiss the PML-N’s he said. “We don’t have enough capital years ago. DC, and an International Journal- Sheikh on Wednesday contended a three-judge bench of the apex petition against him domestic capacity to meet this re- The New York-based Com- ist-in-Residence at the Graduate before the Supreme Court that court. A three-judge bench of the Further, the PML-N counsel plea for his disqualification. The PTI chief, referring to paragraph quirement in such a short mittee to Protect Journalist (CPJ), School of Journalism at the City Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman top court, headed by Chief Justice stated, “Not only is Imran not period.”““Related article“India air which has an arresting headline on University of New York. Excerpts Imran Khan is not loyal to Paki- Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing sadiq and ameen, but his loyalty 18 of Abbasi’s petition, has ob- jected that the petitioner has not pollution deaths poised to exceed its website titled “Sri Lanka: from the interview: IPS: Since La- stan. “Imran is not loyal to Paki- PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi’s pe- to the state is also compromised China’s“Emissions blamed for Where Journalists are Killed with santha’s killing, has there been any stan because between 2010 to 2013 tition seeking the disqualification as he gave a statement before ECP made his sisters — Uzma Khan and Aleema Khan — parties, add- 1.1m premature deaths a year in Impunity,” lists the killings of 25 credible investigation to track he received $2.3 million in foreign of Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen that the PTI did not get fund from each country“ “India is heavily Sri Lankan journalists since 1992, down his killer or killers? Why has funding using his party’s name. as members of the National As- prohibited sources.” ing that they are necessary parties in this case. (TRIBUNE) reliant on coal for its electricity, with 19 where “motives were con- there been no trial or conviction This is prohibited under the Polit- sembly on the basis of conceal- Sheikh told the three-judge more than three-quarters of which firmed” and six with “motives un- for 8 long years? SAMARASING- was generated by its 132 coal-fired confirmed.” HE: Before January 2015, there had power stations in 2014-15, accord- David Kaye, the UN Special been virtually no serious investi- ing to the most recent data from Rapporteur on ‘the promotion and gation into this crime. There seems the central electricity authority. protection of the right to freedom to have been a deliberate cover-up Candidates Bangladesh to host next OIC However, while it is the world’s of opinion and expression’, called and stonewalling of the case. Such third-biggest emitter of greenhouse on governments “to investigate and emblematic cases are not properly file gases in absolute terms, its per cap- hold accountable all those respon- investigated for several reasons; ita emissions are a fraction of many sible for attacks on journalists.” among them, to hide the truth, to foreign ministers' meet other nations’, at just 1.59 metric In a statement released May perpetuate a fear psychosis in the nomination tonnes a year, compared with 7.55 2, he said: “This past year has seen people and to create chaos. These DHAKA: Bangladesh will be host- for China and 16.39 for the repeated attacks on journalists, assassinations affect not only the US.““With a quarter of the coun- leaving many dead or injured. Of- families of the victims but society papers for ing the next Organisation of Islam- ic Cooperation (OIC) foreign min- try’s population still lacking basic ten terrorist groups carry out such as a whole. A break down in the access to power, according to the attacks to silence opposition, sec- rule of law and a lack of freedom isters' meeting in the second half Nepal of 2018, the Foreign Ministry has World Bank, successive govern- ularists or atheists.” of information leads to social divi- ments have been reluctant to force Too often, he pointed out, siveness and generates mistrust confirmed. local body The senior officials meeting companies to update their plants. threats are not met with effective between groups and in the institu- (ft) protection by law enforcement or, tions of the State. They send mes- preparatory to the 44th Session in their aftermath, genuine investi- sages of fear, despondency and elections of Council of Foreign Ministers gation and prosecution. submission – and slavish/divisive (CFM) of OIC took this decision “States need to make account- societies are easier to manipulate. on Tuesday at Jeddah, bdnews24 KATHMANDU: Candidates from reported. The Foreign Ministry Supreme ability a priority,” he declared. (RELIEFWEB) various political parties in Nepal also said that a draft resolution was today filed nomination papers for "unanimously" accepted welcom- Court rejects the crucial local body elections ing the bid of Bangladesh for host- which are being held after a gap of ing the 45th session of the CFM SBP, SECP's 20 years amid political tensions in of the 57-member organisation. the country. Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary India upset with Under the new federal struc- nominees ture, the local governments will Shahidul Haque led Bangladesh at have more rights and expanded the senior officials meeting. Among a number of resolu- for Panama powers. Iran over this tions, one on the topic of Rohingya Ruling parties – Nepali Con- minority was also addressed. case JIT gress and CPN (Maoist Centre) – Through this resolution the mendations given by the Adviso- Rohingyas from Bangladesh to the main opposition CPN-UML and member states expressed their ‘se- ry Commission on Northern Ra- Northern Rakhine State. A special bench of the Supreme Rastriya Prajatantra Party are field- project, retaliates rious concern' over the situation khine State led by Kofi Annan, and The Bangladesh Foreign Sec- Court (SC), which will be over- ing candidates for the posts of of Rohingya Muslim population also restoration of Citizenship Act retary also called on the OIC Sec- seeing the implementation of the mayor, deputy member and ward in the Northern Rakhine State of of Myanmar to provide opportu- retary-General Yousef A Al-Oth- Panama Papers case verdict, on quickly: Report chairmen for Kathmandu Metro- Myanmar. OIC has asked for an nity to Muslim minorities there aimeen on the sidelines of the meet- Wednesday rejected the nominees politan City, Lalitpur Metropoli- early implementation of recom- and sustainable repatriation of ing. (FIRSTPOST) from the Securities and Exchange tan City and Bhaktapur Sub-met- Commission Pakistan (SECP) and ropolitan City, the three cities that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) lie in the Kathmandu Valley. for the joint investigation team The Election Commission will (JIT) that will probe Prime Min- publish the final list of candidates ister Nawaz Sharif and his sons' tomorrow for 283 metropolises, business dealings abroad. sub-metropolises, municipalities The SC had, by a majority ver- and rural municipalities in prov- dict of three to two, ordered the ince number 3, 4 and 6. constitution of a JIT to probe the The first round of elections in assets of the incumbent prime provinces 3, 4 and 6 and the sec- minister. ond round in provinces 1, 2, 5 and In an April 20 order, the five- 7 will be held on May 14 and June judge bench hearing the Panama 14 respectively. KOLKATA: Roughly four years Papers case had requested Chief Raju Raj Joshi, Vidya Sundar after they were rescued and shel- Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Shakya and Sarvottam Dangol have tered in homes across West Ben- Nisar to constitute a special bench registered their names for the post gal, more than 200 Bangladeshi vic- to ensure the implementation of of mayor from Nepali Congress, tims of human trafficking are anx- the judgement. CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist iously waiting for return to their The special bench includes the Centre) respectively in Kath- country, but ironically they them- three judges who handed down the mandu Metropolitan City. selves have become the stumbling majority judgement in the Panama Hariprabha Khadgi from Ne- blocks. According to a govern- Papers case: Justice Ejaz Afzal pali Congress and Rajaram Shrest- ment official, in most cases the girls Khan, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed ha from Rastriya Prajatantra are either cannot provide addresses in and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan. the main contestants for the post Bangladesh to where they can be Justice Khan, who heads the of deputy mayor of Kathmandu. sent back or their parents cannot special bench, said it had rejected Rastriya Janta Party Nepal, be located. the names of officials nominated Amid a row with Tehran over a not respond to queries on the mat- the major political grouping be- Principal secretary of the by the SBP and SECP because they natural gas field, India is cutting ter, nor did the Oil Ministry, said longing to the Madhesi communi- state's Women and Child Welfare five years they had sent back nearly for rescued trafficked victims, of- did not meet the court's criteria. by as much as 25 per cent how Reuters. Analysts said apart from ties, however, did not field candi- Development Roshni Sen told PTI, 400 trafficked victims back to ten victims don't remember names The court wants a transparent much Iranian crude oil it buys, ac- the gas-field row, India is also tak- dates for the first phase o the elec- "At present, about 220 rescued Bangladesh, but there were many of their villages as they were traf- investigation, Justice Khan assert- cording to news agency Reuters. ing advantage of a narrow price tion. The local level election is tak- trafficked victims are lodged at who failed to provide their ad- ficked at a tender age of 10-12. ed, adding: "We want honest and India had warned that it would spread between European oil ing place across Nepal after a gap various homes and are waiting to dresses and names of their parents. Tapoti Bhowmik of Sanlaap professional officials to be mem- reduce purchases from Iran if an benchmark Brent and Middle East of 20 years. The local body elec- return to Bangladesh. However, "In most cases the addresses said, "It often takes three to four bers of the JIT." Indian consortium is not awarded price-setter Dubai crude, which tions should have been held in ev- some factors, legal and otherwise, or the parents of the victims could years for a victim to be sent back The court also directed the the rights to develop Iran's huge makes it attractive to bring more ery five years in Nepal. Due to have come in the way of their re- not be traced, though we complet- home. A large number of victims SECP chairman and SBP governor Farzad B natural gas field. oil from Europe into Asia. political instability, they have been turn." ed the standard operating proce- get stuck in India due to delay in to appear in the next hearing with Delhi had said that it would Not all of India's refiners plan halted since May 1997. Elections Asma and Shyla (name dure. Secondly, there were instanc- legal and bureaucratic procedures." lists of all officers of Grade 18 and order four state refiners including to scale back orders from Iran, were held in 56 municipalities of changed) are two such victims, es in which the victims were un- An official of the Internation- above working the two organisa- Bharat Petroleum to cut back their though. Private refiner Reliance Nepal in February 2006 under King lodged in a home for more than able to identify their homes," Sen al Justice Mission, a human rights tions. business with Iran. India is Iran's Industries signed its first Iranian Gyanendra but were boycotted by three years, who did not know said. Sen also noted that since organisation which combats traf- Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed top oil client after China, and last deal in seven years to buy 30,000 the major political parties and saw each other till a few years back, some trafficking cases were pend- ficking and slavery, said they were said the bench had asked for the year imported about 510,000 bpd bpd of heavy Forozan crude oil, low voter turnout. The nomination but now they are best of friends ing in courts, the victims were re- working closely with the task force lists so that they could pick the of crude from the country, accord- one of the sources said. papers were filed amid political and share the dream of going back quired to be present here because to quicken the process of their re- JIT members itself. ing to shipping data in Thomson India's overall crude demand is tensions in the country over an im- to their homeland. of their being prime witnesses turn. An official of the IJM said, "No one will be allowed to Reuters Eikon. The cuts would around 4.6 million bpd, third high- peachment motion against the Sen heads a special task force against traffickers. "The trauma faced by the victims play games with the court," he put India's imports of Iranian crude est in the world behind the United country’s first woman Chief Jus- established to deal with repatria- "In some cases after sending is another hurdle. It often takes added. The third member of the for this fiscal year at 370,000 bar- States and China. It was one of the tice Sushila Karki. The motion to tion of the trafficked girls. The task them back home we have arranged sustained confidence building mea- bench, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, said rels per day (bpd), according to few countries that continued to impeach 64-year-old Karki was force comprises members of the for special video conferences to sures running into several months the court would also not stand any the sources with knowledge of the deal with Iran despite internation- registered in Parliament on Sunday police, BSF, NGOs and officials submit witness accounts," she before the victims open up and tell excuses or delays during the im- planned deals, said Reuters. al sanctions that were in place un- by two major ruling parties. of Bangladesh embassy and other said. According to an NGO the truth about their nationality." plementation of its orders. Most of the state refiners did til 2016. (Times of India) (THEWIRE) agencies. Sen said that in the last 'Sanlaap', which also runs a home (NEWINDIANEXPRESS) (DAWN) THURSDAY . MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief Activity UNESCO at North passes Jerusalem Korea resolution nuclear critical Talks 'suspended' after rebels protest new barrage of air strikes on areas they hold in Syria. site of Israel delegations were discussing a Rus- viewed as complementary to sian plan for "de-escalation zones" broader UN-brokered talks in UNESCO's executive board has on Wednesday when the opposi- Geneva on a political settlement, resumes: passed a resolution that criticis- tion walked out, citing the bom- but neither have yielded real es Israel's actions in occupied bardment of rebel-held areas. progress so far. A source close to Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, "The opposition delegation, the opposition provided AFP Monitor with Palestinian leaders hailing that is the military delegation, has news agency with an Arabic-lan- the move as a "step forward" and announced they are 'suspending' guage version of a proposal draft- a "victory for international law". their participation in these talks," ed by Russia, which an opposi- Satellite images indicate activity The resolution, which de- Al Jazeera Jamal Elshayyal, re- tion official confirmed was being has resumed at North Korea's nu- scribes Jerusalem as "occupied" porting from the capital Astana, discussed on Wednesday. It calls clear test site, US-based analysts and declares Israel's sovereignty said. "They aren't fully withdraw- for the creation of "de-escalation said, as tensions remain high over over the city "null and void", was ing participation, they've walked zones" in rebel-held territory in the fears of a sixth atomic test by the backed by 22 countries, a out of the meetings but they northwestern province of Idlib, in reclusive state. UNESCO spokesman said on haven't left - at least not yet," he parts of Homs province in the cen- Images of the Punggye-ri site Tuesday. The United States, said. Syria's six-year civil war has tre, in the south, and in the oppo- captured on April 25 appear to Germany, Italy and seven other killed hundreds of thousands of sition enclave of Eastern Ghouta show workers pumping out water board members voted against it. people and has drawn in world near Damascus. The aim is to at a tunnel believed to have been Palestinian Foreign Minister powers on all sides. "put an immediate end to the vio- prepared for an upcoming nuclear Riyad Malki welcomed the re- The two sides are in the Kaza- lence" and "provide the conditions test, monitoring group 38 North sult of the vote, saying that the kh capital for a new round of talks for the safe, voluntary return of said. It also noted that a number of world had chosen to "stand on sponsored by opposition sup- refugees". The designated zones personnel were seen throughout the side of what is right in the porter Turkey and Syrian govern- would also see the immediate de- the facility. face of [Israel's] injustice, occu- Syrian rebels have suspended their Russian-backed talks in Kazakh- strikes in the war-torn country. ment backers Russia and Iran. livery of relief supplies and medi- "It is unclear if this activity pation and its illegitimate poli- participation in the latest round of stan in protest against ongoing air Syrian rebel and government The Astana negotiations are cal assistance. (Al Jazeera) indicates that a nuclear test has cies. "We will defend our heri- been cancelled, the facility is in tage and culture, our past and our stand-by mode or that a test is future," Malki said. imminent," researchers from the "We will face all the cam- monitoring group at John Hopkins paigns of distortion and destruc- Mahmoud Abbas set to meet University's US-Korea Institute tion led by the Israeli occupa- said. Workers were also observed tion authority, armed with inter- playing volleyball at the guard bar- national law and the will of our Donald Trump in US visit racks and two other areas at the Palestinian people who are ca- site in satellite pictures taken on pable of creating a future free April 19 and 21. from occupation." The resolution Palestinian Authority president to meet Donald Trump for 38 North said the latest imag- was submitted by Algeria, es were "unusual and almost as- Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, the first time on Wednesday in Washington, DC. suredly a component of an overall Oman, Qatar and Sudan. It calls North Korean deception and pro- on Israel, as the "occupying pow- President Donald Trump will host paganda effort" and the result of er", to cease "persistent excava- Wife of Nigerian leader plays down health Palestinian leader Mahmoud Ab- media reporting on earlier images tions, tunnelling, works and bas at the White House on showing renewed activity at the projects in East Jerusalem", worries as Buhari fails to attend third Wednesday to discuss the path site, which consists of a complex which the Palestinians want as consecutive weekly cabinet meeting. forward in the long-running Pales- of tunnels and testing infrastruc- the capital of their future state. tinian-Israeli conflict. ture in the mountains in the north- (Al Jazeera) Trump's meeting with the head east of the country. of the Palestinian Authority will North Korea has carried out be another test of whether he is five nuclear tests in the past 11 Michael Slager serious about pursuing what he has years and is widely believed to be called the "ultimate deal" of Israe- making progress on building a mis- pleads guilty to li-Palestinian peace that eluded his sile capable of delivering a warhead predecessors. to the continental US. killing of Abbas told Palestinians at a On Monday its foreign minis- meeting in Washington, DC, on the try warned that the country was Walter Scott eve of the talks: "We hope this will prepared to carry out a nuclear test be a new beginning." He blamed "at any time and at any location" A white former police officer the lack of dialogue in recent years set by its leadership. whose killing of an unarmed on the Israeli government, saying Jerusalem", a move that would West Bank, on May 22-23, accord- North Korea will continue bol- black man running from a traffic its leaders "have no political vi- spark Palestinian fury. At the same ing to people familiar with the stering its "pre-emptive nuclear stop was captured on video has sion", and reiterated his demands time, Trump has urged Israel to matter. US and Israeli officials have attack" capabilities unless the US pled guilty to federal civil rights for an independent Palestinian hold back on settlement building declined to confirm the visit. Mu- scraps its hostile policies, a state- charges that could send him to state along pre-1967 lines, with in the West Bank, a long-standing tual distrust between Palestinians ment carried by the state-run prison for 20 years. Nigerian President Muhammadu from London in early March after East Jerusalem as its capital. "With- concern of Palestinians and much and Israelis will be a formidable, if KCNA news agency said. The plea from Michael Slag- Buhari failed to arrive for a week- nearly two months away. out this we will not accept any of the world. Pence said Trump not impossible, barrier for Trump REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: er, 35, came five months after a ly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, He missed two cabinet meet- solution," said Abbas, who touted is "personally committed to resolv- to overcome. Trump faces deep Trump's North Korea dilemma - jury deadlocked on state mur- his third consecutive absence, amid ings in April, was absent from Fri- an Arab League peace plan that of- ing the Israeli and Palestinian con- scepticism at home and abroad are sanctions the way to go? der charges against him in the concerns his health may be worse day prayers last week, and failed fers Israel diplomatic relations with flict" and "valuable progress" is over his chances for a break- The announcement came as 2015 shooting of Walter Scott. than officials are publicly saying. to attend his grandson's wedding the Muslim world for a Palestin- being made. "Momentum is through. National Security Advis- US officials said the US military's South Carolina prosecutors Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday. His spokesman said ian state. "There is no alternative." building and goodwill is growing," er HR McMaster said on Tues- missile defence system in South had planned to retry Slager, but chaired the start of the session, he had undergone "a long period of After hosting Israeli Prime Minis- Pence said at an Israeli indepen- day night that Trump "does not Korea had reached an initial oper- as part of Tuesday's plea bar- which was open to the media. Bu- treatment" in London and needed ter Benjamin Netanyahu in Febru- dence day event at the White have time to debate over doctrine", ating capability to defend against gain, they agreed to drop the hari has been resting after treat- rest. Prominent Nigerians and civ- ary, Trump will host Abbas for the House. Abbas makes the trip to and instead seeks to challenge failed North Korean missiles. murder case. ment in the United Kingdom for il society activists advised him on first time since coming to office. Washington while politically un- policies of the past with a busi- 38 North said last month that Slager admitted violating an unspecific illness. Tuesday to take medical leave. "The president's ultimate goal is popular back home, with polls nessman's results-oriented ap- Punggye-ri was "primed and Scott's civil rights by shooting Meanwhile, the president's Nigerian media reported on to establish peace in the region," suggesting most Palestinians want proach. Trump's unpredictability ready" to conduct a test, amid him without justification. wife sought to play down fears Wednesday that former president said Sean Spicer, the White House the 82-year-old to resign. He will has rattled friends and foes alike mounting speculation that Py- He could get up to life in about her husband's health as Bu- Olusegun Obasanjo met other ex- press secretary, on Tuesday. be hoping Trump can pressure Is- around the world. Some analysts ongyang would act to coincide with prison and a $250,000 fine at hari faced calls to go on extended military rulers Ibrahim Babangida Mixed reaction to Trump's Israel- rael into concessions he believes doubt he can succeed where expe- major anniversaries. sentencing, though prosecutors medical leave. and Abdulsalami Abubakar to dis- Palestine one-state comment That are necessary to salvage a two- rienced Middle East hands have US President Donald Trump agreed to ask for more than 20 Aisha Buhari said the head of cuss the situation. The health of long-shot effort - which has elud- state solution to one of the world's failed for decades, especially when said this week he would be "ho- years behind bars. No sentenc- state's health was "not as bad as Nigeria's president has been a sen- ed US presidents since the 1970s - longest-running conflicts. Abbas trust between Israelis and Pales- noured" to meet North Korean ing date was set. it's being perceived", without spec- sitive issue since the death in of- got off to a rocky start early in and Trump spoke by phone on tinians is at a low point. "The pres- leader Kim Jong-un under the right Slager pulled Scott over for ifying the nature of his illness. Ni- fice in 2010 of Umaru Musa Trump's administration. He re- March 11, and there are sugges- ident is not a super-patient man," conditions, dialling down earlier a broken brake light in North geria: Concern grows over Presi- Yar'Adua, which sparked months nounced US support for a Pales- tions the US president could visit McMaster said. "Some people threats of military action. Charleston on April 4, 2015. dent Buhari's absence "He contin- of political turmoil. During the tinian state and vowed to move the the Middle East this month. have described him as disruptive. The White House promptly The 50-year-old Scott got ues to carry out his responsibili- 2015 election campaign, Buhari US embassy to Jerusalem, break- Trump drops US commitment to They're right. And this is good - told the press that conditions were out of his car and tried to flee. ties during this period," she wrote rejected opposition claims that he ing two tenets of US policy held Israel-Palestine two-state solution good because we can no longer af- not right yet. Slager chased him and shot him on her Twitter account on Tues- was seriously ill with prostate can- for decades. Vice President Mike Though expectations are low, ford to invest in policies that do Washington is now exploring with a Taser, knocking him day evening. Buhari, 74, has been cer and said they were a smear to Pence said Trump is still "giving plans are being firmed up for not advance the interests and val- options at the UN Security Coun- down. (Al Jazeera) under growing pressure to disclose show him as unfit for office. serious consideration to moving the Trump to visit Netanyahu in Jerus- ues of the United States and our cil to ramp up pressure on North his state of health since he returned (AL JAZEERA) American embassy in Tel Aviv to alem and possibly Abbas in the allies." (Al Jazeera) Korea, with diplomats saying it was in discussion with China on possible sanctions. Clinton blames Over the past 11 years, the Security Council has imposed six self, Russia, sets of sanctions on Pyongyang, including imposing a cap on coal misogyny for exports among other measures in election loss November. (Al Jazeera)

Hillary Clinton has said that she is taking responsibility for her North Korea 2016 election loss but believes misogyny, Russian interference confirms and questionable decisions by Opposition and several Latin American nations condemn president's call for a new constitution to end Venezuela's crisis. the FBI influenced the outcome. detention The former Democratic Fresh violence has erupted in Ven- "coup". "President Nicholas Ma- be a genuine effort of national rec- tions. They aim to increase the pressure on Wednesday with what they presidential nominee offered ex- ezuela, a day after President Nico- duro's proposal for a constituent onciliation, which is really what call a mega march," said Newman. (Al Jazeera) of US professor tensive comments about the las Maduro called for the consti- assembly is a coup d'etat. It is an- Venezuela needs now." election during the Women for tution to be rewritten. other break with democracy, vio- The head of the Organization Tony Kim Women International's annual Armed men clashed on Tues- lating the country's constitution," of American States, a regional bloc luncheon in New York on Tues- day with riot police who fired tear Nunes said in a statement posted with its headquarters in Washing- North Korea has confirmed the day. She said she has been going gas in Caracas, where hundreds of on Facebook. ton, slammed Maduro's move. arrest of a US citizen who was lec- through the "painful" process of people blocked streets. Nunes said social organisations "The announced proposal is turing in Pyongyang, accusing him reliving the 2016 contest while State ombudsman Tarek Saab controlled by Maduro would elect wrong-headed, unconstitutional of "acts of hostility". writing a book. said on Twitter that masked men the constituents and draw up a and fraudulent," OAS Secretary Kim Sang-duk, also known as "It wasn't a perfect cam- threw Molotov cocktails at a constitution "as he wants it". General Luis Almagro said in a vid- Tony Kim, was arrested at the cap- paign. There is no such thing," building housing a branch of his The Venezuelan opposition eo message. The past month of ital's airport on April 22 as he tried Clinton said in a question-and- department in the northern city of says that the move further weak- protests has shut down many to leave the country after teaching answer session with CNN's Valencia. ens the chances of holding a vote schools and businesses. for several weeks at the Pyongy- Christiane Amanpour. "But I A stun grenade reportedly to remove Maduro, whom they Prosecutors said 28 people ang University of Science and was on the way to winning, un- went off in the courtyard of the blame for an economic crisis that were killed last month in violence Technology (PUST). til a combination of [FBI Direc- opposition-controlled National has sparked food shortages and ri- between protesters and police. He is the third US citizen be- tor] Jim Comey's letter on Oc- Assembly legislature in Caracas as oting. Maduro said the process to Conflicting reports of attacks ing held in the country. In North tober 28 and Russian WikiLeaks politicians prepared to hold a de- bring in a new constitution was by government-backed thugs or Korea's first confirmation of the raised doubts in the minds of bate on how to pressure Maduro. necessary to fend off what he de- pro-opposition agitators have professor's detention, the official people who were inclined to vote His plan, announced on Mon- scribes as an attempted foreign- sown fear among citizens. Korean Central News Agency for me but got scared off." On day, has inflamed the opposition, backed "coup" against him. Lucia Newman, Al Jazeera's (KCNA) said he had been held for October 28, Comey sent a letter which is calling for even bigger Washington reiterated its con- Latin America editor, said the dem- "committing criminal acts of hos- to Congress saying new emails demonstrations to demand elec- cerns for democracy in Venezuela onstration planned for Wednesday tility aimed to overturn the had turned up in the investiga- tions. A "mega protest" is planned after Maduro's constitutional an- may be held at the presidential DPRK", using the acronym for the tion looking into her use of a for Wednesday. nouncement. palace, a move that would put pro- Democratic People's Republic of private server while she was sec- International concern is also Venezuelan protesters demand testers and riot police in direct Korea. It added that Kim was "un- retary of state - emails that later rising, with Chile and Argentina release of political prisoners confrontation. der detention by a relevant law en- proved to be irrelevant "If the among the countries expressing "We view it as a step back- "This is only the beginning, say forcement body which is conduct- election were on October 27, I worry. The United States con- wards," said top state department government opponents, of what ing detailed investigation into his would be your president," Clin- demned Maduro's announcement, official Michael Fitzpatrick. they call a national rebellion to try crimes". INSIDE STORY: China ton said. (Al Jazeera) while Brazil's foreign minister, "This process is not, by the and force the president out, or at welcomes US 'path of dialogue' for Aloysio Nunes, branded it a initial indications, shaping up to the very least force him to call elec- North Korea. (Al Jazeera) THURSDAY . MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

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

AFGHANISTAN TIMES Clamping down on whistle-blowers Editor: Mansoor Faizy Phone No: +93-797070563 a ‘retrograde’ step E-mail: [email protected] By Paul Bernal Email: [email protected] Paul is a lecturer in IT, IP and Media Law at UEA, the author of Internet Privacy Rights: www.afghanistantimes.af Rights to Protect Autonomy. Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi Journalism, and the media more gen- others to create a "fake narrative". Advisory editorial board erally, is under a lot of pressure. The The tumult surrounding "fake news" "fake news" furore rumbles on while should not be seen in isolation. Me- Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, traditional media is under a number dia manipulation and failure does of threats: struggling business mod- not just come by reporting things Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal, Saboor Sarir els; loss of trust from many direc- that aren't true, nor by failing to tions; journalists under surveillance report things that are true, but by Graphic-Designers: and threatened by authoritarians; allowing false narratives to be cre- and an increasingly nervous depen- ated. Selective use of facts, failure Bilal Yusufi and Basir Qazizada dency on social media platforms Fa- to see things in context, failure to Mar ket i ng & Adver t i si ng: cebook and Twitter. see the implications and impact of Within this troubled environment, stories are all failures - and in some Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 the role of whistle-blowers has been ways more dangerous failures than criticised. Did WikiLeaks help US the more obvious "fake news". The fear of "fake news" to be used as - and to help rebuild people's trust. Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan President Donald Trump get elect- media's job is not just to report facts, reason to clampdown on freedom They need to emphasise their inde- ed? Was Julian Assange working with but to put them in context and to of speech. Registering "real" news pendence - moves such as the ap- Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 Russia to undermine American de- help people to understand them. sources or algorithmically blocking pointment of former Chancellor - mocracy? Are whistle-blowers, rath- In the UK, the media conspicuously "fake" news sources is essentially and current Conservative MP - Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press er than being a positive force, break- failed to do this during the "Brexit" nothing more than censorship. George Osborne as editor of Lon- ing down the walls of secrecy that referendum. In the United States, Clamping down on whistle-blowers don's Evening Standard do exactly conceal the misdeeds of the power- the same could be said over the elec- in general because Assange might the opposite. They need to be loud- ful, allowing themselves to become tion of Donald Trump. Those fail- have been effectively working for er, clearer and more direct in calling The constitution says the cat's-paw of autocrats and au- ures have had significant conse- Putin would be a distinctly retro- out lies and challenging false narra- thoritarians? These important ques- quences. Whether without them grade step. Clamping down on whis- tives. They need to be more aware tions are part of a larger challenge these elections would have had dif- tle-blowers in general because As- when they are being used by politi- Article 136 for the whole of the media. ferent results is another question, sange might have been effectively cians – and resist that, strongly and Article One Hundred Thirty-Six: The administration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, It is not only whistle-blowers that and whether different results would working for Putin would be a dis- vocally. They need to halt - or even need to consider their responsibili- have been better is yet another. But tinctly retrograde step: the spectre better reverse - the growing reliance based on the units of the central government and local offices, shall be regulated according to the ties, but the media as a whole and elections and referendum results de- of the Russian Bear and fear of the on Facebook and Twitter as routes law. The central administration shall be divided into several administrative units, each headed by governments. termined on the basis of greater un- far-right can be used to justify many to news. Governments also need to a Minister. The local administrative unit shall be a province. The number, area, divisions and Good journalism is needed right now derstanding of the issues and facts authoritarian moves by exactly take responsibility. They need to be related provincial organizations as well as number of offices shall be regulated on the basis of more than ever. And whistle-blow- must be better for democracy, and those "liberals" who should oppose brave enough not to tighten regula- population, social and economic conditions, as well as geographical location. ers are important at a time when for building trust. them. What is needed is more re- tion. They need to rein back sur- the world - and politics in particular 'More responsibility needed' sponsibility. Whistle-blowers need veillance of journalists, and try to - is in turmoil. Journalism's role in The big question is how to re- to be aware of how their leaks might protect rather than punish whistle- helping people to understand what spond to these problems - or per- be used. They are, however, only a blowers. Sadly there are precious few is happening is critical - from the haps more importantly how not to small part of the picture. Journal- signs that any of this will happen. catastrophe in Syria and the rise of respond. It would be easy for the ists need to stand up and be counted (Aljazeera) the so-called and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) to the prominence in the west of the far right. When governments react to this Disgusting effects of prison turmoil by retrenching into a more authoritarian approach - as demon- strated from Trump to May, Er- overcrowding: Sewage dogan to Putin and many more - that makes whistle-blowers vital if journalists are to be able to play their parts. Snowden: A model whistle- backflow in my cell blower? Edward Snowden's revela- tions of the mass surveillance ac- he Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also known as tivities of the NSA, GCHQ and oth- ers in 2013 demonstrated the im- By Kenneth E. Hartman iar with life in a six-by-ten-foot currence, and the amount of over- the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), but in Afghanistan it mense value of whistle-blowers, but concrete box, it can't be hard to time the institutional plumbers are is very famous by its Arabic language acronym Daesh. ISIL also the importance of thinking imagine scenarios where a man ac- working has exploded. It's a perfect through and taking responsibility for Every day the toilet in my cell fills cidentally tries to empty a stinking storm of bad consequences directly gained global prominence in early 2014 when it drove Iraqi govern- your leaks. Though British and up with a disgusting brown backflow, bowl too fast, trying to mollify an linked to the gross reliance on in- American authorities remain and at least a couple of times a week angry cellmate. The next modifica- carceration in this state. The gov- ment forces out of key cities in its Western Iraq offensive followed staunchly critical of Snowden, what there are chunks of someone else's tion happened more recently: low- ernor's mandated water reductions he revealed provided people with a excrement floating in it. Since the flow diaphragms. Without going too could have been met in here by re- by its capture of Mosul and the . In Syria the group is far better understanding of what is implementation of flush restrictions far down the pipes with details, real ducing the prison population, but also engaged in destruction activities. The group is widely known for happening. In some ways, Snowden's and low-flow diaphragms here at low-flow toilets have a different that didn't happen because the state case might be seen as a model of California State Prison-Los Ange- design that allows for an effective remains fully committed to mass its videos of beheading of both soldiers and civilians, including jour- how whistle-blowing should work. les County in Lancaster, these prob- evacuation of the bowl with less incarceration. While the problems His leaks have led to more restric- lems have grown much worse. There water. In here, however, we have a of toilet restrictions and shower ac- nalists and workers and its destruction of cultural heritage sites. ISIS tions, legal challenges and legal de- are now more than 185 men packed jury-rigged, add-on system that sim- cess seem minor in the grand scheme velopments in the governance of into buildings designed for 100, and ply provides less water to a toilet of things, they are emblematic of is also responsible for human right abuse and war crimes. But some surveillance, and in some ways im- all of these men need to use the toi- designed for more water. This means far bigger systemic problems. Pris- proved the way surveillance is man- let facilities multiple times a day. less water for fewer flushes, and that ons are inherently violent and abu- members of these groups are active in Afghanistan under Daesh Kho- aged, understood and overseen. It's probably the most overlooked equals more problems. More prob- sive, and their overcrowding inevi- rasan. The Khorasan group’s area of operations also includes other Snowden chose The Guardian to re- yet most consequential byproduct lems with incomplete flushes, inad- tably leads to violations of basic lease his information to, and his of prison overcrowding, and because equate times to flush and tensions human rights. Access to water and parts of South Asia, such as Pakistan and India where individuals documents slowly and carefully California remains wedded to a purely between men crammed into too sanitation facilities, access to quali- found their way into the public do- punitive approach to corrections, small a space. A couple of years ago ty health care, and the ability to have pledged allegiance to it. The group in 2015 appointed former main through a series of other re- the overcrowding continues unabat- the governor ordered all state agen- live a safe life are directly and in- sponsible media outlets, from Der ed at this prison. A few years ago cies to cut water use by 20 percent versely linked to the crowding of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militant as its leader, with Spiegel and to flush restrictors were installed on all in response to California's drought. the prisons -- and to imprisonment former Afghan Taliban commander Abdul Rauf Aliza appointed as and Le Monde. of the prisoner toilets that limit the For most departments, this meant more generally. Saving water in Cal- In some ways, Snowden's case might number of flushes to two during any not watering lawns or not serving a ifornia is a vital issue that's con- deputy leader. Aliza was killed in a US in February 2015, be seen as a model of how whistle- five-minute period. When they were glass of water in the cafeteria unless nected to our ability to survive in a blowing should work. By contrast, first installed, we were assured cus- asked for -- rational responses. In changing climate. Not watering grass while Khan was killed in a US airstrike in July 2016. But the group did the fact that the Trump campaign tody and medical staff would be able the prisons, the response was to cut lawns in the desert and not wasting was able to use WikiLeaks' revela- to turn them off in cases of diarrhea back on showers, to remove show- unasked-for water in the cafeteria not terminate by killing its leaders, reversely it tried well to gain foot- tions concerning Hillary Clinton's and other difficulties that required ering facilities from the exercise are appropriate actions. Continuing hold in the country, and their (Daesh) presence now is a great hazard emails might be evidence of a lesser more flushes than the baseline num- yards, and to install the aforemen- to waste human lives in prisons and strategy. It is not that the Clinton ber. This assurance proved to be tioned toilet-altering gadgets, all of subjecting the most vulnerable to un- to Afghanistan. Abduction, killing, suicide attacks, beheading and leaks were false or unimportant. false. In a cell occupied by two men, which greatly, and negatively, im- healthy policies are not appropri- They were true and they were im- both of whom are only feet from pacted the lives of prisoners. A re- ate actions. When I walk into my etc… are the evil practice of this group. Mostly, civilians are the portant. But the timing and method the toilet, the restrictors translate sponse that was, frankly, irrational. cell and see a bowl full of brown through which they were released to full bowls and potential conflicts. There's still more to this irrational water, I'm reminded of my status in victims. Even the group torched residential houses in eastern Nangar- enabled information to be used in We objected to the additional re- response. Because the pipes were the world; I'm reminded of my val- ways that were seen by many to be striction of a 15-minute penalty pe- designed for a greater amount of ue. All the pious talk in the world har province, and it considers their hideouts. Daesh militants are hav- manipulative and in some ways high- riod for even attempting to flush water, the incidences of clogging are about rehabilitation doesn't change ing huge presence in this province. Thought they have presence in ly misleading. Misleading not by more than twice in the five minutes increasing, the stench of backed-up this ugly reality. other provinces too, but not as much as in Nangarhar. Daesh is a being "fake news" but by helping allotted. Even for those not famil- sewers is a much more common oc- (Truthout) serious threat, and there is no doubt in it. However, security forces have killed at least 2,500 Daesh fighters in the past one year, but the group’s threat is still here. It is a fact that brave security forces are making indefatigable efforts to chase not only Daesh, but all militant outfits nationwide. But it is also fact that militants are growing day by Maf ia group day. Daesh has to be eliminated. Looking to the group’s ideology, we get clear picture of how much the group is brutal. It is vicious at every form. For instance, the killing of patience, visitors, doctors and other employees of the 400-bed hospital—the largest military hospi- tal in Kabul is one of their atrocity against innocent people. The group also thumped its chest for Wednesday’s Kabul suicide attack, in which Nation eight civilians were killed, 28 others including three NATO troops wounded. A comprehensive operation against Deash militant is the need of the hour. There is no doubt that terrorists, whether it is Daesh, Taliban, or other militant outfits have concealed their consecutive defeats through such cowardly attacks on the public areas. A joint anti-Daesh operation across the country has to be kicked off and target them from air and ground. Subscription Rates Note: The following rates will apply from January 01, 2017. Categories Fee Fr ee mar ket Afghanistan Times Annual Afg: 5400 at your door step For fast delivery service Six Months Afg: 2700 Afghanistan Times seeks the names, addresses of your International Organization $240 per year organizations and the number of copies you want. THURSDAY. MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

One day, Trump is a tough hombre. The next, he’s Can Wikitribune purring like a combat fake news? kitten. By Zahera Harb By Kathleen Parker

Dr Zahera Harb is senior lecturer in International By Vanessa Berhe Journalism at City, University of London.

the size of the news organisation. If Vanessa Berhe is the president of One Day Sey- Wikitribune aims to cover global oum, a human rights group, and studies law at SOAS "The news is broken and we can fix news, a team of 10 journalists won't University of London. it", says Jimmy Wales, cofounder be enough to carry on the job as It should have been obvious, but I of Wikipedia. He promises us that other journalists have already indi- I learned the true power of words geted attacks on the media have missed it: Stephen K. Bannon has his new venture, Wikitribune , will cated. As a result, the platform will been banished and Dennis Rodman fix the news. He tells us that it will have to rely heavily on "volunteers" when I was six years old. I had just kept the world from understanding started my first year of school in the full dimension of the violence is whispering in the president’s ear. fight and expose "fake news" and and "community members" to fact Okay, maybe not, but it could ex- bring back our trust, as readers, in check news stories and, in that, I Sweden when my mother explained taking place in Syria. Unchecked that my uncle was imprisoned in impunity has suppressed critical re- plain President Trump’s sudden ad- news organisations. No more gate- see a model closer to "exploitation" segment he had seen on Fox News, er it's propaganda from a dictator- miration for North Korean leader keeping, he says. Volunteers from than anything else. Eritrea, simply for speaking his porting on drug trafficking in Mex- a right-wing news channel often crit- ship, a news report from a suppos- mind. The next day, I told my ico, militant violence in Pakistan, Kim Jong Un, whom he recently the public will work alongside pro- Repeating Wikipedia's mistakes icised for its bias. The danger here is edly independent source, or a speech identified as a “pretty smart cook- fessional journalists to fact check A model in which "anyone can friends what I had learned and when and corruption in Russia." The tar- not only that the US has a president from a democratically elected pres- our parents came to pick us up, they geted attacks and unchecked impu- ie.” Rodman, you’ll recall, visited news stories and re-establish news flag or fix an article and submit it who actively and unapologetically ident. The failure to do so will un- North Korea several times and has credibility. All of that is going to be for review" might not be the best found us collecting money in plas- nity play a key role to why all of lies about marginalised groups and doubtedly lead to terrible injustice. tic cups on the schoolyard. When the problems mentioned above still proclaimed Kim an “awesome guy,” achieved through crowdfunding. No way to tackle fake news or to tackle pressing issues, but that there is a We need to hold governments who saying he’d be “a friend for life.” ads, no dependence on clicks, Wales inaccurate news stories, considering one of the parents asked what we persist, three years after the report large group of people whose per- silence journalists and citizens ac- were doing, my friend explained my was written. The consequences of During his adventures in the Hermit explains. Wikitribune is going to be that those 10 journalists might be ception of reality is largely based countable and speak up for those Kingdom, Rodman attended and over swamped with work and they uncle's situation and said that we were impunity are, indeed, dangerous and free of an owner's editorial control. on speeches from their leader and who cannot themselves. Govern- participated in basketball exhibitions Instead, he promises us something might not have the time to do a telling people his story and collect- deadly. But to argue that freedom of segments of biased and irresponsi- ments might be able to silence their proper review. In this system, we ing money to buy his release and a expression only is being under at- for Kim and even sang “Happy entirely different: community con- ble news channels. As far as they own citizens, but they cannot pos- Birthday” to him. But at some point, trol. Wales is telling us that to "sup- will encounter mistakes similar to plane ticket. My uncle's story had tack in authoritarian states would were concerned, a terrorist attack sibly silence the outside world. It is word reached Rodman that Kim isn’t port Wikitribune means ensuring those we have been seeing in Wiki- taught me that, if words alone were be a misstatement. Media cannot had been committed by refugees and only when impunity itself is chal- really so awesome. Thought-pro- that journalists only write articles pedia. Those mistakes tend to cause powerful enough to bring fear to the simply exist on its own, it also needs anything stating the contrary could lenged by those beyond the reach of based on facts that they can veri- the same harm as fake news. Mis- most powerful institution in a coun- to be independent and responsible. easily be brushed off as "fake news", the attacking government that it voking opinions and commentary, fy". We are going to be able to see takes in Wikipedia, in the end, are try, then they must be used actively, If not, it can easily be used as a tool just as the current US president la- can be ended. Foreign governments, in your inbox daily. During a 2014 their sources, he claims. It is going mere lies listed as facts. Meddling loudly, and fearlessly in order to to deceive, manipulate and control, bels news reports he simply does not international institutions, corpora- ESPN interview, the mercurial bas- to be evidence based journalism. The with Wikipedia accounts has become bring about positive change in the and affect innocent people's lives. agree with. A former US ambassador tions, activists, journalists and world ketball great expressed remorse for community support is going to a tool in media wars between polit- world. Any government which wants The 'lying' American president to the United Nations once said: citizens all play a role in holding comments he made suggesting that come in the form of crowdfunding ical and economic rivals and also to unjustifiably and cruelly control Our current political climate "Everyone is entitled to his own abusive governments accountable. Kenneth Bae, an American mission- and Wales admits that Wikitribune between countries that are in con- their citizens is right to fear a free has shown just how vulnerable me- opinion, but not to his own facts." Even the most isolated dictatorships ary who was then being held captive will need to recruit at least 10 full- flict over territory or that have con- media. Our right to express our- dia is to becoming corrupt, regard- Today, those words are more im- are not immune from external pres- by North Korea, was somewhat re- time journalists for this "new tool" flicting historical narratives. We selves freely is quite understandably less of where in the world it is. In portant than ever. The media de- sure. sponsible for his fate. After his pub- to materialise. In short, what Wales know that in the coverage of poli- considered one of the most sacred the United States, a country that cides which stories they tell and how We need to be persistent. lic ordeal, Rodman said he wanted is trying to tell us is that "citizen tics, for example, fake news stories principles of democracy. When com- prides itself in their democracy, the they do so. When they attack, we A very long time has passed to “just do happy things,” which journalists" will be working along- are sometimes disseminated by fig- bined with an independent and re- current president has declared a war need to shout even louder ... with since I found out my uncle was im- apparently included maintaining his side professional journalists to bring ures of authority. That is why jour- sponsible media platform, this free- on media. But it is not a war on the our words alone we can do wonders. prisoned and I am still campaigning friendship with Kim. Trump’s re- us accurate, fact-based news in re- nalists need fact checkers. Fact dom of expression is an essential entire media, only the ones he does Let us not let that power go to waste. for his release. They wanted to si- cent praise of Kim’s leadership, as sponse to what is coined as "fake checking has become a field of its part of a system of checks and bal- not agree with. The ones he does Demonising a group of people while lence him, so I decided to become well as his White House invitation news". own, with its own tools, software ances that scrutinises people in pow- agree with, he uses as sources for his camouflaging bigotry as fact can his voice. They wanted him to be to Philippine President Rodrigo Plagiarism vs journalism and training. It might not be a sim- er and holds them accountable. It speeches, sometimes without check- have dangerous implications - we do forgotten, so I decided to tell the Duterte, indicates a pivot for Trump What Wales does not tell us is ple straight forward job a journalist informs the public, changes percep- ing the accuracy. Like most Swedes, not need to look far back in history whole world his story. Challenging away from tough talk toward a soft- whether those "citizen journalists" can do, or has time to do. I'm not tions and initiates dialogues. It safe- I was confused when the current US to find proof of that. How do we governments is not easy and it will er voice. One day he was talking or "community members", as he suggesting Wikipedia has not revo- guards democracy and prevents tyr- president implied that there had been then ensure that the validity of truth take time. When they try to block about possible military action identifies them, are going to be paid? lutionised the world of encyclopae- anny. Any government which wants some kind of terrorist attack by ref- is not jeopardised, impunity is end- us, we need to find new routes. against North Korea; the next, he’s Having community members feed dias, but I - just like many of my to unjustifiably and cruelly control ugees in Sweden the night before. ed and freedom of expression can When they attack, we need to shout practically pinching Kim’s dimpled in the news and then having these academic colleagues - still deter my their citizens is right to fear a free My social media feeds instantly flourish? We can only do that by even louder. My then six-year-old cheeks. Trump sounded almost news items edited and authored by students from using Wikipedia as a media. The consequences of impu- filled up with sources refuting such protecting this democratic princi- friends understood it quickly; with proud of Kim, who was in his 20s professional journalists, will make research source. Wikitribune may nity are deadly. Not only are inno- an attack and it was quickly con- ple - actively, loudly, and fearlessly. our words alone we can do wonders. when he took over the family busi- the end product closer to plagiarism not be similar to Wikipedia in this cent people being killed for perform- firmed that no attack of any kind We need to constantly stay critical Let us not allow that power go to ness in 2011 upon his father’s death. than to real journalism - except that sense, but it is a thought to keep in ing their civic duty and doing their had happened in Sweden. The pres- and challenge the narrative we have waste. Trump praised him for holding the original author of those stories mind. job, but the stories that journalists ident had based his statement on a been presented, regardless of wheth- (Aljazeera) things together, which, he indicat- will be aware of what is going to Open-source unlimited funding are trying to tell are not being heard. ed, is hard to do. But Kim found a happen and will probably indirectly A question is also to be raised in My uncle Seyoum Tsehaye was im- way, notably by starving his people consent to have his/her story edited relation to Wikitribune's financial prisoned is a journalist in 2001. Over and killing his opponents. Among and authored by a professional jour- independence. Is there a limit to how 15 years later, he has still not been his victims was his own uncle and, nalist. Wales claims equality between much a supporter can donate? If not, released. His imprisonment was a Trump is right.America needs to reportedly, extended family — chil- the volunteers and the journalists, how would Wikitribune guarantee part of a wider campaign by the gov- dren as well as adults. I’m not say- but what the model seems to suggest continuity of independence if sup- ernment to increase control in the ing it isn’t hard to hold things to- is a hierarchy of importance among porters, who may have "donate" a country. In the span of a week, the talk to bad guys — but carefully gether when you’re a young man authors. Being free from advertise- lot of money to this venture, have private media was shut down and all burdened with leading an inherited ment and ownership pressures is a a say in what stories they want cov- critical members of the government nation, but executing one’s foes does dream for every journalist, but open ered and matter to them? Sustain- and outspoken journalists were im- rather pave the way. Meanwhile, source unlimited funding might not ability of crowdfunding is an ongo- prisoned. I see the consequences of back at the White House, advance make it so. Nevertheless, a differ- ing debate and large sum donations impunity in Eritrea every day, in preparations are surely underway ence between professional and citi- might jeopardise the independent, the mass exodus from the country for a possible visit from Duterte. zen journalists in terms of skills do free and transparent news platform and the severe human rights viola- Known for his coarse language and exist - that is why we still train pro- the founder is aiming to achieve. tions they are fleeing. Impunity is porcine attitude toward women — fessional journalists in graduate Factual, truthful, honest and evi- not restricted to Eritrea, which ac- I’m talking about Duterte — the schools. To have community mem- dence-based journalism is what pro- cording to Reporters Without Bor- Philippine leader has ordered the bers verify sources and facts and fessional journalism is about. It is ders is last on the global press free- killing of thousands of suspected drug maybe have them author stories what good journalism is about. It is dom index, below China, Syria and dealers without due process. He also without payment does not make true that "the news is broken", jour- North Korea. Instead, it tends to has threatened journalists with as- them equal to professional journal- nalism is broken, but we need to be exist in countries without democrat- sassination. ic institutions to hold the govern- ists. So the question pops up again, more realistic about what we can So there’s that. are they going to be paid for the achieve with suggested platforms ment accountable for their unlawful actions. Charitably, one could say that work they do? If so, they should such as Wikitribune and what we Trump’s approach to foreign rela- not be labelled as "volunteers". Be- cannot achieve. Considering all of Consequences of impunity Governments all around the tions is unique and, in his case, bipo- sides, we might be faced with anoth- the above, this "community con- lar. One day he’s a tough hombre, er ethical dilemma here. Journalism trol" approach cannot fix the bro- world silence people whose words they fear can challenge their power. the next he’s purring like a kitten. students and journalism schools' ken news. This venture raises more One can imagine, nonetheless, that fresh graduates, who are seeking in- questions than it gives answers. In- Last year, UNESCO reported that on average, a journalist was killed his negotiator’s impulse could lead ternships and work experience, volving the community in flagging him to think that talking to one’s might join such a venture and end fake news stories is always a good every four days. With critics out of the way, governments can use me- enemies is a better first course than up being labelled as "volunteers". idea. Readers and audiences are what firing missiles at them, members of They would be producing work of a should matter to journalists and news dia platforms, with their carefully chosen words, as a means to control the Islamic State excepted. Yet, professional journalist, but will still producers. there are consequences and collat- not be paid for their work. The abil- Being free from advertisement the people and set the narrative. Just as easily as our words have the pow- eral damage to such gestures. The ity to combat fake news lies in hav- and ownership pressures is a dream reason presidents generally don’t ing a team of fact checkers. They for every journalist, but open-source er to make positive change, they also have the power to corrupt. The engage such characters is because to have become an essential support unlimited funding might not make do so grants them legitimacy. Sud- mechanism for journalism. The size it so. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wrote in a 2014 report: "Tar- denly, a politician who murders his of a fact-checking team depends on (Aljazeera) opponents is positioned as equal to the leader of the free world. In the process, the president compromis- By David Ignatius then on Monday, Trump said he instincts. He doesn’t have a very es leverage that could be used to would be “honored” to talk to Kim, educated gut, to put it bluntly. Aides greater effect as a reward for good Here’s a shocking statement: Presi- “under the right circumstances.” who brief his team come away behavior, such as the release of three LETTER TO THE EDITOR dent Trump is basically right that Trump had accused China during the amazed that Trump never seems to Americans now being held by North the world is too dangerous and that 2016 campaign of “raping” Ameri- have thought before about the U.S. Korea. Simply put, it’s a big deal to the United States should hold peace ca and threatened initially to alter nuclear deterrent, or the complica- be recognized and shown respect by talks with, let’s see, Chinese Presi- the one- China foundation of U.S. tions of Chinese-Korean history. the president of the United States. dent Xi Jinping, North Korean lead- policy. But now, Beijing is the cor- Harry S. Truman had read a library Gaining equal status with civilized er Kim Jong Un, Russian President nerstone of his strategy for dealing full of history books before his ac- nations isn’t some party favor doled Vladimir Putin and any other auto- with North Korea. Some Asia spe- cidental presidency. Not so Trump. out on a whim but an achievement crats who are making trouble. Amer- cialists fear that he has all but sub- earned principally by fighting for ican values tell us to oppose the contracted some aspects of policy ? He’s so full of bluster at the and defending freedom and human undemocratic policies of these lead- to China’s Xi, seemingly his new best start of negotiations, and so accom- rights. Meeting with Kim without ers and their blood-stained brethren, friend. The charm offensive even modating later, that he risks look- significant concessions would seem It is crystal clear that a large number of young bloods of Afghanistan left the country toward Philippine President Rodrigo Du- included a Tuesday phone call with ing like a man who can be had. Po- to be a slap in the face to South European countries due to poverty and lack of jobs. The National Unity Government is well aware terte and Turkish President Recep Russia’s Putin (otherwise under FBI tential adversaries learn to wait Korea. Inviting the likes of Duterte of this. Several times, the people of Afghanistan called on the government to do their best aimed Tayyip Erdogan. But our interests investigation for organizing a co- Trump out. Experience tells them to the People’s House sullies the in- at creating jobs in order to stop the brain drain from the country. From its part, the government tell us to avoid war and seek agree- vert action to destabilize American that if they hold tight, the Twitter tegrity of the edifice and all that it always assured people and also called on the people not to leave the country. But what happens ments where possible. The problem politics). Flattery and cajolery are storm will blow itself out. Once that symbolizes, as well as the men and when a jobless youth, with education decree at hands, come to know that there are plenty of is that beyond the “why can’t we all eternal parts of the diplomatic tool perception builds, it becomes a seri- women who have served there with get along better?” bromides, Trump kit. (Ask Henry Kissinger.) But rare- ous problem — encouraging the dignity. We’ll see how Trump’s lat- posts in the governmental organization which are empty and the government is reluctant to fill the doesn’t offer clear ideas for easing ly have they been deployed so ex- president to take unwise risks just est gamble plays out, but one is re- vacant positions through vacancy advertisement aimed at providing jobs to the unemployed the underlying tensions. Suppose all travagantly as by the verbose to restore a measure of his unpre- minded of George W. Bush’s brush youth. Based on reporters there are over 25,000 vacant positions in different government organi- the bad guys came to the bargaining Trump. After several hours at Mar- dictability. with Vladimir Putin’s soul — an ex- zations. If the government want to steer the country toward development, should fill the vacant table and said, okay, let’s deal. a-Lago, Xi was touted as “a very ? He needs to think more about ample of seeing oneself in the oth- posts by qualified, but jobless youth and put a full stop to the trend of illegal immigration that Trump is still so low on the learning good man.” Later, the bubble ma- process. Let’s imagine that North er. If Trump, who often speaks ad- claimed several lives of young Afghans. curve (and his administration so chine turned to Kim, whom Trump Korea announced tomorrow it would mirably of strongmen, looks into pathetically understaffed) that I’m described as a “pretty smart cook- suspend nuclear tests and return to Duterte’s eyes — and someday, per- Mudasir Ahmad, Kabul, Afghanistan not sure he would know what to an- ie” who knows how to hold power. the bargaining table. What position haps, Kim’s — he may, indeed, see swer. Trump’s “concert of nations” Trump’s basic ambition to shake up would the United States take? I’d himself. The troubling question is approach has a weird appeal, in this the status quo makes sense, but let like to see a framework like the “two whether this would be the result of period when the old order has so me offer some caveats:? Trump is plus four” talks that united Germa- projection or recognition. (WP) Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must obviously broken down. He’s just too vain and self-centered in his ny in 1990 — that is, a direct round have the writer’s name and address. You may send your letters to: naive enough, a bit like Ronald Re- approach. All presidents believe in of confidence-building and armistice [email protected] agan, to think we don’t need all these the efficacy of their personalities, discussions between North and South wars and that he’s the guy to fix but Trump’s braggadocio risks mak- Korea, framed by denuclearization things. Surely that explains his ing him look ridiculous. He’s too talks backed by the United States, strange comment about how Andrew impatient for quick wins. Countries China, Russia and Japan. Does the Jackson (his ego ideal) could have will feed him flattering comments Trump team have a similar strate- Disclaimer: prevented the Civil War. It ex- and what appear to be concessions gy? Who knows? pressed Trump’s own aspiration to — hoping to bind him to their agen- Trump’s disruptive personality prevent wars. Trump’s flurry of re- das. That has already happened to has usefully opened the door for di- The views and opinions expressed in the articles are cent diplomatic comments has been some extent with China, which has plomacy. But what comes next? those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or as volatile as a fever chart. He talked drawn the United States into its Never mind getting to “yes.” Does last week of “major, major conflict” framework for protecting Chinese the Trump team even know what opinions of the Afghanistan Times. with North Korea, whose leader’s interests in Asia. ? He’s too inexpe- “yes” might look like? rationality he earlier questioned. But rienced to rely so much on his gut (WP) THURSDAY. MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES Myanmar rejects China’s offer to resolve row with On the basis of that resolution, communities, she added, without the top United Nations human giving further details. The violent rights body will send an interna- persecution of the Rohingya Mus- China tells US to remBoavnge- tional fact-finding mission to My- lim minority in Myanmar and their anmar despite Suu Kyi's reserva- efforts to flee the Southeast Asian ladesh tions. "The fact-finding mission is country, often falling victim to anti-missile THAAD system focusing on establishing the truth predatory human-trafficking net- about the past," Mogherini said, works, has become an internation- over noting a rare area of disagreement al concern, documented by Reu- from South Korea amid between the 28-nation EU and ters in Pulitzer Prize-winning re- Myanmar. "We believe that this can ports. Rohingya contribute to establishing the A U.N. report issued last facts." The U.N. Human Rights month, based on interviews spying fears Council adopted the resolution, with220 Rohingya among 75,000 which was brought by the Euro- who have fled to Bangladesh since Defence unit, installed on an abandoned golf pean Union and supported by October, said that Myanmar's se- course, is at initial operational capacity but countries including the United curity forces have committed mass won't be fully ready for several months States, without a vote in March. killings and gang rapes of Rohingya China and India distanced them- in a campaign that "very likely" China has demanded the US reverse the de- selves from the U.N. resolution. amounts to crimes against human- ployment of an anti-missile defence system The European Union clashed on Tuesday with the visiting leader of aimed at preventing a strike by North Korea Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, by publicly supporting an international Asked about the move, Suu ity and possibly ethnic cleansing. Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate, said: Activists have welcomed what on its southern neighbour, saying it could be mission to look into alleged human rights abuses by the country's secu- used as a tool for spying. Beijing says its rity forces against Rohingya Muslims. The EU's top diplomat Federica "We are disassociating ourselves they called a "landmark decision" from the resolution because we by the 47-member U.N. Human opposition to the stationing of a THAAD Mogherini, speaking at a news conference with Suu Kyi, said an agreed unit in South Korea is based on concerns that resolution of the U.N. Human Rights Council would help clear up un- don't think the resolution is in Rights Council, and have called on certainty about allegations of killings, torture and rape against Rohing- keeping with what is actually hap- the Myanmar government to co- it could interfere with its own mil- is the only correct choice,” he add- the land and facilities for THAAD yas. pening on the ground." Suu Kyi, operate. Suu Kyi assumed power itary operations. Graphic shows ed. The Terminal High Altitude but not the cost of operations. On the de facto leader of Myanmar's in 2016 following a landslide elec- features of THAAD (Terminal Defence system is a truck-mount- Sunday, White House National Se- civilian government and also its tion win after Myanmar's former High-Altitude Area Defense) mis- ed defence system designed to curity Adviser H R McMaster foreign minister, said she would military leaders initiated a politi- sile system. The defence system, shoot down short, medium, and in- confirmed the US would not be only accept recommendations from cal transition. The country had situated on a former golf course in termediate range ballistic missiles seeking South Korean money for a separate advisory commission led been an international pariah for the southern province of Seongju, in their terminal phase – the final the system. The potential for a by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan. decades under the military junta. has reached initial operational ca- stage of the missile flight before clash between China and the US Any other input would "divide" (Reuters) pacity. However it will be several impact. When completed, it will over THAAD risks efforts by Mr months before THAAD is fully consist of six launchers that can Trump to cajole Beijing into using operational, US officials said. fire up to 48 interceptors toward its diplomatic levers to resolve the South Korea already operates a Pa- incoming missiles. The US has six crisis with North Korea. Washing- triot PAC-3 missile defence sys- units deployed around the world, ton is seeking the help of the Chi- Huge opposition rally tem, but it is the sophisticated ra- including in Guam and Hawaii, to nese - the North's only major ally dar element of the THAAD which protect its own territories from – to rein in the rogue state’s nucle- Beijing fears would allow Seoul and missile attack. But Beijing fears ar programme. Meanwhile, North due in Venezuela Washington to monitory activity placing the system in South Korea Korea has accused the US of push- well beyond North Korea’s bor- could put it within range of China, ing the peninsula to the brink of ders. Foreign ministry spokesman allowing it to spy on the commu- nuclear war after a pair of strategic Japan to facilitate visa Geng Shuang urged “relevant sides nist state. ?Seongju residents are American bombers flew training to immediately stop the deploy- also worried that they will be a drills with the South Korean and ment” and said China would “firm- target for North Korean missiles. Japanese air forces. Pyongyang regime for Kazakhstan citizens ly take necessary measures to up- Donald Trump has praised claimed the two supersonic B-1B Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan arbayev to Japan in November hold our interests”. “China has al- THAAD as "phenomenal, shoots Lancer bombers conducted "a nu- Kairat Abdrakhmanov and the 2016. Bilateral and multilateral co- ways believed that using peaceful missiles right out of the sky”, but clear bomb dropping drill against Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio operation, including coordination means via dialogue and consulta- has also called for the South Korea major objects" in its territory. "The Kishida met in Ashgabat on May of efforts within the framework of tion to resolve the peninsula's nu- to pay for it. “It would be appro- reckless military provocation is on the sidelines of the Central Asia the UN Security Council, were dis- clear issue is the only realistic, fea- priate if they paid. It's a billion- pushing the situation on the Kore- + Japan Dialogue 6th meeting. Ja- cussed. sible means to achieve denucleari- dollar system,” he said. Under an an peninsula closer to the brink of pan will facilitate visa regime for The Kazakh Foreign Minister sation of the peninsula and main- agreement reached with the Obama nuclear war," the North's official Kazakhstan citizens, Kishida said. told his Japanese counterpart tain peace and stability there, and administration, South Korea offers KCNA news agency said. The two discussed cooperation about the priorities of the trade, (Belfasttelegraph) issues and implementation of the economic, investment, transit and agreements reached during the state transport policy of Kazakhstan. visit of President Nursultan Naz- (Akipress) Venezuela’s opposition support- number of people have been killed ers are set to stage a massive rally in incidents of violence related to Kurdish fighters ‘negotiating in the capital, Caracas, on Wednes- the protests as well as lootings day to protest President Nicolas prompted by the economic crisis Turkish,Azerbaijani joint mili- Maduro’s bid to write a new con- in Venezuela in recent weeks. The stitution. Maduro’s proposal, an- death toll from that unrest reached with IS’ to withdraw from Tabqa nounced on Monday, has enraged 29 on Tuesday as the government tary drills draw protest from the opposition, prompting them announced that a young man to call for ever larger protest ral- caught looting was shot by a shop- Nagorno-Karabakh lies to demand elections in an at- keeper in the northern city of Va- Turkey and Azerbaijan have the unrecognized Nagorno-Kara- tempt to oust the socialist presi- lencia. Large protests were also dent. Opposition leaders have de- held across Venezuela against the Kurdish fighters are negotiating launched joint military exercises bakh Republic, which includes with Islamic State [IS] militants lasting from May 1 to May 5 with some of Azerbaijan's seized bor- scribed the demonstration planned Maduro government on Tuesday. for Wednesday as a “mega pro- Garbage cans were used to block to withdraw from the Syrian town about 1,000 troops participating, derlands. Despite a cease-fire dat- of Tabqa, local sources told The Baku's Defense Ministry says. ing from 1994, there are regularly test.” “The [government’s] idea is the streets in those protests. Ma- not to consult with the people, but duro says a new constitution is New Arab on Tuesday. The nego- The exercises involve testing mili- clashes on the heavily fortified tiations are being conducted tary equipment and practicing co- frontier, with some 120 people rather for the ruling party itself to essential to fend off what he refers choose so as to have a tailor-made to as an attempted foreign-spon- through intermediaries and digni- ordination between the two armies, dying in a deadly clash a year ago. taries, in order for IS to retreat the ministry said. Azerbaijan's Relations between Turkey and constitution,” said the deputy sored “coup” against his govern- speaker of the country’s opposi- ment. He has vowed to defend the from the first, second and third breakaway province of Nagorno- Armenia have been strained for neighbourhoods of Tabqa, along Karabakh, which has a majority decades over the mass killing and tion-controlled National Assembly, socialist “revolution” launched by Freddy Guevara, on Tuesday. “We the late president Hugo Chavez, with retreating from the dam area. Armenian population, sharply crit- deportation of some 1.5 million Kurdish fighters are discussing icized the exercises. "If there are Armenians during World War I by have to up the pressure in the who oversaw the writing of the streets.” The opposition has re- current constitution and passed conditions of IS relocating to Al- provocations, we will react," Dav- the Ottoman Empire. The atroci- Shaykh Maskin, situated in the id Babajan, spokesman for the re- ties suffered by the Armenians jected Maduro’s plan to rewrite away in 2013. the constitution as a bid to avert In the recent weeks of unrest, countryside of Aleppo, or to an- gion's ethnic Armenian leadership, have been classed as genocide by other neighbourhood within the told dpa. Armenian separatists de- more than a dozen states, but Tur- holding a new election and hold on reports of attacks by pro-opposi- to power. It has been organizing a tion and government-backed agi- countryside of Raqqa. No agree- clared their independence from Az- key denies that the mass killings ment has been reached as of yet. erbaijan in the 1990s and formed amounted to genocide. (RFERL) steady wave of protest rallies tators have generated fear among across the country against the gov- citizens. This comes after Syrian Democrat- ernment for more than a month. A (PRESSTV) ic Forces fighters announced that they had captured 80 percent of Turkmenistan discusses co-op Syria's Tabqa from IS late Mon- ply route about 55 kilometres (35 airlifted behind IS lines. day, as they reach forward towards miles) west of Raqqa city, an IS The SDF – composed of Arab issues with regional countries capturing the Tabqa dam, Syria’s stronghold and often referred to as and Kurdish fighters – then sur- US intervention in largest dam and edge towards cap- the militant group’s ‘capital city’. rounded Tabqa in early April be- Turkmen Foreign Minister Rash- between Turkmenistan and Kaza- turing Raqqa city. The assault on Tabqa began in fore pushing into the town on April id Meredov discussed the cooper- khstan reached a qualitatively new Tabqa is known for being a late March when SDF forces and 24. ation issues with his Kazakh coun- level due to the political will of the Syria could be a strategic town as it sits on a sup- their US-led coalition allies were (ALARABY) terpart Kairat Abdrakhmanov, leadership of the two countries. At Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Ab- the meeting with the Kyrgyz dele- dyldaev and Tajik counterpart gation, the sides stressed the role tipping point Sirojiddin Aslov in Ashgabat, the of high-level visits. The coopera- Chinese, Philippine presidents discuss Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in tion as part of international orga- It is just over two weeks now since Likewise, we don’t know if Syria a message May 2. The high-rank- nizations was mentioned among the United States fired 59 Toma- will forcefully respond, or wheth- ing delegations arrived in Ashgabat the priority areas. At the meeting hawk missiles on a Syrian govern- er the US will pursue further in- ties, regional cooperation over phone to participate in the sixth meeting with the Tajik delegation, the sides ment airfield. The US move was in terventions. What we do know, of foreign ministers of the coun- discussed the issues of further de- response to a chemical weapons however, is that much of the offi- Chinese President Xi Jinping tries participating in the Central velopment of bilateral relations in attack on Syrian citizens that had cial concern in the United States and his Philippine counter- Asia + Japan dialogue. Earlier, the political, diplomatic, trade, launched from the same airfield just has come from politicians, and this part, Rodrigo Duterte, held a Meredov met with Japanese and economic, cultural, humanitarian two days earlier. The images of is similarly the case in the Middle telephone conversation Uzbek foreign ministers. Accord- spheres. Ashgabat attaches great innocent children and civilians East. Syria’s chemical attack Wednesday, discussing ing to the message, at the meeting importance to the regional coop- whose lives were brutally cut caused a political and humanitari- bilateral ties and regional with the Kazakh delegation, the eration. short by their own leader left many an outrage in the region, not only cooperation. Xi said he met sides stressed that the cooperation (Trend) across the globe aghast. Notable in because of the mass human suffer- Duterte twice last year and this deeply impacted group was ing, but also because nearly every- reached important agree- US President Donald Trump, who one believed that Syria’s chemical ments with him. As a result, made a 180-degree shift in policy arsenal had been depleted years bilateral ties greatly im- IMF expects Kazakhstan’s oil from his campaign rhetoric of ab- ago when the United States and proved, said Xi. At present, staining from getting involved in Russia reached an agreement to the two countries are GDP to grow in 2017, 2018 such conflicts. While many across strip Al Assad of these brutal weap- deepening political mutual the US political spectrum viewed ons of mass destruction. We now trust and carrying out Kazakhstan’s oil GDP will grow In 2016, the growth in Kaza- the response favourably, many of know, it seems, that the world had cooperation in various fields, by 3.9 percent in 2017 and by 6.3 khstan’s non-oil GDP amounted his most strident campaign sup- been hoodwinked. The outrage and he said. A channel of dialogue percent in 2018, according to the to 1.8 percent. In the previous porters were deeply upset, view- concern has not ended with polit- and consultation on the International Monetary Fund’s years, Kazakhstan’s non-oil GDP ing the military activity as a bro- ical leaders, as the business com- South China Sea issue has (IMF) updated Regional Econom- was growing at a faster pace. ken promise to stay out of new munity in the Middle East has also been set up, Xi noted. ic Outlook for the Middle East and Real GDP growth in Kazakh- conflicts in the rest of the world. concerns of its own. For his part, Duterte said Central Asia. In the previous three stan is projected at 2.5 percent in In the weeks since the missile Businesses headquartered or he was happy to see years (2016, 2015 and 2014), Ka- 2017 and 3.4 percent in 2018. strike, the international communi- operating within the region need Philippine-China friendship zakhstan’s oil GDP was declining, Kazakhstan’s real GDP grew ty has been abuzz as to what it stability in order to flourish and and solidarity enhanced and according to the IMF. 1.1 percent in 2016. means and how the elaborate chess prosper, and as we have seen their exchanges and coopera- In 2016, the decrease in Kazakh- Consumer price inflation in game is going to play out in Syria countless times throughout histo- tion in various areas restored stan’s oil GDP amounted to 1.2 Kazakhstan is projected at 8 per- and across the Middle East — a ry, any external intervention and pushed forward. percent, the IMF said. Kazakh- cent in 2017 and 7.2 percent in region that has long been a concern threatens the established status The two leaders also stan’s non-oil GDP will grow 2 2018. In 2016, consumer price in- and priority for US foreign policy. quo and carries the risk of upset- exchanged views on the percent in 2017 and 2.5 percent in flation in Kazakhstan was 14.6 per- We don’t yet know what this ting what the world knows is a very situation on the Korean 2018, according to the IMF’s out- cent. means for Syrian President Bashar delicate balance. Peninsula. look. (BBC) Al Assad’s stranglehold on power. (Gulfnews) (PressTV) THURSDAY. MAY 04, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES RBI to hold key rate Four banks to use MyInfo next month, may cut authentication 25 bps in August: service for ISLAMABAD: With much of the customers world pouring investments into BofAML renewable and clean energy, Paki- stan is drawing criticism for wel- BofAML says RBI will go for a rate cut in August as coming Chinese investment in coal- growth remains weak, inflation is within RBI’s 2- fired power plants as part of a plan 6% range and a rate cut would help the central bank to boost urgently needed generat- to recoup forex reserves ing capacity. Officials at the Water and Power Ministry have said Chinese companies and their part- ners are expected to spend around $15 billion over the next 15 years to build close to a dozen coal power plants of varying sizes around the country. Mohammed Younus Dagha, the former federal secretary for water and power, who became THE Smart Nation and Digital commerce secretary at the end of Government Office (SNDGO) and March, emphasised that the coal Government Technology Agency plants are part of a larger plan. That (GovTech), in collaboration with is the $54 billion China Pakistan the Monetary Authority of Sin- Economic Corridor (CPEC), which gapore (MAS), have begun a pilot includes spending of about $33 with four banks to explore simpli- billion on a total of 19 energy fying online banking transactions projects, including coal-fired and with the use of the government's renewable power plants, transmis- MyInfo service. sion lines, and other infrastructure. Starting progressively from “Hefty investment under the Wednesday, prospective custom- CPEC project has held out hopes ers of United Overseas Bank New Delhi: The Reserve Bank is of 2017. of significantly spiking domestic (UOB), DBS Bank (DBS), OCBC expected to hold the key rate at its A rate cut, it added, would help power generation (by) around Bank (OCBC) and Standard Char- monetary policy review next attract foreign portfolio investors 6,000 megawatts by the end of tered Singapore (StanChart) with month but may opt for a 25 bps (FPI) in equity flows by support- 2018,” Dagha said. Combined, the a registered profile on cut in August, says a Bank of ing growth. “We continue to ex- projects will eventually generate the lowest carbon emitters. “Such 4,000MW. According to the Inter- creases. Only 67 per cent of Paki- myinfo.gov.sg can apply for a new America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) pect RBI monetary policy com- 16,000 megawatts (MW) of elec- plants would only accelerate the national Energy Agency (IEA), stan’s approximately 190 million bank account without having to report. mittee to pause on 6 June and cut tricity, which the government says rising trajectory of the country’s average energy demand in the coun- people have access to electricity, submit supporting documentation. The global brokerage cited rates by 25 bps in August,” it said. is urgently needed. About three- carbon emissions, (accelerating) try is around 19,000MW, against according to the World Bank. To According to GovTech, this will three reasons for the central bank The Reserve Bank in its mon- quarters of the newly generated environmental degradation that the generation of around improve access and keep pace with enable greater convenience and a to cut rates in August. etary policy review meet on 6 power will come from coal-pow- costs billions of rupees to the na- 15,000MW. Demand soars be- economic growth, the country faster transaction time, with the First, the growth remains weak, April kept the repurchase or repo ered plants, and the government tional exchequer annually,” said yond 20,000MW during peak needs to invest between 3.7 per banks benefiting from higher pro- second, inflation remains within rate — at which it lends to banks insists that these will be fitted with Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad, an summer months of May to July, cent and 5.5 per cent of its GDP ductivity and lower compliance RBI’s 2-6% range and a rate cut — unchanged at 6.25% but in- the latest technology to reduce energy expert at the Comsats In- when air conditioning systems each year in increasing electrical costs. would help RBI to recoup forex creased reverse repo rate to 6% pollution and climate-changing stitute of Information Technology place an extra burden on the na- production, the bank said in a re- Banks require users to submit reserves. from 5.75%. emissions. But environmentalists in Islamabad. tional power grid, often causing port on South Asian infrastructure copies of their identity, income and “As it has just hardened its On rupee, the report said that and energy experts have lambast- Energy shortfalls power cuts. The IEA forecasts that published in 2013. Part of the mo- CPF (Central Provident Fund) stance, the RBI will likely wait for although the domestic currency has ed the plans for coal-fired plants Pakistan has long needed more total electricity demand will rise tivation for building coal-powered documents for applications. With transfer of the ‘special’ dividend strengthened to 64/USD level, go- as a waste of money that will bad- power than it can produce, with to more than 49,000MW by 2025 plants lies in the availability of the MyInfo, customers can pre-fill to the fiscal from demonetisation ing forward seasonality will turn ly damage the environment and the energy deficit currently around as the country’s population in- fuel within Pakistan. (AP) these government-verified person- and good rains before cutting in against it and it might depreciate tarnish Pakistan’s image as one of al particulars into the necessary August,” BofAML said in a re- to some extent. “While INR has forms, and avoid the need to sub- search note. strengthened to Rs64/US Dollars, mit supporting documents. It noted that GDP growth seasonality will turn against it in Amazon’s moves MyInfo has been rolled out for based on old series is running at coming weeks. Our Asia forex SingPass users since May 2016 for 4.5-5%, well below its estimated strategists see Rs 66.75/USD by popular government digital servic- 7% potential. Inflation, it said, December,” it noted. es such as balloting of the Housing would average 4% in the first half (Livemint) beyond retail get Development Board's Build-To- Order (BTO) flats. MyInfo will be available on most government digital services with SingPass two- Germany remains Wall Street factor authentication (2FA) by 2018. Russian leading thumbs up, (BBC) economic partner: Putin Merkel sees for now EU, Gulf states making progress on free trade deal German Chancellor Angela Mer- kel said on Monday she hopes the European Union and the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) coun- tries can finally complete a free trade agreement and that she would discuss the issue with Abu Dha- Germany remains Russia's leading will be held in Russia's second larg- bi’s crown prince. economic partner, with bilateral est city of St. Petersburg on July Amazon.com Inc’s ventures far because its businesses, although Germany, which relies on for- trade turnover increasing by over 1-3. The event, which is held un- beyond online retail, from cloud varied, all relate in some way to eign trade for half its gross domes- 40 per cent in the beginning of der the Russian president's auspic- computing to movie making, are retail. Warehouses, trucks and tic product, fears that the protec- 2017, Russian President Vladimir es, gathers heads of states and gov- raising questions among corporate planes bring packages to shoppers’ tionism backed by US President Putin said Tuesday after a meet- ernments, as well as CEOs and Saudi Arabia raised $9 billion in its reflecting “the strong fundamen- strategy experts about its focus. doorsteps. Amazon Web Services Donald Trump and the fallout ing with German Chancellor An- prominent economic experts from first global Islamic bond issue, the tals of the Saudi economy”. Islam- The Seattle-based company sells the very cloud-computing from Britain's vote to leave the EU gela Merkel, Russia's Rossiya Se- around the world. "We hope that government announced on Thurs- ic financial instruments, including wowed Wall Street again this week services to enterprises that were posed global economic risks. “The godnya information agency, re- German business representatives day, a move analysts say could ease Sukuks, are structured to comply with a 23 percent jump in sales, built to meet the technology needs issue at hand is how to intensify ported. "Russia seeks to build co- will participate more actively in pressure on foreign reserves. The with Islamic law, which does not pushing its shares to an all-time of Amazon.com. “It’s not like the economic relations between the operation with the Federal Repub- the SPIEF this year," Putin said at sale of Islamic bonds, known as allow the payment of interest. Riy- high. But there are concerns that if General Electric Co having finan- two regions,” Merkel said on lic of Germany on the principles a joint press conference with Ger- Sukuks, comes after the kingdom adh has forecast a budget deficit of blockbuster growth stops, inves- cial services and making aircraft en- Monday before her meeting with of mutual benefit, respect, equali- man Chancellor Angela Merkel. in October turned to the conven- $53 billion this year, after an even tors may come to regard the com- gines,” Baird Equity Research an- Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed ty and consideration of each oth- The president recalled that the tional global debt market for the bigger shortfall last year prompt- pany more like a conglomerate alyst Colin Sebastian said. Some bin Zayed al-Nahyan. On a trip to er's interests. Despite political dif- Russian-German Strategic Eco- first time, raising $17.5 billion in a ed subsidy cuts and delays in ma- stock - worth less than the sum of initiatives, though, such as a tele- Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, Mer- ficulties and fluctuations in the nomic and Financial Working bond issue. Saudi Arabia has also jor projects. In a report this month, its pieces. “High growth covers a vision studio in Hollywood, seem kel told reporters that the econom- global economic environment, Ger- Group had resumed its work last sold domestic bonds and drawn on Saudi firm Jadwa Investment said lot of sins,” said Harry Kraemer, a further afield. Amazon says the ic relations between the two re- many remains the leading foreign year and that it was tasked with its accumulated reserves, all in an the kingdom’s foreign reserves, in- partner at private equity firm Mad- video foray has allowed it to gions needed to be strengthened. policy partner of our country. helping both countries' business effort to reform the economy and cluding securities, bank deposits ison Dearborn Partners and a pro- stream unique programming to She said she had also discussed the Speaking about the situation in the leaders in establishing ties and run- address budget deficits caused by and gold, had fallen to a near six- fessor at Northwestern Universi- members of its Prime shopping issue on Sunday on her visit to bilateral trade, we noted with plea- ning joint projects. The working a collapse in oil revenues since year low. Reserves dropped to ty’s Kellogg School of Manage- club, thereby increasing sign-ups Saudi Arabia. “I made it clear that sure the growth of the trade turn- group was re-convened in June 2014. “The ministry of finance re- $514 billion in February, down $10 ment. “Picture yourself running the for a program that encourages peo- a free trade agreement with the over, in January and February, it 2016 after a three-year break ceived significant interest for the billion from the previous month company where one minute we’re ple to buy more goods, more of- Gulf states would be of great in- increased by 43 per cent," Putin caused by the Russia-EU rift over first international issue of the and the lowest level since August talking about how we’re going to ten. The financial success of the terest from a European point of said. According to Putin, Germa- the Ukrainian conflict. The two Sukuk programme with an order 2011. “Any new international sov- operate air cargo, and the next investment is difficult to assess. view,” Merkel said during her visit ny is the largest purchaser of Rus- sides signed joint project deals book from investors in excess of ereign bond, or indeed Sukuk issu- minute we’re going to talk about Revenue from Prime membership to Jeddah on Sunday. She noted sian gas, which covers nearly 35 worth hundreds of millions of dol- $33 billion,” said the official Saudi ance, should alleviate the pressure artificial intelligence,” he said. “I fees and other media subscriptions that the EU had made a new offer per cent of the German needs. Pu- lars. Merkel was on an official vis- Press Agency. There will be two on foreign exchange reserve with- don’t think it’s sustainable.” So far, rose 49 percent in the first quarter for an agreement but that the GCC tin expressed hope that German it to Russia on Tuesday. She had tranches of $4.5 billion, one ma- drawals,” said researchers. analysts have balked at the idea of to $1.9 billion, the company re- states had not yet responded. business leaders would turn up in visited Moscow on May 10, 2015 turing in 2022 and another in 2027, (Tribune) calling Amazon a conglomerate ported on Thursday. (Alarabiya) Merkel said she had talked to King greater numbers to the upcoming to attend the celebrations of the Salman about the issue on Sunday St. Petersburg International Eco- 70th anniversary of the victory evening. Trade between the EU nomic Forum (SPIEF), compared over Nazi Germany. and GCC amounted to 138 billion to last year. The next annual SPIEF (BERNAMA) US scrap recycling industry generated euros in 2016, according to the EU. Exports from EU countries to the GCC were worth 100 billion eu- Tourism as the cornerstone of ros and imports to the EU were nearly $117b in economic activity worth 38 billion. Two-way trade has been growing steadily in the Bahrain’s diversification plans According to the new economic the processing and brokerage of delivering environmental benefits. As per latest estimates, the industry last decade. The EU-GCC talks impact study report released by scrap metals, plastics, paper, elec- recycled more than 130 million metric tons of materials in 2014, thereby date back some 20 years. Little the Institute of Scrap Recycling tronics etc. Robin Wiener, presi- reducing greenhouse gas emissions and leading to significant saving of progress has been made lately. In Industries (ISRI), the US scrap dent of ISRI noted that the study energy needed to manufacture new products. The energy thus saved response to skepticism about free recycling industry continues to results clearly upholds the resil- was used for other purposes such as lighting homes and powering auto- trade from President Trump, Ger- remain as a major generator of jobs ience and positive momentum of mobiles, the report noted. The study report notes that the US scrap many has been urging the EU to and economic activity. The indus- the US scrap recycling industry for recycling industry is responsible for creation of 534,506 indirect and speed agreements to open trade. try accounted for nearly half-a- the future, despite facing critical direct jobs in the country. The overall wages paid by the scrap recycling Talks are underway with the GCC, million jobs in the country. Also, challenges in tandem with com- industry exceeds $34.3 million. Out of this, 155,630 are direct jobs that China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the scrap industry generated more modity markets over the past two pay an average of $76,515 in wages and benefits. (CNN) Myanmar, the Philippines, Sin- than $116 billion in economic ac- years. Wiener admitted that the gapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Austra- tivity per year. The study was market is not completely out of lia and New Zealand. In March, conducted on behalf of ISRI by the unpredictability. Still, the report “This is the time to look at Bahrain,” Jarad Bachar, Executive Director, Gulf officials said the six GCC independent consulting firm John underscores the importance of the states were pressing for an early Bahrain Economic Development Board [EDB], had his agenda sorted Dunham & Associates. The study industry as a major economic driv- when I caught up with him at the bustling Arabian Travel Market last agreement on free trade with Brit- report performs an economic im- ing force. The industry will defi- ain to secure preferential arrange- week. True to his role, Jarad brought more than just his skills and expe- pact analysis to document the size nitely continue to play prominent rience to the table. He has been in the region for nine years, having ments after Brexit and could have and scope of the scrap recycling role in formulation of internation- a draft agreement ready within worked with Dubai’s tourism body and as strategic advisor to the Saudi industry in the US. It also analyz- al trade and fiscal policies by the Commission for Tourism and Abu Dhabi Commission for Tourism. The months. GCC states are trying to es the industry’s contribution to US administration, Wiener added. diversify their economies and immense regional experience in tourism organization gives him a unique the US economy in terms of em- According to ISRI study, the US vantage point, with an eye on the large picture. “It’s definitely the time boost non-oil trade after more than ployment, tax generation and over- scrap recycling industry, apart two years of low global oil prices to remember that Bahrain is here and we are a part of the greater GCC all economic benefit. The study from being a major economic en- tourism sector”. (BBC) that have hurt their finances. covered all companies involved in gine has also played crucial role in (Reuters) THURSDAY. MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Priyanka slayed at the MET Gala but Deepika wasn’t up to the mark

The Ram Madhvani-directed biopic on Bhanot was adjudged as the best Hindi film while Sonam received a special mention.

Bollywood divas Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, who have both landed Hollywood roles, marked their debut at the famed Met Gala fashion fiesta, sporting extremely diverse looks. While Priyanka wore an eye-catching fawn Ralph Lauren trench coat with a long train, Deepika played it safe, sporting a simple ‘Do Bhai Aa Rahe white satin Tommy Hilfiger gown with more attention to detail on her ornate hair accessories. In a nutshell – boring! Hain... Bus Do Din

Neerja was a career-defining role the capital tomorrow to receive the portant that a film like Neerja gets for and the actress special honour. “I am very excited an honour like this. It is really Mein’, Tubelight says being recognised by the Na- about it. It is such a matter of pride great.” Sonam, however, is not ner- tional Film Awards jury for her that my parents will be there with vous as she already had a rehearsal work in the movie is “sweet and me. I don’t know how to describe of sorts in 2007 when she accept- teaser on its way! encouraging”. The Ram Madh- it in words but it is definitely the ed the National Award on her fa- vani-directed biopic on Neerja most special feeling. There is a lot ther’s behalf. “My father has won Bhanot was adjudged as the best of pressure from now on as an ac- two national awards -- for Pukar The 'Sultan' of Bollywood is mak- a bus, Salman and Sohail Khan's Hindi film while Sonam received a tor,” she says. The 31-year-old and Gandhi My Father, which he ing full use of social media to keep camaraderie is unmissable in the special mention. “My mother says she did not do the film for produced. He was in South Africa the excitement surrounding his picture. Based against the back- (Sunita) told me that I had received awards but is happy that the sto- and I was shooting for Aisha in upcoming film 'Tubelight' alive. drop of Indo-China war, the Kabir a special mention and I found it ry on Neerja’s life was recognised. Delhi. Nobody could get in touch With just two days left for the re- Khan-directorial is one of the sweet and encouraging. I was like “I don’t think I did Neerja for re- with him so my uncle told them lease of its teaser, Salman Khan most-awaited movies of the year ‘is it a consolation award?’ She told wards. The whole film signifies the that I will receive the award on his took to Twitter to share a new still and is booked for the big screens me to speak to Anupam Kher un- idea of human compassion, kind- behalf,” she says. from the movie. Sitting on top of this Eid. cle as he received it for Daddy. I ness and strength especially in this Sonam will next be seen in R (Santa Banta) spoke to Shabana (Azmi) aunty day and age when there is so much Balki’s Padman and Rajkumar Hi- as well about it,” said Sonam. competition around and it is about rani’s biopic on Sanjay Dutt. Sonam will be with her parents in survival of the fittest. It is so im- (Santa Banta) Love and time are all that children need: Athiya Shetty

Deepika Padukone or Priyanka Chopra: Who sported gold better? On Monday, Priyanka, who is awaiting the release of her Hol- lywood debut Baywatch, posed for the shutterbugs, exuding confidence alongside singer-songwriter Nick Jonas here for the Aamir Khan’s pierced nose is the Met Gala. latest buzz in town. Everybody She showed off her gym honed physique and flaunted a thigh wants to know the reason behind high slit with utter panache, as the floor-sweeping trail of the it. Sushant Singh Rajput shared a trench coat grabbed attention of onlookers. Deepika, on the oth- picture with Aamir on Instagram er hand, failed to drop our jaws with an ivory gown, jewelled Tuesday afternoon where the lat- head-piece and diamond earrings. The event was also attended ter is seen wearing a small stud on by celebrities like Hugh Jackman, Pharrell Williams, Matt Damon, his nose. Online fans are going cra- Jennifer Lopez, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Selena Gomez, Ken- zy over his new look and rumours dall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady and Soph- claim this might be for his upcom- ie Turner. ing film, Thugs of Hindostan. Even before she became an actor, them out for a picnic to an amuse- Though this won’t be the first time Athiya Shetty was actively in- ment park. Though Athiya is cur- (Tribune) Aamir Khan underwent drastic volved with a children’s welfare rently shooting in , she has changes in his looks for a charac- organisation that her mother, Mana taken the next weekend off to take ter. Earlier, we have seen him work Shetty, has been associated with the kids out. Mana will also be rigorously for Ghajini (2008), as well. At the age of 10, she began accompanying them.” Dhoom 3 (2013)and Dangal (2016). visiting the organisation to help Talking about it, Athiya says, For Dangal, Aamir put on children with special needs. Now, “My mom has been running the around 25kg and also lost a lot of HT Café has learnt that the young organisation for a really long time weight to get back in shape for actor has planned a trip to an now. The most important things playing a younger wrestler in the amusement park with the kids. that children want from you are film. A source says, “Athiya loves your time and love. (Tribune) spending time with the children at Whenever I am off work, I try the organisation and is often spot- and spend as much time with them ted helping them with their stud- as possible. I also help my mum ies. The kids love her, too, as she with various other aspects like tak- always spoils them with small ing care of their education and well- Main Naa Bhoolungi actor gifts and interesting stories. This being.” Aishwarya Sakhuja turns vegan time, however, she decided to take () Aishwarya Sakhuja has turned over a new leaf. The Main Naa Saba Qamar’s Bhoolungi actor turned vegan two months ago. She says, “I was a non-vegetarian all my life. I rel- Bollywood debut ished eating non-vegetarian dish- es. However, last year in August, my husband (Rohit Nag) suffered ‘Hindi Medium’ from typhoid, and he was only allowed to eat khichdi. So, I began eating khichdi along with him and something brought about a change release date in me. I didn’t eat meat every again.” While her husband’s ill- ness might have acted as a cata- pushed back lyst that triggered the change of The makers of Irrfan Khan, the film and we are very excited heart, Aishwarya says the docu- Saba Qamar starrer Hindi Me- about the same. We are very mentaries she watched on an online streaming channel too, “changed her outlook” about life, food and dium have pushed the release happy and proud of the final date of the film by one week as product and feel that this film animals. She adds, “I watched a few documentaries on the food and dairy industry, and animals on Netflix. the makers feel it needs to be deserves to be promoted more They opened my eyes. It was a big shock and a reality check.” The actor feels her “ignorance” allowed her promoted better. It will now hit so that it can reach out to more to consume dairy in the past. “Humans don’t need dairy or dairy products. Animals are living beings too, the screens on May 19, clash- people. I am positive that ev- and they are tortured to provide for us. The trauma they must be going through is insane. We should ing with Half Girlfriend. Hindi erybody in the country can re- understand that as much as the planet is ours, it is theirs too. We have forgotten that. Many people don’t Medium, which was earlier slat- late to it,” Kumar said. The film respect animals. That needs to stop.” (Hindustan Times) ed to release alongside Meri will now clash with Arjun Pyaari Bindu and Sarkar 3 on Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor- May 12, marks the Bollywood starrer Half Girlfriend at the box debut of the Lahore Se Aagay office. Will Saba Qamar pro- star. “After watching the film, mote ‘Hindi Medium’ in India? Irrfan and I both felt that we The fact that Yash Raj should give it a week more to Films’ Meri Pyaari Bindu – fea- promote since it has the poten- turing Ayushmann Khurrana tial. We are confident about and Parineeti Chopra — and how the film has shaped up Amitabh Bachchan-starrer and sure that the audience will Sarkar 3 are already going to love it too,” Dinesh Vijan, who take up some screens, it only has co-produced the film along makes sense for “Hindi Medi- with Bhushan Kumar, said in a um” makers to go in for a new statement. release date. “The whole team has seen (Tribune) THURSDAY. MAY 04, 2017 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Harry Misbah-ul-Haq hits Kane has 99 again as Pakistan 20 goals lead West indies Misbah-ul-Haq scored 99 for the sion to take his overnight 81 past for a third second game running as Pakistan's the century mark. Devendra first-innings 393 earned them a lead Bishoo had him caught at the wick- over West Indies in the second et shortly afterwards, but by that year in a Test. Misbah, stranded one short stage Misbah had progressed to a of an 11th Test century in last half-century at the other end. The month's opener, fell on 99 after Pakistan captain had helped take row but Azhar Ali (105) had got to three his side to 316-4 when he with- figures shortly after lunch on day drew his bat too late to a Jason three in Bridgetown. Kieran Pow- Holder delivery and looped a catch can he add ell was the one West Indies bats- to the slips. Two more wickets man to fall before stumps, caught went to Holder (3-42) as Pakistan at the wicket off Mohammad Ab- lost their last six for 77 runs, Yasir a Premier bas as his side closed on 40-1 to Shah's lively 24 boosting the total trail by 41. Pakistan began the day late on. Victory in Barbados would in Bridgetown on 172-3, 140 short give Pakistan a 2-0 lead in the three- League of their hosts' first-innings total, match series. and it took Azhar more than a ses- (Sky Sport) title? Harry Kane has already emulated Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry by scoring 20 Premier League goals in three con- secutive seasons. But can the fourth man to achieve that feat also repeat their accomplishment of Joshua vs Klitschko: How does winning the Premier League title in the process? Alan Shearer actu- ally passed the 30-goal mark three times in succession between 1993 Anthony Joshua’s career compare and 1996, firing Blackburn Rovers to the title in the second of those campaigns. Ruud van Nistelrooy with other heavyweights? also scored 20 goals in three Pre- mier League seasons in a row - his Anthony Joshua's thrilling victo- first three as a Manchester United ry over Wladimir Klitschko at player between 2001 and 2004. Wembley Stadium on Saturday Once again, it was the second night extended his unbeaten record Sky Sports look at of those three seasons that result- to 19 fights and maintained his 100 ed in a title win with the Dutch- per cent knockout rate. 'AJ' re- man's goals helping United regain tained his IBF title and acquired some of the greatest the crown in 2002/03. The other the vacant WBA belt to unify the two Premier League campaigns heavyweight division just three- saw Arsenal take the title with and-a-half years after turning pro- Thierry Henry instrumental in that fessional. We compare the 27-year- comebacks in achievement. Henry actually old's successes to other prominent scored more than 20 goals in five fighters in the heavyweight divi- consecutive campaigns between sion. sporting history 2001 and 2006 - but nobody had Anthony Joshua joined The done so even three times in a row Gloves Are Off for a one-off in since until Kane came along. late-2013 alongside Lennox Lewis, The Tottenham striker was Frank Bruno, Tyson Fury and dismissed by some as a one-sea- Scott Welch. son wonder when he broke through Joe Louis with 21 goals for the club in 2014/ Louis is regarded as one of the 15. But the Spurs man followed greatest heavyweight champions of up with a further 25 goals the fol- all time. The 'Brown Bomber' won lowing campaign - enough to claim the world title in 1937 and made the Premier League golden boot. 25 successful defences of his And Kane brought up the 20-goal crown until 1949. His first 19 fights of the most memorable fights the less than 10 months to get to his While the iconic trio were tally this season with his second- were quite understated in compar- sport has ever witnessed. 19th fight. 'Big George' won 16 of bringing their rivalry to a close, a half goal in the 4-0 win against ison to the rest of his career, win- Joe Frazier them, with the biggest surprises young man from Georgia entered Bournemouth last month. In do- ning all but four inside the distance Frazier had an unblemished being Roberto Davila, Levi Forte the equation. The best heavy- ing so, the 23-year-old became the as the undefeated 20-year-old at start to his career, stopping 18 of and Gregorio Peralta - taking him weight of the decade and arguably youngest man to score 20 goals in the time prepared himself for his first 19 opponents as he built the distance. Ironically it took the best jab in the business, the three consecutive Premier League world domination. towards a world title shot. 'Smokin Foreman another 19 to be crowned 'Easton Assassin' pinged his way seasons. Shearer had been 25 when Muhammad Ali Joe' then knocked out Jimmy Ellis world champion, flattening Frazier to a perfect 19-0 like the rest. Holm- Mark Selby pulled off one of the 1985 classic, but there's more of he managed it, Henry 26 and Van Ali was an undefeated up-and- in 1970 to become unified heavy- six times in the Ring Magazine's es had to wait another nine fights most astonishing victories in a that later... Barca make the impos- Nistelrooy 27. It's a reminder that coming heavyweight contender weight champion in his 25th fight 1973 Fight Of the Year. before taking the WBC strap from Crucible final as he landed his third sible possible? Barcelona pulled time is on the England forward's when he knocked out Henry Coo- aged 26 before suffering his first Leon Spinks Earnie Shavers and then went on a World Championship title, but is off the biggest Champions League side. He will, of course, be looking per in his 19th fight at the old professional loss and his reign as Leon Spinks produced one of ruthless run of 16 title defences, it the best in sporting history? comeback ever to eliminate Paris to emulate Henry's accomplish- Wembley Stadium in front of the undisputed king of the divi- the biggest upsets in boxing when switched to the IBF and missed When the 'Jester from Leicester' Saint-Germain earlier this year. ment of scoring 20 goals in five 35,000 people to break British sion in 1973 to George Foreman. he defeated Muhammad Ali in his 19 defences by one, to Michael trailed John Higgins by 10-4 on Faced with a 4-0 deficit fol- consecutive seasons. But more hearts. The fight was his first out- George Foreman eighth professional outing to be- Spinks. Sunday evening, Selby had looked lowing the first leg in Paris, Barca than that, Kane will be aiming to side the United States. Unlike One of the Olympic golden come unified heavyweight cham- beaten, on the scoreboard and in won the second leg 6-1 on Wednes- ensure he does not become the Joshua, Ali had not become world heavyweights to burst on the scene pion of the world in 1978 aged 24. his cheerless demeanour, but a co- day with three of the goals coming only man to score with such con- champion yet, but was aged 21 at and blast his way into the record By his 19th fight, Spinks had lost lossal comeback saw him roll to an from the 88th minute onwards. sistency and still not have a Pre- that point of his career. books down the line. He made his the rematch to Ali and a further 18-15 victory. Victory made him Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and mier League title to show for his 'The Greatest' would go on to pro debut at Madison Square Gar- shot at heavyweight glory against Big just the fourth player to success- Neymar (twice) were all among the efforts. become a three-time heavyweight den on the undercard of Joe Fra- Larry Holmes. fully defend a world title in Shef- goals but it took a stabbed finish (Sky Sport) champion and be involved in some zier fighting Jerry Quarry and took Larry Holmes field, after Steve Davis, Stephen from Sergi Roberto in the 95th Orange Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan. minute to pull off the impossible No player had come back to at the Nou Camp. No team has win from a greater deficit than six ever come from four goals down Andy Murray believes Serge Pauwels wins set for frames in a World Championship after the first leg of a European final since Dennis Taylor trailed Cup tie - is it the best comeback of Maria Sharapova Tour de Yorkshire York Steve Davis by 8-0 and 9-1 in their all time. (BBC Sport) could get Wimbledon after brutal final stage return: Golf Sixes: Belgium's Serge Pauwels secured ised climbs and more than 3,700 wildcard his first career victory by winning metres of ascending. A seven-man England the Tour de Yorkshire. The 33- breakaway featuring Orica-Scott's Michael Andy Murray believes year-old, riding for Team Dimen- 2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Maria Sharapova could be sion Data, clinched the title when Mathew Hayman animated the drawn with handed a wildcard for Wim- he won the final stage of the race, early part of the day, and led the bledon if the Russian does from Bradford to Fox Valley. He pack over the first four climbs - Bell Denmark, not qualify through ranking. attacked off the top of the Cote de including the famous cobbles of Michael Bell has indicated Sharapova, who won at Wigtwizzle, the second of four Haworth and the imposing Shib- Wimbledon in 2004 as a 17- popular stayer Big Orange will categorised climbs in the final 22 den Wall. run next in the Betway York- Netherlands, year-old, is back on the kilometres of the 194.5km stage. But as the peloton passed huge WTA Tour after a 15-month shire Cup on May 19. Pauwels opened up a lead of crowds in Holmfirth and Penis- The six-year-old, who won ban for doping and made the more than 30 seconds on the test- tone the advantage was dropping India semi-finals of the Porsche ing Cote de Ewden Height and held all the time, and they were caught the Goodwood Cup for a sec- Tennis Grand Prix in Stut- on as the chasing pack came back as they came to the final circuit ond time last season, has come tgart in her first event last at him on the final climb of the day around Stocksbridge. On the long back from his Dubai foray in England have been drawn with Donaldson and team-mate week, giving herself a ranking of semi-finals at the Barcelona Open out of Midhopestones. He eased descent into Deepcar, stage two good form. Denmark, Netherlands and India Bradley Dredge are grouped with 262 after collecting 185 points. last week, but is now entering a clear on the descent to Fox Valley winner Nacer Bouhanni crashed He attempted to make all the in this weekend's Golf Sixes, live Australia, the United States and The 30-year-old now requires period of the season where he has before crossing the line just ahead badly, with the Frenchman running under Frankie Dettori on Sky Sports. Chris Wood and Portugal, while Scotland's Marc deep runs in her next two tourna- a high number of points to defend of team-mate Omar Fraile - who knocked unconscious. His Cofidis in the Dubai Gold Cup and bat- Andy Sullivan are England's cho- Warren and Richie Ramsey are in ments in Madrid and Rome to earn in order to maintain his status. was the first to congratulate him team later said he had regained con- tled on gamely to finish fourth, sen representatives in the two-day Group B with Thailand, Spain and enough points before the Wimble- Murray is adamant the pressure on a long-awaited win. Jonathan sciousness on his way to hospital beaten two lengths by Vazira- event, which features a group stage the Belgian pair of Colsaerts and don qualification deadline. Murray, of being No 1 has not contributed Hivert of Direct-Energie was third, and that the news was "reassur- bad. on Saturday followed by an eight- Thomas Detry. The new format who said in March players who to his troubled start to 2017. "I with BMC's Brent Bookwalter ing". Up ahead, several riders tried "He's in great form, I team knockout on the Sunday. will see matches played according have served doping suspensions think that was more like at the end fourth and Tao Geoghegan Hart - to attack off the front of a much- thought he ran well in Dubai The English pair are two of to Greensomes regulations over a should not be given tournament of last year," he said. "All that stuff making his debut on British roads reduced lead group before Pauwels on ground softer than he likes," four Ryder Cup players taking part six-hole course at Hertfordshire's wildcards, expects the All England felt a bit different to me. I'm now for Team Sky - fifth. It was a thrill- broke away at the top of the climb said Bell. alongside Wales' Jamie Donaldson Centurion Golf club. Club to offer Sharapova a lifeline getting asked about it every week. ing finish to a brutal stage, which from Broomhead reservoir. "We'll probably take our and Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium. ther innovations include a near- whether or not she makes the cut. "It's almost like trying to find a took the riders over eight categor- (Sky Sport) Golf Sixes explained est-the-pin contest, a shot clock reason for why this year hasn't chance in the Yorkshire Cup at "There might not even be a deci- the Dante meeting." We talk you through the new and on-tee pyrotechnics. sion to be made because she might been as good as the end of last year format at the Centurion Golf club. (Fox News) be in the main draw after Madrid but it did not have anything to do (Sky Sport) or Rome," Murray said at the with being world number one, in launch of next month's Queen's my opinion. "I haven't felt differ- tournament on Tuesday. "I think ent when I go on to the court, I there's a good chance Wimbledon didn't feel different when I was would give her one to get into qual- preparing for the Australian Open ifiers. I'm not sure what they will as I did in previous years. I really do but I'm sure they are hoping don't think it has been anything to they don't have to make the deci- do with that. sion. "There's a good chance that "Definitely at the end of last year, she can get in by right, which I'm there was a lot going on. But this sure is what she's hoping for and year and especially the last few that's what Wimbledon would be months, I haven't felt any differ- hoping for." Early exits from the ent or any extra pressure when I Australian Open and Indian Wells, go on the court. coupled with injury and illness, "Maybe now when you lose as has meant Murray has had his own number one, it's a bigger story. It concerns to contend with after a feels like each time you lose, it's stellar finish to last year. The three- treated like more of a surprise. time grand slam winner reached the (Sky Sport) THURSDAY . MAY 04. 2017-Sawar 14, 1396 H.S Vol:XI Issue No: 270 Price: Afs.20

AT News Report KABUL: The court of Criminal Justice Task Force (CJTF) on Wednesday said that 16 drug traf- ficker arrested in the past one week. CJTF in a press statement said that said that 16 smugglers were apprehended by Counter Narcotics Police through different izen journalists who report from crackdown and were handed over every corner of the nation. The to CJTF for criminal proceedings. Afghan people today enjoy a me- An Iranian citizen and a wom- dia landscape in which diverse an were among arrested drug run- opinions inform public opinion ners, added statement. more so than perhaps any other The statement said that that country in Central Asia,” he add- the investigation is going on over ed. Llorens said: “We rely on a free, the dossiers of indicts by the professional, and responsible CJTF, which after examining the press not only to keep us in- evidences and arguments from formed, but to shine a light on the both sides the CJTF will convict hidden darkness of corruption, the accused traffickers, added state- graft, illegal activity, and to hold AT News Report ment. Some 274kg heroin, 64kg our elected leaders accountable.” National Army (ANA) Trust Fund discussed the ongoing coordination rity Forces Fund, provided by the Board, participants discussed the between the Afghan authorities and United States, was a part of the , 2682kg hashish and 11 li- KABUL: Journalists in Afghani- A vibrant and independent media ters alcoholic beverages seized from stan bravely report on the Taliban were the bedrock of every demo- KABUL: The NATO member Fund’s achievements in 2016 and the various funding streams, in- agenda. Possible additional adap- countries and partners, together 2017 and upcoming plans for 2018, cluding the Afghan National Army tations of the ANA Trust Fund to smugglers, mentioned the state- and other terrorist networks that cratic nation, the envoy said, stress- ment. All the convicted drug traf- with representatives of the donor a statement from NATO said. Co- Trust Fund and the Law and Or- enhance joint training and interop- reject the truth and use intimida- ing joint efforts to protect the in- fickers would have defense attor- community have reaffirmed their ordination with the donor commu- der Trust Fund for the Afghan erability of the Afghan security tion, torture and murder as their stitutions. He praised the Afghan neys for their legal defense and will currency, a US diplomat said on government for its efforts to bet- long-term commitment to provide nity in Afghanistan and the imple- police. Budgetary contributions, forces in key areas, such as medi- mentation of auditing procedure was allocated by the Afghan govern- cal support, explosive ordnance be convicted after separate judi- Wednesday. In a statement from ter engage with the press. Like- required financial sustainment to cial trials based on the evide the Afghan forces. At a plenary also tabled for discussion at Mon- ment, bilateral contributions, es- disposal and counter-IEDs, also nce the US embassy on World Press wise, he explained, the continuing brought before the court and the meeting, organized by the Afghan day’s meeting. The participants also pecially the bilateral Afghan Secu- figured during the meeting. Freedom Day, Ambassador Hugo work of the independent Afghan Counter Narcotics law of Afghan- Llorens said the attempts to cre- Journalists Safety Committee and istan. ate false narratives were challenged other media advocacy groups was daily by an Afghan media that re- critical. Continuing engagement on 27 Insurgents fused to remain silent. Afghanistan all fronts would ultimately serve Afghanistan: UN had made significant progress over the Afghans, he believed. “So, to- killed in the last 15 years was the free and day let us pause to remember those assesses border independent media, the envoy said, brave members of the media we Helmand hailing Afghanistan’s media as ar- lost in the past year while cele- management to guably the most free and vibrant brating those who fight daily to operation of any in the region. “From one uncover truth and tell us the sto- cope with spike Taliban-controlled radio station in ries we would otherwise never 2001 to nearly 200 independent know. “I call on every Afghan to t least 27 insurgents were in returns from stations today, Afghanistan now stand with the brave men and wom- killed in an Afghan police boasts a robust media landscape en of the media and recognize their Aforce operation in southern Pakistan that includes television, radio, many contributions to democracy Helmand province on Tuesday, newspapers, and magazines,” he and civil society in Afghanistan, public order police said in a state- With an unprecedented 600,000 said. “Social media strengthens the the diplomat concluded ment on Wednesday. Afghans returned from Pakistan reach of traditional media as do cit- (Pajhwok) The operation was conducted last year, the United Nations mi- in Garemsir district of the prov- gration agency has completed an ince to clear the area of insurgents, assessment of border management according to the statement. capacity at Afghanistan’s two Opt-faulty traffic signals However, the statement did main border crossings with Paki- not provide more details about the stan. “With returns in 2017 on operation nor about casualties track to meet or even surpass the irk Jalalabad residents among security forces. levels of last year, it is essential to This comes just days after U.S GHAZNI CITY : Women’s affairs have a comprehensive understand- Marines returned to the province, department officials on Wednes- JALALABAD : Traffic signals at blamed the matter on technical ing of the current procedures at the two years after the NATO com- day said they had registered 125 border, and to look at how they some intersections in the eastern problems in the signals. Traffic divorce cases in southern Ghazni city of Jalalabad, the capital of director Col. Syed Hamidullah Sa- bat mission ended in the country. can be improved,” said Laurence The Marines were the first province last solar year. Hart, Afghanistan Chief of Mis- Nangarhar province, are often out dat told Pajhwok Afghan News While there were 90 divorce of order since long. The lights some- the electricity issue had been re- U.S Forces to be sent to Afghani- sion of the International Organi- stan after the September 11, 2001 cases in 1394 solar year, the year zation for Migration (IOM), in a times become functional but go solved, but technical faults in the before last solar year, in Ghazni, faulty soon, residents complain. traffic signals remained. attack on the United States. press release. indicating an increase, said Fawzia In 2016, 600,000 Afghans re- Residents and commuters say He said the signals had been For years they were engaged Kakar, head of the judicial office the government has installed the installed by a private company in often heavy fighting in the vola- turned from Pakistan through the at the Ghazni Women’s Affairs Torkham border crossing in Nan- lights, but has been unable to keep which used Iranian product. Sadat tile province, however the new Department. them functional. said the signals could not be re- deployment of about 300 Marines garhar province and the Spin Bold- She blamed the increase in di- ak border crossing in Kandahar One of them, Durrani Tadbir, paired in Afghanistan and the cen- will form part of Resolute Sup- vorce cases to foreign TV dramas said the government had spent tral government had been informed port’s train, advise and assist mis- province. played on local television chan- Over several visits to Torkham money on the lights to use them about the matter. sion. nels, drug addiction and poverty. for controlling traffic jams and ac- However, he hoped the issue The deployment of Marines and Spin Boldak in April, the as- Kakar, who talked exclusively sessment team met with officials cidents. The lights were often would be resolved soon as the cen- also came one day after the Tali- with Pajhwok Afghan News, said found out of order, he said. tral traffic authority had entered ban announced the launch of its from the Afghan Ministry of Ref- the Women’s Affairs Department ugees and Repatriation, Border Another Jalalabad resident, talks with the same company on spring offensive. In a statement, had launched public awareness However, he said divorce in She said she had been asking Ikramullah, said the traffic lights amending the contract. Police, customs officials, humani- the group warned it would in- campaign for reducing divorce cas- some cases was better and prevent- her ex-husband to separate him- tarian actors and migrants. turned faulty when people became Civil society activists said traf- crease its campaign of bombings, es in Ghazni. ed families from further problems. self from the joint family, but he habitual with the signals. He had fic signals played a major role in Based on interviews and ob- ambush attacks, complex attacks “Divorce is allowed in Islam, Haidari believed divorce rate always refused. servations at the borders, IOM will no idea about the nature of the fault. controlling traffic jams and acci- and IED operations. but there is emphasis unnecessary would sharply fall if the govern- “Finally I was left with no Traffic department officials dents. (Pajhwok) produce an assessment report ad- The Marines arrival also comes on its prevention,” said the offi- ment banned foreign TV serials on option to approach the govern- dressing key areas of administra- just days after reports emerged that cial. local TV channels. ment and seek divorce,” she said. tive and operational capacity in- the Trump administration is eval- Shiekh Haidari, an Islamic Basira, 25, a resident of Ghaz- To a question, she said she cluding infrastructure and available uating plans to send as many as scholar in Ghazni, said: “Many ni City, told Pajhwok she got di- would not marry again and would equipment; human resources and Casualties reported after 5,000 additional U.S troops to families refer to us for divorce, but vorced three years ago because her prefer single status for her entire competencies; the regulatory Afghanistan. (Al Jazeera) we advise them separation.” inlaws had been mistreating her. life. (Pajhwok) framework guiding relevant gov- Iran coal mine explosion ernment agencies; procedures and workflow; capacity gaps and is- A large explosion has struck a coal eri, deputy head of Golestan Prov- sues. (UN) mine in northern Iran, trapping at inces' emergency services, said that least 80 miners, according to state 25 people, who had entered the media. State news agency IRNA mine to help the trapped miners, Pakistan quoted a local official as saying that had been taken to hospital due to some of the trapped miners may gas inhalation. Some 21 people condemns suicide have died in the blast at the Ze- have been so far taken out of the mestanyurt mine, about 14km out- mine, according to media reports. attack in Kabul side the town of Azadshahr. "One of the injured miners is in The Government of Pakistan Press TV, the English service critical condition and other injured Afghan local police say the armed do not stop the motorcyclists but mander, Asadullah Shirzad said, strongly condemns the suicide at- of Iranian state television, report- miners are being treated for as- Taliban group has checkpoints in stop and investigate those who “We have launched six clearing tack in Kabul that led to the loss ed that at least two miners had lost phyxiation," Pir-Hossein Koli- close distance of them in Mehtar- have vehicle.” Another police, Po- operations from Mehtarlam city. of precious lives. Pakistan conveys their lives and scores of others were vand, head of Iran's Emergency lam city of Laghman province. hanullah said, “Taliban’s check- Taliban’s attacks are more on Po- its deepest sympathies to the be- wounded in the explosion. The Centre, said. Iran extracted 1.68m They claim Taliban fighters points are at a distance of 50 meters lice because they are in highways.” reaved families who lost their loved blast happened at 12:45pm (09:45 tonnes of coal in 2016, an increase cannot launch selling to the head- and have lasting checkpoints.” Previously, the lack of coordina- ones and prayers for the speedy GMT), at a time when workers on previous years, thanks to an quarters of Laghman province, but Laghman police say the armed Tal- tion among security forces ranks recovery of the injured. were changing shifts, according to easing of international sanctions. have their existence in their check- iban group launched shelling to and weakness in management and Terrorism is a common chal- local media. More than 500 peo- It exports only a fraction of the points. One of the local police on police headquarters but after Af- leadership caused security threats lenge and, therefore, warrants a ple are employed at the mine, coal and uses most of it in domes- condition anonymity said, “Yes, ghan forces night operations they increase in Laghman province. cooperative approach. IRNA said. Hamidreza Montaz- tic steel production. (Al Jazeera) Taliban has its checkpoints. They escaped from the city. Police com- (ATN) (Press Release)