” ”Volume No. 4474 Wednesday November 11, 2020 Aqrab 21, 1399 www.outlookafghanistan.net Price: 20/-Afs

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Add: In front of Habibia High School, District 3, Kabul, Afghanistan

KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani addressed the Shanghai Co-operation Organization Summit through a video conference on Tuesday where he highlighted Afghanistan’s peace in the region and said violence has remained high by the Taliban despite their commitments. “Unfortunately, not only the promised reduction of violence and comprehensive ceasefire has not been realized, but the vi-olence by the Taliban has increased substantially,” Ghani said. Ghani said state-to-state cooperation within a regional and global framework is key to dealing with all terrorist networks attempting to disrupt peace, progress and cooperation.

“As respect for sovereignty is a cardinal principle of SCO, we ask all of you to support a sustainable peace process within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” he said. Ghani said that Afghanistan is faced with “multiple forms of turmoil” but peace remains “most urgent and important pri-ority” for the country. “As a state and society, we have demonstrated the commit-ment, compassion and courage to make hard decisions to start direct peace negotiations with the Taliban,” Ghani said, refer-ring to the release of ...( More on P4)...(1)

Khaf-Herat Rail-way Line Critical to Expanding Ties

with Iran

Nangarhar Gets Special Virus Hospital

for Police

U18 Boxing Competition Kicks

Off in Kabul

Japan Pledges $9mn for Afghan Children,

Mothers’ Health

Saleh Hands Over Pak-Visa Distribution to Khoshal Sadat

Afghan Parliament to Start Confidence Vote on Cabinet Monday

NDS Says It Killed an Al Qaeda Leader in Farah

KABUL - Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami said on Monday Tehran estimates that three million tons of goods will be im-ported to and exported from the country annually once the Khaf-Herat Railway Line to Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan is completed.Eslami told Iran’s Mehr news agency that “once Khaf-Herat railway is con-nected, the objective of transit of 1.8 mil-lion tons of goods would be realized.”He said both countries hope the railway line will be inaugurated later this month.Eslami also said that the railway project was becoming increasingly important due to the growing volume of goods be-ing traded between the two countries and because of the expanding economic relations between Iran and Afghanistan.“Rail connection of the Islamic Republic of Iran to neighboring countries and its development from all possible routes has always ...( More on P4)...(2)

JALALABAD - A 50-bed hospital has been estab-lished in eastern Nangarhar province for treat-ment of policemen with coronavirus symptoms, an official said on Tuesday.Riyazuddin Darmal, a top Ministry of Interior offi-cial, who inaugurated the facility, said the hospital contained 50 beds including 10 beds allocated for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining for coronavirus patients.He said the facility was funded by UNDP and oth-er assisting organizations and would be an exem-plarily on the country’s level.The ICU unit is ...( More on P4)...(3)

KABUL - A boxing competition was kicked off in Ka-bul on Monday in which 317 athletes from all Kabul clubs attended. Organizers said the competition will continue for ten days and will select 52 athletes for the Kabul team. “Top athletes will be selected for the national teams to compete in international events,” said Waisuddin Ghawsi, an official of Afghanistan Boxing Federation. Boxers said the event is a good opportunity for them to explore their talents.“I want to compete in international competitions. I want to encourage the youth for sports,” said Shabeer, a boxer. “I will be a strong boxer and will bring honor to my country,” said Ilias, a boxer. (TOLO NEWS)

KABUL - Japan pledged approximately $9 million in aid to help UNICEF provide life-saving inter-ventions and address urgent needs and rights of Afghanistan’s children and women, a statement said on Tuesday.Takahashi Yoshiaki, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan, and Ms. Shee-ma Sen Gupta, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Afghanistan, signed the agreement in the presence of Dr. Ahmad Jawad Osmani, Acting Minister of Public Health.The project will be implemented by UNICEF and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health.The grant will enable UNICEF and its partners to vaccinate more than 1.4 million infants as part of the expanded program on immunization (EPI), protect around 10 million children under five years, and provide more than 3.1 million women of child-bearing age with tetanus toxoid vaccine.The statement said the grant will contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) that fo-cuses on healthy lives and promotes well-being of all children of all ages.Importantly, it will contribute to the global ef-forts to eradicate polio, especially in Afghanistan, which is one of only a few countries in the world yet to eliminate polio. “The Government of Japan has aided different sec-tors in Afghanistan for many years. This specific support will help the Government of Afghanistan in providing quality and equitable vaccination ser-vices to mothers, new borns and under five-year-old girls and boys”, said Dr. Osmani.Dr. Osmani further highlighted the importance of the Japanese contribution and assured Japan and UNICEF of their usual quality immunization ser-vice delivery to target women and children with special focus ...( More on P4)...(4)

KABUL - Afghanistan’s parlia-ment will start holding a vote of confidence for cabinet on Monday next week, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.Ten ministerial nominees will face

FARAH - Afghanistan’s intelli-gence agency said on Tuesday it killed a leader of al Qaeda for the Indian Subcontinent in western Farah province.Mohammad Haneef, nicknamed

confidence vote in parliament next week, MP Khan Aqa Rezayee, said.He said that the decision was taken by a committee that assesses the documents of ministerial nomi-nees.

as Abdullah, was killed in an op-eration in Bakwa district, the Na-tional Directorate of Security said in a statement.Haneef was from Pakistan’s Ka-rachi and two Pakistani women

Nominees who will face confi-dence vote next week are:Mohammad Haneef Atmar, nomi-nee for foreign minister, Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, nominee for economy minister, Masooma Kha-wari, nominee for minister of com-munications and IT, Abbas Baseer, nominee for minister of higher education, Fazl Ahmad Manawi, nominee for minister of justice, Ba-shir Ahmad Tahyenj, nominee for minister of labor and social affairs, Asadullah Khalid, nominee for de-fense minister, Masood Andarabi, nominee for interior minister, Qasim Halimi, nominee for min-ister of haj and religious affairs, Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani, nominee for minister of commerce and in-dustry. (1TV NEWS)

were also arrested in the raid which was conducted by NDS special forces, the statement said.Initially a member of the Taliban, Haneef joined al al Qaeda in 2020 and arrived in Helmand province with direct help of the Taliban, ac-cording to the statement.He was helping and training the Taliban on placing bombs, making car bombs and improvised explo-sive devices, the statement said.NDS in a tweet said that Haneef was very close aide to Asim Umar, the head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and was deputy Amir for AQIS for a period.NDS said that Haneef was given a safe haven and protection by the Taliban in Farah. (1TV NEWS)

KABUL - First Vice President Amrul-lah Saleh said he had handed over the responsibility of organizing the distribu-tion of Pakistani visas in Kabul to Kho-shal Sadat, General Director of Public Protection Force.Saleh wrote on his Facebook page that passports would be collected in 16 parts of the city and then be sent to the Paki-stani embassy to ease the traffic conges-tion and create order.He said it was decided that the responsi-bility should be handed over to Khushal Saadat at the 6:30 am meeting under the security pact.According to him, the issue is being taken up in coordination with the Paki-stani embassy and the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.This comes at a time when free Pakistani visas have long been charged in Kabul, and people have faced many problems during the unbridled rush to obtain or apply for the visas. (Khaama Press)

Ghani: Taliban Violence Has Increased ‘Substantially’

Main PageNovember 11, 20202

Nov 11, 2020 - You may feel yourself slip-ping into a deeper understanding with a close friend or loved one, Leo. Roman-tic situations are heating up, and you’re slowly letting your inhibitions fade away so they’re completely absent. You realize

the exuberance and excitement that come when you come out of hiding and let your playful spirit charm the world. Put serious subjects aside and make time to have fun and be more social.

Nov 11, 2020 - You’re the secret jewel, Taurus. You’re apt to be extremely lov-ing and devoted to those who recog-nize this in you. There is no reason to shrink back and hide. Put on your royal air and flaunt your stuff. Your peaceful,

charming nature shines through, and you radiate the god-like qualities you have within. Whoever shares your company tonight is extremely lucky. Make sure this person is worthy of you.

Nov 11, 2020 - You may feel locked in a bind of deep emotion and stubborn atti-tudes with close friends or lovers, Gemini. Perhaps it’s hard for you to say what you really feel. You may be under the impres-sion that you’re being tested and judged

by everyone else. Try not to let your ego get in the way of a good time. Say what you feel without getting wor-ried about how others will react.

Down

Across Yesterday’s Solution

1. Tiredness, 2. Halo, 3. Actress Lupino, 4. Peel, 5. Fizzy drink, 6. A season, 7. By oneself, 8. Crooner Crosby, 9. Uncooked, 10. Stain black, 13. Pillaged, 14. Border, 15. Second person singular of shall, 16. Without sincerity, 19. Meowed, 22. Ball of chew-ing gum, 24. Support, 26. Arid, 27. In song, the loneliest number, 30. Not pretty, 32. Fury, 33. Winged, 34. Lubricating oil, 35. Low leather step-in shoes, 38. Flyer, 39. Remedy, 40. Step, 42. Monger, 44. Blaring, , 45. Cause to leak, 48. A ridge of sand, 49. Blacken, 50. French for “Head”, 53. Not thin, 55. “Eureka!”

1. Carnivals, 6. A fencing sword, 11. Sound, 12. Flexible, 15. Maroon, 16. East In-dian evergreen tree, 17. Hasten, 18. Cursing, 20. Holiday drink, 21. All excited, 23. Feudal worker, 24. Chomp, 25. Humdinger, 26. Gulp, 27. Exude, 28. Abound, 29. Poetic dusk, 30. Lacking leadership, 31. Coops for budgies, 34. Menacing look, 36. L, 37. Sourish, 41. Part in a play, 42. Heavy cart, 43. Always, 44. Loyal (archaic), 45. Red vegetable, 46. Go on horseback, 47. Buffoon, 48. Language variant, 51. Genus of macaws, 52. Efficaciously, 54. Inflamed, 56. Perturb, 57. A Musketeer, 58. Drive, 59. Backsides

Outlook Horoscope

Pisces (Feb.19-Mar.20)

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb.18)

Capricorn (Dec.21-Jan19)

Scorpio (Oct.23-Nov.22)

Libra (Sep 23-Oct. 22)Cancer (June 21-July 20)

Sagittarius (Nov.23-Dec.20)

Leo (July 21-Aug. 21)Taurus (Apr.21-May 20)

Aries (Mar. 22-Apr.20)

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Virgo (Aug. 22-Sep 22 )

Nov 11, 2020 - Have fun with loved ones, Aries. Put your worries aside. Don’t think of the possible negative consequences of having a good time. Focus on the fun and excitement of the moment. You have the ability to create fantastically strong bonds

between you and your romantic partner. Love is in your favor, so act with confidence. There is no reason to feel bad or insecure in any way. Hold your head high.

Nov 11, 2020 - Your spirit sparkles, Can-cer. You may feel filled with tremendous energy as you go about your day. Your sense of adventure is high, and there’s very little that gets you down. One area

that might be difficult to deal with right now is love and romance. You may feel like this is the one domain in which things aren’t going the way you’d like them to. Patience is the secret.

Nov 11, 2020 - Sensual, passionate love-making is definitely on the agenda of activities for tonight, Libra. Fun, excite-ment, romance, and love are all key themes likely to take precedence if you

have anything to say about it - and you do. Don’t let someone else dictate your path for you. You know what you want, so don’t say you don’t care when you do. Love is coming your way. Learn how to grab it.

Nov 11, 2020 - Your sensitive, sensual side is being drawn out, Capricorn. You may feel like your romantic side is on display. You’re like a dancer onstage,

and you accept this role with pleasure! There’s a great combination of energies at work letting you become more realistic about love and approach it with dra-matic flair and courage. Be more expressive when it comes to your needs and desires.

Nov 11, 2020 - You may feel like the brakes have been slammed in the ro-mance department, Scorpio. Realize that this doesn’t mean you have to stop hav-ing fun. Laughter and good times are in

store for you today as long as you don’t get hung up on the slow pace of your love life. You can have a good time while taking things one step at a time. Savor each moment. Don’t try to rush to the next.

Nov 11, 2020 - Come out of your shell and be proud of your sensitive side, Aquarius. Although you may feel vulnerable when it comes to love and romance, this doesn’t mean that you have to hide it. You may

think that everyone else has it together in this depart-ment, but don’t be fooled. They’re just as insecure as you are! Go ahead and let this side of your personality shine. Admitting your vulnerability is wonderfully at-tractive.

Nov 11, 2020 - You shouldn’t have any problem getting your way in most areas of life, Pisces. The time is ripe for you to take the lead. Unfortunately, there

may be one important part of your life that isn’t go-ing exactly to plan, and this is love and romance. It’s likely that you will run into a tremendously stubborn attitude that you can’t seem to break through. It could be your own.

Nov 11, 2020 - Most of the time it’s good to have strong opinions and be independent and will-ful, Virgo. But there are other times when this attitude turns people away you’re hoping to

draw closer. There’s a stubborn yet sensitive attitude in your world of romance that may be difficult for you to deal with. Perhaps you’re taking a more rational approach to things while your loved one is taking a more emotional one.

Nov 11, 2020 - The stars indicate that love and romance are in your favor, Sagittari-us. You will find that this area of your life

is going well. Shower your partner with affection. You honey’s ego needs to be stroked. However, don’t spoil him or her to the point that your mate becomes self-centered and ends up disregarding all of your wants and needs.

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GARDEZ - Pajhwok findings show revenue from 6,500 shops and markets in two districts of south-eastern Paktia province ends up in private pockets in-stead of going to the govern-ment’s treasures.This investigative report has been prepared by a Pajhwok Afghan News reporter with the help of two technical colleagues.Documents, evidence and some overt and covert statements of a number of people and officials show that all areas of tax have been neglected or little revenue is collected from them based on secret deals.The evidence shows revenue of-ficers make deals with shop own-ers and do not collect taxes and instead accept some money from them as bribe for their personal use.Paktia revenue officials not only

amount collected as annual tax from these shops would reach 96 million afghanis.There are also 210 markets in Gardez city and each market tax amount is 50,000 afs to 280,000 afghanis.The average annual tax of each market amounts to 165,000 af-

avoid registering new shops, companies, healthcare centers, higher and semi-higher educa-tion institutes, private schools, property dealers, showrooms and other tax sources, but even prevent their registration with the revenue office.Untaxed shops and commercial companies:Pajhwok findings show that tax is not collected or very little tax is collected from around 3,000 shops in Gardez, the provincial capital.The rent of a shop starts from 4,000 afghanis a month and reach up to 60,000 afghanis, depending on their location in Gardez city.According to the tax law, eve-ry shop owner should pay the amount of one month rent of his shop as tax annually.If 3,000 afghanis is the average rent of a shop in Gardez, the total

ghanis and total amount of an-nual tax of all markets reach 34,650,000 afghanis.In Samkani district, around 2,000 shops whose monthly rent start from 3,000 to 30,000 afghanis also do not pay their taxes. The aver-age rent of these shops amount to ...( More on P4)...(10)

LOGAR - Local officials in Logar province say four local police-men have been killed in a Tali-ban attack against security check-point in the provincial capital Pul-e-Alam.Deedar Lawang, a spokesman for the Logar governor, told me-dia that the Taliban had launched an offensive attack on Monday night in the village of Alozay in the Pul-e-Alam. Lawang report-ed that another local policeman was wounded during the clashes in the Taliban’s attack.He emphasized that five Taliban

HERAT, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army defused at least three Improvised Explo-sive Devices (IED) following a search in western province of Herat, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement Tuesday.According to the statement, the explosive devices were plant-ed by the Taliban militant in Chesht district of the province.“3 IEDs which were placed by Taliban in Chesht district of Herat were discovered and de-fused by #ANA, yesterday,” said MoD in a tweet.

HELMAND - Security forces de-tected and destroyed a Taliban car bomb in Helmand before in-surgents could reach their target, the 215 Maiwand Army Corps in southern Afghanistan said in a statement.According to the statement with the help of intelligence agencies, and the air force, security forces stopped the attack from happen-ing in Abpashak area of Greshk district.The statement said that another group of Taliban militants, who

NANGARHAR - The Ministry of Interior (MoI) says that police forces of the Nangarhar Police Command arrested two arms smugglers in the province.The ministry said in a press re-lease on Tuesday that the smug-glers had seized 53 pistols and 56 AK-47 Ammo Boxes.The two smugglers were arrested in Momand Dara district of Nan-garhar province, the report added. According to the Interior Minis-

were preparing to attack security checkpoints after the planned car bomb, was also targeted by the Afghan Air Force, killing nine ...( More on P4)...(13)

try, the weapons ware cleverly embedded ...( More on P4)...(12)

GHAZNI - A 33-year-old Afghan policewoman was left blind after gunmen attacked her in Ghazni for “working”, police confirmed. Khatera said the last thing she saw was three men on a motor-cycle who then shot at her and stabbed her in the eyes with a knife. Speaking to Reuters, Khatera said when she woke up in hospi-tal everything was dark. “I asked the doctors, why I can’t

MAIDAN WARDAK - At least one person was killed and five more were wounded in an ex-plosion near a private university in Maidan Wardak province on Sunday evening, said local offi-cials. The bomb was placed on a sur-rounding wall of the private university in Maidan Shahr city, the center of Maidan Wardak province, said Dadullah Fedaee,

fighters had been killed and three others wounded in the clashes.Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that 15 government forces had been killed ...( More on P4)...(11)

Authorities did not provide further details but said by de-fusing these IEDs the national police saved “Lives of tens of civilians” in the province. (Khaama Press)

see anything? They told me that my eyes are still bandaged be-cause of the wounds. But at that moment, I knew my eyes had been taken from me,” she said.Both Khatera and local authori-ties blame the incident on Tali-ban insurgents who they say were following a tip-off from her father – who was vehemently opposed to her working outside the home. Khatera ...( More on P4)...(14)

spokesman for Wardak police. Sahrifullah Hotak, a member of the Provincial Council in Maid-an Wardak, said three people, including Ghiasuddin, a com-mander of Hizb-e-Islami, were killed in the blast. Hizb-e-Islami has not comment-ed on the incident. No group has claimed respon-sibility for the attack. (TOLO NEWS)

183m Afs in Paktia Annual Revenue Unaccounted For

Taliban Offensive Claims 4 ANP in Logar Province

ANA Defused 3 IEDs in Western Province of Herat

Taliban Car Bomb Attack Foiled in Helmand: Security Officials

Officials Nab 2 Over Gunrunning in Nangarhar City

Bordered by Pakistan

Afghan Woman Shot and Blinded for Working ‘Outside The House’

Explosion Near Private University in Maidan

Wardak Kills One

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind

November 11, 2020

Violation of Human Rights – A Blow to

Democracy

Chairman / Editor-in-Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida

Email: outlookafghanistan@gmail.comPhone: 0093 (799) 005019/777-005019

www.outlookafghanistan.net

The views and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authers and do not reflect the views or opinions of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan.

There is a wide gap between the ideal world of Afghani-stan’s Constitution and real life of Afghan nation. The

rights and liberty of people are considered natural, inalien-able and inviolable constitutionally. The state is commit-ted to observe the United Nations Charter and the Uni-versal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and form a civil society void of violence and bloodshed. Distinction and discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed and gender have no room in the law. Upholding human rights, empowering women and strengthening democracy are stated explicitly. Freedom, including freedom of speech and thought, and human dignity are “inviolable”.In the criminal sphere, persecution is forbidden as it is stated in article 29, “No one shall be allowed to or order torture, even for discovering the truth from another indi-vidual who is under investigation, arrest, detention or has been convicted to be punished. Punishment contrary to hu-man dignity shall be prohibited.” Similarly, soliciting con-fession or testimony under pressure is not valid. In brief, the criminal code is also based on democracy and in accor-dance with international instruments.Since the UDHR is recognized by the state, all human be-ings are born free with natural rights and should be able to exercise their fundamental rights – i.e. the rights to life, liberty and property – without fear and barriers. “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrad-ing treatment or punishment,” as it is said in article 5 of the UDHR. No one should be discriminated and “all are en-titled to equal protection against any discrimination”. The equality of human beings in rights and dignity are stressed both in Afghan Constitution and UDHR and the state is supposed to respect and protect them. The aforementioned facts are highly ambitious. In the real life of Afghan people, human rights and dignity are violat-ed in one way or another. For instance, the administrative corruption in government’s apparatus has been a strong obstacle to implementing law. People are oppressed and humiliated with impunity. Some corrupt officials do not value the rights of individuals and discriminate them on the basis of their money. The rule of law is marginalized and reduced to written document rather than being prac-ticed in real life. Those who claim to implement the law, such as police officers and some authorities, are the main law-breakers. You can simply take the parliament, for ex-ample. The legal period of parliament, which is the legisla-tive power in a government, was terminated two years ago and the state had to conduct election, but it is still being run without legal basis. Do you not think that it is a violation of law by the state? To view the issue from the next perspective, the rights and dignity of men and women are trampled upon by warring parties. For example, the Taliban conduct a desert court to punish women without referring to Afghanistan’s law. Women are humiliated and tortured in desert courts in the worst possible way. Worst of all, people are killed on a massive scale and their freedoms are curtailed by militant fighters. Reports are re-plete with human fatalities and tragic stories happening to the nation. The “inviolable” rights and liberty are violated and the nation suffers from militancy. Hence, a “civil soci-ety” where people were promised to exercise their rights freely and taste the sweet fruit of democracy remains no more than a dream. The events taking place in the real life of Afghans are a slap in the face of democracy and Constitution. The democratic discourse debated hotly following the collapse of the Tali-ban regime and establishment of a government based on public election, went no more beyond words. With the es-calation of militancy in recent years, democracy is likely to be moribund and the hope for a civil society has been shattered. Do you think that people should hope for better when policemen turn to law-breakers and judges turn to criminals? The gap between the ideal ambitions of law and real life of nation is extremely wide. Approving a democratic consti-tution and conducting election do not reflect democracy. The country must implement this law and conduct a trans-parent election in accordance with the law. The state has to bridge this gap between ideal and real life through enforc-ing law and protecting the rights and liberty of citizens. Turning a blind eye to the society’s realities will deteriorate the situation and put the abilities of the state under serious question.

Editorial and Opinions3

Dr. Hussain Yasa is the founder of the Afghanistan group of News- papers. At the moment, he is living in self-imposed exile in Germany.He can be reached at dr.yada1967@gmail.com

The countries like Russia, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan also have their interests in the Indian Ocean and they can prove to be vital players in

its power politics. RUSSIARussia has been emerging as an important military power at the international and regional arena, particularly, under Vladimir Putin. Though it has lost the glory it once possessed within United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), it has gained new political and military role since the dawn of 21st century. As far as Indian Ocean is concerned, Russia seas it in the light of striking a bal-ance against the growing role of the US. Though it has not been able to counter that alone, it has made some important difference in cooperation with China. Russia, very recently, was involved in a military training with China and Iran in Indian Ocean. Iran has been an arch rival to the US, which has always coun-tered US interests in the Middle East, Central Asia and Afghanistan, and Rus-sia has always backed Iran’s such initiatives. Moreover, it has been involved in serious confrontations with the US in North Arabian Sea recently. Russian and US ships hit with angry glare in the sea. The US Fifth Fleet claimed that the USS Farragut, was “aggressively approached” by the Russian Navy. While the Russian Ministry of Defense criticized the American accusation and said that the US ship “crossed the Russian navy’s traffic lane in a deliberate breach of international health regulations”. Moreover, Russia has been trying to play a role in Sri-Lanka so that it can con-vince the country for favorable relations with Russia and China. The US and India have been active in Sri-Lanka to back the government of their choice, which could deal serious blow to the Chinese and Russian interests. However, currently, Russia and China seem to have more favorable circumstances in Sri-Lanka, where China has an important sea port. Thus, Russia’s role in Indian Ocean region also appears to be more security-oriented. It has an imperative role to balance the power against the US, and in cooperation with China, which can provide for the financial support, Russia can prove to be a serious challenge for the US. INDIAIndia has always considered Indian Ocean as ‘its own’ and has been making efforts to establish its dominance in the sea. However, it has been facing severe challenges from China in particular. India’s current strategy in Indian Ocean region can be understood through Narendra Modi’s so-called vision of “Se-curity and Growth for All in the Region” or SAGAR. Within this vision, India considers the region to extend from the Gulf of Aden in the west to Burma and Thailand in the east. However, it excludes Pakistan from the region, placing more emphasis on Chabahar Port in Iran. India’s exclusion of Pakistan is be-cause of the long-lasting troubled relations between both the countries. More-over, as Pakistan has gained importance as a result of CPEC, India wants to counter it through Chabahar. In the process, India also wants to counter grow-ing influence of China, with which it has serious border tensions that experi-enced further deterioration recently. India is also being backed by the US to

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Islamic Empires Geography Under Control* Type of Government System

Umayyad’s Dy-nasty (661-750 AD)

Greater Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, the Maghrib, Andalusia, and the Levan

Absolute Monarchy-Unitary.It was one of the largest unitary em-pire of the history with Arab Aristoc-racy.

Spanish Umay-yad (756-1031 AD)

Andalusia and the Maghrib Absolute Monarchy-Unitary.Autocracy but secular in nature.

Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 AD )

The Arabian Peninsula, Greater Iran, Egypt, the Levant, the Ma-ghrib, and parts of Central Asia

Absolute Monarchy- Unitary with Arab Aristocracy which was later replaced by Persian bureau-cracy. The empire was fragmented into several governorships that were mostly autonomous, although they officially recognized caliphal authority from Baghdad.

Saljuqs Empire (1040-1196)

The Arabian Peninsula, Greater Iran, Egypt, the Levant, the Ma-ghrib, and parts of Central Asia and most part of the present time Turkey

‹Family federation› or ‹Appanage state› based on the tribal organization common in Turkic and Mongol nomads.

Safavid Dynasty (1501–1736)

Present day Iran, Azerbaijan Re-public, Bahrain, Armenia, east-ern Georgia, parts of the North Caucasus, Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, as well as parts of Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Absolute Monarchy-Unitary Religious Autocracy- Religion as in-strument of Empire consolidation and base for the Transition to Unitary state.

Mughal Empire (1526–1858)

Most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of present-day Afghani-stan

Absolute Monarchy, Uni-tary-ill-defined Federalism. The consecutive kings from this fami-ly were secular in principal but Au-rangzeb Alamgir (Reign- 31 July 1658 – 3 March 1707) was a religious fanatic. He occupied the largest area in the history of his family but the downfall of the empire also started from that point.

Ottoman Empire (1299–1923)

Anatolia; parts of the Balkan Pen-insula and eastern Europe; parts of the Maghrib (excluding Morocco), the Levant, and the Arabian Pen-insula; and Egypt

Absolute Monarchy-Unitary The military-administrative, religious-legal, and the Social-Economic.

Coun-tries

Total popula-tion

Muslim Popula-tion %

Political system Legislature

Indonesia 255,182,144 87.2 - Presidential- Decen-tralized Unitary (Quasi Federalism)- Multiparty democracy

- Bicameral- Total member- 575- Party list PR - 9 multimember constituencies- PR

Power Politics in Indian Ocean

How the Taliban chose the bullet over the ballot?

create a balance of power against China in the region, which was explained in my previous article with the same heading. Another Indian tactic within the Indian Ocean region is a Look East policy, that seeks to establish strong commercial ties with the South East and East Asian nations. At the same time, India has been able to establish closer trade relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Qatar and Oman to secure energy resources for its growing economy. Indian’s relations with GCC and Iran are imperative as far as Pakistan’s relations with them are concerned. Though GCC countries have always had favorable relations with Pakistan, they have prioritized India in certain cases because of its large consumer market. Indian role in Indian Ocean region currently has the backing of the US; how-ever, it has also made sure that its role is not purely security-oriented. Though US will further push and support India for such a role, particularly, to counter China, it is very difficult and inappropriate for India to pursue it, as it will ultimately, put India in a difficult position as far as its economic relations are concerned. SAUDI ARABIA, IRAN, PAKISTAN:Other important countries within the Indian Ocean region are Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan. Saudi Arabia and Iran are two important countries in Persian Gulf. They have large petroleum resources, which have always kept them relevant in the region. Both the countries became the target of multinational European and American oil companies, that developed their oil reservoirs and at the same time utilized them for their own benefits. In fact, the oil politics in both Iran and Saudi Arabia kept both the countries under the control of Western powers. Unfortunately, both the countries also developed differences between each other on the basis of sect. Even today, they are arch rival to each other be-cause of the same, and also because the same has been utilized by the Western powers to further harm their relations. Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have imperative role in Indian Ocean because they have huge transportation of oil through the region. These transportation routes and the important choke points in the Persian Gulf have been determining the role of regional and international players to a large ex-tent, and will keep on doing so for some time in near future. Pakistan is also being considered an important country in Indian Ocean be-cause of its sea ports in Karachi and Gwadar. CPEC has further amplified this role and put Pakistan relevant in the regional and international politics. Pakistan’s strategic importance has always been accepted; however, because of certain politico-economic challenges, the country has not been able to leave its marks as it could have. China’s rising power, involving Pakistan’s role, and the US concerns and efforts to put a check on that power has brought Pakistan at a very crucial juncture of its history. Moreover, the US’s dependence on Pakistan to strike a peace deal in Afghanistan has also made Pakistan’s role significant. However, it is to be seen how the policy and decision makers take advantages of these facts and scenario.

By: Sajjad Aasim

Sajjad Aasim is a PhD scholar in International Relations. He can be reached at sajjad.aasim@hotmail.com.

By: Hussain Yasa

(Part 4)

… continued from the previous article under the same heading

Pakistan 207,774,520 96 - Federal-Parliamentary- Multiparty democ-racy

- Bicameral- Total members- 342- 10 seats reserved for religious minori-ties- 60 seats reserved for women - Single member con-stituencies- FPTP

Turkey 83.154,997 99 - Presidential-Unitary- Multiparty democracy

- UnicameralTotal Members- 600- 87 multimember constituencies- PR

Iran 79,926,270 99.4 - Theocratic Presidential-Unitary - The president, as chief executive, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the country but the constitution provides the highest authority to the supreme leader” as the strongest power center and custodian of the Islamic System who determines the general guidelines of Iranian domestic and foreign policy, commands the armed forces and security organs including the powerful Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).

- Unicameral- Total members- 290- 5 seats reserve for religious minorities- Two round (second ballot) Majority System

Saudi Arabia

33,091,113 (37%-Non Saudi National)

99.9 Absolute Monarchy-Unitary Islamic following the Wahabi school of thought (dominated by Al Saud Family)- Family Aristocracy- The constitutions- Holy Qur’an, and the Sunna - The King is also the prime Minister

- There is no parlia-ment in the kingdom rather an unelected ceremonial advisory council.- Women are given the right to vote in lo-cal elections in 2015

Malaysia 28,334,000 61.3 - Federal- Constitutional Monarchy- Multiparty Democracy

- Bicameral- Total members- 222Single member con-stituencies- FPTP

UAE 9,121,167 (UAE citizens are around 12.1%)

76 Federation of 7 absolute mon-archies. But officially, it is call Constitutional Monarchy-Semi-presidential

- Non-Party parlia-ment - Out of total 40 seats, 20 are appointed by the president and the next 20 are elected by the handpicked electoral college

NOTES1. Moudoodi, Molauna Abul Ala. Khilafat wa Malookiyat (in Urdu). Lahore: Idarat-ul-Tarjuman Quran, 1996. 2. Amiri, Ali. «Islam and the State (in Farsi).» The Daily Ittelaat Roz. October 12, 2020.https://www.etilaatroz.com/108480/islam-and-republic-1/3. “Terrorist Acts by Groups from 2013 to 2017.” Countrydata.info. Accessed November 5, 2020. https://www.laenderdaten.info/ter-rorismus/terrorgruppen.php

Afghanistan to threaten America is in the interest of both our people and nations,” the statement added.“We remain committed to the agreement on our part and view it as a powerful basis for solving the Afghan issue, and we also give preference to solving our internal problems through dialogue and negotiations.”The Taliban sought positive relations with all countries of the world, including America. The future American president needed to be vigilant of war-mongering circles, individuals and groups that sought to perpetuate the war and to keep America mired in conflict in order to pursue their own personal interests. (Pajhwok)

(8) Security Officials…the blast followed by the entrance of four militants who got involved in fierce clashes with the security members.The skirmish lasted the entire night, turning the situations into chaos.Ministry of Defense reports, 37 Taliban were killed and 20 others were wounded after they were targeted by ANDSF in Gizab and Dehrawood districts of Uruzgan Province.A large number of their weapons, ammunition including two of their strongholds, were also destroyed. (Khaama Press)

(9) Initial Plan…for transfer of gas to its eastern neighbor.Afghanistan is increasingly relying on Iran for its energy needs as the landlocked country moves to expand economic activity through opening a new trade route that passes through Iran to the Indian Ocean.However, Iranian energy supplies, including electricity, are mostly available to western parts of Afghanistan where the security of transfer infrastructure can be properly guaranteed.Nearly a tenth of Iran’s current output of more than 700 million cubic meters of gas is exported, mainly through pipelines to Turkey and Iraq.On exports to Turkey, where authorities have announced the discovery of a new gas reserves in the Black Sea, Torbati said Ankara would still need to import gas from Iran to respond to its growing energy demand. (Tehran Times)

(10) 183m Afs…16,500 afghanis and their annual tax would amount to 33 million afghanis.There are also 30 markets in Samkani district, whose annual taxes start from 30,000afs to 200,000afs. The average annual tax of each market amounts to 115,000afs while their total annual tax reaches 3,450,000afs, but none pay their taxes.In the meantime, 1,500 shops in Zurmat district also do not pay taxes. The rent of shops in Zurmat district starts from 2,000afs to 20,000afs. Their average monthly rent amounts to 11,000afs and the total annual tax of all of the shops reach 16.5 million afghanis.There are also eight markets in Zurmat district, whose annual tax starts from 10,000afs to 50,000afs, but none pay their dues. The average annual tax of these markets amount to 30,000afs and the total annual tax of the eight markets amount to 240,000afs.Accurate numbers of shops and markets based on survey:Paktia revenue department collects tax from 2,381 business places in Gardez city while there are more than 8,500 shops and commercial markets there.Gardiz municipality officials say there are more than 5,000 shops and markets in the city.This report has been produced by Pajhwok and financially supported by UNDP and Denmark. (Pajhwok)

(11) Taliban Offensive…and wounded in the attack.Logar province in south Kabul is one of the most insecure provinces where the Taliban are active in various parts of the province, including Pul-e-Alam. (Khaama Press)

(12) Officials Nab…in a vehicle for shopping, but was seized by the security forces before time.The eastern province of Nangarhar is one of the bordered regions of the country with Pakistan, and it has always been the focus of illegal traffickers and smugglers. (Khaama Press)

(13) Taliban Car…Taliban insurgents.Taliban did not comment yet.A security source said on condition of anonymity that at least seven army soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in the operation. (ATN)

(14) Afghan Woman…had only worked for the Ghazni police in the crime branch for a few months but had always dreamed of having a career, Reuters reported. “I wish I had served in police at least a year. If this had happened to me after that, it would have been less painful. It happened too soon … I only got to work and live my dream for three months,” she told Reuters.

racial injustice in the US.Esper also disagreed with Trump’s dismissive attitude toward the NATO alliance, sources said. Trump has steadfastly refused to acknowledge his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, alleging widespread voter fraud without evidence. His campaign team has launched legal challenges in several states.Trump has had an uneasy relationship with the Pentagon, where Esper and top brass have repeatedly sought to avoid being seen as a political instrument of the Trump administration. Like Mattis, Esper also disagreed with Trump’s dismissive attitude toward the NATO alliance and was wary of Trump’s inclination to see US military alliances through an explicitly transactional lens even as he backed Trump’s calls for allies to increase defense spending, sources said. (Aljazeera)

(19) Congress votes…of debate. Coming just weeks after Vizcarra easily survived another removal vote, Monday’s action could spell a new chapter of uncertainty for the country, which has the world’s highest per capita COVID19- mortality rate and is facing a deep recession. Thousands gathered on the streets of Peru’s capital after the vote to denounce Congress.“Get out coup plotters!” some chanted.Legislators brought the impeachment proceeding forward on allegations that Vizcarra received more than 630,000$ in exchange for two construction projects while serving as governor of a small province in southern Peru in 2014-2011. The allegations are being investigated, but Vizcarra’s supporters have questioned their veracity, noting that they come from construction managers themselves accused of corruption. The accusers could get any potential jail time reduced in exchange for the information.In a late-night address, Vizcarra said he would not pursue legal options to challenge the removal vote, saying he opted to act with the best interests of the Peruvian people and the nation’s democracy in mind.“Today I am leaving the government palace,” Vizcara said. “Today I am going home.”According to the chain succession, the head of the legislature will take his place. Lawmakers scheduled a ceremony to swear the new leader in Tuesday. (AP)

(20) UK PM…represent a legal safety net to protect the integrity of the UK’s internal market and the huge gains of the (Northern Ireland) peace process,” a spokeswoman said.The publication of the bill in September provoked criticism with some saying it would wreck Britain’s international standing. Biden tweeted on Sept. 16 that anything which endangered the peace accord between the Irish republic and Northern Ireland would threaten Anglo-American trade.Johnson says the clauses are there to act as a safety net in case ongoing negotiations with the EU fail to work out how goods can flow between Britain, the British province of Northern Ireland, and across the open border with EU member Ireland.Many instead saw the bill as a negotiating gambit to win concessions from the EU in trade negotiations. Brussels has launched legal action against Britain over the proposals. The final wording of the bill has to be agreed by both houses, and typically the unelected Lords does not permanently block laws supported by the directly elected House of Commons.However, the clauses may no longer be needed if talks with the EU on how to make the Irish border work are successful. (Reuters)

(21) Palestinian negot…Palestine and a just and lasting peace in our region,” his daughter Dalal posted on Twitter.His funeral is expected to be held on Wednesday in the West Bank city of Jericho.Fluent in English as well as his native Arabic, Erekat was a spokesman for Palestinian leaders such as Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas, though never a serious candidate to succeed them.One of the youngest members of the Palestinian leadership, Erekat was unusual in not having spent decades in exile with Arafat and Abbas, the older generation of his Fatah faction, which dominates the PLO.Tzipi Livni, a former Israeli foreign minister, said he had dedicated his life to his people. “Reaching peace is my destiny he used to say. Being sick, he texted me: ‘I’m not finished with what I was born to do’. My deepest condolences to the Palestinians and his family. He will be missed,” she wrote on Twitter. (Reuters)

(22) EU puts…Airbus by tax breaks from Washington state, where Boeing once had headquarters. But after the WTO decision, the state repealed the tax breaks, making the EU’s complaint obsolete in the view of U.S. officials. “The

Rights activists have said the attack on Khatera is indicative of a growing trend against women having jobs. Khatera said she had tried to convince her father to let her work outside the home for years – but to no avail. Eventually, Khatera’s husband agreed to allow her to join the police force. She said that he provided the Taliban with a copy of her ID card to prove she worked for police and that he had called her throughout the day she was attacked, asking for her location.Ghazni’s police spokesman confirmed they believed the Taliban were behind the attack and that Khatera’s father had been taken into custody. Reuters was unable to reach him directly for comment.A Taliban spokesman meanwhile told Reuters it was a family matter and they were not involved.Khatera and her family, including five children, are now in hiding in Kabul. (ATN)

(15) Russian peacekeepers…fighting erupted in late September — the biggest escalation of the conflict in a quarter-century — and has left hundreds, possibly thousands, dead.Several cease-fires announced over the past six weeks crumbled almost immediately, but the current agreement appeared to be holding, with neither side reporting any more fighting since it came into force.It came days after Azerbaijan pressed its offensive deeper into the region and took control of the city of Shushi, which is strategically positioned on heights overlooking the regional capital of Stepanakert.Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Facebook that calling an end to the fight was “extremely painful for me personally and for our people.”But on Tuesday he explained that he was left with no choice, saying the army had told him it was necessary.“We found ourselves in a situation when there was no alternative to signing the agreement,” Pashinian was quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency as saying.Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist leader Arayik Harutyunyan echoed Pashinian’s sentiment. He said: “Had the hostilities continued at the same pace, we would have lost all of Artsakh (an Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh) within days.”Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev referred to the agreement as a “glorious victory” on Twitter, and Azerbaijanis flooded their capital city to celebrate.Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 15 planes carrying peacekeepers and military equipment departed for the region Tuesday. A total of 1,960 Russian peacekeepers are to be deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh under a five-year mandate. (AP)

(16) ISIS-linked…Delgado province over the weekend, pillaging them for supplies before burning down homes and disappearing into the bush, kidnapping women and killing anyone who resisted. Burials for the dead are to be held on Tuesday.Mozambique’s government has sought international assistance to help fight the insurgency, though human rights groups have accused government forces of committing their own abuses including torture and extra-judicial killings. The news comes amid growing concerns across Europe and Africa about the resurgence of violent Islamism in recent months, with a number of high profile attacks taking place across both continents. (RT)

(17)Barr tells...director, Barr wrote that investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State”.He said nothing in his memo should be read to indicate that the DoJ had in fact uncovered voting irregularities that affected the outcome of the election, writing: “Nothing here should be taken as any indication that the Department has concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election.”The letter was the first time Barr had addressed claims of voter fraud since last Tuesday’s showdown between Trump and Biden.“While serious allegations should be handled with great care, specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries,” Barr wrote.States have until December 8 to resolve election disputes, including recounts and court contests over the results, and members of the Electoral College meet on December 14 to finalise the outcome. (Aljazeera)(18) Donald Trump…term in office, sources said.The two men fell out earlier this year when Esper opposed Trump’s threat to use active duty troops to suppress street protests over

December 19, 2019November 11, 20204

(1) Ghani: Taliban…over 5,000 Taliban prisoners. President Ghani mentioned Kabul University attack in which over 22 people were killed, calling it inhumane. He said the attack “is a symptom of cult of violence and reliance on drug production and smuggling of our natural capital and cultural heritage as sources of funding that requires a reality check.”He said Afghanistan is right at the center of the untapped potential that could bring enhanced prosperity and peace to the region.“By location, history outlook and choice, we are poised to provide a platform for regional and global cooperation, especially by connecting Central, South and West Asia to and from East Asia by land,” he added.He said the Afghan government “has signed a memorandum of understanding with Fortescue Metals Group to transform Afghanistan into a center of green industry through the production of 20,000 megawatts from hydro and use it to produce zero-emission steel and other products from an estimated 1$ trillion mineral resources.” (TOLO NEWS)

(2) Khaf-Herat…been emphasized to increase the share of transit by rail,” he said.The Khaf-Herat railway line will cover 130 kilometers – 70 km inside Iran and 60 km in Afghanistan. (ATN)

(3) Nangarhar Gets…furnished with eight ventilators, simple oxygen machines, ECG, special monitor and section machines, he added.Governor Ziaulhaq Amarkehl said the purpose of building the hospital was to assure security personnel that the government was behind them and was committed to resolving their problems.Police Chief Ghulam Sakhi Stanikzai said not only police from Nangarhar, but from other provinces would be provided with treatment in the newly constructed hospital.He pledged to fully secure the hospital and assured that all equipment would be taken care of. (Pajhwok)

(4) Japan Pledges…on polio eradication.Japan’s financial support will contribute to key national priorities including: children under one year to achieve and sustain immunization of all antigens, at %90 national level coverage and %80 district level coverage; reduction of measles to less than 5 cases per million population; and reduction of neonatal deaths caused by neonatal tetanus to less than 1 case per 1000 live births.“Unfortunately, Afghanistan is still one of the only a few countries that have not yet eliminated polio. Therefore, we sincerely hope that Afghanistan become a polio-free country in the near future like other countries on the globe,” said Takahashi Yoshiaki.“Every year, half a million children miss their vaccinations due to challenges beyond their control: ongoing conflict, harsh terrain and inclement weather, low demand among communities caused by rumour and misinformation. This grant is vital to overcome the gaps in vaccinations and deliver vaccines to every child in Afghanistan,” said UNICEF Representative ad interim in Afghanistan, Sheema Sen Gupta.Japan has been assisting Afghanistan’s nation-building efforts in various fields, including security, infrastructure, agriculture, rural development, human capacity development, education, health, culture and humanitarian assistance. The cumulative Japanese assistance to Afghanistan since 2001amounts to approximately 6.8 billion USD. (Pajhwok)

(5) Kabul Cinema…Bamiyan. Veteran singer Farhad Darya wrote an open letter to First Vice President Amrullah Saleh and asked him to review his decision. “We are so upset. It was our house. Our house was destroyed,” Nawid Tanha, an artist. (TOLO NEWS)

(6) Afghanistan Reports…are reported dead.The new cases recorded in Kabul are 12, Herat 40, Balkh 36, Kandahar Four, Nangarhar Three, Takhar Eight, Bamiyan 11, Kunduz Two, Baghlan One, Daikundi Nine, Badghis Two, Nimrouz Two, Parwan 10, Logar Eight, Ghor Five, Panjshir Two and Zabul 11.The total number of cases in Afghanistan is 42,463, Total deaths are 1,577 and the total recoveries are recorded 34,954. (Khaama Press)

(7) Peace Deal…of the deal was the most reasonable and tool for ending the conflict between the two our countries.“Withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan, non-interference in our country and not allowing the use of

United States is disappointed by the action taken by the EU today,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. “The alleged subsidy to Boeing was repealed seven months ago. The EU has long proclaimed its commitment to following WTO rules, but today’s announcement shows they do so only when convenient to them.” A year ago, the WTO ruled in a similar fashion in favor of the United States, allowing it to slap penalties on EU goods worth up to 7.5$ billion — including Gouda cheese, single-malt whiskey and French wine — over European support for Boeing rival Airbus. (AP)

(23) China’s Sinovac…to immunise thousands of people at home in an emergency use programme.Brazil has been one of the countries worst affected by coronavirus, recording more than 5.6m confirmed cases - the third highest tally in the world after the US and India - and nearly 163,000 deaths so far, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.In September, the UK paused trials for another Covid19- vaccine after a participant had a suspected adverse reaction. (BBC)

(24) Tropical Storm…slamming against his shuttered home overnight. After striking Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane and killing nearly 70 people from Mexico to Panama, the storm moved into the Gulf of Mexico early Monday near where the Everglades meet the sea, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph).City officials dispatched some 24 tanker trucks with giant vacuums to soak up water from the past few weeks. Some older neighborhoods simply do not have any drainage. The city also passed out 6,000 sandbags to worried residents over the weekend, but water seeped into homes and stranded cars in parking lots and along roadways. (AP)

(25) Bihar election…jail term for corruption.Tejashwi Yadav’s coalition, initially seen as a dark horse of sorts, drew attention as it dominated the exit polls.The polls also predicted a wave of a anti-incumbency against Mr Kumar, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term.He is also doing it amid a pandemic that has cost lives and jobs. Bihar, one of the country’s poorest states, has recorded more than 220,000 coronavirus cases and 1,000 deaths so far.But that didn’t stop the state from going ahead with the election. Virtual rallies quickly gave way to crowded arenas as top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Kumar and Mr Yadav hit the ground to bolster their campaigns.The BJP’s Hindu nationalist base is concentrated in India’s so-called Hindi heartland - states such as Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. But Bihar is the only one where the party has never won on its own. (BBC)

(26) Peru impeachment…country’s democracy in the middle of this type of crisis for no serious reason is beyond reckless,” said Steve Levitsky, a Harvard University political scientist who has extensively studied Peru.The ouster measure was supported by 105 legislators — far more than the 87 votes needed for the two-thirds majority required to remove Peru’s president. Many said they were casting their vote for his removal in the name of dead loved ones.Speaking to legislators who at times yelled out against him, Vizcarra said he did not have the authority as governor to usher through the contracts in question, which must go through a lengthy approval process involving multiple actors. One contract was for an irrigation project and the other for a hospital. (AP)

(27) Ethiopia says…regional government on Sunday that a fighter jet had been shot down.The Tigray regional government, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, did confirm the federal government’s aerial assault, saying in a Facebook post that the air force had carried out more than 10 such attacks so far.Ethiopia’s prime minister has shown no sign of opening talks with the TPLF, which once dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition but is now regarded by the federal government as illegal after it broke away last year as Abiy sought to transform the coalition into a single Prosperity Party. The TPLF felt marginalized by Abiy’s political reforms and defied the federal government by holding a local election in September.“Concerns that Ethiopia will descend into chaos are unfounded,” Abiy said in a brief statement Monday, and vowed that what he calls a law enforcement action “will wrap up soon.” Abiy on Sunday reshuffled his Cabinet to make major changes to his government’s military and intelligence leadership in an apparent move to bring supporters of the military offensive to the forefront. (AP)

International5 November 11, 2020

Peru impeachment plunges na-tion into new political turmoil

Bihar election: India’s BJP in tight race in key state election

Tropical Storm Eta floods already drenched Florida

cities

LIMA- Peru tumbled into political turmoil Tuesday as anger mounted over a vote by Congress to oust the country’s popular presi-dent over his handling of the pandemic and unproven allegations of corruption years ago.Thousands poured on to the streets of Peru’s capital Monday night to protest President Mar-tín Vizcarra’s removal, vilifying lawmakers and demanding their resig-nations. Several politi-cians not in Congress denounced the ouster as a disguised coup. Some said any new incoming president should be con-sidered illegitimate.But the outgoing leader who himself rose to pow-er after another presi-dent’s downfall quickly announced he wouldn’t pursue any legal chal-lenges, even though he

NAIROBI- Ethiopia’s air force is “pounding targets with precision,” a military official said Monday, as the federal government continues its offensive against the heavily armed northern region of Tigray and no clear route to peace is seen.Neighboring Sudan has sent more than 6,000 troops to the border, a military official there said, while Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minis-ter Abiy Ahmed again sought to calm concerns that the deadly confron-tation could slide into civil war and destabilize the strategic Horn of Af-rica region.It remains unclear how many people have been

NEW DELHI- India’s governing Bharatiya Ja-nata Party is in a tight race in a key state elec-tion, according to early trends.The fight in Bihar is down to two coalitions led by regional rivals - one of them is the in-cumbent Janata Dal (United) or JD-U, the BJP’s partner.The alliance, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has been in power for 15 years.It’s now up against an-other regional heavy-weight, the Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD, which lost power in 2005.Early results suggest the incumbents are leading in most of the 243 seats, but the RJD-led coalition

FORT LAUDERDALE- A deluge of rain from Tropical Storm Eta caused flooding Monday across South Florida’s most densely populated urban areas, stranding cars, flooding business-es, and swamping en-tire neighborhoods with fast-rising water that had no place to drain.Elsewhere, forecasters announced that Sub-tropical Storm Theta, a record-breaking 29th named storm of the 2020 hurricane season, had formed far out in the northeast Atlantic

insisted he had commit-ted no crime.“Today I am leaving the government palace,” Vizcarra said. “Today I am going home.”According to the chain succession, the head of the legislature will take his place. Lawmakers scheduled a ceremony to swear the new leader in Tuesday morning.Analysts called the ac-tion by legislators an overt and risky power grab, with Congress al-ready unpopular while Vizcarra is widely laud-ed for his campaign against corruption. The speed of the move against the president and lack of evidence led some political analysts to warn that Congress could be putting Peru’s democracy in jeopardy.“To go after a presi-dent and destabilize the

killed in the fighting that erupted last week in Tigray as Abiy’s gov-ernment comes under increasing international pressure to calm ten-sions. The United Na-tions and others have warned of a brewing humanitarian disaster affecting up to 9 million people.The northern Tigray region is largely cut off from the outside world, making it difficult to ver-ify each side’s assertions. Each accuses the other of starting the fighting.Ethiopian Maj. Gen. Mo-hammed Tssema, who spoke of the “pound-ing” by the air force, in a Facebook post also de-nied as “totally wrong” a claim by the Tigray

is close behind. A win requires 122 seats in the 243-seat assembly.But with most of the 70 million votes yet to be counted, observers say it’s still early to draw any conclusions.More than 20 parties are on the ballot - and if the results end in a hung assembly, one of them could turn kingmaker.The RJD is leading a “grand alliance” that includes India’s main opposition party, Con-gress, and a clutch of Left parties. Its candi-date for chief minister is Tejashwi Yadav, the 31-year-old son of two former chief ministers. His father, Laloo Prasad Yadav, is now serving a

by late Monday night. It posed no immediate threat to land.Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys and posed a serious threat across South Florida, which was already drenched from more than 14 inch-es (35 centimeters) of rain last month.“Never seen this, never, not this deep,” said An-thony Lyas, who has lived in his now-water-logged Fort Lauderdale neighborhood since 1996. He described hear-ing water and debris

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Ethiopia says its jets are ‘pounding’ targets in Tigray

MOSCOW- More than a dozen planes carrying Russian peacekeepers headed for Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday, hours after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to halt fighting over the separat-ist region and amid signs this cease-fire would hold where others hadn’t.The truce came after significant advances by Azerbaijani forces that the Nagorno-Karabakh leader said made it impossible for their side to carry on — but angered many Armenians, who stormed govern-ment buildings overnight, demanding the Parliament invalidate the agreement. Dozens of protesters gathered again Tuesday morning in front of the parlia-ment building in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Kara-bakh for decades. The region lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Ar-menia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. Heavy

Barr tells US prosecutors to probe claims of vote irregularities

ISIS-linked Islamists behead more than 50 people on foot-

ball pitch in Mozambique

Congress votes to oust Peru’s president amid pandemic crisis

UK PM Johnson defeated in parlia-

ment on treaty-breaking Brexit

laws

China’s Sinovac vaccine trial halted in Brazil

Israel to send first delegation to Sudan on Sunday to firm up normalisation – source

EU puts tariffs on US but hopes for change with Biden

LIMA- Peruvian law-makers voted over-whelmingly Monday night to remove Presi-dent Martín Vizcarra from office, expressing anger over his handling of the coronavirus pan-demic and citing alleged but unproven corruption allegations.The president an-nounced he would not try to fight the ouster, while analysts called the action by legislators an overt and risky power grab in a country where Vizcarra is highly popu-

MAPUTO- Suspect-ed Islamist militants beheaded scores of people before dis-membering the bodies in a barbaric assault in Mozambique. The perpetrators are also believed to have kid-napped several wom-en.The remains of least 15 boys, who were par-ticipating in a male ini-tiation ceremony when the militants struck Muatide village this past weekend, were found among the dead.

BRASILIA- The Brazilian clinical trial for a Chi-nese Covid-19 vaccine has been suspended after health authorities reported a “severe adverse” incident.Brazilian health regulator Anvisa said the inci-dent took place on 29 October, but did not give further details.The CoronaVac vaccine, developed by the Chi-nese firm Sinovac Biotech, is one of several in final-stage testing globally. Sinovac says it is “confident in the safety of the vaccine”. The firm has already been using it

LONDON- Prime Minister Bo-ris Johnson suffered a heavy defeat in parliament’s upper chamber on Monday over proposed laws which would allow him to breach Britain’s EU exit treaty - a plan that has been criticised by U.S. presi-dent elect Joe Biden.The Internal Market Bill is designed to protect trade be-tween Britain’s four nations after Brexit. It contains clauses ministers say are needed to protect Northern Ireland’s delicate status as part of the United Kingdom, but would also break international law in a “specific and limited” way.The House of Lords voted to strip those clauses from the bill in a series of defeats for the ruling Conservative Party. The government does not have a majority in the Lords and even some high-profile Conserva-tive members opposed the clauses.“The government should see sense, accept the removal of these offending clauses, and start to rebuild our interna-tional reputation,” said Angela Smith, the opposition Labour Party’s leader in the Lords.Far from backing down, how-ever, the government said it would retable the contentious clauses when the bill returns to the House of Commons, where it had previously passed by 340 votes to 256. “We’ve been consistently clear that the cla uses

JERUSALEM- Israel plans to send its first del-egation to Sudan on Sunday to firm up the countries’ U.S.-brokered announcement on Oct. 23 that they would normalise relations, a source briefed on the provisional itinerary said.The source, who declined to be identified by name or nationality, spoke to Reuters on Tues-day. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan-yahu’s office, which has spearheaded outreach to Khartoum, had no immediate comment. Nor did Sudanese officials. Sudan followed the Unit-ed Arab Emirates and Bahrain in agreeing to es-tablish formal ties with Israel under a diplomat-ic drive dubbed “The Abraham Accords” by the Trump administration. The administration’s decision last month to remove Sudan from the U.S. list of terrorism sponsors helped pave the way. Israel and Sudan have said they planned to begin by opening economic and trade links, with an initial focus on agriculture. (Reuters)

JERUSALEM- West Bank (Reuters) - Saeb Erekat, one of the most experi-enced and high-profile advocates for the Pales-tinian cause over decades of dispute with Israel, died on Tuesday after contracting COVID-19. He was 65.Having sat down with Israeli and U.S. leaders in the 1990s and 2000s, in recent years Erekat was the principal face of a war of words with President Donald Trump’s admin-istration over a Middle East plan that envisaged leaving Israel in control of Jewish settlements and large parts of the occu-pied West Bank.But after peace talks collapsed in 2014 he re-mained a firm backer of the negotiated creation of

BRUSSELS- The European Union said Monday it would impose tariffs on up to $4 billion worth of U.S. goods and services over illegal aid for plane mak-er Boeing — but expressed hope that trade ties would improve once Presi-dent Donald Trump leaves office.European trade ministers agreed on the move a few weeks after inter-national arbitrators gave the EU the green light for such punitive action. The World Trade Organization had deemed illegal some U.S. support for Boeing — which is a bitter rival to Eu-

rope’s Airbus — and said the EU could make up for that with a limited amount of penalties on U.S. trade.“Regrettably, in spite of our best efforts due to the lack of progress from (the) U.S. side, we can confirm that the Eu-ropean Union will later today exercise our rights and impose counter-mea-sures awarded to us by the WTO,” EU Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said. The tariffs will enter force on Tuesday. The WTO had ruled that Boeing was given an un-fair edge over

William Barr, the attorney general of the United States, has authorised federal pros-ecutors to look into any pos-sible “substantial” allega-tions of voting irregularities in last week’s presidential election, despite no evi-dence of widespread fraud.Barr’s memo on Monday followed days of attacks on the integrity and legality of the election by President Donald Trump, who has not conceded the election to Democrat Joe Biden and thrown the presidential transition into tumult by blocking government of-

a future Palestinian state co-existing alongside Is-rael even if, in his own words, it took 50 years.Erekat, the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said on Oct. 8 he had contracted the coronavi-rus. Three years earlier he had undergone a lung transplant in the United States that left his im-mune system compro-mised.He died following multi-

ple organ failure after be-ing hospitalised for three weeks in Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Cen-ter, a spokeswoman for the Israeli hospital said. He had required ventila-tion and specialised drug treatment, she added.“Saeb has shown an ex-traordinary patience and resilience, with the same determination that has characterized his career to achieve freedom for

ficials from cooperating with the president-elect’s team.Biden on Saturday secured more than 270 votes in the Electoral College to cap-

defense. The Senate would be highly unlikely to con-firm any new nominee be-fore Trump leaves office in

lar but Congress is not.The ouster measure was supported by 105 legis-lators — far more than the 87 votes needed for the two-thirds major-ity required to remove Peru’s president. Many said they were casting their vote for his remov-al in the name of dead loved ones.“Because of his negli-gence and incapacity we’ve lost thousands of compatriots,” lawmaker Robinson Gupioc said during over five hours

“Police learned of the massacre committed by the insurgents through reports of people who found corpses in the woods,” said a police spokesperson in the Mueda district.“It was possible to count 20 bodies spread over an area of about 500 meters.”The militants, who are linked to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), re-portedly raided a slew of villages in the gas-rich northeastern Cabo

Donald Trump fires US Defense Secretary Mark Esper

United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had “ter-minated” Defense Secre-tary Mark Esper, appear-ing to use his final months in office after his Novem-ber 3 election defeat to settle scores within his ad-ministration.Trump, who publicly split with Esper in recent months over a range of is-sues, said on Twitter that Christopher Miller, direc-tor of the National Coun-terterrorism Center, will become acting secretary of

ture the presidency.There has been no indica-tion of enough improp-erly counted or illegally cast votes that would shift the outcome and,

January.“Mark Esper has been terminated,” Trump said on Twitter. “I am pleased

in fact, election officials from both political par-ties have publicly stated the election went well, though there have been minor issues that are typical in elections, in-cluding voting machines breaking and ballots that were miscast and lost.Barr’s action prompted the resignation of the se-nior Department of Jus-tice official who oversees investigations of voter fraud.In a memo to federal prosecutors and the FBI

to announce that Christo-pher C. Miller, the highly respected Director of the National Counterterror-ism Center (unanimously confirmed by the Senate), will be Acting Secretary of Defense, effective im-mediately.”The Pentagon had no im-mediate comment.Esper had long been preparing for the pros-pect of his resignation or dismissal following the election, particularly if Trump were to win a sec-ond

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Russian peacekeepers go to Na-gorno-Karabakh to bolster truce

Palestinian negotiator Erekat dies after contracting COVID-19

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KABUL - The Taliban have urged the American president-elect that implementation of the Doha agreement is the most effective tool of ending the conflict between both the two countries.In a statement, the Taliban said the Doha deal, signed between the US and Taliban, was an excel-lent chance for bringing an end to the war and for a better future for both countries.The movement would like to stress to the new American president and future administration that the implementation ...( More on P4)...(7)

KABUL - Ministry of Public Health reported Tues-day, that out of 566 samples, 166 cases have turned positive in the last 24 hours.At least 126,735 people have so far been tested in the governmental labs, and there still are 5,932 known active cases in the country.According to the ministry, within 24 hours, 233 individuals have Recovered from COVID-19, and three individuals ...( More on P4)...(6)

KABUL - Kabul Municipality, implementing an order by the first president, on Monday even-ing destroyed the Park Cinema in downtown Kabul despite opposi-tion by artists and activists to stop the destruction of the decades-old building. Afghan Film chairperson Sahara Karimi who held a sit-in protest near the building said she was “forcibly” taken out by police and the cinema was destroyed.Activists said the destruction of historical and cultural places harms the culture of the country. The cinema hall was built in 1950s. It was a famous place for families

during King Zahir Shah’s reign and later in 1980s. The Afghan film chairperson was seen crying outside the building on Monday evening. “The Park Cinema is part of Ka-bul’s identity,” Karimi said. The acting minister of informa-tion and culture, Tahir Zuhair, also opposed the destruction of the three-story building in Shahr-e-Naw area in Kabul, but it was not accepted. Social media users used a hashtag of “don’t destroy Park Cinema” and said it has a similar value to Kabul like the Buddha Sculptures had for ...( More on P4)...(5)

KABUL - Unidentified man planted a grenade on the main gate of a residence in Jangalak area of Kabul’s seventh dis-trict, said local police on Tues-day morning, which was dis-covered and safely defused.On the other hand, Faryab Governor, Naqibullah Faiq, told media that four police-men were killed and eight ci-

TEHRAN - Head of the Na-tional Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said on Monday that the initial plan and the neces-sary infrastructure has been prepared for launching gas exports to Afghanistan, Shana reported.“The initial plan has been pre-pared and the private sector

vilians and 12 other members of ANP were wounded in a car bomb attack on the Almar district police headquarters of Faryab province.Faryab governor Naqibullah Fayek added that the Taliban first “blew up a car bomb at the entrance of Almar police headquarters at midnight, and ...( More on P4)...(8)

will be in charge of the gas ex-ports to Afghanistan,” Hassan Montazer Torbati told report-ers on the sidelines of an inau-guration ceremony.Torbati noted that diplomatic negotiations are underway and the government has already provided the full infrastructure needed ...( More on P4)...(9)

Kabul Cinema Hall Destroyed Despite Opposition by Artists

Peace Deal with US Effective: Taliban

Afghanistan Reports 166 New Covid-19

Cases

Security Officials Avoid Booby Trap Targeted Residence in Kabul

Initial Plan for Gas Export to Afghanistan Ready: NIGC Head