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Quote of the Day

Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by

this meeting that a new world is born.

Anais Nin

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PESHAWAR - Pakistan and Afghanistan have been urged to do all they can to re-move hurdles to bilateral trade and eco-nomic relations.The removal of the barriers would boost trade with Central Asian countries, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and In-dustry (SCCI).Expanded regional trade would enor-mously contribute the country’s exports, SCCI chief Sherbaz Bilour told industrial-ists and traders here.He hailed the two-day Pakistan-Afghan-istan Trade and Investment Forum 2020 as a meaningful effort to open new vistas of trade cooperation between Islamabad and Kabul.He asked the neighbours to evolve a joint mechanism for the business community in consultation with SCCI to strengthen bilateral and transit trade.He reckoned the trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan could be en-hanced to $5 billion if serious efforts were made by the two countries. (Pajhwok)

KABUL - After its second Validation, Af-ghanistan has made meaningful progress in implementing the EITI Standards.Afghanistan has improved its transpar-ency of licenses and contracts, state-owned enterprises, and quasi-fiscal ex-penditures, and the country’s temporary suspension was lifted.EITI Congratulated Afghanistan in a released statement on Thursday for ad-dressing shortcomings identified in its first validation through systematic data divulgence delivered by concrete re-forms in governmental systems. President Ashraf Ghani noted EITI’s ac-tion importance in the country, “Every citizen has the right to know who is de-veloping the country’s natural resources and how the government is managing the revenues from these industries on their behalf,” he said. “EITI is one of the tools that is helping us achieve this policy objective. It has been instrumental in sup-porting our institution-building efforts in a sector critical to the economic future of Afghanistan.”Reports ...( More on P4)...(2)

Al-Qaeda is still “heavily embedded” within the Taliban in Afghanistan de-spite the commitments the Taliban made after signing a peace agreement with the United States, a senior UN official said as quoted by the BBC this week. Quoted by the BBC, Edmund Fitton-Brown, coordinator of the UN’s Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and Taliban Monitor-ing Team, said the Taliban and the al-

KABUL - Fazel Mahmood Fazli, Head of the administrative office of the presi-dent OAA, said Wolesi Jirga’s decision on the distribution of electronic IDs was unacceptable and that no law had been amended in this regard.Fazal Mahmood Fazli yesterday reacted to the Wolesi Jirga’s decision to change the law on electronic IDs and remove the words “Afghan” and “Islam”.Fazli wrote on his Facebook page: “The news that has been published in the media about a decision of the Wolesi Jirga should be made clear to the people that no law has been amended. Distri-bution of electronic ID cards is going on as before, citizens can get ID cards in the relevant institutions” He posted, “There is no change or suspension in the distri-bution of electronic ID cards”.This is despite the fact that a few days ago, some members of the Wolesi Jirga submitted a draft to the administrative board, which was also signed by 60 law-makers, stating that the law on the dis-tribution of electronic ID cards should

be amended and changed.They said that the word “Afghan” should not be written in the electronic ID cards.Earlier, members of the Wolesi Jirga (House of Representa-tives) and some citizens had reportedly reacted to the National Statistics Office’s decision to indicate Persian as a foreign lan-guage in their information section. (KHAAMA PRESS)

KABUL - First Vice President said the Afghan government has been success-ful in testing tools that can repel the Taliban’s thermal, night vision attacks.Saleh wrote on his Facebook page Sun-day, that the National Security Coun-cil office will explain “how to use this tool” through video conferencing to the security forces.The first vice president did not explain whether the repelling device was pur-chased by the government to protect security forces or was designed inter-nally.Recent reports indicate, that the Taliban are using night-vision thermal scopes on their snipers to target Afghan secu-rity forces.These scoping devices are capable of

thermal weapon sight, night vision, laser markings, and can re-portedly detect and hit a long-distance target.Earlier, Faryab provincial governor, Naqibullah Fayeq said, that the Taliban had acquired reconnaissance drones to monitor the movements and checkpoints of security forces. (KHAAMA PRESS)

Qaeda are still conducting joint mili-tary training in the country and that their ties are still strong and remained unchanged. Under the peace agreement, the Tali-ban committed to enforcing mecha-nisms that will prevent the use of the Afghan soil by any group or individual against the security of the United States and its allies. The Taliban also pledged to cut all ties

with all terrorist groups including al-Qaeda. “The Taliban’s cooperation and their reluctance to cut ties with al-Qaeda and dozens of other terrorist groups indi-cate that the group does not have any commitment for the peace process,” presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said. “Al-Qaeda provides financial and mili-tary ...( More on P4)...(1)

Kabul, Islamabad Asked to Remove Trade Barriers

Afghanistan Achieves Transparency Despite

Obstacles

Fazli: No Amendment Has Been Made to The Electronic Identification Act

First VP Announces Success in Testing ‘Repulsing Device’ Against Taliban Night Attacks

Invitation for Bids (IFB)

{Procurement of Huawei DWDM spare Parts or equivalent}

IFB No: MCIT-AFTEL/ICB/G-009/99 Afghan Telecom Corporation (AFTEL) -Ministry of Communications and Information Technology} invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for Procurement services for {Procurement of Huawei DWDM spare Parts or equivalent}, IFB No: MCIT-AFTEL/ICB/G-009/99 Bidding will be conducted through the {International Competitive Bidding} procedures specified in the Afghanistan procurement law, and is open to all bidders from Eligible Sources/Countries as defined in the Bidding Documents. Interested eligible bidders may download bid document in English version from NPA Website: www.npa.gov.af and mcit.gov.af. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security (Bank Guarantee) mentioned as below in USD or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency

Bids must be delivered to the address below at or before {10:00 am, Kabul Local Time date 10/December/2020}. Electronic bidding will not be permitted. Late bids will be rejected. Bids are not being opened immediately after the deadline of bid submission at the same place of bid submission, in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend in person. The address referred to above is:

Address: Afghan Telecom Corporation, Main office, Conference Hall, 4th Floor, Post Parcel Building, MCIT Mohammad Jaan Khan Watt Kabul, Afghanistan Attention: Sayed Karimullah Akramy -Procurement Facilitation G.Manager Email: s.akramy@afghantelecom.af Telephone: + (93) 749416643

Bid Security (USD) or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency.

Valid as per below

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The Bid Security shall remain valid for a period of 28 days beyond the validity period of the bids i.e. 148 days from bid submission deadline date or extended bid submission deadline date, if extended.

UN Official Says Taliban Maintains Ties with Al-Qaeda

Main PageNovember 01, 20202

Nov 1, 2020 - There is irony in today’s situa-tion, Leo. The only real remedy for situations like this is to accept them and joke about it. If you try to take yourself too seriously, espe-cially when it comes to art or romance, you will inevitably fail. Your heart is sensual and

your emotions profound. Bring yourself into balance by laughing instead of crying about the events of the day.

Nov 1, 2020 - You may be trying to get to the end of the road too quickly with-out really enjoying all the steps along the way, Taurus. This is especially true when it comes to any sort of artistic project or romantic partnership that

you might be involved in at this time. If you aren’t sa-voring every part of your journey, then perhaps this isn’t the path you should be on.

Nov 1, 2020 - When your heart is gently touched, it feels loving, generous, and sup-portive of everyone, Gemini. If your heart is lonely, it feels deserted by everyone. It would be impossible to try to make sense of why things need to be so extreme for

you, but the fact of the matter is that you don’t need to figure it out rationally. You only need to accept that this is how you feel.

Down

Across Yesterday’s Solution

1. Mouthful, 2. Dwarf buffalo, 3. A type of lender, 4. Maintain, 5. Explosive, 6. Lion sound, 7. Overgrown with ivy, 8. Slogan, 9. Prominent, 10. Atop, 11. Feudal worker, 12. Accomplishment, 15. Play a guitar, 21. Cry of pain, 23. Mimics, 25. French for “Head”, 27. Resorts, 28. One on each hand, 29. Accomplished, 31. Defensible, 32. Small finch, 34. C, 36. Spanish lady, 39. Russian fighter, 40. Once more, 43. Opponent of technological progress 44. 53 in Roman numerals, 46. Not barefoot, 47. A piece of ground, 49. Statistics50. A copy from an original, 53. Aspirations, 55. Happy, 56. Gray wolf, 57. Cards with 1 symbol, 58. Seating sections, 60. Bend, 61. Words, 64. South southeast

1. Openings, 5. Snip, 9. Sought damages, 13. Two-toed sloth, 14. Exploded stars, 16. Church alcove, 17. Not highs, 18. Corrupt, 19. Solitary, 20. Undergarment, 22. Taught new skills, 24. Decoy, 26. Stone fruit, 27. Like a zebra, 30. Requital, 33. Relating to speech sounds, 35. Horse, 37. Arctic bird, 38. Swelling under the skin, 41. To and ___42. Aroma, 45. Famous genius, 48. Contusion, 51. Tartarus, 52. Trench, 54. Unit of lan-guage, 55. Pugilist, 59. Outline, 62. Hubs, 63. Errata, 65. Competent, 66. Assist in crime67. Expels, 68. Holly, 69. An amount of medicine, 70. Anagram of “Sees”, 71. Following

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 1, 2020 - Powerful issues arise in your life that make it difficult to find peace, Aries. Perhaps your first tendency is to confide in your partner. More than likely, this person is contributing to the difficulties you’re now having. Your best

bet is to spend some time alone. If you’re already alone, so much the better. Cherish this time instead of letting it make you mad.

Nov 1, 2020 - You may be like a giant try-ing to befriend a small bug, Cancer. You have absolutely nothing in common and don’t even speak the same language. With one accidental move, you could easily

squash that little bug. This isn’t to say that you can’t learn to become best friends. Just know that this kind of relationship is going to take some work.

Nov 1, 2020 - If you’re in the market for romance, Libra, whether with a new part-ner or rekindling the fire with a current partner, be careful. Small issues could rage out control today. Extreme condi-

tions are likely to occur, thanks to your sensitive emo-tions combined with a surge of energy from the outside. Try not to get too upset when tension rises because of something unimportant.

Nov 1, 2020 - At the end of the day, you’re the one who has to look in the mirror and know who you are, Capricorn. Think about this the next time you’re tempted to

make a rude comment or spread a displeasing fact about someone else. One side of you may be able to rationalize behavior that the other side simply despises. Today look at both of sides of yourself, not just the one that pleases you.

Nov 1, 2020 - Things may get a bit dif-ficult in your romantic life because of someone in the partnership who isn’t necessarily taking a very realistic ap-proach to the situation, Scorpio. There’s

a bit of a power play going on as someone tries to throw their weight around without considering the other per-son’s feelings. Tension is brewing, and you’d be wise to deal with it now.

Nov 1, 2020 - When it comes to romance, your body is apt to turn to jelly today. You may be so emotional that you can’t function, Aquarius. That’s love. And even though it can be heavenly, it can also be

debilitating. You could deliberate for hours about an issue because you don’t want to make a move with-out your partner’s input. If you don’t have a romantic partner now, find one soon, but not today.

Nov 1, 2020 - Will you go out with me? Be careful if a person says yes when you ask that question today, Pisces. You could take the nature of this situation

to the extreme. Saying yes doesn’t mean you’re sud-denly in charge of his or her life. Nor are you respon-sible for anything that person does or how they feel. If you’re still asking the question without getting any positive responses, don’t worry. Keep trying.

Nov 1, 2020 - The hungrier you get, the more determined you will become, Virgo. Be careful that your determination doesn’t turn into desperation and neediness. It’s

unattractive and will get you nowhere. Keep on the upward spiral, and let determination turn into inspira-tion and cooperation. You will find this especially true when it comes to matters of the heart. You have a great deal of power. Put it to good use.

Nov 1, 2020 - Your creative juices are flow-ing freely, Sagittarius, but there appears to be a roadblock. Something or someone

apparently doesn’t want you to continue down the path you’re on. Perhaps he or she is scared that you’re going to discover a whole new passion in life that they don’t neces-sarily agree with. Don’t forget who is running your show - you and no one else.

alone beacon bored braincase caught compass corner dabble dance dent estimate existence fender finish glamor heli-copter image indulgences minnow mobster morals nausea pennant saga scam seal secret sheen

HELMAND - The Ministry of Defense (MoD) says ANA forces have killed the deputy head of the Taliban military commission for Helmand province.Mullah Amanullah, deputy of the Taliban’s military commis-sion for Helmand Province was killed besides eight of his fight-ers, yesterday in an airstrike car-ried by the Afghan Air Force in Nawa district.A large amount of their weap-ons and ammunitions were also destroyed.On the other hand, MOD reports 14 Taliban were killed and 9 oth-ers were wounded after they attacked ANDSF positions in Dahrawod district of Uruzgan Province, last night. As a result of the airstrikes, three of the Tal-iban strongholds in the region were also destroyed.The Taliban have not yet com-

mented on the incident.Southern province of Helmand last month witnessed attacks by Taliban militants on large scale and in various parts of the area.Taliban attacks on Helmand province provoked many reactions and condemnations and displaced nearly 40,000 people. (KHAAMA PRESS)

KABUL - International peace and security are closely tied to equal-ity among people of all genders, the Friends of Afghan Women Ambassadors’ Group said on Saturday.“Today we celebrate the achieve-ments of Afghan women peace builders and reaffirm our pledge to support their future,” the group said in a statement.On the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the group said it celebrat-ed the achievements of Afghan women peace builders and re-newed its pledge to support their future.

gotiations was essential to achieving more sustainable peace, it con-timued.The group acknowledged women brought unique perspectives to all aspects of the peace process, from negotiation to implementation, representing the full range of ...( More on P4)...(8)

KUNDUZ CITY - Agriculture of-ficials in northern Kunduz prov-ince say almond weighing 6,500 metric tons has so far been har-vested in the province this year --- three percent up over last year’s yield.Majid Nafiz, cultivation affairs in charge at the Kunduz Agri-culture, Irrigation and Livestock Department, told Pajhwok Af-ghan News that almond produc-tion in the province was 6,162 metric tons last year compared to 6,501 metric tons this year.

KABUL - The prices of flour, sugar and liquefied gas jumped and that of other daily-use items stayed unchanged during the out-going week in capital Kabul, mar-ket sources said Saturday.Hamid Sufizada, a wholesale store owner in Dahn-i-Bagh local-ity, said the wholesale price of a 49-kg bag of Kazakhstani flour in-creased from 1,700afs to 1,750afs and 50 kilograms of Indian sugar from 2,200afs to 2,300afs.He linked the hike in the prices to low imports and high demand in

He said the figures showed the fruit’s production increased by three percent this year. The pro-vincial capital and Imam Sahib, Chahardara, Khanabad and Qa-lazal districts of Kunduz are ar-eas that produced great quantity of almond, he added.Nafiz said suitable climate and availability of irrigation water were reasons behind the in-creased almond harvest.On the other hand, Kunduz farmers complain about the lack of ...( More on P4)...(9)

the country. He, however, sold a 24kg of Pakistani rice for 2,300afs, 16 liters of Malaysian ghee for 1,400afs, a kilogram of Indone-sian green and African black tea for 300afs and 230afs respectively, the same rates as previous week.Mohammad Hussain, a retailer in Mandavi Market, said the retail price of 49 kilogram bag of Ka-zakh flour was 1,800afs, 49-kilo-gram of Indian sugar 2,350afs, 24-kilogram of Pakistani Sela rice 2,400afs, 16-litre of Malysian ...( More on P4)...(10)

KABUL - IFC, a sister organiza-tion of the World Bank, says it has committed $4 billion to date to poorest countries and frag-ile states fighting against COV-ID-19.In a statement, the World Bank group said IFC’s pandemic re-sponse is focused on reaching the most vulnerable people in developing countries.Of the $8 billion in IFC COV-ID-19 fast-track financing ap-proved by the IFC Board in March 2020, $4 billion has been committed to date, with the re-mainder helping to support the fight against COVID-19 across other developing countries and emerging markets.“Supporting the private sector will be crucial to helping devel-oping countries achieve an in-clusive, sustainable and resilient recovery and stem the current rise in extreme poverty,” said World Bank Group President David Malpass.

HELMAND - Local officials on Saturday reported clashes be-tween the government forces and the Taliban in three south-ern provinces of Helmand, Kan-dahar and Uruzgan over the last few days.Parts of the Arghandab district in Kandahar and Dehraood dis-trict in Uruzgan have fallen to the militants, local officials said, adding that the clashes have dis-placed “thousands” of people. The police chief of Dehraood, Jan Mohammad Karimi, said the district will fall to militants if they don’t receive help from the government. “The situation will be out of our

The anniversary of the resolution coincided with a pivotal point in history for women and peace in Afghanistan, the statement add-ed.In 2020, the group continued, Af-ghan women routinely contrib-uted in all aspects of the women, peace and security (WPS) agen-da. As political and community leaders, decision-makers, human rights defenders and visionaries, women played important roles in community cohesion, conflict prevention and peace-building.Women’s full, equal and mean-ingful participation in peace ne-

“Our goal with IFC’s fast-track COVID-19 facility is to provide needed liquidity for corporate and financial institution clients, which will provide working cap-ital, support jobs and facilitate trade.”IFC’s Board in March approved $8 billion in financing to help companies affected by the out-break.IFC, the largest global develop-ment institution focused on the private sector in emerging mar-kets, has since fully deployed the $2 billion allocated under the trade-finance envelope of the fast-track facility.This support is helping client fi-nancial institutions keep liquid-ity flowing to businesses that de-pend on trade, especially micro, small and medium-sized enter-prises (MSMEs), a major source of employment.“IFC’s fast-track COVID-19 facil-ity was designed to provide ...( More on P4)...(11)

control if there isn’t an urgent ac-tion,” said Karimi. “The Dehraood district is on the verge of collapse,” a resident of the district, Mohammad Saeed, said. “People have been dis-placed. Ways to the district have been closed.” The Taliban has claimed that they have captured some areas in their attacks on Arghandab district in Kandahar. Local offi-cials said operations are under-way in the district. Also, they reported clashes in Panjwai dis-trict in Kandahar. According to Kandahar Police Chief Tadin Khan, at least 70 Taliban ...( More on P4)...(7)

Taliban ‘Military Commission Deputy’ Killed in AAF Airstrikes

Women’s Role in Peace Process Stoutly Supported

Kunduz Almond Production 3pc Up This Year

Flour, Sugar and Gas Prices Jump in Kabul

IFC Helps Poorest Nations Fight Covid-19

Clashes Continue in Three Southern Provinces

progressive circles, Ardern is widely heralded as a global icon. She is only the second prime minister in modern times to have given birth while in of-fice, is known for her open and honest communication, and most recently was a serious contender for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.But, in contrast to her global image, Ardern’s domestic success has result-ed from centrist flexibility rather than transformative ambition. Heading a three-party coalition in her first term, Ardern was unable to implement her most far-reaching policy proposals – in particular, solving New Zealand’s housing crisis. But she benefited from her effective management of the CO-VID-19 pandemic, and her compassionate and determined response to the March 2019 Christchurch massacre in which 51 Muslim worshippers were killed. In its recent election campaign, Ardern’s Labour Party focused on moderate reform proposals that appealed to centrist voters. These included limited increases in the minimum wage and slightly higher taxes for the wealthy as part of a responsible economic recovery, as well as law-and-or-der policies such as increasing, not reducing, the number of police officers serving their communities. The United Kingdom’s Labour Party, meanwhile, is currently in the pro-cess of reinventing itself as a more centrist political force following its di-sastrous defeat in the December 2019 general election, which forced far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn to step down.Corbyn’s successor, Keir Starmer, used Labour’s (virtual) annual confer-ence in September to announce a comprehensive break with Corbyn’s leg-acy. Starmer’s “new leadership” entails redirecting Labour toward family values, with a focus on security and economic prudence.In his conference speech, Starmer declared to disgruntled blue-collar voters that, “We love this country as you do.” His repositioning thus includes a notion of left-wing patriotism – anathema to his staunchly internationalist predecessor and a clear break with previous Labour parlance.Starmer’s stated objective is to regain the confidence of working-class vot-ers who abandoned the party under Corbyn. So far, the plan seems to be working. Although the UK’s next general election is not scheduled to be held until 2024, recent opinion polls put Labour neck and neck with the ruling Conservative Party.The current momentum enjoyed by political progressives who are con-sciously addressing the political center holds important lessons for strug-gling counterparts elsewhere.Progressives certainly should never be satisfied with the status quo. Offer-ing political alternatives and a path toward a better future remains crucial – not least during a pandemic. But with voters increasingly exhausted by years of polarization, progressive parties that are serious about gaining and retaining power would be well advised to reconsider their opposition to centrism.

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

November 01, 2020

Michael Bröning is Director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in New York and serves on the basic value commission of the German Social Democratic Party.

Paragon of Humanity

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

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

www.outlookafghanistan.net

Although terrorism is one of the universal threat, there is no theoreti-cal and practical consensus about it. When we look at the political

literature, there are more than 260 definitions for “terrorism” which actu-ally confuse the researchers. In the other word, terrorism is one of the most complicated concept which is interpreted on the basis of definers’ interests. For example, in December 2013 President Hamid Karzai claimed that U.S. officials deem suicide bombings and attacks on schools by the terrorist in Afghanistan are not acts of terror from the perspective of the United States. As Tolo-news reported at that time, President Karzai added that the U.S. officials have told him that anyone who threatens U.S. interests or attacks its assets are considered terrorists for the United States. Based on this view, it is possible that a terrorist group such as Taliban is considered as terrorist group one day but other day may change to a liberation Movement. This approach against terrorism will not only make them resistant against le-gitimate governments and people but also promote the culture of terrorism throughout the world. Anyway, this article is going to review few major definitions about ter-rorism which is widely discussed in political literature hoping to give a general picture on the subject of terrorism concept . The first major defini-tion which widely seen in political literature is “unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives”. As a second definition it is defined as “calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective”. As third definition, it is de-fined as” an act, which aims to create fear among ordinary people by illegal means. It is also defined as threat to humanity which includes person or group spreading violence, riots, burglaries, rapes, kidnappings, fighting, bombings, etc.” According to the International Convention for the Sup-pression of the Financing of Terrorism, for example, terrorism includes any “act intended action to cause death or serious bodily injury to a civilian, or to any other person not taking an active part in the hostilities in a situation of armed conflict. If we sum up the key points of the mentioned defections, they contain three major components: illegal use of violence, having certain goal and deliberately target civilians or property. The next thing we can drawn out from legal literature about terrorism, nothing can justify act of terror. No grievance, no goal, no cause can excuse terrorist acts. At the same time, the conditions that fed the problem — en-demic conflicts and human rights violations that went unpunished must be removed. Based on the above explanation, it becomes almost clear that who are terrorists and who are the supporter of terrorists in Afghanistan, but the question which remains unanswered why the international mecha-nism keep silence a clear phenomena which threatens a large part of the world. Why the united nation cannot make a firm and transparent decision

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.

Europe’s progressive intelligentsia have come to scorn political “cen-trism.” A misguided focus on the middle ground, critics argue, pre-

cludes the formulation of political alternatives, leading to the rise of ex-tremist parties on the left and right. Seen through this lens, the corollaries of centrism are populism, polarization, and ultimately growing distrust of democratic principles.This analysis is not without merit. Democracy requires candid and con-troversial conversations about the best way forward. Closing the door to political alternatives by blindly embracing the status quo is a recipe for disaster. “Debate is never finished,” wrote the late Polish-born sociologist Zygmunt Bauman. “It can’t be, lest democracy be no longer democratic.”But this does not mean that left-of-center political parties should turn their backs on pragmatism and moderation. In fact, evidence from some of the world’s current electoral hotspots suggests they should do the opposite. Despite increasing political polarization in many countries, large numbers of voters seem considerably more comfortable with centrist positions than is often assumed.Left-wing political parties keen on sharpening their ideological profile therefore face a dilemma. Whereas party activists frequently demand greater ideological clarity, voters are increasingly favoring pragmatism over purity. So, the most promising course of action for progressive leaders is probably to combine a long-term ideological vision with the reality of incremental change.Consider Joe Biden, the US Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. Al-though Biden’s agenda clearly is more progressive than those of recent Democratic nominees, it appears significantly more centrist than those of two of his main challengers for the Democratic nomination, Senators Ber-nie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.Biden’s platform is notable not only for what it endorses but also for what it does not. On immigration, the former vice-president advocates humanitar-ian generosity but has not called for decriminalizing illegal border cross-ings. On climate change, while he champions carbon-neutral housing and is calling for the US power sector to be carbon-free by 2035, he has steered clear of fully embracing the Green New Deal favored by his party’s left wing. Likewise, Biden is shying away from calls to ban fracking, defund the police, and introduce universal single-payer health care.Biden’s centrism is shared by his running mate, Senator Kamala Harris of California, who has faced criticism from within her own party for her al-legedly weak progressive credentials. But Biden’s commanding lead over US President Donald Trump in opinion polls suggests that the Democrats may have found a winning formula.A similar story is unfolding in New Zealand, where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won convincingly in the country’s October 17 general election. In

Why there is No Consensus on Terrorism and Terrorists?

Give Centrism a Chance

against terrorism in several countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and so on? Why the world has failed to make a consensus against international terrorism. Do the world powers have no will or no power to do so? And eventually, why the famous political ideologies are not suc-cessful against terrorism? Tactically, there are six basic types of tactics that terrorist groups have used: hijackings, kidnappings, bombings, assassinations, armed assaults, and barricade-hostage incidents. A group’s objectives and organizational capabilities dictate which tactics it uses. Terrorist organizations typically use hijackings, kidnapping, and barricade-hostage incidents when the group wishes to force the targeted company or government into negotia-tions. The terrorist group is able to obtain the release of prisoners or extort money. Such incidents increase the level of risk to the terrorist organiza-tion and require a mature planning, operations, logistics, and intelligence capability to successfully conduct the operation. Bombings, assassinations, and armed assaults are less risky and generally require less organizational capabilities. In general, the success of terrorist organizations depends on receiving adequate information for planning and executing an operation. Typologically, there are three basic forms of terrorism: international ter-rorism, domestic terrorism and transnational terrorism. In Afghanistan, we faced all three types of terrorism which required both national and international combat. Unfortunately, instead of decisive action against ter-rorists, the regional and international community implore them to enter into a serious negotiations with the Afghan government and put an end war and civilian carnage in the country. Establishing direct contact with regional and international community, they have become undisputed power in the country. As a result of this negligence, the terrorist group eventually has not only changed to a powerful political rival in Afghani-stan but also to a libration movement. Unfortunately, some insiders also collaborate with Taliban to carry out the Taliban’s plans, preferring their personal interests to the achievements of nearly two decades in Afghani-stan.Given the regional and international negligence against terrorism, there is no optimism and hopes to fundamentally get rid of terrorism. Because most of the terrorist groups either used as a political against others or they are reactionary movements need to recognize their legitimate demands. In the other word, it seems that the terrorism would not be ended as long as we do not accept justice, equality, dignity, freedom and prosperity for all. Maybe the human need to a fair political ideology that guarantees justice, dignity, freedom and prosperity for all. In the meantime, it also ensure that terrorism is destructive phenomena not justifiable and not acceptable anyhow. Otherwise, we should expect for unexpected breed of terrorists who are interested in mass death and destruction at anytime, anyone and anywhere.

Muslims across the world celebrate the birth of Holy Prophet (PBUH) this week. Muslims are celebrating

the day with religious zeal. The way in which the occa-sion is celebrated depicts several colors of local traditions, besides touch of their religion and their association to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Considering moral turpitude and unmitigated war and vio-lence, the vacuum of prophets is deeply felt in our age. Vio-lence and carnage, flagrant violation of human rights and cruel practices prevail in human societies. Human dignity is held in contempt and people suffer from inhumane acts in one way or another. Men’s megalomania and selfishness led to bloodshed and play a highly destructive role in mod-ern society. In short, the individuals’ fundamental rights – i.e. their rights to life, liberty and property – are largely trampled upon. Individual and collective life is vulnerable to moral corrup-tions. Immoral and lust-provoking programs spoil the mo-rality of younger generation and poison their minds. The crime rate, mainly relating to sexual affairs such as rape, is reportedly frequently. Girls and women do not have peace of mind in many societies and fear falling victim to the li-centious desires of individuals. Moral values and humanity decline around the globe. If we consider our own society, a number of people eat enormous food and live in luxury buildings and skyscrapers without an iota of mercy to the poor, who shiver with cold and with empty stomachs having no shelter. To their unmitigated chagrin, the state pays no heed to their problems either as if they are born to suffer and die without a shoulder to cry on. Life is no more than a hell for them since there is no one to give them a hand and no heart to feel their pain and anguish. After all, terrorism, which is the product of radical inter-pretation of religion, is an international scourge. Terrorist networks operate under religious terms and have spread Islamophobia in western countries. It is believed that the fundamental groups, who spill the blood of civilians and resort to militancy, sacrifice religion for their political in-terests and have no true knowledge. Their violent practices show that they are a big stain on religion. Their parochial mindsets leave no room for religious tolerance and brother-hood. In another item, the pure and humane teachings of prophet Mohammad (PBUH) have been colored with the tastes and radical views of some individuals within the long history. It is a great tragedy for Islamic world to see that po-litical masterminds use religious elements as a pawn. Prophet was the best example throughout the history and lived a simple life like every ordinary person. He married, had a family, lived and worked as a trader among his peo-ple. He faced personal problems, poverty, hunger and the harshest of conditions. He treated his enemies with great patience, showed them mercy and ensured that prisoners of war were taken care of. He instructed people to be kind to all living beings and use resources wisely. His wisdom was second to none.The Holy Prophet revolted against cruelty and provoked the slaves, whose rights and freedoms were violated, against their masters. He beckoned his society to the right path and implanted moral values and cultural standards in Arab Peninsula, which was deep in darkness. He broke the chains of slavery and sought to eliminate the sense of su-periority that created a wall between the poor and the rich. He fought oppressions and cruelties as well as ethnocentric views and declared that one’s rights and dignity were not to be violated on the basis of their race or color. Now, the Islamic Ummah, who celebrate the Prophet’s birth anniversary, have to follow his footsteps and nurture the spirit of brotherhood. He is a paragon of virtue and hu-manity not only for a certain group or party but for the en-tire human societies. His message of peace and humanity is global and transcends geographical and historical barriers. The Prophet’s real followers are those who practice upon his acts and words (Sunnah), respect the rights and dignity of mankind regardless of their racial and religious back-grounds and play a constructive role in the society. It should be noted that politicizing religious issues and capitalizing on radical mindset are likely to harm the so-ciety and imperil social cohesion and sense of brotherhood around the world. All members of human families are sup-posed to respect religious beliefs and figures of one another and try to avoid triggering religious sentiment. Meanwhile, human societies have to fight against radicalism of all kinds – be it in the form of Islam, Christianity or Jews. That is, both publishing satirical pictures or beheading a teacher should be prevented.

Editorial and Opinions3

By: Mohammad Zahir Akbari

Mohammad Zahir Akbari is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Af-ghanistan. He can be reached at mohammadzahirakbari@gmail.com

By: Michael Bröning

damaged due to the earthquake. (Pajhwok)

(7) Clashes Continue…fighters have been killed and wounded in clashes with Afghan forces in the province. “The security and defense forces conducted operations in Zherai and Arghandab districts against anti-government armed militants and the operations have been successful,” said Kandahar police spokesman Jamal Barikzai. The Helmand clashes started a month ago in which the Taliban attacked the outskirts of Lashkargah city as well as parts of Nad Ali and Nawa districts. The clashes are still underway in the PD4 of Lashkargah city, according to local officials. The increase in violence comes amidst the ongoing peace negotiations in Doha that have faced delay due to disputed points on the ground rules for the talks. (TOLO NEWS)

(8) Women’s Role…political, economic and social issues.However, it regretted women and children continued to be disproportionately affected by the ongoing conflict.Between January and September this year, more than four of every 10 civilian casualties in Afghanistan were women and children.The group reiterated its enduring support for the women and men on the negotiating team of Afghanistan who were championing the rights of women. Afghans and their international partners were reminded of their responsibility to ensure that universal human rights for all were protected and strengthened through the peace process. “Once again we urge all parties to the conflict to seize this historic opportunity for peace in Afghanistan. It is vital that Afghan women have a central, equal, meaningful and continuing role in transforming the conflict and building a better future for all Afghans.” (Pajhwok)

(9) Kunduz Almond…market for their crops.Mohammad Jaafar, one of them, told Pajhwok that almond production this year was high in the province but had no good market due to coronavirus pandemic.“Air flights and ground transportation to many countries remain halted, so there is no good market for almond this year,” he said.He said as the almond production was high this year, the government should help traders find buyers for the dried fruit.He said the price of a kilogram of almond in Kunduz hovered between 2,000 afghanis to 8,000 afghanis, depending on quality.Khan Mohammad, an almond grower in Chaharadar district, said, “There were no untimely rains this year, the buds remained unaffected in trees that was the reason of high production.”There are many types of almond farmed in Kunduz province and they are locally known as Starbayee, Khairudini, Qamari and Nani. (Pajhwok)

(10) Flour, Sugar…Oil 1,450afs, one kilogram of Indonesian green team 320afs and one kilogram of black African team 320afs—higher than wholesale rates.Gold prices remain unchangedMohammad Javed, a jeweler in the Layci Maryam Market, said the price of one gram of Arabic gold was 3,750afs and of Russian variety 3,150afs, the same rates as last week’s.The price of liquefied gas increasesMohammad Sharif, a gas seller in Kolola Pushta area of Kabul, said that the price of one kilogram of gas increased from 55afs to 60afs. Fuel and firewood prices remain unchanged.According to Ahmad Javed, owner of a petrol pump in Wazirabad area, the price of one litre petrol was 35afs, and one litre diesel 36afs, same as last week’s.Abdul Hakim, a firewood seller, said that the price of 560kg of peeled oak and cedar each was 8,000afs.Haji Hussain, owner of Sadaqat money exchange service, said the value of one US dollar was 76.90 afghanistan and 1,000 Pakistani rupee exchanged for 479afs, against last week’s 77afs and 474afs. (Pajhwok)

(11) IFC Helps…immediate liquidity to our financial institutions and real sector clients to preserve jobs and prevent short-term damage,” said Stephanie von Friedeburg, Interim Managing Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of IFC.IFC’s response is part of the World Bank Group’s effort to take broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response, increase disease monitoring and improve public-health interventions.The World Bank Group has the financial capacity to deploy 160$ billion over the next 15 months, including a potential 47$ billion from IFC in overall support for the private sector.Looking ahead, IFC will work with its partners to help restructure and

of Shushi also came under Azerbaijani shelling.In Stepanakert, shop owners came to their stalls to collect their merchandise and clear the debris after the shelling.“It seems they reached these agreements, but there is no truce at all,” said Karen Markaryan, a shop owner. “People don’t believe these empty words. And what will happen next is only known to God.”Azerbaijan’s defense ministry denied targeting civilian areas, and in turn accused Armenian forces of shelling several regions of Azerbaijan.According to Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 1,166 of their troops and 39 civilians have been killed. Azerbaijani authorities haven’t disclosed their military losses, but say the fighting has killed at least 91 civilians and wounded 400. Putin said last week that, according to Moscow’s information, the actual death toll was significantly higher and nearing 5,000. (AP)

(16)Sean Connery…his role as an Irish cop in The Untouchables.He was knighted by the Queen at Holyrood Palace in 2000.In August, he celebrated his 90th birthday. (BBC)

(17)Sudan deal…announced earlier this month they would normalize ties, making Sudan the third Arab country to do so in as many months.The announcement brought satisfaction to Israelis. But after years of failed Israeli attempts to remove the migrants, it has renewed fears among the Sudanese who have long had an insecure existence in their adopted home.African migrants, mainly from Sudan and Eritrea, began arriving in Israel in 2005 through its porous border with Egypt after Egyptian forces violently quashed a refugee demonstration and word spread of safety and job opportunities in Israel. Tens of thousands crossed the desert border in often dangerous journeys.Israel initially turned a blind eye to their influx and many took up menial jobs in hotels and restaurants. But as their numbers swelled, there was a backlash, with growing calls to expel the new arrivals.Israel considers the vast majority of the migrants to be job seekers and says it has no legal obligation to keep them. The Africans say they are asylum seekers who fled for their lives and face renewed danger if they return. Many come from Darfur and other conflict-ridden regions.Israel has acknowledged in recent court proceedings that the situation in Sudan remains volatile, and advocacy groups that work with the migrants say that deporting them will come up against stiff legal challenges. “If Israel will dare to deport Sudanese with open asylum claims it will be a grave violation of the most fundamental principle of the refugee convention,” said Sigal Rozen, public policy director at the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants.She said Israeli leaders may nonetheless be raising the issue to prompt some Sudanese to leave voluntarily. (AP)

(18)Nearly 3 months…the European Union to introduce sanctions against Belarusian officials.Tsikhanouskaya, who went to Lithuania after the vote under pressure from authorities, called for a nationwide strike this week that so far has failed to halt production at state-run industrial plants forming the backbone of the Belarusian economy. But observers predict that economic troubles amid a surge in coronavirus infections will fuel discontent and steadily erode Lukashenko’s grip on power. Lukashenko this week charged that “a terrorist war” is being waged against the government “on some fronts,” accusing the largely peaceful protesters of “radicalizing.” Following his orders, over 300 students are facing dismissal from their universities for taking part in protests.While thousands of students and retirees took to the streets in Minsk pressing for Lukashenko’s resignation, and some small business owners closed their doors earlier this week, most state enterprises have continued to operate as usual. (AP)

(19)Iran imposes…to follow restrictions, and Rouhani said an operations headquarters will be set up to ensure compliance with the health protocols.Total COVID19- deaths rose by 386 over the past 24 hours to reach 34,864, health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV on Saturday, adding total cases rose by 7,820 to 612,772. (Reuters)

(20)Philippines evacuates…nearby Bulacan province, roughly 1,000 COVID19- patients housed in large isolation tents could be transferred to hotels and hospitals, Jalad said.The Philippines has the second highest COVID19- infections and deaths in Southeast Asia, next only to Indonesia, with 380,729 cases and 7,221 deaths.Typhoon Molave last week killed 22 people, mostly through drowning in

recapitalize viable businesses and set the stage for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery. (Pajhwok)

(12)US Election…46th president of the United States.He made a -22minute appearance at a drive-in event in a car park outside the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.But a throng of Trump supporters turned up and tried to drown him out by honking their horns during his speech.“These guys are not very polite, but they’re like Trump,” Mr Biden said.He was interrupted again later in the speech while urging a national mask-wearing mandate to counter coronavirus.“This isn’t a political statement like those ugly folks over there beeping their horns,” Mr Biden snapped, eliciting a renewed cacophony of vehicular horns.The Democrat used many well-honed attack lines on his rival, saying: “Donald Trump has waved the white flag and surrendered to this virus but the American people don’t give up, they don’t cower and neither will I.”He also added a local pitch to the state’s Somali diaspora.Mr Biden’s visit to Minnesota, where he holds a steady lead in opinion polls, was interpreted by some election-watchers as a sign that the Democrat’s campaign was anxious about the state.The candidate told reporters in Delaware as he set out for the Midwest: “I don’t take anything for granted.”His campaign war chest, double the size of Mr Trump’s, has earned him the luxury of making a play for conservative states such as Iowa and Georgia, where a Democrat has not won the presidency since Bill Clinton in 1992. (BBC)

(13)Kashmir shuts…has exacerbated concerns of Kashmiris and rights groups who see such measures as a settler-colonial project to change the Muslim-majority region’s demography. They are likening the new arrangement to the West Bank or Tibet, with settlers living in guarded compounds among disenfranchised locals. They say the changes will reduce the region to a colony.Until last year, Indians were not allowed to buy property in the region. But in August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government scrapped Kashmir’s special status, annulled its separate constitution, split the region into two federal territories — Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir — and removed inherited protections on land and jobs. The move triggered widespread anger and economic ruin amid a harsh security clampdown and communications blackout.India describes the Kashmiri militancy as Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris call it a legitimate freedom struggle.Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. (AP)

(14)Death toll…collapsed building, rescuers made contact with a -38year-old woman and her four children — aged 7 ,3 and -10year old twins — and were working to clear a corridor to bring them out, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.Two other women, aged 53 and 35, were brought out from the rubble of another toppled two-story building earlier on Saturday.In all, around 100 people have been rescued since the earthquake, Murat Kurum, the environment and urban planning minister, told reporters. It was not clear how many more people were trapped under buildings that were leveled.Some 5,000 rescue personnel were working on the ground, Kurum said.At least 26 people were killed in Izmir, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted. Among them was an elderly woman who drowned.Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD, said 831 were injured in Izmir and three other provinces. The health minister said 25 of them were in intensive care.The earthquake, which the Istanbul-based Kandilli Institute said had a magnitude of 6.9, was centered in the Aegean northeast of Samos. AFAD said it measured 6.6. and hit at a depth of some 16 kilometers (10 miles).It was felt across the eastern Greek islands and as far as Athens and in Bulgaria. In Turkey, it shook the regions of Aegean and Marmara, including Istanbul. Istanbul’s governor said there were no reports of damage in the city, Turkey’s largest. (AP)

(15)Armenia asks…not deliberately target civilian populations or non-military objects in accordance with international humanitarian law.”But shortly after the mutual pledge was announced by the Minsk Group co-chairs, Nagorno-Karabakh authorities accused Azerbaijani forces of firing rockets at a street market and a residential building in the separatist region’s capital, Stepanakert. They said that residential areas in the town

December 19, 2019November 01, 20204

(1) UN Official…assistance to the Taliban, in exchange, the Taliban provides sanctuaries to the group in Afghanistan,” said Jawed Jawed, a political analyst in Kabul. Local officials said there are still clues and credible evidence that foreign fighters are battling alongside the Taliban in various provinces of the country which has also resulted in a dramatic increase in the level of violence. “There are various terrorist groups in Badakhshan who have ties with al-Qaeda and Daesh. They operate in Raghistan, Nusai and Darwazha regions,” Badakhshan governor Zakaria Sawda said. But a Taliban spokesman Zabiuhllah Mujahid has said that the group was still committed to the contents and all provisions of the US-Taliban peace accord, stating that they will not permit foreign fighters to exploit Afghanistan’s soil against any nation. (TOLO NEWS)

(2) Afghanistan Achieves…indicate, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced Afghanistan’s reintegration with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the ministry is reportedly renewing its commitment to implement the corrective actions of the EITI. The Afghan government Embraceddata platforms, establishing online reporting systems to enhance the transparency of extractive sector management and to address shortcomings identified in its first Validation, that has been achieved in an evolving political environment marked by presidential elections in 2019 and Intra-Afghan peace negotiations in 2020.In 2018, MOMP launched a new Transparency Portal, providing information on licenses, fiscal terms, legal and beneficial ownership information, production data, and non-tax company payments to the government, this made the portal to become more comprehensive.The World Bank also stressed EITI’s value in driving public finance management reforms in the context of fragility and violence. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is a global standard for the good governance of oil, gas, and mineral resources. (KHAAMA PRESS)

(3) Trump Has…virtual meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the gains on women’s rights should not be sacrificed in the peace negotiations. “Peace cannot come at the cost of women’s rights,” said Zarqa Yaftali, chairperson, the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation. “The liberties we were given over the past 18 years, our presence in society and our presence in politics should be protected,” said Fazila Hoorzad, a women’s rights activist. Sources familiar with the talks in Doha said on Friday that US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Afghan republic and the Taliban negotiators this week. The sources said that the State of Qatar, as a facilitator, has exchanged many recommended plans between the two teams to move the process forward. The talks have delayed over two disputed points on its procedural rules: the religious basis for the negotiations and the connection of the US-Taliban deal with the talks. (TOLO NEWS)(4) Imran Khan…took part in the elections in Afghanistan and he accepts the constitution of Afghanistan.” “We have no favorites in Afghanistan. Our only interest is that the future government in Kabul does not allow India to operate from there against Pakistan,” Khan said. This comes as the Pakistani prime minister at an event in Islamabad last week on Monday said his government will make the utmost efforts to ensure that there is a reduction in violence and a ceasefire in Afghanistan as Afghan are suffering from the war every day. Khan said stability in Afghanistan will benefit Pakistan as it wants to connect to Central Asia economically through Afghanistan. He mentioned that lessons should be learned from the past and that the two countries should look to the future and move forward from the past. (TOLO NEWS)(5) 91 New Cases…in the same period.According to the Public Health Ministry’s data, the cumulative number of total cases is now 41,425, the number of total reported deaths is 1,536, and the total number of recoveries is 34,321.So far, 122,392 samples have been tested in the government centers and there are 5,563 known active COVID19- cases in the country, data by the ministry indicates.The number of deaths from COVID19- globally is more than 1,189,712 and the number of known global coronavirus cases is 45,638,573, according to Johns Hopkins University. (TOLO NEWS)(6) Quake in Turkey…with #Turkey & #Greece today for the lives lost, injuries sustained and infrastructure

provinces south of Manila, which is also in the projected path of Goni, the 18th tropical storm in the country.The main island of Luzon accounts for more than two thirds of the economy, which fell into recession in the second quarter, and half of the population of more than 108 million. Relief goods, heavy machinery and personal protective equipment are already positioned in key areas, Filipino Grace America, mayor of Infanta town in Quezon province, told DZBB radio. “But because of the COVID19- pandemic, our funds for calamity concerns and expenses are insufficient.” An average 20 typhoons, bringing heavy rains that trigger deadly landslides, hit the Philippines annually. (Reuters)

(21)New Zealand…election night I said I wanted to govern for all New Zealanders and to reach as wide consensus on key issues as possible,” Ardern said at a televised news conference. “This agreement does that.”In return, Ardern said, the Greens would not oppose the government on confidence and supply votes. They would also support Labour on procedural motions in the parliament. The Green Party would be able to take their own position on issues not covered by the ministerial portfolios and areas of co-operation.The cooperation deal could still be rejected by the Green Party membership who were to vote on it on Saturday, but Ardern said she would announce the composition of the government on Monday regardless of the Green Party’s decision. (Reuters)

(22)Mahathir says…despite his explanation, and slammed the move as hypocritical.“On the one hand, they defended those who chose to display offending caricatures of Prophet Muhammad ... and expect all Muslims to swallow it in the name of freedom of speech and expression,” he said.“On the other, they deleted deliberately that Muslims had never sought revenge for the injustice against them in the past,” thereby stirring French hatred for Muslims, he added. On Twitter, however, that sentence was not deleted. A Mahathir staff member said the entire posting was removed by Facebook.Mahathir’s second stint as prime minister lasted from 2018 until he quit in February 2020.He has been viewed as an advocate of moderate Islamic views and a spokesman for the interests of developing countries. At the same time, he pointedly criticized Western society and nations and their relationships to the Muslim world while he himself was denounced in Israel and elsewhere for making anti-Semitic remarks. (AP)

(23)Tanzania, once…extend the presidency’s two-term limit, a goal of some party leaders and a much-criticized trend in parts of Africa.Tanzania’s events may be overlooked globally amid the U.S. election and COVID19- pandemic, but many in Africa are watching in dismay as a country once praised for promoting freedoms is said to be dismantling them one by one.“Irregularities and the overwhelming margins of victory raise serious doubts about the credibility of the results announced,” the United States said, later noting credible reports of “the use of force against unarmed civilians.”Tanzania’s main opposition parties, CHADEMA and ACT Wazalendo, on Saturday called for a fresh election and an “endless peaceful demonstration” starting Monday. Top opposition candidate Tundu Lissu has rejected the vote and urged the world not to recognize the results.The two main opposition parties’ chairmen lost their parliament seats by “astounding margins” considering the consistently large campaign rallies they drew, Dan Paget, a lecturer in politics at the University of Aberdeen, wrote Friday. Magufuli banned opposition political gatherings in 2016, not long after taking office. (AP)

(24)UK govt…a system of local restrictions for England based on levels of infection. But scientists say it has not been enough to tame a surge of COVID19- cases, and Britain is likely to join other European countries such as France, Germany and Belgium in imposing a second lockdown.Any new lockdown would likely see non-essential businesses close and people told to stay mostly at home, though schools would remain open.A government program that has paid the wages of millions of furloughed employees during the pandemic ends Saturday, replaced by less-generous measures that are likely to bring a surge in unemployment.“People have borrowed up to the hilt and spent money in order to get COVID-secure,” said Kate Nicholls of pub and restaurant industry group Hospitality U.K. “There is no spare capacity in the tank to be able to fund a lockdown, even for three to four weeks.” (AP)

International5 November 01, 2020

Tanzania, once envy of the region, watches democracy slide

UK govt meets to discuss new lockdown as virus cases surge

Mahathir says remarks on French attacks taken out of

context

New Zealand PM Ardern to announce government

on November 2

NAIROBI- Vote-count-ing was far from over when Tanzanian oppo-sition leader Seif Sharif Hamad was frustrated enough to call peo-ple onto the streets. As thwarted observers al-leged the most blatant election fraud in the country’s history, and with no way to challenge the results in court, there was little to do but pro-test.But Hamad and others didn’t get far. As they walked toward a round-about in the semi-auton-omous region of Zanzi-bar on Thursday, police fired tear gas, then ar-rested them — Hamad’s second arrest in a week. A party official, Ismail Jussa, was badly beaten by soldiers and hospital-ized. On the eve of the vote, at least 10 people in Zanzibar were killed.“We were a cradle of

LONDON- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was holding an unscheduled Cabinet meeting on Saturday to discuss a new national lockdown for England, after scientific advisers warned that hospitaliza-tions and deaths from the coronavirus could soon surpass the levels seen at the outbreak’s spring peak when daily deaths surpassed 1,000.Johnson’s office said the afternoon meet-ing would discuss “the government’s coronavi-rus response.” It came after the Times of Lon-don reported that John-son could announce a month-long lockdown as soon as Monday, though the government said no final decisions

KUALA LUMPUR- For-mer Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad stood by his widely con-demned comments on attacks by Muslim ex-tremists in France, say-ing Friday that they were taken out of context and criticizing Twitter and Facebook for removing his posts.Mahathir, 95, sparked widespread outrage when he wrote on his blog Thursday that “Muslims have a right to be angry and kill mil-lions of French people for the massacres of the past.”Twitter removed a tweet from Mahathir contain-ing the remark, which it said glorified violence,

MELBOURNE- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday she will an-nounce her new govern-ment on Monday after offering the Green Party two ministerial portfo-lios outside of cabinet as part of a proposed coop-eration agreement.Ardern delivered ear-lier this month the big-gest election victory for her centre-left Labour Party in half a century. Although she no longer needs support to govern, coalitions are the norm in New Zealand as par-

peace,” their colleague, ACT Wazalendo party campaign manager Em-manuel Mvula, told The Associated Press after describing the events. But after witnessing Tanzania’s sharp turn away from democratic ideals, “I’m worried for our future as a nation.”That populist President John Magufuli late Fri-day was declared the overwhelming winner of Wednesday’s election was no surprise. But the ruling party’s victory in almost all parliament seats has shocked even critics who had warned of creeping repression under Magufuli’s first five years in power.Now the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, a ver-sion of which has ruled since independence, has enough seats to change the constitution and per-haps

had been made.London School of Hy-giene epidemiologist John Edmunds, a mem-ber of the government’s scientific advisory group, said Saturday that cases were running “significantly above” a reasonable worst-case scenario drawn up by modelers.“It is really unthink-able now, unfortunately, that we don’t count our deaths in tens of thou-sands from this wave,” Edmunds told the BBC. “The issue is, is that go-ing to be low tens of thousands if we take radical action now or is that going to be the high tens of thousands if we don’t?” Prime Minister Boris Johnson has introd- uced

and France’s digital min-ister demanded the com-pany also ban Mahathir from its platform.“I am indeed disgusted with attempts to misrep-resent and take out of context what I wrote on my blog,” Mahathir said in a statement.He said critics failed to read his posting in full, especially the next sen-tence which read: “But by and large Muslims have not applied the ‘eye for an eye’ law. Mus-lims don’t. The French shouldn’t. Instead the French should teach their people to respect other people’s feelings.”He said Twitter and Fa-cebook removed the po- sting

ties look to build con-sensus.Under the agreement of-fered to the Green Party - one of Ardern govern-ment’s coalition partners prior to the election - the two portfolios would be held by the Green Par-ty’s co-leaders.James Shaw would be minister for climate change and would be associate environment minister, while Marama Davidson would be-come the minister for the prevention of fam-ily and sexual violence. “On

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time with COVID-19, and then here comes another disaster,” Sen-ator Christopher Go, the top aide of Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte, told a virtual news con-ference.Local executives should ensure that the virus does not spread in evacuation centres, he said.Officials have started pre-emptive evacua-tions, with Albay prov-ince bringing 794,000 residents to safety, Ri-cardo Jalad, executive director of the national disaster agency, told a news conference.In the capital Manila and

trol of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. The latest outburst of hostilities began Sept. 27 and left hundreds — per-haps thousands — dead, marking the worst escala-tion of fighting since the war’s end.On Friday, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Geneva for a day of talks, which were brokered by Rus-sia, the United States and France, co-chairs of the so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that tries to mediate the decades-long conflict.The talks concluded close to midnight with the two sides agreeing they “will

Baraka, 25, who fled Janja-weed militia attacks on his village in Darfur at the age of nine. Israel and Sudan

third largest city, and triggering a small tsuna-mi in the district of Seferi-hisar and on Samos. The quake was followed by hundreds of aftershocks.Early on Saturday, on-lookers cheered as rescu-ers lifted teenager Inci Okan out of the rubble of a devastated eight-floor apartment block in Izmir’s Bayrakli district. Her dog, Fistik, was also rescued, Sozcu newspa-per reported. Friends and relatives waited outside the building for news of loved ones still trapped inside, including em-ployees of a dental clinic that was located on the ground floor. In another

candidate and ultimately decide the outcome in four days’ time.More than 85 million people have voted early, 55 million of them by post, setting the US on course for its biggest voter turnout in over a century.The Democrat has taken a more measured pace to campaigning than his rival, spending much of the election cycle at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, citing coronavirus restrictions.But on Friday he sprinted through Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota on his busiest day yet.When Mr Biden was last in Iowa, in January, his presidential cam-paign was in serious jeopardy after he was defeated in a party vote to choose the Democratic challenger to Mr Trump. Now Mr Biden could be days away from becoming the...(More on P4)...(12)

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Kashmir shuts down to pro-test India’s new land laws

Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90

Nearly 3 months after vote, Belarus protests still go strong

Philippines evacuates nearly 1 million as world’s strongest

2020 typhoon approaches

Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90, his family has said.The Scottish actor was best known for his por-trayal of James Bond, be-ing the first to bring the role to the big screen and appearing in seven of the spy thrillers.Sir Sean died overnight in his sleep, while in the Bahamas. It is under-stood he had been un-well for some time.His acting career spanned decades and his many awards included

KYIV- Nearly three months after Belarus’ authoritarian president’s re-election to a sixth term in a vote widely seen as rigged, demonstra-tors keep swarming the streets of Belarusian cit-ies to demand his resig-nation in the most mas-sive and sustained wave of protests the ex-Soviet nation has ever seen.While President Alex-ander Lukashenko has relied on massive arrests and intimidation tactics to hold on to power, the continuing rallies have cast an unprecedented

SRINAGAR- Shops and businesses were shut in several parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir on Saturday as separat-ists challenging Indian rule called for a general strike to denounce new laws that allow any In-dians to buy land in the disputed region.Government forces in riot gear patrolled streets in Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar in anticipation of anti-India protests. Public transport also stayed off the roads.Kashmir’s main sepa-ratist grouping called

WASHINGTON- In a final burst of campaigning, US President Donald Trump and his Democrat-ic challenger Joe Biden have criss-crossed Midwestern states that may hold the keys to the White House.Mr Biden went on the offensive in Iowa, a state that voted for Mr Trump by 10 points in 2016.Mr Trump made a play for Min-nesota, which voted narrowly for Hillary Clinton four years ago.Mr Biden holds a solid national lead ahead of Tuesday’s general election.But his advantage over Mr Trump is narrower in the handful of US states that could vote for either

IZMIR- Rescue teams on Saturday plowed through concrete blocks and the de-bris of eight collapsed build-ings in search of survivors

of a powerful earthquake that struck Turkey’s Ae-gean coast and north of the Greek island of Samos, kill-ing at least 28 people. More

accused each of breaking a mutual pledge not to tar-get residential areas hours after it was made.Russia, which has a mili-tary base in Armenia and has signed a pact obliging it to protect its ally in case of foreign aggression, faces a delicate balancing act, of trying to maintain good ties with Azerbaijan and avoid a showdown with Turkey.

an Oscar, two Bafta awards and three Gold-en Globes.Sir Sean’s other films included The Hunt for Red October, Indiana Jones and the Last Cru-sade and The Rock.He was largely regarded as being the best actor to have played 007 in the long-running franchise, often being named as such in polls.His Oscar came in 1988, when he was named best supporting actor for

challenge to his 26-year rule.Authorities have re-sponded to protests trig-gered by Aug. 9 election that gave Lukashenko a landslide victory over Sviatlana Tsikhanous-kaya by unleashing a violent post-election crackdown. Police dis-persed peaceful dem-onstrators with stun grenades and rubber bullets, detained thou-sands and beat hun-dreds, which caused protests to swell and prompted the U.S. and

the strike to protest new land laws that India en-acted on Monday, al-lowing any of its nation-als to buy or its military to directly acquire land in the region. Pro-India politicians in Kashmir have also criticized the laws and accused India of putting the region’s land up for sale.The new legislation ended or modified most laws that governed local land rights. It also abol-ished 1950s land reform laws that redistributed large patches of land to landless farmers. The move

Armenia asks Moscow for help amid Nagorno-Karabakh fighting

YEREVAN- Armenia’s leader urged Russia Satur-day to consider providing security assistance to end the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, the biggest esca-lation in the decades-long conflict between his coun-try and Azerbaijan.Following more than a month of intense fight-ing in which Azerbaijani troops forged into the separatist territory, Arme-nian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian asked Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to quickly discuss possible security aid to his country.There was no immediate response from the Krem-lin.The request came as Azer-baijani troops pushed deeper into Nagorno-Karabakh and both sides

than 800 others were in-jured.The quake hit Friday af-ternoon, toppling build-ings in Izmir, Turkey’s

Pashinian’s request puts Russia in a precarious po-sition: joining the fighting would be fraught with unpredictable conse-quences and risk an open conflict with Turkey, while refusing to offer protection to its ally Ar-menia would dent Mos-cow’s prestige.Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the con-

US Election 2020: Biden and Trump in tug-of-war over Midwestern US

MANILA- Officials have evacuated almost a million residents in the southern part of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon as a category 5 storm - the world’s strongest this year - makes landfall on Sunday.Typhoon Goni, with 215 kph (133 miles) sus-tained winds and gusts of up to 265 kph (164 mph), will bring violent winds and strong rains, state weather and disas-ter officials said.It is among the strongest typhoons to hit the Phil-ippines since Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people in 2013.“We are having a hard

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might forcibly return them to Sudan, a place they say they fled because of con-flict or persecution.“If I return tomorrow or

Sudan deal plunges migrants in Israel into new uncertainty

TEL AVIV- Usumain Baraka speaks impeccable Hebrew, considers Israelis among his best friends and can quote passages from the Old Testament. But as a Sudanese asylum seeker, Baraka has no legal status in Israel and lives a pre-carious life tethered to the whims of the Israeli gov-ernment.Now, after Israel and Su-dan agreed to normalize ties, Baraka is among 6,000 Sudanese in Israel once again fearing for their fate. Israel already has indicat-ed it will seek to settle the migrant issue in upcoming talks with Sudan, whip-ping up trepidation in the community that Israel

the day after when there is the official peace they are talking about, some-thing awaits me there, and that’s danger,” said

Death toll reaches 28 in quake that hit Turkey, Greek island

Iran imposes new restrictions to stem coronavirus spread: Rouhani

by one week the closure of busi-nesses including beauty salons, teahouses, cinemas, libraries and fitness clubs.Police will make unannounced visits to other high-risk businesses,

TEHRAN - Weddings, wakes and conferences will be banned in the Iranian capital until further notice as the Middle East’s hardest-hit nation battles a third wave of COVID-19, police said on Saturday.President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile announced new re-strictions that will take effect on Wednesday in 25 of Iran’s 31 prov-inces for 10 days.The official IRNA news agency said Tehran police had extended

and those that violate health proto-cols will be shut down, IRNA quoted police official Nader Moradi as say-ing.Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said in a televised press brief-ing that the new restrictions from next week in the 25 provinces and 89 counties will include include the clo-sure of institutions such as schools, universities, libraries and mosques.Rouhani said in televised remarks that strict health protocols should be observed when holding weddings and funerals in those provinces and counties. Iranian authorities have blamed a sharp increase in cases on people failing

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WASHINGTON - Weeks after President Donald Trump’s remarks that all US troops will be out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, a top US lawmaker said that there was no actual plan to with-draw troops by Christmas.US House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith on Thursday echoed US officials, who have reportedly said they were not aware of the plan. The US lawmaker said the military will continue a gradual pullout. “I think the idea of bringing those num-

bers down as the president has done makes a lot of sense,” Smith said at a Center for New American Security webi-nar as quoted by Defense News. “Now, there’s been sort of a plan to do that, and there’s sort of been a tweet we should get out by Christmas. Well, there’s no plan to get out by Christmas, there’s just not. The White House hasn’t submitted one and the Pentagon doesn’t have one.” Afghan analysts said there is a need for pressure by the US on the Taliban to move the peace process forward. “The US should put pressure on the Tali-ban to get a result from the peace negoti-ations,” said Amir Mohammad Khaksar, a lawmaker. “We should have been in an offensive status (against the Taliban). We should have captured the territories to press the Taliban to attend the negotiations table,” said Tamim Nuristani, a political analyst in Kabul. Meanwhile, some women’s rights activ-ists in a ...( More on P4)...(3)

KABUL - Finland has urged the global fraternity not to forget Af-ghanistan and help stabilise the war-torn country.Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, who visited Kabul last week, issued the call during a lecture at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.Gulf Times quoted him as say-ing during his lecture, organised by the Centre for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies: “Unfor-tunately the aid has not come for all areas in the country.”Since 2002, Helsinki has provid-ed Afghanistan with 385 million euros in aid. Finland is set to host the Afghanistan Conference next month.“As the international donors pre-

pare for the conference in Ge-neva, our message to the donors will be not to forget Afghani-stan,” the minister said.“We all need peace in Afghani-stan, particularly neighbouring countries like Iran, Pakistan and India. They all agree peace in Af-ghanistan is necessary for them also,” he added.Haavisto commended the role of Qatar in hosting the ongoing Af-ghan peace process in Doha “This is very important phase of the process taking place here.”He underlined the need for in-ternational mediation, multilat-eralism, inclusion of women and youth, use of technology in medi-ation and role of the civil society in peacemaking. (Pajhwok)

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that no one can pre-dict how the future in Afghanistan will unfold, pointing out to the outcome of the Afghan peace process and a future gov-ernment in the country. “I’m afraid no one can predict which way things will go in Afghanistan right now,” Khan said in an interview on Der Spiegel on Oct. 30. “What I can say is that after Afghanistan, the country that wants peace most is Pakistan.”The peace negotiations in Doha between delegates from the Islamic Republic of Af-

KABUL - The Ministry of Public Health on Saturday reported 91 new positive cases of COVID-19 out of 210 samples tested in the last 24 hours.The new cases were reported in Kandahar (20), Paktia (14), Takhar (20), Kunduz (5), Baghlan (15), Khost (15), Laghman (1) and Pak-tika (1). But the ministry did not report any cases from Kabul and Herat that have had the high-est number of cases among other provinces in the last week.The ministry also reported three deaths and 63 recoveries from COVID-19 ...( More on P4)...(5)

KABUL - Foreign Minister Mo-hammed Hanif Atmar on Satur-day voiced his deep sorrow over deaths and destruction caused by a strong earthquake that rattled Turkey and Greece.“Deeply saddened by the earth-quake devastation in Turkey and Greece,” Atmar tweeted, while of-fering heartfelt condolences to the Turkish and Greek foreign minis-ters. Atmar also condoled with the peo-ple of Turkey and Greece over the loss of precious lives and wished a swift recovery for the injured.At least 28 people were killed and more than 800 injured in Turkey. The Foreign Ministry in Kabul sent condolences to the people and government of Turkey on Fri-day. “Our thoughts are ...( More on P4)...(6)

ghanistan and the Taliban started on Sep-tember 12. The talks have faced deadlock over two disputed points on procedural rules of the negotiations that include the religious basis for the talks and the con-nection of the US-Taliban deal with the negotiations. Khan said his country used Afghan refu-gees as a leverage to bring the Taliban to the table of negotiations. “With 2.7 million Afghan refugees in Pa-kistan, we have a certain amount of lever-age, which we used to the utmost. I am very pleased that we succeeded.” Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, vis-ited Pakistan in September and met with its leaders, including Imran Khan. Mean-while, Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar also visited Pakistan this month and met with its officials. In response to a question that he allegedly discussed a power-sharing deal between Hekmatyar and the Taliban once the US troops withdraw, Khan said, “Gulbuddin Hekmatyar ...( More on P4)...(4)

Don’t Forget Afghanistan, Finland Asks Donors

Trump Has ‘No Plan’ to Exit Afghanistan by Christmas:

US Lawmaker

Imran Khan Says ‘No One Can Predict’ Afghanistan’s Future

91 New Cases of COVID-19, 3 Deaths Reported

Quake in Turkey & Greece: Loss of Lives Shocks Atmar