President Hamid Karzai on Sunday ordered the expulsion of US Special Forces from Maidan Wardak province, west of Kabul, after hearing reports of "torture and murder of Afghan citizens" by these forces.

Read more...

The Ministry of Water and Energy said on Sunday that a Pakistani company will do the survey and design of the Farah River Dam, a $4 million project.

The National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) is expected to complete the project in 18 months. The ministry has hailed the project as the first of its kind by a Pakistani company in Afghanistan.

The dam will be paid for by Afghan government funds and, once completed, is expected to meet all the irrigation and energy needs of Farah province.

"The dam's storage capacity will be more than one billion cubic meters. At the same time, it can irrigate more than 68,000 acres of agricultural land and produce about 27 megawatts of electricity, which can meet the electricity needs of Farah Province," said Muhammad Ismail Khan, minister of energy and water.

About 545 large, medium and small dams will be built or refurbished across the country. About 111 of these dams are a priority for the ministry.

Two young Afghan actors will walk the red carpet at the 85th Academy Awards Monday after their US-directed film was nominated for Best Live Action Short.

Jwanmard Paeez and Fawad Mohammadi are the protagonists of Buzkashi Boys, the first Afghan-acted film to get an Oscars nomination.

Paeez and Mohammadi play two friends - one working in his father's blacksmith shop, the other working as an ispandi boy, asking people for money in return for blessing them with smoke from ispand to ward off evil spirits. They dream of national glory by aspiring to become champion buzkashi players.

The kids in real life, however, are very different; Fawad Mohammadi is an orphan who never acted in any films previous to Buzkahi Boys. He sells maps in the upscale Shahr-e-Naw district of Kabul. Jawanmard, the son of an established Afghan actor, has been acting since the age of five.

Director Sam French said his intention behind making the film was to reflect a different side of Afghanistan, one beyond the popular characterization of it as a country at war.

The Oscar nod seems to have inspired Afghan filmmakers to focus on developing indigenous Afghan cinema. Filmmaker Faqir Nabi urged his Afghan counterparts to develop the artistic merits of their own movies instead of imitating Indian or Pakistani movies.

"The nomination of Afghan actors for Oscars is a remarkable honor and achievement for Afghanistan. The Afghan filmmakers were previously imitating Indian and Pakistan movies and were focusing on action movies. This movie is a step forward for the Afghan film industry to be more artistic and professional," Nabi said.

Buzkashi Boys is squaring off against four other films in its category.

The Council of Ministers gave preliminary approval to the Law of Mines in its Monday's session, a presidential statement said Saturday.

The approval is seen as an important step for Afghanistan to attract large investors in the mining sector, billed as one of the country's most important source of revenue that could help put Afghanistan on the path to financial self-sufficiency.

"Approval of this law will provide more opportunities to identify and extract mines in the country and ensures national and foreign investments in this sector," Ministry of Mines Senior Advisor Asad Zamir told TOLOnews on Sunday.

Approval of the law was stalled previously because the Council of Ministers thought the law gave foreign companies too much space to exploit Afghan natural resources.

Afghan analyst have welcomed the decision and urged the government to vigorously implement the law.

"We welcome this decision and urge the government to fully enforce this law," economic affairs analyst Hamidullah Farooqi said Sunday.

The Ministry of Mines has identified 1,400 mines in different parts of the country. It is expected that the incomes from mines sector will cover nearly half of the Afghan government budget by 2016.

Ben Affleck's Iran hostage drama Argo on Sunday took home the Oscar for best picture, in a unique presentation done by Jack Nicholson in Hollywood and First Lady Michelle Obama by videolink.

Read more...

President Raul Castro has been re-elected to what he vowed would be his last term in office, and unveiled a 52-year-old political heir tasked with securing the future of the communism in Cuba after 2018.

"This will be my last term," Castro, 81, told lawmakers after the National Assembly re-elected him Sunday and named a new regime number two, Council of State Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Castro said he was "elected to defend, maintain and continue perfecting socialism -- not to destroy it," adding that his economic reforms will create "a less egalitarian society, but a fairer one."

Choosing Diaz-Canel, a former military man and professor from Villa Clara who has represented the president on foreign trips in recent months, "marks a final step in configuring the country's future leadership, through the slow and orderly transfer of the main leadership positions to new generations," Castro said.

The changes are in line with a decision adopted by the Communist Party last year to limit the terms of top office holder to 10 years. Raul Castro will reach this limit on February 24, 2018.

Raul Castro became Cuba's interim president when Fidel took ill in 2006. He formally became president in 2008.

Through the Cold War and now for more than two decades after it, the United States has tried to isolate Cuba to press for democratic change.

In 1962, it imposed a full trade embargo on Havana -- the only one-party Communist regime in the Americas -- to pressure the communist island to open up democratically and economically.

Cuba finally appears poised to have lined up new leadership, provided it can continue to prop up its dysfunctional economy while keeping the regime afloat.

Cuba is dependent on aid from oil-rich Venezuela and so far has failed to discover reserves of its own, although some experts say there are untapped stores of crude off its Gulf of Mexico coast.

The fate and future of the Cuban regime also depends on the health of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Cuba's main economic supporter and political ally, who is recovering from cancer surgery. But there is no guarantee a successor would feed Cuba's economy as much as Chavez.

Diaz-Canel, who turns 53 in April, is an electrical engineer by training, a former education minister and the president's de facto political heir seeking to project the Americas' only one-party Communist regime into the future.

Since March, Diaz-Canel has been one of the eight vice presidents on the Council of Ministers. He took the number two spot from Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, 82, who relinquished the post but remains one of Cuba's vice presidents.

Diaz-Canel, as political heir, cuts a starkly different profile from the revolutionary leadership, whose members are mostly in their 80s.

If he comes to lead Cuba, he would be the first leader of the regime whose entire life has been under the Castro regime that started in January 1959.

Barring any changes, Diaz-Canel would succeed Raul Castro, who will be 82 in June, if the president serves out his term through 2018.

A careful speaker, the lanky Diaz-Canel also has been a leader of the Communist Youth Union, and went on an international "mission" to Nicaragua during the first leftist Sandinista government.

He rose up the ranks, leading the party in Villa Clara in central Cuba, before being chosen to lead it in Holguin province in the east. Diaz-Canel was then bumped up to the Politburo in 2003.

There was more new blood among the five vice presidents on the Council of State, in the person of Mercedes Lopez Acea, 48, the former leader of the Communist Party's Havana provincial assembly.

And Raul Castro's own daughter, Mariela Castro, was elected as an assembly lawmaker for the first time.

A professional sexologist, she has lobbied the regime to guarantee better treatment for gays, lesbian and transgender Cubans. She is expected to push for Cuba to legalize same-sex marriage.

The National Assembly, whose members ran for office in October unopposed, also chose Esteban Lazo, 68, as their new speaker. Seen as an ideological hardliner, he is also the regime's most prominent Afro-Cuban leader.

"Lazo has been all about ideological orthodoxy," said professor Arturo Lopez-Levy at the University of Denver in the US state of Colorado.

Two policemen were killed and one was injured in a roadside bomb blast in the southern Uruzgan province Monday morning, local officials said.

The blast took place at about 10:00 am local time in the provincial capital Tarinkot when a police vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb, provincial police chief spokesman Farid Ayel told TOLOnews.

The victims were taken to a nearby hospital in the city.

Ayel believed that Taliban insurgents were behind the blast, but no group, including the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Recently, Afghan security forces took on greater security responsibilities for the province from the departing Australian troops.

Australia has around 1,094 soldiers in Afghanistan, most of whom are based in the province.

At least four civilians were killed and two others were injured in a bomb blast in the southern Helmand province Monday morning, locals officials said.

The incident happened at about 09:00 am local time in Marja district when the vehicle they were traveling in hit a roadside bomb, provincial police chief Abdul Nabi Elham said.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital; all the victims are civilians, he said.

No group, including the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the blast. Insurgents use improvised explosive devices to target Afghan and Nato troops, but most of the victims are civilians who are unwittingly caught in the blast.

The UN recently released a report stating that the number of civilians killed in Afghanistan has dropped for the first time in six years, but the number of injured has increased.

The UN documented 2,754 civilian deaths in 2012, a 12 percent drop, and 4,805 injuries, a slight rise. In total, 81 percent of civilian casualties in 2012 were attributed to militants, while 8 percent resulted from operations by pro-government forces. Over the past six years, 14,728 Afghans have been killed in the war.

The reduction in civilian casualties in 2012 was attributed to less fighting on the ground and a decline in suicide attacks and air operations. But the report also expressed concern about the re-emergence of armed groups, particularly in Afghanistan's north.

The US report also warned that civilians are facing an increase in threats, intimidation and interference in their rights to education, health, justice and freedom of movement from militants.

Officials in Kandahar prevented two of the province's parliamentarians from visiting the Kandahar Jail as a follow-up to a recent UN report alleging widespread torture in Afghan prisons.

Mohammad Naeem Lalai Ahmadzai and Abdul Rahim Ayubi wanted to visit the prison facility to meet with prisoners but were prevented by prison guards because they were not accompanied by officials from the judiciary. The two MPs now allege that provincial officials are trying to hide ongoing torture in the prison.

"We endorse the UN report on prisoner abuse in prisons because they didn't allow us to observe the situation for ourselves," said MP Ayubi, adding that prison officials had something to hide.

Kandahar Prison Head Abdul Farouq said that he was under orders by the provincial governor to stop anyone not accompanied by judiciary officials from visiting prisoners.

The governor's spokesman reiterated Farouq's claim, adding that the policy doesn't allow any individual or organization to visit the facility without accompaniment from judicial officials.

The Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said Monday that all allegations by the Afghan government about the ill-treatment and torture of Maidan Wardak civilians at the hands of US Special Forces or their Afghan subordinates will be fully investigated.

Read more...

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said Monday that it plans to establish a foundation for young Afghan entrepreneurs to encourage the youth to take greater part in the country's commerce and economy.

The foundation will focus on promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating young entrepreneurs by reducing obstacles in commerce and investments and strengthening unions.

"We establish the youth foundation to help the youth through it so that other young Afghans become interested in economics, commerce, industries and investment inside Afghanistan," Rahimullah Hameed, CEO of the Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industries told TOLOnews.

ACCI organized a training seminar Monday to discuss the issues of doing business in the country with young entrepreneurs.

"Such conferences and workshops not only provide education but also boost the morale of the youth, encouraging them so that they could really work," said a conference attendee.

"This training is very beneficial to us. It will positively affect us as we will be able to change our business structures from traditional to an updated one," said another attendee.

The foundation will be an initiative of the Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industries and will be established with help from the Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, and the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency. USAID's Trade and Accession Facilitation for Afghanistan (TAFA) project will also offer assistance.

Around 90 percent of the government's development budget will be funded by Afghanistan's own internal revenues by 2024, the Ministry of Finance announced Monday.

The country depends almost entirely on international aid for its development budget. About 56 percent of the regular budget is currently funded by the government's own revenues, a figure that the ministry announced would be increased to 100 percent over the next few years.

The government expects to raise the additional money by increasing customs revenues and taxes.

"We can fund 40 percent of [the targeted increase] from customs revenues. Taxes, too, are a main component of government income," said ministry spokesman Wahidullah Tawhidi.

But the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) urged the government to improve its tax collection to meet the ambitious revenue targets.

"The country's improvement is linked to tax payments; otherwise, there will be no development," said Khan Jan Alokozai, deputy ACCI director.

Tax evasion, including income and property taxes, remains widespread in the country.

Human Rights Watch raised concerns Monday over possible fraud and the election of individuals involved in rights violations to office in the upcoming presidential elections.

"We are watching very closely to see what will happen. There are so many questions about the elections: Will the voter registration be valid that everyone can vote and fraud is minimized? will there be some kind of investigation to make sure that people with serious human rights abuses are not able to run for president?" Barr told TOLOnews Monday.

She also said that the country's stability could be threatened if the legitimacy of the elections is compromised and adequate security isn't provided during the election.

"When the election is over and people feel like there was a legitimate election, the cause a real instability in the country."

But the Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials said that they cannot stop a candidate from running for president unless they are found guilty by the courts.

"Unfortunately, human rights violators are limited to run for the elections according to law," IEC Spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor told TOLOnews on Monday.

But he insisted that a commission will be formed after the registration process is complete to investigate if the candidates are linked to illegally armed groups.

The presidential election is scheduled for April 5, 2014.

Top news in this Bulletin:

The Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said Monday that all allegations by the Afghan government about the ill-treatment and torture of Maidan Wardak civilians at the hands of US Special Forces or their Afghan subordinates will be fully investigated.

{youtube}jk3HXz5_Qlc{/youtube}

Read more...

The Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said Monday that all allegations by the Afghan government about the ill-treatment and torture of Maidan Wardak civilians at the hands of US Special Forces or their Afghan subordinates will be fully investigated.

Isaf spokesman Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz, speaking at a press conference in Kabul, also admitted that there had been numerous allegations of abuse by US Special Forces in the past in Maidan Wardak.

"Over the past few weeks, there have been various allegations of Special Forces conducting themselves in an unprofessional manner in Maidan Wardak," said Katz in a press conference in Kabul.

But the Isaf spokesman underscored that there had been no evidence yet to support the allegations.

"So far, we could not find evidence that would support these allegations. Isaf will work with representatives of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to find the solution to the concerns of the citizens. [We] regard the situation in Wardak as very serious and we will resolve it in full cooperation with our Afghan partners," Katz added.

Recent reports from Maidan Wardak governor to President Hamid Karzai had indicated that the US Special Forces and their Afghan subordinates had tortured, mistreated and even murdered civilians.

President Karzai decided during a National Security Council session on Sunday to expel all US Special Forces personnel from Wardak within two weeks.

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said Monday that it plans to establish a foundation for young Afghan entrepreneurs to encourage the youth to take greater part in the country's commerce and economy.

The foundation will focus on promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating young entrepreneurs by reducing obstacles in commerce and investments and strengthening unions.

"We establish the youth foundation to help the youth through it so that other young Afghans become interested in economics, commerce, industries and investment inside Afghanistan," Rahimullah Hameed, CEO of the Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industries told TOLOnews.

ACCI organized a training seminar Monday to discuss the issues of doing business in the country with young entrepreneurs.

"Such conferences and workshops not only provide education but also boost the morale of the youth, encouraging them so that they could really work," said a conference attendee.

"This training is very beneficial to us. It will positively affect us as we will be able to change our business structures from traditional to an updated one," said another attendee.

The foundation will be an initiative of the Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industries and will be established with help from the Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, and the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency. USAID's Trade and Accession Facilitation for Afghanistan (TAFA) project will also offer assistance.

Around 90 percent of the government's development budget will be funded by Afghanistan's own internal revenues by 2024, the Ministry of Finance announced Monday.

The country depends almost entirely on international aid for its development budget. About 56 percent of the regular budget is currently funded by the government's own revenues, a figure that the ministry announced would be increased to 100 percent over the next few years.

The government expects to raise the additional money by increasing customs revenues and taxes.

"We can fund 40 percent of [the targeted increase] from customs revenues. Taxes, too, are a main component of government income," said ministry spokesman Wahidullah Tawhidi.

But the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) urged the government to improve its tax collection to meet the ambitious revenue targets.

"The country's improvement is linked to tax payments; otherwise, there will be no development," said Khan Jan Alokozai, deputy ACCI director.

Tax evasion, including income and property taxes, remains widespread in the country.

Human Rights Watch raised concerns Monday over possible fraud and the election of individuals involved in rights violations to office in the upcoming presidential elections.

"We are watching very closely to see what will happen. There are so many questions about the elections: Will the voter registration be valid that everyone can vote and fraud is minimized? will there be some kind of investigation to make sure that people with serious human rights abuses are not able to run for president?" Barr told TOLOnews Monday.

She also said that the country's stability could be threatened if the legitimacy of the elections is compromised and adequate security isn't provided during the election.

"When the election is over and people feel like there was a legitimate election, the cause a real instability in the country."

But the Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials said that they cannot stop a candidate from running for president unless they are found guilty by the courts.

"Unfortunately, human rights violators are limited to run for the elections according to law," IEC Spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor told TOLOnews on Monday.

But he insisted that a commission will be formed after the registration process is complete to investigate if the candidates are linked to illegally armed groups.

The presidential election is scheduled for April 5, 2014.

Top news in this Bulletin:

The Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said Monday that all allegations by the Afghan government about the ill-treatment and torture of Maidan Wardak civilians at the hands of US Special Forces or their Afghan subordinates will be fully investigated.

{youtube}jk3HXz5_Qlc{/youtube}

Read more...

A Taliban leader named Anwar was killed in a joint Afghan-Nato operation in the eastern Nangarhar province, Isaf said in a statement Tuesday.

Anwar was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He exercised operational control of a significant number of insurgents, the statement said.
"The security force engaged Anwar and four other militants with a precision strike, killing five," it said.

Another Taliban leader and five insurgents were captured in Baghlan-e-Jadid district of the northern Baghlan province Monday.

The Taliban leader is alleged to have been responsible for controlling multiple insurgent fighters in Baghlan-e-Jadid district. He was a known improvised explosives device expert and provided financial support and weapons to insurgent forces, according Isaf.

The forces also sized a cache of weapons during the raid.

Another Taliban leader and two insurgents were also arrested in a joint Afghan-Nato operation in Pul-e-Alam district, Logar province on Sunday.

The leader is believed to have been responsible for improvised explosive device and small-arms attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, Isaf said.

Five others insurgents were killed in an operation in Hisarak district of eastern Nangarhar province Sunday.