Sunday, September 30, 2018

Massive earthquake in Indonesia leaves hundreds dead: UN chief ‘deeply saddened’

Following a major, 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province on Friday, the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said in a statement that he’s “deeply saddened” by the “terrible loss of life” and injuries from the disaster.

Casualty numbers are expected to rise, and thousands of buildings in the city of Palu, Central Sulawesi, have collapsed. A tsunami was also triggered by the earthquake, generating waves of up to 3 metres (10 feet) high, according to reports.

Rescue efforts are reportedly underway, but are hampered by a major power cut, and a landslide that has blocked the main road to Palu.

The UN chief has extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Indonesia, adding that the United Nations stands ready to support the Government-led ongoing rescue and relief efforts.- Read More

Massive earthquake in Indonesia leaves hundreds dead: UN chief ‘deeply saddened’

Lockheed F-35 jet used by U.S. in combat for first time: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States used an F-35 jet against a Taliban target in Afghanistan earlier on Thursday, marking the first U.S. combat use of the stealthy plane, a U.S. official said.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the F-35B jet took off from the USS Essex amphibious assault ship in the Arabian Sea.

The F-35, made by Lockheed Martin Co, comes in three variants - the F-35A conventional take-off and landing model, the F-35B, a short take-off/vertical landing version, and the F-35C, used aboard aircraft carriers.

In May, Israel became the first country to use the U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter in combat.

The United States and 10 partner nations are aiming to grow the F-35 fleet to more than 3,000 jets and bring the unit price of the F-35A closer to $80 million in 2020 through efficiencies gained by ordering in larger quantifies.

Lockheed is the prime contractor for the jet. Its partners include Northrop Grumman Corp, United Technologies Corp’s Pratt & Whitney and BAE Systems Plc. - Read More

Lockheed F-35 jet used by U.S. in combat for first time: official


Friday, September 28, 2018

New U.S. Envoy To Afghanistan On Strategy

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to former Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the new envoy to Afghanistan, about the U.S. strategy in the country.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
When Zalmay Khalilzad was named ambassador to Afghanistan back in 2003, that country was a much different place. The U.S. had just invaded in 2001 in an effort to root out al-Qaida terrorists by overthrowing the Taliban. Afghanistan's economy? Well, there wasn't really an economy at all. There was little infrastructure, few reliable institutions. Khalilzad's mission at the time was to rebuild the country

ZALMAY KHALILZAD: Now Afghans are, on average, better off economically, socially than they were then. But in terms of security, the situation is more difficult. The Taliban are stronger, and therefore the mission now for me is to facilitate on behalf of the United States a peace settlement, a reconciliation agreement, between the government and the Taliban. - Read More

New U.S. Envoy To Afghanistan On Strategy

How Trauma Affects Memory: Scientists Weigh In On The Kavanaugh Hearing

In Thursday's testimony at Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings, Christine Blasey Ford alleged Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in 1982, when she was 15 years old and he was 17.

Kavanaugh staunchly denied these allegations.

But memory is fallible. A question on many people's minds is, how well can anyone recall something that happened over 35 years ago?

Pretty well, say scientists, if the memory is of a traumatic event. That's because of the key role emotions play in making and storing memories.

On any given day, our brains store or "encode" only some of the things we experience. "What we pay attention to is what's more likely to get encoded," says Jim Hopper, a teaching associate in psychology at Harvard University and a consultant on sexual assault and trauma.

A region of the brain called the hippocampus plays an important role in this process. Ford referred to the hippocampus when questioned by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., about how she was so sure that Kavanaugh was the perpetrator of the alleged assault.

"The hippocampus certainly plays a role in taking things into short-term memory and then transferring them and consolidating them into long-term memories," says Hopper.

If an event elicits an emotional reaction in us, then it's more likely to make it into our memory. "Things that have more emotional significance tend to get more encoded," he says.

And when something elicits an intense negative emotion, like a trauma, it's even more likely to be encoded in the brain.

"The stress hormones, cortisol, norepinephrine, that are released during a terrifying trauma tend to render the experience vivid and memorable, especially the central aspect, the most meaningful aspects of the experience for the victim," says Richard McNally, a psychologist at Harvard University and the author of the book Remembering Trauma. - Read More

How Trauma Affects Memory: Scientists Weigh In On The Kavanaugh Hearing


Dialogue and multilateralism key to tackling global challenges France’s Macron says at UN, urging leaders not to accept ‘our world unraveling’

Deploring what he saw as a “deep crisis” of the traditional international order, French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday warned from the rostrum of the United Nations General Assembly against the temptation towards unilateralism and pleaded for a “new global balance”, crafted by all countries working together. - Read More

Dialogue and multilateralism key to tackling global challenges France’s Macron says at UN, urging leaders not to accept ‘our world unraveling’


To succeed in Afghanistan we need peace: Sopko


“We empowered a lot of these warlords,” Sopko said, pointing to corruption as one of the major problems facing countries trying to change the system.

“Now we’re stuck with them, and we’ve got to do something with them.”

It has consistently stymied efforts in countries around the world, as corruption is not limited to Afghanistan.

Canada is the ninth-largest donor to reconstruction projects in the country.

It has spent roughly $2.8 billion in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2016, and recommitted an additional $465 million in 2016 to help with the cost of the Afghan security forces and empowering women and girls. - More

‘Go to bed with dogs, you wake up with fleas’: Crack down on Afghan corruption, U.S. watchdog urges

WATCH: John Sopko, Inspector General for the U.S. Office for Afghanistan Reconstruction, tells Mercedes Stephenson his office has had some recent setback in trying to rebuild Afghanistan and that peace and security are necessary to move forward.

The old saying holds true when it comes to how the West went into Afghanistan.

“You go to bed with dogs, you wake up with fleas,” said John Sopko, U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. “That happened in Afghanistan.”

And he warns that is complicating efforts to try and root out systemic problems like corruption and the expansion of the opium trade.

In the discussion, Sopko said the challenges facing both donor countries contributing aid to the troubled country, and those like the U.S. deploying fresh batches of soldiers to its regions, stem to a large degree from going in without a clear understanding of exactly who Western countries were empowering when they set about replacing the Taliban with local leaders.

Many of them, however, had ties to the same group the West wanted to defeat — now, the longer-term consequences are being felt.

“We empowered a lot of these warlords,” Sopko said, pointing to corruption as one of the major problems facing countries trying to change the system.

“Now we’re stuck with them, and we’ve got to do something with them.”

So how does one deal with a problem like corruption?

It has consistently stymied efforts in countries around the world, as corruption is not limited to Afghanistan.

Canada is the ninth-largest donor to reconstruction projects in the country.

It has spent roughly $2.8 billion in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2016, and recommitted an additional $465 million in 2016 to help with the cost of the Afghan security forces and empowering women and girls. - More

‘Go to bed with dogs, you wake up with fleas’: Crack down on Afghan corruption, U.S. watchdog urges - Continue reading 

Thursday, September 27, 2018

READ: Brett Kavanaugh's Opening Statement For Senate Hearing

On Thursday, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify on a sexual assault allegation by Christine Blasey Ford, who is also testifying. Read Kavanaugh's opening statement below, submitted to the panel on Wednesday.

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Feinstein, and Members of the Committee: Eleven days ago, Dr. Ford publicly accused me of committing a serious wrong more than 36 years ago when we were both in high school. I denied the allegation immediately, unequivocally, and categorically. The next day, I told this Committee that I wanted to testify as soon as possible, under oath, to clear my name.

Over the past few days, other false and uncorroborated accusations have been aired. There has been a frenzy to come up with something—anything, no matter how far-fetched or odious—that will block a vote on my nomination. These are last-minute smears, pure and simple. They debase our public discourse. And the consequences extend beyond any one nomination. Such grotesque and obvious character assassination—if allowed to succeed—will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from serving our country. - More, NPR

READ: Brett Kavanaugh's Opening Statement For Senate Hearing


WATCH LIVE: Kavanaugh, Ford Testify About Sexual Assault Allegation


Wednesday, September 26, 2018

At UN Security Council, world leaders debate Iran, North Korea sanctions and non-proliferation

President Donald Trump told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that the United States would impose sanctions on Iran that would be “tougher than ever before” in the coming months, following its unilateral withdrawal earlier this year from the deal brokered to restrict Iran’s nuclear programme, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Mr. Trump chaired the summit-level meeting of the 15-member Council, initiated by the US, to discuss ways that the body overseeing global peace and security can better enforce resolutions concerning the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Top of the President’s concerns after laying out the “urgent importance” of countering nuclear, biological and chemical weapons use everywhere, was the JCPOA, commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.

The JCPOA – reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union – sets out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions placed on Iran’s nuclear programme, while paving the way for the lifting of UN sanctions against the country.

“This horrible, one-sided deal allowed Iran to continue its path towards a bomb,” he declared. From November, he said, US sanctions would be in “full force” and the White House would impose further measures. Anyone failing to comply with the US “would face severe consequences,” he warned. - More

At UN Security Council, world leaders debate Iran, North Korea sanctions and non-proliferation

In UN address, Afghan leader lays out vision of peaceful, prosperous State in talks with Taliban

Saying his country had turned a page with its unprecedented overtures to the militant Taliban opposition, Afghan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday called on the United Nations, the European Union and State partners to help promote a new Afghanistan in a country that has known nothing but conflict over the past four decades, with hundreds of thousands of casualties.

“I want to express my sincere thanks to all nations, especially the United States, concerned nations and parties, including the Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia… the UN and others for encouraging all sides to set the stage for a process that would lead to talks and a Just and comprehensive negotiated settlement,” he told the UN General Assembly on the second day of its annual general debate.

Mr. Abdullah called on neighbouring States, especially Pakistan, to help deal with the terrorism and extremism threatening the region.

“Since we last met (at last year’s annual debate), Afghanistan has turned a page and made unprecedented overtures to the Taliban to be part of a credible Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process that could lead to a just and comprehensive political settlement through talks and reconciliation,” he told the scores of Heads of State and Government,” he said.

“Our people, who pose no danger to anyone, are demanding a fundamental change where they can play a constructive and collaborative role across boundaries and help turn their country into a roundabout of people, goods, services, communications, cooperation and ideas across the wider region.

“I believe that with your help we can turn this concept into reality. We hope to further engage our regional partners in helping us bring this vision to fruition. I hope that this Assembly and all concerned member states play their supportive and positive role to put an end to years of agony and open a new path leading to durable peace, stability and prosperity.” - read More

Full statement availabel here.


U.N. concerned over spike in civilian casualties in Afghan air strikes

KABUL (Reuters) - The United Nations mission in Afghanistan voiced concern on Tuesday over increasing numbers of civilian casualties as a result of airstrikes by U.S. or government forces, following reports that nine were killed in an eastern province last week.

Air strikes have spiked steeply this year, in a strategy aimed at forcing Taliban militants to accept peace talks, with the number of bombs dropped by the U.S. air force almost doubling in the first six months, to nearly 3,000.

The UNAMA mission said it had received “multiple, credible allegations” that a strike hit the house of a teacher in the eastern province of Kapisa on Saturday, killing nine members of the same family, including three women and four children. Six others were wounded, it said.

“UNAMA reminds all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations to protect civilians from harm,” it said in a statement. - Read More

U.N. concerned over spike in civilian casualties in Afghan air strikes


For new U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, ‘deja vu all over again’ - washingtonpost

 The quest to end America’s longest war, 17 years in Afghanistan with no end in sight, now partly falls on the shoulders of Zalmay Khalilzad, an urbane veteran U.S. diplomat who describes the experience as “deja vu all over again.” - Read More

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

US President Trump rejects globalism in speech to UN General Assembly’s annual debate

Taking the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, the world Organization that embodies greater global cooperation, United States President Donald Trump told scores of Heads of State and Government on Tuesday that his country rejects the ideology of globalism, both generally and in relation to international justice and the migration crisis.

“America is governed by Americans,” he said on the opening day of the Assembly’s annual General Debate. “We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism. Around the world, responsible nations must defend against threats to sovereignty not just from global governance, but also from other, new forms of coercion and domination.”

At the same time, he reiterated the US commitment to making the UN more effective and accountable. “I have said many times that the United Nations has unlimited potential,” he declared.

“America is governed by Americans,” he said on the opening day of the Assembly’s annual General Debate. “We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism. Around the world, responsible nations must defend against threats to sovereignty not just from global governance, but also from other, new forms of coercion and domination.”

At the same time, he reiterated the US commitment to making the UN more effective and accountable. “I have said many times that the United Nations has unlimited potential,” he declared

US-UN relations

But Mr. Trump reiterated his past criticism of the world organization, hitting out at the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) and the recently-proposed Global Compact on Migration, while stressing that the US will not pay more than 25 percent of the UN. peacekeeping budget, to encourage other countries to step up and share in the burden.

“And we are working to shift more of our funding from assessed contributions to voluntary so that we can target American resources to the programs with the best record of success,” he said. “Only when each of us does our part and contributes our share can we realize the UN's highest aspirations.” - Read More

US President Trump rejects globalism in speech to UN General Assembly’s annual debate

‘Our future rests in solidarity,’ commitment to rules-based order, UN chief tells world leaders

Facing a world where trust – trust in national institutions, trust among States and trust in the rules-based global order – is at a breaking point, Secretary-General António Guterres set the stage for the 73rd general debate of the United Nations with a call to rebuild solidarity, repair broken trust and reinvigorate the spirit of multilateralism.
“As guardians of the common good, we also have a duty to promote and support a reformed, reinvigorated and strengthened multilateral system,” said the Secretary-General, addressing the annual gathering of world leaders at UN Headquarters on Tuesday.

“We need commitment to a rules-based order, with the United Nations at its centre and with the different institutions and treaties that bring the Charter to life … There is no way forward but collective, common-sense action for the common good.”

Mr. Guterres’ annual opening message, which draws from his yearly report on the work of the Organization, also highlighted the persisting challenges facing the people and the planet, including the seemingly unending conflicts in Syria and Yemen, the suffering of the Rohingya people and the threat of terrorism, non-proliferation and the use of chemical weapons.

He also drew attention to increasing inequality and the “discrimination and demagoguery” faced by migrants and refugees, in the context of clearly insufficient international cooperation, as well as cautioned against widening inequalities, tensions over trade and pressures on human rights around the world.

“It is our common duty to reverse these trends and resolve these challenges. We need to move ahead based on facts, not fear – on reason, not illusion. Prevention must be at the centre of all we do,” stressed Mr. Guterres. - Read More

‘Our future rests in solidarity,’ commitment to rules-based order, UN chief tells world leaders

Monday, September 24, 2018

General Debate of the 73rd session: 25 September - 1st October 2018

The annual General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly is the occasion for world leaders to gather at UN Headquarters to discuss global issues.

This website presents a daily list of speakers (below), with links to individual pages for each speaker. These pages aggregate all multimedia information pertaining to the speaker: on-demand video(s), the country statement (.pdf), a summary of the statement, a downloadable photo, audio files (.mp3).

Content can be browsed by date and country/speaker. - Read More

For live streaming of other UN events, please visit UN Web TV

High-level meetings of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly

Monday, September 17, 2018

Promoting Gender Equity in National Priority Programs (Promote): USAID Needs to Assess This $216 Million Program’s Achievements and the Afghan Government’s Ability to Sustain Them

SIGAR 18-69 AUDIT REPORT
WHAT SIGAR FOUND

SIGAR found that, after 3 years and $89.7 million spent, USAID/Afghanistan has not fully assessed the extent to which Promote is meeting its overarching goal of improving the status of more than 75,000 young women in Afghanistan's public, private, and civil society sectors. Three key factors limit the agency’s ability to determine whether it is meeting its goal.

First, since the start of the program, USAID/Afghanistan made extensive changes to the four components’ performance indicators designed to measure progress, thus limiting the agency’s ability to assess the components’ performance over time. From the 78 original performance indicators, USAID/Afghanistan modified 32, deleted 23, and added 13 new indicators. Of the indicators USAID/Afghanistan modified, it changed the definitions for 12, changed the targets for 11, and changed both for 9. Specifically, USAID/Afghanistan lowered the targets for 12 indicators. For example, the agency reduced WLD’s target for the number of participants obtaining new or better employment from 12,500 to 1,824 participants, an 85 percent reduction

Second, USAID/Afghanistan did not perform a baseline study until more than 2 years into the program. Because it did not complete a baseline study early in Promote’s implementation, the agency lacks a starting point from which to monitor and evaluate the program’s progress over its first 2 years, and to measure its overall impact in Afghanistan.

 Third, despite warnings from its contractor, USAID/Afghanistan deviated from the original intent of the program when it modified the WIE contract to increase the number of participants by 7,500 from 2,000 to 9,500 while also shortening the period of performance by 1 year. SIGAR found that USAID/Afghanistan’s justification for the changes to WIE did not meet USAID Automated Directives System (ADS) requirements and was misleading because USAID/Afghanistan did not base the programming changes on program results, and instead proposed changes to support an Afghan government initiative. Additionally, it did not include feedback from the contractor on the potential negative impacts of the proposed programming changes, some of which actually occurred. These changes slowed the component’s progress toward meeting its performance indicator targets.

Instead of assessing the overall program, USAID/Afghanistan measures the performance of the four individual components. SIGAR found that the components had mixed performance in meeting their goals. WLD’s goal is for 25,000 women to apply advanced management and leadership skills in the public, private, and civil society sectors. WIE’s goal is to help at least 40,000 women increase their participation in the private sector through employment and increased business growth. WIG’s goal is to place at least 3,000 university graduates into full-time jobs, with advancement potential, in the Afghan government. Musharikat’s goal is to build a coalition of more than 5,000 national, provincial, and local activists and civil society organizations to advocate for women’s equality and empowerment in Afghanistan. As of September 30, 2017, only one component—Musharikat—was meeting its performance indicator targets. The other three components did not meet key indicator targets. For example, WLD missed its target for the number of women who entered leadership positions within the Afghan civil service, and WIE and WIG both missed the target for the number of women who received new or better employment.

Although the midterm evaluations for WLD and WIE showed mixed results, the Gender Office, which oversees the Promote program for USAID/Afghanistan, said there was not anything in the WLD and WIE evaluations that the agency did not already know. USAID/Afghanistan postponed the midterm evaluations for WIG and Musharikat until they were further along in their implementation. In its comments on a draft of this report, USAID said the WIG midterm evaluation is in process and the Musharikat midterm evaluation will begin in October 2018. USAID expects to complete both evaluations by December 2018. There is no USAID requirement for when an overall assessment needs to be performed, but ADS guidance states that assessments should be timed so they can inform decisions, such as course corrections. However, in January 2018, USAID/Afghanistan said it did not plan to conduct an overall assessment of Promote until the program ends in 2020 or 2021. -  More 

USAID's Promoting Gender Equity in National Priority Programs

Promoting Gender Equity in National Priority Programs (Promote) - usaid

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

رودخانه‌ای که آب‌های شمال افغانستان را شور می‌کند

عبور رودخانه "نمک آب" در ولایت تخار در شمال شرق افغانستان از میان معدن‌های نمک باعث شده که مقدار زیادی نمک با آب رودخانه حل و بعد زمین‌ها و کشتزارهای مردم را به شورزار تبدیل کند.
رودخانه نمک آب از کوه‌های ولسوالی خوست و فرنگ ولایت بغلان در شمال افغانستان سرچشمه می‌گیرد با طی کیلومترها به ولایت تخار بر هزاران هکتار زمین‌های زراعتی می‌ریزد.

آب این رودخانه با عبور از معدن نمک به دلیل حل شدن مقدار قابل توجه نمک در آن، باعث شوری آب ده‌ها روستا شده و کشت‌زارهای مردم را نیز خشک کرده ‌است.

حاجی محمود، دهقان ۵۰ ساله افغانستان که زمین‌هایش زیر این رودخانه است، در حسرت درختان خشک شده و در تلاش برای نجات نهال‌های موجودش است.

او می‌گوید که دلیل تمام این مشکلات آب شور رودخانه است.

به گفته او: "این باغ را ساختم تا مخارج ما را تامین و زندگی ما خوب شود، حالا سر حاصل آمده ولی آب شور است، ما نمی‌توانیم که توسط تانکر از دور آب بیاوریم، باغ در حال از بین رفتن است."

این دهقان سال‌خورده افغانستان در روستای "ده‌باش" شهر تالقان به مساحت چهار جریب باغ ایجاد کرده‌ است. او می‌خواهد به جای نهال‌های خشک شده‌اش، نهال‌های تازه بکارد، ولی برای آبیاری باید آب شیرین تهیه کند و هزینه تهیه آن نیز در این منطقه بالاتر از توان او است. - Read More

رودخانه‌ای که آب‌های شمال افغانستان را شور می‌کند - BBC News

The Afghanistan war has gone on so long that people born after 9/11 can now enlist

A day after hijacked planes destroyed the World Trade Center towers, tore into the Pentagon and cratered a Pennsylvania field, thousands of babies were born in the United States.

They emerged from the womb on Sept. 12, 2001, as hospital televisions were tuned to smoldering rubble, and they grew alongside the subsequent war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Wednesday marks a new era for the war in Afghanistan and the young people who make up the bulk of enlistees. It is the first day someone born after the terrorist attacks can enlist, at age 17, and begin a path to serve in the seemingly endless war launched in response to those attacks.

That is a mind-bending prospect; troops were once partially motivated to enlist because of the attacks. Now, 17 years later, the unfinished war grows further from the events that created it.

The dividing line between troops who enlisted before and after 9/11 was initially stark, veterans have said.

Brandon Friedman was commissioned in the peacetime Army of 2000 and took over an infantry platoon five days after the attacks.

He later led the platoon in Afghanistan in 2002. Those men had all enlisted before the attacks, he said, and had joined for a number of reasons — to test their mettle, earn college benefits or maybe to escape dim prospects at home.

F-16 pilot was ready to give her life on Sept. 11

But the replacements he received by 2003, who had all enlisted in the wake of 9/11, said they joined for different reasons.

“It was a galvanizing time,” he told The Washington Post on Tuesday. “We sort of romanticize it now, but there was a lot of unity and sense of purpose in the country and in the military.”

About 5.5 million troops have served since 9/11, and nearly 7,000 have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

Kayla Williams, a former Army linguist, was in Arabic class during the attacks. Like Friedman, she later met recruits newly inspired to fight. In recent years, however, enlistees are less likely to say 9/11 played a role in their decision to join the military, said Williams, now director of the military, veterans and society program at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank.

Pentagon data shows an 8 percent surge in the propensity for young men to enlist right after the attacks, continuing through 2005.

Now, recruits report motivations that mirror those of their pre-9/11 forebears; they join to pursue adventure, secure benefits or are drawn to aspects of honor, she told The Post. - Read More

The Afghanistan war has gone on so long that people born after 9/11 can now enlist

Death toll from eastern Afghan suicide blast rises to 68 - washingtonpost

 Afghan authorities announced Wednesday that the death toll in a suicide bombing that targeted a rally against a police chief in eastern Nangahar province has soared to 68, up from more than 30.

No group has asserted responsibility for Tuesday’s attack, which occurred hours after small blasts near a couple of schools in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangahar. The city is close to the border with Pakistan and has been the scene of deadly strikes by the Islamic State militant group in recent months.

A delegation from Kabul headed to the province to investigate the attack, with a focus on the motive and whether there is a connection to local police commander Bilal Shah, a provincial official said by phone on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The protest rally involved hundreds of people, and the bomber detonated a suicide vest amid the crowd, which had blocked the main highway that links Kabul with Pakistan.

The protesters demanded the dismissal and arrest of Shah, who has been accused of severe abuses, including torture, abductions and killings.

Shah was briefly arrested recently because of allegations from residents but was later released.

“He was free when the blast took place, but has been jailed since. He will be referred to judicial organs, and it has become a serious issue that is being looked at by the delegation from Kabul,” the official said.

Relatives of victims of the Tuesday attack have continued blocking the highway, according to witnesses.

The attack occurred amid a surge in strikes by the Islamic State and Taliban insurgents elsewhere in the country. More than 200 people have been killed in attacks since last week. - Read More

Trump issues new order authorizing additional sanctions for interfering in upcoming U.S. elections

President Trump issued a new order Wednesday authorizing additional sanctions against countries or individuals for interfering in upcoming U.S. elections, but lawmakers of both parties immediately said the effort does not go far enough.

The order would allow Trump to sanction foreigners who interfere in the midterm elections to be held in less than two months. It covers overt efforts to meddle in election infrastructure, such as vote counts, as well as “propaganda” and other attempts to influence voting from abroad, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told reporters.

The harshest sanctions outlined in the order would be up to the president’s discretion.

“This is intended to be a very broad effort to prevent foreign manipulation of the political process,” national security adviser John Bolton said during a briefing Wednesday.

As The Washington Post first reported in August, the order appears to be an effort to stave off bipartisan legislation that would mandate tough federal action.

Trump has repeatedly said he wants to combat foreign interference, Bolton said, and the United States has already sanctioned Russian individuals and entities. - More, washingtonpost

Trump issues new order authorizing additional sanctions for interfering in upcoming U.S. elections

U.S. to close Palestinian office in Washington, citing lack of progress on peace process with Israel