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Afghan police chief injured following heavy blast in Faryab
By MIRWAIS ADEEL - 11 May 2013, 9:06 pm Khaama Press
At least seven Afghan national police officers including district security police chief for Andkhoi were injured following an explosion in northern Faryab province of Afghanistan on Saturday.
A local security official, Ali Mohammad confirming the report said an Afghan civilian was also among those injured in today’s explosion.
The source further added Andkhoi police chief and four Afghan police officers injured in explosion are in a critical condition.
He said the explosive device was planted in a motorcycle and was detonated using a remote control while the convoy of the Afghan police and Andkhoi police chief were crossing the area.
The explosion took place in Bala Hesar area at Andkhoi district, the security official said adding that one civilian was also critically injured following the blast.
In the meantime provincial public health chief, Feraidoon Habib confirmed the health condition of Andkhoi police chief is critical and has been transferred to Mazar-e-Sharif for treatment purposes.
No group including the Taliban militant has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.
Nooristan Blast Kills Deputy Police Chief
TOLOnews.com By Faridullah.Sahil Saturday, 11 May 2013
The Deputy Police Chief for Wigal district of Nooristan province Mohammad Faiz was killed when a bomb exploded in his home in Wigal District on Saturday afternoon, officials said.
Mohammad Faiz deputy police of Waigal district of Nooristan province was killed today afternoon when a bomb exploded in his home, Nooristan governor's spokesman Mohammad Zahir Bahand told TOLOnews.
"Today at 12:00pm afternoon when he was in his home, a bomb which was placed in his home blew up wounding him seriously, but unfortunately he died after an hour," said Zahir Bahand.
He is the most senior police officer to be killed in a Taliban attack in the province this year.
No group including the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Wigal District is among the most insecure districts in Nooristan province.
Afghan and US officials hold talks on strategic pact in Kabul
By MEENA HASEEB - 11 May 2013, 3:47 pm Khaama Press
The second Afghanistan-US Bilateral Commission meeting was held in capital Kabul on Saturday to discuss the implementation of long term strategic cooperation agreement which was signed between the two nations last year.
The meeting was attended by Afghan foreign minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul and Deputy US Secretary of State William Burns.
Afghan foreign minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul said, “This forum is yet another great opportunity to review the status of our bilateral relations and the progress made since the Inaugural Bilateral Commission meeting on 03 October 2012.”
He said, “Our strategic partnership with the United States is founded on shared values, shared interests and mutual respect and the promise of a future of peace and prosperity. Thanks to this partnership, we have responded to threats against international peace and security and are moving towards a peaceful and self-reliant future.”
“I am encouraged that we have made important progress since our last meeting. The official launch of the negotiations on Bilateral Security & Defence Agreement on 15 November 2012 and transfer of Parwan Detention Facility to Afghan control on 25 March 2013 were major milestones in our bilateral relations,” Zalmai Rassoul added.
Rassoul also said, “I am also pleased that we have made substantial progress towards the security Transition with the announcement of the fifth and final tranche. Today nearly 90 percent of Afghans live in areas where our own Security Forces are in the lead and we are grateful that the US has increased its contributions to the Train, Advise and Assist mission, to further build the strength of our National Security Forces.”
In the meantime Deputy US Secretary of State William Burns announced Washington’s support for Afghan peace process, upcoming presidential election and security transition to Afghan security forces.
Afghan newspapers disclose Kabul-Washington bargaining over security pact
KABUL, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan newspapers gave coverage to the ongoing talks between Kabul and Washington and bargaining over inking security pact and staying of limited U.S. military in Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal of NATO-led forces, on Saturday.
President Hamid Karzai, according to the English newspaper the Daily Outlook, revealed on Thursday that the United States is demanding nine permanent military bases in Afghanistan.
"Washington has sought military bases in Nangarhar, Parwan Balkh, Kabul, Paktia, Kandahar, Helmand and Herat provinces," the Daily Outlook writes in its Saturday edition, citing President Karzai's address delivered at Kabul University.
Meantime, another newspaper the Daily Mandegar focused on the White House immediate reaction, reporting that the United States does not have intention to remain in Afghanistan permanently.
"Any U.S. presence after 2014 would only be at the invitation of the government of Afghanistan and aimed at training Afghan security forces and targeting the remnant of al-Qaida," the White House spokesman Jay Carney said, according to the Daily Mandegar.
Describing the interaction as bargaining, the newspaper added that President Karzai pointed out that the U.S. side, before inking the security pact, has to give economic and security guarantee to Afghanistan.
Quoting President Karzai's remarks delivered in Kabul University on Thursday, another newspaper Hash-e-Subh writes in its front page that "strengthening Afghan security forces, building economic infrastructures and ensuring durable peace are among the pre-conditions for inking security pact and giving military bases to America."
Meanwhile, the daily Hasht-e-Subh also in its editorial supported the presence of U.S. military in Afghanistan after 2014, arguing that since Afghanistan is a poor country, the presence of limited U.S. forces guarantees the U.S. support to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan U-19 Cricket team wins Asia Elite Cup
By SADAF SHINWARI - 11 May 2013, 12:04 pm Khaama Press
The Afghanistan Under-19 Cricket Team defeated United Arab Emirates during the final match of Asia Elite Cup in Malaysia and qualified for Under-19 World Cup.
Around ten nations had participated in Under-19 championship which started earlier this month in Malaysia and the championship ended with the victory of Afghanistan.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) elected to bat first after winning the toss and scored 59 runs by losing all their batsmen in 27 Overs.
Afghanistan bowlers Zia-ur-Rahman took 4 wickets, Hashmatullah Shahidi took 3 wickets, while Zahir Shahzad and Syed Sherzad took one wickets each.
On the batting side, Afghanistan batsmen managed to chase the score in 11 Overs without losing any wicket, after Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mangal made an unbeaten partnership.
Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi was announced as the man of the match after scoring an unbeaten 50 runs.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Chief Executive Officer Shahzada Masood, ACB Executive Director Dr. Noor Mohammad Murad and other ACB officials conveyed their congratulatory message to Afghanistan for the victory of Afghanistan Under-19 cricket team in the championship.
ACB Executive Director Dr. Noor Mohammad said the Afghanistan Under-19 cricket team’s performance was outstanding and Afghanistan Cricket Board is expecting similar performance by the team during Under-19 World Cup.
Afghanistan arms take a twisting trail
Chicago Tribune By Chris Jones May 10, 2013
Far from a great game, the British and American involvement in Afghanistan has been more of a case of sustained blowback.
If there's one main take-away from J.T. Rogers' "Blood and Gifts," an epic, dramatic account of the allies' Afghan misadventures during the fateful 1980s, it's the inevitability of unintended consequences. The motivation of the CIA and MI6 is to manipulate the Soviet-Afghan war, in covert manner. But when you start handing rifles to sympathetic warlords or generals, it's hard to control what they are going to do with them, especially if you don't want to admit anything in the light of day ("deniability," they call that it). The guns that figure in this drama are eminently transferable — to other individuals, to other causes. One minute, the weapons are in service of winning the Cold War. The next, they are arming the likes of Osama bin Laden. That's Afghanistan.
Moreover, and here's the other great theme of "Blood and Gifts," covert wars in the field are waged by imperfect individuals. Individuals develop alliances, people they like, people they don't. They have insecurities that can be manipulated. They might have unhappy spouses. They might, like the British agent Simon Craig, have a drinking problem. And they could well have some bitterness toward a political boss. And thus all these operations are subject to whims not so far removed from the playground, except for the level of firepower.
"Blood and Gifts" arrives in Chicago after acclaimed productions at the National Theatre in London, the Lincoln Center in New York and the La Jolla Playhouse in California. This play, which requires a cast of 14, is certainly testing the resources of the TimeLine Theatre, which has literally crammed the action into every last corner of its namesake theater. There is no real dividing line between the lobby and the playing space in Colette Pollard's design for director Nick Bowling's admirably ambitious production.
The savvy conceit here is that the action is unfolding amid a kind of exhibition on the history of this fraught nation and the misadventures of those who would seek to control its fate.
Our main way into the play is through James Warnock (Timothy Edward Kane), a talented and somewhat sardonic CIA agent who pursues his craft with an element of self-loathing and wages a constant internal struggle between professional idealism and political cynicism. Kane takes a very neutral, laconic tack here, which would work better for this gifted actor, I think, if it did not seem to be in such a very different style from what is going on around him. Raymond Fox, the equally gifted performer who plays Simon, is much broader and more overtly emotional, and so is Terry Hamilton, who plays a loquacious Soviet. These are all very different men, sure, but you still have to believe they are all in the same room, and in the same play, together.
There are a couple of brilliantly effective scenes, most notably the confrontations between Kane's Warnock and Kareem Bandealy's brilliantly conceived Abdullah Khan, each seeking out a connection, despite the complex web of alliances and betrayals. Indeed, the scenes that you'd think would be the hardest (the handover of weapons and cash to the Afghan fighters) are the most effective. But once the action shifts to Washington, Bowling's show gets trapped. The political figures are overplayed and cartoonish, and the subtlety of the piece gets lost.
This is partly a problem of a script that foregrounds narrative over complex characterization. But the production also needed to guard more against the familiarity of genre. Most short scenes end with a blackout and a burst of what feels like generic spy-show music, with the unintended consequence that the overly clattery and diffuse action seemed to wash over the audience Thursday night, rather than demanding their full engagement. Physically speaking, the very capable Bowling has come up with the kind of counterintuitive, Chicago-style staging the piece needed. But in terms of the tricky storytelling, the teasing out of a complex throughline from the Afghan muddle, there was work left to do.
Iranian forces open fire on Afghans, dozens killed or injured
Khaama Press By Ghanizada 10 May 2013
According to local authorities in western Farah province of Afghanistan, dozens of Afghans were killed or injured after Iranian security forces opened fire on a group of Afghans inside the Iranian soil.
The incident took place after a group of Afghans illegally entered Iran from Pashmaki bordering region.
A local security official speaking on the condition of anonymity said at least ten Afghans were killed and nine others were injured.
However a eyewitness said Iranian forces opened fire on a group of 300 Afghans and around 50 people were killed and dozens of others were injured.
In the meantime the local security official said the deceased individuals were residents of western Herat province and their dead bodies have been taken Lash-o-Joyand district.
Provincial governor spokesman for Farah province also confirmed the report and said around nine people injured in today’s incident have been taken to hospital for treatment purposes.
He said there are fears that the number of casualties could rise.
Pakistanis vote in landmark, unpredictable election
Associated Press May 11, 2013
ISLAMABAD - Despite a bloody campaign marred by Taliban attacks, Pakistan was holding historic elections Saturday pitting a former cricket star against a two-time prime minister once exiled by the army and an incumbent blamed for power blackouts and inflation.
Polls opened Saturday morning across the nation in what is a closely watched race to determine the fate of this nuclear-armed country crucial to stability in the region.
The vote marks the first time in Pakistan's 65-year history that a civilian government has completed its full term and handed over power in democratic elections. Previous governments have been toppled by military coups or sacked by presidents allied with the powerful army.
Deadly violence struck again Friday, with a pair of bombings against election offices in northwest Pakistan that killed three people and a shooting that killed a candidate in the southern city of Karachi. More than 130 people have been killed in the run-up to the vote, mostly secular party candidates and workers. Most attacks have been traced to Taliban militants, who have vowed to disrupt a democratic process they say runs counter to Islam.
The vote is being watched closely by Washington since the U.S. relies on the country of 180 million people for help in fighting Islamic militants and negotiating an end to the war in neighboring Afghanistan.
The rise of former cricket star Imran Khan, who has almost mythical status in Pakistan, has challenged the dominance of the country's two main political parties, making the outcome of the election very hard to call.
"I think it is the most unpredictable election Pakistan has ever had," said Moeed Yusuf, South Asia adviser at the United States Institute of Peace. "The two-party dominance has broken down, and now you have a real third force challenging these parties."
The election of both the national and provincial assemblies comes at a time of widespread despair in Pakistan, as the country suffers from weak economic growth, rampant electricity and gas shortages, and a deadly Taliban insurgency.
The bombings that killed three people Friday occurred in Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal area, a major sanctuary for the Pakistani Taliban. The blasts also wounded 15 people, said intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
The candidate who was gunned down in Karachi, Shakil Ahmed, was running as an independent for the provincial assembly, said police officer Mirza Ahmed Baig.
There is concern that the violence could benefit Islamist parties and those who take a softer line toward the militants, including Khan and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, because they were able to campaign more freely. The government said it would deploy 600,000 security personnel on election day.
After more than a decade in the political wilderness, the Oxford-educated Khan has emerged as a force in the last two years with the simple message of "change." He has tapped into the frustrations of millions of Pakistanis -- especially urban middle class youth -- who believe the traditional politicians have been more interested in enriching themselves through corruption than governing.
The two main parties that have dominated politics -- the Pakistan People's Party, which led the most recent government, and Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N -- have ruled the country a total of five times in the past 25 years.
Khan has also struck a chord by criticizing Pakistan's unpopular alliance with the U.S. and controversial American drone attacks against Islamic militants in the country's northwest tribal region.
"I am happy to vote for the person of my choice," said Mohammed Ayub, who was the first man to vote at a polling station in Islamabad. "I am voting for Imran as he is a strong voice against wrongs."
Support for the 60-year-old Khan may have increased out of sympathy following a freak accident this week at a political rally in which he fell 15 feet (4.5 meters) off a forklift, fracturing three vertebrae and a rib. He is expected to make a full recovery and seems to be making the most of the accident. The party has repeatedly aired an interview he did from his hospital bed hours after the fall as a paid advertisement on TV.
Nobody is sure how effective he will be in translating his widespread popularity into votes, especially considering he boycotted the 2008 election and only got one seat in 2002. Turnout will be critical, especially among the youth. Almost half of Pakistan's more than 80 million registered voters are under the age of 35, but young people have often stayed away from the polls in the past.
Khan faces a stiff challenge from the two main parties, which have spent decades honing vote-getting systems based on feudal ties and political patronage, such as granting supporters government jobs.
Because of the strength of this old-style politics and unhappiness with the outgoing government, many analysts see the Pakistan Muslim League-N as the front-runner in the election. Sharif has twice served as prime minister and is best known for testing Pakistan's first nuclear weapon in 1998.
Sharif was toppled in a military coup by then-army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 1999 and spent years in exile in Saudi Arabia before returning to the country in 2007. His party, known for its pro-business policies, came in second in the 2008 elections and is seen as more religiously conservative than the Pakistan People's Party.
On the campaign trail, Sharif pointed out how much more experience he has than Khan and touted key projects he completed while in office, including a highway between the capital Islamabad and his hometown of Lahore. He's also credited with refraining from attacking the outgoing government and allowing it to finish its full term as a way of strengthening civilian government control.
A poll released this week by a Pakistani political magazine, Herald, showed the two parties led by Sharif and Khan as basically tied, with about 25 percent support each. The Pakistan People's Party was third with about 18 percent. The margin of error was less than three percentage points. But national polls like this do not necessarily reflect election results because seats are granted to whoever gets the most votes per constituency, rather than proportionally across the parties.
Even if the Pakistan Muslim League-N wins the most national assembly seats, many analysts doubt it will have a majority, meaning it would have to cobble together a ruling coalition that could be quite weak.
The performance of the Pakistan Muslim League-N could be heavily influenced by how well Khan's party does.
Both parties appeal to conservative middle class voters in cities in Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, which will be the main battleground of the election. The province contains over half of the 272 directly elected seats in the national assembly. The Herald poll showed about 39 percent support for Sharif's party in Punjab and close to 31 percent for Khan.
If Khan's party can steal enough votes away from Sharif, it might open the way for the Pakistan People's Party to once again form the government. Despite widespread unhappiness with the party's performance over the past five years, it does have a loyal following in rural areas of southern Sindh province and southern Punjab.
A less likely scenario is that the "political tsunami" Khan has promised does really sweep the country, leaving his party to form the next government.
Given the likelihood of a weak coalition no matter who emerges on top, the new government could have trouble tackling the country' major problems. Two of the most immediate are the electricity crisis, with some parts of the country experiencing blackouts for up to 18 hours a day, and the government's shaky financial situation. The caretaker government is already in discussions with the International Monetary Fund about another unpopular bailout to shore up the country's finances.
The next government will also face the tricky task of managing the relationship with the country's army, which is still considered the strongest institution in Pakistan.
The previous government was able to complete its term largely because the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, held off from directly intervening in politics. However, he is believed to play a dominant role in the background, especially when it comes to foreign policy issues such as the relationship with the U.S. and the country's stance toward the Afghan war. Sharif has a particularly complicated history with the army since he was toppled in a coup.
Given the views of Sharif and Khan, the next government is expected to be more nationalistic and protective of the country's sovereignty when it comes to ties with the U.S. than its predecessor. Sharif likes to recount how he tested Pakistan's first nuclear weapon despite intense U.S. pressure. Khan has been even more critical of Pakistan's alliance with the U.S. and has even threatened to shoot down American drones if he came to power.
But the impact of their views will likely be tempered by the role of the Pakistani army, which values its relationship with the U.S. because of the billions of dollars it has received in military aid.
The army is expected to play a similarly predominant role when it comes to Pakistan's stance toward domestic Taliban militants at war with the state. Both Sharif and Khan have backed negotiations with the Taliban, and Khan has even said he would pull troops out from the tribal region who are battling the militants.
His nickname "Taliban Khan" reflects sentiments among some Pakistanis that he's too soft on the Taliban. Kayani, the army chief, has said the Taliban must accept the country's constitution if it wants peace -- something the militants have rejected.
Rugby continues to grow in Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Rugby Federation looks to increase participation as it tries to unite the nation in a love of rugby.
Aj Jazeera By Asad Ziar 10 May 2013
A dusty convoy winds its way through the hills of Afghanistan. The cargo is heavy so the jeeps hang low.
This mission is not warfare - it is much more simple than that. The guns and ammo have been replaced with rugby balls, resistance fighters replaced with hefty sportsmen. This convoy's aim is to tell people about a sport called rugby union - and to unite a nation that has been devastated by war.
One man leading the charge is founder and CEO of the Afghanistan Rugby Federation Asad Ziar. Here he explains why he is taking rugby to the people and how far his organisation has come:
The convoy starts from Kabul at 5:00am on May 10th 2013 - and safely returns at 8:30pm in the evening. It has been a long day but not one that has been wasted. Rugby in Afghanistan has taken another step forward.
Rugby is one of Afghanistan’s newest sports. It was introduced in May 2011 and its progress and achievement to date is optimistic.
Afghanistan is already affiliated with the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and has participated in two official tournament under the auspicious of ARFU. Although the rugby squad has not gained any noticeable results yet, the domestic development is impressive and progress can be witnessed with the increase in registered clubs and players.
In a drive to expand the sport into other provinces I - along with senior coaches and the national team manager - organised a fresh initiative. A convoy of eight vehicles filled with rugby players travelled to the two eastern provinces of Afghanistan to introduce rugby to the sport loving regions of Laghman and Nangarhar.
The convoy of the rugby development team was warmly welcomed by the students and youths of the provinces. The two teams were formed and a friendly match was organised between them so that spectators understood how this game is played. Many people had question for Afghan coach Mohammad Ashur Stanekzai such as ‘Why are the goal poles that tall?’ ‘Why is tackling not banned?’, ‘Why there is no goal keeper ?’
Afghan Rugby national squad captain Mr. Mustafa Sadat - who just returned from India where he donated half of his liver to his mother - took part in the coaching and briefed the spectators and explained the quality of the sport of rugby.
"It was not a only a convoy but it was a very result oriented trip, we did an excellent job introducing rugby and attracting youth and kids towards this great sport" said Khanjar Baig Tatar, the mini rugby coach.
Ramin Wardak - the club team manager - said he was asked questions by many youngsters: "I think that this shows their interest to the sport of rugby and we can easily develop the sport of rugby within months in these provinces."
Positive lifestyle
Recently we have also started a drive for developing mini rugby. As rugby is a new game it still requires more players at all levels. Developing mini rugby and junior rugby will help to assure the future of the game in Afghanistan.
By developing the principles for the love of physical activity, team-work, and the skills of rugby at early ages we are aiming to develop strong values and skills that can be used throughout a lifetime and career.
Mini rugby can be the start in a long term development model of a successful rugby player, or for some players simply the beginning of an enjoyable and healthy lifestyle.
Although the main focus and concern of the Afghan mini rugby is participation we also want children to have the opportunity to develop strong fundamentals for rugby through good coaching. In order to ensure a child’s best chance for success, Afghan mini rugby needs more resources available so that coaches have the required tools.
The Afghanistan Rugby Federeation is not only promoting and expanding rugby but we are trying to ensure our new generation does not get involved in fighting and crime.
We are doing our best to give a sporting vision instead of fighting and wars since sport is always the sign of bringing people together.
Improving Journalism Courses at Afghan Universities
IWPR helps academics and practitioners shape ideas on what future reporters should be taught.
IWPR 10/05/2013
Afghanistan - IWPR’s Afghanistan office is running a series of events and training courses in preparation for a groundbreaking conference that will design a framework for a standardised journalism curriculum for universities across the country.
The first pre-conference discussions, to be followed by two more sessions, took place at a meeting in Kabul from April 29 to May 1, which brought deans and lecturers from journalism schools at five state universities and the deputy minister for higher education, Mohammad Usman Babury.
“Meetings like this are like the water of life,” said Master Wahedi, dean of journalism at Shaikh Zayed University in the southeastern Khost region. “It was an opportunity for us to meet each other and exchange views, and to recognise our own shortcomings.”
The institutions concerned, in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar, and Khost provinces, are collaborating with four American universities under the Afghanistan Journalism Education Enhancement Programme, funded by the United States embassy in Kabul, and they used this first meeting to share information on current teaching methodologies and the new resources they have developed jointly with their partners.
The dean of journalism at Balkh University, Mohammad Nazari, said the discussion was a “response to long-held expectations on our part”.
“I can say with certainty that this meeting will bring a new ray of hope for journalism practitioners in Afghanistan,” he said.
IWPR’s country director in Afghanistan, Noorrahman Rahmani, said it was clear that many journalists felt dissatisfied with the way the subject was taught at the moment.
“During this meeting, I sensed a gulf between working journalists and Afghan journalism schools. Journalists we’ve worked with complain that the schools lack study resources and teach from obsolete course materials, and that this is a hindrance when they enter the job market,” he said. “For their part, journalism schools express unhappiness that many media outlets in Afghanistan are run by people who aren’t professionals and don’t have degrees in journalism. I’m hoping that these discussions and the Kabul Journalism Conference will close that gap.”
At present, Afghan journalism schools use curricula that differ substantially from each other. One outcome of the meeting was a pledge that they would compile summaries of what they teach, how it differs from institution to institution, and why that it is. IWPR will collate these descriptions as a basis for the next set of discussions. At present, Afghan journalism schools use curricula that differ substantially from each other.
“In three days of exchanging views, we came to understand the challenges facing the profession,” Babrak Miakhel, dean of journalism at Nangarhar University, said. “We discovered just how different the curricula that faculties use are, and we considered mechanisms for bringing them closer together.”
In his keynote address, Deputy Minister Babury said there were two ways to go – either the participating journalism schools all agree on a common curriculum, or they opt for a more diversified approach. He called for a needs assessment that would look at which option was best for individual universities and for wider society.
In remarks at the end of the meeting, he suggested widening the scope of the debate to bring in privately-run universities as well. Faisal Karimi, who teaches journalism in the western city of Herat, also suggested expanding the number of participating academics.
The Kabul Journalism Conference which IWPR will run this summer in conjunction with the higher education ministry, Afghan state universities, the US embassy and select American universities is expected to draw around 25 lecturers in journalism from Afghanistan, up to five of their American counterparts, and 20 professionals working in print, radio, TV, and social media, as well as government and US embassy representatives.
IWPR will host two more discussion sessions ahead of the conference, and will also run a series of journalism training workshops for the five participating universities over the course of this project, which is being funded by the US embassy in Afghanistan. To ensure that the workshops met actual needs, each university chose three topics off a menu of eight offered by IWPR, covering basic news writing, safety and security awareness, TV debates, investigative journalism, photojournalism, communications and public relations, codes of conduct, and news writing for television.
www.afghanistannewscenter.com
By MIRWAIS ADEEL - 11 May 2013, 9:06 pm Khaama Press
At least seven Afghan national police officers including district security police chief for Andkhoi were injured following an explosion in northern Faryab province of Afghanistan on Saturday.
A local security official, Ali Mohammad confirming the report said an Afghan civilian was also among those injured in today’s explosion.
The source further added Andkhoi police chief and four Afghan police officers injured in explosion are in a critical condition.
He said the explosive device was planted in a motorcycle and was detonated using a remote control while the convoy of the Afghan police and Andkhoi police chief were crossing the area.
The explosion took place in Bala Hesar area at Andkhoi district, the security official said adding that one civilian was also critically injured following the blast.
In the meantime provincial public health chief, Feraidoon Habib confirmed the health condition of Andkhoi police chief is critical and has been transferred to Mazar-e-Sharif for treatment purposes.
No group including the Taliban militant has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.
Nooristan Blast Kills Deputy Police Chief
TOLOnews.com By Faridullah.Sahil Saturday, 11 May 2013
The Deputy Police Chief for Wigal district of Nooristan province Mohammad Faiz was killed when a bomb exploded in his home in Wigal District on Saturday afternoon, officials said.
Mohammad Faiz deputy police of Waigal district of Nooristan province was killed today afternoon when a bomb exploded in his home, Nooristan governor's spokesman Mohammad Zahir Bahand told TOLOnews.
"Today at 12:00pm afternoon when he was in his home, a bomb which was placed in his home blew up wounding him seriously, but unfortunately he died after an hour," said Zahir Bahand.
He is the most senior police officer to be killed in a Taliban attack in the province this year.
No group including the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Wigal District is among the most insecure districts in Nooristan province.
Afghan and US officials hold talks on strategic pact in Kabul
By MEENA HASEEB - 11 May 2013, 3:47 pm Khaama Press
The second Afghanistan-US Bilateral Commission meeting was held in capital Kabul on Saturday to discuss the implementation of long term strategic cooperation agreement which was signed between the two nations last year.
The meeting was attended by Afghan foreign minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul and Deputy US Secretary of State William Burns.
Afghan foreign minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul said, “This forum is yet another great opportunity to review the status of our bilateral relations and the progress made since the Inaugural Bilateral Commission meeting on 03 October 2012.”
He said, “Our strategic partnership with the United States is founded on shared values, shared interests and mutual respect and the promise of a future of peace and prosperity. Thanks to this partnership, we have responded to threats against international peace and security and are moving towards a peaceful and self-reliant future.”
“I am encouraged that we have made important progress since our last meeting. The official launch of the negotiations on Bilateral Security & Defence Agreement on 15 November 2012 and transfer of Parwan Detention Facility to Afghan control on 25 March 2013 were major milestones in our bilateral relations,” Zalmai Rassoul added.
Rassoul also said, “I am also pleased that we have made substantial progress towards the security Transition with the announcement of the fifth and final tranche. Today nearly 90 percent of Afghans live in areas where our own Security Forces are in the lead and we are grateful that the US has increased its contributions to the Train, Advise and Assist mission, to further build the strength of our National Security Forces.”
In the meantime Deputy US Secretary of State William Burns announced Washington’s support for Afghan peace process, upcoming presidential election and security transition to Afghan security forces.
Afghan newspapers disclose Kabul-Washington bargaining over security pact
KABUL, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan newspapers gave coverage to the ongoing talks between Kabul and Washington and bargaining over inking security pact and staying of limited U.S. military in Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal of NATO-led forces, on Saturday.
President Hamid Karzai, according to the English newspaper the Daily Outlook, revealed on Thursday that the United States is demanding nine permanent military bases in Afghanistan.
"Washington has sought military bases in Nangarhar, Parwan Balkh, Kabul, Paktia, Kandahar, Helmand and Herat provinces," the Daily Outlook writes in its Saturday edition, citing President Karzai's address delivered at Kabul University.
Meantime, another newspaper the Daily Mandegar focused on the White House immediate reaction, reporting that the United States does not have intention to remain in Afghanistan permanently.
"Any U.S. presence after 2014 would only be at the invitation of the government of Afghanistan and aimed at training Afghan security forces and targeting the remnant of al-Qaida," the White House spokesman Jay Carney said, according to the Daily Mandegar.
Describing the interaction as bargaining, the newspaper added that President Karzai pointed out that the U.S. side, before inking the security pact, has to give economic and security guarantee to Afghanistan.
Quoting President Karzai's remarks delivered in Kabul University on Thursday, another newspaper Hash-e-Subh writes in its front page that "strengthening Afghan security forces, building economic infrastructures and ensuring durable peace are among the pre-conditions for inking security pact and giving military bases to America."
Meanwhile, the daily Hasht-e-Subh also in its editorial supported the presence of U.S. military in Afghanistan after 2014, arguing that since Afghanistan is a poor country, the presence of limited U.S. forces guarantees the U.S. support to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan U-19 Cricket team wins Asia Elite Cup
By SADAF SHINWARI - 11 May 2013, 12:04 pm Khaama Press
The Afghanistan Under-19 Cricket Team defeated United Arab Emirates during the final match of Asia Elite Cup in Malaysia and qualified for Under-19 World Cup.
Around ten nations had participated in Under-19 championship which started earlier this month in Malaysia and the championship ended with the victory of Afghanistan.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) elected to bat first after winning the toss and scored 59 runs by losing all their batsmen in 27 Overs.
Afghanistan bowlers Zia-ur-Rahman took 4 wickets, Hashmatullah Shahidi took 3 wickets, while Zahir Shahzad and Syed Sherzad took one wickets each.
On the batting side, Afghanistan batsmen managed to chase the score in 11 Overs without losing any wicket, after Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mangal made an unbeaten partnership.
Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi was announced as the man of the match after scoring an unbeaten 50 runs.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Chief Executive Officer Shahzada Masood, ACB Executive Director Dr. Noor Mohammad Murad and other ACB officials conveyed their congratulatory message to Afghanistan for the victory of Afghanistan Under-19 cricket team in the championship.
ACB Executive Director Dr. Noor Mohammad said the Afghanistan Under-19 cricket team’s performance was outstanding and Afghanistan Cricket Board is expecting similar performance by the team during Under-19 World Cup.
Afghanistan arms take a twisting trail
Chicago Tribune By Chris Jones May 10, 2013
Far from a great game, the British and American involvement in Afghanistan has been more of a case of sustained blowback.
If there's one main take-away from J.T. Rogers' "Blood and Gifts," an epic, dramatic account of the allies' Afghan misadventures during the fateful 1980s, it's the inevitability of unintended consequences. The motivation of the CIA and MI6 is to manipulate the Soviet-Afghan war, in covert manner. But when you start handing rifles to sympathetic warlords or generals, it's hard to control what they are going to do with them, especially if you don't want to admit anything in the light of day ("deniability," they call that it). The guns that figure in this drama are eminently transferable — to other individuals, to other causes. One minute, the weapons are in service of winning the Cold War. The next, they are arming the likes of Osama bin Laden. That's Afghanistan.
Moreover, and here's the other great theme of "Blood and Gifts," covert wars in the field are waged by imperfect individuals. Individuals develop alliances, people they like, people they don't. They have insecurities that can be manipulated. They might have unhappy spouses. They might, like the British agent Simon Craig, have a drinking problem. And they could well have some bitterness toward a political boss. And thus all these operations are subject to whims not so far removed from the playground, except for the level of firepower.
"Blood and Gifts" arrives in Chicago after acclaimed productions at the National Theatre in London, the Lincoln Center in New York and the La Jolla Playhouse in California. This play, which requires a cast of 14, is certainly testing the resources of the TimeLine Theatre, which has literally crammed the action into every last corner of its namesake theater. There is no real dividing line between the lobby and the playing space in Colette Pollard's design for director Nick Bowling's admirably ambitious production.
The savvy conceit here is that the action is unfolding amid a kind of exhibition on the history of this fraught nation and the misadventures of those who would seek to control its fate.
Our main way into the play is through James Warnock (Timothy Edward Kane), a talented and somewhat sardonic CIA agent who pursues his craft with an element of self-loathing and wages a constant internal struggle between professional idealism and political cynicism. Kane takes a very neutral, laconic tack here, which would work better for this gifted actor, I think, if it did not seem to be in such a very different style from what is going on around him. Raymond Fox, the equally gifted performer who plays Simon, is much broader and more overtly emotional, and so is Terry Hamilton, who plays a loquacious Soviet. These are all very different men, sure, but you still have to believe they are all in the same room, and in the same play, together.
There are a couple of brilliantly effective scenes, most notably the confrontations between Kane's Warnock and Kareem Bandealy's brilliantly conceived Abdullah Khan, each seeking out a connection, despite the complex web of alliances and betrayals. Indeed, the scenes that you'd think would be the hardest (the handover of weapons and cash to the Afghan fighters) are the most effective. But once the action shifts to Washington, Bowling's show gets trapped. The political figures are overplayed and cartoonish, and the subtlety of the piece gets lost.
This is partly a problem of a script that foregrounds narrative over complex characterization. But the production also needed to guard more against the familiarity of genre. Most short scenes end with a blackout and a burst of what feels like generic spy-show music, with the unintended consequence that the overly clattery and diffuse action seemed to wash over the audience Thursday night, rather than demanding their full engagement. Physically speaking, the very capable Bowling has come up with the kind of counterintuitive, Chicago-style staging the piece needed. But in terms of the tricky storytelling, the teasing out of a complex throughline from the Afghan muddle, there was work left to do.
Iranian forces open fire on Afghans, dozens killed or injured
Khaama Press By Ghanizada 10 May 2013
According to local authorities in western Farah province of Afghanistan, dozens of Afghans were killed or injured after Iranian security forces opened fire on a group of Afghans inside the Iranian soil.
The incident took place after a group of Afghans illegally entered Iran from Pashmaki bordering region.
A local security official speaking on the condition of anonymity said at least ten Afghans were killed and nine others were injured.
However a eyewitness said Iranian forces opened fire on a group of 300 Afghans and around 50 people were killed and dozens of others were injured.
In the meantime the local security official said the deceased individuals were residents of western Herat province and their dead bodies have been taken Lash-o-Joyand district.
Provincial governor spokesman for Farah province also confirmed the report and said around nine people injured in today’s incident have been taken to hospital for treatment purposes.
He said there are fears that the number of casualties could rise.
Pakistanis vote in landmark, unpredictable election
Associated Press May 11, 2013
ISLAMABAD - Despite a bloody campaign marred by Taliban attacks, Pakistan was holding historic elections Saturday pitting a former cricket star against a two-time prime minister once exiled by the army and an incumbent blamed for power blackouts and inflation.
Polls opened Saturday morning across the nation in what is a closely watched race to determine the fate of this nuclear-armed country crucial to stability in the region.
The vote marks the first time in Pakistan's 65-year history that a civilian government has completed its full term and handed over power in democratic elections. Previous governments have been toppled by military coups or sacked by presidents allied with the powerful army.
Deadly violence struck again Friday, with a pair of bombings against election offices in northwest Pakistan that killed three people and a shooting that killed a candidate in the southern city of Karachi. More than 130 people have been killed in the run-up to the vote, mostly secular party candidates and workers. Most attacks have been traced to Taliban militants, who have vowed to disrupt a democratic process they say runs counter to Islam.
The vote is being watched closely by Washington since the U.S. relies on the country of 180 million people for help in fighting Islamic militants and negotiating an end to the war in neighboring Afghanistan.
The rise of former cricket star Imran Khan, who has almost mythical status in Pakistan, has challenged the dominance of the country's two main political parties, making the outcome of the election very hard to call.
"I think it is the most unpredictable election Pakistan has ever had," said Moeed Yusuf, South Asia adviser at the United States Institute of Peace. "The two-party dominance has broken down, and now you have a real third force challenging these parties."
The election of both the national and provincial assemblies comes at a time of widespread despair in Pakistan, as the country suffers from weak economic growth, rampant electricity and gas shortages, and a deadly Taliban insurgency.
The bombings that killed three people Friday occurred in Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal area, a major sanctuary for the Pakistani Taliban. The blasts also wounded 15 people, said intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
The candidate who was gunned down in Karachi, Shakil Ahmed, was running as an independent for the provincial assembly, said police officer Mirza Ahmed Baig.
There is concern that the violence could benefit Islamist parties and those who take a softer line toward the militants, including Khan and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, because they were able to campaign more freely. The government said it would deploy 600,000 security personnel on election day.
After more than a decade in the political wilderness, the Oxford-educated Khan has emerged as a force in the last two years with the simple message of "change." He has tapped into the frustrations of millions of Pakistanis -- especially urban middle class youth -- who believe the traditional politicians have been more interested in enriching themselves through corruption than governing.
The two main parties that have dominated politics -- the Pakistan People's Party, which led the most recent government, and Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N -- have ruled the country a total of five times in the past 25 years.
Khan has also struck a chord by criticizing Pakistan's unpopular alliance with the U.S. and controversial American drone attacks against Islamic militants in the country's northwest tribal region.
"I am happy to vote for the person of my choice," said Mohammed Ayub, who was the first man to vote at a polling station in Islamabad. "I am voting for Imran as he is a strong voice against wrongs."
Support for the 60-year-old Khan may have increased out of sympathy following a freak accident this week at a political rally in which he fell 15 feet (4.5 meters) off a forklift, fracturing three vertebrae and a rib. He is expected to make a full recovery and seems to be making the most of the accident. The party has repeatedly aired an interview he did from his hospital bed hours after the fall as a paid advertisement on TV.
Nobody is sure how effective he will be in translating his widespread popularity into votes, especially considering he boycotted the 2008 election and only got one seat in 2002. Turnout will be critical, especially among the youth. Almost half of Pakistan's more than 80 million registered voters are under the age of 35, but young people have often stayed away from the polls in the past.
Khan faces a stiff challenge from the two main parties, which have spent decades honing vote-getting systems based on feudal ties and political patronage, such as granting supporters government jobs.
Because of the strength of this old-style politics and unhappiness with the outgoing government, many analysts see the Pakistan Muslim League-N as the front-runner in the election. Sharif has twice served as prime minister and is best known for testing Pakistan's first nuclear weapon in 1998.
Sharif was toppled in a military coup by then-army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 1999 and spent years in exile in Saudi Arabia before returning to the country in 2007. His party, known for its pro-business policies, came in second in the 2008 elections and is seen as more religiously conservative than the Pakistan People's Party.
On the campaign trail, Sharif pointed out how much more experience he has than Khan and touted key projects he completed while in office, including a highway between the capital Islamabad and his hometown of Lahore. He's also credited with refraining from attacking the outgoing government and allowing it to finish its full term as a way of strengthening civilian government control.
A poll released this week by a Pakistani political magazine, Herald, showed the two parties led by Sharif and Khan as basically tied, with about 25 percent support each. The Pakistan People's Party was third with about 18 percent. The margin of error was less than three percentage points. But national polls like this do not necessarily reflect election results because seats are granted to whoever gets the most votes per constituency, rather than proportionally across the parties.
Even if the Pakistan Muslim League-N wins the most national assembly seats, many analysts doubt it will have a majority, meaning it would have to cobble together a ruling coalition that could be quite weak.
The performance of the Pakistan Muslim League-N could be heavily influenced by how well Khan's party does.
Both parties appeal to conservative middle class voters in cities in Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, which will be the main battleground of the election. The province contains over half of the 272 directly elected seats in the national assembly. The Herald poll showed about 39 percent support for Sharif's party in Punjab and close to 31 percent for Khan.
If Khan's party can steal enough votes away from Sharif, it might open the way for the Pakistan People's Party to once again form the government. Despite widespread unhappiness with the party's performance over the past five years, it does have a loyal following in rural areas of southern Sindh province and southern Punjab.
A less likely scenario is that the "political tsunami" Khan has promised does really sweep the country, leaving his party to form the next government.
Given the likelihood of a weak coalition no matter who emerges on top, the new government could have trouble tackling the country' major problems. Two of the most immediate are the electricity crisis, with some parts of the country experiencing blackouts for up to 18 hours a day, and the government's shaky financial situation. The caretaker government is already in discussions with the International Monetary Fund about another unpopular bailout to shore up the country's finances.
The next government will also face the tricky task of managing the relationship with the country's army, which is still considered the strongest institution in Pakistan.
The previous government was able to complete its term largely because the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, held off from directly intervening in politics. However, he is believed to play a dominant role in the background, especially when it comes to foreign policy issues such as the relationship with the U.S. and the country's stance toward the Afghan war. Sharif has a particularly complicated history with the army since he was toppled in a coup.
Given the views of Sharif and Khan, the next government is expected to be more nationalistic and protective of the country's sovereignty when it comes to ties with the U.S. than its predecessor. Sharif likes to recount how he tested Pakistan's first nuclear weapon despite intense U.S. pressure. Khan has been even more critical of Pakistan's alliance with the U.S. and has even threatened to shoot down American drones if he came to power.
But the impact of their views will likely be tempered by the role of the Pakistani army, which values its relationship with the U.S. because of the billions of dollars it has received in military aid.
The army is expected to play a similarly predominant role when it comes to Pakistan's stance toward domestic Taliban militants at war with the state. Both Sharif and Khan have backed negotiations with the Taliban, and Khan has even said he would pull troops out from the tribal region who are battling the militants.
His nickname "Taliban Khan" reflects sentiments among some Pakistanis that he's too soft on the Taliban. Kayani, the army chief, has said the Taliban must accept the country's constitution if it wants peace -- something the militants have rejected.
Rugby continues to grow in Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Rugby Federation looks to increase participation as it tries to unite the nation in a love of rugby.
Aj Jazeera By Asad Ziar 10 May 2013
A dusty convoy winds its way through the hills of Afghanistan. The cargo is heavy so the jeeps hang low.
This mission is not warfare - it is much more simple than that. The guns and ammo have been replaced with rugby balls, resistance fighters replaced with hefty sportsmen. This convoy's aim is to tell people about a sport called rugby union - and to unite a nation that has been devastated by war.
One man leading the charge is founder and CEO of the Afghanistan Rugby Federation Asad Ziar. Here he explains why he is taking rugby to the people and how far his organisation has come:
The convoy starts from Kabul at 5:00am on May 10th 2013 - and safely returns at 8:30pm in the evening. It has been a long day but not one that has been wasted. Rugby in Afghanistan has taken another step forward.
Rugby is one of Afghanistan’s newest sports. It was introduced in May 2011 and its progress and achievement to date is optimistic.
Afghanistan is already affiliated with the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and has participated in two official tournament under the auspicious of ARFU. Although the rugby squad has not gained any noticeable results yet, the domestic development is impressive and progress can be witnessed with the increase in registered clubs and players.
In a drive to expand the sport into other provinces I - along with senior coaches and the national team manager - organised a fresh initiative. A convoy of eight vehicles filled with rugby players travelled to the two eastern provinces of Afghanistan to introduce rugby to the sport loving regions of Laghman and Nangarhar.
The convoy of the rugby development team was warmly welcomed by the students and youths of the provinces. The two teams were formed and a friendly match was organised between them so that spectators understood how this game is played. Many people had question for Afghan coach Mohammad Ashur Stanekzai such as ‘Why are the goal poles that tall?’ ‘Why is tackling not banned?’, ‘Why there is no goal keeper ?’
Afghan Rugby national squad captain Mr. Mustafa Sadat - who just returned from India where he donated half of his liver to his mother - took part in the coaching and briefed the spectators and explained the quality of the sport of rugby.
"It was not a only a convoy but it was a very result oriented trip, we did an excellent job introducing rugby and attracting youth and kids towards this great sport" said Khanjar Baig Tatar, the mini rugby coach.
Ramin Wardak - the club team manager - said he was asked questions by many youngsters: "I think that this shows their interest to the sport of rugby and we can easily develop the sport of rugby within months in these provinces."
Positive lifestyle
Recently we have also started a drive for developing mini rugby. As rugby is a new game it still requires more players at all levels. Developing mini rugby and junior rugby will help to assure the future of the game in Afghanistan.
By developing the principles for the love of physical activity, team-work, and the skills of rugby at early ages we are aiming to develop strong values and skills that can be used throughout a lifetime and career.
Mini rugby can be the start in a long term development model of a successful rugby player, or for some players simply the beginning of an enjoyable and healthy lifestyle.
Although the main focus and concern of the Afghan mini rugby is participation we also want children to have the opportunity to develop strong fundamentals for rugby through good coaching. In order to ensure a child’s best chance for success, Afghan mini rugby needs more resources available so that coaches have the required tools.
The Afghanistan Rugby Federeation is not only promoting and expanding rugby but we are trying to ensure our new generation does not get involved in fighting and crime.
We are doing our best to give a sporting vision instead of fighting and wars since sport is always the sign of bringing people together.
Improving Journalism Courses at Afghan Universities
IWPR helps academics and practitioners shape ideas on what future reporters should be taught.
IWPR 10/05/2013
Afghanistan - IWPR’s Afghanistan office is running a series of events and training courses in preparation for a groundbreaking conference that will design a framework for a standardised journalism curriculum for universities across the country.
The first pre-conference discussions, to be followed by two more sessions, took place at a meeting in Kabul from April 29 to May 1, which brought deans and lecturers from journalism schools at five state universities and the deputy minister for higher education, Mohammad Usman Babury.
“Meetings like this are like the water of life,” said Master Wahedi, dean of journalism at Shaikh Zayed University in the southeastern Khost region. “It was an opportunity for us to meet each other and exchange views, and to recognise our own shortcomings.”
The institutions concerned, in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar, and Khost provinces, are collaborating with four American universities under the Afghanistan Journalism Education Enhancement Programme, funded by the United States embassy in Kabul, and they used this first meeting to share information on current teaching methodologies and the new resources they have developed jointly with their partners.
The dean of journalism at Balkh University, Mohammad Nazari, said the discussion was a “response to long-held expectations on our part”.
“I can say with certainty that this meeting will bring a new ray of hope for journalism practitioners in Afghanistan,” he said.
IWPR’s country director in Afghanistan, Noorrahman Rahmani, said it was clear that many journalists felt dissatisfied with the way the subject was taught at the moment.
“During this meeting, I sensed a gulf between working journalists and Afghan journalism schools. Journalists we’ve worked with complain that the schools lack study resources and teach from obsolete course materials, and that this is a hindrance when they enter the job market,” he said. “For their part, journalism schools express unhappiness that many media outlets in Afghanistan are run by people who aren’t professionals and don’t have degrees in journalism. I’m hoping that these discussions and the Kabul Journalism Conference will close that gap.”
At present, Afghan journalism schools use curricula that differ substantially from each other. One outcome of the meeting was a pledge that they would compile summaries of what they teach, how it differs from institution to institution, and why that it is. IWPR will collate these descriptions as a basis for the next set of discussions. At present, Afghan journalism schools use curricula that differ substantially from each other.
“In three days of exchanging views, we came to understand the challenges facing the profession,” Babrak Miakhel, dean of journalism at Nangarhar University, said. “We discovered just how different the curricula that faculties use are, and we considered mechanisms for bringing them closer together.”
In his keynote address, Deputy Minister Babury said there were two ways to go – either the participating journalism schools all agree on a common curriculum, or they opt for a more diversified approach. He called for a needs assessment that would look at which option was best for individual universities and for wider society.
In remarks at the end of the meeting, he suggested widening the scope of the debate to bring in privately-run universities as well. Faisal Karimi, who teaches journalism in the western city of Herat, also suggested expanding the number of participating academics.
The Kabul Journalism Conference which IWPR will run this summer in conjunction with the higher education ministry, Afghan state universities, the US embassy and select American universities is expected to draw around 25 lecturers in journalism from Afghanistan, up to five of their American counterparts, and 20 professionals working in print, radio, TV, and social media, as well as government and US embassy representatives.
IWPR will host two more discussion sessions ahead of the conference, and will also run a series of journalism training workshops for the five participating universities over the course of this project, which is being funded by the US embassy in Afghanistan. To ensure that the workshops met actual needs, each university chose three topics off a menu of eight offered by IWPR, covering basic news writing, safety and security awareness, TV debates, investigative journalism, photojournalism, communications and public relations, codes of conduct, and news writing for television.
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