http://www.theafghanistanexpress.com/epaper/May%2020,%202014/May20,2014.pdf

1. www.theafghanistanexpress.comVol No 02, Issue 360, Tueday May20. 2014 – Saur 30, 1393
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  
Transfer of Election Materials
Underway
Kabul Police Promise Voter
Security

KABUL: Police in this central
capital on Monday said they
were all poised to provide se-
curity for the second round of
presidential elections in coor-
dination with other organs.
Kabul Police Chief Lt. Gen.
Mohammad Zahir told report-
ers they had adopted compre-
hensive security measures in
all parts of the city to enable
residents to participate in the
June 14 runoff election.
He said security forces had
proven their ability in the first
round of elections on April 5
and were fully capable to do
the same in the second round.
“We are ready to serve and
protect the people and we will
not hesitate from rendering any
kind of sacrifice while main-
taining security on the voting
day,” Zahir said.
Mirdad Najrabi, who heads the
Wolesi Jirga’s commission on
interior security, was also pres-
ent at the press conference.
He commended the Kabul po-
lice for their efforts to maintain
security in the .......see Page2
KABUL: The Independent
Election Commission (IEC)
said on Monday the pack-
ing and delivery of sensitive
electoral materials to 10 prov-
inces had been completed and
the process was proceeding
smoothly.
IEC spokesman Noor Mo-
hammad Noor said the com-
mission faced no hurdles to
the delivery of sensitive ma-
terials. The process is ongoing
in an accurate way as authori-
ties avoid past mistakes.
He said more information
could not be shared with the
media for security reasons.
Both presidential contenders
have been allowed to intro-
duce 25,000 individuals each
as observers.
Noor said the campaign peri-
od would kick off see Page2
KABUL: President Hamid Kar-
zai on Monday hoped the new
Afghan government would ex-
plore ways of further cementing
relations and expanding coopera-
tion with China in different fields.
Karzai expressed the view in an
interview with Radio China after
his arrival in Beijing to partici-
pate in the two-day Conference
on Interaction and Confidence
Building in Asia (CICA), to be
held in Shanghai.
The international forum seeks to
strengthen cooperation in build-
ing peace, security and stability
in Asia. China has been chosen
as CICA president for the period
from 2014 to 2016.
Strengthened ties between Af-
ghanistan and China were of im-
mense importance and it was in
Kabul’s interest to further but-
tress bilateral contacts, he be-
lieved.
“China has friendly ties with Af-
ghanistan. The Chinese avoided
a policy with a negative impact
on Afghanistan. The people of
Afghanistan are proud of their
friendship with China. We will
explore avenues of bolstering
security, economic, culture and
trade ties,” he remarked.
Referring to the CICA moot, Karzai said the event had great im-
portance in terms of promoting trade and commerce in the region.
He hoped the conference would strengthen efforts against terror-
ism and for bolstering security. He reiterated support for China’s
efforts to revive the ancient Silk Route. See Page2

Karzai Stresses Revival of Silk Route
Mps Want PC Polls
Results Unveiled
Soon
Azarenka to Miss
Roland Garros
2014 Elections
(20): The Ashraf
Ghani Interview
Economic chal-
lenges for India’s
next PM
Is China Headed for
a Debt Crisis?
Armed group
attacks Libyan
parliament

2. 2The Afghanistan ExpressRegional
National
Vol No 02, Issue 360, Tueday, May 20, 2014 –
Sawr 30, 1393
ISLAMABAD, A court in Pakistan on Mon-
day dropped a case against a U.S. Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation (FBI) agent, who was
arrested for carrying ammunition at airport
in the port city of Karachi earlier this month,
lawyers said.
Police say Joel Cox was arrested on May 5
while attempting to board a domestic flight to
the capital Islamabad, when the Airport Se-
curity Force (ASF) discovered 15 bullets of
9 mm caliber and a pistol clip in his baggage.
The court in Karachi dismissed the case af-
ter the police submitted a charge-sheet in the
CANBERRA, The brother-in-law of Zaharie Ah-
mad Shah, Captain of Malaysian Airline flight
MH370, spoke out for the first time publicly in a
program by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC) broadcast on Monday night, saying reports
about the captain having family problems or hi-
jacking the plane in a political protest are “com-
pletely false”.
Asuad Khan spoke on behalf of his sister and wife
of Captain Zaharie, Faizah Khan, to Four Corners,
an ABC program famous in Australia for investiga-
tive reports.
“From what I can see, a lot of people are saying a
lot of things about him which are untrue,” he said.
He said Zaharie and Faizah were having a good
relationship before the plane went missing. As for
media reports of Faizah taking their children to an-
other house on the day of Zaharie’s flight, Khan
said it was a normal family routine to live in the
house of where their younger son lives when Zaha-
rie has flying duties.
As per the controversial flight simulator in Zaha-
rie’s home, Khan and several of Zaharie’s friends
told Four Corners that was not a secret because Za-
harie proudly showed it off on Facebook when he
installed it.
Khan also revealed that the simulator had been
broken since 2013 which explains why the data of
KABUL: Some Wolesi Jirga
members on Monday asked the
Independent Election Commis-
sion (IEC) to announce pre-
liminary results from the April
5 provincial council (PC) elec-
tions at the earliest and issue
voting cards to those who had
lost them to recent floods.
announced on Saturday, but the
IEC delayed the announcement
without giving a new date.
Naqibullah Faiq, a lower house
member from western Faryab
province, told the lower house
session that the IEC must issue
voting cards to flood-hit fami-
lies ahead of the second round of
presidential elections slated for
June 14.
He said most of the displaced
families had lost their voter cards
to floodwaters and they should
be given new cards in order they
could participate in the runoff
elections.
His demand was endorsed by a
colleague from northern Takhar
province, Habiba Danish, who
said: “If the IEC fails to issue vot-
er cards to the affected families, it
will amount to denying them the
right to enfranchise.”
But IEC spokesman Noor told
Pajhwok Afghan News the com-
mission lacked resources and staff
Flash floods -- triggered by sev-
eral days of heavy rains -- have
killed about 200 people and
rendered homeless thousands
in Faryab, Sar-i-Pul, Jawzjan,
Badghis, Kabul, Herat and other
provinces.
Initial results from the provin-
cial council polls were due to be
to provide new voter cards to
people.
“The distribution of voter cards is
a lengthy process, which needs a
lot of resources and workers,” he
said.
A lawmaker from central Bamy-
an province, Fakoori Beheshti,
stressed the IEC should announce
preliminary results from the pro-
vincial council elections in the
stipulated time.
“The frequent delays in releasing
the results signal that the commis-
sion is trying to manipulate the
outcome,” he suspected.
Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi
also asked the IEC to announce
the results as soon as possible and
warned the electoral body would
be held responsible for any bad
consequences in the aftermath of
the delays.
The second round presidential
election will take place between
frontrunners Abdullah Abdullah
and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
MAIMANA: A splinter Taliban
group has recently emerged in
the Qaisar district of northern
Faryab province, waging an
armed struggle against the fight-
ers loyal to Mullah Mohammad
Omar, officials said on Monday.
The 20-member group holds
sway in Raza Khan, Chichakto
and Khwaja Aspahlan areas
of Qaisar near the border with
Turkmenistan, the town’s ad-
ministrative head, Abdul Jamil
Siddiqui, told Pajhwok Afghan
News. So far 10 people have
been killed in clashes between
the rival group.
Reports say the group is linked
to Mansoor Dadullah, a Taliban
leader killed in 2007, and the
Waziristan-based Haqqani net-
work, with objectives to target
those involved in killing inno-
cent people.
The group is said to be opposed
to foreign troops, but in favour
of development projects. It has
previous round of elections and
urged the force not to let the en-
emy reach their targets in the up-
coming ballot.
The police chief said they
worked day and night to ensure
Kabul residents live in peace.
in a couple of days and continue
until June 11. Each runner is al-
lowed to spend up to 10 million
afghanis and submit a report on
expenditure to the IEC.
He said the commission re-
served the right to take action
“The Silk Route is of pivotal
importance and its revival will
benefit Afghanistan and the re-
gion at large,” he added.
Replying to a query, he said Af-
ghanistan was interested in forg-
ing close ties with the US, based
on both countries’ interests. The
region should not plunge into in-
security after signing of a bilat-
eral security agreement (BSA)
with the US, he explained.
Kazakhstan President Nursultan
Nazarbayev floated the CICA
idea at the 47th UN General As-
sembly on October 5, 1992 to
He hoped the runoff elections
would pass off peacefully.
“We bring into use every re-
source we have. We will not
allow the enemy to create prob-
lems during the elections.”
against the candidate who vio-
lated IEC laws in this regard.
The run-off election is sched-
uled between Dr. Abdullah and
Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai for
14 June.
enhance regional security coop-
eration. In 2002, CICA held its
first summit, with the impetus
coming from the 9-11 terrorist
attacks in the US. Thus, coun-
terterrorism became an impor-
tant issue for CICA.
Accompanied by his Foreign
Minister Zarar Ahmad Osmani,
Chief of Staff Abdul Karim
Khurram and spokesman Aimal
Faizi, President Karzai will
meet his Chinese counterpart
and other leaders during the
four-day visit.KANDAHAR CITY: Citing
lack of resources and time, an
official on Monday said that a
poppy eradication campaign
in southern Kandahar province
has been restricted to Maiwand
district only.
Poppies have been cultivated
on a larger area of land this
year, the counter-narcotics di-
rector said, adding the illicit
crop had been grown by land
mafia in Zherai, Shah Wali Kot,
Panjwai and Maiwand districts.
Gul Mohammad Shakran told
Pajhwok Afghan News 450
acres of poppies were destroyed
in Maiwand district after hectic
efforts amid attacks by rebels
and mafia groups.
Separately, the Food Zone Pro-
gramme had been launched by
the US at a cost of $20 million
LASHKARGAH: Three
children were killed follow-
ing a rocket attack in south-
ern Helmand province, an
official said on Monday.
The incident took place
in the Shawol area of Nad
Ali district late on Sunday,
the governor’s spokesman,
Omar Zwak, told Pajhwok
Afghan News.
He said the Taliban fired
several rockets at a check-
post manned of the Afghan
National Army (ANA), but
declared war on those destroying
bridges and has allowed NGOs
and government employees to
continue their activities.
It recently executed a Taliban
man in Qaisar. Faryab council
secretary Syed Abdul Baqi Hashi-
mi said the new rebel group, op-
erating in six border districts, has
many fighters.
It is led by Abdul Khaliq aka
“Zalim Kush”, who has links
with Mullah Agha Jan Mutasim,
a moderate Taliban leader and
peace negotiator, Dadullah and
the Haqqanis.
“The group says they don’t col-
lect Ushr and Zakat from locals
and is not opposed to develop-
ment activities. It fights for the
sake of Allah,” Hashimi said.
Wishing not to be named, an in-
fluential figure from the area said
the group had kidnapped three
employees of a private company
in Ghorak area three days back.
But the Qaisar district chief said
the new group had not been ac-
tive in the area
ATaliban spokesman, Zabihullah
Mujahid, rejected the existence of
such a group, saying it was pro-
paganda aimed at creating differ-
ences among militants.
in Kandahar province to help
prevent poppy cultivation. The
programme encourage farmers
to cultivate alternatives, create
awareness against the illicit crop
and enhanced public knowledge
with regard to narcotics.
Shakran expressed hope imple-
mentation of the initiative would
help reduce the cultivation of
poppy in the province. A weak
irrigation system and poor eco-
nomic condition of farmers are
the main problems being faced by
farmers.
Kandahar Governor Torya-
lai Weesa said the Ministry of
Counter-Narcotics should take
necessary measures to halt opium
cultivation at its initial stages. He
criticized what he said late initia-
tives by the ministry.
some of them landed close to
populated areas.
case which also mentioned an authority letter
by the U.S. consulate to carry a weapon for
his personal protection.
The authority letter was verified by the coun-
try’s Interior Ministry. The police requested
the court to drop the case.
The judge on hearing arguments and the
police statement dismissed the case against
Cox, who was later found to be an FBI agent.
The FBI agent, who was granted bail three
days after his arrest, appeared in the court on
Monday.
Some U.S. officials had earlier stated that Cox
was in Pakistan for police training. However
Pakistani officials and the police said they did
not find any evidence to substantiate claims
that he was in Pakistan for training.
The Foreign Ministry said last week Cox did
not enjoy diplomatic immunity.
The court had earlier granted bail to the ac-
cused on the condition of producing a surety
bond worth 1 million rupees.
The U.S. national had claimed in his bail ap-
plication that the ammunition found in his
bag was not his own and that he was being
implicated in the case.
the simulator has been deleted.
Khan said his sister told him that Zaharie had not
touched the simulator this year except for trying
to reinstall the system. He dismissed the specula-
tions that Zaharie had been using the simulator to
practice emergency landing.
He also denied reports that Zaharie, an avid sup-
porter of the opposition party, went to hear the trial
of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s trial the day
before the flight.
Some reports suggested that Zaharie he had been
radicalised and had hijacked the plane in an act of
political protest. “No. I ask my sister personally,
even, even my sister herself informed him on what
happened on that day,” Khan said.
The program has suggested that a number of Ma-
laysian civil aviation authorities failed to respond
adequately to the missing of MH370 especially at
the first few hours after the aircraft’s transponder
was turned off or failed.
It also revealed that a team of up to five Malay-
sian military officers could or should have been
on duty at the nearby radar operations center at
Butterworth air base when MH370 flew across
Malaysian airspace as an unidentified object.
“Multiple Malaysian authorities watched the Ma-
laysian Airline flight MH370 go missing, but no
one takes responsibility of it,” the program said.
JAKARTA, Indonesian President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday official-
ly installed one of the richest men in the
country, Chairul Tanjung, as coordinating
minister for economy at the State Palace.
Tanjung replaces Hatta Rajasa who re-
signed last week for competing the July
presidential polls, as running mate of pres-
idential candidate Prabowo Subianto from
the Indonesian Great Movement Party.
Tanjung, 51, is chairman and founder
of the CT Corporation and head of
the National Economic Committee
(KEN), the presidential economic ad-
visory body.
The CT Corporation is a holding com-
pany with interest on banking and me-
dia.
Tanjung only has limited time to per-
form jobs as President Yudhoyono’s
cabinet is to end in October when the
country would have a new president.
KABUL: Residents of differ-
ent provinces have asked the
authorities concerned for open-
ing closed polling centers in the
runoff presidential elections, an
official said on Monday. A num-
ber of voting centers remained
closed due to insecurity in the
first round of the elections on
April 5. People say they should
be either reopened or shifted to
secure areas.
Officials say they have put in
place effective measures to open
the polling sites. Kunar Gover-
nor Shujaul Mulk Jalala prom-
ised all polling centers in the
province would be kept open as
in the runoff vote.
The five polling centers that
stayed closed in the previous
round would be opened, he said,
recalling 114,500 people had
cast their votes at the 91 voting
centers that were open across the
province. Paktika police chief,
Brig. Gen. Nabi Jan Mullahkhel,
acknowledged a smaller number
of women had voted in the first
round of polls. He assured the
runoff would be more secure
than the previous one. In the past
elections, 266 polling centres
were kept functional in the first
round.
Khost police head, Col. Faizul-
lah Ghairat, said security forces
would keep insurgents at bay in
the second round. Clearing op-
erations were conducted in vari-
ous parts of the province over the
past week. Logar residents called
shifting some polling centres to
peaceful areas from insecure
parts. During the first round,
18 of the 83 voting centres in
Charkh, Baraki Barak, Kharwar,
Azra and Khoshi districts re-
mained closed.
Haji Mohammad Siddique, a res-
ident of Porak area, said a poll-
ing station set up in the town was
five kilometres from his house.
The remaining centres had been
established in insecure areas, he
complained. Bismillah, from the
Babur area of Azra district, said:
“We were literally denied our
voting right in the previous polls,
because all voting centres were
set up in insecure areas.”
But Logar Election Commission
head, Dr. Niamatullah, said: “We
will try to keep functional all
voting centres on Election Day.”





Pakistani Court Drops Case
Against FBI Agent
Indonesia Installs Top
Businessman As Economic Chief
Minister
Family Breaks Silence To Defend
Captain Of Missing Malaysian Flight
MH370
Keep All Polling Centers
Open, Voters Ask Govt
New Taliban Group Emerges
In Faryab
Helmand Rocket Strike Leaves 3
Children Dead
Poppy Eradication Campaign
Runs Into Snags
Mps Want PC Polls Results Unveiled
Soon
Kabul Police Promise ......
Transfer of Election ......
Karzai Stresses Revival ......

3. Arsene Wenger will sign a new
three-year contract at Arsenal
within the next week, the length
of the deal reflecting the long-
term certainty that the club have
in their manager, which they be-
lieve has been vindicated in part
by his first trophy in nine years,
the FA Cup lifted on Saturday.
The three-year deal, at around
£7.5m a season, would take
Wenger beyond 20 years at the
club and more critically will show
that they are prepared to back him
in the long term rather than hedge
their bets with a shorter deal. The
decision on the length of the con-
tract had already been decided
before Saturday’s final, but the
result puts it in a much more posi-
tive light for the club.
It is anticipated that he will sign
the deal towards the end of this
week, Wenger himself confirm-
ing that it will be done before
he leaves on 10 June for Bra-
zil, where he will be a pundit
for French television during the
World Cup finals.
Arsenal’s majority shareholder,
Stan Kroenke, was at Wembley
for the 3-2 win over Hull City,
with chief executive Ivan Gazidis,
whose faith has never wavered.
There has never been any doubt
from Kroenke that he wanted
Wenger to stay beyond the terms
of his existing deal, which expires
next month; the delay came from
the manager’s side.
After the victory in extra time,
with a goal from Aaron Ramsey,
Wenger declined the opportunity
to take a shot at Jose Mourinho,
who has ended the season without
a trophy for Chelsea. He said he
always questioned himself during
the nine years Arsenal had gone
without a trophy but those barren
years had not been for want of try-
ing.
Wenger said: “I want to win. I
work seven days a week because I
want to win. But it is difficult. You
don’t, unfortunately, win on com-
mand. Our job is very easy when
you win things and when you
don’t you need some strengths to
continue.”
The Arsenal goalkeeper on Satur-
day, Lukasz Fabianski, confirmed
that it would be his final appear-
ance for the club. Like right-back
Bacary Sagna, he is out of con-
tract at the end of next month.
3 The Afghanistan Express SportVol No 02, Issue 360, Tueday, May 20, 2014 –
Sawr 30, 1393
Thousands of football fans from across
the North West will be travelling to
Brazil for the World Cup in less than
a month.
Liverpool’s School of Tropical Medi-
cine is preparing to vaccinate thou-
sands of fans from Merseyside and
across the North West against poten-
tially dangerous diseases they could
bring back from Brazil.
England will face Italy, Uruguay and
Costa Rica in the group stages in
Manaus, Sao Paulo and Belo Hori-
zonte in June. Experts say the risks are
different in each location and of the
three, the sticky climate of Manaus,
is expected to present the most health
hazards.
Public Health England say anyone
Bowler Chris Rushworth has signed
a new deal with Durham that ties him
to the county until 2017. The seamer,
who came through the youth ranks at
Durham, has taken over 200 wickets
since first making his debut in 2010
and has now committed his long-term
Justin Rose has described this week’s
BMW PGA Championship as “mas-
sive” and is desperate to land the title
at Wentworth.
The Englishman, who has twice fin-
ished second in 10 previous attempts
in the tournament, believes the PGA
Championship is one of the most pres-
tigious competitions in the golfing cal-
endar. The 33-year-old, who will use
Wentworth as more preparation for his
upcoming defence of his US Open title
at Pinehurst in North Carolina, is look-
ing forward to the event. He told Sky
Sports News: “Wentworth is a massive
tournament for me. You’ve got the Ma-
jors and maybe a world event or two
but for me it’s right there with the best
tournaments in the world.
“ Rose used to watch the PGA Cham-
pionship as a child and hopes he can
finally get his hand on the trophy this
year. He added: “It was the one I used
to go and watch since I was eight years
old with a backpack full of sandwiches
and follow all the pros and be inspired
In his swan song on the Greece bench,
the 2014 World Cup, Portuguese man-
ager Fernando Santos has chosen to
add his personal touch to the squad that
will travel to Brazil next month: He has
added a Brazilian-born Greek amateur
player to his 23-man squad, showing
how much he appreciates local knowl-
edge.
To the surprise of everyone listening to
the announcement of the official squad
to represent Greece in Brazil, San-
tos stated that he has called up a 24th
player, the 33-year-old Manos Sergios,
a part-time player at amateur team APE
Antirriou in western Greece, who was
born in Brazil to Greek parents.
He has played as a midfielder for a
number of amateur clubs in Brazil and
in Greece and admitted he was taken
aback by the Santos announcement.
“I still cannot believe it. When [Greece
team manager Takis] Fyssas called me
last night to inform me about me being
invited to the national team, I was sure
he was having me on. I was actually at
work and I almost passed out,” Sergios
said on Monday.
The symbolism of this selection is
multi-faceted: He has picked an ama-
teur player who will know his way
travelling out to the World Cup should,
ideally, seek advice about vaccines four
weeks before you go.
However, even if you are travelling last
minute, it is not too late to get advice.
Some vaccines can be given at short no-
tice and antimalarial tablets, if needed,
can be started just before travel, including
on the day you travel.
Malaria is a serious, potentially fatal, ill-
ness spread by night biting mosquitoes.
Antimalarial tablets are recommended if
you are going to any Amazon areas. This
includes the city of Manaus in Brazil.
There is a risk of yellow fever in many
parts of Brazil, so you might need to get
advice on whether you need vaccine from
a yellow fever vaccination centre.
future to the county. The 27-year-old fol-
lows Graham Onions in penning a new
deal and admitted he was delighted with
the development. “I’m obviously over
the moon. It’s my home club, and to be
given a new deal for a longer term is
good for me and it’s good from the club
to put their faith in me,” Rushworth said.
“It’s a big confidence booster and I hope
that by 2017 we can win a few more ti-
tles and I can keep taking wickets. “It’s
nice for me to be bowling at the other
end to Graham and it’s great that he’s go-
ing to be here for the time that I’m here.
Hopefully we can form a strong partner-
ship for years to come.” Head coach Jon
Lewis believes Rushworth will be vital to
Durham as they look to improve moving
forward. He said: “We’re delighted that
Chris has signed a long term extension to
his contract. He’s an integral part of the
team and he has been for several years.
“His fitness has been on the up and up,
so we’re as confident as we can be that
he’s a bowler that’s going to play a lot of
cricket going forward. “It’s good for the
club that we can plan for the future with
senior players like him around.”
by them to practice harder. “The great
thing about North Hants is not just com-
ing back as a US Open champion but I
also came back here after missing 21 suc-
cessive cuts in 1998 and 1999, and I still
had their support and encouragement and
that’s what it means to me. “I don’t re-
alise how much I miss it until I get back.”
around Brazil, who plays soccer in his lo-
cal team and could have never dreamt of
making the World Cup showing that noth-
ing is impossible, and who lives in the vil-
lage known for its location opposite Rio
– albeit not Rio de Janeiro but the town
near Patra on the Peloponnese.
His membership in the squad may well
add to the atmosphere among the play-
ers adding a different color and easing
the pressure on the team with his off-beat
presence. It is not a coincidence he is a
marketing professional.
The completely unknown part-timer was
on Monday dubbed a “huge player” by
Santos, with the Portuguese coach show-
ing a rare smile on his face. He will know
that deflecting media attention from his
players could only do them good on the
way to the World Cup.
FormerArgentine soccer players who played
in several World Cups believed that Argen-
tina’s national team will reach the final in
Brazil seeking their third title.
These former players during an interview to
Xinhua, agreed that Barcelona star Lionel
Messi “will be in wonderful shape” for Ar-
gentina when the World Cup begins.
Former defender Jose Luis Brown, 57, who
scored the first goal in the match where Ar-
gentina defeated Germany 3-2 in Mexico
1986, said that “undoubtedly” the team led
by Alejandro Sabella “will go well” in the
World Cup.
“I have great faith in the team,” said Brown
who lives in Ranchos, a city located in Bue-
nos Aires province, adding that besides Ar-
gentina, other teams likely to win the 2014
World Cup include Brazil, Germany and
Spain.
On the other hand, Roberto Perfumo, 71,
who played at England 1966, said “I see the
(Argentine) team in the final, because it is
better than others and it has Messi, the best
player in the world.”
Perfumo regretted the absence of Juventus
forward Carlos Tevez, who was not called
up by Sabella and expressed his concern for
goalkeeper Sergio Romero, who is currently
not playing in France’s Monaco “and it is
a mistake to call a goalkeeper who has not
been playing.”
Former defender Julio Olarticoechea, 55,
who played with the runner-up team in Italy
1990, said “Argentina has to be finalist be-
cause it has the power, most of all it has a
strong offensive” including Messi, Gonzalo
Higuain and Sergio “Kun” Aguero.
Olarticoechea, former player of local teams
Racing Club, River Plate and Boca Juniors,
said “winning the first match is key, because
this will make the team confident.”
Argentina has won two world champion-
ships, Argentina 1978 and Mexico 1986. The
South American team is drawn in Group F
to play Bosnia on June 15 in Rio de Janeiro,
Iran on June 21 in Belo Horizonte and Nige-
ria on June 25 in Porto Alegre.
World number five Victoria Azarenka has announced she
will miss the 2014 French Open because of a foot injury.
Azarenka has not made an appearance since losing in the
second round of the BNP Paribas Open in March. The Be-
larusian admitted she may have come back from injury too
soon after a disappointing 6-0 7-6 (2) defeat to world num-
ber 66 Lauren Davis and has been working on her recovery
since. Azarenka has now confirmed she will miss the second
Grand Slam of the calendar year to continue the rehabilita-
tion on her left foot.
Writing on Twitter, the world number five said: “Unfortu-
nately I will not be able to compete in Roland Garros this
year. “Working hard on my recovery & getting back on the
court.”
Azarenka has not placed a timescale on her recovery. The
two-time Australian Open champion and two-time US Open
runner-up has never won the French Open but reached
the semi-finals in 2013, where she was beaten by Maria
Sharapova. The French Open begins on May 25, with the
women’s final scheduled for Saturday, June 7.
Martin Wiegele returns to the
Kärnten Golf Open presented
by Mazda for the first time since
clinching his second European
Challenge Tour title in the 2010
edition, and the Austrian star
hopes his cherished memories
of the event will inspire him this
week.
Not only has the former Europe-
an Tour winner etched his name
on the trophy, but he also experi-
enced an astounding coincidence
at this tournament in two con-
secutive seasons, having carded
a hole in one twice in as many
years at the very same hole.
The Graz native was rewarded
with a Mazda on both occasions,
meaning in just two appearanc-
es at his home Challenge Tour
event, he has emerged with one
title and two brand new cars.
Little wonder that Wiegele can-
not wait to return, even if he
is not overly familiar with the
Golfclub Schloss Finkenstein
course, host venue this year for
the first time.
“I’m really looking forward to
it,” said the 35 year old. “Obvi-
ously I have really good memo-
ries from this event. It’s going to
be a different course so, while
the memories are there, they are
in the back of my head. My form
is getting better after I had some
time off in winter. I had more
time to get my fitness back and
get the hip working again after
a long injury, so I hope to take
some good form into the week.”
“I played the course two weeks
ago, which was the first time I
ever played it, and I was pleas-
antly surprised. The greens were
rolling really well two weeks
ago. I think the weather will be
good next week, so let’s hope we
get lucky.” Now in its sixth year,
the Kärnten Golf Open presented
by Mazda has proven a training
ground for Austria’s young golf-
ing stars and its success in the
past few years has been clear for
all to see. The central European
nation is producing young ama-
teur stars like never before, with
Manuel Trappel becoming the
first Austrian winner of the Eu-
ropean Amateur Championship
in 2011, while Matthias Schwab
reached the final of the 2012
Amateur Open Championship.
Wiegele believes there are
many factors that have contrib-
uted to the success of his home
country’s young players, and
thinks it will continue for many
years to come.
“In my opinion we have one
of the best national coaches
there is,” he said. “His name is
Fred Jendilid and his co-coach
is Andres Forsbrand. We have
been working with them for
seven years or so now, and he
has also been working with the
amateurs so I think that’s one of
the main reasons why Austrian
golf has improved so much in
the last number of years.
“We also have good courses
and good greens. Markus (Bri-
er) certainly had an influence.
He was the first Austrian to
compete and win on The Euro-
pean Tour, and he showed other
players like myself and Bernd
(Wiesberger) that it is possible.
“Now there is a new genera-
tion with these young guys,
who might have seen Markus
and Bernd and me making it to
the top tier and been given the
motivation that it is possible to
do it.
“I think the combination of
everything went together and
there are quite a few talented
guys like Lukas, who made
it through the Alps Tour in
his first year as a professional
and has played pretty well at
the beginning of this season.
“It’s business as usual with the
Challenge Tour, we get invites
to other tournaments and that
helps. Fred is putting some
young amateurs in there this
week because he wants to show
them what it’s like playing in a
tournament like this, instead of
just giving the older amateurs
a spot.” Wiegele, Nemecz and
Trappel are joined in the field
by their fellow Austrian Chal-
lenge Tour member Roland
Steiner, while South African
Dylan Frittelli will return to
defend the title he claimed last
year courtesy of a three-shot
victory.

Ace Wiegele Ready For Kärnten
Return
Ex-Players Believe Argentina will Reach FIFA
World Cup Final
World Cup 2014: What you Need to Know if
You’re Off to Brazil
New Deal for Durham Bowler
Rose Set for ‘Massive’ Week
The Brazilian-Born Amateur Santos Called up for
the World Cup




Arsene Wenger to Sign on for Three
more Years at Arsenal
Azarenka to Miss
Roland Garros

4. The Afghan Diaspora, Vulnerability Continues!
2014 Elections (20): The Ashraf Ghani
Interview
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4
Opinion
The Afghanistan Express
Editorial 4
Opinion
The Afghanistan Express Vol No 02, Issue 360, Tueday, May 20, 2014 –
Sawr 30, 1393
Top military officials of Afghanistan, Pakistan
and NATO met in Kabul on Monday to
discuss security situation on shared border
and the joint combat against the militant
groups in both countries. According to the
reports, Afghanistan asked Pakistani military
to assist in providing security for the country’s
upcoming elections. The tripartite meeting of
top military officials is coming at a time when
Afghanistan is going to an election runoff
which is planned for June 14. Pakistan has
promised to help Afghanistan in its efforts to
secure the forthcoming elections. Pakistan’s
role in providing security for the elections in
Afghanistan is seen as crucial as the election
date for the second round is approaching.
Afghan security forces did a splendid job in
the first round of the elections despite the
Taliban’s efforts to disrupt the elections.
Afghan officials are now trying to ensure
that the second round will also be secure and
the Afghan forces will be able to keep the
Taliban at bay during and after the elections
on June 14. The government of Afghanistan
hopes better security for the second round will
boost morale of its security forces and public
confidence over capabilities of these forces.
However, without Pakistan’s cooperation it
would be a challenging task to provide security
for the elections as the militant will continue
pouring into Afghanistan form Pakistan’s
tribal areas in the coming weeks.
The trilateral meeting of Pakistani, Afghan and
NATO officials takes place when the Taliban
are escalating their attacks on Afghanistan’s
government and military personnel.
In recent weeks, the violence of the Taliban
has once again risen after a short lull in
recent weeks. In recent weeks, the Taliban
militants organized attacks in Kabul,
Jalalabad, Ghazni, Helmand and provinces
as part of their summer fighting season which
started recently. The attacks highlighted the
worrisome prospect of Afghanistan’s security
as the insurgent groups are struggling to make
a fresh momentum ahead of the upcoming
presidential elections. In recent months and
weeks, the militant groups have organized
assaults on security personnel and government
and military installations. More notable
has been the group’s resort to rocket attacks
targeting cities and military bases across the
country.
The assurances come at a time when the
security across the country is constantly
deteriorating, and the insurgents have been
organizing concerted attacks in the first
months of 2014. Given that in wintertime the
violence is expected to decline, the sudden
rise in violence is a trouble sign of the security
situation in the country in a crucial year with
two important transitions underway.
However, the expectations from Islamabad are
running high, and the Afghan government
believes Pakistan can help in providing
security for its elections. Afghan officials
have assured that the Afghan forces will be
able to provide security for the vast majority of
polling stations in the forthcoming presidential
elections. The officials have considered plans
for security arrangements for the upcoming
elections. However, on Pakistan’s part it
is unclear to what extent the country will
sincerely help Afghanistan to provide security
for the elections.
with me on an open podium. Anywhere in Afghanistan. So that we can
understand who really cares about the people… He’s not an oppositional figure.
He’s part and parcel of this elite. But what does he deliver?
Ghani warned that negative campaigning, such as was seen in Hazarajat, has its
risks:
We’re not going to remain silent. And if negative campaigning is pushed, I will
not engage in it, but some hard questions are going to be put to the team that
brought us the tragedies of 1992-1996 in Kabul. If they want to own the past,
then they own the responsibility of that past.
Dealing with war crimes, ending the war
AAN asked about Ghani’s own running mate, General Abdul Rashid Dostum,
who was also a key player in the mid-1990s civil war and its associated atrocities
(see details here). “My partner,” said Ghani, “has publically declared his
commitment to reconciliation”. As to the question of whether he would publish
the Conflict Mapping Report, the major piece of research by the Afghanistan
Independent Human Rights Commission into the war crimes and crimes against
humanity in all provinces of the country during the years 1978-2001 which
President Karzai has suppressed he said:
I don’t have any problem with publishing. What I want is a genuine Afghan
reconciliation process. We’re tired of blood. We need to reach closure.
Q: And you mean reconciliation both for pre-2001 and after?
Yes. The social fabric needs nurturing. It’s not going to be done with cheap
slogans. I reached out to General Dostum and he to me, as a sign that we want
genuine reconciliation. That we accept each other. The politics of exclusion
has not worked. We have tried this and it failed. 1978 [the year of the Saur
Revolution], there were not more than a 1000 leftists in this country. Within
three months, there was not a male member of my family who was not in prison.
Then 1992 [when Kabul fell to the mujahedin], what hopes did we not have?
And within weeks, people were resorting to tanks and guns. It was as though
children had suddenly acquired toys…
We are wounded… We need to weave back this body politic, to make it whole.
Everyone understands that we are necessary for each other and that is what is
going to bring genuine peace. If you exclude everybody who’s been in conflict,
who remains? The next generation will move on. But political power is in the
hands of people who have engaged in conflict and war. I will play the role of
critical mediator whose hands are free of both blood and corruption.
As in AAN’s interview with Dr Abdullah, we asked Ashraf Ghani how he
intended to end the war (his full answer is below in footnote 3).
Take peace seriously. The first thing is build a consensus on the cost of war.
The cost of the war is being borne by the poor. Badakhshan, Takhar, Parwan
and Nangrahar are paying the highest casualties of this war. So it is not a north
and south issue… It is predominantly poor men who are finding outlet either
in joining the national army or the national police or migrating illegally to
neighbouring countries and abroad. We need to appreciate the cost of blood. We
need to understand that there’s a cost of war. For our political-economic elite, the
war was cost free because the massive international presence made it cost free.
Now, with the BSA [the Bilateral Security Agreement with the United States],
it becomes our conflict. We’re the lead and [we have the] responsibility.
Ghani, like Abdullah, has said he will sign the BSA and both told AAN they see
no problem reaching out to an American public and political class which is largely
bored by or hostile towards Afghanistan, at the same time not alienating Afghans
upset by the US presence. Like Abdullah, Ghani also told AAN Afghanistan
can handle the 10,000 US troops predicted to stay behind if the BSA is signed:
Americans are not going to be fighting in Afghan villages. That’s the first
key gain of BSA. There are not going to have any massive number to have a
footprint. The overwhelming majority of the Americans after BSA are going to
War and drought, the absolute causes of diaspora, debilitated the Afghans with
its three decade permanence. The diaspora created by the Soviet invasion, the
Jihad against occupiers, the civil war, the Taliban and exhausting drought forced
Afghans to flee the country and knock almost every country’s door for asylum.
The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in the 1979 commenced a long-lasting
misery and diaspora for the people of the arid territory. The jihad against the
Soviet Union made Afghans pay a high cost. Approximately, 2 million dead and
millions other were forced to flee the country. Subsequently, the mujahidin and
Taliban sunk the country into civil war. Simultaneously, Unprecedented drought
became the other cause to force afghans flee the country.
After, collapse of Taliban and formation of democratic government backed by
the west, refugees return was at top priority list. In contrast, most of the asylum
seekers didn’t return. Corruption, insecurity and emerging government made
afghan refugees suspicious of returning and being resettled.
Afghan refugees are scattered in most of the countries of the world. The range
starts with Iran and Pakistan and continues to Australia, North America and
European countries.
The refugee host countries especially Iran and Pakistan’s treatment with Afghan
refugees have been harsh and probably against the UN refugee convention.
Aside deporting the refugees, Iran always have misbehaved Afghan Refugees
by humiliating, undermining their employment rights, keeping them away from
education, and torturing kids and elder refugees in their detention centers before
deporting. For instance, recently many social sites and various parks throughout
Iran were banned for Afghans.
Pakistan though, had a better behavior with the refugees. In spite of that, Afghan
refugees are insulted by the authorities every day in Pakistan. Many are deported;
some are tortured for not having documents. Without any serious pursuit, Afghans
are usually killed in mid-day in the cities.
Pakistani and Iranian Officials are often using the refugee matter as a political
pressure on the Afghan Government to achieve their goals inside the afghan
politics. This two neighbor country wants to play a significant role in political
perspective of Afghanistan by using the refugees as leverage. The refugee matter
needs a clear policy by the government especially for the ones residing in Pakistan
and Iran.
After the victory of Kevin Rudd from the pro-refugee Labor party of Australia in
2007, Australia became the new heaven for refugees. Rudd dismissed the harsh
policies of ex-prime minister John Howard and passed a more humanitarian law
for the refugees. Subsequently, thousands of Afghan refugees rushed towards
Australia for asylum. But crossing the ocean from Indonesia and Malaysia in
woody boats, sacrificed many refugees. The rising level of refugees compelled
Julia Gillard the new prime minister from the Labors to set more strict policies
over the refugees. In 2013, the Liberals leaded by Tony Abbott won the election
and continued the strict laws of John Howard. The refugee flow stopped and was
be in Afghan bases, engaging in training and equipping and assisting our troops.
The BSA and transition, Ghani contends, will change the dynamic of the war:
We won’t have a massive foreign presence doing our fighting. [The] sons, brothers
and cousins [of our volunteer army] are the university students, the high school
students. There is going to be tremendous pressure, moral pressure by these
stake-holders because a government that is elected on the basis of an agenda of
transformation, will be subject to accountability. The elite is not paying a price
because it is not their peace or war. Aren’t a significant proportion of the political-
economic elite behaving like observers? They think that it’s someone else’s country,
as if each time someone else is doing this or that for us or to us.
Attacking Abdullah
Ghani made a blistering attack on the capabilities of the man with whom he will
fight the second round of the elections, in a sign possibly of how the next few
weeks may pan out. He compared how he believed he and Abdullah would run
the country:
First, I have a proven record of reform. Dr Abdullah has no record of reform.
Look at my tenure as Minister of Finance. In comparative terms, in developing
countries, it’s rare to get a minister of finance who succeeds in so many reforms,
comprehensively, in such a short period…. I created systems. My record of moving
from idea to implementation is clear. The National Solidary Programme was
announced on February 2nd 2002. By June, it was under implementation. The
national army: we would still have a rag-tag militia had I not taken a stand and
refused a role call of 700,000, as the late [Marshal] Fahim Khan was claiming.
We created a national army through sheer grit. Within six weeks of my work, we
created National Telecom. Kabul University. Transition. [My record is clear],
whether it’s culture, whether it’s education, security…
Second, the economy is in crisis. Who in Dr Abdullah’s team has the slightest
experience of managing the economy? Himself, Mr Muhammad Khan, Ustad
Mohaqeq? Who will they bring? How will they understand? How would they
understand to move within the accountability framework of Tokyo… Kabul Bank
was a clear example. I said I will prosecute the two individuals whose fraud has
been determined and recover the assets because the audit reports crystal clearly
shows this was a Ponzi scheme to defraud the public. What is the stand of Dr
Abdullah on Kabul Bank? He went silent in that debate… On zero corruption,
will he tackle the entrenched interests that are a significant part of his campaign?
Ghani challenged Abdullah to debate their relative merits on television. Abdullah
told AAN he does not want debates this time, arguing they “took up too much
time” in the first round. Is he “afraid of providing detailed answers?” asked his
rival. Ghani also challenged him to provide more information on the deals he has
struck in the last week:
Ihavenotissuedanyblankcheckstoanysocialgroups,politicalparties,communities
that have joined me. I’ve said the government is not mine to dispose of. Ask my
campaign… if I promised a single ministry to anyone, a single governorship, a
single ambassadorship. No. What has he [Abdullah] promised to Rassul?… Isn’t
the public entitled to [know] this? What has he offered governor Sherzai? My
commitments to all my partners is on the basis of a commitment to an agenda. It is
not that people didn’t request that, but I’ve refused.
The need to question both candidate’s claims
Both of the men left in the race are good, persuasive speakers who have spent
years preparing for this moment. Both their stands, however, need some hard
interrogating. Abdullah, in his interview with AAN, was short on specifics of
how he would run the country and evasive on some key issues, including whether
he promised jobs in return for the support of Rassul and Sherzai and possibly
Abdul Rab Rassul Sayyaf. Ghani’s speech is teeming with the detailed ideas of a
man who has thought deeply about what he believes his country needs. However,
his claims and ideas also need questioning. For example, ..... To be Continue ...
limited to UNHCR office in Jakarta.
In Most recent case, Afghan asylum seekers in Turkey started a sit-in protest in
Ankara objecting UNHCR of undermining Afghan asylum seekers. More than
one month passes, but no response has been received from the authorities yet.
12 of the protesters have sewed their lips and started hunger strike. Their main
demand is regarding the review of their cases by the officials. The Turkey police
once attacked the refugee protest and forced them into a bus and scattered them
along the country camps. While, soon other refugees around turkey gathered in
Ankara to continue the protest. The UNHCR officials have undermined the
afghan refugees after 2012 and placed Iraqi, Syrian and Iranian nationals in their
priority. In addition, Afghan authorities’ response to the sit-in was even more
regretful. Afghan officials instead of supporting the refugees, blow another lash
on them. They stated that the Ankara office of UNHCR was not responsible
of Afghans and they provide support only for Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian refugees.
While, every UNHCR office is responsible for reviewing the asylum seekers cases
and resettling them regardless of their nationality and only based on the 1951
Refugee Convention of the United Nations.
Yet, Greece bordering Turkey has always misbehaved the refugees. Greece a time
fostered the Athenian Civilization, but now torture refugees so that they may leave
Greece. Kids and women are no exception there. Afghan refugees usually describe
Greece as the worst country in their way to asylum; even they equalize it to hell.
In contrast, the other countries of Europe are usually considered as safe haven for
the refugees. Refugees get humanitarian support, their cases are reviewed and they
are resettled in these countries.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR has the most
important role in supporting the refugees and resettling them to a third country.
Recently, this branch of the UN is undermining the Afghan refugees.
As UNHCR weasel from their responsibilities regarding the Afghan refugees,
the Afghan Government should boost its activities to pull UNHCR back on the
table and support its refugees. The United Nations incuriosity about the Afghan
Refugees can damage the vulnerable refugees badly. So every effort should
be considered to help the asylum seekers and rescue them from anxiety. The
government should prevent the deportation of Afghans from the western countries.
Regarding refugees in Pakistan and Iran, the government should take any possible
action to prevent them from being deported. Millions of Afghans are residing in
Pakistan and Iran. The current government doesn’t have the capability to resettle
all of the refugees. So if these refugees return now, the country will drop in other
swamp of chaos.
As Concluding, the government should provide the appropriate needs for the
refugees to return to the country. As the returning refugees are empty handed, the
government should provide shelter and food for them and subsequently resettle
them. Refugees should be provided a suitable occupation and employment rights.
Pakistan’s Role in
Securing Afghan
Elections
By: Ewaz Ali Bahrami
By: Kate Clark
Thomas Ruttig



5. 5 The Afghanistan Express
Vol No 02, Issue 360, Tueday, May 20, 2014 –
Sawr 30, 1393
Is Switzerland in danger of becoming a victim of its own success?
Too close to call? Far from it. On May 18, long before polls closed,
it became clear that the Swiss would overwhelmingly vote against a
proposal to raise the minimum wage to 22 Swiss Francs an hour or
just under $25, corresponding to a monthly salary of $4,500 - the
highest in the world. Indeed, 76 percent of voters said “no” and Lux-
embourg kept the top spot with a minimum hourly wage of $10.7,
followed by France with $10.6.
Crisis-hit Europe was transfixed by the referendum but the Swiss
themselves on the same day were more concerned with whether to
buy military aircraft from Sweden, this time voting against it by a
tight majority of only 53.4 percent. Wikileaks even published a sup-
posed US diplomatic cable which provided background on the sale,
adding to the furore.
What were the Swiss up to with this vote on establishing such a high
minimum wage? Didn’t they get the memo that there’s still a crisis in
Europe? Haven’t they noticed there’s low growth and everybody’s
either freezing or slashing wages?
Switzerland prides itself on its well-functioning welfare system,
meaning that those making less are taken care of. The majority of the
country’s eight million citizens therefore decided that establishing a
minimum wage would do more harm than good.
Moreover, Switzerland is actually booming. The unemployment rate
is a mere at 3.2 percent which is the second lowest in Europe after
Liechtenstein. The country’s economy is not simply based on mak-
ing chocolate and providing services such as banking and tourism,
as most of us believe. There is a very strong manufacturing sector,
such as world class pharmaceuticals, and the median Swiss wage is a
remarkable $37 an hour.
The only real hitch for Switzerland is that it essentially was forced to
agree to greater transparency in its banking sector, as other developed
nations are clamping down on tax evasion and tax avoidance, activi-
ties where the Swiss have a less than stellar record. They of course
are not the only ones.
More harm than good?
So if the economy is booming, why the need for an official minimum
wage? Isn’t the market supposed to take care of itself? And why did
so many then oppose the proposal?
The referendum process was initiated in 2012 by the Swiss Trade
Union Federation, to “protect equitable pay”. People working in me-
nial jobs like house-cleaning and agriculture find it hard to get by,
given the high cost of living. In cities such as Zurich and Geneva, the
situation is even harder. And despite a recent building boom, jobs
in the construction industry are not that well paid either. But given
that these sectors are less competitive, raising wages would mean that
businesses would either close or need to fire workers.
On top of this, Switzerland prides itself on its well-functioning wel-
fare system, meaning that those making less are taken care of. The
majority of the country’s eight million citizens therefore decided that
establishing a minimum wage would do more harm than good.
The issue of a minimum wage is a contentious one even in privileged
Europe. In Germany, there is no minimum wage. Only recently have
measures been taken to introduce one, as part of a deal in estab-
lishing a governing coalition between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s
Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats, after last Septem-
ber’s national elections. This deal-making dimension was perhaps
embarrassing for a state that presents itself as a paragon of rationality.
Is this why some German media took a somewhat patronising view of
the Swiss referendum? In any case, the German minimum wage will
be $11.72 an hour for all industries and will start to be implemented
from 2015 onwards, possibly becoming the highest in the world.
Interestingly, Ed Miliband, the head of the UK’s main opposition
Labour party, chose May 18 to leak to the press details of his rather
nebulous plans to reinvigorate the minimum wage in his country, as
part of his 2015 national elections campaign.
Of course, one cannot but associate the Swiss minimum wage ref-
erendum to an earlier one which again had to do with jobs: Last
February, Switzerland voted in favour of reintroducing immigration
quotas for European Union countries, drawing the ire of France and
Germany. Such a measure would go against the EU’s so-called four
freedoms of movement: goods, services, people and capital.
Quality of life
Switzerland is not part of the EU but of the European Economic
Area, which includes Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. However,
half of Swiss exports go to the EU and a great part of the Swiss work
force comes from surrounding EU countries such as Italy, France
and Germany. Among them, many each day cross the border to go
to work and in the evening return home to their respective countries,
as they cannot afford to live in Switzerland. They do enjoy the same
benefits and rights as the Swiss, though.
Obviously, the decision to reintroduce immigration quotas in great
part has to do with a growing sense of financial insecurity across
Europe. The Swiss seem eager to protect the quality of life of their
working population, whereas other European countries seem less so.
But is a minimum wage all that it is made up to be? Does it auto-
matically translate to what across the world is being called a “living
wage”, i.e. making enough money as to get by without getting into
debt? First of all, we need to learn more about the way economies
and societies function. H-J Chang’s excellent new book explains in
plain language how the gears and levers and processes of the econ-
omy work, so that citizens learn to see past the witchdoctor antics of
politicians and economic experts, which have become the norm in our
post-2008 crash world.
As for wages specifically, a report by the United Nations’ labour
agency finds that adequate wages have a key role to play in confront-
ing inequality, promoting growth and limiting economic instability.
Keeping wages down apparently is not the good medicine we are
told it is.
Given all this, is Switzerland in danger of becoming a victim of its
own success? Are its EU neighbours and partners trying to make it
adopt policies that would go against the interests of its economy and
those of the Swiss people? Perhaps the Swiss should think again
about buying those Swedish fighter jets.
Menelaos Tzafalias is a freelance journalist and producer based in
Athens, Greece. He has worked as an associate producer on the doc-
umentary “Palikari: Louis Tikas and the Ludlow Massacre”, a story
about migrants and labour relations in early 20th century America.
Omar Hazek has found himself at the centre of
Egypt’s battles for free speech - from prison.
This month, Omar Hazek will see his second
novel published. Under other circumstances,
Hazek’s short novel, set in the afterlife, would
likely go unnoticed outside Egypt’s narrow liter-
ary circles. Yet this novel has captured attention
- not because of its unusual setting, but because
it was written inside Alexandria’s Borg al-Arab
and al-Hadara prisons.
That’s where, for the last six months, the young
Alexandrian writer has found himself at the
centre of Egypt’s battles for free speech and the
right to assembly.
Way back in 2009, Hazek was a poet and librar-
ian at the gigantic Bibliotheca Alexandrina. He
published his first collection of poems, I Believe
the Winter’s Sun, and, in May of that year, he
travelled to San Giovanni, Italy with the encour-
agement of his employer. There, he attended the
“Love, Justice, and Peace in the World” poetry
festival and was given an award for his verse.
Then, in the summer of 2010, life began to
change. That’s when Alexandria native Khaled
Saeed died in police custody and photos of his
mangled face circulated around Egypt. This led
to a movement, which helped organise the street
protests of January and February of 2011. But,
despite the movement’s short-term gains, in the
fall of 2013, Saeed’s family was still looking for
ustice.
Hazek could not leave this fight unsupported.
Although the government had recently passed a
law restricting public protest, the author joined
others outside the Alexandria Criminal Court
in late November. That’s where the officers ac-
cused of killing Saeed were getting their retrial.
According to one of Hazek’s open letters from
prison, a few days later, on December 2, 2013,
his first novel was almost ready. Indeed, he had
a 5 pm phone appointment with the owner of a
print shop to discuss a few final details. But he
was unable to make that appointment, as he was
arrested just after 10 am.
The arrest was perhaps some time in coming.
The library’s Independent Workers’ Union said,
in a recent public statement, that “it’s not too far-
fetched” to believe that Hazek’s imprisonment is
related to his outspoken attitude about corruption
charges against Ismail Serageldin, who has been
the library’s director since its opening in 2002.
Consequences
Hazek himself said, in an open letter written from
prison, that he understood that his political stands
could have consequences, “one of which [might
be] losing my job in Bibliotheca Alexandrina for
criticising its head”.
Listening Post - Egypt’s media: Marching in
step?
Indeed, Hazek was officially fired from the library
near the end of April, sparking a new round of
public protest. But his arrest and subsequent im-
prisonment were consequences that Hazek never
expected. For expressing their beliefs outside the
Alexandria Criminal Court, Hazek and six oth-
ers were sentenced to two years in prison and a
$7,000 fine.
Hazek said in an open letter that he “expected
nothing like prison - it is the highest price I have
paid, and I don’t know how I can solely bear the
consequences of my own actions.”
Two months after his ordeal began, Hazek finally
got a copy of his debut novel, I Do Not Love This
City. In a moving letter he wrote for the book’s
launch ceremony, he said that, when his lawyer
brought the book to his cell, “The first thing I did
was to hide it from people. I don’t know why I did
that - perhaps I wanted to hold onto a private mo-
ment, to keep it personal, as in a fully packed cell
nothing is ever personal.”
Hazek wrote that the brown of the novel’s jacket
is not what he would’ve chosen, “but it’s okay - I
contemplated the cover for a while. I was captured
by the gaze of the woman coming at me from
2,000 years ago, perhaps because in prison we
are totally deprived of women and what concerns
them, deprived of their voices, pictures, and per-
fumes. Nothing here is from the feminine world
except the hair-removal cream with its pink cover
that some of the detainees use instead of the ra-
zors that are banned because of their blades.”
The moment when he held his first novel was bit-
tersweet. It had been five years since the release
of Hazek’s first collection of poetry. Then, sud-
denly, in the course of just a few months, “I re-
ceived my novel, wrote a second one, and agreed
to write the third: This is life, which never stops
playing beautiful tricks.”
A month after Hazek got a copy of his novel,
PEN International took up his case, demanding
his immediate and unconditional release.
The next month, the Alexandria library made
its own public statement, officially firing Hazek.
This set off a fresh string of protests from artists
and authors, including Alaa al-Aswany, Hamdy
al-Gazzar, and Bahaa Taher. A delegation of
writers, artists, and lawyers went to the Attor-
ney General’s office to file an appeal. Accord-
ing Hazek’s sister, nothing has yet come of the
meeting.
Many believe this case is important not just be-
cause of the controversial anti-protest law, which
abrogates Egyptians’ right to free assembly, but
because it paves the way for future attacks on
writers. Hazek’s case has been linked to that of
Karam Saber, who was accused of contempt of
religion for his short-story collection Where is
God? and given a five-year prison sentence in
absentia.
Egyptian novelist Hamdy al-Gazzar, in an email
exchange, said that he thinks Hazek’s “is a case
of freedom of speech and expression”. The case is
particularly important, he said, as it reflects “how
the new political regime deals and will deal with
these cases and with the intellectuals, writers, and
artists”.
Hazek, meanwhile, does all he can: He continues
to write.
Marcia Lynx Qualey writes about Arabic litera-
ture and literary translation for a number of pub-
lications. She blogs daily at http://www.arablit.
org
Swiss Vote:
Europe’s Creaking
Sense Of Self-Worth
By:: Menelaos Tzafalias
Alexandria Novelist’s Battle For Free
Speech
By : Marcia Lynx Qualey
Next prime minister will have to revive growth
to create more jobs and take measures to check
rising prices.
Narendra Modi, the leader of the right-wing
Bharatiya Janata Party, is all set to become
India’s next prime minister, but he inherits an
economy in crisis - the winner’s curse. The
GDP growth is the lowest in a decade. Con-
tinued price rise during the last 10 years of the
government led by the Congress party reduced
disposable income and job growth dried up sub-
stantially. Moreover, the government’s public
finances (fiscal situation) are under pressure
with expenditure outpacing revenues by a wide
margin.
nearly eight percent in the first eight years of
the outgoing government. Moreover, large sec-
tions of the population have been left out from
the decade-old growth story. Poverty rankles
deep and economic distress has forced millions
to move to cities where they ended up in shanty
towns. Apart from the global slowdown, lack of
economic reforms and corruption were the main
reasons for the dip in the GDP growth. Gov-
ernment’s lack of clarity on reforms impacted
investments from the private sector, which has
gone into a shell.
The new prime minister might need to initiate
some projects first, but the economy’s ability
to spend on public expenditure plans is limited
due to financial constraints. He might start off
by clearing some of the stalled projects quickly.
Given the limited supply of capital available
domestically, bringing in long-duration foreign
capital into projects is imperative. But for this
to happen, policies/reform decisions across the
sectors have to be taken swiftly.
Keeping public finances in the check:The out-
going United Progressive Alliance government
has brought public finances under control by
cutting expenditure plans, rolling over subsidies
to the next year and forcing dividends from pub-
lic sector companies. These are not sustainable,
and it hampers the ability of the new prime min-
ister to spend on productive projects. The BJP
has promised to provide access to electricity,
sanitation, drinking water, education, healthcare
and housing for all. These social-welfare plans
can put public finances under pressure.
Inside Story - Is India’s economy at a standstill?
Modi has to first push for social-welfare plans
that create assets for future growth. But till de-
velopment plans bear fruit, social-welfare plans
are important since there are sections in rural/
low-income urban community who have not ben-
efited from the economic growth. The BJP lead-
er faces a dilemma whether to reduce subsidies
for fuel, fertiliser etc. If he does, it would reduce
wasteful expenses and free up money for produc-
tive projects such as infrastructure, education,
public facilities, low-cost housing schemes, etc.
But cutting subsidies would raise prices (and in-
flation). In public revenues, the new government
needs to increase tax compliance with a progres-
sive and rationalised tax structure, in order to
bring in further tax revenues.
A push towards entrepreneurship and skill
creation is critical for a country of 1.2 billion
people, of which almost 12 million are estimated
to enter the job market each year
Countering price-rise and supporting agriculture
infrastructure: Price rise has been the biggest
enemy of the average Indian. Factors include
crude oil and commodity prices, inefficient in-
frastructure spoiling food products, changes in
diet towards protein items, better cereals, etc.
In all this, the food segment has possibly been
a major contributor towards inflation. Weather
uncertainties such as El Nino continue to keep
crop output under pressure in the current year,
and any shortfall in production would hike pric-
es and push up inflation yet again.
The country’s central bank has kept the policy
rates (at which it lends to commercial banks)
high to counter inflation. As a result, the rates at
which banks lend further to the industry are also
at the upper end. The new government has to
bring in measures to tackle price rise, so that in-
flation and interest rates eventually come down.
Given that food has been a decisive component,
possible measures include reforms in agriculture
infrastructure, such as expanding irrigation net-
work to reduce dependence on monsoon, stor-
age/warehousing facilities for food products
to reduce spoilage, agriculture-rail network to
speed-up supply, agro-processing for value-ad-
dition activities, countering hoarding and black
marketing and using technology for faster dis-
semination of actual market prices.
Boosting jobs and skill-creation: If the new prime
minister can initiate plans which invest into skill-
creation, education and entrepreneurship, that
would go a long way to boost income opportuni-
ties, reducing the need for social-welfare plans in
the first place. Apart from improving university
and school infrastructure, job creation also re-
quires skill-creation, training for vocational em-
ployment and scholarships.
Skill-imparting needs to look at small-scale in-
dustries and labour-intensive sectors, which can
address employment and economic distress-led
migration. Apart from creating a conducive
entrepreneurship ecosystem through access to
capital, information, infrastructure and skills,
the new leader can also set up business incuba-
tion support, given that India is still a country
where entrepreneurship is viewed socially as a
career of last-resort.
A push towards entrepreneurship and skill
creation is critical for a country of 1.2 billion
people, of which almost 12 million are estimated
to enter the job market each year.
Making industrial, infrastructure and export
growth a priority: India’s segment-wise GDP
shows that the Industry segment has been the
main drag. Delays in policies, environment and
regulatory clearances and high borrowing costs
slowed down investments by companies.
101 East - India’s coal rush
A number of projects are currently stalled as ap-
provals slowed. In this environment, it is impera-
tive to enable a single-window clearance system
for faster decisions and time-bound clearances
for projects. Apart from this, investments into lo-
gistics, road/rail connectivity and freight railway
lines would also help create an enabling environ-
ment for industrial growth.
The new government needs to make industrial
corridors (areas dedicated for large-scale indus-
trial plants and townships with well-linked con-
nectivity to ports, cities and raw material sites)
a priority as these offer significant incentives for
large-scale investments. This means addressing
sensitive issues like land acquisition and com-
pensation.
Industrial focus includes looking at value-addi-
tion, such that India can produce something in
the eventual value-chain of a product even if it is
not capable of producing the final product itself.
This would help make India a hub in the global
manufacturing process. India has narrowed its
gap between imports and exports by cutting im-
ports, while export growth is far from achieved.
The new leader needs to give impetus to “India-
roadshows”, under which the country conducts
promotion of Indian products and services in
various countries to showcase domestic prod-
ucts, and thus win new export markets for itself.
Export growth boils down to sectors where India
holds competitive advantages, since other coun-
tries would not be able to take away market-
share even if their currencies move favourably to
the US dollar.
In conclusion, the economic challenges confront-
ing the new prime minister are immense; how-
ever clarity on the policy and reforms front along
with faster decisions would help initiate action
that would help boost economic output.
The author works with a leading capital markets
company in India.
Economic challenges for India’s
next PM
By Sourajit Aiyer

6. 6The Afghanistan Express Vol No 02, Issue 360, Tueday, May 20, 2014 –
Sawr 30, 1393
Sci-Tech Economy
Self repair. Blue- and red-dyed chemi-
cals mix to patch a hole in a sheet of
plastic; from top left to bottom right six
steps in the process are shown.
Materials that heal themselves are go-
ing bigtime. Scientists have cooked up
a chemical concoction that can patch
a 9-millimeter-wide hole in a sheet of
plastic, a self-repair orders of magnitude
larger than ever demonstrated before.
The finding could lead to new kinds of
airplane wings and spacecraft compo-
nents that can repair themselves mid-
flight.
“It’s exciting; I think it’s a big step for-
ward in being able to autonomously heal
structures without intervention,” says
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
mechanical engineer Ellen Arruda. She
calls the researchers’ scheme “the poly-
mer equivalent of a blood clot.”
Complex life could never have evolved
without the ability to heal itself. When
an animal suffers a puncture wound, for
example, compounds flow from blood
vessels to the wound site, where they
feed the growth of new tissue to fill the
damaged area. The process, however,
requires a vascular system to deliver
the needed components. Because most
nonliving materials lack this complex-
ity, repair typically requires human in-
tervention.
Recently, though, scientists and engi-
neers have begun designing materials
that can patch up small defects. In one
mer made a seal with the original clear
plastic and restored most of the material’s
strength.
“What we did here was what I like to call
repair by regrowth,” says chemist Jeffrey
Moore, a research team member. He says
the critical insight was choosing chemicals
that react at different rates, so the net could
form before polymerization started. “Tim-
ing is everything here,” Moore says.
Moore and his colleagues report online to-
day in Science that their scheme can repair
a hole nearly 1 centimeter in diameter, with
cracks radiating over an area 3.5 centime-
ters in diameter. This is about 100 times
larger than any previously self-repaired
defect in a nonliving material, Moore says.
A system like theirs could someday be part
of self-healing airplane wings or space-
ship components that include composite
materials made of multiple constituents.
Humans cannot easily repair such compo-
nents during flight.
But Arruda says that unlike in a human
wound, which is eventually repaired with
the same kind of tissue that was originally
lost, the makeup of Moore’s team’s poly-
mer differs from that of the original plastic.
As a result, the repaired material is some-
what weaker than an intact sheet; in tests,
it can absorb only about 62% as much en-
ergy from an impact. The researchers will
also need to show that their repairs hold up
under a range of real-world conditions like
varying humidity and extreme tempera-
tures, she says.
Quantum Correlations Make you Never
Fail a Test Again



As local government debts pile up, there are con-
cerns about the effects on the Chinese and world
economy.
To evaluate the risk posed by such debts, the State
Council instructed in 2011 and 2013 the National
Audit Office to comprehensively examine the debt
status of regional government bodies. The two au-
dits —— one from March to May in 2011 and the
other August to September in 2013 —— exam-
ined the debt status of 31 provinces, autonomous
regions and municipalities directly under the cen-
tral government, as well as the five cities specifi-
cally designated in the state plan, cities who are
given part of the provincial-level authority over
economic administration.
In China government debts are divided into three
categories, according to the legal responsibility
for repayment. The first category is debts that lo-
cal governments must repay out of fiscal funds.
The second category includes debts guaranteed
by local governments, who assume responsibility
if the borrower defaults. In such case the govern-
ment is not allowed to pay from fiscal funds, and
has to find other sources of money. The third type
of debt refers to loans borrowed by public institu-
tions and enterprises for public welfare projects.
In this case the local government does not bear
repayment responsibility, but if the debtor defaults
the local government can provide some financial
assistance. The latter two kinds of debts are con-
tingent liabilities.
The two national audits found a continual expan-
sion in government debt. Local government debts
rose from RMB 10.72 trillion in 2010 to RMB
One of the unintended consequences of the current heat
wave here will be bigger crowds at the county’s malls
and busy restaurants as people try to get somewhere cool.
Southern California seems to be the seasonal opposite
of the East Coast. At the start of 2014, about a third of
the country was mired in a massive winter storm that
shut down the Midwest and Northeast, dipping deep into
Texas and down to Florida.
At the same time, we were enjoying a warm, dry winter.
Consumers here were hitting the golf course while much
of the country couldn’t get out of their houses, let alone
go to the mall, test drive cars or look at homes for sale.
“Snow and ice hit parts of the country that almost never
see it. That not only shuttered businesses but created
transportation problems. In response, almost every sec-
tor, from manufacturing to construction, was hit. It’s hard
to build houses in Georgia when it snows in March,” said
Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial.
As a result, the nation’s economy ground to a halt in the
first quarter. The gross domestic product -- the sum total
of all goods and services produced in the country -- rose
by a measly 0.1 percent in the first three months of the
year.
That followed growth in the fourth quarter of 2013 of a
respectable 2.6 percent.
“In some ways, 2014 is showing parallels to 2004. Af-
ter the recession of 2001, the recovery was weak. That
is when the phrase ‘the jobless recovery’ was in vogue.
By late 2003, into 2004, hiring finally began to pick up
The deceleration of China’s economy may continue dur-
ing the current quarter, but an uptick in some leading
indictors point to improvement in the months ahead, an
economist from a government think tank said on Friday.
Chen Dongqi, vice-president of the Macroeconomic
Research Institute of the National Development and Re-
form Commission, told a news conference that given the
time lag between leading indicators and output indica-
tors, a weak April could mean economic improvement
may be some time off.
To the disappointment of many observers, most of the
output indicators in April, including industrial output,
fixed-asset investment and retail sales, showed slower
year-on-year growth compared with March.
Those figures sparked concern that the economy is losing
steam instead of stabilizing.
The latest data - a report on electricity consumption re-
leased on Thursday - confirmed that view for many. Pow-
er use expanded 4.6 percent year-on-year last month, 2.2
percentage points slower than in March.
Chen said when forecasting the economic trend for the
coming months, it’s better to look at leading indicators
such as M2 (broad money supply) and the Purchasing
15.89 trillion by the end of 2012, and RMB 17.89
trillion by June of 2013. Over the span of two and
a half years , provincial government debts surged
from RMB 3.21 trillion to RMB 5.19 trillion; mu-
nicipal debts almost doubted from RMB 4.66 tril-
lion to RMB 7.29 trillion; and similarly county
debts climbed from RMB 2.84 trillion to RMB 5.04
trillion.
Of them the amount that local governments directly
borrowed rose from RMB 6.71 trillion in 2010, to
RMB 9.63 trillion in 2012, and then to RMB 10.89
by the end of June 2013.
Where are the debts from?
Governments have assumed debts for various rea-
sons.
Most commonly they borrow to fund local de-
velopment. During the early years of reform and
opening-up, China’s governments at all levels were
short of funds. In 1979 eight counties took out debt.
Since the then, debts directly borrowed or guar-
anteed by provincial, municipal and county-level
governments have gone all the way up. The table
below shows the division of local government debts
according to their uses.
Sources: Audit Results of China’s Local Govern-
ment Debts (The National Audit Office’s No. 35
Bulletin of 2011) and Audit Results of China’s
Governmental Debt (The National Audit Office’s
No. 32 Bulletin of 2013).
The second reason for surging local government
debts is that under the current tax sharing system
these governments have limited fiscal revenues,
and meanwhile they are prohibited from directly
issuing bonds. As a result, local authorities seek al-
ternative sources of finance by setting up regional
financing platforms, building development areas,
and selling land. After the breakout of the inter-
national financial crisis, China adopted an expan-
sionary fiscal policy. Local governments borrowed
extensively from financial institutions, leading to a
steep growth in local debts.
Official Malpractice poses a third source of debt.
According to the 2013 audit, local governments
have illegally borrowed RMB 245.8 billion, guar-
anteed another RMB 335.9 billion in loans, and
raised RMB 43.35 billion more via bonds issued by
financing platforms. Of this fund RMB 2.3 billion
was invested in the capital market, RMB 7.1 bil-
lion went into real estate, and RMB 4.14 billion was
spent on government buildings.
momentum. If 2014 is the new 2004, we should consider
this to be a maturing expansion, with a few more years
to go before the next down cycle,” said Robert Dye, an
economist with Comerica Bank.
Interestingly, the woes of winter provided a handy ex-
cuse for the Federal Reserve to maintain its low-interest-
rate policy and put off any concerns about inflation for
quite a while. Fed observers believe it will be late 2015
before the monetary plan begins to change its interest
rate policy.
“Looking ahead, I expect that economic activity will ex-
pand at a somewhat faster pace this year than it did last
year, that the unemployment rate will continue to decline
gradually, and that inflation will begin to move up to-
ward 2 percent,” Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen said.
So, despite the weather and other acts of nature, the years
of economic stimulus by the Fed may be on the brink of
finally paying off.
The Commerce Department’s report this week show-
ing retail sales rose just 0.1 percent in April is likely a
stumble on the road to growth.
“We expect to see solid consumer spending numbers this
spring and summer. House prices are still going up. Job
creation is back on track. Consumer confidence is im-
proving. Recent record-breaking performance in equity
markets is helping. Increasingly, the U.S. economy is
showing the characteristics of a midcycle expansion,”
Comerica’s Dye said.
Managers Index.
Last month, M2 increased 13.1 percent year-on-year, up
from 12.1 percent in March. The growth rate beat many
economists’ expectations.
The PMI readings for manufacturing (both official and
private-sector reports) edged up in April from March.
The sub-index of new orders decreased at a slower pace,
which was an indication of marginal improvement in do-
mestic demand.
But the new export orders sub-index was still below the
50 point that separates expansion from contraction, indi-
cating deteriorating export conditions.
Container throughput also strengthened in April. For the
top 10 ports, throughput increased 7 percent year-on-
year, up from 6.3 percent in March.
“Based on indicators across the board, I feel that the
economy still faces downward pressure. The downturn
could last for a while,” Chen said. “But as the leading
indicators have touched bottom, there is a possibility that
the decline will slow.”
He forecast that GDP growth in the second quarter could
dip to 7.3 percent from 7.4 percent in the first quarter.
Economic growth could pick up in the third or fourth
quarters.
“After a certain period of time, I think the economy’s
performance will be better than pessimists have pre-
dicted.
“Overall, we could more or less achieve the official goal
of ‘about 7.5 percent’ growth,” he said.
Song Li, another researcher at the Macroeconomic Re-
search Institute, said although many economists believe
the property market has begun a long downswing, the
current weakening shows the market is reaching some
sort of “equilibrium”.
He added: “When Japan’s property prices went into a
structural drop, its urbanization rate had exceeded 60
percent. Here in China, the real rate is less than 40 per-
cent.”
New Chemical Blend Helps Plastic
Heal itself
such scheme, narrow channels similar to
animal blood vessels deliver compounds
that seal small fissures in a material
made of fiberglass and polymer resins.
So far, such systems have only repaired
fractures so small that opposite sides of
the wound nearly touch. When the dam-
age site is larger—say, the size of a bul-
let hole—liquid compounds tend to leak
out before they can form a seal.
Now, scientists and engineers from the
University of Illinois, Urbana-Cham-
paign, report a two-part solution to fill
such big voids. In the first step, the re-
searchers filled two parallel 330-mi-
crometer-diameter channels with two
mixtures of organic molecules known
to combine to form solid and semisolid
structures; the mixtures were dyed red
and blue. The researchers then embed-
ded the channels in a 3-millimeter-thick
plastic sheet, laid the sheet flat and punc-
tured it, causing the red and blue mix-
tures to flow into the nearly circular hole
and mingle with each other. A catalyst
joined the two compounds into cross-
linked fibers, resulting in a semisolid gel
that filled the hole from the outside in.
The gel’s fibers formed a netlike scaf-
fold that set the stage for the second step
in the healing by supporting a third com-
pound that flowed in from the channels.
This compound reacted to form solid
crisscrossing polymers, which filled in
the hole and surrounding cracks with a
cloudy, purplish substance. The poly-
In the burgeoning field of quantum metrology, quantum effects are
exploited to improve the precision when measuring a variety of
parameters, such as phase, frequency, and magnetic fields. A main
goal of this research is to develop high-accuracy measurement de-
vices that could benefit many areas of science. In a way, explains
physicist Gerardo Adesso at the University of Nottingham in the
UK, this goal is similar to preparing to answer the most difficult
question on an academic exam.
“Alice is reviewing for an exam, helped by her friend Bob,”Adesso
told Phys.org. “How can she make sure she will be prepared to an-
swer even the hardest question? We solve this problem here: she
needs to share quantum correlations with Bob in the first place, of
a general type which can manifest even in the absence of entangle-
ment.”
Adesso and his coauthors have investigated the quantum version of
Alice’s exam problem in a paper accepted for publication in Physi-
cal Review Letters. In the quantum scenario, the goal is to measure
as precisely as possible the angle at which a quantum state has been
rotated after a transformation.Ahigh degree of precision is equiva-
lent to a high exam score.
As all good students know, the key to achieving a high exam score
lies in preparation. The same is true for achieving a high degree of
precision when measuring a quantum state’s angle of rotation. The
quantum state must be prepared in a way so that it is sensitive to
rotations in all directions, even the most insensitive direction (this
is the worst-case scenario, which is equivalent to the most difficult
exam question).
One way to prepare a quantum state that meets these requirements
is, as Adesso explained above, correlating the probe quantum sys-
tem with another quantum system using quantum discord. In the
exam analogy, you might think of a cheating party outside the room
which the student under examination is in touch with.
“Precisely, we find quantum discord to exactly quantify the mini-
mum guaranteed precision in estimating phase shifts (angles) when
the direction is not known a priori,”Adesso said. “That is, it exactly
measures the minimum score you would get on the test, which is
the score you would get if you happen to get the question you are
least prepared for. If the state in the beginning has only classical
correlations (zero discord) then you can be unlucky and get the
question you are completely unprepared for, and you score zero.
If you have any amount of quantum discord, your score can never
fall below that.”
By demonstrating that quantum discord-type correlations, but not
classical correlations, guarantee a non-zero degree of precision in
measuring the angle of rotation, the results provide the first
example of the usefulness of quantum discord, which is a
relatively new form of quantum correlations. The researchers
established these results both theoretically and experimentally
with nuclear magnetic resonance.
The results shed new light on the potential of quantum cor-
relations for quantum technologies, particularly under adverse
conditions.
“This has a lot of applications,” Adesso said. “For the mo-
ment it is a proof-of-principle which shows that discord is a
fundamental resource. Basically this shows that discord has a
precise meaning linked to quantum coherence of a subsystem
in all possible bases. In short, if you require coherence (su-
perposition in a certain preferred basis) for applications such
as metrology, sensing, quantum cryptography, etc., then using
correlated states with discord guarantees you a success in your
protocol even if you do not know the preferred basis.”
Currently,Adesso added, the UK is investing 270 million GBP
in quantum technologies, including sensing and metrology
implementations for commercial applications.
The new results here show that quantum discord can provide
a cheaper resource than entanglement, making it a key ingredi-
ent for reliable quantum technology.
In the future, the researchers plan to further explore the proper-
ties of quantum discord, as well as potential applications.
“In particular we want to extend the setting to optical metrol-
ogy with squeezed light, which has important applications for
gravitational wave detectors,” Adesso said. “I would like to
further look into applications for medical imaging and mag-
netometry as well.
“More fundamentally, I am interested in understanding the
physical properties of general quantum correlations and char-
acterizing their resilience to noise. The picture we had in this
paper was for the estimation of unitary transformations. If the
transformations are noisy, discord can be degraded but in some
cases it gets enhanced instead. One can then check whether
this would result in a noise-empowered precision in estima-
tion. Perhaps this is already exploited in natural phenomena,
where coherence is found to flourish in noisy environments
and has a functional role for the system’s optimization (e.g., in
light harvesting). After all, we clearly showed how coherence
is nothing but the daughter of quantum discord.”
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