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Afghan family ravaged by U.S. drone strike mistake wants headstones for the dead – and possible new life in America

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KABUL, Afghanistan – By the time the American apology arrived, the lives of the Ahmadi family were already upended. And being falsely accused by the U.S. military of ties to the Islamic State was not the worst part of the ordeal.

There was their shattered family house. There were the nightmares, the bouts of crying and the screams triggered by the memory of a U.S. drone strike on Aug. 29 that killed 10 of their relatives, including seven children.

There were the fresh fears of persecution by the Taliban after the media spotlight on the family noted thatsome members, including survivors, worked for U.S.-based firms.

The Hellfire missile – the weapon used in the Pentagon’s capstone attack at the end of two-decade war – also killed the family’s only breadwinner, Zamarai Ahmadi.

“We didn’t have money to bury our relatives,” said his 32-year-old brother Emal on Saturday, steps away from the mangled carcass of a white Toyota sedan. “We had to borrow the funds.”

Without doubt, the Pentagon’s mea culpa Friday – that a series of miscalculations led to the wrongful targeting of Zamarai Ahmadi, an aid worker with a U.S.-based group – has lifted a heavy weight off the family.

“The Americans kept emphasizing they killed an ISIS-K terrorist,” said Emal, referring to the Islamic State’s Afghanistan branch. “Now we are happy they have acknowledged their mistake and confirmed that they killed innocent people.”

The remnants of a white Toyota sedan destroyed by a U.S. Hellfire missile, which also killed 10 people, are seen in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 18, 2021. MUST CREDIT: Photo by Lorenzo Tugnoli for The Washington Post

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What the family seeks now is to exit their American-made hell.

Family members in interviews on Saturday expressed no visible animosity toward the U.S. government for killing their loved ones. But forgiveness may be too strong a word.

Rather, the Ahmadis grasp onto a sense of pragmatism. They want compensation from the U.S. government and help in leaving Afghanistan and getting resettled in the United States or another safe country, family members said.

“You can see the situation in Afghanistan is not good,” said Samim Ahmadi, 24, the step son of Zamarai. “Whether in America or another country, we want peace and comfort for our remaining years. Everyone makes mistakes. The Americans cannot bring back our loved ones, but they can take us out of here.”

On Saturday came further worrisome signs from Afghanistan. A series of blasts rocked the eastern city of Jalalabad, potentially targeting Taliban vehicles, killing at least three people and wounding 20. There was no initial claims of responsibility, but the province is a bastion of the Islamic State.

Before last month’s drone strike, both Emal and Zamarai had applications in process to acquire special visas to enter the United States because of their work with American companies, said family members.

The drone strike has heightened the urgency to leave, they added.

“We are worried,” said Ajmal Ahmadi, another brother. “We feel under threat because we are so exposed to the public by the media. Everyone got to know that we have worked for foreigners, served in the Afghan army as well as the Afghan intelligence agency.”

They also want justice. Those responsible for their tragedy, such as the commander who oversaw the strike, the drone operator or anyone else who had visuals on the ground, need to be held accountable in a U.S. court, family members said.

“The U.S. government must punish those who launched the drone strike,” said Emal Ahmadi, slim and bearded, his firm voice at times softening with emotion. “They knew and saw there were children on the ground. Can anyone bring them back?”

Yet so far, family members said, they have had no contact with U.S. officials from any branch of the government, not even to offer their apology personally.

“They should have contacted us and at least asked us about our situation,” said Emal, shaking his head.

Until Friday, the Pentagon had defended last month’s operation as a “righteous strike.” Defense officials said they had tracked a white Toyota sedan for hours after it left a suspected Islamic State safe house and destroyed it to prevent an imminent suicide attack.

In reality, the car’s driver, Zamarai Ahmadi, was a longtime employee of Nutrition and Education International, a charity based in California. He was carrying large water canisters that were apparently mistaken for bombs, officials acknowledged, echoing earlier investigations by The Washington Post and other media outlets that raised questions about the attack.

– – –

Just before the drone strike, Ahmadi had pulled into his gated family compound, where he and his three brothers grew up in a working-class enclave west of Kabul’s airport. Now, they were all living there with their own families. Their kids played with each other every day in the courtyard.

On this evening, several jumped into Ahmadi’s car. That’s when the missile struck, a pinpoint attack that eviscerated the sedan and sprayed shrapnel into doors and walls, shattering windows.

Zamarai and three of his sons – Zamir, 20, Faisal, 16, and Farzad, 11 – were killed. The three children of another brother – Arween, 7, Binyamin, 6 and Ayat, 2 – also died, along with Emal’s 3-year-old daughter, Malika, and his nephew Nasser, 30. A cousin’s infant daughter, Sumaiya, was also among those killed.

The entire family depended on Zamarai’s $500 monthly salary, said Emal. With their house destroyed, the remaining 15 family members moved to his sister’s small, four-room home, an hour’s drive away.

“Every night we sleep on the roof because there is not enough space in the house,” said Ajmal Ahmadi. “For the first 15 days, I could not sleep. I kept having flashbacks of my brother, my nieces and nephews.”

The wives of Emal and another relative, Romal, are more traumatized, said family members. Both women witnessed the deaths of their children. “They have constant nightmares, often waking up screaming at night,” said Emal.

His 7-year-old daughter, Ada, still asks when her sister, Malika, will return home.

“I can’t bear to tell her that her sister is dead,” said Emal. “I’ve told her Malika is at the hospital and one day she will come back.”

Imran, 8, Ajmal’s son, recalled how he would ride bikes and play soccer with his cousins. They would pluck fresh grapes from vines for snacks.

“Now,” he said, “they are in the next world.”

The family tries to avoid their destroyed house as much as possible.

“Whenever our relatives come here, they remember everything about the explosion,” said Ajmal. “It is just too hard. We can no longer live in this house.”

Meanwhile, the family’s financial woes are growing. The brothers have lived off the savings of her sister for the past three weeks. Those savings are gone, and the family is forced to borrow money again, said Emal. They owe nearly $2,000, a princely sum in Afghanistan.

And they still have unfinished family business.

At a cemetery, a half-hour drive away, 10 graves are scattered on a rocky hill side. Each has a stone painted in red to mark its location and a white cloth with the name of the family member. The family cannot afford to buy the gravestones.

But they say that one day they will.

Published : September 19, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40006349

In Japan anime universe, Belle seeks to rewrite script on female power

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TOKYO – In her life in rural Japan, Suzu is a freckled and shy 17-year-old who is self-conscious about her looks and has lost her will to play music after her moms death.

But in the virtual world, known as “U,” she transforms into Belle, an enchanting global pop superstar with flowing pink hair and a mesmerizing facial design that resembles freckles.

The animated film “Belle” – a hit in Japan that will make its U.S. debut at the New York Film Festivalon Sept. 25 – also carries a bit of artistic rebellion.

The film’s message of female empowerment has gained attention for flipping the script on anime, Japan’s signature style of animated movies and graphic novels that often portrays girls and women as weak, vacuous and hyper-sexualized.

The message has resonated in Japan during a time when growing numbers of women are calling for change – most recently laid bare through a string of sexist comments by high-ranking Olympic officials that drew fierce backlash.

“I feel that women characters in Japanese anime are often depicted through a lens of desire leading to their sexual exploitation, and too much is brushed off as a freedom of expression,” the film’s director, Mamoru Hosoda, said during an interview earlier this month at Studio Chizu, his animation studio in the Tokyo suburbs.

Director Mamoru Hosoda at his office in Tokyo on Sept. 9. MUST CREDIT: photo for The Washington Post by Shiho Fukada.

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From Disney princesses to Marvel superheroes, from anime to pop music, creators across genres are rethinking how to portray women and girls with agency and dignity, and show that being imperfect is beautiful, too. Global movements such as #MeToo have also underscored a sense of common purpose.

Hosoda said he hopes to draw attention to the ways that Japanese animation has shaped the public’s perceptions of women and girls, and what it means to be beautiful and powerful.

“Such exploitation [has been] . . . justified with the notion that it’s happening in a fantasy world, and not in reality. But I feel that, surely, such perceptions are connected and will influence our reality,” he added, as he sipped on coffee at his office, decorated with posters and figurines.

Japanese animation, which includes anime and manga, is among the country’s biggest cultural exports and has become popularized through digital streaming services.

But problematic female representation in anime, especially in television shows aimed at men, has been a concern for gender equality advocates. Such depictions are both overt – exaggerated breasts and barely clothed girls – and subtle, such as story lines in which girls are damsels in distress and secondary to boys.

In recent years, directors such as Hosoda have sought to challenge views in Japanese society that can devalue women, said Akiko Sugawa, professor at Japan’s Yokohama National University specializing in gender and anime studies.

“Anime has the power to create and break gender stereotypes,” she said.

Sugawa said there is still much room for improvement, including the need for more women and LGBTQ anime directors.

“There are now more positive portrayals of LGBTQ characters, issues and works that pose questions about societal problems. And with the rise of more diverse directors and anime decision-makers, there’s hope for more change to come,” Sugawa said.

“Belle” is a modern twist on the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast.” After her mother dies while trying to save a child from danger, Suzu struggles to fit in at school. She joins the virtual world “U” as Belle, a talented performer with eye-catching outfits who instantaneously gains billions of followers.

With the computer savvy of her female best friend and the emotional support of her late mother’s female friends, Suzu/Belle embarks on an adventure to help a mysterious beast. Along the way, Belle performs several songs that can now be heard throughout shopping districts of Tokyo. Since its release in July, “Belle” has become Japan’s third-highest-grossing film this year.

In the movie, Hosoda seeks to give women and girls greater depth and humanity than is normally depicted in anime. Through Suzu/Belle, he juxtaposes the way that the inner beauty of Suzu and dynamism of Belle coexist in one person. For Suzu, an introverted teen, her online persona is not just an imagination or an escape, but rather a part of herself that she eventually grows into.

Hosoda said he wanted to give Belle more complexity, in the way the character of Beast in the original Disney movie was afforded that depth.

“Just like the beast having a duality, I wanted Belle to also have two sides and focus on how the two sides come to play, ultimately leading to her self-growth,” he said.

Mamoru Hosoda draws at his office in Studio Chizu in Tokyo on Sept. 9. MUST CREDIT: photo for The Washington Post by Shiho Fukada.

Hosoda received a 14-minute standing ovation when his movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in July. Belle has been replicated by cosplayers, who dress up as anime characters. The animated character Belle “performed” the movie’s title song at the Fuji Rock Festival last month.

On social media, Japanese fans have raved about the movie’s positive message, stunning visuals and catchy tunes. “Those who are feeling difficulty in their lives, those who want to change but can’t, I hope they see this film. It really helps you take a step forward,” one person tweeted.

Hosoda, 53, has long focused on the cyber world in his works, including the film versions of “Digimon” in1999 and 2000 and from his earliest feature films such as “Summer Wars.”

His movies, particularly in recent years, have depicted women and girls as independent and strong-willed characters, including the 2018 “Mirai,”a story about a boy who lashes out after his younger sister is born but learns the importance of family bonds. The movie earned Hosoda an Oscar nomination for best animated feature film.

But through “Belle,” Hosoda has delivered perhaps his most explicit message about female empowerment and the power of technology as a force for good. He said he was inspired by his 5-year-old daughter, as he contemplates the future she will face growing up.

“She is still in preschool and is quite introverted, so I imagined how she was going to survive once she gets on social media and begins having all sorts of online interactions,” he said.

Hosoda said he wanted to challenge the narratives warning against increasing reliance on the Internet.

“For the younger generation, the norm will be to live in both worlds and that both worlds are their realities,” he said. “And the Internet plays a huge role for them to raise their voice and go out into the world.”

“Belle” is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters this winter.

Published : September 19, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40006337

Asean reports lowest Covid-related deaths this month, as new cases decline

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Southeast Asia saw a decrease in new Covid-19 cases and the lowest death toll this month on Saturday, collated data showed.

Asean countries reported 69,759 infections and 1,251 deaths on Saturday compared to 72,071 and 1,345 respectively on Friday.

Singapore‘s Education Ministry said primary schools in the country will hold online classes for 10 days before the national exams after 935 new Covid-19 cases, the highest since April last year, were reported recently.

Students in primary school 1-5 must attend online classes from September 27 to October 6, while primary 6 students will take 2-3 days off before the national exams in order to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading in schools.

Vietnam‘s Health Ministry has approved the Cuba-made Abdala Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.

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The protein subunit vaccine was developed by The Finlay Institute and The Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Havana, Cuba.

During the third clinical trial, the vaccine initially gave 92.28 per cent immunity against Covid-19 after receiving three jabs.

Asean reports lowest Covid-related deaths this month, as new cases decline

Published : September 19, 2021

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40006335

U.S. details vaccine efficacy, plans use of booster shot against wildness of COVID-19

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A CDC study suggests that Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine provided 88 percent protection against hospitalization, and Modernas was 93 percent effective. Johnson & Johnsons Janssen vaccine came in third with 71 percent protection.

The United States has kept on pushing through federal requirements of broad vaccination by highlighting the efficacy of its three authorized COVID-19 vaccines, while planning to narrow the use of a booster shot only to old people and those who work at high risk.
 

On Friday, expert advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously to recommend that the agency authorize a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine six months after vaccination for people 65 years and older and for anyone at risk for severe illness.

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The vote is not binding, and Peter Marks, the FDA official overseeing coronavirus vaccines, indicated that the final decision could be slightly different, encompassing people who are at higher risk of infection because of their professions, such as health-care workers and front-line employees, including teachers.

Photo taken on Aug. 23, 2021 shows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Silver Spring, Maryland, the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

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A decision about boosters from the FDA is expected by next week, and an advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is slated to meet on Wednesday and Thursday to recommend how a third shot should be used.

According to The New York Times (NYT), the 7-day average of confirmed cases of the pandemic stood at 148,816 nationwide on Friday, with its 14-day change striking a 9-percent fall. COVID-19-related deaths were 1,992 on Friday, with the 14-day change realizing a 28-percent rise.

Placards display signage for Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations at a mobile COVID-19 vaccination center in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, Aug. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Michael Nagle)

VACCINE EFFICACY

A head-to-head study of all three authorized coronavirus vaccines in the United States found that the Moderna vaccine was slightly more effective than Pfizer’s in real-life use in keeping people out of the hospital, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine came in third, but still provided 71 percent protection. Pfizer’s vaccine provided 88 percent protection against hospitalization, and Moderna’s was 93 percent effective.

The CDC led a nationwide study of vaccination involving more than 3,600 adults hospitalized for COVID-19 between March and August, and announced the findings in its weekly report on death and disease.

Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines both use genetic material called messenger RNA to deliver immunity, but they use differing doses and slightly different formulations. The Janssen vaccine uses an inactivated common cold virus called adenovirus, a viral vector, to carry genetic instructions into the body.

On Wednesday, Moderna shared a new analysis from its phase three study that showed the incidence of breakthrough COVID-19 cases, which occurred in fully vaccinated people, was less frequent in a group of trial participants who were recently inoculated, suggesting the COVID-19 vaccine’s protection wanes over time.

There were 88 identified breakthrough cases out of 11,431 people vaccinated between December and March, the company said in a press release, compared with 162 breakthrough cases out of 14,746 trial participants vaccinated in July through October 2020.

The breakthrough cases were not all the Delta variant’s fault, and the COVID-19 cases in vaccinated people might be a result of both vaccine protection waning over time and the highly transmissible variant, Moderna President Stephen Hoge told CNBC, adding that “it’s the reason to get ahead of the problem and boost.”

MANDATE INFLUENCE

Employees in five industries will especially feel the effects of the U.S. federal government’s new vaccine mandate: management, utilities, information, finance and insurance, and administration and waste management services, reported CNN on Friday.

More than 80 percent of the workforce for those five industries are employed by businesses with a staff of at least 100 employees, which means they’ll be required to get a vaccine or a weekly COVID-19 test. That’s according to 2018 data on U.S. businesses the most recent data released by the Census Bureau in May.

The rules that U.S. President Joe Biden announced last week would apply to more than 80 million working Americans, about two-thirds of the workforce. There are 43 million employees who work at companies that employ fewer than 100 people, and who are not covered by that federal vaccine mandate.

The vaccine mandate will also apply to state and local government workers in 26 U.S. states, some of which have banned vaccination requirements for public employees, thus “setting up another clash between GOP-led states and the Democratic administration,” reported USA Today on Saturday.

Biden made no mention of vaccine requirements for state and local workers when announcing new rules, but Labor Department spokeswoman Denisha Braxton confirmed to media that Biden’s new rules will “apply to public-sector state and local government workers, including educators and school staff” in 26 states and two territories.

Speaking at a middle school in Washington, D.C., the day after announcing his multipronged approach, Biden called on governors to require vaccinations for all teachers and staff, adding that “this isn’t a game. And I don’t know of any scientist out there in this field that doesn’t think it makes considerable sense to do the six things I’ve suggested.”

A staff member works at the San Francisco Public Library in San Francisco, the United States, May 3, 2021. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)

Published : September 19, 2021

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40006333

Biden administration to deport migrant crowds in Texas border city: media

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Under the plan by the Department of Homeland Security, the Biden administration will “accelerate the pace and increase the capacity” of removal flights to Haiti and other destinations in the next 72 hours, media reported.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration said on Saturday it would start to swiftly deport thousands of Haitian migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally and gathering under a bridge in Del Rio, a border city in south central U.S. state Texas.

The Biden administration has three flights planned for Sunday, and more could be scheduled for the coming days, according to a New York Times report, citing an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

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Under the plan by the Department of Homeland Security, the Biden administration will “accelerate the pace and increase the capacity” of removal flights to Haiti and other destinations in the next 72 hours, said the report.

The White House temporarily halted deportation flights to Haiti after an earthquake in August, which was followed by a powerful tropical storm after weeks of civil unrest, said the report.

More than 14,000 Haitians are reportedly camping out under the Del Rio International Bridge, surging from hundreds just about 10 days ago. They are waiting to turn themselves in to the U.S. Border Patrol and seek asylum.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday directed the state’s Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to shut down six points of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border amid the massive surge of migration,saying the border crisis is “so dire” that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents “are overwhelmed by the chaos.”

U.S.-Mexico border arrests have reportedly stayed at the highest level in more than two decades, with more than 208,000 registered in August alone.
 

Published : September 19, 2021