MSF Faces Possible Ban From Gaza as Israel Enforces New Aid Registration Rules 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Discussing Possible U.S. Troop Presence as Security Guarantee 
Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland Sparks U.N. Debate and Regional Tensions 
Global Concern Grows as Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Deepens Despite Ceasefire 
Lavrov Says Russia Holds Strategic Initiative in Ukraine as Settlement Talks Continue 
Boeing Secures $8.6 Billion Pentagon Contract for F-15 Jets for Israel 
FBI Surges Resources to Minnesota Amid Fraud Investigations Linked to Somali Community 
Trump–Netanyahu Talks Aim to Revive Gaza Ceasefire and Address Iran, Hezbollah Tensions 
Zohran Mamdani Names Steve Banks as New York City Corporation Counsel Amid Clash With Trump 
Philippines Challenges Chinese Research Vessel Spotted Near Cagayan Coast 
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Three Intellexa-Linked Executives Amid Spyware Controversy 
Lockheed Martin Secures $92.8M AEGIS Sustainment Contract from U.S. Navy 
Australia Orders Independent Review After Bondi Mass Shooting, Albanese Resists Royal Commission Calls 
Bukele Signals Willingness to Extend Power as El Salvador’s Term Limits Are Scrapped 
South Korea Prosecutor Alleges Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Abused Power for Bribes 
U.S. Government Agrees to Review Frozen NIH Diversity Research Grants After Legal Challenge 
Facing an extreme humanitarian crisis, Afghanistan is in dire need of aid to deter the major issue. However, Afghanistan’s former president Hamid Karzai criticized the recent order by US President Joe Biden to split the frozen Afghanistan funds between Afghans and the families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Karzai criticized the US leader for the decision to split the frozen assets that were seized following the collapse of Afghanistan’s western-backed government in August 2021. Karzai called the order an atrocity against the Afghan people, urging the US government to reverse the order.
Biden signed the order Friday last week, splitting the $7.1 billion in Afghanistan’s frozen assets between the country and the 9/11 victims’ families. The families filed lawsuits against the Taliban, demanding compensation. $3.5 billion that would go to the victims’ families would be set aside for those who will file lawsuits to gain access to the funds.
“The people of Afghanistan share the pain of the American people, share the pain of the families and loved ones of those who died, who lost their lives in the tragedy of September 11,” said Karzai during a press conference. “We commiserate with them, Afghan people are as much victims as those families who lost their lives. Withholding money or seizing money from the people of Afghanistan in their name is unjust and unfair and an atrocity against Afghan people.”
Karzai went on to say that they “ask the courts to do the opposite, to return the Afghan money back to the Afghan people. This money does not belong to any government…this money belongs to the people of Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, CNN reports that eight western nationals have been arrested and detained by the Taliban in different incidents in the past two months. While there have been no formal charges made against them, the detained group includes six British citizens, one of them being a legal resident in the US, and one US citizen, according to people familiar with the matter.
Among the group were British journalists Andrew North and Peter Jouvenal. North was in Afghanistan working for the United Nations and was previously in BBC. Jouvenal worked on both BBC and CNN.
