U.S. Sanctions on Russia Could Expand as Ukraine Peace Talks Continue, Says Treasury Secretary Bessent 
Trump Endorses Clay Fuller in Georgia Special Election to Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene 
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports 
Trump Allegedly Sought Airport, Penn Station Renaming in Exchange for Hudson River Tunnel Funding 
U.S.–Iran Nuclear Talks Scheduled in Oman as Diplomatic Efforts Resume 
Iran–U.S. Nuclear Talks in Oman Face Major Hurdles Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Ukraine-Russia Talks Yield Major POW Swap as U.S. Pushes for Path to Peace 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Show Cautious Progress Amid Ongoing Fighting 
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences 
UAE Plans Temporary Housing Complex for Displaced Palestinians in Southern Gaza 
U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Expected in Oman Following Venue Change Request 
TrumpRx Website Launches to Offer Discounted Prescription Drugs for Cash-Paying Americans 
Newly Released DOJ Epstein Files Expose High-Profile Connections Across Politics and Business 
U.S. Justice Department Removes DHS Lawyer After Blunt Remarks in Minnesota Immigration Court 
Marco Rubio Steps Down as Acting U.S. Archivist Amid Federal Law Limits 
The United States announced this week that it would be transferring $3.5 billion of assets of the Afghanistan central bank into the Swiss-based trust. The funds would be used to help Afghanistan’s economy as the trust would prevent the Taliban from claiming the money.
The US Treasury issued a statement Wednesday announcing that $3.5 billion of Afghan Central Bank assets would be moved to a trust based in Switzerland also known as the Afghan Fund.
The funds would be managed by a board of trustees and would be used to pay for key imports such as electricity, pay off debts to international financial firms, and protect Afghanistan’s eligibility for financial aid as well as funding printing for new currency.
“The Afghan Fund will protect, preserve, and make targeted disbursements of that $3.5 billion to help provide greater stability to the Afghan economy,” said the Treasury in the statement.
US officials said no money would be going to the Afghan central bank, also known as DAB until it is clear of “political interference,” referring to the diplomatic parlance of replacing the bank’s top Taliban officials with banking experts and until anti-money laundering safeguards are enforced.
Two of the Taliban officials in the DAB are sanctioned by the US and the United Nations.
“Until these financial conditions are met, sending assets to the DAB would place them at unacceptable risk and jeopardize them as a source of support for the Afghan people,” said deputy Treasury secretary Wally Adeyemo in a letter to the DAB’s Supreme Council.
The DAB said the central bank’s reserves belong to the Afghan people and that their aim was to ensure currency stability.
On the same day, the Taliban authorities reported a clash between the insurgent group and Pakistani security forces. The Taliban said shots were fired after Pakistani forces attempted to put up a military structure along the border the two countries share, with casualties on both sides.
Pakistani forces said they responded to cross-border fire from militants. Three Pakistani soldiers were killed in the clash which took place in the eastern province of Paktia on the Afghan side, bordering the Pakistani territory of Kurram.
