Israel-Lebanon Talks Resume in Rome as Ceasefire and Troop Withdrawal Remain Elusive 
Trump Declassifies China Election Intelligence, Revives 2020 Election Security Claims 
North Korea Calls South Korea ‘Puppet’ After U.S.-Led RIMPAC Naval Exercise 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
Trump Criticizes ABC, NBC and CNN for Limiting Coverage of Election Speech 
Xi Jinping Calls for People-Centered AI Development at WAIC, Expands Global Cooperation 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
US Troop Pullback Raises NATO Security Concerns Amid Russia Tensions 
Zelenskiy Cabinet Reshuffle Puts Ukraine Defense Minister Fedorov’s Future in Focus 
Trump to Deliver National Address on 2020 Election Intelligence, Voting Machine Security 
US Restricts Commercial Flights From Congo Amid Ebola Outbreak 
Iran Launches Fresh Attacks on U.S. Bases as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate 
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Extradition Dispute 
Trump Administration Bars U.S. Travelers From Congo Flights Amid Ebola Outbreak 
Russian and Ukrainian Strikes Kill at Least 13 as Attacks Intensify Across Frontline Regions 
NY Times Challenges Trump Administration Subpoenas Over Air Force One Report 
Trump ICC Sanctions Challenged as Advocacy Groups File Free Speech Lawsuit 
Afghanistan’s acting Commerce and Industry Minister said the insurgent group has signed a provisional deal with Russia to supply gas, diesel, and wheat. This comes as the ministry is looking to diversify its trading partners.
The acting Afghan Commerce and Industry minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi told Reuters Tuesday that the Taliban signed a provisional deal with Russia in an effort to diversify its trading partners.
In the deal, Russia would supply Afghanistan with gasoline, gas, diesel, and wheat. Moscow also offered the Taliban government a discount on the average global commodity prices.
Azizi said that under the deal, Russia would supply Afghanistan with around one million tons of gasoline, one million tons of diesel, 500,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas, and two million tons of wheat per year.
This marks the first major economic deal the insurgent group has made since taking control of Afghanistan last year. The deal could also help ease Afghanistan’s “isolation” from the global banking system due to the sanctions imposed on some of the insurgent group’s members and frozen overseas assets.
The West said that for the insurgent group to be recognized internationally, it must change its policies on women’s rights and prove that it has severed ties with other militant groups. While
Russia does not also recognize the Taliban’s government, Moscow hosted Taliban leaders during the time leading up to the fall of the Western-backed government in Kabul last year, and the Russian embassy is one of the very few that are still running in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, a senior member of the Taliban has called on its leaders to reopen schools for girls, saying that there is no valid reason in Islam for the ban. The Taliban deputy foreign affairs minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai made the comments during a Taliban gathering in the capital Kabul.
“It is very important that education must be provided to all, without any discrimination,” said Stanikzai. “Women must get an education. There is no Islamic prohibition for girls’ education.”
“Let’s not provide opportunities for others to create a gap between the government and people,” Stanikzai added. “If there are technical issues, that needs to be resolved and schools for girls must be reopened.”
