WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday to create a pathway to split $7 billion in Afghan assets frozen in the US to fund humanitarian relief in Afghanistan and to create a trust fund to compensate Sept. 11 victims.
The order calls for US financial institutions to facilitate access to $3.5 billion for Afghan relief and basic needs. The other $3.5 billion would remain in the United States and be used to fund payments from ongoing litigation by US victims of terrorism.
International funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the country’s assets abroad, mostly in the United States, were frozen after the Taliban took control of the country in August as the US military withdrew.
The White House said in a statement that the order “is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan, while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors.”
Afghanistan’s long-troubled economy has been in a tailspin since the Taliban takeover. Nearly 80 percent of the previous Afghan government’s budget came from the international community. That money, now cut off, financed hospitals, schools, factories and government ministries. Desperation for such basic necessities has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as health care shortages, drought and malnutrition.
The lack of funding has led to increased poverty, and aid groups have warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe. State employees, from doctors to teachers and administrative civil servants, haven’t been paid in months. Banks, meanwhile, have restricted how much money account holders can withdraw.
The official noted that US courts where 9/11 victims have filed claims against the Taliban will also have to take action for the victims to be compensated. It will ultimately be up to the courts to decide if the victims have a claim to the $3.5 billion the administration is allotting for them through the trust fund, according to two senior administration officials who brief reporters ahead of the signing.
The Biden administration is still working through details of setting up the trust fund, an effort the White House says will likely take months to sort out.
Because victims have ongoing legal claims on the $7 billion in the US banking system, the courts would have to sign off before the money for humanitarian assistance could be released to Afghanistan, the officials said.
The US launched the war in Afghanistan more than 20 years ago after then-Taliban leader Mullah Omar refused to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks on the United States. Bin Laden, who was born in Saudi Arabia but had his citizenship revoked, relocated to Afghanistan after being expelled from Sudan in 1996.
Taliban political spokesman Mohammad Naeem criticized the Biden administration for not releasing all the funds to Afghanistan.
“Stealing the blocked funds of Afghan nation by the United States of America and its seizure (of those funds) shows the lowest level of humanity . . . of a country and a nation,” Naeem tweeted.
The Biden administration pushed back against criticism that all $7 billion — largely derived from donations by the US and other nations to Afghanistan — should be released to Afghanistan, noting that the 9/11 claimants under the US legal system have a right to have their day in court.
The Justice Department had signaled several months ago that the Biden administration was poised to intervene in a federal lawsuit filed by 9/11 victims and families of victims in New York City by filing what’s known as a “statement of interest.” The deadline for that filing had been pushed back until Friday because the department said the administration needed to resolve “many complex and important” issues that required consultation with “numerous senior officials and executive agencies and components.”
The Taliban have called on the international community to release funds and help stave off a humanitarian disaster.
Afghanistan has more than $9 billion in reserves, including just over $7 billion in reserves held in the United States. The rest is largely in Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland.
As of January the Taliban had managed to pay salaries of their ministries but were struggling to keep employees at work. They have promised to open schools for girls after the Afghan new year at the end of March, but humanitarian organizations say money is needed to pay teachers. Universities for women have reopened in several provinces with the Taliban saying the staggered opening will be completed by the end of February when all universities for women and men will open, a major concession to international demands.
In recent months, Afghans have been able to withdraw only $200 weekly and that only in Afghanis, not in US currency. Afghanistan’s economy has teetered on the verge of collapse.
The United Nations last month issued an appeal for nearly $5 billion, its largest ever appeal for one country, predicting nearly 90 percent of the country’s 38 million people were surviving below the poverty level of $1.90 a day. The UN also warned that upward of 1 million children risked starvation.
David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, urged release of the funds to prevent famine, at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the matter Wednesday.
“The humanitarian community did not choose the government, but that is no excuse to punish the people, and there is a middle course — to help the Afghan people without embracing the new government,” Miliband said.
Biden splitting frozen funds for Afghan relief, 9/11 victims
https://arab.news/2x3p2
Biden splitting frozen funds for Afghan relief, 9/11 victims
- $7 billion in Afghan assets will be split between desperate Afghans and 9/11 victims
- Taliban accused the US of stealing Afghanistan's money
World leaders set to attend Francis’s funeral as cardinals gather
- First so-called ‘general congregation’ signals the start of a centuries-old tradition that culminates in the election by cardinals of a new pontiff within three weeks
The first so-called “general congregation,” called following the death Monday of Francis, 88, signals the start of a centuries-old tradition that culminates in the election by cardinals of a new pontiff within three weeks.
The first images of the Argentine pontiff in his open coffin were published by the Vatican Tuesday.
The pope was seen during a service Monday evening in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy, and where he died.
Francis was wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and had a rosary between his fingers.
Tributes have poured in from around the globe for Francis, a liberal reformer who took over following the resignation of German theologian Benedict XVI in 2013.
His home country, Argentina, prepared for a week of national mourning while India began three days of state mourning on Tuesday – a rare honor for a foreign religious leader in the world’s most populous nation.
Heads of state and royalty are expected for his funeral, due to be held at St. Peter’s Basilica, with Trump and France’s Emmanuel Macron the first to announce they would attend.
On Tuesday, a source at the Ukrainian presidency told AFP that Zelensky, too, would come to Rome.
The funeral should be held between the fourth and sixth days after the pope’s death, according to the Apostolic Constitution – so between Friday and Sunday this week.
But the details will be decided by the cardinals, whose first of a series of “general congregations” was scheduled for 9:00 am (0700 GMT) Tuesday.
Cardinals of all ages are invited to the congregations, although only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for a new pope in the conclave.
The conclave should begin no less than 15 and no more than 20 days after the death of the pope.
The pope’s body was moved into the Santa Marta chapel on Monday evening, and his apartment formally sealed, the Vatican said.
His remains are expected to be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica starting Wednesday to lie in state.
Francis, who wore plain robes and eschewed the luxury of his predecessors, has opted for a simple tomb, unadorned except for his name in Latin, Franciscus, according to his will released Monday.
He will be buried in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, becoming the first pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.
His death certificate released by the Vatican said Francis died of a stroke, causing a coma and “irreversible” heart failure.
He had been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital on March 23 and ordered to spend at least two months resting.
But Francis, who never took a holiday and delighted in being among his flock, made numerous public appearances in recent days.
He appeared exhausted on Sunday during the Easter celebrations, but nevertheless greeted the crowds in his popemobile in St. Peter’s Square.
Argentine football great Lionel Messi hailed his compatriot – himself a huge fan of the beautiful game – for “making the world a better place.”
On Monday evening, thousands of faithful, some bringing flowers or candles, flocked to St. Peter’s Square at sunset to pray for Francis.
He “tried to get people to understand it doesn’t matter your sexual orientation, your race, it doesn’t matter in the eyes of God,” Mateo Rey, 22, a Mexican student, said.
“I think that’s the closest to what Jesus intended.”
Born Jorge Bergoglio, Francis was the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to lead the worldwide Catholic Church.
An energetic reformer, he sought to open the Church to everyone and was hugely popular – but his views also sparked fierce internal opposition.
In 12 years as pope, Francis advocated tirelessly for the defense of migrants, the environment, and social justice without questioning the Church’s positions on abortion or priestly celibacy.
Outspoken and stubborn, Francis also sought to reform the governance of the Holy See and expand the role of women and lay people, and to clean up the Vatican’s murky finances.
Faced with revelations of widespread child sex abuse in the Church, he lifted pontifical secrecy and forced religious and lay people to report cases to their superiors.
However, victims’ groups said he did not go far enough.
France’s Barrot: Europeans expressed red lines over Ukraine to US
- Barrot says Putin’s truce in Ukraine over Easter was a marketing operating operation aimed at preventing that US President Donald Trump gets impatient
PARIS: Europe has expressed its red lines over Ukraine to the United States at a meeting last week ahead of a new round of discussions in London on Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday.
He also said in an interview with francinfo radio that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s truce in Ukraine over Easter was a marketing operating operation aimed at preventing that US President Donald Trump gets impatient with him.
“The Easter truce that he announced somewhat unexpectedly was a marketing operation, a charm operation aimed at preventing President Trump from becoming impatient and angry,” Barrot told the FranceInfo broadcaster, a day after Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine in an abrupt end to the fragile Easter truce.
Australians start voting in general elections as pope’s death overshadows campaigning
- Polling stations opened to voters who, for a variety of reasons, will be unable to vote on May 3
- Around half the votes are expected to be cast before the election date
MELBOURNE: Australians began voting Tuesday at general elections as the death of Pope Francis overshadowed campaigning.
Polling stations opened to voters who, for a variety of reasons, will be unable to vote on May 3. Around half the votes are expected to be cast before the election date.
Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton canceled campaign events planned for Tuesday out of respect for the late pontiff.
Flags were flown at half staff from government buildings across the country, where a 2021 census found 20 percent of the population were Catholics.
Albanese was raised as a Catholic but chose to be sworn in as prime minister when elected in 2022 by making a secular affirmation rather than by taking an oath on a Bible.
Albanese, who has described himself as a “flawed Catholic,” attended a Mass in honor of the pope in Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning.
“I try not to talk about my faith in public,” Albanese said.
“At times like this, I think what people do is they draw on who they are and certainly my Catholicism is just a part of me,” he added.
Albanese and Dutton, who leads the conservative Liberal Party, will meet in Sydney later Tuesday for the third televised leaders’ debate of the campaign.
A fourth debate is planned Sunday.
Dutton, who was raised by a Catholic father and Protestant mother and attended an Anglican school, attended a Mass on Tuesday afternoon at Sydney’s St. Mary’s Cathedral.
“I don’t think it’s a day for overt politicking at all. I think that the day is best spent reflecting,” Dutton said.
“I don’t think there’s a place for the body blows of politics today. I think it’s a very different day from that,” Dutton added.
Albanese’s center-left Labour Party is seeking a second three-year term.
The government held a narrow majority of 78 seats out of 151 in the House of Representatives, where parties form administrations during their first term.
The lower chamber will shrink to 150 seats after the election due to redistributions.
The major parties are both predicting a close election result.
Taiwan cabinet to ask parliament to unfreeze $4bn amid budget standoff
- Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee says the government will ask parliament to unfreeze T$138.1 billion ($4.25 billion) in funds
- Cabinet will also seek a legal interpretation from the constitutional court on both the constitutionality of the budget as passed by lawmakers
TAIPEI: Taiwan’s cabinet said on Tuesday it will ask the opposition controlled legislature to release more than $4 billion in funds frozen as part of a stand-off over this year’s budget, which the government says could seriously affect their operations.
While the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Lai Ching-te won the presidency in last year’s elections, the party lost its majority in parliament.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), along with the small Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), control the most seats, and earlier this year voted through sweeping cuts to 2025’s budget, saying they were targeting waste, and froze other funds saying they wanted greater oversight on spending plans.
In a statement, cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee said the government will ask parliament to unfreeze T$138.1 billion ($4.25 billion) in funds.
The cabinet “hopes the Legislative Yuan can unfreeze it all in a short period of time to reduce the difficulties and inconveniences people have in their dealings with the administration,” Lee said, using parliament’s formal name.
The cabinet will also seek a legal interpretation from the constitutional court on both the constitutionality of the budget as passed by lawmakers, and a separate legal amendment granting more money to local governments at the expense of the central government, Lee added.
The defense ministry has warned of a “serious impact” to security from the amended budget, saying it will require a cut in defense spending of some T$80 billion at a time when the island is facing an elevated Chinese military threat.
Taiwan’s opposition has shown little appetite to seek compromise with the government on the budget issue, given they are angered at a campaign led by civic groups and backed by senior DPP officials to recall a swathe of opposition lawmakers.
The KMT and TPP chairmen met earlier on Tuesday vowing to redouble efforts to work together against the “green communists,” referring to the DPP’s party colors, and will hold a joint protest in front of the presidential office on Saturday.
“We don’t just want to take down Lai Ching-te, but the entire corrupt, arrogant and abusive system,” KMT Chairman Eric Chu wrote on his Facebook page after meeting TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang.
Lai and the DPP’s public approval ratings have remained relatively high.
A poll last week by Taiwan television station Mirror TV put the DPP’s approval rating at 45 percent, relatively steady over the past year, with both the KMT and TPP on around 28 percent, both down compared with the year ago period.
Fleeing Pakistan, Afghans rebuild from nothing
- Pushed out of Pakistan where she was born, Nazmine Khan’s first experience of her country, Afghanistan, was in a sweltering tent at a border camp
TORKHAM: Pushed out of Pakistan where she was born, Nazmine Khan’s first experience of her country, Afghanistan, was in a sweltering tent at a border camp.
“We never thought we would return to Afghanistan,” said the 15-year-old girl, who has little idea of what will become of her or her family, only that she is likely to have fewer freedoms.
“When our parents told us we had to leave, we cried,” added Khan.
Having nowhere to go in Afghanistan, she and six other family members shared a stifling tent in the Omari camp near the Torkham border point.
Islamabad, accusing Afghans of links to narcotics and “supporting terrorism,” announced a new campaign in March to expel hundreds of thousands of Afghans, with or without documents.
Many had lived in Pakistan for decades after fleeing successive wars and crises but did not wait to be arrested by Pakistani forces before leaving, seeing their removal as inevitable.
Since April 1, more than 92,000 Afghans have been sent back to their country of origin, according to Islamabad, out of the some three million the United Nations says are living in Pakistan.
Khan’s family fled Afghanistan in the 1960s. Her four brothers and sister were also born in Pakistan.
“In a few days we’ll look for a place to rent” in the border province of Nangarhar where the family has roots, she told AFP, speaking in Pakistan’s commonly spoken tongue of Urdu, not knowing any Afghan languages.
In the family’s tent there is little more than a cloth to lie on and a few cushions, but no mattress or blanket. Flies buzz under the tarpaulin as countless children in ragged clothes come and go.
When it comes to her own future, Khan feels “completely lost,” she said.
Having dropped out of school in Pakistan, the Taliban authorities’ ban on girls studying beyond primary school will hardly change the course of her life.
But from what little she heard about her country while living in eastern Pakistan’s Punjab, she knows that “here there are not the same freedoms.”
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban authorities have imposed restrictions on women characterised by the UN as “gender apartheid.”
Women have been banned from universities, parks, gyms and beauty salons and squeezed from many jobs.
“It is now a new life... for them, and they are starting this with very little utilities, belongings, cash, support,” said Ibrahim Humadi, program lead for non-governmental group Islamic Relief, which has set up about 200 tents for returnees in the Omari camp.
Some stay longer than the three days offered on arrival, not knowing where to go with their meager savings, he said.
“They also know that even in their area of return, the community will be welcoming them, will be supporting them... but they know also the community are already suffering from the situation in Afghanistan,” he added.
Around 85 percent of the Afghan population lives on less than one dollar a day, according to the United Nations Development Programme.
“We had never seen (Afghanistan) in our lives. We do not know if we can find work, so we are worried,” said Jalil Khan Mohamedin, 28, as he piled belongings — quilts, bed frames and fans — into a truck that will take the 16 members of his family to the capital Kabul, though nothing awaits them there.
The Taliban authorities have said they are preparing towns specifically for returnees.
But at one site near Torkham, there is nothing more than cleared roads on a rocky plain.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) believes “greater clarity” is needed to ensure that the sites intended for returnees are “viable” in terms of basic infrastructure and services such as health and education.
It’s important that “returnees are making informed decisions and that their relocation to the townships is voluntary,” communications officer Avand Azeez Agha told AFP.
Looking dazed, Khan’s brother Dilawar still struggles to accept leaving Pakistan, where he was born 25 years ago.
His Pakistani wife did not want to follow him and asked for a divorce.
“When we crossed the border, we felt like going back, then after a day it felt fine,” said the former truck driver.
“We still don’t understand. We were only working.”
