Afghan Funds

The families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks cannot seize $3.5 billion in funds belonging to Afghanistan's central bank, a New York federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Forced to flee by the Taliban, Fatima Haidari now offers virtual tours of Afghanistan from her new home in Italy -- with the proceeds funding secret English classes for women there.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday questioned the government over Rs 200 crore being set aside for assistance to Afghanistan, asking if it was correct to give funds to the Taliban-ruled country.

The United States and the Taliban plan talks Thursday in Qatar on unlocking some of Afghanistan's reserves following a devastating earthquake, officials said, with Washington seeking ways to ensure the money goes to help the population.

The Imran Khan government's recent bid to raise funds for the new rulers in Kabul has been shot down by the State Bank of Pakistan amid fears that financing of the Taliban regime could invite international sanctions, according to a media report.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a US-proposed resolution to help humanitarian aid reach desperate Afghans, while seeking to keep funds out of Taliban hands.

Afghanistan's finance ministry under the Taliban government has prepared a draft national budget that, for the first time in two decades, is funded without foreign aid, a spokesman said.

Members of the Afghanistan women's youth development football team have been airlifted to the UK in an evacuation flight funded by US celebrity Kim Kardashian.

The Taliban asked the US and other countries on Saturday to recognise their government in Afghanistan, saying that a failure to do so and the continued freezing of Afghan funds abroad would lead to problems not only for the country but for the world.

Millions of Afghans, including children, could die of starvation unless urgent action is taken to pull Afghanistan back from brink of collapse, a senior United Nations official warned, calling for frozen funds to be freed for humanitarian efforts.

Donors from Silicon Valley including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, as well as Facebook, had agreed to fund an evacuation flight for 188 journalists, aid workers and others who were suddenly in danger after the Talibans quick capture of Kabul.

The United Nations aid chief said Wednesday he had released $45 million in emergency funds to help prevent Afghanistan's battered healthcare system from collapsing.

Authorities of the school which commenced operation around two decades ago fear that political turmoil in Afghanistan will result in the closure of this school.

The new, Taliban-appointed head of Afghanistan's central bank has sought to reassure banks the group wants a fully-functioning financial system, but has so far provided little detail on how it will supply funds to sustain it, said four bankers.

UN agency chiefs appealed Thursday for the Taliban to facilitate swift and safe access for aid workers to Afghan civilians, and called for more funds to provide life-saving assistance to millions.

The families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks cannot seize $3.5 billion in funds belonging to Afghanistan's central bank, a New York federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Forced to flee by the Taliban, Fatima Haidari now offers virtual tours of Afghanistan from her new home in Italy -- with the proceeds funding secret English classes for women there.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday questioned the government over Rs 200 crore being set aside for assistance to Afghanistan, asking if it was correct to give funds to the Taliban-ruled country.

The United States and the Taliban plan talks Thursday in Qatar on unlocking some of Afghanistan's reserves following a devastating earthquake, officials said, with Washington seeking ways to ensure the money goes to help the population.

The Imran Khan government's recent bid to raise funds for the new rulers in Kabul has been shot down by the State Bank of Pakistan amid fears that financing of the Taliban regime could invite international sanctions, according to a media report.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a US-proposed resolution to help humanitarian aid reach desperate Afghans, while seeking to keep funds out of Taliban hands.

Afghanistan's finance ministry under the Taliban government has prepared a draft national budget that, for the first time in two decades, is funded without foreign aid, a spokesman said.

Members of the Afghanistan women's youth development football team have been airlifted to the UK in an evacuation flight funded by US celebrity Kim Kardashian.

The Taliban asked the US and other countries on Saturday to recognise their government in Afghanistan, saying that a failure to do so and the continued freezing of Afghan funds abroad would lead to problems not only for the country but for the world.

Millions of Afghans, including children, could die of starvation unless urgent action is taken to pull Afghanistan back from brink of collapse, a senior United Nations official warned, calling for frozen funds to be freed for humanitarian efforts.

Donors from Silicon Valley including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, as well as Facebook, had agreed to fund an evacuation flight for 188 journalists, aid workers and others who were suddenly in danger after the Talibans quick capture of Kabul.

The United Nations aid chief said Wednesday he had released $45 million in emergency funds to help prevent Afghanistan's battered healthcare system from collapsing.

Authorities of the school which commenced operation around two decades ago fear that political turmoil in Afghanistan will result in the closure of this school.

The new, Taliban-appointed head of Afghanistan's central bank has sought to reassure banks the group wants a fully-functioning financial system, but has so far provided little detail on how it will supply funds to sustain it, said four bankers.

UN agency chiefs appealed Thursday for the Taliban to facilitate swift and safe access for aid workers to Afghan civilians, and called for more funds to provide life-saving assistance to millions.