Food that was supposed to be distributed to 27,000 hungry children in Afghanistan and Pakistan will soon be incinerated following the closure of the US Agency for International Development by President Donald Trump.

Nearly 500 tonnes of high-energy biscuits, to be used as emergency food for malnourished young children, expired this month while sitting in a warehouse in Dubai, a senior US official said on Wednesday.

Under questioning by lawmakers, Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary of state in charge of management, tied the decision to the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which closed its doors on July 1.

“I think that this was just a casualty of the shutdown of USAID,” Rigas said, adding that he was “distressed” that the food went to waste.

The wasted biscuits will be sent to landfills or incinerated in the United Arab Emirates. That will cost the US government an additional $100,000.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Thursday denied reports that it is hunting down Afghans who helped Britain based on leaked British information, stressing that no one has been arrested or killed for past actions.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said that the country’s intelligence agency does not need such information because the relevant agencies have all the documents and information about employees.

“The Islamic Emirate does not take revenge on anyone. No one has the right or permission to pursue, monitor or harm anyone,” he said.

Earlier, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the country had offered asylum to 24,000 soldiers of the former Afghan government and their families after the leak of confidential information.

According to the report, the Islamic Emirate is hunting down individuals whose names are on the list.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan announced that senior delegations from Uzbekistan and Pakistan are expected to visit Kabul today (Thursday) to participate in a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings aimed at strengthening regional cooperation.

According to Zia Ahmad Takal, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegations—led by the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Pakistan—will land in Kabul at noon. The visiting delegations also include Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport and Pakistan’s Minister for Railways.

The first leg of their visit includes participation in a trilateral political consultation meeting hosted by Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting is expected to focus on political understanding, inter-state dialogue, and foundational solutions to common regional challenges. The Afghan side will present the Islamic Emirate’s perspective on political engagement, economic cooperation, and regional stability.

Following the consultations, the three countries will formally sign a Framework Agreement on the Feasibility Study for the Trans-Afghan Railway Project during a ceremony at Arg. The agreement will be signed by Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Works, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport, and Pakistan’s Minister for Railways.

After the signing, the visiting delegations are scheduled to hold separate bilateral meetings with senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to further discuss mutual interests and cooperation.

The Trans-Afghan Railway Project, seen as a vital initiative for connecting Central and South Asia, aims to enhance regional trade, transit, and economic integration.