
Afghan arms dealers flourish with new stocks of abandoned weapons in Taliban heartland
India Today
Alongside a large haul of American-made infantry weapons, the Taliban now possess equipment and vehicles -- including humvees, armoured personnel carriers, and at least one functioning Black Hawk helicopter.
The Taliban takeover may have plunged Afghanistan into uncertainty and economic pain, but arms dealer Khan Mohammad is making the most of it. Sandwiched between a pharmacy and a general store, his shop in the Panjwai district of southern Kandahar province -- the spiritual birthplace of the Taliban -- is flush with fresh inventory.
Oil and gas refineries and hubs are up in flames not just in the Middle East, but also in Russia and the US. Crude oil prices have surged over $100 a barrel. With the energy infrastructure in the Middle East likely to take years to be rebuilt, the world could be set for the biggest oil disruption in history.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said the United States was in contact with "the right people" in Iran and suggested that Tehran was eager to reach an agreement to halt hostilities. "We're in negotiations right now," he told reporters, without offering further details on the scope or format of the talks.











