
Taliban, Pakistan and why there’s no government in Afghanistan
India Today
Pakistan has been micromanaging various factions of the Taliban. It appeared to be an easy task for Pakistan before the question of government formation arose within the Taliban.
The official version from Taliban last week gave a sense that infighting within the group was over and a settlement had been reached. Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah (also spelt as Hibatullah) Akhundzada was declared to be the head of the government in Afghanistan and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was touted as the executive chief of the Taliban government. However, reports from Taliban and Pakistan confirm that infighting is far from over. In fact, it intensified within the group over the weekend as clashes broke out between factions, reports said.
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.











