NPR

In the Taliban's Afghanistan, the near-broke central bank somehow still functions

People buy fruits and vegetables from street vendors in Kandahar in August.

A recent visit to Afghanistan showed a country facing an economic crisis. The banking system has seized up. Credit cards aren't working. Afghans abroad struggle to send money to relatives back home.

Under the direction of the Taliban, which seized power one year ago, many government agencies are functioning and also collecting taxes to pay government workers; but times are hard for many. outside bakeries, hoping someone will buy them bread. Many people, , have lost their jobs. When an NPR team

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