Skip to content
Search
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Graphic Truth

The Graphic Truth: Opium keeps the Taliban going

The Graphic Truth: Opium keeps the Taliban going
Ari Winkleman
By Carlos Santamaria,
Carlos Santamaria

Carlos Santamaria is a former senior writer at GZERO.

See Full Bio
Ari Winkleman
Ari Winkleman
Ari Winkleman is the lead designer at Eurasia Group and GZERO Media.
See Full Bio
August 16, 2022
Make us preferred on Google

The Taliban (officially) banned opium cultivation last April, as they did before 9/11 and the subsequent US invasion that ousted them from power in Afghanistan. But in the 20 years that followed the group became the Pablo Escobars of the global poppy trade by taxing opium farmers. Now the Taliban say growing poppies is again verboten, but this year's harvest is mostly in the bag, and enforcing the ban won't be easy. We look at opium cultivation in Afghanistan since 1996, when the Taliban first ruled the country.

taliban afghanistan

Latest Videos

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer returns for Season 9 play icon
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer returns for Season 9

Bill Maher: There are more checks on Trump's power than you think
GZERO World Clips

Bill Maher: There are more checks on Trump's power than you think

Bill Maher thinks Democrats need to take back patriotism
GZERO World Clips

Bill Maher thinks Democrats need to take back patriotism

US-China cooperation falls short on Russia-Ukraine war and AI
ask ian

US-China cooperation falls short on Russia-Ukraine war and AI

Is Trump the biggest global risk?
Quick Take

Is Trump the biggest global risk?

How will the Strait of Hormuz's closure impact food supply?
GZERO Live

How will the Strait of Hormuz's closure impact food supply?

More For You

Where press freedom falls, impunity rises

Graphic Truth: Where press freedom falls, impunity rises (infographic). Top 10 contributors to impunity arund the world between 2020 and 2025 according to the Atlas of Impunity
The world is splitting into two camps: countries that hold power accountable, and those that don’t.Deteriorating press freedom offers the starkest example. Where trusted information is scarce, abuses of power stay hidden, corruption flourishes, and citizens lose the ability to demand accountability.This is a key finding in the fourth edition of [...]

The changing face of America

The changing face of America
Eileen Zhang
On July 4, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. Over the past two and a half centuries, American society has changed profoundly, from an agrarian republic of 13 colonies to the urban, diverse, and economic superpower it is today. To mark the quarter-millennium, we decided to look back on how the country has demographically evolved [...]

The next El Niño could be the strongest yet

The next El Niño could be the strongest yet
Eileen Zhang
El Niño, the natural climate phenomenon that happens every three to seven years, is back. Researchers are warning that it has formed and could become the strongest on record. If that happens, the consequences for economies and for food security around the world could be severe. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) this week said the [...]

AI becomes a top global concern

AI becomes a top global concern
Eileen Zhang/Natalie Johnson
What worries the world? Inflation, war, climate change, and now, artificial intelligence. A new survey by UK-based research firm Public First, which polled more than 18,000 people across 15 countries, found that just over a third of respondents ranked AI development among their top concerns for the next five years. That puts it ahead of [...]