Afghanistan’s opium cultivation to surge in 2013: UN
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is expected to increase for a third straight year, expanding even to poppy-free areas this year, a United Nations report warned on Monday.
The Afghanistan Opium Risk Assessment 2013 said Afghanistan was moving towards record levels of opium production this year despite eradication efforts by the international community and Afghan government.
“The assessment suggests that poppy cultivation is not only expected to expand in areas where it already existed in 2012… but also in new areas or in areas where poppy cultivation was stopped,” the survey said.
The study by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says that a strong association between insecurity, lack of agricultural assistance and opium cultivation are fuelling the trend.
“Villages with a low level of security and those which had not received agricultural assistance in the previous year were significantly more likely to grow poppy in 2013,” the report said.
Twelve provinces are likely to show an increase in opium cultivation, while three provinces formerly free of poppy are at risk if eradication is not implemented, it said.
Cultivation is mostly increasing in southern provinces where the Taliban are more active and thousands of international troops are set to withdraw this year.
Afghanistan produces about 90 percent of the world’s opium and in 2012 the UNODC warned that opium cultivation in the country had increased by 18 percent.
Last month, Afghanistan said it planned to destroy 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of poppy fields this year in its latest efforts to control the heroin trade that fuels endemic violence and corruption.
Poppy farmers are taxed by Taliban militants who use the cash to help fund their insurgency against the government and NATO forces, according to the UNODC.
The poppies, which provide huge profits in one of the world’s poorest countries, also play a large part in the corruption that plagues Afghan life at every level from district to national government.
Breaking Banner
Lara Trump snarls at critics of ‘send her back’ for pushing a ‘biased, racially-charged narrative’
Lara Trump, the wife of President Donald Trump's son Eric, has accused CNN anchor Anderson Cooper of pushing a "biased, racially-charged narrative" after he criticized her recent defense of the Trump administration over the "send her back" scandal.
This article first appeared on Salon.
"Anyone insinuating that there was some premeditated plan to orchestrate the “send her back” chant is obviously desperate to continue pushing a biased, racially-charged narrative. #FakeNews," Trump posted to her Twitter account on Saturday. She included a link to the Washington Examiner, a right-leaning newspaper which included a quote from Cooper blasting Trump for supposedly "lying" about her role in whipping up a crowd to chant "send her back" about Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
2020 Election
Trump’s trade war with China has led to foreign investments in the US drying up: report
Not only are U.S. manufacturers and farmers feeling the devastating brunt of Donald Trump's ongoing trade war with China -- among other countries -- now the New York Times reports that foreign investors no longer see America as a safe bet to park their money.
According to the report, "the once steady flow of Chinese cash into America, with Chinese investment plummeting by nearly 90 percent since President Trump took office."
With the report stating, the drop-off "stems from tougher regulatory scrutiny in the United States and a less hospitable climate toward Chinese investment, as well Beijing’s tightened limits on foreign spending," one analyst blamed the increasingly hostile trade relationship between the two countries.
Marvel unveiled its bumper slate of new superhero movies Saturday, wheeling out a who's who of Hollywood stars and prompting a collective meltdown at Comic-Con as it ended frenzied speculation over the most lucrative franchise in film history.
Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Rachel Weisz were brought on stage in San Diego to join Marvel film stalwarts such as Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in the upcoming -- and sure to be multi-billion-grossing -- movies.
"I can spend 90 minutes talking about what we've done or I can spend some time talking about what we're about to do," said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, drawing rapturous screams from thousands packed into the world's largest pop-culture fan convention.
Cop says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should be shot following Trump’s racist targeting of The Squad
Chris Wallace burns down Stephen Miller over Trump’s racist lies: He let ‘send her back’ chant ‘go for 13 seconds’
CBS cuts off ugly interview with Liz Cheney after she attacks host for asking about Trump’s racism
Trump launches furious attack on Washington Post for new report about his racist tweet debacle: ‘Presidential harassment!’
Tongue-tied GOP strategist crashes and burns on-air while trying to deny Trump’s racism
Lara Trump snarls at critics of ‘send her back’ for pushing a ‘biased, racially-charged narrative’
Trump’s trade war with China has led to foreign investments in the US drying up: report
Marvel reveals next star-studded superhero films at Comic-Con
Trump says minority congresswomen should ‘apologize to America’
Internet shreds ‘obnoxious’ Liz Cheney after disastrous CBS interview cut short: ‘I’m a Republican and I’m embarrassed’
Fox News host badgers Anthony Scaramucci for calling Trump’s tweet racist: ‘The president is furious with you’
CBS cuts off ugly interview with Liz Cheney after she attacks host for asking about Trump’s racism
CNN’s Santorum gets his butt handed to him by fellow conservative over defense of Trump’s ‘disgusting’ racism
White House flack: Trump made it clear he ‘disagrees with’ and ‘stands with’ people who chanted ‘send her back’
