Over the past summer, the Taliban signed several mining deals with foreign powers worth an estimated $6.5 billion. These include contracts with China, Iran and Turkey, and will allow these countries to extract minerals such as copper, gold, lead, zinc and iron from several Afghan provinces. But outside experts say it’s unlikely that these contracts will bring major profits to the cash-strapped country.
Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.
Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.