How much money does the Taliban have? While it’s (understandably) difficult to get a clear picture of a terrorist group’s finances, we have the means to make educated guesses about the Taliban’s financial situation. One of these is gathering financial information from the Taliban itself through financial documents, captured operatives, and pocket litter. Through these three methods, we can estimate they likely earn more than 5 million USD yearly — the amount they pay their fighters annually. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
