Afghanistan opium poppy cultivation surges despite Taliban govt ban: UN
<p>Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan more than quadrupled in 2026 despite a Taliban government<a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1964027"> ban,</a> the United Nations said on Thursday, urging that impoverished farmers needed alternatives to the lucrative crop.</p> <p>Cultivated areas reached 43,000 hectares (around 106,200 acres), up from 10,000 hectare