GZERO World Clips
Has the Taliban changed since the 1990’s?

Ian Explains: Has the Taliban Changed Since the 1990’s? | GZERO World

The Taliban regained total control of Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, when the US withdrew after twenty years of war. But the militant group claims to have reformed, and has even tried to show a softer side, perhaps to contrast the barbaric scenes from the last time they were in control from 1996 until 2001.
In the 1990s, women couldn't work, attend school, or leave their homes without a male guardian. They were required to wear burqas in public. Today, the Taliban claims they will respect women’s rights within the confines of their interpretation of Islam. They have also promised to uphold press freedom and adapt to a new, more modern country.
But is “Taliban 2.0” anything more than a clever PR stunt? On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer explains why people are skeptical and expect more of the same human rights abuses and repression from the Taliban the world witnessed decades ago.
Watch the GZERO World episode: Taliban 2.0: Afghanistan on the Brink (US AWOL)
People in support of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol rally near Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on Feb. 19, 2026. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment the same day for leading an insurrection with his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024.
65: The age of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday after being found guilty of plotting an insurrection when he declared martial law in 2024.
In an era when geopolitics can feel overwhelming and remote, sometimes the best messengers are made of felt and foam.
The Hungarian election is off to the races, and nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is facing his most serious challenger in 16 years.
Does skepticism rule the day in politics? Public opinion data collected as part of the Munich Security Conference’s annual report found that large shares of respondents in G7 and several BRICS countries believed their governments’ policies would leave future generations worse off.