Ep 7. Taliban Country/Luanda Leaks

Frontline season 39 episode 7 is titled "Taliban Country/Luanda Leaks" and explores two critical issues that are unfolding concurrently in different parts of the world. In the first half of the episode, "Taliban Country," correspondent Najibullah Quraishi travels to Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province, where the Taliban has taken control of significant portions of territory. As the United States government considers withdrawing troops from the country, the Taliban has been gaining ground and regaining power in certain areas, including Badakhshan. Through interviews with Taliban fighters, local officials, and residents, Quraishi provides an inside look at the group's tactics and how they are using the local population to maintain control. He also investigates the complex relationship between the Taliban, the local government, and the United States, highlighting the ongoing challenges of the region as it tries to move towards stability and peace.

In the second half of the episode, "Luanda Leaks," the focus shifts to Angola, where a trove of leaked documents has exposed staggering corruption and financial fraud by members of the country's elite. The leak, which consists of more than 700,000 documents that were released to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, has revealed how Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of Angola's former president and one of the wealthiest women in Africa, amassed her fortune through illicit means, including embezzlement, money laundering, and exploiting her access to state resources. The leak has also implicated major international companies and banks, highlighting the complex web of corruption that exists in Angola's business and political spheres. Through interviews with journalists and analysts, as well as insight into the leaked documents, "Luanda Leaks" shows how this investigation could potentially lead to major changes in Angola's political and economic landscape.

Together, "Taliban Country/Luanda Leaks" provide a stark portrait of two critical issues that are shaping the world today: the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and the pernicious effects of corruption and power in Angola. Through careful reporting and a dogged pursuit of the truth, Frontline sheds light on what these issues mean for the people who live through them and what they could mean for the wider world.