Category Archives: Everyday Life
Afghanistan’s Eid Struggle: Unemployment Depletes Citizens’ Purchasing Power, Leaves Tables Bare
8am: As Eid al-Fitr approaches in Afghanistan, many families find themselves without bread on their tables and facing severe unemployment that threatens their livelihoods. Blistering poverty, along with political and economic crises, has pushed them to the brink of despair. For most, purchasing power has dwindled, with little sign of the joyous celebrations of past
Shrouded in Darkness: ‘I’m Forced to Close My Art Gallery’
8am: It’s evening, and the last rays of sunlight, casting an orange hue across the canvas of paintings that have now changed their colors and mood, are spreading. Sitting amidst a multitude of paintings, she gazes sorrowfully at her artistic creations. On one hand, she worries about the darkening sky, and on the other, she
Finland remains happiest country in the world for 7th year, Afghanistan at bottom
Ariana: Since 2012, Afghanistan has ranked among the most unhappy nations in the world. However, Finland has been the happiest country in the world for seven consecutive years. The survey asks people in 143 countries and territories to evaluate their life on a scale from zero to 10, taking into account factors such as GDP
Out of Sight, Afghans Are Going Hungry – Taliban Abuses Exacerbate Impact on Women and Girls
HRW: “The situation is getting worse every day,” Ahmad, a former journalist in Herat, Afghanistan, told me. “I don’t think anyone can afford to buy enough food anymore.” According to the United Nations, in 2024, 23.7 million people – more than half of the country’s population – will need humanitarian assistance. The statistics are startling:
The Taliban once smashed TVs. Now it fosters YouTubers to promote its image.
WP: The Taliban-run government is fostering a thriving community of YouTube influencers and video bloggers in Afghanistan, seeking to shape a positive narrative about the country by rewarding those who have welcome viewpoints with access to stories that can draw millions of views online. Meanwhile, videos that are critical of the Taliban have largely disappeared
Jihadwashing? Arab Travel Influencers Promote Taliban-Run Afghanistan
Worldcrunch: Nothing can beautify life in Afghanistan under the Taliban. So how can we promote a country whose government practices terrorism against its people? That’s what Arab world influencers are doing. The Taliban has invested heavily in the male Arab YouTubers and influencers to promote the rosy life in Afghanistan under its rule, and these
The Taliban vowed to change Kabul. The city may be starting to change the Taliban.
WP: More than two years after Taliban fighters streamed into the Afghan capital, seizing power here and vowing to cleanse the country of Western decadence, many of them have come to embrace the benefits of urban life. Some Taliban members are already developing expensive taste. While officials in the new government initially went shopping for
Afghan Province Orders Officials Not To Photograph Living Things
AFP: Authorities in the Afghan province of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, ordered officials on February 18 not to take pictures or videos of “living things.” In a letter addressed to civilian and military officials, the provincial department of the interior directed them “to refrain from taking pictures of living things in your formal
‘All Doors Are Closed’ For Single And Unaccompanied Afghan Women Under The Taliban
Naqiba Barekzai, Abida Spozhmai and Khujasta Kabiri Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 31, 2024 Women have borne the brunt of the Taliban’s repressive laws in Afghanistan, where the extremist group has imposed constraints on their appearances, freedom of movement, and right to work and study. But women who are unmarried or do not have a “mahram,”