Taliban militants (file photo)

8am: Several young people in Kabul have voiced complaints about shrinking job opportunities and rising unemployment across the city. They say that since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, employment in private companies has dropped sharply, while government posts are increasingly reserved for those with prior ties or close connections to the Taliban. These young people say the absence of meaningful work has pushed many of them toward migration, temporary jobs, or low-paying labor. They warn that the prolonged crisis has taken a serious toll on their economic stability and mental health. In their view, a hiring process lacking any transparency, a broken job market, and the concentration of opportunities in the hands of a select few have stripped many of them of any real hope for a better future. Click here to read more (external link).