8am: For more than four years, the Taliban have systematically erased Persian words and expressions from schools, universities, and even city streets. In recent days, images shared on social media have revealed a new phase of this effort. Taliban authorities have removed urban signboards in Kabul, rearranged text, replaced Persian with Pashto, and gone so far as to translate proper names. In one striking example, “Shahr-e Naw Kabul” appears as “Nawi Shar,” while “Bagh-e Daoud” has been changed to “Daoud Ban.” These changes have triggered strong reactions from many citizens. Around the same time, the group removed Persian and Uzbek signboards from Samangan University. Click here to read more (external link).