8am: Residents of Herat province report that more than two years of living under the rule of the Taliban and the dismantling of relative prosperity have left the majority of them afflicted with mental illnesses. Concerns about the increasing mental health problems are shared by officials of the province’s Regional Hospital, who confirm that the number of mental health patients is on the rise. According to these officials, most of the affected individuals are young women and girls who, confronted with the challenges of Taliban-imposed prohibitions and restrictions, have encountered significant mental health issues. Click here to read more (external link).