Afghanistan
Clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan raise concerns about ‘open war’
Overnight on Feb. 26, Pakistan’s military fended off attacks by the Taliban along the border with Afghanistan. The country’s air force retaliated the following morning with targeted airstrikes in Kabul and Kandahar. It’s the latest outburst of tensions between the two neighbors. As the rhetoric ratchets up, The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler learned more from Ibraheem Bahiss, a senior analyst with Crisis Group. He joined the show from Kabul.
Women in Afghanistan can no longer attend medical institutes
A new directive from the Taliban bans women from studying dentistry, nursing and midwifery. The group, which took over the country by force in 2021 after the US withdrawal, also reportedly prevents women from getting treatment from male doctors unless a male guardian is present. Human rights activists say they are worried about what these restrictions mean for the future of Afghan women’s health.
As Taliban tightens grip, secret schools for girls become more dangerous to run
When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan three years ago, one of the first policy changes was to ban public education for girls and women beyond sixth grade. In the years since, those laws have become more restrictive, and they’re enforced more stringently. One woman continues to secretly educate girls in defiance of the law, despite mounting risks and obstacles.
‘It so clearly discriminates against Muslims’: India rolls out faith-based test for citizenship
A new law that provides refugees with a path to Indian citizenship went into effect in March. But it’s controversial because it excludes refugees who are Muslims. There were widespread protests in 2019 when it was first passed and now India’s supreme court is hearing a bunch of petitions against it.
Out of Eden Walk: Walking Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor
Afghanistan’s wild and mountainous Wakhan Corridor is an isolated region, home to the rare snow leopard and to a human culture that has gone unchanged for centuries. People still get their flour for baking from water-powered grist mills. Host Marco Werman speaks with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek about his trek through this rugged alpine wilderness.
This Afghan female fighter fought with US troops. Now, she’s readjusting to life in the US.
Over the course of two years, Sima shares her struggle to make a life in the US in the podcast “Stranger Becomes Neighbor.” The evacuation from Afghanistan is just the beginning of a story that is still developing.