
Are Afghan women doomed to extinction?
India Today
An Afghan reporter working with Tolo News Ziar Yaad and a cameraman were thrashed by the Taliban in Kabul on Wednesday.
Women were among the most deprived and restricted sections of Afghan society for many years, living always under the domination of the patriarchy, tightly constrained by the country’s prevailing cultural and societal norms. The defeat of the Taliban in 2001 heralded the possibility of a brighter future; it ignited a spark of hope for a freer and more prosperous life. It breathed empowerment into our souls. The flame of our confidence started to grow. Bigger. Stronger.
The world is facing an energy crisis as Iran blocked supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz after strikes by the US and Israel. Vital subsea cables that carry global internet traffic also pass through Hormuz. Any damage to them could trigger internet outages and hit financial systems across countries, including in India.

Images of pre-Islamic Zoroastrian kings and warriors have been unveiled in Iran, evoking courage and resilience. Many say the Ayatollah regime in Iran revives the country's Persian identity during conflicts with Israel and the US. But this Persian heritage has always run deep, and is visible from time to time, in both dissent and unity.

The US-Israel war was meant to decapitate Iran's hardline leadership, but the killing of the "pragmatic" Ali Larijani might have done the opposite. By eliminating consensus-builder Larijani, the Israelis might have removed any scope of talks and pushed Iran into deeper hardline control. This could be a ploy to keep the war going.










