Now to the foreign scene..
The Taliban have banned Afghan women from entering the capital’s public parks and funfairs, just months after ordering access to be segregated by gender.
The new rule, introduced this week, further squeezes women out of an ever-shrinking public space that already sees them banned from traveling without a male escort and forced to wear a hijab or burqa whenever out of the home.
Schools for teenage girls have also been shut for over a year across most of the country.
The news was met with dismay by women and park operators — who invested heavily in developing the facilities.
At the next table, Raihana, 21, who is studying Islamic law at university, shared her disappointment after arriving at the park to spend the day with her sisters.
A few kilometers away, the Ferris wheel and most of the other rides in Zazai Park — which offers a spectacular view of the city — have grounded to a sudden halt because of a lack of business.
Before this week’s ban, it could accommodate hundreds of visitors on days when women brought their children for family gatherings.
Habib Jan Zazai, co-developer of the complex, fears he may have to close down a business that he has poured $11 million into, and which employs more than 250 people.
He warned such edicts would discourage investment by foreigners or Afghans living abroad, as well as impact revenue collection.
