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Taliban Restrictions Deepen Afghan Humanitarian Crisis, UN Reports

Taliban Restrictions Deepen Afghan Humanitarian Crisis, UN Reports

Afghanistan is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, more than five years after the Taliban's return to power, according to Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. Speaking on November 6, 2026, Lemarquis highlighted that the country's relative stability is being undermined by a fragile economy, extensive curbs on rights, and severe humanitarian needs. Women and girls, in particular, face 'severe and sweeping' restrictions that limit their access to education, employment, and participation in public life. Since 2021, over 2.6 million girls have been denied secondary education, and female university enrollment is currently at zero. Additionally, Afghan women staffers have been banned from entering United Nations premises across Afghanistan since September 2025, a ban that remains in effect and impacts UN operations. The Taliban's justifications for these restrictions are attributed to a combination of religious extremism and entrenched historical practices of control and disc...

Taliban Imposes Severe Restrictions on Music and Artists in Kandahar, Leading to Economic Hardship and Cultural Erosion

Taliban Imposes Severe Restrictions on Music and Artists in Kandahar, Leading to Economic Hardship and Cultural Erosion

The Taliban has implemented stringent restrictions on music and artistic activities in Kandahar, Afghanistan, leading to significant economic hardship and humiliation for local singers and musicians. According to reports, artists are not only barred from performing but are also subjected to insults and taunts by Taliban members, who refer to them as 'brothers of Satan.' Many artists, like Habib, who once supported large families through music, are now forced into menial jobs, such as street peddling, to survive. Aminullah, a tabla player, recounted how the Taliban's Morality Police raided artists' homes and confiscated instruments, even after artists swore they had abandoned their craft. Some prominent artists have fled to Pakistan, while those remaining face continuous harassment and the destruction of their musical instruments, as exemplified by Mohammad Ali, an instrumentalist who was imprisoned and had his sitar broken by the Taliban.

WWE Hall of Famer got us with the old ‘fake press secretary’ rib

WWE Hall of Famer got us with the old ‘fake press secretary’ rib

Donald Trump was ‘only kidding’ about bringing in the UFC’s Dana White to handle the White House press corps.

American Weapons from Afghanistan Threaten Pakistan's Security, Raising Proliferation Concerns

American Weapons from Afghanistan Threaten Pakistan's Security, Raising Proliferation Concerns

American-supplied weapons, originally intended for Afghan security forces, are now being recovered from terrorist arsenals in Pakistan, posing a significant threat to Pakistan's security. This issue has added a new dimension to the long-standing dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan regarding cross-border terrorism. A Washington Post investigation traced 63 weapons recovered from terrorists in Pakistan back to American supplies. Additionally, a United Nations Security Council report documented instances of Taliban commanders providing advanced rifles and optical equipment, including M24 sniper rifles, M4 carbines, and M16A4 rifles with thermal sights, to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The scale of the problem is exacerbated by the estimated $7.1 billion worth of American-funded military equipment left in Afghanistan after the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. While not every recovered weapon is directly linked to Taliban transfers, the evidence points to multiple routes of proliferation, inclu...

‘Musk’ Director Alex Gibney Reveals What He Really Thinks of Elon Musk, Elizabeth Holmes and ‘You Can See Everything’ at Variety’s Doc Dreams NYC

‘Musk’ Director Alex Gibney Reveals What He Really Thinks of Elon Musk, Elizabeth Holmes and ‘You Can See Everything’ at Variety’s Doc Dreams NYC

On Monday afternoon, Variety Doc Dreams NYC took over Firehouse Cinema in downtown Manhattan for a lively and informative series of talks highlighting contenders for this year’s Best Documentary Oscar. At the top of the ticket was a conversation between Variety’s co-president and co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh and Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “Musk,” a […]

Archaeological treasures uncovered beneath Kabul's crumbling ancient fortress

Archaeological treasures uncovered beneath Kabul's crumbling ancient fortress

The imposing fortress of Bala Hissar in the Afghan capital Kabul has endured centuries of upheaval and war

Painstaking rescue of Kabul’s crumbling Bala Hissar fortress reveals 2,000 years of Afghan history

Painstaking rescue of Kabul’s crumbling Bala Hissar fortress reveals 2,000 years of Afghan history

The imposing fortress of Bala Hissar in the Afghan capital Kabul has endured centuries of upheaval and war

Taliban Destroys 650 Musical Instruments in Khost Province, Enforcing Music Ban

Taliban Destroys 650 Musical Instruments in Khost Province, Enforcing Music Ban

The Taliban in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province have destroyed 650 musical instruments and related items. This action is part of a months-long crackdown enforcing the group's nationwide ban on music. Mustaghfir Gurbaz, a Taliban spokesperson in Khost, stated on X that officials from the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice burned the confiscated items. Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban have prohibited most forms of music, permitting only specific types of religious vocal chanting. Ministry spokesman Saif ul Islam Khyber asserts that music is forbidden in Islam, promoting immoral behavior and distracting from religious obligations, a view disputed by many Islamic scholars. This enforcement has significantly altered Afghanistan's cultural landscape, with music shops in areas like Kabul's Kucha-e-Kharabat neighborhood being replaced by other businesses. Many musicians have either fled Afghanistan or are practicing their craft in secret.

Work to save the Afghan capital’s crumbling ancient fortress uncovers archaeological treasures

Work to save the Afghan capital’s crumbling ancient fortress uncovers archaeological treasures

The imposing fortress of Bala Hissar in the Afghan capital Kabul has endured centuries of upheaval and war

UN Warns of Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan Amid Funding Cuts and Taliban Restrictions

UN Warns of Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan Amid Funding Cuts and Taliban Restrictions

The United Nations has issued a stark warning regarding a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, primarily driven by significant cuts in international funding and ongoing restrictions imposed by the Taliban. Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, reported that humanitarian funding plummeted from $2 billion in 2023 to $1 billion in 2025, and only $570 million has been secured for 2026. This reduction is severely impacting essential services, with approximately 700 of Afghanistan’s 1,900 primary healthcare facilities expected to close between 2025 and 2026. Concurrently, the Taliban's restrictions on women and girls continue to limit their access to education, employment, and public life. Over 2.6 million girls have been barred from secondary education since 2021, and female university enrollment remains at zero. A ban preventing Afghan women employees from entering UN premises, enforced since September 2025, further complicates humanitarian operations.

Anthropic eyes $1.4 trillion IPO valuation in test of Wall Street's AI fervor

Anthropic eyes $1.4 trillion IPO valuation in test of Wall Street's AI fervor

By Echo Wang, Manya Saini and Arasu Kannagi Basil Nov 10 (Reuters) - Anthropic's blockbuster IPO is set to give the company a valuation of up to $1.4 trillion, slightly lower than some investors' expectations amid a recent cooling in investor appetite for AI, setting up a defining test of Wall

John Turturro on Choosing Christopher Walken as His ‘Severance’ Love Interest and Auditioning to Play Madonna’s Boyfriend: ‘She Really Kissed Me’

John Turturro on Choosing Christopher Walken as His ‘Severance’ Love Interest and Auditioning to Play Madonna’s Boyfriend: ‘She Really Kissed Me’

With over 120 acting credits to his name, John Turturro has accrued a long list of what-ifs and missed opportunities, including a role as Madonna’s boyfriend. Turturro joined Variety’s co-editor in chief Ramin Setoodeh to chat in partnership with the Miami Film Festival and receive the Creative Vanguard Award. In this conversation, the seasoned actor […]