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Photo: AFP “They do not let us read the Quran. They want to erase us from religion and society.” As part of the Taliban’s ongoing campaign of repression against women, the group’s departments for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has recently warned women and girls in several provinces not to recite the Quran aloud during religious ceremonies. The move has sparked strong reactions from Afghan women and once again exposed the Taliban’s gender-segregated and deeply misogynistic system. Women in the provinces of Ghor, Ghazni, and Badghis say the Taliban have justified this restriction by claiming that “men who are not mahram might hear their voices,” effectively limiting even worship and Quran recitation for women. According to women’s rights activists, this decision is part of the Taliban’s systematic policy to silence women’s voices in all social and religious spheres. Sama Ebrahimi, a girl from Ghor province, told Zan News: “Right now, reciting the Quran aloud under the Taliban’s rule is considered a crime. My father is a mullah and always tells me to read the Quran, but the Taliban say a woman’s voice is haram. They have forced us to perform even our worship in silence.” Shazia Moradi from Ghazni also described this decision as a direct attack on the religious and human identity of women, saying: “They claim to be Muslims, yet they do not allow us to read the Quran. Little by little, they want to erase us from religion and society; and then accuse us of disbelief.” Marzia Forozan, a religious studies teacher from Badghis, said that the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has warned women not to use loudspeakers or raise their voices during religious gatherings. Analysts say this latest order marks another phase in the Taliban’s ongoing project to erase women; a project that began with bans on education, employment, media work, and travel without a male guardian, and has now extended to silencing their voices and symbolic presence. Under Taliban rule, Afghan society has effectively become a single-gender society; schools, universities, government offices, and even mosques now bear an entirely male face. Nazila Mashal, a social affairs expert, said: “By silencing women’s voices in the recitation of the Quran, the Taliban are now seeking to erase women’s spiritual and cultural presence from public life entirely.” Political analysts argue that these policies are rooted not in religion, but in power calculations and social control. By excluding women, the Taliban are building a structure in which decision-making, religious preaching, and the very definition of Islam are monopolised by men loyal to the group; a society with only one voice: the voice of the ruling Taliban.

Photo: Atif Aryan/AFP The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health has announced that the death toll from the recent earthquake in northern Afghanistan has risen to 27. Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the ministry, said in a statement on Tuesday (November 4) that the number of deaths from the northern earthquake has reached 27, while 956 people have been injured. Earlier, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had reported that 20 people were killed and 945 others injured in the earthquake, including nine in Balkh and eleven in Samangan provinces. According to UNICEF, around 11,000 people experienced very strong shaking, while more than 1.5 million others were exposed to strong tremors. The 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Khulm district of Balkh province late on Monday night (November 3), with tremors also felt in Samangan, Kabul, Baghlan, Sar-e-Pul, and Kunduz provinces.

Photo: Abdel Majid BZIOUAT/AFP While women in Afghanistan remain deprived of their most basic rights, including education, employment, and sport, a group of Afghan women footballers in exile are writing a new story of resistance and hope. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), despite being far from homeland, these players continue to fight for their dreams and strive to be the voice of Afghanistan’s silenced women. Manizha Noori, a 22-year-old player and member of the Afghanistan women’s football team in exile, said that when the Taliban returned to power in 2021, “I wanted to die, because I could no longer do what I love.” “I asked myself whether I wanted to stay in a country that bans women from studying and playing sport,” she added. Now living in Australia, Noori scored her team’s first-ever goal during their debut appearance at the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series tournament in Morocco. Despite suffering two defeats against Chad and Tunisia, the Afghan team secured an emphatic 7–0 victory over Libya in their final match; a win many saw as a symbol of comeback and breaking silence. Nilab Mohammadi, a 28-year-old player, told AFP: “Football is not just a game for us; it is a symbol of life and hope. There is no freedom for women in Afghanistan anymore, but now we are the voice of those women who have been silenced.” Mina Ahmadi, aged 20, added: “In Afghanistan they took away our dreams, but when FIFA recognised us, we felt that part of those dreams came alive again. We keep moving forward because football is our way of living.” Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the Afghan women’s return to the international stage as “the beginning of a beautiful story,” saying: “These women are writing hope for millions of girls around the world.” The Afghanistan women’s football team, known as Afghan Women United, is composed of Afghan players based in Australia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Italy, and operates under the direct supervision of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The team is coached by Pauline Hamill, a former player for Scotland’s national team.

Photo: AP Photo/Sirat Noor The United Nations has said that residents of northern Afghanistan were already suffering from chronic poverty, drought, and a lack of basic services even before the recent earthquake. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said in a recent press briefing: “Even before this earthquake, people in the region were struggling with drought, chronic poverty, and limited access to basic services following the return of more than two million migrants.” He added that the United Nations, in coordination with humanitarian agencies, is assessing the damage and organising immediate assistance for those affected. According to him, according to initial reports, the earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan early Monday (November 3) left at least 20 people dead and more than 900 others injured. Haq emphasised that Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis remains severe and that UN relief programmes face a critical funding shortage. He said that of the US$2.4 billion requested for humanitarian aid, only one-third has been secured, leaving a shortfall of more than US$1.5 billion.

Photo: AFP UN Women in Afghanistan has announced that following Monday night’s earthquake in the north of the country, its teams, along with local partners, have been deployed to affected areas to assess the situation and assist women and girls in need. In a message issued on today (November 4), the organisation said: “We working with local partners after earthquake in northern Afghanistan to assess the urgent needs of women and girls. We are supporting Afghan women humanitarians deploying with initial assessment teams to reach affected women and girls.” The 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which struck Khulm district in Balkh province on Monday night (November 3), has so far left at least 20 people dead and more than 940 others injured in Balkh and Samangan provinces. Hundreds of houses were destroyed in Khulm, Shulgara, and Hazrat Sultan districts, as well as parts of Mazar-e-Sharif and Aybak cities, with women and children among the victims. The disaster occurred only weeks after the deadly earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, which claimed more than 2,000 lives.

Photo: @TajudeenOyewale/x The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Afghanistan has said that the organisation’s emergency teams are present in the northern provinces to assist children and families affected by the recent earthquake. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, wrote in a message on X on Monday (November 3): “We are mourning the loss of lives in the recent earthquake in northern Afghanistan.” He emphasised that UNICEF, together with its partners, is working to meet the urgent needs of affected children and families. The 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Sunday night, causing casualties and damage across several provinces. The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health has reported that more than 20 people have been killed and 534 others injured in Balkh and Samangan provinces so far. The ministry noted that these are preliminary figures and that the death toll may rise.

@PaikAftab/x At least 20 people have been killed and more than 360 others injured after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Khulm district in Balkh province on last night (November 3). Most of the casualties have been reported from Balkh and Samangan provinces. The quake occurred at around 12:59 a.m. at a depth of 35 kilometres and was also felt in Kabul, Baghlan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, and Kunduz provinces. According to local sources, dozens of homes were destroyed in Khulm and Shulgara districts of Balkh province, as well as in Hazrat Sultan district and Aybak city of Samangan province. Around 800 houses were also reported damaged or destroyed in Chugani village of Shahr-e Buzurg district in Badakhshan province. Taliban officials in Balkh said that six people were killed in Khulm district and two children died in Shulgara district. In Samangan province, local officials reported more than ten deaths and around 260 injuries. UNAMA and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have stated that emergency response teams have been deployed to assess the damage and deliver immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected areas.

Rajanish Kakade/AP India’s national women’s cricket team advanced to the final of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup after a stunning victory over Australia. The semi-final match was held on Thursday evening (30 October) in Mumbai. Batting first, Australia set a total of 338 runs, but the Indian women successfully chased down the target with five wickets in hand and in 49 overs; marking the highest successful run chase in the history of women’s One Day Internationals. Jemimah Rodrigues, the 24-year-old Indian batter, was named player of the match after scoring an unbeaten 127 runs. Team captain Harmanpreet Kaur also played a pivotal role with 89 runs. Their 150-run partnership turned the game in India’s favour. Virat Kohli, India’s star cricketer, praised the national women’s team in a post on X, writing: “An incredible victory against a strong opponent! Our girls have made history with belief and determination. Bravo!” India’s women’s team will face South Africa in the final on Sunday (2 November). This marks India’s third appearance in a Women’s World Cup final, with many calling it the greatest opportunity in the history of Indian women’s cricket.

Image: Zakia Khudadadi/Instagram Zakia Khudadadi, a para-taekwondo athlete and member of the Refugee Paralympic Team, has been awarded the prestigious “North–South Prize” of the Council of Europe. The award was presented to her on Wednesday (October 29) at an official ceremony in the Portuguese Parliament by the President of Portugal. In a message, Khudadadi described the occasion as one of the most special and unforgettable days of her life. She wrote: “This is not just an award; it is a symbol of hope, resilience, and belief in dreams for all those who face great obstacles but never give up.” The Afghan athlete, who fled the country after the fall of Kabul in 2021 and now lives in France, dedicated the award to the women of Afghanistan, refugees, and all athletes striving for a better future. During the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Khudadadi made history by winning the first-ever medal for the Refugee Team in taekwondo. The bronze medal was hailed as a historic achievement, inspiring not only the Refugee Team but also Afghan girls who continue to fight against adversity. In her speech at the award ceremony, she said: “To all women in Afghanistan and beyond, I say: hope is alive, and you are not alone. Sport is the universal language of peace, freedom, and human dignity. Be brave and keep fighting for a better future.” The “North–South Prize” of the Council of Europe has been awarded annually since 1995 to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of human rights, equality, and intercultural dialogue among nations.

Image: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP A US court has sentenced two men to 25 years in prison each for attempting to assassinate Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and women’s rights activist. The verdict was issued on Wednesday (29 October). According to prosecutors, the case was part of a failed plot by the Iranian government to silence its critics abroad. Masih Alinejad, who now lives in the United States, is a prominent and well-known women’s rights advocate leading the campaign against Iran’s compulsory hijab law. US prosecutors said the two men, identified as Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, members of a Russian criminal network, were paid by the Iranian government to kill Alinejad in New York City. Reports indicate that the plot was devised in July 2022, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly offering them half a million dollars to carry it out. In court, Alinejad said: “I fled Iran to live freely, but I am still not free. My only crime is becoming the voice of Iranian women.” She urged the judge to impose a heavy sentence to send a message to the Iranian government that it cannot kill its opponents abroad. US prosecutors stressed that the goal of the plot was not only to assassinate one woman but to “intimidate millions of women” across Iran who, inspired by Alinejad, continue to fight against injustice and state oppression.