The Cut - 'I'm Afraid The Taliban Will Kill Me'

Tahria was watching TV with her family on Sunday when she saw that the Taliban had toppled the government in Kabul. “We just lost our hope,” she said. Since then, they’ve been holed up in their apartment, terrified to go outside. The 28-year-old is worried she’ll be targeted by militants and that the professional life she has built will be destroyed by a regime hell-bent on depriving women of their basic rights. Tahria spent her childhood under Taliban rule, which barred women and girls from going to school, working, or leaving the house without a male escort. Those who didn’t comply with the rules suffered violent consequences — like whipping, stoning, and, in some cases, execution. Now that the militant group is back in power, Tahria and many other women are afraid of being confined to their homes, stripped of their agency, and controlled through violence.

A young woman in Kabul writes about watching the future she’s worked so hard towards crumble before her eyes. You’re not alone in your work-week dread — the Sunday scaries are at an all-time high. Not surprising but still upsetting: American children eat far too much processed food. Lol, J.Lo deleted all her A-Rod pics from Insta. Naomi Osaka pledged to donate earnings from her latest tournament to relief efforts in Haiti. Then a reporter reduced her to tears in her first press conference since the French Open. And here, enjoy July’s best science photography, from Nature magazine.

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