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The BriefingLife is getting worse for women in Afghanistan. You can help + HeadlinesThe situation for women in Afghanistan right now is bleak. After retaking control of the country in August of 2021, the Taliban has wasted no time reinstating a raft of rules stripping away the rights of females. A week ago, a decree made it illegal for women to speak outside their homes. Alongside having to completely cover their bodies head-to-toe in thick fabric, they’re also banned from working and can’t look directly at men they aren’t related to by blood. Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from attend...2024-09-0319 min
KabulCastAhmad Sarmast: Saving Afghanistan's MusicIn the second part of this two-segment conversation, Sayed asks Dr. Sarmast about his upbringing, the inspiration to build a music school for the most disadvantaged kids, and why the country's art scene was so prolific when he grew up during the second half of the 20th century.Guest: Ahmad Naser SarmastGuest Host: Sayed MadadiMusic copyright: Afghanistan National Institute of MusicFollow us on Social Media:InstagramTwitterFacebook© KabulCast by KabulNowSu...2024-03-1741 minKabulCastSurvival of the Art: The Resilience of Afghanistan National Institute of MusicIn this two-part conversation, Sayed talks to Ahmad Naser Sarmast, the founding director of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, now based in Portugal. They discuss how the school ended up in Portugal, what the future holds for it, and the life of the man at the heart of it all.Guest: Ahmad Naser SarmastGuest Host: Sayed Madadi© Musics:Afghanistan National Institute of MusicQasim Bakhsh - Kharabat"Arsala Khan" Afghanistan and Northern IrelandFollow us on Social Media:InstagramTwitterFacebook© KabulCast by KabulNowSupport the show2024-03-0237 minKabulCastKhans vs Mullahs: Pashtun Non-Violent MovementsSayed speaks with Malaiz Daud about non-violent movements in the Pashtun belt across Afghanistan-Pakistan borders. They discuss the historical resilience of movements such as PTM, their impact so far, and what it would take for Pashtuns in Afghanistan to mobilize is similar scale.Malaiz Daud, a PhD researcher in Germany, has been following social non-violent movements in South Asia for years. He is currently working on a research and documentary project for the Asia Foundation about social movements among Pashtuns in the Afghanistan-Pakistan tribal areas.KabulCast by KabulNowGuest Host: Sayed Madadi2024-02-0150 minKabulCastNajibullah Sadid: Climate Change in AfghanistanSayed talks with climate and water expert Najibullah Sadid about climate change in Afghanistan, its socio-economic impacts, and potential policy interventions to address it.Najibullah Sadid, PhD, is an Associate Researcher at the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute in Germany. His work focuses on transboundary rivers and sustainable resource management.KabulCast by KabulNowGuest Host: Sayed MadadiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-12-1355 minKabulCastWaleed Ziad: How Sufi Networks Connected South-Central AsiaSayed talks with the author and historian, Dr. Waleed Ziad, about how complex Sufi networks in the Durrani empire connected south and Central Asia during the times of turmoil. The episode brings to the fore what these networks reveal about the region's past, particularly women authority, their role in society, and the politics of home-grown knowledge production.KabulCast by KabulNowGuest Host: Sayed MadadiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-11-2957 minKabulCastChris Rickleton: Challenges and Opportunities in Central AsiaIn this episode, we'll dive into Central Asia, a region teeming with enormous potential and global importance. Join us as we explore the ever-shifting geopolitical landscape, dissect the ramifications of the Ukraine conflict, and delve into the critical realm of energy and climate dynamics. Tune in for a deep and comprehensive discussion!KabulCast by KabulNowGuest Host: Sayed MadadiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-11-0853 minKabulCastJohn Simpson: What would Mandela say to the people of Afghanistan?From his first arrival in Afghanistan days before the Soviets' withdrawal to his encounter with Osama bin Laden to his walk into Kabul with the Northern Alliance forces in November 2001, John Simpson shares his love for the country, its people, and his candid views on its current situation and future prospects.John Simpson reporting clip: ©️ BBC. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-08-111h 04KabulCastShaharzad Akbar: This is not the end of our storyShaharzad Akbar is an activist, the Executive Director of Rawadari, and the former Chair of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. She reflects on her personal story, shares her thoughts on the current situation in Afghanistan, and discusses her hopes for the future of the country and its people.KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-07-311h 13KabulCastDamon Wilson: Let's empower the people of AfghanistanDamon Wilson is the President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). In this interview, he talks about what inspired him to do what he does, reflections on what happened in Afghanistan, and the way ahead for its future.KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-07-1457 minKabulCastRobert Grenier: We handed Afghanistan back to the TalibanRobert Grenier is the former the CIA's Director of Counter-Terrorism Centre and Station Chief in Islamabad. After 911 attacks, the then Director of the CIA, George Tennet, tasked Grenier to formulate America's strategy on fighting the Taliban.Grenier is the author of 88 Days to Kandahar. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-07-071h 15KabulCastDr Hassan Abbas: What's next for the Taliban and Afghanistan?Dr Hassan Abbas’s The Return of the Taliban gives an insight into the inner workings of the Taliban, its leaders and why they do what they do. From power rivalries to resettling thousands of Pakistani Taliban’s fighters in the north of Afghanistan, you will leave this episode informed and enlightened. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-06-301h 11KabulCastDr Sima Samar: A life of selfless public serviceDr Sima Samar tells her incredible story. From a village in the central highlands of Hazarajat to studying medicine in Kabul University, to building hospitals and schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to becoming a government minister and championing human rights.KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-06-2351 minKabulCastKathy Gannon: There are a lot in Afghanistan that make me smileKathy Gannon is a multi-award-winning Canadian journalist and author who has been reporting from Afghanistan since 1986. She was in Kabul during the civil war of the 1990s, present when the Taliban first captured the city in 1996, and witnessed them abandoning it in 2001.In 2014, Gannon was attacked and wounded in an attack in eastern Afghanistan, which killed her colleague, Anja Niedringhaus. Gannon's book, I is for Infidel: From Holy War to Holy Terror in Afghanistan, was published in 2006. Visit: Kathy-gannon.com KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com...2023-06-031h 12
KabulCastSir Nick Kay: Ignore Afghanistan at your perilSir Nick Kay is the former British Ambassador in Afghanistan, 2017 to 2019. He first traveled to the country in 1976 as an 18 year old tourist. Sir Nick was among the very small number of Western diplomats to visit Kandahar in 1995, and the first to arrive in Kabul days after the Taliban captured the city in 1996. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-05-261h 20KabulCastRichard Bennett: The Taliban's unfinished JihadIn our first episode, we interview Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, and discuss his views on the state of human rights under the Taliban and the group's abuses. From his early life in New Zealand to swimming in Bamiyan's Band-e-Amir lake, we also delve into his personal stories. KabulCast by KabulNowHost: Roh YakobiEmail: mail@kabulnow.com Twitter: @kabulnowSupport the show2023-05-1353 min