International News
Three Afghan Women Mourn Closure Of Beauty Salon
The Taliban has ordered that all hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan close their doors in the upcoming weeks.
An estimated 60,000 jobs will be lost as a result of their closure.
Since the Taliban retook power two years ago, salons had been allowed to continue operating, but this month, they changed their mind.
Afghan women are already not allowed in schools, gyms, or parks, so this ruling further limits their access to these areas.
Zarmina, 23, was getting her hair dyed a dark brown color when she learned of the impending shutdown.
“The owner got a big shock and started to cry. She is the breadwinner for her family,” the mother of two said.
“I couldn’t even look at the mirror when my eyebrow was being done. Everyone was in tears. There was silence.”
Beauty salons gave women a safe space to share their joys and sorrows
Zarmina lives in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban’s conservative citadel where the supreme leader resides.
She says it’s common here for men to ban their daughters from wearing make-up or going for a beauty treatment.
“Most women walk around in a burqa or hijab here. We have accepted it as part of our culture.”
Zarmina was married at 16. She says a chat at the beautician was enough to give her a rare sense of freedom.
“I wasn’t allowed to leave my house on my own, but I managed to persuade my husband, and was allowed to visit the beauty salon two or three times a year.”
She used to go to the salon with a woman from her neighbourhood, developing a deep friendship with one of its workers.
“In the past, women used to talk about ways to influence their husbands. Some were open about their insecurities.”
But the economic crisis had gradually intruded into their lives after the Taliban retook power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US forces from the country.
Women’s freedoms have steadily shrunk since then.
“Now women only talk about unemployment, discrimination and poverty,” Zarmina says.
Madina covers her head with a scarf when she leaves home. Only her husband and female members of her family can see her coloured hair.
The 22-year-old lives in Kabul, and keenly follows the latest beauty trends online.
“Every woman I know loves to improve her style. I love the latest fashion and wearing make-up.”
Many Afghan women choose elaborate make-up for their wedding day
She says going to the beauty salon has kept her marriage fresh.
“My husband really loves to see my hair in different colours and cut in different styles.
“He always takes me to the beauty salon and waits patiently at the door,” she says proudly.
“He compliments my looks when I walk out, which makes me feel good.”
Her ambition was to become a lawyer but the Taliban stopped women going to university. She’s been unable to find work since as women are also banned from many other roles.
Madina used to accompany her mum to the salon as a child and vividly recalls how women would openly share their life stories with each other.
“Women employees in the salon no longer wear skirts or jeans, they’re all in hijabs.”
And fear is everywhere.
“No-one knows who is a Taliban supporter and no-one wants to say anything about politics.”
In the past, grooms were allowed to watch their bride get ready. Madina even remembers some men taking photos inside the salon. This is all now banned.
The Taliban says beauty salons are forbidden by Islam
But Madina says she at least has joyful memories of her “big day” to cherish.
“I went to the beauty salon and got full bridal make-up before my wedding last year,” she says.
“When I looked at myself in the mirror, I was so beautiful. It transformed me. I couldn’t describe my happiness.”
For 27-year-old Somaya from the north-western city of Mazar-i-Sharif, a beauty salon is a necessity.
Three years ago she suffered burns to her face, losing her eyebrows and eyelashes after a heater in her room exploded.
“I couldn’t bear to look at my face. I looked ugly,” she says, her voice full of emotion.
“I thought everyone was looking at me and laughing at me because my eyebrows were gone. I didn’t go out for a couple of months. I cried a lot during that time.”
Medical treatment healed her wounds, while the beauty salon helped her recover her sense of self.
“I went to the beauty salon and had micro-blading [a semi-permanent form of cosmetic tattooing]. It made me look much better,” she says.
“When I looked at my eyebrows, I started to cry. They are tears of joy. The beauty salon gave me my life back.”
Somaya has a master’s degree in psychology and works as a mental health counsellor. She has seen the number of women seeking her services swell since the Taliban imposed sweeping restrictions. She is not alone in using the beauty parlour for “therapy”.
“For us, salons are more than places to do your make-up. It helped us hide our sorrows. It gave us energy and hope.”
Zarmina concurs. That June day, after making what would be her final trip to the salon, she kept gazing back as she made her way home.
She knew exactly what she was losing—her meager attempt at independence.
“I paid for myself at the salon and it gave me strength and power. I have money but I can’t spend it on myself in the beauty salon. This makes me feel poor.”
Iran and the United States have exchanged fresh attacks in the Middle East, deepening their six-month-old conflict and raising fears of a wider disruption to global oil supplies.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday that it had attacked 20 US vessels attempting to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that normally carries around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
The latest escalation came after US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday.
SEE ALSO: Crude Races Towards $100 as US Steps Hard on Iran
The US military said the strikes followed an Iranian attack on an American warship, the second reported attack on a US naval vessel in less than a week.
In retaliation, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had launched missiles at the US Al-Azraq air base in Jordan.
Iranian state media reported that the attack damaged maintenance and repair facilities, deployment locations and shelters used for fighter jets.
Jordan’s army, however, said it intercepted 18 missiles launched from Iran towards the kingdom.
The latest confrontation has further intensified the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely controlled since the war began in February.
Traffic through the waterway has been virtually paralysed, with Tehran requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees before passing through the strait.
Iran threatens Gulf tankers
Iran has also threatened to target oil tankers operating near US allies Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the American strikes on its vessels.
The Revolutionary Guards warned crews aboard oil tankers in the area to leave their ships, saying they “will be targeted.”
The warning has heightened concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and the possibility of further disruptions to energy supplies from the oil-rich Middle East.
Oil prices rose sharply amid the latest escalation, with Brent crude climbing to $99.46 per barrel in Asian morning trade.
West Texas Intermediate, the main US crude benchmark, also rose to $94.45 per barrel.
Rubio issues warning
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran would face further consequences if it continued attacking American naval vessels.
“Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers, and I think you’ll see that again today,” Rubio told reporters on Tuesday during a visit to Colombia.
Iranian media also reported that a US missile struck a tanker off the coast of Kharg Island, although no casualties were reported.
Iran’s Army Chief of Staff, Ali Abdollahi, had earlier warned that Tehran would strike US bases across the region if Iranian oil tankers were attacked.
Iran claims US drone seizure
The Revolutionary Guards also claimed on Tuesday that they had seized an American submarine drone in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as “one of the most modern, unmanned” US vessels.
The US military disputed the claim, saying the drone had malfunctioned and was an older model that did not contain sensitive information.
Iranian state television separately reported that the Guards had attacked two US destroyers with ballistic missiles, although the US military had not immediately commented on the claim.
As the confrontation continues, concerns are mounting that prolonged fighting around the Strait of Hormuz could further restrict the movement of oil and gas and push global energy prices higher.
Tanzania is mourning following the death of Hafidh Ameir Hassan, husband of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who died on Monday while receiving treatment at a hospital in Zanzibar.
The death of Tanzania’s First Gentleman was officially announced by Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi, according to the BBC.
Ndejembi said Ameir had been suffering from a heart condition and died at about 8am local time at the Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar.
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He added that funeral arrangements were underway in Kizimkazi, a village on Zanzibar.
Ameir, an agricultural academic, largely kept a low public profile and rarely appeared alongside his wife at official events.
He became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman after Samia assumed the presidency in March 2021.
The couple married in 1978, before Samia entered national politics, and had four children — three sons and a daughter.
Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, is a politician and serves in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives.
Ruto, AU mourn First Gentleman
Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his condolences to President Samia and her family following the death.
In a message posted on X on Monday, Ruto said, “I have received with deep sorrow the news of the passing of Hafidh Ameir Hassan, husband of Her Excellency Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.”
He added, “President Samia has lost a lifelong companion, her children a beloved father, and Tanzania a distinguished son.”
Ruto further said, “Kenya stands with our Tanzanian brothers and sisters in this moment of grief,” while praying for the bereaved family.
The African Union Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, also extended his condolences to President Samia, her family and the people of Tanzania.
In a statement issued on Monday, Youssouf said the AU conveyed its “deepest condolences” over the passing of Hafidh Ameir Hassan and wished the bereaved family “strength, courage and solace.”
The AU Chairperson also prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased, concluding, “Inalilahi wainailehi rajiun.”
The average price of diesel in the United States has climbed to a record high, adding to growing pressure on businesses and consumers as disruptions to fuel supplies continue amid the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), diesel prices reached a new record on Monday, rising by about 30 cents from the average recorded just one week earlier.
SEE MORE: DPRP Slashes PMS to ₦1,165/Litre, Diesel to ₦1,570/Litre
Diesel is widely used in road transportation, agriculture and construction, making the sharp increase a major concern for truckers, farmers and other businesses that rely heavily on the fuel.
The latest surge comes as the ongoing conflict has disrupted tanker shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to tighter fuel supplies and higher energy costs.
Diesel prices have risen substantially compared with a year ago, when the national average stood at $3.71 per gallon.
The increase is putting additional financial pressure on farmers and trucking companies, which may eventually pass higher operating costs on to consumers.
The rise in diesel prices is also adding to broader concerns over the cost of living in the United States and could pose a political challenge for President Donald Trump ahead of the November midterm congressional elections.
Meanwhile, average regular gasoline prices also rose significantly, reaching $4.15 per gallon on Monday, compared with $3.20 a year earlier.
Fuel prices were even higher in some western states, with regular gasoline averaging $5.86 per gallon in California and $4.54 in Arizona, according to AAA.
The continued increase in fuel costs comes as millions of Americans travel during the Labor Day holiday period, potentially placing further pressure on household and business budgets.
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