The sewing circles of herat by Christina lamb
Lamb's long experience as a journalist is a solid stage upon which to build the story of her voyage through Afghanistan, told with a deep, loving honesty." -- Montreal Gazette (Canada)
A brilliant British war correspondent who has spent ten years in Afghanistan gives a first hand report on the war and its genesis.
Award-winning journalist Christina Lamb chronicles the human stories behind the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Lamb spent the last phase of the Soviet War in Pakistan, relying on her friendship with exiled Afghans to smuggle her in and out of Jalalabad. Many of these friends are now the Taliban, giving her exclusive and critical insight into the brutalization of this tragic, war-ravaged land.
Her own professional history equips Lamb to discover the people no one else is writing about: the battered and abandoned victims of a quarter century of war. These include people like Khalil Ahmed Hassan, a former Taliban torturer who admits to inflicting horrific beatings, and to breaking the spines of men, then making them stand on their heads. A business graduate with no strong religious convictions, Hassan joined the Taliban on hearing that his 85-year-old grandfather had been captured and would only be released if a male relative joined the Taliban. Lamb also tells the story of Afghan women who would covertly continue academic lessons at a great risk to themselves and their families
Poll: Do you think banning gang patches is reasonable?
With the government cracking down on gangs, it is now illegal for gang members to display their insignia in public places whether through clothing or their property.
This means arrests can be made if these patches are worn in places like restaurants, shops, on public transport or ferries, and on airplanes. Arrests were made recently at a funeral.
Do you think this ban is reasonable?
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76.3% Yes
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22.3% No
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.