The article discusses the booming pomegranate industry in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, highlighting its potential as a profitable alternative to opium poppy cultivation. Sardar Wali, a local farmer, anticipates a high yield from his orchard, which could solve his financial problems. The demand for pomegranates is strong, with traders buying entire orchards in advance. Provincial agriculture officials and the Kandahar city mayor's office are taking measures to support and protect the industry, including workshops, public awareness sessions, and construction bans on arable land. Despite challenges such as the lack of cold storage and transportation facilities, the pomegranate trade is thriving, with significant exports to neighboring countries and beyond. Farmers and traders are satisfied with their profits, and the cultivation of pomegranates is seen as a positive shift away from illegal poppy farming.

The article discusses the challenges faced by women in Kandahar, Afghanistan, who are trying to pursue careers in journalism. Despite training programs aimed at increasing female participation in media, social prejudices and conservative traditions prevent them from working in the field. This results in a lack of coverage on vital social issues, particularly those affecting women, such as forced marriage and social exclusion. The article highlights the stories of several women who have been victims of gender violence and forced marriage, and their inability to share their experiences due to the absence of female journalists. Local media outlets employ a very small number of women, and there is a call for more female journalists, editors, and managers. The article also touches on the hostility faced by those advocating for women in media, including an incident where a journalist was beaten for speaking to a woman about her aspirations in journalism.