Afghan Star 2: Music, tradition and the Taliban

Afghan Star 2: Music, tradition and the Taliban

The TV talent show Afghan Star has been running for 14 years, and has never been won by a woman singer. This year one of the two finalists is an 18-year-old girl – if she wins, it will be a historic breakthrough for the country. Sahar Zand meets finalist Zahra Elham, who has received death threats for singing on the show, and Afghanistan's most famous woman pop star Aryana Sayeed, a judge in the competition, who is constantly accompanied by an armed guard. She also visits the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, which is defying tradition as well as the Taliban in teaching musical instruments to young women.

Afghan Star is much like any other TV talent show – except that its context is a war zone. The studios are guarded by bomb-proof gates and snipers, and the participants arrive by armoured vehicle. It is watched by millions throughout the country – and has led the way in a resurgence of music in Afghanistan despite constant threats.

Jaksot(2000)

Kentucky’s Real People Radio

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Trump and Greenland: How MAGA went Arctic

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Why does President Trump really want Greenland? The Arctic territory is rich in vital minerals and oil. And it hosts an important American military base as the race for dominance in the Arctic heats u...

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Els and Jan have fewer than three days left on Earth. Childhood sweethearts who met in kindergarten more than six decades ago, they know precisely when they will die. And how. On an early summer’s Mon...

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New climbing video game

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Super Bowl LX

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Inspirational NFL stars Leonard Russell, Steve Wright, Jaime Coffee and Chris Poitras, COO of Jostens the jewellers who have made the vast majority of Super Bowl rings.This episode was updated on 9 Fe...

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China's Population 'Rhinoceros'

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China's population has shrunk, year on year, for four years in a row, pushing a country with a long history of official worry about overpopulation to contemplate a sharp decline in births. BBC China's...

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For the first time since May 2024, people have been allowed to cross between Gaza and Egypt through the Rafah crossing – seen by many Palestinians as a lifeline to the world. Israel reopened the borde...

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Caught on camera: Exposing China’s spycam porn

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Warning: This programme deals with adult themes that may not be suitable for some listenersCriminals are hiding video cameras in hotel rooms across China to secretly film and live stream unsuspecting ...

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