The United States has adjusted its approach to engaging with the Taliban, moving past the precondition of addressing human rights issues to foster better relations. A meeting in Doha on July 31, the first official engagement since August 2021, showed signs of progress, with coherent statements from both parties and discussions on confidence-building measures. The presence of US Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri indicated a shift in strategy, aiming to incentivize the Taliban to form an inclusive government and address social policies internally. The UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan plans to continue these dialogues, which could lead to international recognition for the Taliban and provide the US an opportunity to address past failures in Afghanistan.

The article discusses the ongoing challenges in the U.S. education system as schools strive to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the slow and uneven progress in student learning. It also covers the financial crisis looming over educational recovery efforts as federal pandemic relief funds are set to expire. Additionally, the text addresses Australia's plans to reduce the number of international students to ease housing stress, and the Taliban's continued exclusion of women from higher education in Afghanistan, which has drawn widespread criticism. Key stakeholders include educators, government officials, and international organizations.

Afghan women are facing panic and dismay as the Taliban enforces a ban on beauty salons in Kabul, one of the few remaining places where women could work and gather. The ban, effective at the end of July, will close around 3,000 women-run salons, impacting thousands of women economically and socially. The U.N. has warned that the Taliban's actions may constitute gender apartheid and crimes against humanity. The ban has been condemned by international officials, including U.S. special envoy Rina Amiri. Salon owners like Samia Faqiri and Yalda Hashimi, who support their families through their businesses, express despair and consider leaving the country. The Taliban's Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and the Promotion of Virtue justifies the ban on religious grounds and economic pressures on men. Protests by beauty workers have erupted, fearing the ban's extension across Afghanistan.