The roar of traffic. The honking of horns. HagglingDiscussing and trying to agree on the price of something. in busy markets. These are the sounds you might hear in Kabul, AfghanistanA mountainous Asian country, slightly larger than France, whose neighbours include Pakistan, Iran and China.'s capital city.

But there is one sound you will not hear any more: the sound of women talking.

Last week the TalibanA violent fundamentalist Islamic movement that enforces sharia law and denies education to women., which rules Afghanistan, made a new set of laws. Among other things, they state that women may not speak in public.

Afghanistan has changed quickly. Just two years ago, women in Afghanistan could learn and work. Now they cannot go to school, and they cannot even look directly at men they are not related to.

Some say it reminds them of Margaret AtwoodCanadian novelist whose best-known book is The Handmaid's Tale.'s famous book The Handmaid's Tale, in which Christian extremistsPeople who hold extreme political or religious views, especially ones who choose violence or other extreme action. take over the USA and make women into slaves.

In recent years, politicians in the USA with strong religious beliefs have been trying to make laws against women's reproductive rightsThe right of a woman to decide whether to reproduce, including the right to an abortion. The latter, although legally mandated across the US since 1973, has been increasingly difficult to access in several areas.. In 2022, a ruling that meant any woman in the USA could have an abortionThe deliberate ending of a pregnancy. was overturned.

Both the USA and Afghanistan have deep social divides.

Many members of the Taliban are from the Pashtun ethnic group. They come from rural areas with strong traditional values, where society is ruled by men. Others in Afghanistan, including TajiksA Persian-speaking Iranian ethnic group. Most Tajiks live in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. , often have more liberalLiberalism is a school of political thought that stresses individual liberty. Liberals believe that society should not try to impose values or behaviours on individuals but should be tolerant of different lifestyles. A leading exponent of liberal thought was the 19th-century English philosopher John Stuart Mill, the author of the classic work On Liberty. ideas.

The USA is also deeply divided between liberal urbanRelated to cities. areas and traditional ruralRelating to the countryside rather than the town. ones. Some now think that rural politicians are trying to make the whole country follow their traditional ideas.

Could Trump's America go the same way?

Yes! Many fear that if Donald TrumpAn American television personality who became US president from 2016 to 2020, and will become president again in January 2025. wins the US presidency in November, he could bring in new laws that go against women's rights. This may make his rural, religious supporters happy.

No! The USA is a very different place to Afghanistan. Even Donald Trump does not seem to want to reduceLower. women's rights. This would never happen in America.

FOR YOUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE CLUE GO TO STEP SIX IN THE SIX STEPS TO DISCOVERY BELOW.

Haggling - Discussing and trying to agree on the price of something.

Afghanistan - A mountainous Asian country, slightly larger than France, whose neighbours include Pakistan, Iran and China.

Taliban - A violent fundamentalist Islamic movement that enforces sharia law and denies education to women.

Margaret Atwood - Canadian novelist whose best-known book is The Handmaid's Tale.

Extremists - People who hold extreme political or religious views, especially ones who choose violence or other extreme action.

Reproductive rights - The right of a woman to decide whether to reproduce, including the right to an abortion. The latter, although legally mandated across the US since 1973, has been increasingly difficult to access in several areas.

Abortion - The deliberate ending of a pregnancy.

Tajiks - A Persian-speaking Iranian ethnic group. Most Tajiks live in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Liberal - Liberalism is a school of political thought that stresses individual liberty. Liberals believe that society should not try to impose values or behaviours on individuals but should be tolerant of different lifestyles. A leading exponent of liberal thought was the 19th-century English philosopher John Stuart Mill, the author of the classic work On Liberty.

Urban - Related to cities.

Rural - Relating to the countryside rather than the town.

Donald Trump - An American television personality who became US president from 2016 to 2020, and will become president again in January 2025.

Reduce - Lower.