Quiffs, mohawks, and crew cuts were hairstyles barbers were accustomed to styling for image-conscious young men in Afghanistan's third-biggest city of Herat. But all that has changed since the Taliban took over the country in mid-August.

A group of German entrepreneurs is helping Afghans leave their country. 27-year-old Fardin and his family have already arrived in their new home, where he is looking to have a career and build a safe future.

Taliban fighters laugh and whoop onboard a pirate ship ride at an amusement park in the west of Afghanistan's capital Kabul. An incongruous scene, and one that might have been unimaginable during the group's brutally oppressive reign in the 1990s. But while the Islamist hardliners have promised a more moderate rule this time, many Afghans have already seen their freedoms curbed.

Heavily armed gangs have been stepping up raids on schools and villages in northwestern Nigeria, often taking hostages for ransom.

Almost three months after the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, the country's economy is imploding. Many NGOs and foreign companies have left, leaving thousands of Afghans suddenly unemployed. Some $9.5 billion of assets have been frozen abroad and banks are running out of money. The value of the local currency is plummeting and food prices have soared. This dire situation is pushing thousands of Afghans to flee the country. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris-Trent and Roméo Langlois report.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August, life in Afghanistan has become more and more difficult. The country, which was already beset by an economic crisis, is now confronted with a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. Billions of dollars in aid money have dried up, funding for hospitals is non-existent and nearly half the population faces acute hunger. Our team on the ground reports.

Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso deployed police and the military to "take control of all the country's prisons" after scores of inmates were killed in gang clashes.

Around 5,000 people every day are crossing the border from Afghanistan into Iran. While Tehran is deporting thousands every week, many are still setting out on the perilous journey that often begins in the city of Herat.

Nearly 10 billion dollars of Afghanistan's reserves, held in the United States, remain out of reach for the Taliban because the White House won't release the money. Meanwhile, half of Afghanistan's population is facing hunger.

Doctors have accused security forces of firing live rounds at pro-democracy demonstrators and killing four of them.

The Doctors Committee said two people have been killed by authorities. Sudan's military leader has vowed to crack down on protesters demanding civilian rule, saying they "would not achieve a political solution."

The latest round of protests against Sudan's military are met with tear gas, sparking clashes with security forces. Rallies were held in Khartoum and neighbouring cities on Tuesday. Also, the first findings of an inquiry into corruption under former South African president Jacob Zuma establish that state decisions were shaped by private individuals and interests during his nine years in power. Finally, we sample the Pan-African offerings of award-winning experimental Congolese chef Dieuveil Malonga at his Kigali restaurant.