Triumphant Taliban start putting policies into practice

The Taliban have promised a more inclusive government this time after seizing power. However top posts of new government have been handed to veteran leaders who played key roles in their notoriously brutal 1996-2001 rule. While much remains opaque, here is what is known about their policies on key issues so far:

Women's rights: The Taliban have sought to distance themselves from the harsher policies of old, when half the population was excluded from work and education. Under new rules, women may work "in accordance with the principles of Islam", the Taliban have decreed, without giving further details. Women can also study at university in classrooms that are segregated by sex, but they must wear an abaya robe and niqab covering most of the face. However it's too early to call on the issue.

Economic crisis: Afghanistan is facing a financial crisis following the takeover, with much of the international aid that had propped up the economy frozen. It remains unclear how the Taliban will find the funds to pay civil servants' salaries -- or to support critical infrastructures. The Taliban's current annual income, much of which is raised from taxation and criminal activities, is estimated to be somewhere between as low as $300 million and as high as $1.5 billion. But while those funds bankrolled a successful insurgency, it is nowhere near meeting the needs of running a nation, experts say.

Freedom of speech: The Taliban say that journalists -- including women -- can continue to work. But Afghan journalists paint a different picture, with many having already fled the country, or in hiding fearing attacks. The Taliban have also banned growing protests against their rule, unless permission had been granted by the justice ministry. On Wednesday, two Afghan journalists were badly beaten covering one in Kabul. Zaki Daryabi, founder and editor-in-chief of the Etilaat Roz newspaper, shared images on social media of two male reporters, one with large, red welts across his lower back and legs and the other with similar marks on his shoulder and arm.

Culture and sport: During their first stint in power, the Taliban were infamous for their strict interpretation of sharia law, banning music, photography, television, and even children's games such as kite-flying. This time, the Taliban have yet to issue official decrees regarding entertainment and culture.  But spokesman Mujahid told the New York Times last month that they were hopeful that Afghans would follow their rules without compulsion. "Music is forbidden in Islam," Mujahid said, adding that "we're hoping that we can persuade people not to do such things, instead of pressuring them." Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban's cultural commission, said women cannot play. "Islam and the Islamic Emirate do not allow women to play cricket or play the kind of sports where they get exposed," he said.