Thousands of beauty parlours across Afghanistan closed permanently on Tuesday following an order by Taliban authorities that cuts off one of the few revenue streams available to women, as well as a cherished space for socialising. "As a businesswoman, I am devastated that I worked so hard and now my achievement has been reduced to nothing," the owner of a parlour in Kabul tells AFP. "Closing the doors of beauty salons means all doors are closed to me, which means I cannot work and live as a woman in Afghanistan," a beautician says. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES