As Israel-Iran clashes raged in June, Afghan children - newly uprooted and terrified - bear invisible wounds deeper than the rubble around them.
Setayes is an Afghan refugee living in Iran to escape from the conflicts in her hometown, while the 12-day strikes from Israeli side against Iran in June broke the peaceful life.
On June 13, Israel launched major air strikes on several areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and numerous civilians.
One of the airstrikes landed right next to Setayes's home, sending the four-year-old crashing to the ground in terror and breaking her arm.
"I was playing in the yard when a bomb exploded. I fell and broke my arm. They took me to the doctor and bandaged my arm. I was so scared and kept crying. I hid in my father's arms to avoid the fear," she said.
According to Hamid, Setayes's father, the family had been in Tehran for six years, spent 12 sleepless nights under the raids. When his youngest daughter was injured amid the conflicts, he packed up and headed for the hometown.
"The explosions usually occurred around midnight; 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock or 3 o'clock in the morning. We and our neighbors were struggling under immense pressure. The windows were shaking, and we lived in fear every day," he said.
Setayes's two brothers also lived in fear during the airstrikes, spending nights sleeplessly, or awakened by explosions in the midnights.
"We were terrified during the Israeli-Iranian conflict. After my sister's arm was injured, we became even more terrified. I worried every moment that a missile would land on our house," said Alem, the eldest child in the family.
"We cannot sleep all night, worried from night till dawn," said Moussa, another boy of the family.
Afghan children scarred by Israel-Iran conflicts
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
