As the climate warms due to the burning of fossil fuels, heatwaves are lasting longer and reaching greater peaks as average temperatures rise
world2 days ago
Nearly a dozen UN Security Council members on Friday urged the Taliban to end repressive treatment of women in Afghanistan as they push ahead with tightening restrictions.
The Taliban seized power in August 2021, promising a softer version of their brutal 1996-2001 rule that was infamous for human rights abuses.
But they have squeezed women out of almost all areas of public life, recently banning them from secondary and higher education, public sector work and from visiting parks and baths.
"We urge the Taliban to immediately reverse all oppressive measures against women and girls," said Japanese ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro, speaking on behalf of 11 members of the Security Council.
These were Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the UAE, Britain and the United States.
The nations called on the Taliban to "respect the rights of women and girls, and their full, equal and meaningful participation and inclusion across all aspects of society in Afghanistan, from political and economic, to education and public space."
The statement made explicit mention of Afghan women's exclusion from secondary schools and universities, and a ban on NGOs employing Afghan women.
"NGOs will be unable to reach those most in need, in particular women and girls, to provide lifesaving materials and services," it said.
Several international aid groups have suspended their work in Afghanistan because of the ban, which was announced by the Taliban government on December 24. But the UN said its agencies would keep working in Afghanistan.
"The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan must remain high on the agenda of the Security Council," said Friday's statement, which came during a closed-door council meeting.
"We'll discuss today a unified international response to the Taliban's actions," British ambassador Barbara Woodward tweeted. "We aim to stop the slide into humanitarian catastrophe and reverse the bans on women and girls."
As the climate warms due to the burning of fossil fuels, heatwaves are lasting longer and reaching greater peaks as average temperatures rise
world2 days ago
Schools in Delhi-NCR that received threat emails closed as a precaution; children sent home
world2 days ago
Around nine schools have received bomb threats so far, according to a Delhi Fire official; search operations underway
world2 days ago
Demonstrators had vowed they would fight any eviction as they protested the soaring death toll from Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip
world2 days ago
The vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'
world2 days ago
Lawyers from two countries clashed at the court this month, with Nicaragua saying Germany was 'pathetic' for providing weapons to Israel and aid to Gazans
world2 days ago
The US Secretary of State observed Jordan's efforts to bring in food and supplies
world3 days ago
Earlier this month, the fast food chain agreed to acquire Alonyal, which owns 225 McDonald's restaurants in Israel which have been hit by calls for a boycott
world3 days ago