UN holds emergency meeting on Taliban crackdown on women
UNITED NATIONS, May 13: The UN Security Council held emergency closed consultations Thursday on the Taliban's latest crackdown on Afghan women as it considered a presidential statement that would express deep concern at the new ban by Afghanistan's rulers on women leaving home "without necessity" and wearing head-to-toe clothing when they do go out in public. The Norwegian-drafted statement would also call for a reversal of policies that restrict the rights of women and girls. Taliban hard-liners, who came to power last August, have turned back the clock in Afghanistan to their harsh rule from 1996 until December 2001 when they were ousted from power by US forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, with girls and women still the main target. — AP
What secrets do the Taj Mahal's locked rooms hold?
NEW DELHI, May 13: Judges belonging to a high court in India don't think so. On Thursday, they dismissed a petition filed by a member of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding the opening of doors of more than 20 "permanently locked rooms" in the Taj Mahal to find out the "real history of the monument". More pointedly, Rajneesh Singh told the court he wanted to check out "claims by historians and worshippers" that the rooms housed a shrine to Shiva, the Hindu god. The Taj Mahal is a 17th Century riverfront mausoleum in Agra city which was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his queen Mumtaz who died while giving birth to their 14th child. The stunning monument - built with brick, red sandstone and white marble and famed for its intricate lattice work - is one of India's biggest tourist attractions.
— BBC
Multiple wildfires in US Colorado burn homes, force evacuation
COLORADO, May 13: Smoke from several major wildfires on Thursday ringed Colorado Springs, Colorado's second-largest city, torching eight homes, closing the city's airport and causing thousands of evacuations, as dry conditions and heavy winds spread the blazes quickly throughout the area. As night fell on Colorado Springs, located 112.6 km south of the state capital Denver, dozens of fire crews from across the region responded to the grass fires and were "gaining the upper hand," according to Denver CBS4 News. According to Colorado Public Radio, one fire engulfed eight homes in the Skylark Mobile Home Park, where 500 homes were emptied and 1,000 residents were evacuated to a nearby fitness centre. Fifty firefighters responded to the blaze that saw several propane tanks venting flames 15 meters in the air. — Xinhua
© 2025 - All Rights with The Financial Express
