US, allies call on Taliban to reopen girls schools in Afghanistan
India Today
The United States and its allies have urged the Taliban to reopen Afghan girls' schools.
The United States and other Western countries on Thursday condemned the Taliban's decision to shut girls' secondary schools in Afghanistan just hours after reopening them, and urged the hardline Islamist movement to reverse course.
The joint statement from the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Norway and the US, plus the high representative of the European Union, said the decision Wednesday by the Taliban will harm the group's prospects for legitimacy and Afghanistan's "ambition to become a respected member in the community of nations."
"The Taliban's action contradicted its public assurances to the Afghan people and to the international community," the Western nations said in their statement.
They called on the Taliban, which seized power last August as US forces withdrew from the country, "urgently to reverse this decision, which will have consequences far beyond its harm to Afghan girls."
"Unreversed, it will profoundly harm Afghanistan's prospects for social cohesion and economic growth."
The signatories to the statement notably included Norway, which hosted landmark talks between the Taliban and several Western diplomats in January.
READ | Danish Siddiqui's parents to take Taliban to court over photojournalist's killing in Kandahar
Legal immigration to the US in 2025 has seen one of its sharpest declines since the pandemic. About 2,50,000 fewer visas in total were issued compared to 2024, reported The Washington Post. The drop has been global, but India stands out as one of the worst affected, alongside China. Visa approvals for the two countries fell by a combined 84,000.
Shradha Saini from Bengaluru has gone viral after sharing a detailed breakdown of her monthly expenses, calling it her "Gen Z lifestyle".
As reports suggest Saudi Arabia is pushing for a tougher stance on Iran, Trump's public praise of Gulf allies reveals shifting dynamics, and raises questions over how far the conflict could escalate.
Yogesh Yadav, climbed nearly 40 feet up the tower on Tuesday morning and refused to come down for several hours. He was later taken into custody.
Snubs, sarcasm and shifting power play - Iran's choice of JD Vance over Trump's trusted aides reveals a deeper mistrust, raising questions over who really controls the path to ending the war.
The video, originally shared on Rakesh Kumar's Facebook profile, shows him dragging a snake-like object tied to a rope across a platform that triggered fear and confusion among passengers present at the station.
From shutting US bases to controlling a key global oil route, Iran's demands in response to Trump's proposal set a steep stage for talks, but hints of flexibility quietly emerge behind the scenes.
Shantanu Deshpande recorded the moment from inside the workplace, spotlighting Akash Sharma, a supply chain intern, who casually broke into a set of pull-ups in the middle of a regular workday.
Oil and gas refineries and hubs are up in flames not just in the Middle East, but also in Russia and the US. Crude oil prices have surged over $100 a barrel. With the energy infrastructure in the Middle East likely to take years to be rebuilt, the world could be set for the biggest oil disruption in history.
The US has sent a 15-point proposal to Iran aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, including strict restrictions on its nuclear programme, halting support for proxy groups and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump says the war is already "won", but then points to his own defence chief as the man who did not want peace. Behind the victory claim lies a growing split inside Washington's war room.