Twelve members of the UN Security Council strongly condemned the ongoing systematic gender discrimination and oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban.
They expressed deep concern over the recently announced "morality law".
This came in a joint press statement read by Kazuyuki Yamazaki, Japan's Permanent Representative to the UN, on behalf of his country and 11 other council members.
Thousands feared dead after two major earthquakes strike Venezuela
Thousands of Venezuelans were feared dead on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and around the capital Caracas, trapping people beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings and setting off powerful aftershocks.
Trump asks Congress for more funds to fight Iran, defying rebuke on war powers
President Donald Trump's administration has asked the US Congress on Wednesday for $87.6 billion in additional funding, most of it related to the Iran war, setting the stage for another fight with lawmakers already frustrated with the conflict.
Magnitude 6.9 quake strikes Japan's northeast, no tsunami warning
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 has struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
US, Iran at odds on nuclear inspections, frozen assets in deal to end war
US President Donald Trump has stated on Tuesday that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity," while Tehran said it had made no such concession in negotiations, raising questions about the viability of their fragile peace deal.
Oman establishes temporary shipping corridor through Strait of Hormuz
Oman has coordinated with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to establish a temporary maritime corridor for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to its local news agency.
