Taliban has tightened restrictions in Afghanistan and banned the construction of windows in residential buildings that overlook areas used by Afghan women. It has also said that the existing windows should be blocked, reported AFP. Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards or while collecting water can “lead to obscene acts”, government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on social media platform X. "Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts," according to the decree posted by government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on social media platform X. Municipal authorities asked to monitor construction sites To impose the ban on windows in specified areas, municipal authorities and other relevant areas have been asked to monitor construction sites. Officials have also been asked take relevant action in residential areas where such windows with clear sight to women working areas exist. In such cases, they would encourage owners to build a wall or obstruct the view "to avoid nuisances caused to neighbours", the decree states. Taliban's regressive policies towards women Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, since then its has replaced all the progressive policies of the government towards women. The move has prompted the United Nations to denounce the "gender apartheid" it has established. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has banned post-primary education for girls and women. Females are not even allowed to take jobs and visit parks and other public places. Taliban law to ban women from singing in public In another move to erase women's presence in public, Taliban has introduced a law to prevent women from singing or reciting poetry in public under the Taliban government's ultra-strict application of Islamic law. It also encourages them to "veil" their voices and bodies outside the home. Some local radio and television stations have also stopped broadcasting female voices.Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US
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LeBron James made his Christmas debut in 2003. Victor Wembanyama was born 10 days later. That’s right: James has been featured on the NBA’s big day for longer than Wembanyama has been alive. And on Wednesday — when the league celebrates Christmas with games for the 77th time — the league’s oldest player and brightest young star will be big parts of the holiday showcase. It’s another Christmas quintupleheader, with Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visiting the New York Knicks, Minnesota going to Dallas for a Western Conference finals rematch, Philadelphia heading to Boston to renew a storied rivalry, James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and Denver playing at Phoenix in the nightcap. “Very excited, of course,” Wembanyama said of his first Christmas game opportunity. “First of all, spending Christmas in New York, it’s going to be like the movies, I hope. Get a little snow.” His first Christmas wish came true: Light snow fell in Manhattan on Tuesday morning. James said he’s relishing another chance to share the holiday spotlight with Curry — someone he’s played against on Christmas three previous times. “Any time you get an opportunity to be on the court and compete against one of the greatest to ever play this game, you don’t take it for granted,” James — who turns 40 next week — said of facing his U.S. Olympic teammate. “I don’t know how many more opportunities we’ll get to go against each other.” The Christmas games have been looked at for decades as the time when more fans tend to start watching basketball. The NFL — which is going head-to-head against the NBA on Wednesday — is seeing its regular season winding down, and the five NBA games will all be shown nationally either on ABC or ESPN. The Spurs-Knicks game will also have a special alt-cast starring Mickey Mouse and some of his friends, the first animated presentation of an NBA game. It’ll be shown on ESPN2 and stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. “I wish there were more of our great players who had a chance to play on that stage on Christmas Day,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “It’s been an interesting turnaround from certainly my earlier days in the league when we got a lot of complaints about playing on Christmas — and now it comes the other way, which is, ‘Why aren’t we playing on Christmas?’ I wish we could accommodate even more teams.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!The Winnipeg Jets have been the talk of the town lately in Winnipeg, with a league-best 16-3 record. But there’s another team in Winnipeg that’s been blistering hot to begin their season, the University of Winnipeg Wesmen Men’s Volleyball team, who are off to their best start since 1997 when the team first joined the Canada West Conference. “I think our success stems from off the court actually, just everything we do to kind of prepare for practice and for games. With the addition of our new coach, I think our practice plans, everything off the court has allowed us to have really great success on the court and just throughout the season so far,” said Luke Lodewiks, University of Winnipeg volleyball player. Chris Voth, the head coach of the volleyball team added, “The guys are doing awesome, they have tremendous grit that they’ve shown throughout the last couple of years, and I’m just trying to build off the legacy that the former coach Larry Mckay laid down for the program.” The Wesmen are a perfect 8-0 to start the campaign, tied for the best record in the country, and their doing it thanks to the help of some home-grown talent. 17 members of the 18-man roster hail from Manitoba, and that familiarity, Lodewiks says, has been vital to the team’s strong play. “Just growing up in Manitoba, there’s a lot of opportunities to play throughout the province, and I think all the guys from Manitoba have that bond already connected, so when they all end up on the same team it really creates an environment to succeed,” said Lodewiks. It’s a program with a storied history, the Wesmen have won 10 national championships in men’s volleyball, tied for the most titles ever. But they haven’t raised a banner since 2007, and this year’s team is poised to end that drought, especially since fate has it that the 2025 USports national championships are set to be held right here in town. “Yeah, I think every team in Usports is competing for a championship. Our second half is tough we play all the local teams and we always have good rivalries with those teams, so I’m really excited to see what happens in the second half of the season as well,” said Voth. Lodewiks adding, “We have a great team this year, we definitely have a shot at winning a championship. It’s definitely one of the goals for myself and for the team as well. I think it’s going to be a great season and I can’t wait to see how far we can get.”
Celebrated filmmaker Prakash Jha captivated audiences at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa as he delved into the nuances of his latest film, ‘Amar Aaj Marega’. Known for his gripping narratives and socially charged cinema, Jha described the film as a deeply relatable exploration of a pivotal human experience. “The story of ‘Amar’ is timeless,” Jha shared during an interaction with ANI. “At some point, everyone feels they’ve reached a breaking point where life needs reevaluation. This film reflects that universal sentiment.” Directed by Rajat K, ‘Amar Aaj Marega’ was unveiled at IFFI on November 24, garnering attention for its dark humor and layered storytelling. Advertisement Jha praised the director’s vision, saying, “Rajat’s approach to the narrative is unique. He’s infused humor into dark themes, creating a rich tapestry of emotions. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore such a complex character on screen.” Confident in the film’s impact, Prakash Jha added, “It’s a powerful story that will resonate with audiences. The film is not only well-made but also highly relatable.” Jha, who boasts an illustrious career with National Award-winning works such as ‘Damul’, ‘Mrityudand’, ‘Gangaajal’, ‘Apaharan’, and ‘Raajneeti’, also hinted at exciting projects in the pipeline. He revealed plans for a third installment in the ‘Gangaajal’ series and a sequel to the political drama ‘Raajneeti’. “Political narratives have evolved significantly over the last decade,” he explained. “We’re weaving these changes into compelling stories. However, my current focus is on ‘Janadesh’.” Meanwhile, IFFI 2024 continues to shine as a global cinematic platform, showcasing over 180 films from 81 countries. The festival includes 16 world premieres, 43 Asian premieres, and 109 Indian premieres. This year’s edition also features a heartfelt tribute to Indian cinema icons Raj Kapoor, Tapan Sinha, Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), and Mohammed Rafi, marking their 100th birth anniversaries. Running until November 28, IFFI 2024 offers an unparalleled celebration of storytelling, innovation, and cultural diversity. AdvertisementNone
Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Reminds Investors of Looming Deadline in the Class Action Lawsuit Against ASP Isotopes Inc. (ASPI)NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train used a shirt to fan the flames, a prosecutor said Tuesday at his arraignment on murder charges. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally, was not required to enter a plea and did not speak at the hearing in Brooklyn criminal court. Zapeta, wearing a white jumpsuit over a weathered black hooded sweatshirt, will remain jailed and is due back in court on Friday. His lawyer did not ask for bail. Zapeta is charged with two counts of murder, accusing him of intentionally killing the woman and killing her while committing arson. He is also charged with one count of arson. The top charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez called the attack a “gruesome and senseless act of violence” and said it would be “met with the most serious consequences.” The apparently random attack occurred Sunday morning on an F train that was stopped at the Coney Island station. Police said Tuesday the victim's identification is still pending. Authorities say Zapeta approached the woman, who may have been sleeping in the train, and set her clothing on fire with a lighter. Zapeta then fanned the flames with a shirt, engulfing her in fire, Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg said in court Tuesday. Zapeta then sat on a bench on the subway platform and watched, police said. According to Rottenberg, Zapeta told detectives that he didn’t know what happened but identified himself in images of the attack. Zapeta's lawyer, Ed Friedman, did not speak to reporters after the arraignment. Video on social media appears to show some people looking on from the platform and at least one police officer walking by while the woman is on fire inside the train. NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Gulotta said Sunday that several officers responded to the fire and one stayed to keep the crime scene “the way it’s supposed to be" while the others went to get fire extinguishers and transit workers. “Officers who were on patrol on an upper level of that station smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate. What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. They eventually put the fire out, but “unfortunately, it was too late,” Tisch said, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Zapeta was taken into custody Sunday afternoon while riding a train on the same subway line after teenagers recognized him from images circulated by the police. A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support. The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal immigration officials said Zapeta was deported in 2018 but later reentered the U.S. illegally. The crime deepened a growing sense of unease among some New Yorkers about the safety of the subway system, amplified by graphic video of the attack that ricocheted across social media. Overall, crime is down in the transit system compared to last year. Major felonies declined 6% between January and November compared to the same time period last year, according to data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. But murders are up, with nine killings this year through November compared to five during the same period last year. Earlier this month, a Manhattan jury acquitted former Marine Daniel Penny in the chokehold death last year of an agitated subway rider. The case became a flashpoint in debates over safety, homelessness and mental illness on the system. Policing the subway is difficult, given the vast network of trains moving between 472 stations. Each stop contains multiple entry points and, in many stations, multiple floors and platforms.
