UN convenes crucial talks on Afghanistan crisis, excludes Taliban.

The United Nations is holding a two-day conference on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, without the participation of the Taliban. The meeting will include diplomatic envoys and aid donors, and the UN plans to press the Taliban to ease restrictions on women. The Taliban has criticized the conference, saying it would be "ineffective" without their participation. The UN chief has said that the de facto Afghan rulers would not be invited to the meeting to discuss the dire humanitarian situation in the country and its international isolation. The meeting is crucial for the international community's engagement with Afghanistan, as the UN is expected to review its critical relief operation in the country.