Shruti 
GAZA CITY: Israel bombarded targets in Gaza on Saturday after the United States blocked an extraordinary UN bid for a ceasefire in the war with Hamas that has triggered alerts of an “apocalyptic” humanitarian situation.Aid workers say Gaza’s humanitarian system is on the verge of collapse, as disease and starvation threaten.Washington’s veto was swiftly condemned … Read more
ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday denounced the UN Security Council after the United States vetoed a ceasefire resolution for Gaza, describing the international body as the ‘Israel protection council’.“Since October 7, the security council has become an Israel protection and defence council,” Erdogan said.The United States on Friday vetoed a Security Council … Read more
NEW DELHI: Several regional leaders in Russia have decided to reduce their local New Year’s celebrations, opting instead to allocate funds towards supporting Moscow’s military efforts in Ukraine. This decision reflects a trend of utilizing existing municipal decorations for New Year’s Eve, while refraining from extravagant fireworks displays and large public gatherings, in light of … Read more
OSLO: Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi will begin a new hunger strike from her prison cell in Iran as the prize is awarded in Oslo on Sunday, her family said Saturday.Mohammadi, who has campaigned against the compulsory wearing of the hijab and the death penalty in Iran, will go on hunger strike “in solidarity” … Read more
DUBAI: Major oil importer China said Saturday it was seeking a deal on the future of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit that was acceptable to all sides.“We all want to work together to find language that points to the right direction of further efforts, reflects inclusiveness to the maximum extent and also is … Read more
RAMALLAH: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Saturday that the United States was “responsible for the bloodshed” of children in the Gaza Strip after it vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian territory at a special meeting of the UN Security Council.“The president has described the American position as aggressive and immoral, … Read more
BERLIN: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday he was confident that tough talks with coalition partners to fix the country’s budget following a landmark court ruling would eventually result in a deal. Speaking at the Social Democrats (SPD) party conference, Scholz said there would be no cuts to the welfare state, an area where … Read more
NEW YORK: Indian-American Senator Usha Reddi from the 22nd district of Kansas state of the US has submitted her candidacy for another term in the state legislature. The Democrat, who has held the seat following previous senator Tom Hawk‘s withdrawal from the legislature in January this year, announced her candidacy on her social media platform … Read more
ROME: A fire broke out in a hospital on Rome‘s outskirts, killing at least four people and forcing the evacuation of the facility and its patients, officials said on Saturday. Patients in intensive care at St. John the Evangelist hospital in Tivoli were transferred immediately to other hospitals via ambulance, the Tivoli mayor’s office said … Read more
TEHRAN: Iran warned Saturday of the threat of an “uncontrollable explosion” of the situation in the Middle East, after the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the top diplomat of the Islamic republic, also appealed for the immediate opening of the Rafah border crossing … Read more