With Putin’s reelection all but assured, Russia’s opposition still vows to undermine his image

TALLINN: Behind bars in penal colonies or in self-exile abroad, Russian opposition figures vow they will still put up a fight against President Vladimir Putin as he seeks yet another term in office in an election in March. Although they believe Putin will be declared the winner no matter how voters cast their ballots, they … Read more

Israel strikes Gaza after failed UN ceasefire bid

Israel pressed its offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza on Saturday after the United States blocked an extraordinary UN bid to call for a ceasefire in the two-month war.Hamas and the Palestinian Authority swiftly condemned the US veto as the Hamas-run health ministry put the latest death toll in Gaza at 17,487 people, mostly women … Read more

Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan says treatment meted out to Afghan refugees against Islamic values

LAHORE: Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has said the treatment being meted out to Afghan refugees in the country is contrary to the core values of Islam and its social values. In a message from jail which his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party issued here on Friday said 71-year-old Khan has made it clear … Read more

407-million year-old disease-causing fungus unveiled at Natural History Museum

In a groundbreaking discovery at the Natural History Museum in London, researchers have unearthed a 407-million-year-old fungus fossil, Potteromyces asteroxylicola, from the Rhynie Chert in Scotland. This ancient microbe, paying homage to renowned mycologist Beatrix Potter, is the oldest evidence of fungi causing diseases.Potteromyces asteroxylicola was found infecting the ancient plant Asteroxylon mackiei, showcasing a … Read more

Hamas brutality can’t justify ‘collective punishment’ of Palestinians: UN chief

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that Hamas brutality could never justify “collective punishment” of Palestinians as Israel presses its campaign against Hamas in the Gaza strip.“Some 130 hostages are still held captive. I call for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as their humane treatment and visits from the International … Read more

Battles rage across Gaza ahead of rare UN vote

Israeli forces maintained a relentless bombardment and ground invasion across Gaza on Friday, two months after Hamas’s deadly attack sparked a war that has decimated the Palestinian territory, triggering an extraordinary UN bid for a ceasefire.The fighting has left 17,487 people dead in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the … Read more