International

18-02-2026 BERLIN: Current and former United Nations staffers have spoken out in defence of Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, after she faced attacks from a pro-Israeli NGO and several European government officials. Albanese who, like all special rapporteurs, is appointed by the UN Human …

18-02-2026 MOSCOW: The mother of the late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny says the assessment that her son died of poisoning has validated her belief that he was murdered. On Saturday, the UK and European allies put out a statement saying Navalny, who died in 2024, was killed using a …

18-02-2026 MUNICH: Downtown Munich is best-known for chic shops and flashy fast cars but right now its streets are bedecked with posters advertising next generation drones. “Europe’s security under construction” boasts the slogan on an eye-catching set of sleek black-and-white photographs, festooned across a scaffolding-clad church on one of this …

18-02-2026 Bureau Report NEW DELHI: India’s AI Impact Summit, an event meant to showcase the country’s technology ambitions, faced a wave of online criticism on its opening day on Monday as attendees reported long queues, overcrowding and organizational lapses at the New Delhi venue. Several delegates told media; unclear instructions …

18-02-2026 GENEVA: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Geneva for a high-stakes second round of nuclear talks with the United States aimed at reducing tensions and avert a new military confrontation that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned could turn into a regional conflict. “I am …

18-02-2026 MANCHESTER: Usman Khan stands behind his counter, rows of colorful vapes lined up in neat rows behind him. Outside, a biting wind blows down Denton High Street. Khan moved to Denton from nearby Gorton not long ago. Now, he’s one of the 80,000 locals who have been thrust into …

17-02-2026 ZURICH: On January 6, a group of 25 British members of parliament tabled a motion urging global sporting authorities to consider excluding the United States from hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup until it demonstrates compliance with international law. It followed weeks of mounting pressure across Europe over the …

17-02-2026 By SJA Jafri KARACHI: The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is set to begin on February 18 or 19, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. During the month, which lasts 29 or 30 days, Muslims observing the fast will refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to …

17-02-2026 DHAKA: Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman has appealed for unity in the country and dedicated his sweeping win to those who “sacrificed for democracy”, as his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won with a thumping majority in the recently-concluded parliamentary elections. “Our paths and opinions may differ but in the …

17-02-2026 MUNICH: Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi on Saturday said US military intervention in Iran could save lives and urged President Donald Trump’s administration not to spend too long negotiating with Tehran’s clerical rulers on a nuclear deal. The exiled son of Iran’s toppled shah told media in an interview …