KIEV: Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky, a political novice and favourite to win Kiev’s presidential vote, was set to head to Paris yesterday to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. While many dismissed as a joke his bid to lead Ukraine – a country at war with Moscow-backed rebels – Zelensky defeated
NEW YORK: Anonymous to the public just days ago, a US computer scientist named Katie Bouman has become an overnight sensation due to her role in developing a computer algorithm that allowed researchers to take the world’s first image of a black hole. “I’m so excited that we finally get
TRIPOLI: Forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government and a rival commander battled for control of the capital Thursday after UN chief Antonio Guterres warned the country faced a “very dangerous situation”. Thousands of people have fled heavy fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli that has left dozens dead and
KABUL: The Taliban yesterday announced their annual spring offensive, which comes as the US and Afghan politicians try to negotiate a peace settlement with the Islamist militants. Operation Fath – meaning “victory” in Arabic – will be conducted across Afghanistan with the aim of “eradicating occupation” and “cleansing our Muslim
NEW DELHI: The Dalai Lama left a New Delhi hospital yesterday after three days of treatment for a chest infection, but the 83-year-old will need several days of rest before returning to his Himalayan base, his spokesman said. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama was discharged from the hospital this morning,”
QUETTA (Pakistan): At least 20 people were killed and 48 wounded yesterday by a powerful suicide blast apparently targeting the Shia Hazara ethnic minority at a crowded fruit market in Pakistan’s Quetta city, officials said. Body parts littered the scene and injured people screamed for help as black smoke cloaked
ALGIERS: Algerian protesters gathered yesterday for the first protests since the announcement of presidential elections to succeed ousted leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika fearing a ploy by the ruling system to stay in power. Social media, the source of mass protests which led to the end of Bouteflika’s two-decade rule, have echoed
CHRISTCHURCH (New Zealand): Four weeks on from the New Zealand mosques massacre, the Christchurch Muslim community was struggling to get worshippers to overcome their fears and return to Friday prayers. “They are still very scared,” Linwood mosque Imam Ibrahim Abdelhalim told AFP. “Normally we would expect around 100, but now
TAIPEI: Four “sweat bees” that had been living in a Taiwanese woman’s eye were removed by a doctor who described his surprise at finding a “leg with hair, protruding from the eyelid”. The tiny insects, which are just three milimetres (one-tenth of an inch) long, were discovered after the woman
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s nearly seven-year stay at Ecuador’s embassy in London came to an abrupt end yesterday when police entered the building and arrested him after Ecuador withdrew his asylum. Assange has been living at the embassy in London’s plush Knightsbridge district since 2012 when he sought refuge