Xavi reflects on Barcelona's improvements during his two years in charge.

TL;DR: ExpressVPN is a reliable choice for unblocking porn sites. This high-speed VPN can bypass

Ireland rugby fans may be having sleepless nights about whether the team will finally reach the Rugby World Cup semi-finals but the man responsible for strengthening their mental resolve says the...

In Zimbabwe, rains are finally bringing relief to its second-largest national park

By Amanda Cooper and Jesús Aguado LONDON/MADRID Spanish blue-chip shares dropped Monday after a snap general election at

Russia has claimed it can play a role in resolving the conflict between Israel and Palestine as Vladimir Putin blamed US foreign policy for the escalation in the region. The comments from Moscow come despite Russia currently being the primary aggressor in the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War, and also make no mention of Russia’s own role in the Middle East peace process since 2002 as part of the “Quartet” of powers with the UN, US and EU. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was speaking to both sides in the conflict and that it would seek to be involved in its settlement. He told a briefing on Wednesday that Moscow’s top priority was the safety of its own citizens in the region. Russia’s own history in the region is complex – and seemingly riddled with contradictions – as the former Soviet Union had supported the immediate recognition of the state of Israel along with the US after the Second World War. Mr Peskov said the conflict risked “spilling over” into other regions and stated Moscow has engaged in diplomatic efforts, despite limited progress. “But nevertheless we intend to keep making efforts and play our role in terms of providing assistance to seek ways to a settlement,” he said. In comments reported by Russian news agencies, Mr Peskov said the turmoil was “more than worrying. It has the potential to be dangerous by growing and spilling over from the current zone of the Arab-Israeli conflict”. “It is very important now that both sides show restraint,” he said in comments earlier on Russia’s Channel One on Tuesday. And while Mr Peskov on Tuesday said Russia has “a lot in common” with Israel, with many Israelis being former Russian citizens, Mr Putin blamed the US for ignoring the interests of Palestinians and their calls for an independent Palestinian state. The Russian president did not refer directly to Hamas in his own comments – the militant group that launched terror attacks across southern Israel on Saturday and which is heavily backed by Iran, a Russian ally. Moscow is accused of using Iranian Shahed drones in its war in Ukraine and has longstanding ties with Hamas, which sent a delegation to Moscow in March. Mr Putin hosted Iraq’s prime mininster Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Tuesday and took the opportunity during talks with his Iraqi counterpart – whose own country was invaded by the US after 9/11 – to attack American foreign policy in the region. “I think that many people will agree with me that this is a vivid example of the failure of United States policy in the Middle East,” Mr Putin said. He said Washington had sought to “monopolise” efforts at forging peace, and accused it of failing to seek workable compromises. The situation has meanwhile continued to escalate in Israel as the country said it sealed the Gaza strip, governed by Hamas, from getting supplies of food, fuel and medicine in a decision sharply criticised by the UN and several non-profits. Israel also vowed to intensify its response to the attack by Hamas with aerial bombardments on Gaza, seen by many as a prelude to a ground offensive. US president Joe Biden has pledged America’s full support for Israel and issued a warning to anyone who might seek to take advantage of the situation. Russia has issued a range of diplomatic statements with a far less full-throated support for Israel. A Kremlin statement said Mr Putin and Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan deplored the “catastrophic rise in the deaths among civilians”. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov called for a rapid ceasefire in a conversation with his Iranian colleague Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Since the latest crisis erupted, the Kremlin has sought to appear even-handed, underscoring its relations with both sides. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Israel-Hamas war – live: Troops mass at Gaza border as strip ‘only has 10 hours of fuel’ left Watch live view of Gaza skyline as Israel bombards territory Inside Israel’s Supernova Festival: My terror as Hamas bombs fell on us during desert rave The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders weighed in on the Michigan cheating scandal and, unlike many, doesn't actually seem to care.

Sunny Hostin explained the laws regarding the acceptance of unsolicited gifts in the Hot Topics segment of 'The View'

Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says armed forces will boost security at some of the country's most important airports, ports and along its international borders to tackle organized crime

President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden welcomed the 2023 NCAA women's basketball champions, the Louisiana State University Tigers, to the White House on Friday, celebrating their accomplishments and the example they've set for the country.

Sadio Mane scored two goals as African champions Senegal came from behind to defeat Brazil 4-2 in an international friendly...

Packers Rumors: What's the plan with Zach Tom in 2023?Zach Tom played an unexpectedly crucial role for the Green Bay Packers offensive line as a rookie in the 2022 season. He played just shy of 500 snaps and spent time all along the offensive line, seeing at least 80 snaps at four different p...