World Echo

The Knesset approved a bill Wednesday that seeks to ban the broadcasting of the Muslim call to prayer, or adhan, in Israel on loudspeakers, according to media reports. The Israel Hayom newspaper reported that the Knesset approved the bill in its preliminary reading to tighten law enforcement against what it described as “mosque noise.” The bill passed 50 - 36 in the 120-member parliament, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. Introduced by the Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the bill was backed by the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party of right-wing politician Avigdor Lieberman. Rawhi Fattouh, head of the Palestinian National Council, described the move as a "crime" and "legislative terrorism.” Read: French foreign minister welcomes Lebanon-Israel framework agreement in call with Rubio It is “a blatant violation of freedom of worship and belief," Fattouh said in a statement. The bi...

Hope of finding more survivors faded Wednesday as Venezuela marked a week since twin earthquakes killed almost 2,300 people, while many who lived through the disaster were running desperately short on food. As the death toll mounted, Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez declared seven days of mourning, saying the country's "soul is torn apart by the human losses." Tens of thousands of people remain unaccounted for. The majority of collapsed buildings in the hardest-hit city of La Guaira, just north of Caracas, have been marked with the letter 'D' for 'deceased' -- a sign they had been searched with no signs of life found. "Time isn't wasted in a place where there is no expectation of recovering people alive," said Javier Rodes, the coordinator of a Spanish rescue team whose sniffer dog Nala searched in vain through the rubble for traces of life. There have been miracle survivors, such as a three-year-old boy found alive...

China's ruling Communist Party must keep pace with changing circumstances while safeguarding the advances it has made, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday during celebrations for its 105th founding anniversary. Xi did not identify specific opportunities or risks, but analysts say slower economic growth and demographic decline pose key challenges for the world's second-largest economy. In a 40-minute speech at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong urged party cadres to actively recognise and adapt to, change, while promoting the party's work. "China's development is currently in a period where strategic opportunities, risks and challenges coexist," said Xi, who called for the party to better coordinate efforts to tackle domestic and international issues. Faced with external challenges from Western-led curbs on technology to turbulent trade ties with the United States and tension over Taiwan, party l...

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday warned of an immediate and powerful response after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death”. “The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see. POTUS has committed the US to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them,” Araghchi said in a post on X. He said any threat against Iran’s people and leadership would receive an immediate and powerful response. Araghchi's X post ​was ⁠attached to comments made by the Israeli defence minister.  Katz further said that Israel could target Iran again “if it deems it necessary” despite ongoing US efforts to pursue diplomacy. Speaking at a memorial ceremony for those killed in the 2006 war in Lebanon, Katz said: “We have attacked twice with proactive, preemptive strikes in Iran and, if necessary, we ...

Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday under the protection of Israeli police, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Citing the Jerusalem Governorate, WAFA said dozens of occupiers entered the compound, toured its courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli police. https://ift.tt/ob73cMw Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two ancient Jewish temples. Palestinians said Israel was escalating efforts to Judaize occupied East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity. The Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, in line with international resolutions that do not recognise Israel's occupation of the city in 1967 or its subsequent annexation in 1980. Israeli police begin recruiting far-right officers for Al-Aqsa Mos...

China's covert military training of Russian forces last year was personally approved by President Vladimir Putin's defence minister and directly involved at least four Russian and Chinese generals, according to two European officials and documents seen by Reuters. The officials said the involvement of such high-ranking individuals in training linked to the Ukraine war signalled the importance for Russia and China of such cooperation, which has caused alarm in Europe even as Beijing has denied it took place. A classified Russian document seen by Reuters directly referred to an internal decree issued by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov in August, 2025. It said that, in accordance with a decision by Belousov, a delegation from Russia's armed forces travelled to China to participate in training exercises at People's Liberation Army (PLA) facilities. Training in radiological, biological, chemical warfare The same report detailed one of the training courses - a three...