World Echo

Russia has warned NATO it would be ready to resort to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave that borders the Baltic Sea. In a document sent to NATO and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of a "dangerous and reckless course" that entailed "high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict". The document said this included the possibility "of Russian strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance's member states right from the outset of the conflict". "Russia will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory should NATO countries undertake any attempt aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of the country," said the text, classed as a "non-paper" — diplomatic jargon for an informal document. In addition to the private warning, Russian embassies i...

More than 100 Israeli settlers have attacked a village in ​the occupied West Bank, preventing a Palestinian family from returning home and clashing with troops, ‌witnesses said. Two houses belonging to the Tubasi family in Jalud village were seized by settlers weeks ago, amid a surge of settler violence and land seizures that have drawn international condemnation. The family had been staying elsewhere in the village, north of the city ​of Ramallah in the Palestinian territory, until Israel's military agreed to escort them back late on ​Monday night and protect them from the settlers. Around ten minutes after they reached the ⁠homes, a group of over 100 settlers descended, witnesses said. The settlers set the homes on fire, blocked ​access roads, and hurled rocks toward Israeli officers, three of whom were injured, the Israeli military said in ​a statement. A house belonging to Palestinians Mahmod Tubasi, 60, and his wife Aedah, 51, damaged in what they say was an Isr...

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) met United Arab Emirates (UAE) Vice ‌President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. According to Arab News, MBS and Al Nahyan discussed "bilateral relations and developments in the region", adding that the two leaders also reviewed relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. #PICTURES: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed in Riyadh pic.twitter.com/IiqSCW4yqb — Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) September 29, 2026 Earlier in the day, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid ​bin Salman received Al Nahyan, Saudi state media ​reported, as Saudi Arabia faces increasing pressure ​from the Houthis, who have ​fired salvos of missiles and drones at the kingdom. The UAE withdrew from Yemen earlier this ​year after Saudi Arabia accused it of backing ​a military ope...

A bill proposing the recognition of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha as official holidays in California was signed into law, allowing workers to use existing paid leaves to observe the religious occasions. The bill, AB 2017, formally recognises Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha as Islamic holidays as of September 10. With the partnership of Muslim communities and organisations, AB 2017 was introduced to California Governor Gavin Newsom by Assembly member Matt Haney in March this year. With the passage of the bill, schools and public workplaces will be granted the necessary tools to help Muslims in the US state to practice their faith without the burden of career obligations or academic barriers, according to US media. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2017, formally recognizing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in state law. The law allows state and school employees to use existing leave to observe Eid and permits K-12 schools and community colleges to close for the holidays through local...

The US ban on some $1 billion worth of imports from Canada, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and motor vehicles, went into effect on Tuesday. President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning the sale of certain goods imported from Canada in the US. While the restriction on nearly $1 billion worth of products is not expected to create a major economic impact compared to the $880 billion annual bilateral trade volume between the two countries, the development marks a new phase in the ongoing trade disputes with Canada, a long-standing US ally and trading partner. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement that these measures were a direct result of Canada's discriminatory treatment of critical American exports. Read: Canada to impose retaliatory tariffs across a raft of US sectors, Carney says The list of banned goods imported from Canada includes select alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and motor vehicles. In July, the US administr...

Eleven teenagers were wounded in a mass shooting at a birthday gathering in the US state of Georgia, with two of them in critical condition, media reports said on Monday. The shooting occurred around midnight during a “large gathering” at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon, about 85 miles (137 kilometres) southeast of Atlanta, CBS News reported, citing the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were four 18-year-old men, two 18-year-old women and five 17-year-old boys. An 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy remained in critical condition, while the other nine victims were stable. Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said the gathering appeared to be a birthday party that had originally been planned at another location before attendees moved to the park. Another group later arrived, and an argument between the two groups escalated into gunfire, Davis said. All 11 people wounded were part of the birthday gathering. No arrests had been made, and the investigation r...